Hey guys! I just wanted to let you know that I will probably be finishing up this story within the next couple of chapters. Also, thanks to all of those who have been following me and sending reviews. I want you all to know that I do read them and I appreciate your ideas even if I do not use them. When you guys read this chapter, things might seem to be rushed because I didn't really know how to portray my thoughts in my writing. Let me know what you think. Anyway, enough talking, you guys need to read!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments books.

One year later

I was on my way to the University of Florida for college because I decided that I really didn't want to see anybody by taking a chance and going to NYU which is the school that I really wanted to go to. A year ago when I went to live with my mother I told her that I really missed her and I really couldn't dream of a senior year without her and she bought it. Whenever someone called from New York, my mom gave me the phone and when she left the room, I hung up the phone. She never found out and whenever my brothers came to visit, I made up an excuse about there being a club trip to someplace else and that I needed to go. My mother never suspected a thing until when it was time to choose a college because she knew that I wanted to go to NYU since I was a little girl.

There was no way that I could tell her the truth so I told her that the University of Florida had a better art program. She didn't ask me anything after that and now I'm driving to college and hopefully away from my past life.

I pulled into the parking lot in front of my dorm and walked up to my room. When I opened the door I nearly screamed because on the other side of the door was everyone. They turned to me at the same time and I turned and ran back out the dorm and down the street. I could hear them behind me screaming my name as I crossed a meadow behind the dorms.

They were catching up to me because I could here three pairs of feet right behind and two other sets behind them. What my old friends didn't know was that I ran track in my last year of high school and my best event was the 400 meter sprint. When they slowed down I sped up and everyone was falling behind except one, Jace.

I screamed in frustration and turned in the direction of the school, but Jace was expecting that because that because when I slowed down to turn he sped up and rammed me. We fell to the ground in a heap and when I tried to get up he pinned me down by grabbing by arms behind my head.

"Clary! Stop!" he yelled.

"Why should I? Get the hell off me!" I screeched.

By this time everyone had caught up and was watching what was happening on the ground in front of them.

"Clary, you need to listen to me. I didn't mean to do what I did at the club last year. I was drunk and I thought she was you because her red hair threw me off. Please believe me! The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you," Jace said with such sincerity that I had to close my eyes or else I would forgive everyone too fast.

"That doesn't explain why they knew about it and tried to hide it from me. They knew how much it would hurt me and they tried to hide it from me. That's inexcusable!" I said with my eyes closed pointing towards the people behind Jace.

"Clary, we didn't want you to get hurt and do something rash, which you did when you found out," Jordan pleaded.

"Jace, get off me," I said angry. When he did I turned to all of them and said, "The reason I left wasn't just because Jace cheated on me, no that that didn't help. I left because I felt like I couldn't trust anybody! My brothers and my best friends don't tell me that my boyfriend is cheating on me and you expect me to be okay with that! Well I wasn't and it was you're trying to "protect" me that drove a wedge between you all and me. Now if you excuse me, I have to unpack and go meet my new boyfriend at his dorm." I looked at Jace pointedly so that he would get what I was saying.

He looked hurt and I had to fight the urge to comfort him. I could tell that everyone saw my face soften at his hurt one so I turned before they could say anything. I jogged all the way back to my dorm, took my boxes out of the car and put them in my room. When I looked at the time I had to run to the dorm or I would be late.

I walked up to my boyfriend's room and knocked. He opened it up and pulled me in laughing.

"Alec! Stop!" I screamed laughing.

"Why? I love you too much to put you down," he said his crystal eyes peering into mine.

"I love you too."

He pulled me into a kiss and when I pulled away to look around the room he whined. I realized that one half of the room was bare, while his side had boxes.

"So I guess your roommate isn't here yet," I said.

"Nope I'm here," a voice said from the doorway that sounded familiar.

We both turned towards the voice to see Jace standing in the doorway leaning against the doorframe.

"No! This isn't happening! Tell me you're not going to school here and tell me this is just some sort of joke," I said scared of what his next words were going to be.

"Looks like you're going to be disappointed then because I am and so is everyone else, including your brothers. They were able to graduate a year early because they took so many extra classes," Jace said with his signature smirk. "Oh and by the way, your boyfriend here is Izzy's gay brother."

I turned to Alec who looked very uncomfortable with the situation.

With tears threatening to fall I said, "Alec? Please tell me that isn't true. Please tell me that he's kidding and you didn't play with my heart just because your sister asked you to."

He looked down towards the ground and that was the only answer I needed. I turned back around and tears were beginning to slide down my face so I pushed past Jace. In the hall were my brothers and their girlfriends who, by the looks on their faces, had just heard everything that just happened.

I ran down the hall and out the door towards my dorm where my car was parked out front. I was about to open the door when I felt hands on my waist turning me around. Jace's eyes searched mine before he opened his mouth to speak.

