For you, I'll stop the clock

Chapter 1 : The Visit

7 hours earlier,

It was 4.00 p.m in the evening at the New York Institute and things were moving slow. The searches for the Soul Sword were still on but every lead kept turning up empty handed. The Clave had launched a full scale investigation into the case and almost every shadowhunter available was involved but so far they had had no luck.

Isabelle sighed as she scrolled through the files on the Institute's database, reading through the same details for what felt like the thousandth time. She was bored to death. All this waiting around for something to happen was weighing her down, and although it gave her time to recover from her yinfen problem, the suspense of it all was killing her.

Around her, the institute looked almost deserted with everyone out on missions or meetings. Clairy had gone off with Simon in the morning and Jace had followed a few hours later, claiming that he was bored being cooped up in the Institute though Isabelle suspected that this was just an excuse to stalk Clairy. And Alec had been locked up in his room since lunch.

She heard footsteps approaching her from behind and turned to see Alec thundering down the stairs, the hood of his old, grey jacket drawn over his head.

'Well speak of the devil' She thought to herself as her brother rushed past, failing to notice her sitting right there in his haste.

"Going somewhere?" Isabelle asked, getting up from her seat and walking over to her brother with a teasing smile. Only one thing could make him rush off like that and that one thing was Magnus Bane.

But when Alex turned to her and drew off his hood, her smile faded. His face was drawn and pale, his eyebrows knotted in thought or worry and his usually light blue eyes had dimmed like they always did when he was upset. But the expression vanished in her second and her brother was standing there completely fine, with his normal nonachalant expression and Isabelle was forced to tell herself that she's just imagined it.

"Going to see Magnus?" She teased, her lips curling into a smile again.

"No" Said Alec immediately and then after a moment of thought, corrrected himself, "I mean, yes. Yes I am"

"Ooooh what for?"

Alec looked at her imploringly, "We're going to talk"

"Sure you are" Isabelle replied, her tone thick with sarcasm.

Alec rolled his eyes the way he normally did when she teased him but something about it seemed different and....forced. But Isabelle brushed it aside, convincing herself that it was nothing.

"I don't have time for this" he said and turned around to leave"

"Alec, wait. There's something I've been meaning to ask you"

The urgency in her tone made Alec stop and he turned around, looking slightly worried at the sudden seriousness.

"What is it?" He asked, her eyes searching hers.

"Are you a top or a bottom?" Asked Isabelle, and her expression cracked into a smile as her brother groaned in pure exasperation, throwing his hands up in the air half heartedly in his annoyance.

"I'm leaving" He stated and stormed out, and Isabelle watched his retrearing figure, shaking her head at ragged choice of clothing.

She turned away once he'd disappeared through the doors of the institute, not knowing that she'd never see her brother the same way again after that moment.

_____________________________________________________________

6 hours earlier,

Jace stared vehemently at the back of Simon's retreating figure, hoping that if he stared hard enough, he'd be able to stab him with his eyes. Unfortunately having pure angel blood didn't seem to give him that kind of perks.