Hey guys! Sorry for how late this is, but life has been a bit crazy lately - nothing bad, just busy - and this chapter just was not flowing. Thank you all for your incredible patience, support and reviews! You guys are seriously the best! So, as I said, this was not flowing which is why this is a short update. But, on a happier note, this is the first epilogue, so it will be fluff, fluff, fluff from here on out! Enjoy :)

Disclaimer: In case it isn't glaringly obvious, I am not Cassandra Clare, so I therefore do not own The Mortal Instruments.

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Epilogue 1:

I tugged on my tie, partially as a nervous habit and partially in search for some relief from the scorching heat. The day of our high school graduation was June twenty-sixth, and the high for the day was ninety-four degrees. Everyone around me in the line leading up to the stage was sweating bullets, the black material of our gowns only attracting the heat more, and the layers of dress clothes beneath the gowns allowing for no relief. But none of that could have ruined the day.

Clary's name was called, and I craned my neck to see her ascend the few steps up to the stage. With a huge grin on her face and her wild hair tamed into neat curls, she walked across the stage and shook our principal's hand before he gave her that precious slip of paper.

Her smile must have been contagious, because soon I was smiling too and all thoughts about the heat were lost from my mind. All I could think about was that once this summer was over, we would both be heading off to NYU. She got a scholarship there for art, though she would be double majoring so that she could become an art teacher. I was undecided – at least as far as my major was concerned. Maryse and Robert had urged me to go to a local community college until I knew what I wanted to do, but I told them there was no way I could stand being that far away from Clary for two years. And it wasn't like we didn't have the money. It turns out that my own parents had saved up a good sum of money and had left it all to my college tuition in their will.

The boy in front of me took his turn to walk across the stage, and then it was my turn. The nerves that Clary had been feeling all week had finally caught up with me, and suddenly my stomach was in a knot of anticipation and fear. Even though it had been over a year since I turned 18, I was just now truly becoming an adult. After today, Clary and I were free to move on with our lives and begin our future. What was that corny line from just about every graduation speech ever? The beginning of the rest of our lives. I finally understood how true that really was.

Principal Jeremiah called my name and I took those first few steps slowly, hesitantly. Then I walked across the stage with confidence and a wide grin. Principal Jeremiah gave me a genuine smile as he shook my hand. "Congratulations, Jace. It's been an honor."

His words only amplified the grin on my face. "Thank you, sir."

I turned towards the crowd to allow my family to get pictures, just as I had been instructed to do. I saw the flash of Maryse's camera as well as Jocelyn's, and even though he thought he was being sneaky, I caught a glimpse of Alec sneaking a picture with his phone.

Taking my seat again, I caught Clary's eye and shot her a wink, which made her giggle. I put my finger to my lips in a mocking shh gesture. She rolled her eyes and turned around to wait out the rest of the ceremony.

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"Three! Two! One!" Everyone shouted before we all threw our caps into the air. Everyone dispersed to go find their family and take pictures with friends and teachers that they would likely never see again after this summer. I, however, had one important stop to make before I could go see my parents.

She was standing in front of Simon and Izzy, talking loudly and gesturing wildly with her hands. She was so excited to be done with high school.

I wrapped my arms around her tiny waist and placed a kiss on her temple.

Simon and Izzy shared a look before they snuck off to give us some space.

Clary turned in my arms and stood on her tip-toes in order to give me a proper kiss. When she pulled away, she was grinning like a mad woman. "We made it," she said.

I laughed. "Did you doubt we would?"

She laughed as well. "There were a few times that I wasn't so sure you would make it through without getting expelled."

I winked. "Having lawyers for parents comes in handy every now and again." I glanced over Clary's shoulder to see Robert, Maryse, Jocelyn and Luke heading toward us. I smiled down at the redheaded angel in my arms. "Speak of the devil."

Maryse hugged me first, then Robert, then Jocelyn, and Luke settled for a pat on my back. "We're proud of you, Jace," he said.

