Hello my Fellow Readers!

I know what you're all thinking, "Two updates in less than 24 hours?! What the hey?!" Haha, I have a lot of downtime on my hands right now and I thought that I would update. How did you like the last chapter? I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it! I am currently re-reading TMI and every time that I re-read TMI I fall in love with the characters all over again. I'm exceptionally happy when I looked at my stuff for this story and to inform you all that I have 86 followers on this story! That is the most followers that I have ever had on a story that I have ever written!

Speaking of which, I have a question for you guys. After I have read the TID a story started to form in my head. I was thinking about writing about TID BUT it will be a spin off of Cinderella (in a way). It would be based off of the Disney version with a little twist with the Brother Grimm. What do you guys think? I would love to see what you guys would have to say!

Anyways, as always- I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter. I love you all and I thank every single one of you for sticking with this story and all of the support! You all make me so happy!

For this Chapter, I used the song Porcelain by Marianas Trench. Every time I listen to this song, it brings me to tears.

As always, R&R and enjoy! :D

Love,

Lee

A week had passed since Jace had Clary sit with him at his lunch table and it was slowly becoming a routine. As this slowly started to become the norm, it seemed that Clary and Jace's bond started to grow. If their was one, the other was soon to follow.

Clary loved being around Jace. He was a subtle distraction from what was going on in her life. The hole in her chest that was caused with grief was starting to shrink as their friendship started to turn into something beautiful. The other students stopped staring at the odd pairing and started to gossip about other things that didn't really matter.

Although both Clary and Jace were becoming closer, she still felt as if she was betraying Simon. She couldn't explain the feeling but there was a small sliver of guilt in her heart from being friends with Simon and then becoming friends with Jace. She knew that Simon hated the guy, but Jace was the person that she could count on since Simon was gone. She knew that she was being ridiculous, but that feeling never eased.

It was a Friday afternoon as both Clary and Jace were sitting in the school's library as they were studying for their finals. They still had four more weeks of schooling before they graduated. Clary was more than anxious to get the hell out Manhattan as soon as the diploma was handed to her. She was still in the midst of what College she wanted to go to. She applied to a handful of art schools from New York, California, Illinois, Minnesota and even one in London, England. For some reason, her heart was set on going to the one in Minnesota. It was far away from Valentine and anything that resembled her present and past. Valentine had no idea that she applied to any of the schools that she did. She hid her acceptance letters under her bed in a box. She knew that if he found out he would be furious with her.

Valentine didn't want her to go to school. He knew -without even telling him- that Jon had left for college. He became enraged when found out that Jon had left but didn't even bother looking for him. The day he found out, he accused of Clary knowing where he went when Clary really didn't. This caused him to become even more angered as he grabbed a fistful of Clary's hair and dragged her out of her room. He threw her into the wall that was across from her door and beaten her senseless and cussed at her for being a bitch and a filthy liar that evening.

Clary involuntarily cringed at the memory as she looked away from her Human Anatomy notes. It was quiet in the library as it was only her and Jace along with the Librarian who was sitting at her desk checking in last minute books that were returned that day. They sat in the back where they couldn't be seen, but they could see who came in and out. The silence was tranquil and relaxing. Clary looked away from the librarian to look at Jace. Jace was bent over his AP English final. He was working on a rough draft. Books and notes were spread around him as his eyes were peering at one of the opened textbooks and his left hand was furiously writing down what he was reading.

A small smile tugged at the corner of Clary's lips as she saw how concentrated he was. His eyebrows were furrowed and his blonde messy hair was covering his forehead. It was really a sight to marvel at. He was wearing a black v-neck t-shirt that clung to his beautifully sculpted body. His left arm was flexing as he moved the pen across the paper that he was writing on. Clary could see the tattoo's that adorned bot of his arms. The black ink twisted and curved into something that resembled tribal.

Clary remembered asking about them out of pure curiosity. She knew it was none of her business, but she wanted to know what they meant to him. Jace smiled at her question. They were walking from the school parking lot to the front of the school building. Jace would wait by his motorcycle until Clary would pull into the parking lot and then they would both walk into the school together.

He listed off the meanings of his tattoo's but only a few of them stood out to Clary.
Strength. Fearless. Agility. Protection. She thought it was a little peculiar to have the symbols of those things to have on your body but she never questioned it. She accepted it as who he was.

