Ok, this was just something I wrote when I was having trouble sleeping. I read it the next day and thought I might as well put it up here. Please excuse the lack of humour and any other thing that might be a weakness in the piece (I'm sure that there are many) And please keep in mind that it was not originally written to be seen by anyone. This is the first thing I've ever posted here so please comment and R&R, I would welcome and appreciate any feed-back. xxx

I have a little more to add but won't bother to add it unless I proceed with a second chapter. It shows Jace finding out...and his reaction.

Declaimer: I do not own any of the characters or anything to do with the Mortal Instruments.

"Clary!" Jace was shouting up the stairs. I looked back at my reflection in the mirror. How had I not guessed? What was I going to do? I tried to quieten the immense joy that was filling me and tried to think rationally.

The sight of Jace did this for me when he came into the room, fully armoured with rune tattoos running up his arms, across his palms and the back of his hands and across his entire hidden torso I guessed by the runes I could see at his neck. He was obviously ready to get out. But this wasn't what scared me. What would Jace think of this? Though they'd been married for three years and together for seven, children was something that always seemed way in the future, especially with their lifestyle…

"C'mon Clary, we need to get going. You haven't even changed yet?" He didn't seem to notice there was something wrong until the end of the sentence. He came over to me and stood very close, the tip of his boot touching the naked tips of my little freckled toes. He bent his head over me, peering into my eyes. "Is there something wrong Clary? You were acting very odd dinner time." He said. Of course I was, I wanted to scream. I found out I wasn't getting fat but in fact eating for two!

Despite the nervousness I felt within, I faked – or rather attempted - nonchalance. "Everything is fine Jace. I don't feel too good, that's all. In fact, I think I'll pass tonight." I said.

He reached up to touch my cheek, and then pushed the hair from my forehead to feel my forehead before running his fingers through my hair. "What's worrying you Clary?" I shook my head, not trusting my voice. "Do you think I'm going to believe you?" He asked.

"Why shouldn't you?"

"You wouldn't turn down a good hunt Clary, even if you did feel ill, you'd go. For me, for the others." His words cut through me. I flinched quickly before regaining my poker face.

"You don't need me; I'm just going to sit this one out. Let it go Jace, please."

His expression turned shocked for a second before he put on a solid mask, almost hiding his feelings from me. Luckily, I knew his face better than anyone. He was worried, very worried. I was behaving oddly and he didn't have a clue what was wrong. Normally I succumbed to the "For me" tactic faster than a bullet from a gun. This time was different, he knew it too.

"Ok," Was all he said. He let go of my face and released my hair. He started to withdraw from me. I pulled at his arm and crushed myself to him, going on my tip-toes so that I could press my forehead to his. He reacted gratefully by putting his arms around my waist and squeezing.

"Everything is ok, I promise." I said, convincing him with my eyes. He didn't fully believe me, I could see that, but he wasn't as worried as I'd promised that it was fine. "Be careful ok." I said. I never had to say this, I usually went with him and we were "careful" together. But it seemed very important to say it all of a sudden. "Remember that you have a lot waiting for you at home. Hurry back to me."

"I never forget what I have." He said. He was quiet for a second, staring into my eyes. "You know," he began, "If someone had told me seven years ago that someone would be telling me to be careful like this, I would laugh. If someone would tell me that not only did I listen but made a huge effort to do so so that I could come home to be with them, I would have probably killed them for being such a lying bastard." He laughed softly as I sighed in happiness. I was still on edge for how he'd respond. Should I tell him now?

At that moment Isabelle walked in with her whip. "Come on guys, we need to-" She cut off, looking at us. "Sorry did I interr-" She cut off again. "Clary, why aren't you-"

"Jesus, Isabelle. Can't you finish a single sentence? Yes, you were interrupting, I'm coming now so that we can come home early and I can resume where we left off and" his tone changed, "no, Clary is not coming." I peeked at him, he had no expression, perfectly contained, to anyone but Clary. She saw the doubt, the suspicion, the worry.

Isabelle didn't hide anything. "Wait, you're not-"

"Leave it Isabelle." Said Jace in a voice that screamed 'don't carry on that sentence if you know what's good for you'.

Isabelle dropped it, picking up on another. "I don't know how you can judge me for not finishing my sentence as your interrupting skills are why I fail half the time. You have one minute." She said sternly. She looked at me, a mixture of worry and interest. "I'll see you when we get back?" She left, leaving the door to swing shut behind her. Jace turned back to me, catching my worried expression before I could turn it into a smile.

"Hurry back, ok?" I said as he leaned down to kiss me. His mouth lingered on mine for a second before he leaned back and stared at me. "You'd tell me-"

"Of course," I said. "I love you."

"I love you." He said. "Sometimes I wonder how I can love someone so much! You're competing with my love for myself you know." He attempted humour; it was nice to hear his normal jokey voice under the perplexity.

"Don't worry; I don't have very high hopes for that competition." I said. He laughed before picking up his belt and heading for the door. He looked at me one last time; I put on a smile, before the door swung shut leaving me alone in the room, listening to Jace's quickly retrieving footsteps as he ran along the corridor, fading into nothingness. A few minutes later the front door closed with a loud bang, ringing through the house and the finality of it exhausted me. I fell onto the bed, pulled out the thin white test and stared at the little shining blue light on it. I put it back in my pocket before I let my head slump on the pillows and I fell asleep on Jace's side, smelling him and pretending he was with me, as he always was, in a way.