A/N: 3+ Comments 3+ Votes for the next chapter!
Also, I turn 19 today (May 27th) So I'll try to upload in the next few days after the festivities end for the weekend! :) xo 

*****

Adelaide was taking a break.

For the first time in what felt like forever she stopped worrying long enough to sit down and read, Proper intense, hours-pass-by-in-a-second reading. Ever since she was a child Adelaide had a thirst for knowledge that couldn't be sated; more than once someone had told her that her knowledge would one day get her killed.

She supposed they weren't exactly wrong. Her knowledge of Valentine had technically got her killed. Alec had filed the death certificate.

Adelaide grimaced at the thought.

Even Magnus was more relaxed today is seemed. But perhaps that had less to do with secrets being out in the open and more to do with the attractive male vampire she'd spotted sneaking out that morning. Adelaide sniggered to herself at the thought.

Adelaide raised her eyebrow at Magnus as he exited his bedroom, a large smirk taking over her face.

Magnus caught sight of the smirking girl and promptly rolled his eyes. 'Don't even start with me sunshine.' He pointed his finger at her accusingly.

Adelaide laughed. 'Oh c'mon Magnus, let me live vicariously through you. It's not like I have any semblance of a love life.' She scoffed, her tone light and teasing.

This time it was Magnus' turn to smirk. 'There's no one you have your eye on?' Magnus' tone was full of false disbelief as he eyed the young shadowhunter.

Adelaide rolled her eyes. 'No Magnus'

'Well,' Magnus started, 'I can think of a certain male shadowhunter that could be a candidate...'

Adelaide knew what he was hinting at. 'Don't even start with me sunshine.' She mimicked in a poor imitation of his voice, dropping onto the couch with a huff.

Magnus pouted and then laughed. 'You know what they say my dear, hate sex is the best sex.'

Adelaide was pulled out of the relaxed state she'd been in all day by a shrill ringing.

Magnus, seated across from her, raised a suspicious eyebrow at her. No one ever called her phone anymore.

'Hello?' She asked warily

'I think we have a problem.'

*****

'I don't like this.' Adelaide spoke as she hugged her jacket around her tightly. The male in front of her laughed at her discomfort.

'If you joined us, you'd never feel the cold again.'

Adelaide wrinkled her nose in distaste. 'I'll pass.'

She did her best to shake off the cold seeping into her bones.

'Why did you call me, Raphael?'

Raphael's humorous expression sobered. 'Are you alone?'

'Just me, myself and I pretty boy. Magnus isn't here.'

Raphael's shoulders relaxed slightly at her words.

'Come with me.'

'Whoa – you expect me to walk into a vamp nest? When Camille is hanging around?'

Raphael rolled his eyes. 'Camille isn't here, otherwise you'd already be dead.'

Adelaide scoffed. 'I'd like to see her try.'

Raphael laughed. 'So would I.'

Raphael led her inside; Adelaide ignored the hungry stares of the other vampires. Her angel blood made her the ultimate prize.

They stopped outside a heavy set of doors.

'Prepare yourself shadowhunter.' Raphael's tone was teasing but Adelaide detected an undercurrent of sincerity and Adelaide wondered again what the hell she was doing there.

Raphael pushed the doors open and motioned for her to enter.

They room was beautiful, decorated with all sorts of luxuries. The sweet smell of perfume stained the air and Adelaide frowned. Camille's room.

Adelaide's eye was drawn elsewhere and she covered her mouth with her hand.

'Oh, jesus.'

Raphael nodded solemnly at her silent question. 'He's dead.'

Adelaide looked down at the boy, who looked as though he was sleeping with his glasses slightly askew on his face.

Simon.

Adelaide pushed down the sick feeling building in her throat. She had to be professional about this. Adelaide didn't know the mundane well, but she remembered his bright smile and they way he looked at Clary.

Clary.

This was going to destroy her.

'Who did this?' Adelaide asked, though she had a feeling she already knew.

'Who says it wasn't me?' Raphael asked, surprised she hadn't immediately accused him.

'I know you're smarter than that, and if it was you, you wouldn't be showing me.'

