AN: I was rereading the Mortal Instruments series since the next one comes out tomorrow. SO it's kinda been on my mind a lot. So earlier I was listening to sad songs, some bout kids being abused others just sad in general and I started connecting Jace to a bunch of them. So I'm gonna do a short little group of Songfics. They will not be connected in anyway except that they center on Jace and all have the general theme about his strained relationship with his father (Valentine not Stephen) Hope you guys like them. -K

DISCLAIMER; I don't own Mortal Instruments, Jace, Clary, Valentine, or the songs. Please rate and review!

"She walks to school with the lunch she packed,

nobody knows what she's holding back,

wearing the same dress she wore yesterday,

she hides the bruises with the linen and lace, oh,"

"The teacher wonders,

but she doesn't ask,

It's hard to see behind the mask,

Bearing the burden of a secret storm,

Sometimes she wishes she was never born"

"Through the wind and the rain she stands hard as a stone,

in a world that she can't rise above,

but her dreams give her wings and she flies to a place where shes loved,

Concrete Angel"

Concrete Angel by Martina McBride

Jace POV:

Another school. Another teacher giving me a strange look. I smile so she thinks it's no big deal. She buys it and moves on to someone else. I let the smile slip back into my mask. I give off a blank look. Neither happy or sad. Emotion is bad. It only gets you in trouble. So I don't show it. Ever.

This is the fourth Shadowhunter school I've been to in as many months. Father says we have to move to avoid suspicion. Once I asked him what we were hiding and he back-handed me so hard I saw stars. "NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUSINESS!" He yelled. I never asked again.

The teacher is going on about how to kill demons, but I already know it all. That's something my father does for me, teaches me the important stuff. That proves he loves me doesn't it? I mean he says he loves me and that should be enough right?

"Recess!" My teacher calls out. What? Even Shadowhunter kids need a chance to run around and do kid things. I slowly get to my feet and follow my classmates outside. I see a bench off to the side and sit down by myself.

I don't want to make new friends, I will be leaving them soon anyway. I'm just gonna sit here by myself till it's time to go back inside. I have my little toy solider in my pocket for company. The chef at our mansion made it for me before we started moving around for Father's work. I was six then. I'm eight now.

Suddenly a little girl runs up and sits next to me. "Hiya!" She says all cheerful. She had brown hair and brown eyes to match. She was bouncing up and down slightly.

"Hi." I said quietly.

"What's your name? I'm Syren."

"Jace."

"That's a cool name!" She said smiling.

"Thanks." I didn't smile back. I was silently hoping she would go away.

"Wanna play?"

"No."

"Why not? You look lonely sitting here by yourself." She said persistently.

"I'm fine." I tried again, hoping she'd get the hint and leave.

"Please? Please? Please?" Syren begged, sticking her bottom lip out in a pout.

"Okay fine." I grumbled.

"Yay!" She grabbed my hand and pulled me away from my bench and towards the monkey bars.

It got hot while we were playing so I took off my jacket. We were playing tag when she noticed the bruises on my arms.

"Oh no! What in the Angel's name happened to you?" Syren asked.

"Oh I was riding my horse and it bucked me off. I'm fine. Really." I lied quickly. I couldn't tell her that Father hits me. I'd told someone once and they told him. He beat me real bad that night. We moved the next day.

"Falling doesn't give you bruises like that, they look like fingerprints. Do your parents hit you?" She asked.

I was stunned. How did she guess? Oh no, not again. "You can't tell anybody!" I said frantically. "Please! Please don't tell anyone. It's fine really. I can handle it."

She pursed her lips but didn't argue. "Okay I won't. But if it gets real bad you have to promise to tell me so I can help okay?"

"Okay." I said. It was a lie. I wouldn't tell her. It wouldn't matter if I did there was nothing she could do to help me anyway.

Just then the bell rang and we all went inside. Syren sat next to me. My first real friend. She knew the truth and she didn't blame me. She wouldn't tell anyone either, I was sure of it. For a little while I let myself feel relieved, someone knew, I didn't have to hide it from her. When I caught her looking at me a little while later, I smiled, the first real smile I'd given anyone in two whole years. I was happy. Even if it was only for a moment.