"Clary, I want you to know that I never stopped loving you and we all only did what we did to show you that. We had Alec keep an eye on you by being your boyfriend so that you wouldn't get with anyone else. Whenever your brothers went down to Florida to visit, it was to talk to Alec and hopefully to get you to listen to us, but you were never there. Clary, where did you go?"

"When I found out…that my brothers were coming to…visit I would book a hotel room for as long as they were staying so…that I wouldn't have to…" I stopped because I didn't trust my voice anymore.

I looked down and tried wiping tears from my eyes but they just kept coming. Jace pulled my face up to his by placing his hand under my chin.

"Clary, please forgive me. I love you so much that it can't be explained into words," he said pulling out the locket that I left at my mother's house.

"How did you-"

"I went to your mom's house before coming here because I figured that you wouldn't have it with you," he whispered.

I looked at him in awe and was trapped in his golden stare that he always seemed to use against me. It was almost as if it was his superpower that he used to get me to forgive him. Unfortunately it worked again because I found myself leaning towards him.

He saw my mood change and pulled me closer to him and lifted me up against my car. His lips found mine with such force that I was immediately woozy from the feelings behind it. My hands went in his hair and pulled him as close as possible. This kiss was different from others because it was filled with longing, passion, and forgiveness all rolled together.

I pulled back and pointed towards my dorm window so that he would get the message. He looked at me for a second before picking me up bridal style and walked through the doors. I laughed as he threw me on my bed and locked the door behind him. He came back over and lay down on top of me with his arms on either side of my head so that he wouldn't crush me. Jace met me halfway and soon clothes were all over the floor.

When it was over Jace fell asleep with his arms wrapped around me. I stared at his sleeping figure itching to draw it. I quickly unwrapped myself from him and went to one of my boxes with my sketchbooks. Pulling out my pencils, I sat down at the end of the bed with my legs crossed and began to draw. I stayed that way until I finished and I placed the sketchbook next to Jace's head so that he woke up, he would see what I did.

I went to take a shower, turned the water on and got in. As I was wetting my hair, I didn't hear Jace get up and open the bathroom door. He got in the shower with me and when I turned around I nearly screamed. Jace stood there laughing at me before pulling me close to his naked body.

I gasped and said, "What are you doing here? I thought you were sleeping."

"I was, but woke up to the shower. By the way, nice drawing of me. I knew you thought I was beautiful."

"No, I mean why are you in the shower with me? You do realize that I actually do need to cleanse myself," I said laughing.

"Well why can't we cleanse ourselves together?" he inquired.

"You make a very good point."

With that, I turned back around to continue wetting my hair while Jace washed my back. We continued to help each other until we decided that we were both clean enough. I got out first, wrapped myself in a towel and walked in my room to put on some clothes. Jace followed behind me and he turned me around so that I was looking him in the eye.

He leaned in close to my ear and whispered, "I don't want you to put clothes on yet, but Izzy wanted me to get you to come out with us tonight."

I pulled back and nodded smiling. I went over to my phone to text her with Jace's arms wrapped around my waist. She texted me back immediately saying that I needed to get away from Jace and go down the hall to her room.

I sighed and told Jace what she said, but he didn't seem to hear me because he was humming to himself while playing with my hair.

"Jace, I have to throw some clothes on and get to Izzy's or else she's going to come here," I said turning to him.

"Fine," he mumbled.

I unwrapped myself from him and got dressed not bothering to get embarrassed in front of Jace because he has already showered with me. Jace got dressed too and when we were both ready, we walked down the hall. Izzy opened the door immediately pulling me in and pushing my brothers out. Jace made a sound of protest, but soon the door was slammed in his face.

"Clary! Let's get started because we have a lot to do," she said pulling me into the bathroom where Maia stood waiting.

They set to work right away and soon I was in a tight black strapless dress that reached me mid-thigh and brought out the color in my hair and eyes. My hair was pulled up in an elegant bun and my makeup enhanced the good features on my face along with brightening my eyes. They put me in high ankle boots that made my legs look longer.

When Maia and Isabelle were finished with me, they went to change. As they were finishing up, there was a knock on the door and the boys were yelling for us to hurry up. We hurried up and grabbed our clutches and opened the door.

The boys' eyes widened significantly and parted as we walked out the door. I went up to Jace and pecked him on the lips and my friends did the same to their boyfriends so that they could wipe the shock off their faces.

"Hi," Jace said with a smile.

"Hi," I said shyly.

We just stood there staring at each other for a while before Maia said, "Alright lovebirds! Let's get this show on the road."

Everyone started walking when Jace pulled me to a stop a looked at me before undoing my bun and letting my hair fall in waves down my back.

"Is that better?" I asked teasing.

"Much," he said before pulling in the direction of our friends who were waiting by their cars smiling at us.