The reviews are great guys! Keep it up!

CLARY'S POV

By the time I found Jace, he was making breakfast. I wasn't aware that he could even cook, but he was. There was the smell of bacon, eggs, and I really hoped that was biscuits that I smelled. If it wasn't, my heart was going to shatter.

I tugged at the shirt I was wearing as I walked in. I wasn't sure how I felt in Jace's clothing. It smelled like him, and I liked it, but it was odd and a little too familiar. His shorts were a bit big and came past my knees. Okay, they were really big. And his shirt almost felt like it would fall off my shoulder, so I used one of his buttons up shirts instead. I wasn't sure if that was better or worse.

I sat at the stool without a word, pulling my phone out to text Simon about everything that's happened. He'd been asking after the initial "Happy Birthday" Novel and I finally got the chance to explain. I just finished the novel of a text when Jace slid something towards me.

A glass of orange juice. I looked at, back at him, and then at the juice again.

"You don't like orange juice?" he chuckled.

"Not really," I said honestly.

He grabbed it back, took a different glass from the counter, and poured some apple juice, sliding that to me. "Better?"

I nodded and took a sip. "Better."

"So, you like your eggs scrambled, sunny side up, boiled, what?"

"Surprise me."

He nodded and turned to the food. "Yes ma'am."

I ignored the weird chivalry. The last thing that I wanted to do was read into everything that Jace said. Especially after last night and everything that was revealed, it'll just confuse me.

So we were pretty quiet as he cooked, me mainly texting Simon and explaining everything to him while Jace hummed some kind of songs. I even called my mom when she said her happy birthday to me, but I was distracted because Jace started singing, and I found it hard to really concentrate. He had quite the voice, something I never would've expected.

"Jace, Clary, I-" Isabelle walked in and froze when she saw us later. At first I didn't know why she looked so shocked, but then she pointed to my clothes. "You're in Jace's clothes."

I looked down and nodded. "Um, yeah. I showered in his room and–"

"You were in Jace's room?"

"Isabelle," he warned, turning with the food in his hands and passing me a plate. "It's not a big deal."

"But you never let anyone–"

"I said it's not a big deal," he repeated more harshly. "Got it?"

I was a little confused at the silent conversation between the two that followed, but Jace pushed the place towards me even more, staring down Isabelle. I was too focused on how hungry I was and dug into my newly cooked, and surprisingly delicious, food.

"Anyway," Isabelle said slowly. She slid the papers in her hand on the table. "The horses and riders list for Saturday just came in."

I glanced up as Jace grabbed it, scanning the list. And when he frowned with a mouthful of eggs, I decided to ask.

"What is it?"

"An ex-girlfriend," he sighed, rubbing his hand through his hair. "She's riding for an old friend of mine."

"Who?"

"Her name is Maia Roberts," Isabelle explained, taking the seat next to me and stealing a piece of my biscuit. I glared at her but decided it wasn't worth the fight. "She and Jace had a thing about two years ago and–"

Jace interrupted. "The point is that she's good and Jordan is even better."

"Jordan?"

"He's the trainer," Jace explained. "Jordan Kyle. He and I were taught together for a while, so his style is really similar to mine."

Isabelle added, "He's a damn good one. Jace and Jordan were taught by my dad for years. But Jordan's family moved to a different town about an hour and a half from here a couple years ago. And when Maia and Jace had a falling out, Maia moved out there too. Next thing you know, Maia and Jordan and dating and he's training the horses that she's riding. And they're a damn good team. They beat us last year in one of the local races and–"

"None of that is relevant," Jace said quickly. I was beginning to wonder why he was so snappy all of a sudden, and it was all directed at Isabelle for some reason. "The point is, they're going to be good competition so we need to get started with the training as soon as possible."

He began to get up and leave, heading towards the door. "Jace!" I called after him.

He turned. "What?"

"I don't exactly have clothes for training," I pointed out. "Hence the current outfit."

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Isabelle, get her some clothes. You've got plenty in your closet that will fit. And meet me on the track as soon as you're ready."

"And what about our," I paused with Isabelle there but continued regardless, "About our talk?"

"Later."

And then he was gone, slamming the door right behind him.

I frowned. "What's his problem?" I asked rhetorically.

