Author's Note: Well, camp was a lot of fun but I didn't get home until late Monday night so I couldn't update then, and my sister is sick so my parents let her use the computer ALL DAY yesterday. That's why I'm updating so late but I'm sure you don't want to hear my lame excuses. On to the story.

Clary had lunch right after second hour, which was ridiculous, but it was her favorite time of the day because she got to see Simon and Isabelle at the same time. On her way to their usual table, Clary scanned the lunchroom to see Jace and Sebastian sitting at the jock table, sitting farther apart than they usually did. Which she would have thought odd if it weren't for the conversation she had had earlier with Jace. He really did care about her now, enough to distance himself from his best friend. Instead, Jace was sitting next to Isabelle's brother Alec who was usually quiet. Alec was a great kid, and had always been nice to Clary, but had never really had any friends. Clary smiled as she saw Jace trying to initiate a conversation with the shy, dark haired, blue-eyed boy.

"Clary!" Isabelle squealed as Clary took her seat at their lunch table. "Simon tole me you and Jace were getting along? I want details!"

"The malice and hate is gone Izzy. He's being kind, and even protective. I have no idea what happened, or why he's had a change of heart, but I'm not going to complain," Clary told her best friend.

"That's not details," Izzy complained, "I want to know how he was kind, how he was protective."

"Well, he carried me to bed after the hospital, brought me food, and even cooked me breakfast this morning. That's how he was kind. Sebastian told Jace he wanted to break my heart and then Sebastian asked me out this morning. Jace got all angry and told me he'd be there when Sebastian came to pick me up," Clary explained more thoroughly this time. Well, she thought she had.

"What? You agreed to date with a tool like Sebastian?" Izzy asked, her voice growing louder. People were starting to pay extra attention to their table. Izzy was about to open her mouth again, no doubt to lecture Clary, when Simon put his hand over his girlfriend's mouth.

"Isabelle, calm down. Clary didn't agree to anything. Sebastian didn't give her a choice. He just told her that he'd be at her house tomorrow night at seven. I'm actually glad Jace is going to be there," Simon explained quietly, being the only one who could calm Isabelle down.

"What do you mean Simon? You're glad he's going to be there? I can take care of myself. I don't need a knight in shining armor." Clary exclaimed, angry.

"I don't doubt that at all Dorothy," a voice came from behind her, as Jace and Alec plopped down at her table, "I just don't think you know what Sebastian is capable of. He doesn't get rejected often but when he does, it isn't pretty. I once saw him attack our basketball coach for not putting him in the starting line up. Maybe you don't need a knight in shining armor, but every warrior princess needs a shield. Let me be your shield, that you'll only draw if necessary," Jace finished.

"Did he really attack the coach?" Isabelle asked, astonished.

"I saw it myself," Alec said, backing Jace up.

"Okay Jace, you can be my backup shield. Thank you for being concerned with my safety," Clary said, looking into Jace's eyes, finding the usual hate replaced with compassion.

"Of course Clary. Your dad dropped your car off here a couple of hours ago, since I won't be attending football practice for awhile, do you think you could give me a ride home?" Jace asked.

"Anytime," Clary told him with a smile.

"Holy crap, its like the Twilight Zone!" Simon explained looking between Jace and Clary.

"I wasn't lying Simon," Clary told him.

"I believed you Clary, but that doesn't make this," he gestured between the two of them, "any less weird."

"Well, get used to it rat boy because Clary and I are cool now. Aren't we Clary?" he said, throwing an arm across her shoulders. She didn't know why, but having him this close made her heart beat faster. Brushing it off as shock from his change of heart, Clary answered him.

"Yep, totally cool, as long as you're nice to Simon. You can't call him rat boy,"

"Please?" Jace turned toward her, and stuck his lip out, giving her his puppy dog eyes, which were actually a lot more attractive than cute, but she wasn't falling for it.

"No, Simon is my best friend. If you aren't cool with him, you'll never be cool with me," Clary told him sternly, trying her best not to notice how hot he looked with his lip out, and his eyes going big.

"Alright," Jace said defeated, "I'll be nice to rat…. I mean Simon."

"Thank you," Clary told him, smirking as the bell rang.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

The school day was over and Clary was sitting in her car waiting for Jace. School had been out for twenty minutes now, and she was starting to get nervous. Did something happen with his concussion? Did he forget about her and catch a ride home with one of his fangirls? Just as she was dialing his number for the second time, she heard a knock on the passenger side window. Looking up, she was surprised to see Jace with a bloody nose, and bloodstained cast. Unlocking the door, she let him in.

"Oh my gosh Jace! What happened to you?" She asked, while handing him some tissues to stop the blood flowing from his nose.

"Sebastian happened, but you should see how he looks," Jace told her, accepting the tissues and holding them to his nose.

"Oh! You two didn't fight did you?"

"Yeah we did."

"Why?"

"He said something pretty nasty about you, and what he planned to do to you. I punched him in the face, he hit me back, and then I knocked him unconscious. Jordan and Bat are taking him home. They both had my side, they think you're pretty cool Clary ,and didn't think anything he was saying was funny."

"I've never even talked to Bat and Jordan before. Why would they take my side against their friend?"

"Whether you know it or not Clary, people do notice you. You're pretty, and kind, funny, and absolutely phenomenal at art. None of that goes unnoticed. People you've never talked to at this school admire and care about you"

"Really, people notice that stuff?"

"Yes, Clary, they do."

"Well thanks Jace, for defending me. You must be pretty strong to knock a guy out with a broken arm."

"Yeah, I am," Jace said smugly, a smirk appearing on his face, ruining the moment "You want to feel these guns?" he asked, flexing.

"No thanks hotshot. Let's get home and get you cleaned up." Clary smiled and pulled out of the school parking lot.

I think this might be my longest chapter. What do you guys think? I love reading your reviews, so keep it up!