He groaned, turning on his side in the bed. Pain shot through his skull as he woke up. The air smelled like Chinese food and puke. He cursed himself as the world was clear again.

"Are you all right?"

Jace's eyes opened at once. The pain was no longer important. Nothing was important, except for the redhead angel who sat next to his bed. Her clear, green eyes looked at him with worry and his throat dried. Was she wearing his old T-shirt? He had no idea. The world was still spinning. "You are too pale. I'll get you some water…"

No! He wanted to shut. Instead he grabbed her arm. While last night made it hard for him to talk, somehow he was able to squeak, "Stay."

She low her gaze over his wrist. Jace wonder if she felt sparkles where their skin touched, like he did. "Your head…"

He pulled himself up and dragged his body slowly over her. Every move that he made was awful. "Just be near you quires me."

Clary's mouth opened slightly. He was so close to her that he could actually feel her gasping. "Don't say that."

Tear fall on her left cheek. Jace raised his thumb and brushed it off. Her skin was softer than he remember. "You smell good."

They looked at each other, and for a second they could pretend that everything was all right. Jace flashed back to old times, to mornings when they woke up together. Sweat and paint stains. Love.

Clary pulled herself slowly from him, and they retune to the real world. "Alec is in the guest room. He told me you drank yourself to death last night."

"I didn't. I just drank a glass or two."

"What were you thinking? You want to give me a heart attack?"

She tried- and failed- to frown at him. Sitting so close to her was a nightmare. All that Jace wanted was to pull her to his grasp and never let her go. "Alec wasn't supposed to call you. He doesn't even like you."

"He didn't call me. You did, after the sixth glass."

Jace shiver. Did he call her? What did he told her? He didn't want to think about it. Not right now. Not when she was so close to him. Not when they finally share the same space. "Last night I have seen you."

Her body shook, "Where?"

"You were outside the club with that nerd with glasses."

She didn't look touched by his words. "What were you doing there?"

"Izzy dragged me. She said that after you moved out I needed a distraction." He chuckled without humor. "Seeing you were not part of her plan. She thought that once I'll be drunk enough… well…"

There was no need to say that. This is the solution of almost every person who was dumped: rebound, nothing personal. She must have gone this herself before. It didn't help him feel less guilty now, telling her that he wanted to get wasted and fuck the first girl he'll see. There is so much that he wanted to tell her. So many words run in his mind, things he wanted to say. But nothing seemed right that moment.

The room stopped spinning. He had notice that he was half naked. "Do you think this would ever stop?"

She smiled. Ho, how he loves her smile. "You need to tell me. I'm here because of you."

He still holds her arm. Jace pulled her close to him. She cried, and he rubbed her face gently. There was a smell of hope in the air.

He groaned, turning on his side in the bed. Pain shot through his skull as he woke up. The air smelled like Chinese food and puke. He cursed himself as the world was clear again. When he opens his eyes, there is nothing but silence.

A.N.: I'm publishing the first draft of The Birth of the Ringmaster on wattped. You all more than welcome to read.

As for this story- I more than happy to read your reviews.

Does anyone else miss the old fanfics that were in this fandom? When every day over sixties fanfics were update? Ho well, I guess since there are no more new books there is less interest.