Hello, my lovelies. Hope you're having a great day. Sorry for the late update. Over these past few weeks, I've realized that I put off my summer assignments for way too long. Like I said before, school will always have to come before this story, as much as I hate to say it. Senior year is an important year, and I want to start off on a good note. Thank you for your patience, here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: All TMI characters belong to Cassandra Clare :)

Chapter Songs:

**Echoes by The Rapture (Scene 1)

**Lion by Kacy Hill (Scene 2)

**Born to Die by Lana Del Rey (Scene 3 pt. 1)

**Soldier by Fleurie (Scene 3 pt.2)

White. Hot. Rage.

That's all that coursed through Jace's veins as he drove. He'd ditched his car for Clary's motorcycle, knowing that it would be easier to weave in and out of traffic if he did. He lost count of how many people who honked at him for cutting them off, but he didn't stop, didn't slow down. If these people thought that they'd get in his way, they were dead wrong. Pissed didn't even cover how angry he was. No, he was livid.

It'd been twenty four hours since he last saw Clary, since those elevator doors slammed shut in his face, leaving him with the very SOBs that took him from her. Let's just say they didn't last much longer after that. The asswipes hadn't even known what to do with him at first, until one of them suggested that they put him in some kind of holding cell for a few hours, just until he calmed down. But Jace hadn't let any of that happen.

As soon as they dragged him out of the garage and into a deserted alleyway, he unleashed all of his pent up fury on all three of them. They hadn't seen it coming, and to be honest, neither had he. There'd just been so much adrenaline pumping through his veins at the time that nothing could stop him. He'd beaten those guys to a pulp in a matter of minutes. But hey, at least they were already at a hospital.

And by the time he'd gotten back inside and flew down the stairs to emergency exit, Clary was already gone. He had no idea where that prick of a CEO was taking her, but he was damn well going to find out.

Now, he was a man on a mission. He only had one destination in mind as he weaved his way through traffic, pissing off more and more people. He was blinded by the scent of Clary's shampoo, which was all he could smell with the full-faced helmet he was wearing. She was all he could think about for the past day, all he could see, all he could smell. She was everywhere, yet nowhere at all. But he was going to find a way to get her back, even if it meant taking the fall with her.

Once Jace pulled up in front of the Agency, he jerked the motorcycle to a stop and yanked off his helmet. Not even giving the bike enough time to cool off, he took the keys out of the ignition, kicked the kickstand into place and grabbed the crowbar he'd hidden in the seat. After tucking the keys into his pocket, he ran a hand through his hair and strode determinedly towards the colossal sized church. He must have looked like he was out for blood with his dark clothes and cold eyes, his fingers busy twirling the crowbar in his hand.

When he broke through the church doors, he didn't stop until he reached the wall and found the sweet spot. After knocking on it three solid times, it slid apart, revealing the futuristic elevator he'd become accustomed to over the months.

"Identification," the familiar robotic voice stated after the doors closed.

Jace glanced down at the glass pane Agents were supposed to use to get upstairs. Problem was, he wasn't an Agent, so his prints wouldn't get him anywhere. But he'd figure out a way; he always did.

Tightening his grip on the crowbar, he shoved the curved edge into the control panel above the glass pane and pried it open. The voice was still asking for his identification as he tossed the metal cover and crowbar to the floor. His gaze then fell on the array of multi-colored wires that allowed the fingerprint-elevator system to operate. At first he had no idea what the hell he was looking at, but like someone flipped on a switch in his brain, he knew exactly which wires to grab and yanked them out of place. He'd never felt so proud of his high IQ until then. It was like he was working on autopilot, and after a moment, he had two wires coiled around each other, sparking the elevator into action.

"Access granted," the voice echoed.

Jace hit the floor he wanted and leaned back against the wall. His fists were clenched and his jaw was working overtime, but he didn't attempt to relax himself. He was raging and he wanted everyone around him to know it.

As soon as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open, Jace pushed himself off the wall and strode over to the secretary's desk, immediately getting Tessa's attention.

He leaned on the desk. "Where's—"

She cut him off. "Down the hall. Last door on the left."

Jace raised a brow. "How did you . . ."

She shrugged. "Jon called."

"Of course," he muttered.

Tessa clicked her tongue. "I'd speed this along if I were you. He has a meeting in an hour."

"Thanks, Tess." Tapping his fingers on the desk, he sent her a curt nod before moving around it. His body stayed tense as he made his way down the corridor, his anger rolling off of him in waves. People were giving him strange looks, some looking a little alarmed, but no one made a move to stop him. Smart choice.

Once Jace reached the door Tessa instructed him to go to, he didn't stop to knock, didn't hesitate in fear that this was completely unprofessional. He simply acted on impulse and reached out to twist the knob, throwing the door open before he could overthink it.

