These were the hardest conversations for me...Luke and Maryse...their parents. How do you explain to your kids that you gave up on them? So here is the next part. It gives me great joy to give Clace a happy life after that finale. I was even to throw in some book stuff and one line I have used many times in my writing. Please read and review.

While the London Institute hadn't been hit by Johnathan many had been portaled to other cities to help fight and most never returned. As a result many of the shadowhunters based there were transplants from other cities just like Clary and Jace and it made their move even easier. They were happy in London. They made friends and were quickly bonding with the team they had at the institute. With time to breath both had come to the conclusion that they needed to find some help in dealing with the traumas that had befallen them in the past. It was Tessa who suggested a therapist, who just happened to be a warlock.

It felt good to talk to someone completely unconnected to them about their past. Sometimes they would go together, sometimes, when Clary's dreams would get too much or Jace's fear of loosing her would get too overwhelming, they would go separately. But either way they always felt a little better when they left and slowly but surely both Jace and Clary began to ease away the pain that had settled around their hearts. Leaving Jace with only one worry...how to propose to Clary.

Ever since Tessa had given him the ring it had felt as if it was burning a whole in Jace's pocket. He needed to find the perfect place, the perfect time but nothing had felt right yet. He had thought he would find a place when they were in New York but after talking to his therapist he realized that in his mind New York still represents the pain he felt when he lost Clary...every memory there is still tainted by that lose...and that it was going to take time for the sting of those bad memories to ease enough to let the good memories be simply that...good. He got rid of the box...because there was no way Clary wasn't going to see or feel that...and so now the ring sits in the jackets inside pocket just waiting for Jace to pull it out.

"Jace you will know when the time is right."

"I know Tessa. I just...she deserves a perfect proposal...we've lost so much time...I want her to have this one absolutely perfect memory."

"Oh Jace. Have you seen the way that girl looks at you? Every moment she has with you is perfect. I can't imagine some of the things you have been thru but you are here now and I can see you both get happier with each passing day."

Jace nodded as he looked down at his hands.

"You know the first time I told her I loved her I was dying."

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me...not with you two."

Both laughed and an awkward silence filled the room.

"Is something else bothering you?"

Jace looked back up at Tessa with worried eyes.

"Jace, you know you can tell me anything."

"I know. It's just...the thing is...I want to do this right...not just the actual proposal...all of it."

Tessa nodded, nudging him to continue.

"I guess...before...when we were together before she lost her memories I always assumed I would ask her dad for her hand, you know?"

"You mean Luke."

"Yeah. In every way that counts he is her dad. He raised her and she started calling him dad...at least before...now...now it's more strained...it's like she actively avoids calling him anything."

"You have both told me on multiple occasions that you are still struggling to forgive them for how they handled everything but also how you both want to move forward with them...maybe this could be a way to do that with a Luke...and maybe Maryse too?"

Silence filled the room once again, but this time is was comfortable. Tessa could see Jace thinking about her suggestion.

"Clary and I have been talking about inviting them over for dinner. I could do it then. But...Tessa would you join us? I would like for them to get to know you."

"I would love to."

xxxx

A week later Jace found himself greeting Luke as he arrived in London.

"Hi Luke it's good to see you."

"You too Jace. Where is Clary?"

"She is finishing up a debrief. In the meantime I can show you around. Have you been to this institute?"

"Once when I was younger, but I would love to see it now."

As Jace walked Luke around the building the ring in his pocket seemed to get heavier and heavier. It was once they were in the library that Jace finally broke.

"Um Luke can I talk to you about something?"

"Sure. What's up? Is everything ok?"

"Yeah. Let's sit down."

Jace motioned for Luke to take a seat.

"Jace I've never known you to look this nervous. Are you sure everything is ok?"

"Yeah. Yeah. I'm sorry. I have had this speech planned for so long but now that you are here...I love Clary more than I ever thought possible. This last year and a half with her has been the happiest time of my life and I thank the angels everyday that we have had this time. With everything we have gone thru I know that no day is promised so I make sure the cherish every one of them. Now that we are settled in London I am hoping...I would like...I going to ask Clary to marry with and I would like to ask for your permission."

"Jace I can't imagine a better man for Clary. I have watched the two of you fight for every happiness you have. I know you only knew Jocelyn briefly but I know, once she found out the truth, she would have loved you and she would have loved you being with Clary. But I don't think you need my permission. My relationship with Clary has definitely been stained since she came back...and that's my fault. I should have helped you. I should have fought for her. I spent so much time over the last year and half trying to figure out why I didn't and I still don't have a good answer."

"I know that but after everything Clary deserves this one perfect thing so thank you for your permission. As far as everything else...both Clary and I needed this time to just be us but neither of us wants the strain between us and everyone else to be permanent. It's just going to take time."

