The sound of mournful piano music was what lured you out of your room. The haunting notes were equal parts unsettling and soothing. You recognized the song, and you knew exactly who was playing. Your bare feet were quiet as you padded across the cold floor to the Institute's music room.

"Babe..?" you mumbled, rubbing your tired eyes. The stars were out, and so was your boyfriend. Jace was sitting on the piano bench. His slender fingers danced over the keys, stopping at your voice.

He gave you a once-over. That same, flirtatious look that had led to you catching feelings in the first place. But this look was a little different, his pale blue eyes unusually vulnerable.

"Like what you see?" he teased. There was a pleading undertone. A hope that you would see that something was wrong without him having to say it out loud. Because Jace would rather fight a horde of demons with one hand tied behind his back than tell you something was wrong.

Lucky for him, you were too tired to argue about honesty. And the hour of the night and tune he was playing told you exactly what was wrong.