I know, I know. I'm late, but I've been in the hospital for the past week. Which means not much time to write, but I didn't want to upload a crap chapter, so I took some time to write a nice long chapter that I would actually be proud of. So, enjoy this chapter and I promise that we'll be back on track soon. Kisses!

And thanks to HeronFrayWood, this chapter has been wiped of my mistakes :)

P.S. There were some reviews about the last chapter that said they'd read another story where Jace said he was a possessive ass, so I took that out, and the part about him saying "mine." But the concept of the picture was mine and will not be changed. Sorry for the mix-up, but you know, accidents happen. I'm human after all.

Disclaimer: All TMI characters belong to Cassandra Clare :)

Chapter Songs:

**Drive by Glades (Scene 1, pt. 2)

**7 Years by Lukas Graham (Scene 2)

Clary sat back in one of Isabelle's swiveling chairs, her eyes glued to her phone as she typed out message after message. The gang had decided to go to the Lightwood's mansion after school. Clary thought that the change in location would allow her and Jace to be together more, but she'd been sadly mistaken. As soon as everyone stepped foot inside, the girls and Magnus practically pried her away from Jace and brought her into Isabelle's room. Not that she was mad about it—they were her friends too, but it still felt strange being away from him. She and Jace were literally being held captive, texting being the only way that they were able to communicate with each other.

Clary could tell that what he'd found out about his mother was still weighing on his shoulders, even if he tried to hide it. Celine said she would explain, but she wanted everyone there, including Jon. Clary had already told him everything, but he wanted to meet Celine for himself. They'd all made plans to meet up tonight, which was obviously making Jace nervous. He wanted to know about his mother—she knew that much—but he was a little skeptical as to why she kept it from him and Clary was just trying her best to talk him off the ledge.

Her phone chimed again, flashing a new message from Jace across the screen.

Jordan and I are devising a plan to get you out of there. How does cutting the power sound? ~J

She grinned, quickly typing out a response.

Good idea, but I think Isabelle might see that as an opportunity to have a sleepover or something. ~C

Damn, you're right. I'll think of a plan B. ~J

You better. Because I seriously have no idea what the hell Izzy and Mags are doing to my hair right now. ~C

A minute passed before he responded.

Oh, hell—that's it, meet me in the kitchen in five. ~J

Someone will come looking for me . . . ~C

I know, but it's driving me crazy not being able to see you. ~J

Clary smiled at the text, knowing very well that it was driving her crazy also. Talking to him like this was nice, but she wanted to feel his arms around her, surrounded by his warmth, his smell, just—him. She knew she shouldn't have needed him this much, but damn it if she didn't want him all of the time. And it was obvious that he needed her. He'd been stressed all day and Clary was the only one he could confide in. Besides, he should've known by now that she would do anything for him.

Okay, see you in five. ~C

Clary could practically see him smirking as he responded.

That's my girl. ~J

With a roll of her eyes, Clary placed her cell phone back onto Isabelle's dresser, listening back in on the conversation she and Magnus were having. She'd tried to look into Isabelle's vanity mirror to see what they were doing, but Magnus took it away, saying that it had to be a surprise. But she had no idea that it would take this long when she agreed to do it. She probably would've lost her mind if she hadn't had Jace as a distraction.

"You're making her hair lose volume, Isabelle," Magnus hissed.

"Am not," Isabelle retorted. "I'm just turning her curls into waves."

"I think it looks great," Maia added from her spot on the bed. "Besides, she's almost done."

"Exactly," Isabelle said. "But if you think you can do a better job, have at it."

Clary sighed. "I wouldn't care if a monkey finished my hair. I've been in this chair for hours and I'm getting hungry."

"You can eat once we're done," Magnus said firmly. "Haven't you ever heard the term 'beauty is pain?'"

"More like beauty is death," Clary grumbled and she could've sworn she heard Maia giggle.

Isabelle scoffed. "Oh, please. You just want to sneak off with lover-boy." She waggled her brows. "Which is what we'll allow once we're done."

Maia sighed. "Yeah, I kind of want to see Jordan too."

"And I wouldn't mind seeing Alec," Magnus added offhandedly.

"Wait!" Isabelle squealed. "Are you telling me you two are exclusive now?"

Clary swiveled in her chair to face them, knowing very well that her hair wasn't done. But they'd been trying to get Magnus and Alec together for weeks. And if they'd gotten together on their own, it would definitely be news to them.

Magnus looked down at his blue painted nails, the curling iron held in one of his hands. "I'm not sure, but he may or may not have asked me out the other day."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Isabelle asked.

Maia rolled her eyes. "It obviously means they're together."

Magnus shook his head. "No, it means he fumbled over his words so much that I'm not exactly sure if we're dating or not."

"Just get Clary to talk to him," Maia suggested.

Clary raised a brow. "Why me?"

"Are you kidding?" Isabelle laughed. "You're like the easiest person to talk to in this group. I don't know how to explain it, but you're sort of like the mom friend."

She snorted. "The mom friend?"

"It's like the friend that keeps the group grounded," Maia explained, still flipping through her magazine. "You're the one everyone goes to when things go to shit."

Magnus stood behind her, the curling iron still in his hand, ready to use. "I think what everyone's trying to say is, if anyone's going to get through to Alexander, it would be you," he said, finishing up her hair.