Director Graymark looked up just in time to see him storm inside. The door closed with a loud thud behind him, descending the room into silence. At the sight of him, Luke sat up straighter in his chair and furrowed his brows.

"Herondale? How'd you get in here?"

Jace ignored his question and strolled over to the large mahogany desk, slapping his hands on the surface. "So, what? Clary almost dies trying to save my life and she gets fucking arrested for it? What in the hell is wrong with you people?"

Luke sighed. "Look, I know you're upset, but now is not the time to act irrationally."

Jace laughed without humor. "It's a little late for that, don't you think? That ship sailed the second I punched your prick of a CEO in the face."

"You need to calm down," Luke warned.

He narrowed his eyes. "I know I need to calm down. But guess what? The only person that could even attempt to calm me down right now is God knows where doing God knows what."

Luke reached up to adjust his glasses. "Well, maybe if you stop trying to strike me dead with your eyes and take a seat, I can inform you on what's been going on."

Grumbling out an incoherent response, Jace reluctantly plopped down in the chair behind him, and with his hands clasped together, he leaned forward and asked, "Where is she?"

"The Agency's Penitentiary," Luke responded calmly. "They've got her in a holding cell for now. But last I heard, they were waiting for a judge to see her case."

"Isn't this all going a little too fast?" He ran a hand through his hair. "I mean, does she even have a lawyer? Someone to help her out?"

"She doesn't get a lawyer. That's not how these things work," he said. "Maybe in your everyday system of law, but this is the Agency we're talking about. When you sign the contract to become an Agent, you give up those rights."

"So, what's the plan?" Jace asked impatiently.

"Plan?"

"Yeah." He sent him an incredulous look. "You know, to get her out of this."

Luke shook his head. "There is no plan. She has to plead her own case and take whatever punishment the judge gives her. Believe me, I've been calling around for hours to see if anything could be done, but . . . my hands are tied. As a director, I have no jurisdiction."

Jace noticed the same look of helplessness on Luke's face that he'd been sporting for the past day. This was affecting him just as much. But they couldn't just accept what was happening to Clary; they had to find a way to fight back. Right?

"There has to be something we can do. I promised Clary that I would fight for her, and that's exactly what I'm going to do. With or without your help."

Leaning back in his chair, Luke eyed him skeptically. "Do you honestly think that you can stop this on your own?"

Jace shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. But if this all goes to shit, at least I can say that I gave it my all, that I didn't go down without a fight. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I just sat back and did nothing while she got carted away."

"You really do love her, don't you?" He shook his head as if he just couldn't believe it, which was truly idiotic. But Jace answered anyway.

"With everything I have," he confirmed without hesitation. "Which is why I'm not giving up. If saving her means burning down this entire building, believe that I'll do it. So, unless you have something that could help me out, I'll be on my way."

"Where would you go?"

He stood. "I'll track this CEO down myself and plead my own case. This is all my fault anyway."

Luke raised a brow at this. "How so?"

"I'm the one who pursued her in the beginning." He ran a hand over his face and sighed. "She kept telling me that the mission had to come first, but I didn't listen. I initiated the kiss that started our relationship, I begged her to take the risk and be with me, and look where that got us." He sat back down, placing his head in his hands. "I'm the reason why we fell in love."

"You're right."

Jace wasn't expecting him to say that. Furrowing his brows, he raised his head and caught the other man's stare. "What?"

Luke shrugged. "I'm saying that all of that could definitely be true, but answer me this. If you could go back in time and make it so that your relationship with Clary never happened, would you take that chance? Would you deprive yourself of those moments if it meant that she'd be safe and onto her next mission right now?"

Jace thought about it for a moment. On the one hand, if they'd never gotten together and kept things strictly professional, Clary would've never felt the need to share government secrets with his friends, she would've never loved him and went against Agency protocol. But on the other hand, he would've never known what it felt like to kiss her, to hold her, to love her. He would be depriving himself of happiness. The answer was simple.

"No."

It was selfish as hell, but it was the truth. Kissing her that night was one thing that he'd never regret. Even if he knew that he'd get his heart broken in the end, he wouldn't change a damn thing. Being with her was worth it.

Luke smiled at his answer. "And if I asked Clary the same question, what do you think her answer would be?"

"The same. She wouldn't change anything either," he said confidently. There was no doubt about that.

"That's the thing," Luke said. "If neither of you are willing to say that you regret it, that your time spent together was a mistake, then there's nothing to plead."

"I could—"

He cut him off. "No, you couldn't. They've got state of the art lie detectors. Nothing gets past them."

"Damn it." He clenched his jaw. "Will Clary be hooked up to one for her case?"

"Most likely. It's just a simple wristband, but it's surprisingly effective. That thing can pick up even the smallest of lies."

