A/N: Hello! So I didn't realize it had been two years since I updated this but when Camille (rippingbutterflywings) went to beta this she went to re-read it because it had been so long and she made me realize it has been that long. I'm so sorry for this wait.

If you read any of my other stories, you know I've been too busy to update frequently, or what feels like at all. There's plenty going on with wedding planning/meetings, work, and having a social life in general, and going to events for friends who are getting married. I'm attending 4 weddings this year. That didn't need to be shared lol, but it's that serious on the social life front.

I also explained in my two other, more active stories, that I wanted to focus on Day Late Friend, especially before jumping back into Words because this story is very emotionally painful, and I want to be able to put effort into it. But I'm currently halfway through writing the epilogue for DLF, and while I was driving to work the other day, a song played on my iPod and I thought of this beautifully tragic story, and I just had to write.

So enough to explanations, you guys have always been understanding, but a two year wait definitely needs some explanation. Thank you to everyone who is still reading this, who even opened the email for this chapter, for the alerts, favorites, and reviews! I'll be trying to reply to reviews today. I hope you guys like this!


Jace looked up when he hard someone knock Isabelle's apartment door. He dropped the burrito that he was in the middle of eating and walked over, looking through the peephole. He rolled his eyes when he couldn't see anything. He opened the door, and raised an eyebrow. Simon did the same.

"What are you doing here?" Simon asked.

"What are you doing here?" Jace replied, smirking a little. "Do you usually frequent Isabelle's place?"

"No."

"Hm."

"What?"

"Nothing. Being here at this time of the day on your day off seems very…romantic."

Simon made a face. "A Tuesday afternoon is romantic?" Jace didn't reply. "Can I just step inside, please?"

Alarmed by his rudeness, Jace pulled his head back, and then sighed. He turned around. "I just can't win."

Simon closed the door behind him. "Win at what?"

"Anything. With life."

Simon sat across from him at the square kitchen table. "You can't win? You've won the genetic jackpot."

Jace stopped eating and looked up. "Thank you. I needed that."

"You're welcome." Simon leaned back into his chair. "What are you really doing here? And why do I feel the need to pick your aura like Phoebe Buffay?"

"I'm just eating," Jace muttered. "And sulking. Mostly sulking." He pointed his food at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I don't know. Isabelle said she needed to talk."

Jace's eyes lit up. "About?"

Jace could see Simon trying not to give anything away from his expression. "I don't know."

Jace stared at him. "Hm. Isabelle!" He screamed, making Simon jump up a little.

"One second!" she yelled from her room.

Jace shrugged. "You'll be here for a while." The two boys looked up when she opened the door. "Oh, that one wasn't a lie."

"Hi, Simon." She smiled. "Jace, leave already."

Jace feigned shock. "I can't believe you're kicking out your best friend. The nerve!"

"Jace, please finish your food and leave."

Simon leaned forward towards Jace. "What are you doing here?"

"Running away from Clary," Isabelle answered quickly, looking through the fridge. "He changed his clothes after making her worry all night, and then he came back here."

Simon looked between the two of them. "What the hell happened last night? First, we're just watching and hanging out, and next, you two are itching to go out."

Isabelle brought her coffee to the kitchen table, and sat down. "Just Jace. Running away from his feelings. Currently running away from Clary."

Jace stared at Isabelle, unamused. "You know, Izzy, there's just so much I want to share with Simon." He groaned when she kicked his shin under the table.

"What?" Simon asked.

"Nothing," they said in unison.

Simon, again, looked between the two of them. "So, where is Clary now?"

"Home." Isabelle raised an eyebrow at Jace. "Probably wondering what the hell she did wrong because this guy can't even be in the same room as her."

Jace looked down as if the words had punched him in the gut, and he looked up at Simon, dropping his burrito. "Now I really can't finish this thing."

And finally, Simon's expression softened as he took a deep breath. "Fuck." He shook his head a little, and Jace knew Simon's heart hurt for him. "You're in love with her."

"Trust me. This is a new revelation." Jace flicked a piece of steak towards Isabelle. She only raised her eyebrow when it missed her. "She forced me to realize it."

"That might be true." Isabelle picked up the piece of steak Jace flung at her with a napkin. "But, apparently, it was always there somewhere."

"I knew it," Simon announced.

"Shh." Isabelle waved a hand at him. "Not the time to gloat." She leaned back into her seat. "But me too."

Jace could feel what he felt in his heart start to seep into the air. And they were surrounded with the dread he was feeling, that nothing could be the same. They were surrounded with the heartbreak that he felt the night before. And they could feel things change, and to Jace, it felt like his entire world had shifted into chaos.


By the time Jace made it home, the sun was only a few moments from setting. He wasn't sure how long he sat in his car. He wasn't sure how many times he told himself to calm down and to pretend like it's okay.

He knew he wouldn't be able to, and he knew that when he would see her, wanting to not be around would pass. He knew that when he saw her, sitting on the couch, eating dinner, or reading on her bed, that he would want to be beside her, to talk about something he knew only she would understand. He wanted to constantly be around her. He knew that. That was something he had known since he met her. He always wanted to beside Clary.