Clary looked down at her hands. "I'll talk to him, but on one condition."

Magnus chuckled. "Let's hear it, Biscuit."

She grinned. "I'll talk to him if you guys let me go see Jace for a few minutes—with no interruptions."

Isabelle rolled her eyes playfully. "Fine. Go ahead."

Her smile widened and she attempted to get up, but Magnus grabbed her shoulders, pulling her back down. With a frown, Clary sat back allowing him to finish styling her hair. Isabelle soon joined him and Maia sent an apologetic look in her direction. Clary could only imagine the number of times she'd been subjected to one of Isabelle's makeovers.

The raven haired girl kneeled in front of her, moving all of Clary's hair over to one side, allowing it to flow easily over her shoulder.

"You have such great hair. It's like the perfect combination of red and orange." She raised her hand to her face. "And your eyebrows are so full. I could just look at them all day."

Clary laughed. "You're giving me too much credit."

Isabelle shook her head, still fixing her hair. "I'm serious, Fray. If I were into chicks, I'd totally shag you."

Magnus took a step back, assessing his work. "I'll second that."

Clary blushed and stood from her chair. "Well, sorry to disappoint your alter egos, but I'm a taken girl."

Isabelle smiled. "Yeah, we know."

Maia laughed from the bed. "Just let her go, Iz. We can admire her later."

Isabelle pouted. "Fine. I've got to call Simon anyway."

Magnus grinned and walked over to Maia, taking the magazine from her hands. "And I've got to catch up on the new Vogue issue."

Clary reached over and grabbed her phone, slipping it back into her pocket. Then she smiled, blowing a kiss to the three of them, laughing when they each lifted their hand to catch it. She quickly slipped out of the room, closing the door softly behind her. Before she left, she was able to get a glimpse of her hair and she had to admit, it looked pretty good. If only it didn't take two hours to get it that way.

Seeing that no one else was around, Clary lifted herself onto the banister and slid down the never-ending staircase. Once she reached the bottom, she flipped back, landing softly on her feet. Sometimes she just needed to feel like herself and not a mundane teenager. Running a hand through her hair, she trailed into the large kitchen, her eyes scanning the room for Jace. The house was huge, but she had no doubt that someone would come looking for them if they didn't use their time wisely. Because when they were around their friends, they were never left alone for long.

So when Clary spotted him over by the fridge, she immediately trailed over to him, trying to approach him as quietly as she could. He was rifling through the fridge, most likely for a snack. A small grin slipped onto her face as she slid up behind him, one of her hands lifting to tap his shoulder. But before she made contact, Jace turned, grabbing her hand and before Clary knew it, her back was pressed against the fridge, both of her arms trapped at her sides.

She looked up to see a small smirk on her boyfriend's face. "You're getting better at that," she applauded.

His hands left her wrists, moving to lace with hers. "I learn from the best," he said. One of his hands left hers, moving to twirl a piece of her hair around his finger. "You look nice."

Clary raised a brow. "As opposed to any other time?"

Jace chuckled. "I'm not going to answer that."

She smirked. "Smart move."

He leaned down to her. "But I will say, that even on your worst days, you're the most amazing," he kissed her cheek, "stunning," the other cheek, "beautiful," he pressed his lips briefly to hers, "girl I've ever seen."

Clary unlaced her hand with his, wrapping both of her arms around his neck. "Well, if I'm that on my worst days, then what am I on my good days?"

Jace made a sound deep in his throat as he leaned back down to her, his lips finding purchase on her jaw. He trailed his lips forward, placing light kisses to her skin as he did. When he reached her ear, he lowered his voice to a whisper. "Undeniably hot."

Clary blushed. "Oh yeah?"

He lifted his head, his gaze traveling over every inch of her. "Yeah."

With a grin, Clary pushed herself onto the tips of her toes, pressing her lips to his. Her hands slid into his hair and his slid around her waist. She allowed herself to get lost in the moment, lost in him. After a moment, they opened to each other, finally getting what they'd both been craving for. Clary sighed at the familiar taste of mint and spice. Jace pulled her in closer, deepening the kiss and she couldn't help but shiver as he slid his hands down the curve of her back. Her heart pounded against her chest as he held her tighter, kissing her like he needed her to breathe.

When they parted for air, she dropped back onto her feet and Jace followed, resting his forehead on top of hers. His hands slid under her shirt, grasping her hips firmly. Her gaze stayed on his as he lifted her up, placing her gently on the counter. She watched as he fit himself between her legs, his hands going to her face to bring their lips back together, the intensity of the kiss increasing. Clary felt a warmth growing in her lower stomach, not understanding what it was that she needed. But Jace seemed to feel it too, because his hands left her face, sliding down her back and over her bum as he slid her all the way to him, allowing her to wrap her entire body around his. Clary moaned into his mouth, now able to feel him everywhere.

Jace groaned, his lips briefly separating from hers. "God, Clary."

Clary still clung to him, but she'd stopped kissing him, knowing that they were getting a little carried away. She leaned her forehead against his as she caught her breath, her hands slipping back into his hair.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah."

Clay grinned. "Liar." Her hands slid down to his shoulders, feeling the corded muscle. "You're stressed. I can feel it."

He smirked. "Is that the only thing you can feel?"

She blushed a deep shade of crimson. "Shut up."

