Clary's POV:

February 13- (kinda)

My cell phone vibrates on my nightstand, bright screen waking me from sleep. "Hello?" I slur tiredly, not bothering to check who's calling.

"Clary," he breathes, and I recognize the voice immediately.

"Jace? Jace what is it? What's wrong?" He's never called in the middle of the night like this. I only saw him a few hours ago, since it's Monday, so it must be important.

He doesn't respond, but I can hear his breathing through the receiver, like he's trying to catch his breath. "It's nothing."

"Jace it's… almost two in the morning," I finish, after checking my cell. "It's obviously not nothing, now tell me what's happening." I'm met with silence, and I roll my eyes frustratedly. "I'm coming over," I state, pushing back the covers.

"No, don't. It's not worth it. I just, I just had to talk to you."

I sigh impatiently, laying back down. "Then talk."

He lets out a huff, "Red, I don't actually have anything to talk about. I just needed to hear your voice."

I'm silent for a minute, thinking about the dreaded cold before deciding. "I'm coming over." I can hear it in his voice. Something is wrong.

"Red—"

"Something is bothering you, and I'm not going to be okay until I know what it is." I shove my feet into my rain boots, grabbing sleepily for my coat.

"I'll come to your place then. I'm already up and practically dressed anyway."

"Jace, I don't mind coming to your place," I tell him honestly. Your bed smells like you, and I love it.

"I'll be there soon."

I sigh, kicking off my boots. "Okay. Text me instead of buzzing when you get here, so we don't wake Isabelle." He hums in acknowledgement and hangs up.

I lay back down, realizing what would have been too late, that I hadn't put on pants before pulling on my boots. Guess it's a good thing Jace is coming over here instead. Plus now I can sleep next to him, I think happily, trying to keep my eyes open. I always sleep better next to him. I just feel safer, warmer, and overall more comfortable. I'm worrying my bottom lip, nervous to find out what has Jace acting this way, when my phone vibrates with a text announcing his arrival.

My fuzzy sock clad feet shuffle across the cold hardwood floor to the front door where I buzz him up. Not a minute later there's a soft knock. I open the door, and before I can get a word out his arms are around me. "Jace…" I whisper in worried astonishment, wrapping my arms around what I can reach. He's holding onto me so desperately, as if he's drowning and I'm a lifesaver.

I move us quietly into my room, sitting him on my bed before shutting the door silently. Jace's eyes haven't left me since he got here, and when I sit beside him on the bed he grasps my hands in his. "Jace? Blondie, talk to me," I demand softly, squeezing his hands.

"You don't make it." When my eyebrows furrow in confusion, he continues, "In my dreams. You never make it. There's too much blood, and I can't do anything but watch as you die in my arms." Oh Blondie… My sweet Jace.

I pull him into me, his face buried in my neck as I sift my fingers through his hair. "Hun…" I drift off, unable to think of anything to say. What do you say in this situation? "How often does this happen?"

Jace doesn't move from his spot when he answers softly, "Every night since the incident." I suck in a sharp breath, my heart breaking for him. "I have to relive it, over and over and over again." His voice cracks a little at the end and I hug him tighter, wishing there was someone I could beat up for hurting my Blondie like this.

I imagine him waking up in a panic, his heart racing until he manages to convince himself that I'm alright. "Why didn't you tell me?" I ask quietly.

"I didn't want to burden you with that. What could you have done?" he asks, his deep voice slightly muffled by my hair.

"I would have made you dream catchers," I answer stubbornly, causing him to laugh shortly, and finally right himself so he's facing me again. "Jace, this relationship isn't a one-way thing. You have always been there for me, and I want to be there for you too. You could never be a 'burden' to me."

Jace smiles softly at me, his body drastically more relaxed than when he arrived. "I love you," he whispers, leaning forward to kiss my forehead.

"I love you, too," I answer. "I'm so sorry you have to go through this. I just wish there was something I could do." Why can't there be a magic pill to make all the bad dreams go away? If dreamcatchers worked, I'd be making him one right now.