But now, what pained him was not knowing if she wanted to be beside him the same way. If she wanted to live the rest of their lives together the same way. Not as friends, not on the brink of something more, and always denying it. He knew they were partners until the end of their days. What stopped him from going up to the apartment was the fear that maybe everything had already changed, because to him, it felt like it already had. And Jace had never felt that type of fear.

He took a deep breath, turned off his car, and got out. He tried to ignore the thoughts racing through his mind and gave himself a nod of courage when he turned the key to their front door.

A part of him was afraid that she wasn't even there. But there she was, looking at him, sitting up on the couch, as their favorite movie, Four Brothers, played in the background.

"Hey." She smiled, her eyes genuinely happy to see him home. And he smiled back, because even though they lived together, and spent all their time together, it always comforted him when they missed each other. His smile fell when his fears quickly took over his mind, spreading at lightning speed. He gulped. "What?" She stopped smiling too, and sat up even more. "What happened?"

"Nothing." He shook his head. "This part." He pointed at the movie. "You know I hate this part."

She turned around and sat down. "Ah, yeah. You do hate this part." When a minute passed, she turned around again. "You're not gonna watch with me?"

Jace was tempted to say he was just tired, even though he knew Clary was waiting to hear about his day. But he gave a nod, dropped his keys on the counter, and, instinctively, sat right beside her. It was something they always did when they watched movies with only the two of them at home. It was natural. It was instinct.

Jace's eyes glanced down when she moved closer to sit beside him, as if they were attached at the side. Jace knew it was just habit for Clary, but he couldn't ignore that he was feeling a tension between them.

She reached for his hand, and covered her eyes, separating his fingers to look through them to watch the movie. "I hate this part too," she whispered. "But I won't cry. Not today."

He barely heard her. His ears were ringing with questions.

Does she feel awkward? Does she feel comfortable? Is it normal that this is normal for us? Is this normal?

He glanced at her, and her face was unphased. And beyond his control, Jace felt upset. He felt upset that they were like this. He was upset that, because of him, something that felt so natural was now twisted. He felt upset that he couldn't turn his thoughts off. He couldn't turn his feelings off. And that things felt beyond his control. He was upset that the one thing that he was always sure was now the biggest question mark.

He closed his eyes in pain, and then snatched his hand from her grip.

He could feel her shoulders jump, and when he looked over at her, it was as if he hit her. As if it was a slap in the face. And that face sent him over the edge.

He got up. "I can't do this," he whispered, and she stood up too. "No," he said, too loudly. He hated that he couldn't even control his voice. "I need to be alone, Clarissa."

"Jace—"

"I'm fine." He stood in front of his door, and saw it on her face. That she was panicking. That she was confused. That, in that moment, her heart was breaking, and he knew she felt the distance he had created so quickly. Things were different, and for the first time since he had known her, he felt a disconnect between them. He turned his face to try and hide the pain that he was sure was on his face. He closed the door behind him, the light in the living room shut out by the darkness of his room.


A/N: I always apologize for hurting Jace this way, but I'll continue to do so, because he just emotionally obliterated in this story, but if you guys are feeling along with him, then I feel accomplished because I know we are all relating to Jace in some way.

I was so into writing this chapter, that I have the next one ready as well, so there won't be too much of a wait for that one.

Also, I've been thinking about Brooklyn Carter and I might hold off on those "episodes" for a while. I won't be deleting the story, or ruling anything out in writing something new for it but I just wanted to keep focus on other stories. I hope nobody minds this!

Shout out to rippingbutterflywings for doing a wonderful beta'ing session today. You know how happy I am that we're both getting words down. Thank you for taking the time for my random moments of completed chapters. You are always amazing for it, and I'm sending you all the hope for more writing.

I would love to read where your thoughts are for this chapter, or just the story in general. Please leave some reviews and feedback! :)


Shout out to rippingbutterflywings, Page1of365, , shadowhunter-tiger-guardian, brightdarknessx, cfire27, obliterating the oblivion, lindsayhonaker, Feeling Tension, Aubrey Kelly, oesteffel, Emily1515, I'm literally, Madisontheresa, OhSnapItzCat, bookobsessedpooj, bookcrazy737, cheshire15, ExplosiveCreator, Bubblegum234, Flora Silverthrush, butterflies-and-rainbows, JMDeaton, and Lexi herondale carstairs! Thank you for these reviews. I loved reading the reactions that you guys have to this story. We're all definitely crying for Jace. I'll be replying to you guys today. Thank you, thank you, thank you again.

cfire27: Thank you for your review! I hope you like this chapter :)

Feeling Tension: Thank you for review! I completely understand wanting to take these characters away from me, lol. When I was writing this chapter, I was laughing a little to myself because I don't know what made me think I could handle writing Jace this way. I hope you like the chapter!

I'm Literally: Thank you for your review! I remember when I read your review, I was saying, "I'm with you." Because I am, and it's just a story but ! and I understand. Hope you like this!