Jace chuckled. "I was kidding." His gaze dropped to his pants and he bit his lip. "Well, kind of."

Clary scoffed and shoved his shoulder playfully. He smiled and placed his hands on her hips, his face going into the crook of her neck. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Okay, all jokes aside, what's up?"

He sighed. "I'm just trying to process everything. I know it's been days since we found out, but that doesn't mean it's all fun in the sun now. My mother did what she thought was best for me, but that still doesn't change the fact that she lied to me. To everyone, really."

Clary lifted one of her hands, using her fingers to trace his jawline as she rested her head on top of his. "Do you still want to come with Jon and I tonight?"

He lifted his head, his brows pulled together. "Of course." He raised his hand to her face. "Even if I'm not sure what to make of all this, I'll still be there for you. But it'll probably take me a while to adjust."

Clary nodded, wrapping her arms back around his neck. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

He dropped his hands back to her hip, his head going back into the crook of her neck and Clary moved all of her hair over her shoulder, getting it out of the way. She couldn't help but smile as she twirled a piece of his hair around her finger.

Jace let out a breath. "You already are," he whispered. "I don't need words of encouragement, pep talks, or cheering up." His arms slid around her waist. "I just need you." He placed a small kiss to her collar bone. "That's all I'll ever need."

Clary leaned down, pressing her lips to the top of his head, glad that he was comfortable showing his vulnerable side to her. Seeing him like this didn't change anything for her. He was still her Jace.

She grinned. "Same here."

"But I do have some good news," he murmured.

Clary raised her brows. "What is it?"

She felt him smile against her neck. "Nona wants to meet you."

A small smile tugged at her lips and she raised his head, catching his gaze. "You're serious?"

His hands settled on her thighs, his thumbs brushing back and forth over the fabric of her jeans. "She's been hounding me for a while, but now that things are getting pretty serious—not to mention that she's doing a lot better now—I think it's finally time for you two to meet."

Clary stayed quiet, her mind racing with unwanted thoughts. She knew it was stupid to be nervous, but she couldn't help it. This woman wasn't just another family member to Jace; she was important. Clary had seen the way he took charge and became the adult when it came to his grandmother's health. And she wasn't exactly known for making the best first impression.

Clary hadn't even noticed that she'd spaced out until she felt Jace's hands on her cheeks. Her eyes snapped back to his, seeing the worry in his golden ones.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

Clary ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "What if she doesn't like me?"

Jace chuckled. "Everyone likes you."

She shook her head. "You didn't like me when we first met."

"That's because I couldn't figure you out," he said. "But look at us now. We're practically inseparable." His hands rested back onto her hips as he grinned. "And trust me, once Nona gets a look at us together, she'll go nuts."

"You don't know that," she said. "I'm sure she hated every other girl you've dated. What makes me any different?"

Jace's gaze lifted to hers and he lifted one of his hands, moving a strand of her hair out of her face. "Because she sees the way I talk about you. I've never been as committed to anything as I am to you, and Imogen sees that." He smoothed his thumb over her cheek, following the curve of her cheekbone. "And don't be afraid to be a smartass," he added. "She'll like that."

She raised a brow. "So, you don't want me to pretend? At all?"

He shook his head. "I just want you to be you."

Clary smiled. "Okay, I'll go see her."

Jace grinned also. "Great. How does this weekend sound?"

She leaned in and pressed her lips to his. "Perfect."

"And just as a heads up," he looked down before meeting her gaze again. "Imogen can be pretty blunt. She doesn't really have a filter and she's never been afraid to say what's on her mind."

Clary wrapped her arms around his neck. "Sounds like my kind of woman." She smirked. "But don't worry, I can take her."

"Never doubted it." He slid his hands back onto her thighs. "I think you two will get along just fine." His head dipped down, lips trailing kisses along her neck.

She bit her lip. "Hey, I need to ask you something."

His mouth continued to move along her skin. "Ask away."

"Did Alec happen to talk to you guys about asking Magnus out?" she asked.

Jace's lips froze on her collarbone. "Way to ruin the mood," he mumbled.

Clary let out an incredulous laugh. "So, talking about your grandmother doesn't ruin the mood, but talking about your best friend does?"

Jace smirked. "Touché." He shook his head. "But no, Alec hasn't said anything to us."

She sighed. "I feel like there's something getting in the way of those two."

"That would be Alec's parents," he said. "They're probably the most traditional people you'll ever meet, and if they found out about Alec and Magnus, they wouldn't support him in the least."

"Why doesn't he just tell them to piss off?" Clary asked.

Jace chuckled. "Because not everyone is as bold as you, Tiger." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Alec just doesn't want to disappoint them, that's all. But he's hurting both himself and Magnus in the process."

"The gang wants me to talk to him," she said.

"You should," Jace agreed. "You're really convincing when you want to be."

Clary laughed again. "Why does everyone think that I'm this magical people person, capable of pulling special tricks out of my ass?"

He grinned. "I'll bet you a hundred bucks that you can convince him to officially ask Magnus out."

"You're willing to risk those odds?"

Jace chuckled. "Just talk to him. Give him the little kick in the butt he needs to make a move," he told her. "Maybe then he'll stop moping around."

Clary slapped his shoulder. "Give him a break." She smiled. "Because God knows how stressed out you were before we finally got together."

