Author's note: so this was supposed to be a one shot but I started writing and I just couldn't stop. It looks like it's going to be a three shot (is that a thing?).

I obviously don't own the characters or anything involved in the TMI universe...except for some #saveshadowhunters merchandise so please don't sue me. I'm not giving up my Clace shirts or my Underhill mug!

Please read and review.

PART ONE

It was another hot summer day on Alicante Court and the Lightwood twins along with Jace Herondale could once again be found in the Morgenstern's backyard pool. The Herondale's, Lightwoods's and Morgenstern's had been friends since high school and now their children (all age 5) were inseparable. It didn't hurt that they all lived next to each other.

Jocelyn and Maryse sat on the deck watching the kids play. Both were relaxed and smiling...totally at peace with where their lives had taken them.

"Have you heard from Celine and Stephen?"

"Celine called yesterday. They are settled at their hotel in the city and think they should be back this weekend. I told them not to rush. The kids are loving the giant sleepovers at Uncle Val's house. I swear it's like I don't exist sometimes."

"Jocelyn you know the kids love you but Val is the fun one...he lets them stay up late eating sugar and watching TV. Robert and Stephen are just as bad. It's up to us moms to play bad cop all the time."

The two women raised the glasses of iced tea...nodding their heads...acknowledging that, yes, they were definitely the bad cops...and laughed. As they went to look back at the kids they could hear the door bell ring.

"Who could that be? I'll get it, you watch the kids."

Jocelyn knew something was wrong the minute she opened her door. There standing in their crisp blue uniforms were two police officers. She felt her heart drop as she looked at them...unable to speak.

"Ma'am are you Jocelyn Morgenstern?"

Jocelyn could only nod.

"Can we come in?"

Jocelyn stepped aside allowing the officers entrance into her living room. Once they were all seated the officer who had asked her name spoke again.

"Ma'am I'm sorry to have to tell you this but you were listed as their emergency contact. Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Herondale were in automobile accident earlier today and sadly neither survived."

"Oh my God! No!"

Later Jocelyn couldn't remember what happened next. She vaguely remembered Maryse yelling for the kids to get out of the pool but to stay outside and then feeling Maryse arms around her. The next thing she remembered was Val and Robert running into the house. How they got there when they were at work is something she will never understand.

Once everyone had pulled themselves together they decided Jocelyn and Val would tell Jace about his parents and the Lightwoods would tell Clary and the twins.

Jocelyn didn't know how to begin to tell a five year old boy both his parents were gone and had been ringing her hands for what felt like hours. Val placed one of his hands over hers and began to speak.

"Jace I'm so sorry to tell you this but your parents were in an accident this morning. It was bad and..."

Val fought back tears and now it was Jocelyn's turn to comfort him by placing one of her hands on his back, slowly moving it in circles trying to soothe her husband.

"Jace your parents didn't survive the accident."

Jace stared silently at his aunt and uncle.

"Sweetie, your mom and dad love you so much. Don't ever forget that. And your uncles and aunt Maryse and myself are going to make sure you are ok. So don't worry we will take care of everything."

Still Jace said nothing.

"Jace...son...do you have any questions for me or Aunt Jocelyn?"

Silence.

Jocelyn got up to sit next to the suddenly mute little blue and wrapped her arms around him.

"Baby are you ok?"

"Can I go home now?"

Jocelyn and Val looked at each other.

"Um sure. I'll take you now and maybe Aunt Jocelyn and Clary can come by later."

Jace just stood up and headed for the door. Val and Jocelyn exchanged worried looks. They didn't really know what to expect but a stoic five year old was not something they had even considered.

Two hours later Jocelyn and Clary were walking up the Herondale's driveway pizza in hand.

"Clary, remember Jace may not want to play tonight. Ok?"

"Yes momma. I'm sad too. I love Aunt Celine and Uncle Stephen too. I'm going to miss them."

"I know baby. We are all going to miss them."

Val was standing at the door waiting for them and Clary went running towards him.

"Daddy!"

"Hello sweet pea."

Val knew he squeezed her a little harder than usual when he hugged her but he didn't care. He lost two of his best friends today. Hugging his daughter gave him some comfort and he was going to take it.

