Hello again everyone! I just have to say I'm loving all the follows/favorites and reviews I'm getting for this story. . I love seeing what you all think as the story progresses.

KyKat- Glad you liked the Jon/Izzy thing, for some reason I ship them over Sizzy when it comes to reading/writing fanfic. And lucky you, this chap. just happens to be in Jace's POV. Keep in mind that I usually have very specific reasons why a particular chapter is in one persons pov, and another is in someone elses.

Guest- Sorry to keep you waiting for the wedding...but wait no more...here it is, and in Jace's POV!

I like being a guest- I don't have specific days to update, but am trying to do it once or twice a week. I don't have internet at home, so it just depends on when I can get someone to watch my kids so that I can get over to the library or somewhere with wifi. Don't worry, Verlac will make an appearance, but I can tell you that it won't be for at least another maybe 8 chapters or so. There will be other obstacles for them. I think the big thing to remember is that while everyone else has seen it all along, they haven't. So the biggest obstacles for them to 'really' happen, and it not just be about this business deal is going to be themselves.

- Interesting that you picked up on that little detail of Izzy biting her nails. I can say that you'll have your answer to that in the chapter after this one. But just a little hint, it has nothing to do with Jace/Clary.

Ahh...the wedding is finally here! I should state now that I did NOT write this ceremony. I borrowed it from the Great Officiants website, and altered it slightly to fit in with what I needed. Probably should have written it myself, but since I screwed up my vows when I got married, I didn't think I had a chance of writing some for this and having them come out okay.


If someone had told me, even just six months ago that today I would be pacing in front of an altar waiting for my soon to be wife, Clary Morgenstern to walk down the aisle, I would have told them they were crazy. Then proceeded to ask what kind of drugs they were on and if they'd share because they must be really, really good.

I thought I could do this, I really did, but now I'm not so sure. The only thing stopping me from fleeing is Alec who hasn't taken his eyes off of me in the last hour, when it occurred to me that I'm making a huge freakin mistake. I know that it's all fake, and that it means nothing, and that I have to do this to save the company that my father worked his ass off to build...but it just feels all wrong.

Okay, so I know that I'm what Clary loves to refer to as a 'man whore', though I prefer the term bachelor, but I did want to get married...eventually...I just never found the right girl. And it's not for lack of selection either but most of them, while pretty, lacked the ability to have even the slightest intellectual conversation. Maybe that's just the type of girls that I attract, I don't know. My point is that it's always been part of my plan to get married...once. I envy my parents and Robert and Mayrse, who even though they had their difficulties, stayed together through everything, never separating or divorcing.

Now, here I am about to get married to a girl I can't stand, only to get it annulled a month from now. I guess annulled is better than divorce, but it still means that when I do find someone I will have already been married. And Clary, I may not like her but the poor girl already has one horror story of her almost marriage to Sebastian, and now she'll have another with a fraudulent marriage to me. I feel like I'm taking something important from her. Like, she should have a chance to have a real wedding that means something to her instead of this.

Not that there's anything I can really do about it now. Alec has already threatened bodily harm, and Magnus who arrived a few minutes ago threatened to douse me in glitter. Not happening. I just want to get this over with and go spend some time with my family before I'm stuck on an island with her for a month. With any luck, she'll find plenty of things to keep her occupied and out of my hair except when she's needed, and plenty of girls to keep me busy.

Finally, Magnus is moving over to the arbor and pointing behind me indicating that Clary has arrived. I turn around and at first I'm surprised to see her brother with her, and then I see her dress. And I can't stop myself from cracking up with laughter. The roll of her eyes and smirk on her face tells me she agrees completely with my thoughts. That dress, is definitely NOT Clary's style, and can only mean on thing...she let Izzy pick out whatever she wanted. It's white, but with a big poofy skirt and sequins all over the bodice that shimmer pink and blue in the sunlight. No, if Clary were to pick out her own gown, it would be classy and simple...nothing like this.

As she takes my arm and we walk the next couple of steps to stand before Magnus, I look down at her. "You look like a cupcake, Shorty"

"Yeah, I know...Isabelle picked it out"

"I figured, it's not your style at all"

I feel her stiffen beside me and her grip on my arm gets tighter. She looks surprised that I would say that. Clary and I may not like each other, but it's not as if I haven't been around her most of my life in some way or another with our parents being friends, and her being best friends with my sister. Maybe I'm just observant.

"You okay?" I ask, giving her the opportunity to back out, even if I know what that would mean for the business.

Taking a deep breath, she looks up at me with a smile "Yeah, I'm fine...let's do this".

"We are gathered here today..." Magnus starts, but is quickly interrupted by Clary.

"Mags, can't we just skip to the 'I do' part, that's all we need, isn't it?"

Magnus smiles and winks at her "Sorry, Biscuit, I'm nothing if not thorough...and you should know I don't do anything half-assed."

She sighs, and slumps her shoulders in defeat. I move her hand from my arm, and grip it in mine, twining our fingers together and giving it a squeeze...giving her support, comfort...whatever she needs to get through this, because in truth I don't think I can ever repay her for what she's doing for me.

"Anyway," he begins again, "We are gathered here today to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, the joining of two hearts. In this ceremony today we will witness the joining of Clarissa Adele Morgenstern and Jonathan Christopher Herondale in marriage."

