A/N: So, I was finishing up chapter four of Delicate (my other story), listening to my Ipod, and "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5 started playing. The idea for this story just sort of hit me in the face. I had to write it. :D

Basically, Jace has been in love with Clary since Junior year of high school, and they hooked up a few times in the past, but Clary turned into a hot mess after a couple of dramatic events (which will be explained later), and she hasn't really been able to handle being in love with him. So, Jace has been running after her, and he's tired of being hurt, but he loves her and can't help himself. Their ages are: Clary-18, Jace-20, Isabelle-19, Sebastian-21.

The part in italics is a flashback, just so you know :)

The story theme song is "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5. You absolutely must listen to it while you are reading this! It's a beautiful song :)

Jace wanted to slam his head against his steering wheel. His sister was at it again, making his life ten times more complicated than it needed to be.

Jace's black cell phone rang, a song he didn't remember the name of blaring from the glove box of his '96 Camaro. He yanked open the compartment and flipped open his phone, and almost immediately Isabelle's voice blared in his ear.

"Hey big brother," she shouted over the clamor of whatever party she was at, obviously drunk. "Can you give us a ride home?"

"Us?" Jace asked tonelessly, mulling over the fact that Isabelle would owe him a favor if he did pick her up, but he wasn't going to enjoy driving to whatever party she was at, or picking up one of her idiot friends.

"Me and Clary."

Jace almost slammed on the brakes in the middle of traffic, gripping his cell phone so tightly that the black plastic creaked in his hand. It took him a minute before he could answer Isabelle. "No." He was about to hang up on her, when she said the one word that could stop him.

"Please." There was something about the way his sister's voice sounded that prevented Jace from closing his phone. Had she been crying?

"Fine." Jace couldn't imagine Isabelle crying, but he wasn't going to leave her alone if something worse than usual had happened. "Where are you?"

"At Sebastian's," was Isabelle's answer.

Jace's jaw clenched involuntarily. Why did she have to be there of all places? "I'll be there in five minutes," he said tightly.

"Thank you." Isabelle hung up, leaving Jace to navigate his way out of traffic and to the one place in New York he hated the most.

The drive to Sebastian's manor home was longer than Jace had expected, and as he drove slowly up to the Verlac's immaculate front lawn he saw his sister laying on her back in the perfectly trimmed grass, waiting for him. He also saw a thin, redheaded figure sitting cross-legged beside Isabelle, her green eyes aimed into the distance. Clary.

Jace wanted to turn around right there. He didn't want Clary in his car. Especially not when she was drunk. He never wanted to see her soft red curls again, or let her emerald eyes stare into his again. But he couldn't leave Isabelle, who looked so miserable laying in the grass with her eyes clenched shut and her arms wrapped around her stomach.

Jace pulled his Camaro into an open space in front of Sebastian's expansive front yard. He could hear the pounding music coming from inside the house: some pop song he didn't recognize. He killed the engine and stepped out of his car.

Isabelle lifted her head and saw him, but didn't make a move to get up. He would have to carry her to the car.

Jace made his way to his sister, ignoring Clary's gaze. "Izzy?" He held out his arms to his sister, and she let him lift her up. She smelled like beer.

Clary stayed where she was in the grass, not standing to follow him.

Jace forced himself not to think about Clary as he situated Isabelle in the back seat of his Camaro. "If you throw up in here, I will personally burn all of your dresses," he warned her. Isabelle laughed softly, and then winced at the churning in her stomach the movement caused.

Jace turned around to find Clary still sitting in the grass, but facing away from him. "You coming?" He called, wishing he didn't have to address her directly.

Clary shook her head, but didn't say anything. And she didn't look at him.

Something clicked in Jace's mind, or maybe it tugged at his heart. He couldn't be sure, but he needed to go to her. He needed to pull her into his arms like he had so many times before; needed to run his hands through her fiery tangles and promise her that everything would turn out all right.

Jace kneeled next to her in the grass, reaching a tentative hand out to her. "Clary," he didn't know what he was asking, or even if it was a question. His only thought was of her.

Clary shrugged away from his hand, still refusing to look at him. "Go away," she ordered, half drunkenly.

