All the Characters are Cassandra Clare, except for the kids. I do not own TMI

Chapter One:

Clary POV:

Jace and I have been married for five years now, and it wasn't what I thought it would be like at all. He was always gone on missions for the Clave and I didn't hear from him much. I think the last time we talked was a couple months ago. It was getting really lonely in our house, and I tried to fill the empty space with paintings, but they just weren't the same as him.

"Hey Jace, its me, I was just calling to see when you'd be home. Give me a call if you get the chance. I love you." Of course it was his voicemail, I never actually got through when I called. If we talked it was always him who called me.

He's been gone for almost six months, and I have become really depressed. I tried to continue painting but I just had no energy to do it anymore. I understood the dangers and the sacrifice of being a shadowhunter but it didn't mean I liked it.

"Clary! I'm home!" I was up in the bathtub trying to find a reason to leave it and not just spend the rest of my life there. Showers were too much effort and to be completely honest, I didn't have anyone to impress so why bother. I pulled my robe over me, and made my way down the stairs.

I saw him and as our eyes met, I could tell he didn't even notice the physical differences in my body. I had stopped eating months ago, and I couldn't even tell you my weight, but I knew it wasn't good.

"I can't stay long, I'm only home for two days. The Clave needs me somewhere else." He raids the fridge, but he won't find anything, I haven't the need for it when I don't eat.

"Where to this time?" I ask as I lean against the wall.

"You know I can't tell you that Clary." He closed the fridge and looked at me.

"Of course not, cause you can't even call your wife back." I hissed through my teeth. I could tell he didn't know what I was talking about.

"When did you call?" He asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"About 2 months ago." I said as I looked down at the invisible watch on my write.

"Oh, Clary. I meant to call you back but I got tied up in the mission. I'm sorry. I promise I'll make it up to you." He started walking over to me, and he touched my side and I winced. Not eating made everything hurt ten times more than normal, and I wasn't used to human contact. This however did not escape his attention. "Are you okay Clary?"

"Yea, I'm fine. I'll make you some dinner. In the mood for anything special?" I just wanted to change the subject since it would not end on a pretty note, and if I only got two days, they wouldn't be spent fighting.

I ended up making spaghetti, but the smell alone made me want to throw up. I put a plate down in front of Jace and walked away. I couldn't be in the same room as the food anymore. I went out into the living room and laid down on the couch, and drifted in to a deep sleep.

By the time I wake up I'm in my bed, and I see Jace sleeping next to me. This is what I've missed so much; just knowing of his presence near me was enough to feel warmth in my body again.

It was 4 in the morning and I couldn't go back to sleep, so I decided to take another bath. It was the only place where I found peace in the time Jace was gone. It calmed me down, and it made me reevaluate my decisions that had been consuming my head while being so alone.

Jace POV:

I woke up, and Clary was not in the bed. I shot up and panicked for a minute, until I heard humming coming from the bathroom. I looked at the clock and it was 5 in the morning, what was she doing in the bathroom? I walk over to the bathroom and see her taking a bath, and that's when I notice. Her appearance had completely changed. She had always had a petite form, but she was way beyond that, she was sickly skinny, and she had many bruises all over her body. How could I have not noticed this yesterday? I stood there and tried to remember what happened yesterday. Of course, I was to preoccupied on getting food and leaving again, which explains why there was no food in the fridge, she hasn't been eating.

"Clary? Can I come in?" I ask as I knock slightly on the door. She says yes, and I enter. I see her lying in the tub and I can't believe how foolish I've been. My absence has really taken its toll on her, and I hadn't even noticed how frail and sick my wife was.

"How'd you sleep?" She asks, and it dawns on me, everything has been about me these last six months, and I have completely ignored the most important thing in my life.

"Clary, I'm so sorry. I realize I've been completely unfair to you these last five years. You deserve a real marriage and a real husband. Someone who will be there for you all the time. I haven't been that for you, and I'm so sorry." Her eyes start to water, and I can clearly see how much that meant to her. I lean down and kiss her, and decide that right now, I was going to make our time together count. I picked her up and carried her to our bed. It was a long six months that I've been away, but I couldn't even remember the last time I was this close to Clary. But I would make it count this time, and sure enough I did.

It was getting to that time that I had to leave and get back so the Clave could send me on another mission, but I was dreading leaving Clary. I wanted to help her but I knew me leaving was only going to harm her more.

"I promise that I'll try my hardest to make this mission short." I kissed her forehead and smiled at her.

"I know you will, but I also want you to be careful. So don't try and take so many dangerous risks just to finish faster." She looked up at me and smiled, and I could see the life coming back into those dull emerald eyes. We kissed, and then I was out the door, on my way to another mission, while I left my sick and sad wife all alone…..again.