Chapter 12

"Jace," somebody said behind him. There was a firm weight of a hand falling onto his shoulder. He spun around slightly, Clary still blue and frozen in his arms. He glared up at the figure standing behind him, casting him into shadows. It was Alec. He wore a grief stricken expression, his mouth tightened at the corners and a shining in both eyes. But he was also staring down at his friend with sympathy.

Jace shoved Alec's hand off his shoulder and turned back to his fiancé. "She's not gone," he choked. "She will be fine. She has to be." His arms were pumping down on her small chest. He had broken her rib cage to get better access to her heart. But his arms were tired, and for at least five minutes now, her heart hadn't resumed its usual beat which always matched with his own. He didn't dare stop though. Clary couldn't be gone. She couldn't leave him. He didn't know what he would do without her, didn't know who he would be without his small, fiery, red headed Clary.

Clary's skin was pale with a slight blue tinge. Her lips were slightly parted, but no breath slipped between the small space between. He couldn't see her green eyes, but maybe that was for the best. If it was any other situation, Jace could fool himself into thinking she was asleep. That her mind was lost to a world full of dreams, of which maybe he might visit. He would be able to believe that if her chest beneath his fingers was rising and falling with each breath she took… but it wasn't…

He sobbed softly.

Jace brought his mouth down over Clary's, breathing oxygen into her, feeling her lungs inflate with his air. He continued pressing down on her chest, trying to get her heart to start beating again. Jace fumbled in his back pocket for his stele, and brought the tip down over her heart. He drew an iratze without thinking about it, watching as it began to sink into her skin without any effect. It felt like the hundredth rune he had drawn in the last five minutes. He continued to kiss her, continued to fill her lungs, continued to press against her broken chest. He wasn't about to give up on her.

"Jace…" another voice, more feminine this time. Isabelle.

"Go away…" he began but broke off as he felt a movement underneath his fingertips. He gasped, and touched the spot above her heart, where there was still a slight outline of his healing rune. The movement had been so small that it was almost nothing, but he was sure he had felt it. He pressed his stele again, and drew yet another rune. This one didn't fade as much. "Come on, Clary," he whispered, all while he watched as movement began to happen in front of him – a small beat of the heart, a small flutter of eyelashes. "Come back to me, baby."

There was a sharp inhale of breath. Clary's eyes flew open, focusing on the sky. She started to shake, and then she was choking, turning bluer as she struggled to breathe. Jace immediately leapt off her, and pushed her onto her side. Water spewed out of her mouth, staining the already wet sand beneath her fingers.

Jace placed a warm, reassuring hand on her back. She turned towards him, curling herself into him once she was finished bringing up all the water in her lungs. She was shivering violently, but she was alive, and Jace focused on that small fact. "Good girl. I've got you now." He pulled his gear jacket off, and wrapped the fabric around her trembling shoulders. He hugged her close, kissing the top of her wet hair. He tasted salt and seaweed, but didn't care. Clary hung onto Jace's T-shirt, her grip on him tight, turning her knuckles white.

"Jace," a voice spoke again, and this time, he looked up, open to hearing what anyone had to say. It was Magnus who spoke. "We should get her back to the Institute. I can look over her better there," Magnus said, and a blue flame erupted from his fingers, a portal appearing in front of them all.

Jace nodded, and stood, holding Clary steadily in his arms, close to his chest. She whimpered softly, and Jace's arms tightened around her. She felt so small in his arms, smaller than he had ever felt before. He didn't want to let go of her, in case something happened when he lost his touch for a split second, or he had imagined the entire thing.

As Jace approached the portal, the first one to disappear through it with Clary, the others stared at the small girl curled up in the warrior's arms. Clary saw a flash of Simon who smiled encouragingly at him, but his face was pale, his eyes hooded. She closed her eyes then, not wanting to meet other people's reactions. She turned her head into Jace's chest, gripped his shirt tighter like it was a lifeline.

Jace stepped through the portal Magnus had created, the others following shortly after them. There was a whirlwind all around them, colours snapping back and forth, and then they were in the Infirmary of the New York Institute. Jace landed in a crouch tightening his arms around Clary to ensure she was safe and okay.

His mind wandered to the potential events of earlier, when Claudius had arrived at the Institute when the others hadn't been there, how he had taken Clary and almost killed her. He hated himself for not being there when he needed her, for leaving her behind where he couldn't watch over her and protect her. Although, she probably would have punched him for thinking that. He knew she could protect herself, but sometimes you just need other people to help.

The Infirmary was a rush of action and noise as Jace carefully placed Clary on the bed, and everyone focused on the small girl. Magnus snapped at everyone to get out, Jace included. He needed to peace and quiet to work. Jace protested, he didn't want to leave Clary. Alec took his parabatai's shoulder and led him out, kicking and screaming almost. With everyone gone, Magnus leant over Clary's still blue and shivering form, and produced a blanket, laying it over her. Clary clutched at it gratefully as his fingers lit up with blue flames and assessed the damage.