"This. What you're doing right now. This is perfect," he says, golden eyes glowing in the dark of my room. He really is like a lion.

I smile and pull him softly to me by the front of his shirt, kissing him firmly on the lips. He's motionless for a second before he responds, kissing me back— much stronger than I was expecting, considering his earlier mood. Everyone handles things differently. A makeout session seems like a pretty damn good way to deal with it. I lean against him heavily until he lays back onto my bed, me falling on top of him with a soft "umph" from Jace. My mouth presses against his firmly, and when my tongue enters his mouth he releases a soft sigh and gives up, kissing me back.

Jace rolls us so I'm laying under him, his hips pressing mine down into the mattress. We kiss fiercely, hands moving frenzied along each other's bodies until I start panicking internally. I wanted this. I started this. But now I'm afraid he'll want to go too far… I mean I want to have sex with him, but I don't know when. Definitely not tonight, with Isabelle in the next room. "Isabelle," I say, making Jace pull his face away in confusion. "Isabelle is in the room right across the hall." He nods his head understandingly and rolls to the side, pulling me against him.

I chew on my bottom lip, not realizing how obvious I'm being about my thoughts until Jace asks me, "That's not the only reason we stopped, is it?" My mouth opens to tell him that it's nothing, that he shouldn't worry about it, but then I realize how much of a hypocrite that would make me. I shake my head silently. "What is it?" he questions, hand rubbing my arm comfortingly.

I take a deep breath and release it. "I don't know when I want to have sex," I tell him quietly, not meeting his eyes. I tense myself for an outburst before kicking myself. Stop it Clary. Jace is not like Sebastian. He's supportive and loving, and would never ever hurt you.

He starts, obviously not expecting that answer. "Okay," he says simply, after a couple beats of silence. I look over in surprise, thinking he'd at least ask why not. "What?" he asks with a smirk. "Did you expect me to be mad or something?"

I shrug awkwardly, twiddling my thumbs. "I dunno… I mean, that's why Sebastian hit me, and even though you guys are nothing alike, it wouldn't be totally completely ridiculous for you to be a little angry, because we love each other and everything…"

"That is why Sebastian hit you!?" he yells angrily, and I clap a hand over his mouth, reminding him with a finger on my lips to be quiet. "That rotten, fucking swine of a man. I'll kill him, I swear on the Angel I'll kill him."

I roll my eyes. "No you won't." He looks at me with disbelief, but after I shake my head at him firmly he grunts in defeat. I grab one of his hands, playing idly with his pianist's fingers. "So, you're really not upset?" I ask softly. This time it's his turn to shake his head at me, watching our hands. "But you like sex."

He barks out a soft laugh, smirking at me. "I like you more, Red."

"Okay." I smile, pulling the covers over our bodies. "I love you," I whisper, curling into his side to rest my cheek over his heart.

"I love you, too."

Jace's POV:

February 14-

When I wake up, sunlight is streaming into the room, and there's a heat source pressed against my right side. Clary. I look down, smiling when I see her red hair splayed across my chest, curls tangled into a fiery mat. She's breathing softly, warm breath fanning my arm, and I deliberate whether to get up and risk waking her.

I don't have to think long before she stirs, moaning quietly and shifting until her head is propped against my shoulder. Her green eyes open slowly, face scrunching in the light. "Hello," she says groggily, eyes closing again.

I chuckle, kissing her on the forehead. "Good morning, beautiful." By the Angel, I just want to wake up like this every morning.

She snorts ungracefully, before sitting up and stretching, trying— and failing— to run a hand through her hair. "How did you sleep?" she asks worriedly, and my mind goes back to the dream I had before I called Clary. The nightmare this time was an exact copy of that night, up until she stopped breathing in my lap. The ambulance got there too late, and my flannel was soaked through, and she wouldn't respond even when I shook her gently.

I look at her now, messed up hair and eyes full of sleep and concern, and give her a genuine smile. "Like a baby." No nightmares. Just like whenever I sleep next to Clary, the bad dreams stayed away, replaced by comfort and complete contentment.