'It was Camille. They were blood sharing when we took him. I didn't think she'd find him again after it was all over. Technically she didn't find him, he came looking for me.' Raphael grimaced.

'Why?'

'He suspected what was happening to him. It would have passed out of his system but Camille enjoys breaking her toys.'

'She broke the accords.' Adelaide mumbled quietly.

'She did.'

A horrible thought crept into Adelaide's mind. 'You said blood sharing?'

Raphael looked Adelaide in the eye as he answered. He nodded, confirming her thoughts. 'Yes, he's in transition.'

Adelaide and Raphael both looked at Simon's body. He looked peaceful and unworried even in death.

'I have to take him to the institute.' Adelaide spoke after a second.

'Clary Fairchild.'

Adelaide nodded. 'Will you help me?'

'Will you protect me from them? No doubt they'll be ready to stake me.'

Adelaide smiled crookedly at the vampire. 'I'll protect you from the big bad shadowhunters.' Adelaide purposefully turned her back on the body of the younger boy, not being able to look any longer.

Raphael sniggered at her words, sensing her growing discomfort. 'You walk ahead, we'll go out the back.'

Adelaide nodded and made her way in the direction he had pointed at, not turning even when she heard Raphael pick Simon's body up off of the couch he lay on.

*****

'Alec, what are you doing? You can stare at this monitor all you want, they need angel blood to get past the wards. You know that. No downworlder can come into the institute, not without an invite from a Shadowhunter.'

Alec rolled his eyes, something he seemed to be doing a lot lately. 'Last time I checked, Valentine is a shadowhunter.'

They'd been arguing about where to keep the cup and Alec was getting tired of it. He could hear Clary calling Simon and leaving him a message. Just as Alec had decided to leave the others for the night, a loud beeping notified him that there was something outside the perimeter of the institute.

'There's something outside the perimeter.'

'Told you –' Alec started.

'Don't say it.'

'Let's go check it out.'

*****
Adelaide could feel when they had entered the boundaries of the institute. She knew by now that the shadowhunters inside would have been notified of an intruder the second they breached the wards outlining the institutes boundaries.  Raphael walked behind her in silence.

'Stay here. Let me talk to them.' Adelaide said softly to the vampire who nodded and disappeared into the shadows.

'Don't move!' Jace's voice called out.

Adelaide raised both hands and made her way into the little light there was from the moon outside.

'Adelaide?' Izzy asked incredulously.

'I know you want to shoot me, Alec, but I'm here for a reason.' Alec's expression tightened but he lowered his bow.

Adelaide quickly looked at the red head wearing a confused expression. 'Get her out of here.' Adelaide's voice was hard as she gestured to Clary.

'What? Why? I'm staying here!' Clary protested.

'Get her inside, Izzy, please. Tell the others that you didn't find anything but Alec and Jace are doing a sweep just in case. ' Isabelle nodded and began pulling Clary inside much to her anger.

'Make sure she doesn't come back out.' Izzy took note of the serious tone in Adelaide's voice and she nodded, a silent understanding passing between the two.

Adelaide waited until they had disappeared before she turned and looked between Alec and Jace.

'We shouldn't know that you're here. You have angel blood, but the monitors went off.' Jace looked suspiciously at the girl in front of him.

Alec quickly figured it out. 'Whose with you?'

Adelaide ignored him. 'We have a problem.'

'We have a –' Jace held a hand up to stop Alec's angry words.

'What's going on, Adelaide?'

Adelaide barely turned her head knowing Raphael was listening to their conversation. 'You can come out.'

Raphael walked towards the trio, raising one hand showing he meant no harm, carrying Simon's body one handed.

Alec caught sight of the body first. 'What the-'

Jace swore loudly, cutting Alec's words off.

'How did this happen?' Alec asked, sounding all business.

Raphael glanced at Adelaide before speaking. 'Camille...'

'She broke the accords.' Adelaide finished Raphael's sentence.

'And you didn't come here, to the institute first?'

'I don't trust the clave, or you. I trust her.' Raphael nodded in Adelaide's direction.

'Clary...' Jace whispered, looking highly stressed out.

