"You know," observed Jace, "Most people—Shadowhunters, really—tend to go hurt a few things when they're mad."

"What do you want, Jace?" Clary groaned, sounding miserable now that her steam had blown off some.

He ignored her. "But not you, no. Of all places or things to do when you need to vent, you go to Disneyland." His golden eyes flicked around, taking in the entrance to Disney's theme parks. Clary was standing in the clearing that branched off to the different parks, the big place where you didn't need a ticket to get into since she'd left her wallet at the Institute. Jace shrugged. "But it's the happiest place on earth, I suppose."

Clary just glared at him.

"Okay, okay. But we could go in, you know."

"What?" Clary asked, more out of surprise than anything else. She opened her mouth to say something indignant like My brother could be dying and you want me to go play in Disneyland? But Jace continued before she could speak.

"It could help get your mind off things. Seems like you need it. My treat."

Even as Clary's brain said no, her heart said that a day without worries with Jace would be exactly what she needed. Her angry retort died on the tip of her tongue when she nodded, almost without any volition on her part. Jace grinned, and he grabbed her hand, tugging her towards the large stand where tickets were sold.

After a few moments in line, he paid for two one-day passes and handed one to Clary. "Where to?" he asked as she examined the slip of paper he'd given her. Her questioning eyes flicked up to meet his and Jace elaborated. "The official Disneyland, or California Adventure?"

Clary bit her lip and glanced in the direction of the second park Jace had mentioned. "Grizzly River Rafters?" she asked tentatively. "And Soaring Over California?"

"As you wish, M'lady," Jace said and offered his elbow. The red-head laughed and took his offered arm as they made their way to the park's real entrance. "But if we get soaked, then freeze in Soaring Over California, and die of frostbite, I'm blaming you."

"Perhaps they'd enjoy that. They could freeze you completely and have your corpse play the part of Prince Charming in Sleeping Beauty's castle."

"With my handsomeness preserved for all to see? I don't think so. There may be enough me to go around for this lifetime, but not for eternity."

"Maybe you just need a princess you wake you, then. That's definitely shorter than eternity."

Jace shot her a look. "Maybe I do," he said, voice low. "I think I may happen to be looking at one." The corners of his lips twitched up in a smirk and he leaned towards her. "Would you like to be my princess and save me from my deep slumber?"

They'd stopped walking a few yards from the entrance. Clary's green eyes met his daringly. "Of course," she whispered. Even with Jace leaning down, she still had to rise to the tips of her toes to connect their lips. They kissed gently until the sound someone clearing their throat came from somewhere behind Jace, breaking them apart, Clary blushing profusely as she stepped away.

"Excuse me," the woman who'd coughed said. "I'd rather my children not be scarred for life, thank you." With that, she turned with her nose in the air and stalked towards the entrance, two small kids practically clinging to her legs.

Jace chuckled and glanced at Clary. "What is the world coming to?" he mumbled, and Clary giggled. "I mean," he continued, "Interrupting a kiss like that? Anyone could tell that was a magical moment. Aren't they supposed to bet taking pictures of those? How rude."

"Shush, you," Clary scolded. Jace just grinned. He took her hand and pulled her gently towards the entrance. The attendant, who seemed to be trying not to glare at them, took their tickets and stamped their hands in case they wished to return to the park after leaving. When they got into the park, Clary stopped walking.

"Something wrong?" Jace asked, turning to look at her.

Clary shook her head. "Nothing's wrong. Just . . ." She trailed off, then said, "Thank you, Jace." Thank you for trying to help me forget. For coming to California at all. If you weren't here, I don't know what I'd have screwed up in my life by now. Thank you for the kiss, even though I know they mean next to nothing to you. So many ways existed to continue to the sentence, but instead Clary added, "Now let's go do something fun."

"Like get tipped over in a raft on GRR?"

"You wouldn't!" Clary exclaimed.

"Try me."

"No!"

And there was the dangerous grin again, tempting and seductive enough that it hooked Clary in and made her forget about everything and everyone, including Sebastian, and the nagging feeling that he could have done it. That he could have killed Mellony, the poor little Shadowhunter girl who was likely so innocent that she hadn't even killed her first demon yet.

Then again, why should Clary have been surprised? It happened before.

Alright so, after this chapter, there's going to be another arc following the adventures of Clary, Sebastian, and Dez as children, up until a year or two before Jace came. Just warning. They'll be a lot of flashbacks, and it's going to last approx. 4 chapters? Iunno. I'm still working on it.