"See something you like?" Jace implied without looking away from his rough draft. A smirk was playing at the corners of his lips. Clary flushed red as got caught for admiring him. She immediately looked away from him to rummage through her notes as if nothing happened. Jace chuckled softly as he tore his gaze from his homework to look at her. Jace admired they way the blush on her cheeks made her look more alive. The red color complemented her pale complexion along with her fiery red hair. The red curls that framed her small face were falling gently around her as they made their way past her shoulders. Her emerald like eyes were scanning her notes as she tried to forget about Jace's comment. As usual, she wore a long sleeved shirt to hide the inflicted and self mutilation that covered her body. But the shirt was same green as her eyes. The shirt was accompanied with a silver metallic scarf that seemed to make her glow as the sun shined on it. She wore a light blue carpi like jeans. The weather was getting warmer as the month of May approached them.

Jace has never met someone as beautiful as Clary. She seemed so small and fragile but one you got to know her, you saw her demeanor in a different light. Yes, she was broken but she was also the strongest person he had ever met. Jace returned his gaze to his rough draft when Clary caught him off guard with a question.

"Jace... Where do you plan on going to College?" Once again, Jace looked away from his studies to look at the beautiful girl that was sitting across from him. Not knowing, she was biting on her bottom lip, waiting for his answer. Before she asked him, she never heard him talk about it... At all. It made her wonder.

"I'm not sure yet." Jace replied. His mind drifted to the small stack of acceptance letters that sat on his desk.

"Well.. What do you want to be when you grow up?" Clary inquired. A smirk was apparent on her face. Jace returned her smirk with one of his own. Both of their studies were forgotten as they interrogated each other.

"I was thinking about being Superman. I already have one thing going and that's being extremely handsome now I just need a fake identity and a costume." Clary snorted as she covered her mouth with her hands as she muffled her laughs. Jace's smirk turned into a genuine smile. Her laugh was like music to his ears.

After she controlled her laughter, Clary pulled her hands away from her mouth where Jace was met with a small smile.

"Seriously though, what do you want to be?" She asked. Without missing a beat, Jace answered her.

"I'm thinking about following my biological father's footsteps and becoming a FBI agent of some sort." Clary wasn't really expecting that answer, but she didn't really know what to expect of him. He was full of surprises. "What about you?" He asked. Clary's playful expression formed into a shy mask. She hadn't really talked about this kind of thing with any one besides Simon.

"I don't know.. I was thinking about maybe becoming an Art Teacher or an Art Therapist. I'm not sure yet." She murmured. Jace was still smiling at her when she told thought they were both exceptional ideas for her.. Although he didn't know what an Art Therapist actually did.

"An Art Therapist is exactly what is sounds like," Clary stated as if she could hear Jace's thoughts, "but instead of talking to the their client, they have their client create art. When their client is done, the therapist studies the clients art work to determine what they are feeling or to interpret what is going on in their lives."

Jace had crossed his arms over his chest as he listened to Clary's explanation. He was impressed with the career that she was thinking about pursuing. "Where do you plan on furthering you education?" Jace questioned.

"I was thinking ab-," but before Clary could finish her response her phone started to buzz with an incoming call. She picked up her phone that was laying in the middle of the table along with Jace's. When she saw the caller ID, she instantly paled. Jace's relaxed composer became tense as Clary answered her phone.

"Clarissa Morgenstern, where the hell are you?" Valentine hissed through the other side.

"I'm at the school studying for finals." Clary spluttered. She searched the library with her eyes wandering the walls in search of a clock. It wasn't even five o'clock. It barely reached ten past four. What the hell was he doing home so early? She thought to herself.

"I expected you to be home when school got out. Get your ass home now before I come there personally and drag you by your hair. You understand?" Before she could reply, he hung up.

Immediately, Clary started to pack up her things into her bag. Jace rose from his chair and looked at her in confusion.

"Clary what is it?"

"Valentine's home earlier than usual. He's pissed of that I'm not home." Clary hurriedly explained as she zipped up her bag and threw it over he left shoulder. When she was explaining, Jace also packed up his things in his bag and was now standing besides her. His hand was reaching out toward hers. She firmly grasped it. The panic that had a tight grip on hers lessened a little when Jace gripped her hand.

Clary tugged on his hand as she made her way out of the library and to the fron of the school. Although she was rushing, Jace kept up with her easily with the long stride of his legs. When they made their way out the doors of the school and headed to the parking lot, Jace still had a firm grip on her hand. Hatred for Valentine coursed through his veins as the thought of how upset Clary was.