"Where's Jace daddy we brought pizza. It's Jace's favorite."

"He is in his room sleeping. Why don't we eat some and Jace can have some when he wakes up."

"Ok but no one can eat the corner slices, those are for Jace. He always smile when he gets the corner slices."

Jocelyn and Val smiled sadly at each other. They had raised their daughter right along their best friends and their own kids. None of them were related by blood but they were a family. A family who had just suffered a terrible lose. It was up to those that were left behind to take care of each other. Clary may not be able to understand what all of it really meant but hearing her talk about Jace they both knew that her heart got it. .

"Of course baby."

After they ate the Morgensterns cuddled up in the den in front of the tv hoping Jace would eventually emerge from his room. Every half an hour or so Jocelyn would head upstairs to his room to check on him and she always found him the same...cuddled up on top of his sheets, eyes closed, softly breathing.

As the night wore on and the shock of the day finally wore off all three Morgensterns found it impossible to keep their eyes closed.

"I'll take Clary up to one of the guest rooms"

"Take her to the one next to Jace's. Clary and Izzy use that room when they sleepover. If she wakes up in the middle of the night she will at least know where she is. I'll make sure the other guest room is set up. We can sleep in there. Celine always made sure..."

Jocelyn couldn't hold it in anymore and tears streamed down her face. Val was at his wife's side in seconds. Wrapping his arms around her, his own unshed tears beginning to emerge.

"Oh Val. What are we going to do? Our best friends are gone. Their little boy...he is so young and his parents are gone."

"Shhhh. Shhhh. Jocie I don't know how we will do it but I know between us, Maryse and Robert we will make sure Jace is ok. Stephen and Celine would have done it for us. We will make sure their beautiful boy grows up happy and healthy."

Gaining strength from her husband Jocelyn moved out of his hug and wiped her face with her hand.

"You're right. You're right. We will all take care of Jace. He is family and family takes care of each other."

Val sadly smiled at his wife and then turned to pick Clary up. She didn't even stir. The weight of the day exhausting her as much as her parents. As Val walked up the stairs he couldn't help but look at all the family pictures that lined the wall. Jocelyn was right because mixed in evenly with the pictures of the three blond Herondales were pictures of the Lightwoods and Morgensterns. At the top of the stairs Val stared sadly at Stephen's wedding picture. There the six of them were. All fresh out of college. The whole world in front of them. God, how naive they had been! Silently Val whispered...

"We've got this. Rest easy we will take care of your son."

When Clary woke up she was excited by her surroundings. She was at the Herondale's. She always had so much fun here. But just as she was about to go find Izzy she remembered why she was at Uncle Stephen's house and her happiness was replaced by sadness.

It was still dark outside and the house seemed quiet so Clary figured it was still early in the morning. After lying in bed for what felt like hours (although it was only minutes) Clary grew bored. Maybe Jace was up? He had slept thru dinner it would make sense if he was up...so Clary quietly got out of bed and headed towards Jace's room.

Jace's room was pitch black but thru the darkness Clary could hear Jace crying.

"Jace? It's Clary. Jace? I can hear you. Are you ok?"

"They're gone Clary. My mom and Dad left me. Why would they leave me?"

Clary walked over to Jace's bed and climbed up so that she was facing him.

"My mommy said they didn't want to leave you. But they were to hurt. They couldn't stay."

"But they left me. I'm all alone."

"No you're not. You got my mommy and daddy, Uncle Robert and Aunt a Maryse, Izzy and Alec and me. We aren't going to leave you."

"You promise?"

"Of course I promise. You are my best friend. Why would I ever leave you?"

"Pinky swear?"

Jace lifted his hand and even in the darkened room Clary was close enough to him to see his raised pinky finger. She lifted her own pinky and interlocked their fingers.

"I will never leave you. Pinky swear."

The two five year olds kept their fingers together and moved closer so their foreheads were touching. The last thing either remembered was Jace saying...

"You're my best friend too."

The next morning Jocelyn found them just as they had fallen asleep...foreheads touching, knees kissing and their pinkies interlocked.