"Good," she grins down at me before grabbing my hands and tugging. "Come on I'm hungry." I chuckle and follow her out into the living room/kitchen area, my own stomach sounding in agreement.

Isabelle is perched on a stool, and when she sees us come into the room together she immediately raises her delicate eyebrows. "If you two are planning on a 'day in' for Valentine's Day, go to Jace's. Simon's coming over in a bit."

Clary flushes a deep pink at her suggestive comment, and turns away quickly to heat up water for her tea. "Actually, I have plans for Clary and I that will take us out of the house," I inform her.

My girlfriend groans, turning to face me with a look of dread on her freckled face. "Jace—"

"I know you don't like all that romantic crap, so it's nothing fancy or special. We're just gonna, hang out," I finish with a shrug.

"'Hang out' means 'have sex' in boy," Izzy says, grinning when I glare at her.

"Iz? Go away." Love her to death, but I won't hesitate to kick her out of the room. She doesn't know the conversation Clary and I had last night. While I'm lost in thought Izzy must have left the room, because I'm brought back to reality by Clary handing me a couple waffles. She forgoes utensils and takes a bite of hers, grinning at me with a closed mouth. I chuckle and give her a chaste kiss before digging into mine.

When Clary and I get out of the cab at Floyd Bennett Field in Marine Park, I'm slightly disappointed. That feeling is instantly smashed when I look over to see Red glancing around her, wide green eyes open with wonder. We had to stop by my apartment to grab my backpack of stuff, but we made good time, arriving a little after noon. We walk around the park slowly, and though I don't find it as beautiful as Clary does, I have to admit that there's something fascinating about nature taking over the abandoned airplane hangars.

When we get to a dry area of grass I stop and spread a blanket. She's chattering animatedly about horses, which we saw enclosed in one area, as I pull out a simple lunch. "I don't get why little girls want horses! They're scary as hell to me. Their teeth are huge and they can kill you with just one kick! I mean, look at what happened to Abraham Lincoln," she says defensively. Jeez I lover her. I grin and shake my head at her eccentrics, leaning forward to kiss her because I fucking can. "I love you so damn much," I mumble against her lips.

Clary smiles into the kiss, pulling me closer by the neckline of my shirt. "I love you, too," she breathes when we pull away, and then looks down at her hands. "And I'm glad you're okay with, like… waiting a little bit. I don't even know when I'll be ready; it could be a week from now, or tomorrow. I just, the whole thing kinda still scares me, embarrassing as that is."

"Wait, are you… are you a virgin?" I ask delicately, looking at her incredulously. Surely not…?

She cringes, fidgeting a little. "No, no. I just… The last serious boyfriend I had just wanted me for sex. He dated me for quite a while because I was the perpetual virgin, and he wanted to change that." Holy shit, what?

"That's horrible," I state, brows scrunching up in anger at the thought of someone hurting her. "I can't believe someone would do that to you." Why? She's beautiful. And smart, and funny, and so incredibly talented and the sweetest person I've ever met. Actually just the best person I've ever met.

She finally looks at me, confusion etched into her beautiful features. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you're— perfect," I say with furrowed brows, shrugging because it should be obvious. How am I lucky enough to be with her? She should've been swept off her feet long ago.

She lets out a real laugh at that, and I automatically smile at the sound. "You are the only person in the world that thinks that, Jace."

I shake my head, pulling her closer on the blanket before wrapping an arm around her. "No, I'm the luckiest person in the world to know that."

She grins and kisses me again before leaning back on a hand and taking a bite of the sandwich I made. "You were right. You do make a mean cheese sandwich."

Author's Note:

Kay so the first part was kinda sad, because there's nothing you can do about bad dreams. (If someone knows of something, hit a girl up) I for one think Floyd Bennett Field is beautiful, but it's not for everyone. My friend said it sounded boring, so I said he's boring, which he didn't appreciate. Next week Clary gets her stitches out so things might get a little… heated. *wink wink*

This is as good a time as any to tell you guys that there are 5 more chapters after this. I think 25 chapters is a good way to end it, so *shrugs*

Go review! Raibh maith agat!