Hey, everybody!

I'm back and ready to give you the last chapter in The Art of Kissing. I just want to thank you all for being there and supporting me throughout the entire story. If it wasn't for all of you reviewers, favoriters, and followers I never would have found the energy to write.

So, again, thank you.

*Beware, there is SOME lemon-ness in this chapter. Not hardcore or anything but there are mentions of sexual intercourse and other things of that variety. Nothing smutty or severely intense. But there is Clace fluff!*

Disclamier: I. OWN. NOTHING!


Clary took a deep breath and smiled before bending down to catch the falling tower of folded clothing. She blew a piece of too long red hair from her face and ran her fingers through the loose strands to try and brush it back. She sat with a huff before letting out a groan when the tower she had precariously put together fell and toppled to the floor.

A laugh permeated the bare room as Clary snapped her eyes behind her. Her boyfriend of almost two years leaned against the open doorway a wide smile on his face and a certain shining in his eyes that wasn't there two years back. Clary liked to pretend she had something to do with it. But she knew it really was because of her whole family not just her. Ever since that day so long ago when they had all desperately sat around the living room, persuading a hard headed woman to let them keep a boy, who had dreamed of nothing else his whole life but just that.

"Looks like you're making quite a mess, Miss. Morgenstern." Jace said with that infuriatingly wonderful smile; his lips were lopsided and his broken tooth peaking through. She gave another groan as she lay back on her bed, her hair falling more out of the bun on top of her head. Red curls springing forth and exploding around her.

"Don't remind me." She said raising her arms and pulling her fingers through her long curls. "That's the third time I've knocked over that tower of clothes."

"Here's an idea," Jace answered as he dropped his body on top of hers right in between her legs. His large hands were placed on either side of her head. The whole moment took her completely by surprise. Clary let out a laugh in alarm while Jace's smile grew wider. "Why don't you make the pile," His voice dropped even lower turning husky and no louder than a whisper. "Smaller." He dropped a chaste kiss to her nose which scrunched up in the way he loved.

Clary reached up and looped her hands around Jace's neck; her fingers spreading through his silky curls and tugging on the golden strands. Jace gave a soft gasp as she pulled his face closer to hers. "Why is it," Her voice was a whisper itself playing just as dirty as Jace did. "That you can turn even the way I fold my laundry into something," She pulled his head toward her lips, her hot breath fanning his ear. "Dirty."

Jace's hips instinctively bucked forward rubbing pelvis's with Clary, who let out a strangled breath, all of her earlier control gone. Her fingers dug into his neck and scratched against his skin. "Clary," His voice was harsh and had shivers running down her spine. It didn't matter how long they would be together; Jace would always make her feel like she was flying on cloud nine. He would always make her feel like she did when they first kissed. "You know you shouldn't be such a tease." His fingers danced slowly down her bare legs, exposed from her short jean shorts. "I can't always control myself." Goosebumps erupted on her legs as Jace's fingers slowly caressed her, moving down toward the soft skin of her inner thighs, moving closer to the soft place that ached and throbbed for his touch.

Clary let out a throaty moan. "Jace, we need to—"

"Hey, do you guys know what you're packing for—HOLY SHIT!" Jonathon's back made a loud crashing sound as it hit forcefully against the door to Clary's room. No doubt making a large dent in the wall from smashing the brass knob into the soft plaster.

Jace let out a bellowing laugh as Clary pushed and shoved him off of her; placing her hands around herself as if she was indecent. Her cheeks were hotter than her hair as she pushed her face into the mattress. Jace's hand drew comforting circles on her back.

"Dude, no!" Jonathon said rubbing his eyes furiously. "Never again! That's. . .that's my sister!" He groaned pitifully as he pushed the palms of his hands into his eyes as if he could rub the image away. "I can never un-see that, dude!" His reaction only made Jace laugh harder and Clary blush brighter. "Seriously, if it happens again I'm gonna make you wish we never adopted you. Not my baby sister, man. That just isn't right. That's all kinds of wrong."

Jace shook his head as Jonathon looked at him finally, the skin around his eyes beat red. "It's impossible to make me wish you never adopted me."

Jonathon paused a moment giving his best friend a soft smile, probably remembering an incident that seemed like yesterday put was really two years ago, before shaking his head. "Anyway, as I previously came in to ask you before I witnessed something that might literally scar me for life—"

Clary whipped her head up; her back pressed against Jace's chest. His hand slipped from his back and spread across her stomach. "Jonathon!"