"Time I can take as long as it comes with hope. Now when are you planning to purpose?"

xxxx

It's was about an hour later that Clary met up with Jace and Luke, Maryse in toe.

"Have you guys been waiting long?"

"No. Did the debrief go ok?"

"Yeah just the usual but I'm starving are we ready to eat?"

"Yeah Tessa said she would meet us at the restaurant."

As the four adults headed out neither Clary nor Jace saw the look of concern that last between Luke and Maryse.

xxxx

Dinner had gone great. Clary and Jace caught their parents up on their life in London, Luke filled them in on the joint task force he had been working with, Maryse told of her own adventures while Luke worked and Tessa would speak of how well Jace and Clary had fit in there and told them all stories about her husband and son that reminded her of Jace. It felt normal and light. For the first time since Clary had woken up both she and Jace felt like their hope of making things better with their family and friends back in New York was actually possible. As dinner was wrapping up Jace mentioned a place he wanted to show Maryse after dinner and after saying their goodbyes to Tessa they headed out leaving both Clary and Jace some alone time with their parent.

"How did you find this book store Jace?"

"Tessa knew about it. When I told her you guys were coming for a visit she suggested I take you here."

"Ah, Tessa."

"Yeah obviously being immortal she really knows the city. It's been so great having her around to show us places that were important to her, her husband and her children. I feel a connection to the Herondale family I thought I lost after Imogen..."

"Imogen loved you very much Jace. I know she wouldn't blame you for what happened."

"I know. I've actually been talking to a therapist...a warlock therapist...since we settled here. It's been really amazing."

"Wow. I'm glad you sought that out..."

"It wasn't really me...I mean I wanted to talk to someone...but it was Tessa who referred the doctor."

"Ah, Tessa."

"Why do you keep doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"The 'ah Tessa' thing."

Maryse took a deep breath before turning to her son.

"I'm just worried...and maybe a little jealous. Tessa seems to have a huge role in your life now...a life I haven't really been a part of, but what do we really know about her?"

"Maryse she is my family. The only family I have left..."

"You have all of us Jace...I understood when you and Clary needed to get away and travel, I did. I can even understand feeling like you needed to start over in a new place. But I never thought you would replace us...me"

"Maryse I'm not replacing you or anyone. You are always going to be my mom. You raised me and, as difficult as I am sure I was, you loved me. Nothing changes that. But you are right Clary and I needed to get away from New York...there are just too many bad memories there. We are happy here and part of that has been Tessa...she is a connection to my family...my Herondale family...I never thought I would have but mostly our happiness has come from just being together and being able to breath. No one here owes us anything or feels this constant need to make sure we are ok or that we know how sorry they are. We can breath here."

"Jace, none of us meant to suffocate you. We just miss you...we miss you both."

"I know Maryse but we both needed time to heal. That year she was gone...it was like I was drowning and the only relief I had was trying to find a way to get her back but none of you helped...you all tried to get me to stop. Like I ever could?! And I know you are all sorry about that and I know so much of your inaction was driven by fear but it hurt me...during a time I was already hurting. I needed love then and all it felt like was more rejection. I'm trying to move forward, that's what the trip to New York was about and this dinner, but it's not going to happen over night. And I'm not about to uproot all the happiness we have found here just so all of you can feel better."

"I would never ask you to do that. I can see how happy both of you are. I don't know if I have ever heard you laugh the way you were at dinner. I would never want to take that away from you. I wish I could take all the bad stuff back. I wish I had fought with you to get Clary back...I should have...I'm your mother. There is no excuse for what I did...or didn't do. But I want to make things better so you just tell me what I need to do to do that and it's done."

"Just being here is helping. And coming back for our wedding...that would help..."

"What?! By the angel! When?! How could you not say anything at dinner? Wait I didn't see a ring on Clary's finger...do you need a ring? Robert can probably find a female Herondale ring or anything you want..."

"Woooo slow down. I didn't propose yet. I actually just asked Luke this afternoon for her hand."

"Oh baby. That's so amazing, I know she will say yes. But do you need a ring? Is that why you haven't asked yet?"

"No. I actually have one. Tessa took a pearl from a bracelet her husband had made for her..."

Jace pulled the ring out of his pocket to show Maryse.

"And on the sides..."

"H and F. It's beautiful Jace. Clary will love it."

"I think so too. Now I just need to ask her."

"What are you waiting for?"

"The perfect moment."

"Sweetie any moment is going to be perfect to her because it's you proposing."

"You sound like Tessa."

"Well you keep saying she is amazing so it make sense we think alike."

Both Maryse and Jace smiled brightly at each other before Jace leaned down and hugged her. It was a first step to rebuilding what had been broken and Maryse could not remember the last time she was this happy. She prayed that whatever conversation Luke was having with Clary was going as well.

xxxxx

"You and Jace seem to be settling in nicely."