When they reached her car, Jace pulled her into a tight, unexpected embrace. Clary stiffened a little and then wrapped her her small arms around his masculine core. Jace rested his head on top of hers, his lips resting on the top of her head. Comfort washed through her.

"You know you don't have to go. Come back to my house, you'll be safe there." Jace pleaded. Tears formed behind Clary's closed eyes. The offer he made sounded like heaven, but she knew that there would be repercussions if she did that.

"I can't. I promise, I'll call you when I can tonight." Clary whispered. She squeezed him before she let go to open her car door. She got in and flung her bag into the passenger seat followed by closing her door. She buckled up and turned her car on. Jace was still standing where he embraced her as she pulled out her parking space, heading to place that would be her down fall...


When Clary pulled into her drive way dread and panic was in full swing. She killed the engine and grabbed her bag. She saw the garage door open with Valentine's black SUV parked in it. Clary internally cringed when she made her way to the front door. Not even after a second of walking through the door, Valentine ascended on her. He slapped her right across the face. She could taste the blood in her mouth before she felt the sting of the slap. She staggered back into the door as she brought her right hand to the cheek that he had hit. Tears were started to sting the back of her eyes as Valentine got in her face. His black eyes were heated with rage, his body was tense. Clary couldn't smell the alcohol that usually accompanied the abuse. For some reason, she had a feeling that this was going to be worse than the beatings that she had received before hand.

He grabbed a fistful of her hair as he brought her body forward and slammed it on to the wall that was besides the door. Clary held in her cry of pain as her body made contact with the wall.

"You know I want you home right after school! How dare you disobey my rules?" Valentine spat in her face. Clary couldn't look him in the eyes as he still had a firm grip in her hair. "What? No answer? Are you really that stupid Clarissa?" Valentine then threw Clary's body to the floor where he then continued his abuse. Clary closed her eyes as she prayed for this all to end.


Hours later, Clary found herself laying in her bed in to much pain to do anything. She could feel the bruises forming all of her body. She had willed the tears away only a few hours ago. It was ten in the evening and Valentine hadn't returned. After he had his fill of beating on Clary, he walked out of the house muttering about how he wasn't coming home that he had enough of seeing her ugly face.

After he slammed the door behind him, Clary carefully picked herself off the the floor and limped up the stairs to her room to where she was now. She didn't bother getting out of her day clothes as she laid done. She was staring out the window into the night sky as she thought about a day where she would leave that hell hole. Her daydream was interrupted by the obnoxious buzzing of her phone was signaling an incoming call. She reached out to grab her phone and pain shout through her arm, she stifled a cry in pain when she accepted the call and brought it to her ear.

"Jace?" She whimpered.

"Clary? Are you okay?" He asked helplessly. Clary was pretty sure that she had ran out of tears earlier that night but she was wrong when she started to silently cry. It was silent for a few moments before she strangled out, "No."

Without any hesitation Jace replied. "I'm on my way." Before Clary could protest., Jace hung up. Clary pulled the phone away from her ear to look at her phone to see that the screen said Call Ended.With a sigh, Clary closed her eyes as she waited for Jace.

Sometime later, Clary felt her bed dip with the extra weight and arms tentatively wrapped around her. She could smell the familiar sent of Jace. Clary exhaled as he pressed her bruised body against Jace's as she welcomed his warmth and comfort.

"How did you get in?" Clary asked, already knowing the answer.

"The door was unlocked." When Valentine was so angry, he would slam the door and forget to lock it. "Clary, what happened?" Jace whispered into her ear. His breath tickled her neck. Tears started to pour as she told Jace about what happened when she got home. By the time she was finished, she was sobbing. Jace's grip tightened around her as he thought of the sick bastard harming her.

Jace whispered sweet nothings into Clary's ear until her sobs subsided and her breathing became even with sleep. While Jace held a sleeping Clary, he thought about ways of getting Clary out of the situation that she was in. Jace curled himself around Clary's small body. He held her close as he too started to drift off into sleep with the thoughts of Clary. His Clary and her escape. They both have gotten so far in such little time that he wanted to get her out there at any cost.

It sickened him to see Clary in so much. He knew that he needed to act fast in order to make her safe. He would do anything for the girl that he was slowly falling in love with. Plans for her escape swam through his head as sleep gripped him and brought him into the world of dreams were there was no abuse and it was only him and Clary taking on the world. A small smiled splayed across his face as he thought of a future that he could build for himself as Clary.