He put his hands in the air as a sign of surrender before he laughed; his fine, white blonde hair flopping down onto his forehead endearingly. "I came to ask what you were packing for this trip."

Clary gave a groan as she pressed further into Jace's chest, fitting nicely under his chin which scratched lightly against her forehead. His fingers rubbed along her bare arms and made her wish they were alone. "That's seriously what you came barging in here, without knocking I might add, to ask?"

Jonathon nodded as he crossed his hands over his chest with a smirk. She knew what was coming; he and Jace were so alike it almost made her uncomfortable. He was going to give her a snide reply that she wasn't going to like. "Yeah, I know, it's pretty dumb considering I know exactly what you'll be packing."

Clary rolled her eyes feeling slightly surprised at his response, seeing as it was not at all as she had thought it would be. "You're so—"

"Do you think I should pack condoms too or will you guys share?"

"JONATHON!" Clary yelled charging off the bed and sprinting after her brother who turned and booked it down the hall. She knew his remark was coming and had anticipated the revenge she would be extracting as she ran. Jace leaped from his seat on the bed to watch the carnage as Clary leaped onto his brother's back and had him slamming his knees down to the floor. "THAT WAS SO GROSS!"

Jace smiled and shook his head, feeling all too content to watch the love of his life beat up her much stronger than her brother. Jonathon couldn't control his laughs as Clary tickled and punched him. And Jace couldn't help but think about how glad he was to call this place home.


"Alright, now do you have everything?" Jocelyn said as she pressed her hands into her daughter's cheeks.

Clary rolled her eyes with a smile as she nodded. "Yes, mom, I have everything."

"You have a camera to take pictures—"

"Yes."

"And you remembered you phone charger right—"

"Yes, mother, I did." Clary said with a sigh knowing Jocelyn was no closer to stopping anytime soon as she watched Jace place her green suitcase in the car.

Jocelyn frowned and shook her head. "You saw the pepper spray I left you didn't you? Because you never know who could be out there."

"Yes, I have the pepper spray."

"And please tell me you're bringing protection with you—"

"MOM!" Clary yelled as she tried closing her mother's mouth with her hands. Jocelyn swiftly moved out of the way with a smirk; her red hair in a crimson braid down her back the curly fly-aways danced in the light breeze.

"I just want you to be careful. I'm far too pretty and young to be a grandmother yet." She said with a good hearted laugh as Clary dropped her head in her hands refusing to look up at Jace, who had dropped his suitcase in shock at her mother's question.

"Don't worry, mom, I covered the Sex Ed part of our journey before-hand." Jonathon said as he hooked an arm around Clary's shoulders. She scowled and quickly shook him off as he gave a laugh.

Clary narrowed her eyes before smirking and turning to her still smiling mother. "I'm pretty sure Jonathon forgot the pepper spray you and dad picked up for him on his bedside table though, mom."

Jocelyn dropped her smile in an instant and looked toward her son, who was no longer laughing. His eyes were wide as they looked at Clary with betrayal. "Is that true, Jonathon?"

"Mom, I don't need pepper spray. That's such a girly thing to carry around." He groaned as his mother scowled and raised her finger at him scoldingly.

"Now you listen here Jonathon Christopher Morgenstern. . . ."

The voices faded as Clary slipped out of her mother's ear shot and quickly walked around the house. But not before locking eyes on her brother who narrowed his and mouthed "how could you" Clary could only answer with "karma's a bitch" before she laughed and hurried around the corner.

She quickly went through the back sliding glass door and paused as she gazed at the empty lot across the lawn. Once upon a time, there had been a decaying house there. With a broken porch and creaking floorboards, with vines that crawled up the siding and a leaky roof; it was the house the love of her life was raised in by a man so twisted she wondered how he ended up so good.

Once Clary had asked Jace how he survived there. How he managed to see the bright side of everyday knowing he'd have to once again accept the pain that house and its inhabit brought to him.

Jace laughed as Clary frowned. They lay sprawled out on a worm, knit blanket in their backyard and Clary couldn't have pictured a life but this. She wondered silently how she made it all those years thinking she hated the very man she couldn't go a day without thinking about.