"But we only got together because you couldn't stand not having all of this to yourself any longer," he said simply.

Clary scoffed. "Uh, if I remember correctly, you kissed me."

"Technically I did, but—"

Clary pressed a finger to his lips. "Shh, someone's coming."

She heard multiple footsteps quickly approaching. When she turned her head, she saw Isabelle and Maia running into the kitchen. They searched the room and Isabelle squealed once she found Clary sitting on the counter.

Ignoring the fact that Jace was right in front of her, both girls rushed over to Clary and grabbed her hand, pulling her out of Jace's grasp and onto her feet. He raised a brow at her, but Clary gave him a shrug as both girls practicality dragged her out of the room, saying that her time was up.

Clary looked at both of them. "Okay, not that I didn't miss you guys, but why are you dragging me into the hallway?"

Isabelle let go of her hand and turned to Maia, giving her a look.

The other girl raised her brows. "What?" she asked. "I thought you were telling her."

"You said you were going to tell her."

Maia scoffed. "Did not."

Clary lifted her arms out at her sides. "Uh, could someone just tell me what the hell is going on?"

"It's Kaelie," Isabelle blurted out.

Clary furrowed her brows. "What about her?"

Isabelle bit at her nail. "She's been talking."

She stared at the raven-haired girl. "About . . ."

"Oh my God." Maia groaned, obviously annoyed with Isabelle's pace. "Simon's sister, Rebecca, is friends with some girl on the cheer team and according to her, Kaelie's been spreading loads of crap about you." She glanced down. "We think she's trying to get Jace back."

Clary's fingers itched to remove her dagger from her jeans. But she thought better of it, knowing that she would only hurl it at the nearest wall and blow her cover. And even though she knew she wouldn't like the answer, she asked the question anyway.

"What did she say?" she asked, focusing on her breathing.

Isabelle pressed her lips into a thin line. "Well, to quote her exactly, she called you a 'boyfriend stealing bitch.'"

"And she swears that Jace is in love with her and would drop you like yesterday's news if she so much as lifted a finger," Maia added, all seemingly in one breath.

Isabelle looked a little nervous. "And we all know that she's full of crap and what you and Jace have is practically unbreakable, but Kaelie can be a bit much. I've seen what she can do when she gets all psycho. So, we just wanted to warn you."

Maia nodded. "And we wanted to tell you that we got your back," she said. "I'm not in the least bit afraid to throw down with her if it comes to that. I've been wanting a piece of that bleached blonde for years."

"And I've been wanting to knock her on her ass ever since she spread rumors about Alec."

Clary rolled her eyes. "I'm not threatened by her."

"Threatened by who?"

Already knowing who it was, Clary whirled around, eyes wide. She'd almost forgotten where they were. Of course Jace would be able to hear them; they'd barely left the kitchen. Biting down on her bottom lip, she quickly turned away from him, asking Isabelle and Maia for help with her eyes.

Maia reacted first, letting out a rushed, "No one."

Clary heard his footsteps coming closer, then she felt his arms slide around her waist as he pulled her back against his chest.

He rested his chin on top of her head. "It's obviously someone," he said.

Isabelle looked like a bubble about to burst, and even though Clary pleaded with her not to say anything, it was impossible to stop that bubble from popping. And when she spoke, it all came out in one big gush.

"Kaelie's trying to get you back."

She clamped a hand over her mouth. Maia's eyes widened and Clary felt Jace tense behind her.

"You're not serious, are you?"

"She called Clary a 'boyfriend stealing bitch.' So, yeah, I'm sure she's serious," Maia said.

Silence passed among the four of them, but after a moment, Jace sighed, filling the silent corridor with his voice.

"Uh, could you guys give us a minute?" he asked.

Both girls stayed quiet, but then Maia nodded and grabbed Isabelle's arm, tugging her over to the stairs. Isabelle sent an apologetic look over her shoulder and Clary waved a hand, letting her know that it was alright. He would've found out at some point. Clary hated lying to him.

Once both girls were out of sight, Jace moved to stand in front of her, his hands going to her face.

He sighed. "Okay, before you say anything, I want you to know that I haven't spoken to or seen Kaelie since I ended things with her. And she's delusional if she thinks she can win me back." He shook his head, continuing to ramble. "Actually, it wouldn't be possible for her to win me back because, in reality, she never had me. So please don't tell me that you're worried about this."

Clary couldn't help the small laugh that escaped. How could he possibly think that she was worried? After everything they've been through—everything they've told each other—she knew he would never do anything to hurt her and vice-versa. Lifting her hands to his wrists, she looked up at him a smile still plastered on her face.

"You can be a real idiot sometimes."

Jace raised a brow. "Oh?"

She snorted. "Well, you'd have to be if you think for one second that I'm threatened by Kaelie." Her hands fell from his wrists and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "She can try all she wants, but I know how you feel about me. I trust you, Jace. You wouldn't hurt me like that."

He leaned into her. "Have I mentioned how lucky I am to have you?"

Clary laughed. "All the time."

"So you're seriously not worried?" He seemed to want to make sure.

She shook her head. "I'm not worried." One of her hands dropped to his chest, tracing a random pattern on his shirt. "But I will say that if she touches either one of us, I won't hesitate to rip her ass out through her mouth."

