Sorry for the wait y'all…

And get your pitchforks ready. I'll be waiting with my eyes closed. Just make it quick, okay?

Please?

Everything seemed to happen at once.

Instead of feeling piercing metal going through my head and chest, I watched as Sebastian's body jerked and he hit the ground.

I turned and saw Alec, gun still pointed ahead of him, walking towards me.

I honestly have no idea how he missed me, and I didn't even feel the wind from the bullets.

I spun, then, and watched as Clary swiftly hit Meliorn in the face with both of her hands, effectively making him drop her, and she took off running. Then, she started hopping on her left foot and I was wondering what she was doing until I watched her bring the knife out of her sock, and begin working on the ropes.

At this point, though, Meliorn had recovered and was grabbing his gun out of the small of his back.

He then took dead aim for Clary who was only mere feet away from him.

"No!" I shouted and quicker than I even knew I could, I had grabbed my gun from the ground and took off running.

I heard footsteps behind me, but I didn't care who they belonged to.

I tried to point and shoot but I was moving too fast to focus the shot.

I took another look at her fleeing form as the decision I knew I would have to make seemed to hit me like a brick.

She was closer to me than he was.

I ran…

The gun went off…and I was pretty sure it was Meliorn's.

I lunged…

I then felt a sharp pain collide with my side and I fell in a heap to the ground.

"No!" I heard Clary shriek from somewhere to my right.

I tried to yell at her to go, but no words were coming out.

I couldn't move, lying on my back in the grass, staring up at the sky.

Anyone else ever notice how blue it is?

Or how bright the sun is?

"Jace!" Clary shrieked – her hands still tied in front of her. She came over to me - which is exactly what I didn't want.

Unfortunately, at this point, nothing was coming out of my mouth except blood.

I coughed.

This was it.

"Hey, hey, Jace! Jace, look at me!" At the same time I heard the voice, there was a pair of hands on my side, pressing, and it hurt like hell.

I turned my head, and saw Alec.

Damnit.

"You are not going to die on me, do you understand?!" He was yelling.

He looked as though if I did die, he would bring me back to life just to kill me himself. And then, of course, bring me back to life again.

With all the strength I could muster, I lifted my hand and grabbed his wrist.

I tried to shake my head to tell him to get Clary out of here, but it wasn't possible.

I'm amazed I was even able to continue thinking for this long, but apparently when you're about to die, your brain goes into overdrive.

"Jace!" he grunted, "Damnit, Jace! Calm the hell down! You're going to bleed out!"

I thought I was calm.

He shrugged off an article of clothing and put it over top of my wound…as if that was going to stop the bleeding.

Beside me, I realized Clary was balling her eyes out.

"Please, please don't die." She was whimpering.

I ever mention how much I hate hearing women whimper? It's no easier in death either, or especially when the girl you love is doing it over your semi-dead body.

The next thing I knew, consciousness was slowly evading me, and my eyes were drooping.

And, as much as Clary tried to hold them open like toothpicks, everything went black.

The last thing I remember was Clary's final blood curdling screech of, "No!"

Epilogue

You're probably wondering what happened next, right?

Well, to be honest, I don't know.

I only know what I've been told, and it wasn't pretty.

Apparently, some short time after I blacked out, a helicopter arrived – called by Magnus – and air-lifted me to the hospital.

I guess he really does have more money then he lets on.

They treated me for blood loss and the gunshot wound, but I still have the bullet in me somewhere. I'm told they couldn't find a way to retrieve it.

The police showed up at the hospital after I had mostly recovered, but it was only to finally, ask my side of what happened between Meliorn and I. And for once, I told the truth with no sarcasm.

They finally believed my story too, but since he was dead, there was no prosecution. Jonathan had shot him right after he had shot me. And I'm told Jonathan pretty much emptied the clip when shooting at Meliorn.

My only regret is that I wish it had been me who had done that.

Isabelle is home, and, I came to find out she had actually been spending time at Simon's.

And he didn't even tell Clary.

I couldn't be mad at her, though. Love hits in strange places.

And yes, I'm talking from experience.

After all, how was I supposed to know that one of Meliorn's stupid attempts to get me behind bars for good was going to lead to the love of my life?

Speaking of her, she was now laying beside me, in our bed, fast asleep after this past month's events.

Magnus had gone back to managing the club, and he and Alec were actually dating.

I gag very, very often at that, but only in playfulness. In reality, I'm happy for him, though I would never tell him that.

And I know, somewhere deep, deep down, he's happy for me – even though he doesn't particularly care for Clary – the woman who I've almost died for several times over.

I can't say I blame him.

