OOC: MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU GUYS! HERE'S A LITTLE JACE MOMENT FOR YOU TO PONDER ON. I THINK YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THE STORY FROM HIS POV :)

Jace stood outside the door blindly, still and silent, and for a moment he thought the world around him had slowed down. He didn't want to believe what he'd just heard, refused to believe his own ears... but then again hadn't it been his two siblings talking just beyond the door he was standing in front of? And Isabelle, Isabelle... Isabelle who was his sister he loved, the girl he'd grown up with and fought all his battles with... was in love with him. Isabelle was in love with him, and he never had an idea. And now he's bewildered at that very idea.

As quietly as he could, he walked away and went straight for his room, locking the door behind him and sitting on his bed. He recalled all those moments he'd had as a child, remembered Isabelle in every one of them. He remembered all those moments they had together; how she'd always wanted to cook for him, how they almost seemed to be in a love-hate relationship, how she dated all of those boys and never wanted them...

It felt wrong, everything felt wrong; he felt betrayed and disbelieving at the same time. Exactly how many times had he thought of dating Isabelle before Clary came? And how many times had he dismissed that thought? He always knew thinking about her that way was wrong, because she was his goddamn sister. It didn't even matter that they weren't related, her parents had always been his parents too. And now at this very moment Isabelle is there in her room crying her heart out because she can't have him, because he's in love with Clary.

What is he supposed to do now? Now that he knows what he wants and he's got everything he's ever wanted in front of him?

He didn't only feel betrayed, he also felt helpless. Alec would resent him. Forget parabatai. Isabelle is Alec's sister, and no one would be able to stand anyone who hurts Isabelle. Not even Alec. Isabelle is a woman who never gets hurt, never cries... and now the only reason for her tears is right beside her.

Now he understands, and perfectly knows that Simon wants to kill him. One of these days he's going to get him, and he's going to be so mad it might even tear him and Clary apart. But he won't let that happen. He was Jace Wayland, and he always gets what he wants. And right now he knows that he doesn't want to see Isabelle hurting, the only girl he'd ever really loved besides Clary.

Jace laid down on his bed for a long time, shifting thoughts in his head. Turning them over and over and over, looking for some kind of possible solution. He knew he had choices, he always had choices... but it was a choice between Clary and Isabelle. It was impossible for him to leave Clary.

And Isabelle, that stupid girl... if only she'd told him she'd liked him right before Clary came to their lives... who knows, maybe they actually had a shot at it? Maybe they could have tried to make it work?

And there was Jace Wayland, who for the first time was faced with a difficult question he couldn't and doesn't want to answer.