Jace sighed. "So, there really isn't much we can do, is there?"

"As much as it pains me to say, I don't think there is. The Agency has certain rules that aren't meant to be broken. Do I agree with them? No. But for now, there's not much I can do about it."

"Clary said something about you wanting to take over the Agency. Is that still an option?" he asked hopefully. They may not have been able to get Clary back scot-free, right this very second, but if Luke worked his way up to owning the place, maybe he could pull some strings and make this mess go away.

Luke shrugged. "Even if I did want to become CEO, the process would take months, maybe even a year. That's not going to do anything for Clary right now."

"But think long term," Jace said. "Would you be willing to start that process if meant getting her out of this sooner rather than later?"

His answer was immediate. "I'd do anything for her."

"Seriously?" he asked.

"Yes." Luke looked down at his hands. "That girl is my daughter; has been ever since she came to me bloody and broken that night. I owe my life to her father and I'll do whatever it takes to protect her."

Jace leaned forward with a hint of a smile on his face. "Now we're on the same page."

He seemed to understand now. "Alright. I'll see what I can do. This isn't a sure thing, but I'm willing to try."

"Great." Jace stood up again. "Now, where is this here penitentiary?"

"That's confidential."

"Does it look like I care?" he bit back. "I need to see her. So either you tell me where it is, or I'll beat the answer out of someone else."

Luke held his stare for a moment, most likely trying to call his bluff. But he was dead serious. He wasn't going to let anything get in his way. Luke seemed to notice this, because after a moment, he sighed and picked up a pen and paper. Jace watched as he quickly jotted down the address and handed it over.

Looking down at the sticky note, he memorized the address and gave it back. "Thanks."

Luke eyed him. "You know there's a chance that you won't get in."

He was already moving towards the doors. "I'll find a way."

His mouth opened again, but before he could speak, the phone on his desk began to ring. Jace paused in his stride and turned back to face Luke as he answered the phone.

"Director Graymark." He stayed silent as the person on the other end spoke. "Are you sure? . . . Alright, thanks for the update . . . Call back if you find out anything else." He abruptly hung up the phone and sighed, pushing a hand through his hair.

Jace swallowed dryly. "What was that about?" Whatever it was, it couldn't have been good.

Luke hesitated for a split second before finally answering him. "That was a friend of mine. He works at the penitentiary and has been keeping an eye on Clary since the CEO arrived with her." He cleared his throat, getting to the point. "They found a judge for her case. It's starting now."

His eyes widened. "Damn it."

Not sparing Luke another glance, he rushed out of the office and ran down the hallway. He didn't stop until he reached the elevators and forced the doors to close. And as soon as it hit the bottom floor, he sprang right back into action. Straddling Clary's bike once again, he shoved the key into the ignition and slid on his full-face helmet.

And with the penitentiary's address in mind, he revved the engine and sped away, hoping to God that he got there in time.

.o.O.o.

"Clarissa Morgenstern?"

At the sound of her name, Clary rose from the cot in her holding cell and stood to attention. The last person that came to her cell was just a nurse checking her bandages, but other than that, she'd been sitting in silence. They'd given her breakfast at least. It wasn't much, but it'd hold her off for a while.

Honestly, she had no idea what was going on. No one would answer her questions, which was really starting to piss her off. She had a right to know what they were doing with her. God, she just needed Jace. She'd give anything to have his arms wrapped around her or to have him murmur sweet nothings in her ear and pepper kisses all over her face. She lived for those moments with him, but as time went on, she began to think that it'd be a while before they had another one of those moments.

Over the past twenty-four hours, Clary tried to come up with a valid argument for why she did what she did, why she broke so many rules, but she didn't come up with much. She did start a relationship with a client, she did try to reveal secrets that were coveted by the Agency. All of that was true, and to make matters worse, she didn't regret a single second of it.

So, for now, all she could do was hope that the judge understood where she was coming from. Maybe she'd just get a warning, considering that it was her first time out in the field and she still had a lot to learn. If she spun her story the right way without lying, she could get in the clear and avoid an actual punishment.

With her chin raised, she stared at the tall, African-American man in front of her. "Yes?"

The man looked down at the clipboard in his hands. "I'm here to take you to your trial with Judge Hawthorne," he said. "But first we have to get a lie detector and some cuffs on you."

Clary nodded, watching as he put the small clipboard away and retrieved a pair of cuffs. With a sigh, she held out her arms, preparing herself for the usual rough treatment, but when he gently placed the cuffs on her wrists and made sure not to make them too tight, she didn't know what to think. Maybe he'd heard about her injuries and was worried about her suing him if he put her in pain.