"Don't you get it, Clary?" The question had to be rhetorical because that's exactly why she had asked her question in the first place. "I'm the person I am today because of all of this." He spread his arms out wide gesturing to the world around them as Clary sat up and turned to look him in the eyes. His golden orbs danced with happiness and humor as his fingers danced down her arms. "It's because of your father and mother. It's because of Jonathon. And it's because of you." He touched the tip of his finger to her nose making her giggle. "It's because of the love and nurturing care you all gave me, reminding me what family and life is supposed to be like. Because I didn't really have a bad childhood, because you were my childhood." He smiled as he kissed her chastely on the lips. "And I don't regret a single second of it. Not when I have everything I could ever want in the world right now. Because it was all worth it."

She remembered how she couldn't find the words to speak, she remembered how she had kissed him, pushing him back on the blanket they lay on and showed him how much she agreed with him. Showed him how he was all worth it too.

She also remembered taking his hand and leading him up her stairs. She remembered pushing him softly down on the bed and climbing shyly into his lap. She remembered how she had cupped his cheeks and kissed him slowly. Remembered how he had kissed her so sweetly back and the way his hands softly guided her hips into his own. She remember the way he had laughed against her lips and complimented himself on how well he had taught her how to kiss. And she remembered whispering how it was her turn to teach him, to teach him where she liked to be touched. She could still hear the way his breath had gotten caught in his throat. The way she'd unbuttoned his shirt with sure unshaken fingers.

She could practically feel his lips as he traced them down her neck slowly; placing light kisses here and there until he bit softly into her collarbone. The sounds he had her making that night were animalistic in their quality and she remembered how slow he had gone. All their earlier hurriedness was erased, because they both knew they could take as long as they wanted in the world now. Because she loved him and he loved her.

She loved the way his body had pressed hers into the mattress and the gasping breath and moans he made as she hesitantly touched him encouraged more by the hurried words in moaned in her ear begging her to go faster, to squeeze tighter.

She remembered how he had stopped her and unbuttoned her jeans. She had wanted him to rip them off as she arched against him, their bare chests touching. And she remembered how he had bowed his head to kiss her legs. How she had been uncertain to let his golden head disappear between her thighs but remembered how much she didn't regret a single moment of it when his tongue danced against her. She remembered digging her fingers into the fine hairs on his head and begged him to continue, to never stop and she remembered how everything had burst into stars and flames and the world had collided with another all while Jace kissed her on the mouth once more.

She could remember the pain as they became one person; became one soul and one entity and she remembered the words he'd whispered in her ear. How much he loved her; how they would spend the rest of their lives learning each other. And how they would forever be one heart; Clary remembered crying as she held him, so close she was surprised he didn't disappear right into her chest.

She remembered afterward as they laid facing each other, Jace drawing shapes on her bare back, talking about the life they were going to have and the type of wedding they wanted and who would be a groomsmen and bridesmaid and the house they wanted and where they would like to live because it didn't matter what life threw at them. They had a future. It was as real and as sure as the fact they were human beings. It would happen.

Clary smiled as she closed the sliding glass door with a snap and turned to the steps, taking two at a time before slipping silently into her bare room. She, Jonathon, Jace, Simon, Isabelle, Alec, Magnus and Jonathon's girlfriend Lilanna were all going away for a week in Europe before they all headed off to their colleges of choice. Simon, Isabelle, Jace and Clary would all be heading to University of New York while Alec and Magnus would be heading to University of Michigan and Jonathon and Lilanna would be heading to University of California. It was their last hurray before they all went their separate ways.

"There you are." Clary smiled as Jace's chin dropped to her shoulder and his arms looped around her waist. She lifted her arms to place on top of his as he held her. "I've been looking for you; we only have about 20 minutes until we have to go and you know you're mother isn't even close to being done talking to you yet."

"Urgh," Clary dropped her head back on Jace's firm and board shoulder as he chuckled against her. "Don't remind me, as if our earlier conversation wasn't enough."

Jace kissed her sweetly on the cheek as Clary turned in his arms. He brushed a strand of falling curls from her eyes as he smiled down at her. "You know she only worries because—"

"She loves me. Yeah, yeah, I know, I know." She fluttered her hand out as Jace captured it in his own and placed it softly against his lips. Her knuckles tingled with the sensation. "Did she already talk to you?"

"Unlike all of you," Jace kissed her wrist continuing down her arm as he spoke. "I spoke to her this morning while I was packing so she is perfectly satisfied," He kissed her shoulder still dripping her arm he pulled her closer so his hand was placed directly on the small of her back. "With the knowledge that I have packed," His lips moved slower as they traced the contours of her collarbone. "Everything she feels' is necessary," His lips suckled her neck making Clary dropped her head back and gasp, her hands instantly locking in his blonde curls. "For our trip." He ran his tongue over the throbbing spot he created right under her hairline.