Jace chuckled. "Easy there, Tiger. No need to get homicidal."

She glanced up at him and shrugged. "I'm just saying, it's impossible for me to get expelled. So, technically, I can do whatever I want—that includes kicking her ass."

"As much as I would love to see that cat-fight take place," he said, grinning, "you can't blow your cover."

Clary rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you're probably right." Her finger paused on his chest. "But no promises."

He leaned in, pressing his lips to her forehead. "Deal."

Looking down at her watch, she realized just how late it'd gotten. "We should head home," she said. "Jon should be there soon." She watched as he pushed out breath. Lifting her hands to his face, she met his gaze, holding him to her. "Are you sure that you're okay with this?"

His hands settled on her waist. "Yeah, I'm sure. As weird as it sounds, it's about time that I know who my mother is."

Clary smiled. "And don't worry," she said. "I'll be right there next to you."

Nodding, Jace leaned down and kissed her, smiling against her mouth as he did. "Promise?" he murmured.

With a roll of her eyes, Clary answered like she always did.

"Cross my heart."

.o.O.o.

As soon as Jace parked his car into the driveway, he felt the reality of what he was about to walk into smack him in the face. This could change his perspective on his mother entirely. He understood why she lied to him, but a part of him felt like he deserved to know what he was capable of doing. He'd always thought that the reason why he was so skilled at everything was because of his father. Stephen had also played sports and was academically superior, but now Jace knew that it wasn't him at all. The only thing he got from his father was his looks. His mother dominated everything else and now it was time for him to find out why. Not that he minded his mother being kickass, but he needed an explanation in order to fathom it all.

After shutting his door, he watched as Clary trailed over to him, reaching out to take his hand in hers. He knew that she could tell how stressed he was just by looking at him, but having her there helped a lot. This wasn't just about him, it was about all of them. Jace never thought he would be connected to Clary in this way, but a part of him liked that they were in this together.

As they walked up the driveway, Jace let go of her hand and slung his arm over her shoulders, pulling her in close. Clary wrapped hers around his waist and she glanced up with a smile.

"Looks like Jon beat us here," she said.

Furrowing his brows, Jace looked around, not seeing Jon anywhere. "I don't see him."

Lifting her free hand, she placed two of her fingers under his chin, lifting his head to the top of the house. His eyes widened when he saw the tall figure standing on the edge, arms crossed over his chest. Luckily, it was starting to get dark or the entire neighborhood could have seen him. But part of Jace figured that he wouldn't have cared either way. He and Clary were similar in that way.

Jon cupped his hands around his mouth. "It's about time you two got here," he called out.

With a laugh, Clary dropped her hand, her eyes drifting up to her brother. "We got held up," she called back.

Jon shook his head, an amused grin on his face. Then he surprised Jace by jumping off of the roof. It was a good two stories down and he figured if it weren't for Jon's Agent background, the jump would've done some serious damage. But as Jon jumped, he flipped backward, landing gracefully on his feet a few paces in front of them. The fall did force him to take a knee, but as he rose to his feet, he adjusted his clothes. A bright smile spread across his face at the sight of his sister and Jace unwrapped his arm from around her, allowing Jon to pull her into a hug.

When they parted, Clary stood back at Jace's side. Turning to Jace, Jon held his hand out and he took it, doing the quick handshake that they've done many times before. Turning back towards the house, Clary's brother let out a sigh.

"So," he said. "Celine was mom's best friend? What a weird coincidence."

Jace felt Clary grab his hand. She grinned up at her brother. "We like to think of it as fate."

With a smirk, Jace lifted her hand, placing a kiss to the back of it. A small blush crept into her cheeks, stroking his ego even more. Jon looked between the two of them and scoffed.

"God, you two are gross."

Clary narrowed her eyes at him, flipping him off before she pulled Jace forward. Jon chuckled, following after them and he couldn't help but let out a laugh of his own. He knew that he was becoming something that he used to swear he would never be. The thought of being a lovestruck teenager had always repelled him. But when he really asked himself if he would want it any other way, the answer was simple. Not a chance. What he and Clary had was different, special. He'd never seen or had a connection like it and he probably never would. Because for right now, she was it for him. When he thought of his future, all he saw was Clary's bright green eyes and fiery hair. She was his future. Always would be.

When the three of them got to the front door, Clary let go of his hand, using her key to let them in. They had about an hour until his father got off, but even then, he always stayed at the office late. His mother was usually home, cooking, cleaning, sleeping—just anything to keep her mind off of things.

But when they entered the house today, his mother was up and running, looking like she had a lot more energy than normal. Jace guessed that it was because she wasn't hoarding anymore secrets. It must have been a huge relief to let it all go. But he had to say that he didn't expect to see his mother dancing in the kitchen, alone, to an old David Bowie song.

Clary and Jon paused beside him, watching as his mother swayed her hips and sang along. Jace furrowed his brows.

"Mom?" His gaze stayed on her as she whirled around, looking started by their presence. She must not have heard them over the music, but that didn't stop him from asking, "What are you doing?"

Reaching behind her, his mother turned off the stereo and leaned casually against the counter, shrugging. "Nothing." Her gaze drifted over to where Jon was standing and she gasped, her hand going to her mouth. "Jonathan?" she whispered.

