I didn't think I'd have this up this soon, but you guys got lucky(again!), thanks to awesome beta reader who read over this and approved it. And yes, there is still going to be at least one more chapter. Enjoy!
Sunlight streamed in through her window, waking Clary up. She stretched, and slowly opened her eyes, glancing around her room. For a second, everything was perfect, until she remembered. Jace.
Sighing, she threw on some jeans, and a dark top. She didn't really want to go to breakfast, but her growling stomach forced her to make her to the kitchen. She dreaded seeing Jace. As much as she wanted to talk to him, to work things out between them, the kitchen was not the place to do it.
Fortunatly, Jace didn't show up. Maryse was making pancakes at the stove. "Morning Clary." She greeted. Clary smiled back. "Morning Maryse. You seen Jace?" She shook her head. "No, he hasn't come to breakfast for the past couple days. Despite her initial reaction of relief, she couldn't help feeling worried about him.
Taking a plate, she joined Isabelle and Alec at the table, pouring syrup over pancakes. There were delicious, all light and fluffy. Alec glanced at her. "Clary, have you talked to Jace?"
"Not since last night."
"What did he say?"
"Barely anything. He still won't speak to me. Isabelle, have you gotten the chance to talk to him?"
"Nope. He won't talk to anybody. I'm getting worried."
"Why? He's just sulking cuz I won't agree to not train anymore."
"He's pulling away from everyone Clary." Alec said.
"It's not the first time he's done it."
"No, but it doesn't mean it should happen."
"Just give him a few days. He'll be back to his normal, sarcastic self in no time."
"I'm not so sure. I have to agree with Alec, Clary. Something's different this time."
"What?"
"You." Clary said nothing, and finished her pancakes in silence. She dumped her plate in the sink, and excused herself to her room.
As soon as she was inside, she leaned against her door, a sigh escaping her. As much as she needed to train, she really didn't feel like it. So, pulling out her cell phone, she dialed Simon's number.
"Hey Clary, what's up?" He asked.
"Meet me at the coffee shop in 10."
"Sure thing." He hung up, and grabbing a couple weapons, Clary quietly left her room, but she could feel a pair of eyes on her as she slipped out. She knew who it would be, but she turned around anyway.
Jace. Leaning against the wall, looking at her. She held his gaze from a moment before turning, and running down the hall. She ran into the elevator, hitting the down button. It seemed to take way to long for it to get to the ground floor. As soon as she was outside, she took off, running off all her anger, and frustration that had been building up.
She got to the coffee shop in record time, getting there just as Simon was walking in. He looked her over, his eyes studying her. "What's up?" He asked, able to tell something was wrong.
"Tell you over coffee." She quickly ordered a cup, along with a pastry. Sliding into the booth across from Simon, she stared at the drink. "What's wrong, Clarebear?" Simon asked gently.
She hesitated a moment, then spilled out all that had happened the past few days, the words flying out of her mouth as though she was afraid someone would stop her. Once she was finished, Simon took her hand in his. "Oh, Clary. You should have called sooner." She merely shrugged. "Well, don't think about that right now. You know, the funniest thing happened yesterday…" Simon launched into a long story, and Clary was happy just to listen to him. He always seemed to know the just the right thing to say to make her feel better.
Sipping on her coffee, she glanced at her watch. "Yikes, I better get to training. I'll see ya later Simon." She said, standing up. Simon stood up with her, and they walked outside. "See ya later Clary." As Simon watched her leave, he couldn't help feeling the worse was still yet to come.
Clary ran out of the elevator, and into her bedroom. She hoped Jace wouldn't be in the training room, but she had a bad feeling he would be. Slipping on stretchy black pants, and a tank top, she grabbed her weapons, and walked over to the training room. Jace was in the corner, concentrating on a series of moves with his seraph blade.
Dropping her weapons, she began a series of stretches to warm up. Jace heard her, and glanced over. His eyes narrowed, but he said. Clary caught him glance at her, but she ignored him. She had to focus on training. She began the sequences for practicing with a seraph blade that Jace had showed her. As she twisted, and spun, she could feel Jace's eyes on her. He was still practicing, but his gaze kept moving to her.
Sighing, she stopped for the moment. "If you've got something to say, just say it Jace." She snapped. Jace looked over, his eyes angry. "What is there to say? You're obviously ignoring what I want."
"Oh, so it's okay for you to ignore what I want, but not for me to. I get it now. Thanks." She snapped back.
"You're going to get yourself killed Clary."
"There's a chance any one of us could get killed every time we step outside the Institute!"
"But at least Isabelle, Alec and I know how to be prepared for it."
"I've trained Jace! I'm not a helpless little mundie anymore! And do you think just because I stop wearing fighting gear and weapons, that the demons will leave me alone?"
"You can stay at the Institute. We can protect you." Clary's rage bubbled onto the surface. She flew at him, causing Jace to stumble backwards. He was fast, but he had been too shocked to stop her.
"I don't need protecting!" She screamed, shoving him down again. He let her do it, a hurt look on his face. What right did he have to be hurt?
"I'm going to get hurt Jace! So are you! Don't you think it hurts me every time you come back bruised and bloody? Every time you have a run-in with death? Every time you get cocky and get yourself seriously hurt? Don't you think that it cuts into me-hurts me to see you hurt? But I never stop you. Never say a word. Not even when you do something stupid. Because being a Shadowhunter is who you are. So I accept it-accept that you're going to get hurt, that there will be sleepless nights when I lie awake and worry about you. And I do it because I love you!"
Jace said nothing for several long moments. "Being a Shadowhunter isn't who you are Clary. You were a mundie."
"Were, Jace, were, as in, no longer. And no, I was never truly a mundie. I was meant to be Shadowhunter, meant to fight demons. Being a mundie isn't who I am. And it never will be."
"Clary, a part of me dies when I see you lying there in so much pain. And knowing that there's nothing I can do."
"Don't you think I feel the same way?"
"I don't know. Maybe you don't love me as much." Clary recoiled, and Jace seemed to realize what he'd said. "Clary, I didn't mean-"
"After all we've been through, after all that's happened, you STILL don't know how much I love you? That I couldn't survive without you? That if I ever lost you, I would lose part of myself?"
Jace was quiet. "I'm sorry Clary."
"Yeah, you better be." Clary took a deep breath. "This isn't working Jace. It just isn't."
Jace slowly nodded. "We weren't meant to be together Clary." Clary looked shocked.
"Jace, that's not what I meant. I meant something had to change, that we couldn't go on like this. Not that we had to break-up."
"I can't do this anymore Clary. You're better off on your own." Grabbing his weapons belt, Jace headed for the door.
Clary stared after him, her face a mask of pain and shock. "Jace, don't do this. Please." She begged.
"It's over Clary."
Yup, a cliffhanger. Sorry. I'll try to have the next chapter done by Wednesday. Thanks so much to those of you who have reviewed, favorited, or alerted my story! Remember, those who review get spoilers!
And keep a lookout for my next story based on the Mortal Instruments!