The room was painfully quiet. Magnus' eyes were closed in concentration. "Is everything okay?" Clary asked quietly, not able to take the silence anymore; her voice though, was barely louder than a whisper. Magnus' eyes met Clary's. There was an expression on his face which she couldn't read. "What? What's wrong?" she questioned urgently.

"It's amazing, really…" Magnus began, and shook his head incredulously. "Everything seems to be perfectly fine. A miracle. You were gone for a good five minutes."

She placed a hand over her flat belly. "The baby?"

He nodded. "Absolutely fine."

Clary sighed in relief. She glanced up into the warlock's face again. "What if Jace doesn't want to marry me because I'm having his kid? What if he doesn't want kids? I still haven't told him because I'm terrified of how he'll react. And the wedding is tomorrow, and he has a right to know, I know that…" She was babbling, shivering with another force that wasn't just cold.

Magnus placed a reassuring hand on Clary's shoulder. "Calm down, Clary. You have to stay calm, particularly after the trauma you just went through. Jace loves you, and he will always love you, no matter what." He looked at her, hard, in a way that said no nonsense. "And tomorrow… I suggest you get as much rest as you can over these next few days. The wedding can wait…"

"No," she replied. She swung her legs off the bed, taking the blanket with her, and wrapping it around her shoulders. Somebody had changed her, Jace she hoped. She wore one of Jace's shirts, and only a pair of underwear on the bottom. "The wedding has to still go ahead tomorrow." She started to walk towards the door of the institute. "I love Jace, and I don't want to postpone. I'm pregnant, Magnus. With Jace's baby. It needs to happen."

"Where are you going then? You need to rest if you're going to go through with it."

To Magnus, she looked exhausted, and small, like she was about ready to fold in on herself. He wanted to protest with her, but knew she was so stubborn she wouldn't listen to a word he said. "I'm going to rest, just in my own room. Is that okay?"

He nodded, and didn't stop her from leaving the infirmary. Clary emerged out of the room to find the others waiting. Alec and Izzy were trying to talk to Jace, but like Simon, Jace was staring at the floor, his eyes lost. Jace was leaning against the wall, his hands tugging at the blonde strands of his hair.

Isabelle was the first one to notice the red haired girl standing in the hallway. She smiled at Clary, and elbowed Jace in the ribs. He jumped, and forced his eyeline up. He looked at his sister questioningly, before his eyes were turning towards the figure Izzy had nodded towards. They landed on Clary immediately. They flickered momentarily to someone standing behind her, and relief flooded his body.

Jace closed the distance between him and Clary, and he caught her up into his arms. He crushed her to him with a gentle grace, holding her as if she might break like glass. She closed her eyes as his smell and warmth flooded her, and thought that she didn't want to move again.

It was only with reluctance that Clary pulled away from her protector, and faced the others. She smiled over at Izzy. "Are you still ready for a wedding tomorrow?"

"Clary…" Jace chided gently, but she shook her head at him, saying she was going to marry him no matter what.

"Don't bother, golden boy," Magnus said. "I already tried several times. She won't listen to anyone."

***PAGE BREAK***

Clary knocked on their door. After coming and going from this room whenever she wanted, as she now shared the room with Jace, it felt weird to be knocking on the door. But Isabelle had abducted her, as was the wedding tradition. Jace had been reluctant to let Clary go after what had happened, considering Clary was still on the mend, and needed all the rest she could get. But Isabelle had persuaded him, and after Clary had said she was okay (although, she hadn't wanted to leave Jace either), Clary had gone with Isabelle and was having a sleepover with her.

But now was the time to reveal the secret she had carried for the past two weeks. She wouldn't let herself go through with the wedding with such a big secret hanging over his head. Particularly when it could change everything…

"Come in." She heard his voice on the other side of the room, and her heart did a weird flip flop. She felt sick. Clary pushed the door open, and stepped into the room. It was mostly in darkness, but a soft light came from a lamp on the bedside table. Just like a few nights ago, he was sprawled on his bed, a worn book in his hand, the other arm tucked under his head. He was shirtless, too, and she admired his body for a moment. Tomorrow, he would be all hers.

He sat up immediately, the moment his eyes landed on her. "Clary? Is everything okay?"

She shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. She could still feel her stomach churning though. "Everything is fine, Jace."

She came further into the room and sat on the bed, drawing her legs underneath her. "Why are you here, then? I mean, not that I'm not glad to see you, of course I am. But I thought Izzy would have had you locked in a room somewhere." He reached out and ran a careful finger down one of her curls. His face was soft as he looked at her.