A small grin tugged at Jon's lips and he shoved his hands into his pockets, nodding slightly. "Yeah, it's me."

Before anyone could stop her, his mother was across the room, pulling Jon into a hug, one of her hands holding the back of his head, the other holding his back. Jon's eyes fixed on his sister and she smiled, giving him a nod. With that, Jon wrapped his arms around Celine's waist and she laughed as he hugged her back. Then she surprised all of them by pulling he and Clary into the hug also, her grip stronger than Jace had ever felt.

"I'm so happy all of you are together," she said.

After practically squeezing the air out of all of them, Celine retracted her arms, her hands going to her chest, eyes scanning the three of them. It was as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. But then she seemed to snap herself out of it as she tucked her hair behind her ear.

"So," she sighed. "I'm guessing you all are here for answers."

Jace nodded. "Pretty much."

She smiled. "Well, let's have a seat, shall we?" Then she turned on her heal, trailing into the living room.

The three of them followed, plopping down on the couch across from her. Jace wrapped his arm around Clary's waist, tugging her closer. She curled herself into him, but extended her arm out, reaching to grab her brother's hand.

"So," his mother began. "I suppose you already know the backstory."

They nodded.

"And I know I didn't disclose everything. That's why I want to take this time to answer any questions you have. I'm sure that this hasn't been easy for any of you."

Jace let out a breath. "Okay, how about we start with this." His gaze lifted to hers. "Why did you wait seventeen years to tell me who you were?"

Celine tucked her hair behind her ear. "I thought I was protecting you, but I realize now that it wasn't the way to go. I should have told you and I'm sorry that it took this long, but you have to know that I wasn't exactly in the best place for the past few years." She glanced down. "I'd already lost my family once and losing someone I loved again was devastating. I didn't want you to know that past or how much I suffered to get here."

"I wouldn't have held it against you," he said. "Knowing what happened only makes me respect you more, love you more."

"And knowing what you did for our mother, Jon and I want you to know that we also respect you," Clary added. "Without you, we wouldn't be here right now."

"Yeah," Jon agreed. "We practically owe our lives to you."

Celine shook her head. "Don't give me all the credit. I may have saved Jocelyn's life that night, but she taught me how to fight for what was right in return. She saved me." A small smile crept onto her face. "She really was an amazing woman."

Jon nodded. "Definitely."

Clary laughed lightly. "She was, wasn't she."

Jace smiled at her reaction. Leaning down, he kissed the top of her head, watching as her free hand slid down his arm, moving to lace with his. Seeing her like this—carefree and happy—made him fall for her all the more. Clary must have noticed his eyes on her and squeezed his hand, a touch of pink now visible on her cheeks.

Jace turned back to his mother. "Are you going to tell Dad?"

"I don't think now is the right time," she said. "Stephen tends to overreact. That's why I didn't want him knowing that you two were together. He wouldn't be as understanding as me."

"When did you notice that Jace was starting to inherit your skills?" Clary asked. "Or was this a total surprise to you?"

Celine smiled. "Well, I first started to notice when he was around eight or nine when he came home one day speaking fluent Spanish."

"Hey, I think I remember that," he said. "I'd just spent the weekend at Josue's house and his family didn't speak any English. I thought it was weird that I picked up on it so quickly."

"That's because you were starting to develop an eidetic memory. I had the exact same thing happen to me. That's what made it so easy for me to learn back then," she explained. "It started to fade after a few years into adulthood, but I was still able to retain most of the things I'd learned."

"You're saying that Jace has an eidetic memory?" Jon asked.

Celine shrugged. "Well, I never got him tested for it, but I'm pretty sure that's what it is."

Jace furrowed his brows. "If I have an eidetic memory, why can't I remember meeting Clary all those years ago?"

She fumbled with her fingers a little. "You didn't show signs of it that early and I don't think you have the full capacity of an eidetic memory. Maybe just certain parts. Because I'm pretty sure you can't remember what you had to eat five years ago from today," she said. "So, I figured if I couldn't always physically train you, I could train your mind. I showed you videos, pictures, articles. You were able to retain all of it and I figured that if the time came, you would know how to defend yourself with all that you'd learned."

"That's what all of that was for?" Jace asked. "I thought those were jokes."

Clary turned to him. "Why?"

He laughed. "She said that she was training me to be a ninja, how could I not think that it was a joke?"

"Well, if I told you the truth, it would take the fun out of it all," she answered. "I didn't want you to think that you were in any kind of danger because you weren't, but I wanted to be sure. And now, it turned out that all of it came in handy."

"Is that why I can suddenly do all of these things that I don't remember doing before? Because I watched some stupid videos and read some articles?"

Celine smiled. "Not stupid." She folded her hands on her lap. "Educational."

Clary's emerald eyes fell on him for a moment before she turned back to Celine. She rolled her eyes. "What he meant to say was: thank you."

"Yeah, thanks," Jace echoed.

She nodded. "I just want you safe. That's my top priority."

"But that's kind of genius," Jon said. "You trained him without him even knowing. And now, when he needs to know something, it's already there, buried somewhere in his mind."

Clary agreed. "It makes my job a lot easier."

Jace quirked a brow. "Have you ever actually tested my IQ?"

"No, but I imagine that it's somewhere near the 150s. I know an Agent's is around 160."

"Mine is 165," Jon said.