"Wow," Clary said through a breathless tone. She couldn't really remember what they were talking about and she hadn't really been listening to what Jace had been saying earlier. All she could focus on were his hands, which were slowly lifting her shirt and his hot breath on her ear. She could only focus on all that was Jace, his smell and his eyes which trapped her right where she stood. "How long did you say we had?"

"20 minutes." Jace answered through smirked lips. Clary wasted no time in grabbing his hand and dragging him into the bathroom with her before closing the door quickly and locking it.

"You have 15 minutes." Clary said with her own smirk as Jace looked at her through dark lustful eyes. "Make 'em count, Casanova."

"I only need 10." He said with a laugh as he hoisted Clary up onto the sink and placed himself between her legs, her long skirt was hiked up to her stomach revealing more of herself than she had planned to.

"Someone's a little cocky. All talk and no action it would seem." Clary laughed as she looped her arms around his neck and pulled his lips to hers. They moved like they were made for each other and in truth they always had been. She couldn't even begin to fathom a life without Jace in it. She could feel his breath against her cheek as she pulled away with a laugh.

She pretended to yawn as she stretched her arms out before placing them lightly on his shoulders, knowing fully well she was mocking him and trying to push him. "Wow, I expected a little more spirit out of you. This is really all you've got? Utterly disappointing. Seems all those stories about you were false than."

Jace gave her a crimson smile one as mischievous and dangerous as she had always known him to be. Was the room getting hotter or was it just her? She had baited him and he had taken the challenge. "You're gonna regret those words, love."

She didn't even had time to say a witty reply before Jace dropped to his knees and placed her thighs on his shoulders. She gasped and dug her nails into neck as she bucked and moaned and begged.

She had been wrong. He hadn't been cocky at all; he'd just been honest.

But he'd been wrong too.

Because she didn't regret a thing.


"I'm going to miss you." Jocelyn said as she hugged her daughter tightly and Clary would be lying if she didn't say that she was trying to force the tears to stay at bay. This would be the longest she'd ever been away from her mother.

"I'm going to miss you too, Mommy." Clary squeezed her mother just as tightly back as Jocelyn patted her head. Her mother pulled away first and kept her an arm's length away. "Please, be careful okay? And call us when you land. And remember the pepper spray in your bag—"

Clary cut her mother off before she had a chance to embarrass her like she had before. "I will, mom, I promise."

"Aren't you going to say goodbye to your old man?" Valentine said with a grand gesture of his arms as Clary leaped into them, just as she had when she was just a child. He squeezed her against his chest and lifted her feet from the floor. Before kissing her forehead and putting her back down. "You're getting too heavy for me to lift you anymore."

"It's all those rocks in her head." Jonathon answered as he stepped up beside her and bumped his shoulder into her own. She stuck her tongue out at him as she shoved him back with both hands.

Valentine laughed as he pulled his son close. "Watch after each other, you're going to a foreign country and things are done much differently there."

"You know we will, Dad." Jonathon said sheepishly as if the thought of talking about family love and bonding was too much for him.

"I'll watch after them all, Sir." Jace said appearing next to Clary as if out of thin air, his arm hooked with Jocelyn's. "I'll make sure they stay out of trouble."

"Spoken by the troublemaker himself." Valentine said through a booming voice as he pulled Jace close and squeezed him as tightly as he had his other children. "I mean what I said now. Keep each other safe."

"I will." Jace nodded determined to make their father proud as Valentine nodded knowingly. "I know you will."

"We better get a move on."' Jonathon said looking over his father's head at the roof as if he couldn't bear anymore. "We don't want to miss our flight."

So after more hugging and more tears and even more hugging, Clary linked her hand with Jace's and walked toward Jace's blue rusty abomination. He opened the door for her as she settled in and moved into the center to let Jonathon slide in after her.

"Ready for the future?" Clary said as she looked over into Jace's eyes.

His hand cupped her cheek as he nodded. "The future."

And they pulled away from home knowing fully well that they would be back.


And there you have it folks, the end to a wonderful journey. Thank you so much for riding it out with me!

I love you all!

Review!

Question: What was your favorite part or line in the whole story?