Great...he's going for lovey dovey mushy crap. Maybe Magnus being the officiant wasn't such a great idea.

"Today we have come together to witness the joining of these two lives. For them, out of the routine ordinary of life, the extraordinary has happened. They met each other, fell in love and are finalizing it with their wedding today"

Clary snorts, and I scoff, rolling my eyes but quickly regain my composure when I notice off to the side of the arbor, her brother Jon stands with a video camera in hand. I squeeze her hand and tilt my head towards him so that she knows what's going on and she simply nods.

"Romance is fun, but true love is something far more and it is their desire to love each other for life and that is what we are celebrating here today"

Magnus takes a deep breath and flips the page of the small book he has in his hands, before continuing with a smirk on his face. I'm glad that he finds this humorous, but all I'd like to do is wipe that damn smirk off his face.

"But today is also a celebration for the rest of us, for it is a pleasure for us to see love bloom, and to participate in the union of two people so delightfully suited to one another"

Okay, so maybe that wasn't so bad...and it's not as if the 'delightfully suited' comment isn't something that I've heard practically every day from Robert and Mayrse when it comes to their opinion on Clary's and mine relationship...or lack thereof.

"A good marriage must be created.

In marriage the "little" things are the big things.

It is never being too old to hold hands.

It is remembering to say, "I love you" at least once a day.

It is never going to sleep angry.

It is sanding together and facing the world.

It is speaking words of appreciation, and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.

It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.

It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.

It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.

It is not only marrying the right person...it is being the right partner"

"Now...turn and face each other and hold hands and repeat after me...I Jace, take you Clary to be my wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow and forever.

I will trust you and honor you

I will laugh with you and cry with you

I will love you faithfully

Through the best and the worst,

Through the difficult and the easy.

Whatever may come I will always be there.

As I have given you my hand to hold

So I give you my life to keep"

I face her, her hands held in mine and notice briefly just how small they are. I swallow past the rapidly forming lump in my throat and repeat the words, focusing on anything but her...I just can't bring myself to look in her eyes and say it. Because despite all the years of hatred and avoidance, I know, looking into her eyes right now I'm going to see the same exact thing I saw the day we first met...and I'm no more prepared for her to see into my soul today than I was back then.

When I finally do look up at her, she's doing the same...looking away as she's repeating the words. I can't help but wonder if some part of her still wishes it was Sebastian standing in front of her.

"I Clary, take you Jace to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow and forever. I will laugh with you and cry with you, I will love you faithfully. Through the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. Whatever may come I will always be here. As I have given you my hand to hold, so I give you my life to keep."

"Jace and Clary, I would ask that you always treat yourself and each other with respect, and remind yourselves often of what brought you together today. Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness and kindness that your marriage deserves. When frustration and difficulty assail your marriage...as they do to every relationship at one time or another...focus on what still seems right between you, not only the part that seems wrong."

I can tell that Clary is getting antsy by the way she's tapping her fingers against my hands, but find that even when I squeeze them, she still won't look up at me.

"This way, when clouds of trouble hide the sun in your lives and you lose sight of it for a moment, you can remember that he sun is still there. And if each of you will take responsibility for the quality of your life together, it will be marked by abundance and happiness."

Magnus clears his throat, flipping the page once more and I know it's time for the 'I do' parts.

"Jace, do you take Clary to be your lawful wedded wife?...Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, be faithful and protect her?...Do you promise to take out the trash and pick up your clothes off the floor? And do you promise to love her even when she is cranky?"

Even with a few good laughs at the picking up clothes, because everyone knows my room house is spotless...and the mention of Clary being cranky, which she usually is...I manage to agree to each of them. With just a few things changed for her, Clary also says her 'I do's' all still without looking me in the eye...and yet with a smile on her face.

"There are 3 rings of marriage. The wedding ring, the engagement ring, and the suffering. We hope the latter can be held to a minimum" Magnus says with a chuckle before motioning to Isabelle and Alec for the rings, which they hand to each of us.

He says the words that I'm to repeat, and I do...Clary repeating the same after me.

"I Jace, take you, Clary to be my wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health for richer or for poorer, in joy and in sorrow, and I promise my love to you."

"I Clary, take you, Jace to be my husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, in joy and in sorrow, and I promise my love to you."

Thankfully, that's it for us. All that's left is a kiss, which Clary and I already agreed to over the phone would be just a quick peck on the lips. We just have to wait for the word.

"To make your marriage work will take love. This is the core of your marriage and why you are here today...It will take trust, to know that in your hearts, you truly want what is best for each other...It will take dedication, to stay open to one another and to learn and grow together...It will take faith, to go forward together, without knowing exactly what the future brings...And it will take commitment, to hold true to the journey you both have pledged to today."

"By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife...you may now kiss the bride" He says with a wink.

I lean down and let my lips brush hers for mere seconds then pull back and step away when Alec grabs me and turns be back to her and everyone is protesting that that's not good enough, that the kiss doesn't count...blah blah blah. Just to shut them all up, I step up to her, cup her face in my hands and ignoring the shocked look I find there before crashing my lips to hers.

At first she doesn't respond but when she does...damn...there isn't a single word to describe what it's like kissing her. The fire and passion in it are unlike anything I've ever experienced in my life. It's in that moment that I realize that I don't want to ever stop kissing this girl, I don't ever want to let her go.

If only I didn't hate her.