Clary grinned. "And mine is currently 172."

Jon chuckled. "You'll never let me live that down, will you?"

She shook her head. "Not a chance."

Hearing the numbers made Jace curious. "Now I want to know for sure," he said.

"I can probably find the test," Clary said. "It shouldn't take that long to finish. Maybe an hour or two." She smiled. "And who knows, maybe you'll get a better score than Jon."

Her brother snorted. "I doubt it."

Jace glanced over at him, raising a brow. "Is there something you're trying to say?"

Jon sat up. "Yeah, that you're a moron."

Jace smirked. "Sounds like you're a little threatened to me. It's understandable though, you've never met someone as awesome as me."

Jon turned to his sister. "Can I please hit him, just once?"

Clary rolled her eyes. "No one's hitting anyone."

Jace grinned. "Ha."

Clary turned to glare at him. "And you, stop being such an ass."

"He started it," he grumbled.

Jon crossed his arms. "And I'll finish it too."

Clary scoffed. "Will both of you just shut the hell up?"

"Well," Celine interrupted, "if you all are done, I have something for the three of you."

That pulled Jace's attention. "All of us?"

She nodded. "Wait here." Then she rose to her feet and left the room.

As soon as she left, he turned to Clary, furrowing his brows. "What do you think it is?"

"I have no idea." She shrugged, obviously at as much a loss as him. "She didn't mention anything."

Jon looked down at his hands. "I haven't gotten a gift in years, so I'll take what I can get."

Clary scoffed. "What about the ones I get you every year for your birthday? Or for Christmas?"

"I meant a surprise gift—one that I wasn't expecting," he clarified. "Besides, you already know that I love your gifts, Clare Bear."

Jace chuckled. "Nice save."

Jon simply flipped him off, earning him a slap in the back of the head from his sister. The action only made Jace laugh harder and Clary surprised him by slapping him also.

"I swear," she rolled her eyes, "if I have to sit between you two for any longer, I'm going to self-combust."

Jon grimaced and addressed Jace, "I would listen to her if I were you."

Seeing Clary's grim expression, Jace grinned, wrapping his arm around her waist. Her breath caught as he pulled her into his lap and the grim look that she was sporting soon disappeared, replaced by a small smile. He took note of her changed demeanor and pressed his lips to her cheek, burying his face into her neck afterward, inhaling the familiar scent of strawberry and her. Her arms went around his neck, her hands threading through his hair.

"Are you done now?" she asked.

He brushed his lips against her shoulder, nodding slightly.

She leaned down to his ear. "How are you holding up?"

He wrapped his other arm around her waist, holding her tight. "I'm with you, aren't I?"

She laughed lightly. "You're going to make me blush in front of my brother."

"I can hear you," Jon said. "And like I said before, you two are gross."

Jace raised his head. "Hey, I'm just trying to keep her from killing us both."

Jon shrugged. "I'm not judging, I'm just saying that I'd prefer if you didn't suck face with my sister right in front of me."

Clary scoffed. "Grow up. We're not sucking face." She tucked her hair behind her ear. "Besides, I've seen—and heard—a lot worse coming from you."

His eyes widened. "You swore to never mention that again."

Jace raised a brow. "What happened?"

Clary grinned and leaned down to him again. "I'll tell you later."

Jon narrowed his eyes. "You tell him and you can kiss the whole best man thing goodbye."

She rolled her eyes. "As if you'll have anyone else as your best man."

Jon looked like he was about to argue when Jace's mother walked back into the room, three solid black boxes now in her hands. Turning back to Clary, Jace lifted her from his lap, allowing her to sit down next to him again. But she didn't separate herself from him fully, keeping her head rested on his shoulder and her hands wrapped around his bicep. When his mother reached the couch, she started handing the boxes to them, giving the first one to Jon, the second to Clary, and the third to him.

The boxes all looked exactly the same. There looked to be no way of opening it. No latch, no lock and key, nothing but a single pad in the center. But there was an engraving at the top. His first and last initials were at the top of his box and as he looked over at the others, he saw that theirs were engraved with their initials also.

"How are we supposed to open them?" Jace asked.

"There's an I.D. pad in the center," she explained. "Use your thumb to open it."

They all went to press their thumb to their boxes when his mother interrupted them again. "But not all at once. Jon first."

Jon furrowed his brows. "Wait. Before I open it, who exactly is it from?"

Celine smiled. "They're all from Valentine and Jocelyn." She looked at Clary and Jon. "Your mother gave these to me years ago and made me promise that you would get them if anything were happen to them. And I had no idea that I would be meeting Clary again like this, so of course I couldn't come out and tell her who I was. But now that the truth is out and all of you are together and older, I think it's time that you open them."

"Why would Clary's parents leave me a gift?" Jace asked.

She smiled. "To them, you were always a part of the family. Even if you didn't know it." She turned to Jon. "So go on, open it."

With a shrug, Jon pressed his thumb to the pad and after a moment, there was a soft click and the top of the box slid aside. Clary lifted her head from his shoulder, trying to get a look at what was inside. Jon let out a laugh and dug inside the box, taking out what looked to be a set of knives.

He glanced up at Jace's mother. "Are these what I think they are?"

She gave a small nod, a wide smile still on her face.

He laughed again. "I'd been asking for these for years, but Mom and Dad said I was too young."