Isabelle bit her lip and frowned. "It's not my place to tell."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Like I said, I almost said to much earlier and it's not my place to tell. Oh! And Happy Birthday, little Miss I'm Eighteen. We'll celebrate tonight, but for now," She grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. "Let's go," she said, looking down at the half eaten biscuit in my hand and empty plate of food. "We have to find you something to wear."

JACE'S POV

Alec watched me as I paced back and forth in his office, nearly pulling my hair out. I had showered in my room, just opposite of where Clary and Isabelle were in Izzy's room, and now I was dressed and ready to go, and also pissed as hell.

"Okay," Alec said again, trying to calm me down and failing. "So Isabelle mentioned Maia. I mean, it's not that big of deal."

"Maybe not but I could see the curiosity in Clary's eyes. She's going to want to know exactly why I acted like I did."

Alec sighed. "Look, she's your ex-girlfriend and you guys had a falling out. That's all you have to tell her. Hell, that's all that Isabelle and I actually know. I don't see the problem."

"The thing that makes me nervous with Izzy is that she thinks she knows more. Just because she and Maia were best friends, she thinks she knows the whole story."

"Do you really think Maia would lie to Izzy about it?"

I stopped pacing and nodded. "Yes."

Alec sighed. "That's a lie and you know it. Maia was a lot of things, but a liar isn't one of them. Besides, I've never seen you freak out this much about something. Sit down before you pace a hole in my floor." I did, mainly because if anyone else told me to, I'd flick them off. But this was Alec, the only opinion I really cared about. "What is going on between you two?"

I frowned. "Me and Clary?"

He nodded in confirmation.

"Nothing."

"You're lying. What happened last night?"

I sighed, replaying the night for the fifth time already. "We talked and just… I don't know. I don't know what it was."

"Did you kiss her?"

I shook my head.

Alec just looked shocked and his eyes widened. "Really? You didn't kiss her or anything?"

"No."

"What is wrong with you?" He leaned forward and really studied me to the point that I was kind of creeped out. His hand gripped my face and turned it, scanning me like a vet to a dog. "Jace, that isn't like you."

I shoved his hand away. "Clary isn't like something I'm used to either." I dropped my head to my hands. "Alec–"

"You like her," He said with sudden realization. "You actually like her. Like, you like her like her. You genuinely care for her and–"

"Can you stop?" I snapped, shooting daggers at him with my eyes. "You don't have to repeat it a thousand times."

His eyes widened even more than they already were. "Oh my God. You're not even trying to deny it. You just… you just accepted it and didn't even argue with me."

My body couldn't take the stress anymore and I slumped in the seat, dropping my head to the back of the chair and stared at the ceiling. "It's the worst."

"Liking someone is the worst?" he chuckled. "I'm afraid I don't know what you mean."

"Do you not remember your time with Magnus? All the sneaking? The worry? The stress that Isabelle and I wouldn't accept you because you were gay. Speaking of that sparkly freak, how is Paris? You haven't said much about him lately."

Alec shrugged and seemed a little sad. "He's just been busy lately. The fashion industry doesn't exactly stop for him, so he has to do what he has to do when he has to do it and that makes it kind of hard for our calls to meet. The time zones, the distance, the fact that we both work twelve hour days or so at the moment aren't exactly good for a relationship."

"It'll get better," I insisted, hating the sound of the encouraging words in my mouth. "I mean, maybe."

Alec chuckled. "You never were one to be optimistic."

"I just can't bring myself to be that ignorant. You can't either, so I don't want to hear it."

"So back to Clary–"

"You told me to charm her, and I did, and now I kind of like her. It fucking sucks. It's not smart to get involved with the people you work with."

"Jace, I think it's a good idea. You've never been like this. Maybe this'll be for the best."

"Really?"

"Or you'll have a terrible falling out like all your other girlfriends. But, it'll be an interesting show for the rest of us."

CLARY'S POV

"I look like a hooker."

Isabelle glared at me. "Watch it, those are my clothes."

"The statement stands."

"Because you look hot, you look like a hooker?" She rolled her eyes.

"Isabelle, look at me!"

"How about you look at you and tell me why you're upset."