"No," Jace said softly. He couldn't. He couldn't leave her. As much as his mind wanted him to walk away, his heart told him that he would never be able to force himself away. Not this time. "Clary, please," he laid his hand on her shoulder, inching closer to her. He still didn't know what he was asking for.

She spun around, swatting his hand away from her, her face a mix of emotion. "Just go," she closed her green eyes, "Please just go."

Jace grabbed her wrist in one hand and laid his other on her cheek, forcing her to face him. She wouldn't open her eyes. "Clary," he knew what he was asking her now, "Let me take you home."

She shook her head, forcing Jace to drop his hand from her cheek and back down to her shoulder. "I can't go home," Clary whispered, "Jonathan – "

"You can stay with us," Jace told her. With me. He couldn't make her go home to her brother. He didn't even want her to go home to her brother.

Clary's green eyes finally opened, and Jace saw all of the tears that she hadn't let fall. She leaned forward, and Jace shifted so that he could lift her bridal-style into his arms, the way he remembered holding her before, with her head resting on his shoulder; her warm forehead pressed against his neck. Clary's arms wrapped around Jace's neck, her thin fingers lacing in his hair as the tears she had been holding in began to pour down her pink cheeks.

Jace held her, clutching her tiny body as close as he could without hurting her, murmuring what he hoped were soothing words in her ear. There were three words he wanted to tell her; the only real truth he had ever known; the three words he had been waiting since Junior year to say. Those words were the reason he couldn't stay away from her, but also the reason he had never wanted to see her again. He didn't want her to be able to hurt him again, but he couldn't bear to see her hurting. Jace would always be the one to catch her when she fell, whether she wanted him to or not.

"Well, isn't this cute," a mocking voice sounded behind Jace. Sebastian. Clary tensed in Jace's arms, her legs curling up in front of her.

Jace tightened his grip on Clary's body, rising to his feet in front of the sardonic, black-haired boy. He shifted Clary's weight to one of his arms, laying his free hand on the side of her face to shield her from whatever words he knew Sebastian would throw at them.

"If I didn't know better," Sebastian continued, "I'd say you two were back together. Again." He raised an eyebrow, "But I do know better, don't I? You have more sense than to get back with that slut."

Jace growled, his line of vision turning red with blind burning rage. How dare Sebastian call her that? Jace struggled to even out his breathing. Only Clary, quivering in his arms, kept Jace from tackling Sebastian and punching his lights out.

Instead, Jace turned away, cradling Clary still closer to him. He took another deep breath to calm himself. "We were just leaving," he growled, glaring into space as he walked back to his Camaro.

"Have fun in hell, Wayland!" Sebastian called after him.

Jace ignored him. "You okay?" He stroked Clary's cheek, wincing internally at her pained expression. Her eyes were still wet with tears, but she wasn't crying anymore. Sebastian's insults always hurt her more than she let on. She nodded in answer, pressing her face back against Jace's neck.

Isabelle was passed out across the back seat of his Camaro, so Jace set Clary in the front passenger's seat. He got in on the driver's side, and glared after Sebastian as the dark-haired boy walked back into his house.

"Jace," Clary whispered his name, halfway back to the Lightwood's. "I don't want to go home."

Jace reached for her hand, tracing small comforting circles over her knuckles. "I know," he gently squeezed her hand, "That's why we're going to my house."

Clary sighed. "Thank you," she whispered. She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. Her hand slowly went limp in Jace's.

Jace was relieved that she was sleeping, but he couldn't let go of her hand. He hadn't seen more than a brief glimpse of her in over three months, and now that his anger at Sebastian's words was fading he was beginning to remember exactly what her touch did to him. Jace wanted to hold her again. He wanted to kiss her again. He wanted to feel her under him again, vulnerable and beautiful.

He wanted to see her smile again.

Jace hadn't seen Clary smile in so long. . .

But he couldn't bear it if she pushed him away again.

"Jace!" Isabelle moaned from the back seat, causing his thoughts to dissipate. "If you don't pull over right now, I'm going to puke!"

A/N: Well, what did you think? Is this better or worse than Delicate? I think it's just as angsty and romantic, and I will definately continue if you want me to :D (Also, the "dramatic events" will be explained in later chapters, if I do continue)

xoxo,

Jace's Angel