"You wanted knives?" Jace asked.

"Not just any knives." He took one out of its sheath. "These are the most lethal knives you'll ever come across."

Clary turned to him. "They're covered in batrachotoxin. It's a kind of poison that can kill a man within a matter of minutes. Well—every man but Jon. The idiot is somehow immune to it."

He grinned. "Which is exactly why I wanted them."

Celine's gaze fell on Clary. "You can open yours now."

She nodded, holding the box tightly in her hands. Pushing out a sigh, she lifted her thumb and pressed it to the pad. Once it was opened, she reached inside and withdrew a golden key. Jace had no idea what it was for and by the looks of it, neither did she.

Clary furrowed her brows. "A key?"

Celine's smile only seemed to widen. "It's a key to your mother's old penthouse. The one she met your father in. She wanted to leave it to you."

Her mouth fell open. "So, you're saying that it's mine?"

His mother nodded. "It's all paid for. So, yes, it's yours."

Jon seemed impressed. "Holy shit."

Clary held the key to her chest. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

Celine held her hands to her heart. "I imagine it means a lot."

Smiling, Jace wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head. She turned her head to look up at him, a glassy look in her eyes and Jace couldn't stop himself from cupping her cheeks and pressing his lips to hers. The kiss was brief, just enough to show her that he was there. There for her. Showing him that she was okay, she pecked him on the lips once more and gave him a small smile.

With that, Jace pressed his thumb to his own box with the approving nod from his mother. Once the top slid aside, he reached his hand inside and grasped the object, finding it to be a little heavy. His eyes widened when he realized that it was a gun. But it didn't look like any gun he'd seen before. It was similar to the guns he'd seen Clary and Jon carry around, but something about this one was different.

"What kind of gun is this?"

Dropping her key back into her box, Clary lifted her hand, taking the gun away from him. She then removed the clip, taking a look inside. "No way."

Jon quirked a brow. "What is it?"

"It's an alternated nine millimeter," she said.

Jace looked at the gun. "What's alternated about it?"

She turned the magazine towards him, allowing him to see the separated sides. "This gun is different from our regular Agent nine millimeters because it gives you options." She pointed to the side with bullets. "You can either shoot with a normal bullet or," she pointed to the other side, which was full of vials containing a blue liquid, "you can shoot with this dart that contains a temporary paralysis serum." She put the clip back into the gun. "I've never seen one in person before, only pictures."

"And you might already know this," Celine began. "But you're a perfect shot. From the times I took you to the gun range, you never missed a mark."

Jace's gaze snapped over to her. "You took me to a gun range? Why can't I remember that?"

"You think you're the only one with gadgets?" she asked rhetorically. "I couldn't have your father finding out, so I kind of wiped your memory of those days. And any other day that I trained you."

Clary raised a brow. "Is that safe?"

"The way I did it, yes. There was no pain, no internal damage. You just have no recollection of those days." Her gaze rose to his. "But you have to understand that I did all of this to protect you. I've already lost so much in my life and losing you wouldn't be bearable. I know all of this sounds crazy, but you're my son and I love you. I just want you safe. That's what I want for all of you."

Jace shook his head. "I'm not mad."

She looked taken aback. "What?"

"I'm not mad," he repeated. "I know what you went through and I know that all you want is what's best for me. That's why I'm not angry with you, I actually love you more for it, if that's even possible." He smiled. "Because the way that I look at it, I've officially joined the club of badasses."

"I wouldn't go so far as to call yourself a badass," Jon said, still accessing his assortment of knives.

Jace rolled his eyes, taking his gun back from Clary. "Says the guy that gets his ass kicked by his little sister."

"You're saying that as if she hasn't kicked your ass too."

Jace smirked. "So, you're admitting that she's better than you."

Jon set his knives down. "This isn't about being better than her, it's about being better than you. Which, I am."

"God, will this pissing contest ever end?" Clary called over their bantering.

Celine waved a hand. "Don't worry about it. These are just the early signs of a brewing bromance. Soon, the bantering will turn into full on brotherhood."

Jon scoffed. "As if."

Jace bit back a grin. "Just face it, dude. You're going to be seeing a lot more of me." He pulled Clary tighter into him. "All of this practically makes us family."

Clary grinned, wrapping her arms around his waist. "He's right, Jon. We're all in this together now."

Jace held out his free hand. "So, what do you say? Brothers?"

Jon's gaze fell on his hand and hardened. But then he rolled his eyes, and held his hand out and they did their usual handshake. A small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. "You're so lucky you're with my sister."

Jace glanced down at Clary, seeing the carefree look in her eyes. No one had ever looked at him the way that she did. Like he actually meant something to her. Like he made her happy. With Jon and everyone else forgotten about, he allowed himself to meet her gaze, mirroring the same look that she was giving him. Because with her, he did feel carefree, relaxed. She was amazing, she really was.

Glancing back over at Jon, he grinned.

"I know."

What did you think?

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A/N: So, what do you guys think about the gifts? Imogen? Kaelie? There's a lot coming up in the future chapters. If I were you, I would pay close attention to details. Things are going to get even more complex, but I'm excited for you guys to read it. Anyway, while you think about that, here's the chapter question,

Question: Are you a dog person or a cat person? Or both? I find it really hard to choose between the two, so I'll have to be both.