"Yeah. We really do love it here. I'm glad you guys can visit thou."

"It helps that Maryse has a warlock son in law. Makes the distance between New York and London not so bad. I do wish you guys were closer thou."

"I know. Maybe someday but not now. This really does feel like home, the team we have at the institute is great and having Tessa around has been such a blessing."

"You and Jace both seem really close to her."

"We are. She is family. I mean she is blood to Jace but even with me...she knew mom. She did my blessing when I was born. I love having that small connection to mom."

"You have me you know."

"I know Luke. It's just been hard since I woke up...I don't know how to rectify the dad who raised me, the dad who hold up in a motel room trying to prove I wasn't dead with the man who did nothing when I lost my memory. I'm sorry but that's the truth. I just don't understand."

"Clary I wish I had a good answer...hell I wish I had any answer. The best I can do is that I was paralyzed by fear. I know that doesn't make up for it but I have really thought about all of this and that's all I can come up with. I know that's hard to understand after everything that had happened before and...after Jace did so much to get you back..."

"Jace loves me more than anything. We love once and it's forever. There was no other option for him. I just wish you all would have helped him. I understand fear. I was scared every second a rune disappeared. I get that you thought if you approached me Raziel would make things worse. But to not sit in the library with him, to not help him go thru all the books...or just asking other warlocks for their thoughts...did you really all think Raziel was paying that much attention to all of you...did you really think doing nothing was the only way to keep me safe? I have seen us do amazing things because we love each other. But when it came to me and Jace...you all did nothing. I still have nightmares. Jace thinks they are of Raziel or Johnathan...and sometimes, especially in the beginning, they were...but now more and more often they are about Jace. Him as an old man sitting in the library still looking for a way to save me. Him at the art show except this time I don't see him...the worst of them are the ones where he goes to our family for help and they do nothing...they act like he is not there, so busy with their own lives they have forgotten about poor Jace who could never get over loosing his girlfriend. I know what you all did or didn't do but Jace...he lived it. When we went to visit New York we walked around one night...We ended up at a few of the places I would go to when I couldn't remember...and at every one I could see he had been there too...every single one...and the look on his face remembering how I couldn't see him...I once watched him die and even that didn't compare to how much that face guts me. For a long time I have blamed myself for so much of it. The therapist Tessa recommended has really helped me work thru that guilt and also just spending time with Jace...free of the old memories and reminders...we know how lucky we are and we try not waste time dwelling on the past. We both want things between all of us to get better...it's important to both of us. But we also need you guys to accept that things are different now. I don't know that New York will ever be home again and we are ok with that...so you guys have to be ok with that."

"Clary all I want...all I have ever wanted...is for you to be happy. Seeing you at dinner tonight...how in sync you and Jace are...how light you both look...so easy to laugh, so easy to touch each other...I'd be a fool not to see how happy you are and if this place is one of the reasons for that happiness then I will just have to ask Magnus if he has a frequent portal plan."

Both then laughed, a bit of tension leaving both of them.

"Thanks...dad. That means a lot."

"Hearing you call me dad means more."

As the they hugged Jace and Maryse entered the room and as Clary looked upon them she could see that, they too, looked like they had a good talk. The hope Clary had that they would find a way to a new normal with their family grew stronger. It was going to take time, but as long as everyone was open and honest she knew it would happen.

Soon after Clary and Jace said goodbye with promises of more visits and declarations of love. As the portal closed Clary turned in Jace's arms to face him.

"Well that went really well."

"Yeah. It was good to talk to Maryse. She seemed to have a little jealousy about Tessa which, don't tell her, I found amusing, but all in all we talked some stuff out and it was cathartic."

"Same with me and Luke. I am really happy we asked them to visit. It was perfect."

Clary leaned up to kiss Jace and as she pulled away she felt him kneel in front of her. When she looked down at him he was holding a ring.

"Clary Fairchild. I have loved you from the minute I met you. You turned my life upside down in the best way possible and I will never get tired of waking up with you in my arms. When you were gone a piece of me was missing but then a miracle happened and you could see me and everything in my life snapped back into focus. It's like every time I think I'm missing a piece of me you give it back because, Clary, you are the only thing in this world that makes me complete. I've been waiting for the perfect moment to do this...to make this so perfect you will always remember but just now standing with you in my arms I realized no moment of my day is as perfect as when I'm holding you. So Clary Fairchild would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Tears were streaming down Clary's face as she looked down at Jace but what he would always remember was the mega watt smile that was on her face too. Without saying a word Clary grabbed Jace's face and kissed him falling down into his body until they were tangled up together on the floor. They kissed until the needed air and then rested their foreheads against each other.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes. A thousand times yes. Jace Herondale you are the miracle of my life and I can not wait to spend the rest of it with you as Clary Herondale."

They kissed and kissed and kissed.