I felt like I should be going to a club, not training. The shirt that Isabelle forced on me was the same as my own, but cut off, rolled up, and felt about ten sizes too small. The jeans went from skinny jeans to suffocating jeans, and these boots had some kind of… sex appeal to them. And my hair that I normally just leave braided, she was determined to get a hold of. I'll admit that I looked good, but I couldn't breath and had an itch on my leg that I couldn't reach since bending was a little difficult at the moment.

And when Isabelle reached for her make-up bag on her dresser, I shook my head. "I'd have to be dead."

Isabelle sighed. "Please?"

"No."

"One day," She said, putting it back down. "Probably tonight when we go out. You can't go out without make-up."

"I already told you that I don't want to go out."

"It's your birthday," She said like I didn't already know. "Simon wanted to do something special, but I wanted to go to a club, so we compromised and we're going to the club in the next town. It'll be you, me, Alec, Jace, Simon, even Sebastian can come if he wants to."

I thought about that. Would it be a good thing or a bad thing to have him there?

"I don't know."

"You're going," she said sternly. "But first, training!"

I tugged at the shirt that showed my stomach, the jeans, the boots, my hair. "Isabelle, I can't ride in this."

"Just go until Jace sees you."

I frowned. "Why does it matter if he sees me?"

"Trust me," she teased, grabbing my arm and pulling me out to the hallway. Before I knew it, she slammed the door in my face.

"Isabelle!" I banged on the door with my fists. "Isabelle, let me in, dammit!"

"Go!"

"I'm not riding Ithuriel in this. There's no way in hell!" I shot back. "I can barely even move without this stupid thing riding up my ass." I pulled at the pants at the comment, hating them as the seconds ticked by. "Isabelle seriously! I'm so pissed at you for this!"

She chuckled inside the room. "I don't care! You're on your own now, Red. Get to stepping!"

"But–"

"Do you two mind?" a voice asked as the door behind me opened. I turned to find Jace emerging from his room, dressed and ready, with his head down looking at the notes for training. "I'm trying to think here."

"Sorry."

"You should be," he snapped quickly.

I glared at him. "Weren't you supposed to be at the barn ten minutes go? Ithuriel is supposed to be warmed up and ready."

"I was just over there but I had to come back to get the notes–"

His voice stopped when he finally looked up, his eyes finding the attire that Isabelle forced onto me. I swallowed as I watched his golden gaze go up and down, and I found it uncomfortable. I didn't like it at all.

He cleared his throat, pointing to my, well, everything. "What are you wearing?" he said with a slight, almost too quiet to hear squeak in his voice.

Maybe Isabelle had a point after all. It was amusing watching his brain struggle to function. But still. I shouldn't like the idea that he was doing this in the first place.

"Isabelle," I said. "She doesn't exactly have my style."

"Yes she does."

"No, she doesn't. She threw me into this saying it's the only thing that would fit me."

Jace sighed, shook his head, and gently slid passed me. He grabbed my arm and pushed me down the hallway. I watched in confusion as he knocked once. Isabelle told him to bug off, and to my horror, he reared back, grabbed the top of her door frame, and kicked the door in with both his feet.

It flew inside of its hinges, landing a few feet from the now open doorframe. My jaw dropped at 1) his strength, and 2) the fact that he had a death wish. Isabelle's face looked like she was ready to murder him. If the hairbrush in her hand was a knife, she might have actually tried.

But he didn't say a word. He walked right by Isabelle to her closet, grabbed actual riding gear, in his hands, and walked out. "Here," he said, handing them to me.

I took them awkwardly, still in shock at that display. "Um, thanks?"

"You have ten minutes. Meet me down at the track."

The day at the Lightwoods was a mess. It was too busy to even get a chance to talk to Jace. I was taken from one thing to another, mainly because I was stuck there all day. My mom and Luke took me out to lunch at least for my birthday, but other than that, nothing special happened because of the busy scheduling by Maryse. I didn't mind that either. I wasn't one for bright lights and flashes and crazy parties anyway.

Unfortunately, that's what Isabelle was forcing onto me.

"Green, or black?" she asked, holding up two dresses for me to look at.

I sat on her bed in my bra and panties, surprised that I was actually comfortable around Isabelle. Maybe it was because Simon trusted her, but I didn't mind her as much lately. Jace mentioned to me that she meant well, but to try not to fall into her traps so easily.

