By the Angel

Chapter 58

One week later
Clary POV

"You ready baby?" Jace asks me as I put on my gloves in the back of pandemonium.
"Of course," I say confidently, "I'm always ready for a fight."

"That's my girl." Jace beams with pride. His smile is contagious despite me feeling like an awful sister. My brother is rotting in a jail cell and my life has returned to normal. Even better than normal because for once in my entire life I don't have Valentine breathing down my neck.

I hear Alec's song start to play and I turn to Jace with a grin playing on my lips, "guess that's my cue, who are you rooting for Goldilocks? Me or your brother who's about to get his ass kicked?"

He smiles, " Well I don't know, " he says stepping forward until he's inches from my face," that's a hard one, I think," he says as he tugs on one of my curls," I think I'll go for Alec." He says before quickly adding, "kidding, always for you Ember."

I hear the intro to the all to familiar song start to play. Scars by I prevail booms over the speakers as I start to walk out with one last look back at Jace I wink at him.

"Knock him dead baby."

I walk out to the roaring crowd, my eyes focused on the center of the room where Alec is standing in the middle of the ring. I see Jace sprint out to take his seat in the front row along side Izzy, Magnus, Simon, and Luke. When Jace shrugs off his Jacket I can see a black v neck shirt with two words clearly printed on front, "team Fray," the shirt says. I chuckle to myself as I see the clothing options are much the same for my other friends. Magnus is wearing a "Team Biscuit," silk purple top with an apologetic sign that reads "Sorry Alec I stand for biscuit, nice ass in those pants though!" Izzy and Simon are wearing matching green tops with my face printed on them and Luke is wearing a shirt with my baby picture that reads "my daughter was born a fighter." I almost choke up when I read his.

As I step in the ring Alec is shaking his head at his family, "thanks for the support family," he says sarcastically, "Magnus even you? Shame on all of you!" He yells halfheartedly.

"I said you have a nice ass Magnus points out as he wiggles his eyebrows. He shakes his head again as he sets his feet, " what a nice support system you have there Red, too bad you poached all of mine."

"Awe doesn't hold it against them, Alec, they just want to root for a victor, would be quite embarrassing to get merch made for a loser."

"Oh snap!" Alec grins, "okay Red, okay give me your worst and just so you know I won't go easy on you."

"I'd punch you in the face if you did. Good luck angry Alec, you're gonna need it."

He snorts as the bell rings, our amused faces set in stone once we here that gong. All the jokes aside both of us take this seriously. For once instead of picturing Johnathan who I now know is my brother or my father I just picture the opponent in front of me.

I've had to let go of my resentment, I still hate my father and its not as if I forgive him or ever will but I can't let him control my emotions or me for that matter. I may have started fighting to take out my aggression on Valentine and Johnthan but now? I'm doing this for me, everything I do from this day forward Is for myself and no one else. If I let my hatred for that vile man control me he wins and I think I deserve better than that.

I circle Alec, first raised in the air, he strikes first, first aimed for my cheek, quick and hard but not fast enough, I easily duck out of the way smacking his cheek with my fist as I come back up in one smooth motion.