Clary's heart was pounding as she pushed the library door open.

Light flooded through the curtainless windows, blinding Clary for a moment before her pupils adjusted to the light of the room. Her tingling nerves intensified as she saw his silhouette, tall and unmoving, his blond hair rippled by the wind. With his back to her, she could vividly visualize him as a winged angel ready to take off. He was wearing a spotlessly white shirt and jeans. The noise of the door startled him, and he turned around to face her.

For a moment neither was able to say anything. After all, it was the first time they were facing each other again after they found out about the truth. That Jace wasn't her brother, and all there ever was to it was that he was briefly adopted by Valentine. There was stunned silence in the room, and then-

"So-"
"So-"

They blinked. Clary half-smiled as she walked farther into the room, taking in his sharp features. She was relieved to find out that his bruises were gone. His last fight with Valentine had been bad enough, she thought. Rather than looking straight into his amber eyes she focused on his faded Marks instead, covering the backs of his hands and running along the length of his arms. In the still morning light he looked dauntingly beautiful.

Jace must've noticed her idle expression for he sheepishly cleared his throat, trying his best not to smirk. Clary quickly looked away, blushing. Jace would never be different.

"I'm getting the impression that my presence still overwhelms you," Jace said amusedly. "After all this time I thought you would've gotten used to that, but I take it I still look charming, don't I?" His mocked tone annoyed Clary in a good way. She smiled.

"Don't push it. The only reason I'm looking at you like this is because..."

"Because what? You're trying to remember every detail of my face just so you could draw me in your diary?" He laughed at his own remark.

"For the record, I haven't been spending my time drawing your 'pretty face', cause I figured since I see you everday that would be quite a waste," she snapped, almost laughing when she realized what she said actually rhymed. "I was thinking about...well, I was thinking about what your reaction would be. After, you know...we found out."

Jace seemed to be amused by this, though there was no way he could hide the color that rose in his cheeks. His face felt hot. He uncrossed his arms and in quick strides he crossed the room to Clary, only slowing down when he was near. They were now facing each other, more closely than he'd intended to be.

Clary backed up when she realized how close her face was to Jace's, and in heaving effort she looked him straight in the eyes. His face was overwhelming, and as an afterthought she considered maybe drawing his face wasn't a bad idea after all.

Jace tried his best to look cool. "Hmm...where do I start." He glanced around the room, trying to decide how he was going to construct his sentence without looking too enthusiastic nor too overjoyed. "I was already half-expecting that, not going to lie. I was still relieved, of course, because then I knew that I didn't have to fight myself anymore, and pretending I didn't have feelings for you was no longer needed." Clary blushed deeply as he said this. Jace paused to chance a glance at her and, seeing the effect he was having on her, continued. "Then I suddenly remembered Simon and thought about what an idiot he is for ever taking a chance on you, but seeing myself in the mirror after that I figured I didn't have much competition and stopped thinking about him altogether." Clary was about to retort when he spoke again. "Then I thought about how much I love you, and that I'm never going to leave you no matter what." That last sentence came out more softly, and Jace was only vaguely aware of the tenderness in his voice. He looked at Clary, itching to touch her face, wanting to feel her skin.

That did it for Clary. What he said knocked the wind out of her. Her heartbeat was going a mile a minute, her hands were shaking. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed them again, as if suddenly forgetting how to form words. Finally, with all the strength she could muster, she took a deep breath and said what she'd been dying to say all this time:

"I love you, Jace Wayland. I loved you from the very first day. Even though you were a jerk," she remarked. All those words came out in a rush. She hoped it hadn't been inaudible, because she wanted him to hear every bit of it, to make him remember that day for the rest of his life, the day they were both set free.

Jace was half smiling, half laughing. Of the most serious of times, they never forgot their sense of humor. Unable to contain himself any longer, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her for the longest time. His hands were tangled in her hair. Clary kissed him back, all the joy and the longing and the anticipation coming out in that kiss. She thought about when she'd kissed Simon and realized how foolish she'd beento ever have thought she could drive Jace away with it. She never did, and nor was kissing Simon as real and as honest and as passionate as this kiss was. They could have stood there in the middle of the library forever, and it seemed to have been like that until they finally broke apart. Jace held Clary tight to his chest, never wanting to let go.

Clary held on to him like a lifeline, her face half-buried in his shirt, hearing the loud pounding of his heart. She raised a hand up to touch his chest, feeling that heartbeat like it was her own. Jace put his hand on top of hers. Her hand felt warm and familiar, fitting into his perfectly, as if their hands were made for each other. With a shy grin he thought maybe they were.