The only thing that kept me from really running away was the fact that Maryse got one of the ranch hands to fix Isabelle's door in record time.

But now, I didn't really have a choice. We were going to the small club about an hour away from here, getting some rooms at a nearby motel. The parents were okay with it, but I think that's because Simon asked all of them, and my mom and Luke have a weakness for that boy.

"Green," I finally said, reaching out as Isabelle tossed it to me. I stood and slipped it on, putting the boots that she threw at me on too. I looked like a regular cowgirl when I stood in her floor length mirror, and smiled. If there's anything Isabelle is good at, it's dressing me up.

"Now, the make-up."

I groaned, but didn't say anything.

And by the end of it, Isabelle and I came to a compromise. There wasn't too much to where I looked like a clown and she made it natural looking, but there wasn't too little to where it was pointless. At least Isabelle and I were finding the soft spots.

"Can I ask you something?" Isabelle asked while curling my hair.

"Yeah."

"It's about Jace."

I nodded, which she immediately glared at me for before saying, "Go for it."

"What really happened when you two were out last night?"

"Nothing," I answered honestly. "Why do you ask?"

"He's been different," she said. "Exhibit A." She pointed to her old broken door leaning against the wall. The new one looked better anyway. "And then he let you into his room, which I'm not even allowed. No one is. I couldn't even tell you anything about the plae. And he got so defensive when I mentioned Maia–"

"Wait, you're not allowed in his room?"

She shook her head. "He doesn't let anyone in there. Not Max. Not Alec. Not me. Certainly none of his girlfriends. If they ever slept together, he always took them somewhere else like the guest room or back to their place."

I swallowed a lump in her throat at those words. But that made me nervous. I didn't want to think of myself as an exception, so I jumped to the next topic. "Who is Maia again?" I asked out of curiosity.

"His ex-girlfriend," she explained. "She was also my best friend at the beginning of high school. But when she started dating Jace, we kind of grew apart. We were still good friends, but she only wanted to talk to me when it was something to do with Jace and I got annoyed with it. And then, they broke up."

I waited for more, and when I got nothing, I looked at Isabelle in confusion. "That's it?"

Isabelle shook her head, then nodded, then shook her head again. "Yes and no. It wasn't anything extravagant, but they don't exactly have a dandy relationship anymore. But if you want the rest, you have to ask Jace. He'd murder me if I told you everything. Mainly because I heard it from Maia."

"What did she tell you?"

"Nothing you won't hear from Jace."

"Okay," I said, raising my hands in defense. "I get it."

The rest of the time was spent mainly discussing the race or Simon, simple conversation that didn't have an edge to it. And before I knew it, we were done and both ready. Isabelle in her black, extremely short dress with her hair down and a pair of high heels that would kill me. And me, with my red hair up in a bun with a few strands here and there dangling around. I liked it.

"You guys ready?" I heard Jace ask as he stepped into Isabelle room after pushing the door open. "Alec is getting impatient."

"We're ready," Isabelle said with a smile, turning and giving me a wink before sliding past her brother and down the stairs.

Great.

"Wow," Jace said when he finally looked at me.

I could say the same for him. He was dressed in black pants that formed his legs pretty well, cowboy boots and a black button up shirt that he left open. His modesty didn't go unnoticed. And his hair, which was usually a mess, was actually kind of styled. The golden curls at least seemed to be kind of tamed, and I couldn't help but stare at him.

"You look," he cleared his throat momentarily, "You look great," he said with a soft voice, giving me a small smile.

"Thanks. You look pretty good yourself," I said just as quietly, reaching for my purse and walking out. At least, I tried. Jace's hand came out and stopped me with my wrist before I could make it. "What?"

"Hold on," He said, reaching behind me. I felt him grab the clip that was keeping my hair in place and pulling it out, letting the extra curly red curls fall around my bare shoulders. He fluffed them out a little, giving me a nod.

"Better?" I asked.

"Better."

I felt like putting in some actual TMI moments in here, so I hope you guys liked them! All rights to these characters belong to Cassandra Claire, the main boss with awesome sauce.

Don't forget to review! Stay tuned :)