Clary sat by herself in the greenhouse atrium housed atop the Manhattan Institute. It was stunning here and so peaceful. The greenery transported her back to the grounds around the Manor house in Idris. Since she had joined Valentine and Jonathan, she had only ever felt truly tranquil when she walked around the gardens, enjoying its natural beauty. The night sky above her shined with dotted stars. She imagined what life would be like living at this Institute, having the large cathedral to explore and this greenhouse to come up to when she needed time by herself. She had been enchanted as soon as Alec brought her up here but he was not so comfortable. He started sneezing shortly after introducing her to the atrium and begged off the rest of the tour unless she was willing to retreat from the greenhouse. She told him she would be fine by herself and now wished she had brought some paper and a pencil to draw some of the plants flush with life surrounding her.

Alec was parabatai with Jace. At first she thought them an odd pairing but later recognized that they suited each other. Alec's quiet solicitude matched Jace's overpowering heroics. She could tell they loved each other from the way they spoke about one another. Another sharp pang hit her. She knew she did not have this deep intrinsic understanding with Jonathan. She also knew who did match her this way. Simon. Where was he? Was he OK? Was he looking for her? She knew if their roles were reversed she could not stop looking for him and was overwhelmed by the need to see him and make sure he was alright.

She heard the entrance to the greenhouse open and the sound of footsteps making its way up the rounded steel staircase that would lead directly to where she sat next to a lustrous white flower that seemed to pulse in its tight bud. She thought about skipping away before the intruder could discover her but she was too late. She turned her eyes up and was confronted by a pair of gold eyes, darkened to an amber shade at this late hour. Jace. He looked surprised to see her there. She hoped she was not an unwelcome sight.

"Jace" she said in a hushed voice and stretched her hand out hoping for his touch but fearing he might reject her, she shut her eyes. She opened them and breathed out in relief when she felt his strong hand clasp her own. "I'm sorry about before," she whispered. "I didn't want to leave. You have to know that."

"I didn't. But I'm glad you told me," he said with an uncertain smile on his face. He had knelt down before her and she could peer deep into his eyes. She had heard eyes are the windows to your soul and if that was true she knew Jace had the truest, purest, most authentic soul in the world. She drew in a sharp breath and at that moment she knew she loved him. She lifted her other hand and caressed his cheek. "Jace, if I never get a chance to say this, I'll regret it forever," she swallowed hard and forced the words out of her mouth, "I know we only just met, but I can't help feeling like I was meant to know you. You've made me so glad to be alive. I would love you to eternity if I could."

Jace looked completely astounded but at least he didn't pull back. He only gripped her hand tighter and his plush lips fell open.

"Don't say anything," Clary continued as she saw him floundering. "I don't need to hear you say it back to me. I just want you to know how I feel." She got up then, bent down and gave him a kiss on the top of his head. She was ready to leave now. She could go back to Valentine, face him and tell him she failed her mission. She tried to pull away but Jace held onto her hand tightly.

"Sera, I don't know how to be …," he seemed confounded, unable to explain himself.

"Jace, don't call me that. Don't call me Sera," she answered, "I'm Clary. Please don't ask me what that means." She wanted to run away then before he asked anymore questions. Telling Jace the truth of her heart had eased the terrible war inside her but she knew she could not stay, not without endangering them all to Valentine's wrath … but he wouldn't let her go.

Jace opened and closed his mouth, struggling to find a way to voice his questions and comply with her request. Clary grew more confused with each passing moment. By this time, Jace had not only clamped her hand with his but also locked her to him, his other arm an inescapable vise around her waist. She should not have told him her name. She knew Jonathan would lose his mind let alone Valentine.

"Clary … I like it. It suits you better than Seraphina," he finally spoke.

"Jace, I have to go. I can't stay here anymore," she looked at him, her eyes glistening with tears.

"What do you mean? The atrium? We can go downstairs," he answered. A line formed between his eyebrows. He looked totally confused but otherwise seemed enveloped by an aura of complete contentment.

"No, Jace. I can't be here anymore. It's not safe for you. Jo… They won't let us be together and I can't lie to you. It's tearing me apart," she struggled to get out of his arms, beating his shoulders with her fists.

"You want to … leave me?" he asked in utter shock. "You just said you loved me … I can't let you go." He looked at her fervently, worshipping her. "I'll protect you. I don't care about anything but you." Jace stood up but he didn't loosen his hold on her. If anything, he held tighter. "You've turned everything upside down. I don't know how it happened. I know it makes no sense but my soul belonged to you the second I saw you." He crushed her body so closely against his they were practically inhabiting the same space. One of his hands weaved into her hair, pulled her head back tenderly yet firmly and then kissed her.

All her fears and worries vanished from her thoughts as their lips molded into each other. There was nothing else in the world but him. Her arms automatically moved away from his chest, where she placed them when she had attempted to hold him back, and stretched up around his neck. She was off the floor. He had lifted her against a ledge, their faces now positioned at an even level. She opened her legs and wrapped them around his waist to draw him closer. Their hands were everywhere but it wasn't enough.

Suddenly there was a loud racket as the greenhouse door slammed open below them. They did not break their kiss or release their hold but stopped moving their heaving bodies into each other.

"Jace! Jace! You up there?!"

They both opened their eyes then as Alec's footsteps clanged up the iron stairway. They managed to pull their mouths off each other but were still staring at each other, their noses touching. Clary was barely able to comprehend anything but Jace in her arms when Alec found them.

"Jace! I've been call …" Alec abruptly stopped as he realized Jace was not alone and his body was fully entangled in another set of limbs not his own. Alec looked away but did not turn around and leave. "I'm really sorry guys but there's an emergency. We need to get downtown. The werewolf pack have gone nuts."

The old Clary would definitely be blushing a fire engine red but she had changed since her introduction to the shadowhunter world. In some ways, she was irreversibly transformed. She unwrapped her legs from Jace's waist and peeled herself off him. He had an expression on his face as if it physically hurt him to remove himself from her. That was slightly gratifying but her own body trembled wanting him back on her, his hands and mouth all over her.

I guess Jonathan could see it more clearly than me, she thought. She wanted him in a way she had never even imagined before but she had to get away from him before this went any further. She knew she did not have the strength to resist him when they were alone together.

"Jace, we have to go," Alec still kept his eyes on the floor and evidently did not trust Jace to follow on his own.

Jace lifted Clary down from the ledge, then ran his hands up her shoulders to cup her face, forcing her eyes to meet his. He released her then but reached down to hold her hand. "Let's go, then," he said, leading her down behind him.

You can probably tell I'm a serious Clace fan. I can't help myself.