Adelaide had planned ahead. 'Go and get her, Raphael can take Simon into the morgue through the back tunnels so she doesn't have to look at his body. Get Izzy to go straight there and make sure no one else has access to those rooms. You tell anyone inside that you didn't find anything, but Alec's checking just in case. You come back here with Clary, she's going to need you.' Adelaide ran a hand through her hair, falling back into the familiar pattern of strategic planning. Alec was expressionless as she told Jace what to do.

For the first time in a long time, Jace didn't argue with her, simply nodding and motioning for Raphael to follow him.

Adelaide realised too late that her arrangements meant she was left alone with Alec. She prayed for Jace to hurry.

'You're putting us all in danger.' Alec spoke almost immediately.

'We're shadowhunters, Alec. We've been in danger our whole lives.'

Alec made a noise in the back of his throat. 'The clave sent an envoy.'

'Magnus did warn you. Who'd they send?'

'Lydia Branwell.'

Adelaide's eyes widened. 'Lydia?'

Alec nodded, looking at anything but Adelaide.

'I'm sorry.'

Alec's entire body was tense as he spoke the words.

'For what?' Adelaide asked incredulously.

'For, uh, the other day. I was too rough, I shouldn't have done it.'

Adelaide let out a short laugh. 'I've had worse, Alec.'

'You don't get to do this anymore, you know.' The words were causal but Adelaide could hear the undercurrent of anger.

'Do what?' Adelaide knew her tone was defensive.

'Come in here and order us around. You made your choice. You didn't choose us, and now you get to live with it.'

Alec wouldn't look at her, and his jaw was tense.

'Okay, Alec.' She said tiredly, not bothering to fight with him.

As she spoke the words Jace and Clary descended the stairs, Clary looking around in confusion.

'What's going on?

Jace stood by Clary's side, while Alec watched the interaction carefully.

'Adelaide?' Clary prompted.

'Clary, I need you to keep a level head, okay?'

'Adelaide, please...' Concern washed over the girls face.

'Clary...it's Simon...'

Adelaide watched as the blood drained from Clary's face. Deep down Adelaide knew she already expected to hear the worst.

'What about him?' Already her voice was shaking.

'Clary... Simon, uh... Simon passed away.' When Clary still looked a little confused she added 'He's dead, Clary.'

Adelaide watched as Clary's expression crumpled into one of pain and grief. 'No... No...Please tell me your joking.'

'Clary, I wish I could say I was.' Regret filled Adelaide's voice.

Clary bit her lip as tears streamed down her cheeks. 'Where is he?'

'Raphael and I brought him here, so you can say goodbye.'

Clary nodded, unable to speak due to her tears. Jace started to lead her away gently.

'Clary.' Adelaide called.

She turned and the pain in her eyes made Adelaide's decision for her.

'There's something else you should know.' Jace and Alec turned to look at her, confusion gracing their faces.

'Simon didn't just die. He's in transition Clary.'

Alec and Jace's jaws dropped open in surprise, while Clary looked at Adelaide in complete confusion.

'What does that mean?' There was a tiny shred of hope in Clary's face. Adelaide had to make her understand what it could mean for her and for Simon. She had to understand all of the options.

'It means that he could come back Clary. You could bring Simon back.'

'No-' Alec started.

'Adelaide-' Jace began.

'-But he won't be the same. He won't be living and breathing anymore.' Adelaide cut the two boys off.

Clary was still confused.

'He'll be a vampire, Clary.'

Clary's breaths were coming quickly and her body was trembling. 'What do I do, Adelaide?'

'You're the only one who can decide that. You knew Simon better than anyone; so only you can make that decision for him now that he's not here to decide for himself.'

Clary nodded, still leaning into Jace for support.

'But Clary? Just remember that all decisions cost something. You're the one who'll have to live with the consequences of this decision for the rest of your life. Don't make your choice lightly.'

Clary nodded, sending a tearful smile to Adelaide. 'Thank you, for bringing him here. Are you coming in with us too?' Adelaide didn't miss the hopeful note in her shaky voice.

Adelaide smiled sadly, glancing at Alec who was already watching her carefully.

'Clary I don't think-' someone cut her words off.

'She's coming.'

Alec didn't look back to see the look on Adelaide's face as he walked towards the institute doors.