But, if necessary, I knew that I would, in fact, die for her.

I'm pretty sure she hates me for it too.

Jordan ended up picking up a job with Magnus, and I think Clary told me he and that bargirl who helped us out, Maia, I think was her name? Yeah, I'm pretty sure they're dating too.

Against my…attempts at persuasion…Clary took her job back when Magnus offered it to her.

And, Jonathan? After all the events that took place, they granted him a new trial and he allowed Clary to testify on his behalf – confirming that it was, in fact, self-defense when he killed their father.

They released him on time served, and he now lives with us.

Clary could not be happier, and in turn, I could not be happier.

But don't tell anyone I said that.

Oh, and you're probably wondering about Raphael too, but the truth is, I don't know what ever happened to him. I suppose he's in hiding because when we picked up my car and bike from that lot, he was nowhere to be found.

He better stay in hiding, too, because if I get my hands on him before the cops do…

You can bet that for him, it'll be nothing but trouble.

Omg. I could cry. I feel like I just ended an era.

I hated to end it, but at the same time, I didn't feel like I could drag it out any longer.

I am seriously considering a sequel, sometime in the future, though.

However, I currently have another story in the works...

Enjoy the preview!

Unsure of what to do now, he slowly walked up to the door of the shack, opened it lightly and peered in.

Someone was standing there, arms crossed over his chest, and smiling wickedly back at him.

"I knew you would come." He said to Jace, as Jace stepped in.

Jace wasn't going to lie, his skin was absolutely crawling and Jace almost attacked him on the spot. Besides, frankly, the reason this guy had asked him to such a deserted place couldn't have been good to begin with.

"I'm Detective Sebastian Verlac." The man held out his hand for Jace to shake.

Jace eyed it warily before placing his own in it, and they lightly shook.

"You mind telling me how the hell you got my phone number?" Jace scowled, arms crossed over his chest. His leather jacket rustling was the only noise in the shack when neither man was talking.

Sebastian chuckled, holding up a hand, "Now, now, patience. Why don't I start with how I got your name and why I needed it?"

Jace narrowed his eyes, but other than that, didn't move a muscle.

"Okay, okay. Let me put this simply. I know what you've done. And, better yet, I can prove it…them – all of them. But, I won't, and I'll tell you why…"

"Who?" Jace asked, as though reading his mind.

"My wife. I'm afraid she hasn't been acting like a wife should, and I'm tired of putting up with her shit. I want out, but I refuse to go through a divorce. The bitch doesn't deserve half of my shit."

"Okay. I don't think you really know how this works…"

"Oh, but I do. I brought you the recent picture, her schedule, and where and how I think it should go down."

Jace eyed him warily before taking the documents requested out of Sebastian's outstretched hand.

The first thing he laid eyes on was her picture.

She was beautiful, breathtaking. Jace had to swallow a lump in order to cover the breath that was caught in his throat.

He looked back up at Sebastian, who had recognition laced through his narrowed eyes.

"Ah, yes, I can see that you see in her what I once did. I swear, I married her for her looks and, trust me when I say, that's all she has to offer."

Jace nodded, slowly, and continued going through the documents.

He came across her schedule next.

She was taking classes at a local technical community college for art three days a week. For three other days a week, she worked as a secretary in a veterinary hospital. The last remaining day, she usually did "nothing" according to Sebastian's schedule.

Her work shifts were long – usually eight in the morning until five at night. Her classes were almost as long – eight in the morning until three in the afternoon.

Next, Jace came across Sebastian's scrappy handwriting of where and how he thought it should happen.

Jace's eyebrows furrowed as he read, "I don't care what you do to her, or how you do it. Just make sure she and the deed never come back to me."

Jace's eyes met Sebastian's and he glared again.

Jace shrugged as though he didn't care, and really, there was only one thing in all this he did care about. "So be it."

He knew that if he wouldn't do it, Sebastian would find someone who would.

He knew that if he wouldn't do it, Sebastian would turn his ass in, and then she would die anyway.

And his only regret was that he wouldn't be getting any money from this bastard.

They shook hands again and the deal was sealed.

Jace was being blackmailed to murder Clarissa "Clary" Verlac.

Dun dunnnn duuuuuuun…anyone else excited?! I know I am!

If you are too, then keep an eye out for "Destroying Hatred" being published as soon as I finish up school. ;)

And of course, I can't end a chapter, or the STORY without a huge THANK YOU ALL ONCE AGAIN! You ALL were TRULY AMAZING, and I CANNOT thank you enough!

P.S., anyone else going to check out "Shadowhunters" on ABCFamily?

And, what are your thoughts on replacing the cast?

xoFreeFallin15ox