We spent the next hour or so taking pictures with anyone and everyone, or at least it seemed that way. By the time we were done my cheeks were aching and sore from all the smiling I had done. But still, it wasn't enough to ruin the beauty of this day.

Maryse and Robert had made us all reservations at a nice restaurant in town. By us all, I meant myself, Izzy, Max, our parents, Clary, Jocelyn, Luke, Jon, Simon, his mom, his sister, Alec and Magnus. Maryse must have had to make the reservations a month ago in order to reserve a table for 14 on graduation day.

Clary and I sat together, holding hands any time that we weren't eating. Everyone around us was engaged in a large conversation, but Clary and I blissfully stayed locked in our own little bubble.

"I got my roommate this morning," Clary told me.

I grinned. "Me too. What's her name?"

Clary's eyes sparkled. "Zach."

I choked on my water. "Excuse me? Isn't that a boy's name?"

Clary threw her head back as she laughed. "I wish you could have seen your face! Of course I'm not rooming with a boy, stupid!"

I faked a hurt expression. "That wasn't very nice."

Clary rolled her eyes, her beautiful lips still turned up at the corners. "You'll live. My roommates name is Emma, by the way."

I nodded in thought. "That's a pretty name."

Clary wiggled her eyebrows at me. "Maybe we can name our daughter Emma."

I laughed. "Clary Fray, is there something you're not telling me?!"

We both burst out in loud laughter and the whole table stopped to stare at us. Clary was blushing furiously. "Sorry," she mumbled.

I leaned back in my seat. "I would apologize, but that was entirely Clary's fault. She was making sexual innuendos."

"Jace!" Clary hissed as she swatted me across the arm. "I was not!"

The table all laughed, and I'm pretty sure Jocelyn and Maryse even said, "Aww!" before going back to their conversations and leaving us to ours.

The food was amazing, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I ate more than I should have. We stayed for a little while after the check was paid, everyone talking about memories from high school and our plans for the future. Finally, everyone went their separate ways and I offered to bring Clary home for Jocelyn and Luke – even though her house was very much out of my way. With a knowing smile, Jocelyn told me that she would love nothing more.

I drove slowly and took as many side roads as I could in order to prolong the moment when we would have to separate. We road mostly in silence, my thumb drawing nonsense patterns into the back of the hand I held. That's probably why I jumped when Clary suddenly exclaimed, "Pull over!"

I slowed the car and pulled off to the side of the road. "Clary, why am I pulling over? There's nothing here but a field."

Clary gave me a devilish grin and got out of the car.

With a curse, I took the keys out of the ignition and followed after her. Much to my relief, she only walked around to the back of my Jeep and opened the hatchback trunk. Without dirtying her white dress, she hopped up into the car and patted the spot next to her.

I shook my head in good-natured exasperation and sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

Clary leaned her head on my chest and looked up at the sky. "It's so beautiful."

I followed her gaze. Despite the earlier humidity, the sky was perfectly clear and the stars littered it. "Yeah, I guess."

She laughed and turned her gaze on me. "You guess?"

I looked down at her, a genuine smile gracing my lips. "I've seen better," I whispered.

Clary blushed and looked back up at the sky. "You're full of it."

I leaned down so that my lips just brushed her ear as I spoke. "If by 'it' you mean love, then yes, I am."

Clary turned toward me, her lips turned up.

We sat there for another fifteen minutes, kissing beneath the stars, and in that moment, I couldn't wait for the rest of our lives to start, because I intended to spend every moment of mine just like this.

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So, first of all, what do you guys think of the casting announcements!? I am super stoked! I LOVE Dominic Sherwood! I saw him in the Vampire Academy movie, and I thought he was a great actor, perfectly snarky and still sweet, plus he is GORGEOUS! I'm not familiar with the actors playing Simon and Izzy, but they seem to at least look the part, and if Cassandra Clare says she liked their auditions, then I trust her. Llet me know what you guys think :) On another note, I'm not entirely sure when I can update again, but I will try to within 2-3 weeks. Sorry, but with sports, work and school, it's hard to find the time to sit down and write. Again, thank you for your patience!

Love always,

YesIWriteForFun