"Izzy understands," she said.

He frowned, eyes searching her face. "Understands what?"

She took a deep breath and felt her stomach move again. His frown deepened as he watched her face, the way her eyes seemed to flicker anxiously. Clary burst off the bed, and ran for the connected bathroom. She heard Jace say her name, but couldn't respond. She crashed to the floor, and threw herself over the toilet, feeling her dinner make a reappearance. A warm hand touched her spine, and she leaned into him when she was finished.

He flushed the toilet, and reached for a towel, wetting it with cold water and pressing it to her forehead. She sighed with relief as it cooled her warm skin. "Are you still sick? We don't have to go through with tomorrow, you know we don't. Particularly after today."

She shook her head, and curled into him on the bathroom floor. She needed him after today. The worst part about getting married tomorrow was that you were meant to spend the night before the wedding away from the husband to be. Jace's arms immediately went around her, holding her close. They were silent for a moment.

"I want to get married tomorrow," Clary said. "There's nothing more that I want."

Clary felt his lips gently touch her forehead. She moved away from him, and towards the sink. Swilling her mouth out and then brushing her teeth to remove the aftertaste. He stood but watched her from a distance, concern flickering in his eyes. When she was done, she moved towards him again, and took his hands. She led him out of the bathroom and back to the bed.

"Jace…" she said after a while of silence, after they had taken a seat on the bed together, side by side and with hands still touching in the space between them. He looked at her when she said his name. "I have something to tell you. Promise me you won't freak out, or get mad?"

He shook his head, and strands of his blonde hair fell into his face. Clary reached out and brushed them back. "Never, Clary. You know I would never get angry with you. I love you too much to waste my time being angry."

She smiled. Clary pulled one of the hands she had clasped towards her, and rested it over her belly. "Jace, I'm pregnant."

He paled and blanched. "What?"

"We haven't exactly been the most careful lately. I found out two weeks ago, the day we got back from Claudius."

He paled further. "You mean to say, that all these times we've been out demon hunting and fighting Claudius, you've been carrying our child?"

She nodded. "Unintentionally. It's why Magnus suggested I stay back yesterday, because he was the one who told me I'm pregnant. Just… it didn't quite go as planned." She laughed without emotion. Jace was frozen to the spot, unblinking. She touched his face lightly. "It's okay though, Jace. Magnus said the baby is fine." Then she froze and said, "Unless you don't want it? You haven't exactly said how you're feeling about all this… and I understand if you don't, or if you're not ready. I'm not exactly sure if I'm ready either yet—"

Jace leant forward and kissed Clary, cutting off all other words she looked like she was about to say. She made a noise of surprise, but melted into him. "I want the baby, Clary. It's a part of you, and I love you, and I want every part of you."

She pulled away, and looked into his eyes. He was staring at her with an open expression, and she could see how much he meant those words. "You're okay with this?"

"Of course I am."

"I've been freaking out, not wanting to tell you for ages because I was scared of how you would react. And if you didn't want this baby, then I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't know if it would affect how you saw me, or how you loved me. I was terrified."

He caught her face in between his hands, his thumbs stroking her cheekbones lightly. "You should never be afraid of me. Never be afraid to come and tell me something, or tell me you need me. You know I will do anything and everything for you. There's not much you can do that will ever stop me from loving you."

Clary crawled onto Jace's lap, and curled her fingers around his neck, burying her face into the crook of his neck. Jace's arms immediately wound around her, like they always did. His fingers played with the ends of her curls which lay on her back.

"Who else knows?" he whispered, not letting go.

"Just you, Magnus, and Izzy. That's why I was allowed to come here. I'm meant to go back though, I'm still not meant to stay here." She frowned.

He pulled away, and smiled sadly as he cupped her cheek with a hand. "It's okay. You go. I'll be here if you need me. Otherwise, I'll see you tomorrow."

She scooted closer to him though. "I don't want to go though. Please. Can I stay?"

"But Izzy…"

"But I don't want to be alone tonight. I don't want to be without you. Not after today. I need you." Clary said.

Jace stood up, and for a moment, she thought he was going to insist she leave. But he went around to his side of the bed, and crawled under the covers. He flipped back the corner of her side, inviting her in. Clary grinned and slid beside him, immediately curling up on so her back was facing him. She felt his chest press against her, felt his heartbeat against her spine, felt his breath tickle the back of her neck. He curled an arm around her as he tucked his legs into hers. "You know I would never tell you no. I always want to have you, too."

She sighed into him, already beginning to fall asleep. "I love you, Jace."

His hand slipped down to rest over her belly. "I love you too, and I can't wait to meet our little one."

A/N: Another long one. Hope you enjoyed it and it got your heart bumping, particularly at the beginning!

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