She kept her eye on him as he guided her out of the room. The hallways were empty and quiet, any sounds contained by the solid cell doors. Keeping up with the man's not-so-quick pace, she ran over last minute arguments, still finding that she pretty much had nothing. Hopefully this guy was a huge softie that she could easily charm.

"I'm also here to relay a message."

Clary almost jumped at the sound of his voice so close. But she had to admit, his statement spiked her interest. "A message?"

He glanced around before answering. "I'm a friend of Lucian Graymark. I've been keeping an eye on you for him since you got here and I've already told him about your upcoming case."

Clary kept listening as they entered a white room that she assumed was used to prep people like her before they stepped foot in front of their judge.

"Now, while we cannot do anything to help you at the moment, Lucian is starting the process of taking over the Agency as CEO. There are plenty of people, including myself, who agree that he would make a mighty fine leader. We need someone who knows the Agency inside and out, not a wealthy politician looking for power."

"He's doing this for me?" Clary asked.

"Sure is." He took off her cuffs and moved towards a box in the corner. "Said he'd do anything for his daughter."

She blushed. "That sounds like Luke."

"Yeah, apparently some kid convinced him to do it."

"Jace?"

The man shook his head. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, I didn't catch a name."

She sighed in defeat, wanting so badly to know where he was. "Jace is my boyfriend," she told him. "He's . . . part of the reason why I'm here."

The man finally returned with a wristband and as he stood in front of her, she finally got a glimpse of the name tag on his uniform. Winston. Nice name.

He grinned. "Forbidden love, eh?"

Clary raised a brow. "You familiar with the concept?"

Winston shrugged. "It's how I met my wife," he said simply. "I'm a retired Agent, but I'll never forget that mission. It was an undercover drug bust with the Cartel. She was the sister of one of the members and didn't want any part of his life. She was so unsuspecting of the dangers around her that I put aside my mission for the Cartel and made it my mission to protect her. Didn't take long to fall for her either and after that, there was no going back."

"Were you fired for falling for her?" she asked.

"No. Back then it wasn't as big of a deal. You love who you love, you know?" He slipped the wristband onto her left wrist. "Besides, the mission was a success and I got her out of that dangerous environment. If anything, me falling for her saved her life."

"But things have changed, haven't they?"

Winston sighed. "Yes, they have. But luckily we're working on that now. It might take a while, but it'll be worth it in the long run."

Clary stayed silent, watching as he adjusted the lie detector until the oval on top turned green. Then he took a step back and met her gaze.

"Are you Clarissa Morgenstern?"

"Yes," she answered and the oval stayed green.

"Alright, same question. Are you Clarissa Morgenstern?"

"No." The oval immediately turned red.

Winston nodded, looking pleased with how the wristband was working.

"Is there any chance that I can walk away from this without punishment?" she asked, hopeful.

Slapping the cuffs back on, Winston let out a breath and contemplated her question. "I guess there's only one way to find out."

Clary looked down at her hands. "You're right."

"You ready?" he asked tentatively.

She nodded. "Yeah. Take me to Judge Hawthorne," she said, her tone full of confidence. It was all she had left, after all.

Winston grabbed her arm once again. "Very well."

They descended back into silence once they left the room. It was obvious that he shouldn't have been talking to her or relaying any messages, but he did it anyway, and she was grateful for that. The fact that Luke was willing to take over the Agency just to help her out meant the world to her.

Maybe it would all be alright after all.

.o.O.o.

The minute Clary set foot in front of her judge, her heart sank into her stomach. First of all, Judge Hawthorne was not a man that she could attempt to charm. She was a sixty year old woman who looked pissed off at the mere sight of a teenager. There would be no charming this woman, that's for sure. She didn't look like one who took things like government secrets and forbidden love lightly. So, in other words, Clary was screwed.

Judge Hawthorne let out a sigh and adjusted her glasses. "Let's wrap this up quickly, shall we? I have a lunch to get to."

Oh, she was in a rush too? As if things couldn't get any worse.

Clary nodded. "Of course, your honor."

The room was small. There was no need for pews or a section for a jury to sit and watch the case unfold. It was just her, the judge, and the security detail by the door.

"So," Judge Hawthorne looked down at the pile of papers in her hand. "Says here that you've been brought in for attempting to expose government secrets." She squinted her eyes. "And for getting involved with your client. Is this true, Miss Morgenstern?"

Clary's gaze fell to her wristband, knowing that the judge was watching it also for any hints of red. But she wouldn't be lying today.

"Yes, your honor," she replied truthfully.

Judge Hawthorne nodded. "What kind of government secrets were you attempting to reveal, and to whom exactly?"

Clary swallowed. "During my mission, I acquired a generous amount of friends. Now, I know the Agency warns us about not getting in too deep, but they are good people and I truly respect them, which is why I could no longer keep up with the lies. Getting shot, and going through that near death experience, made me realize that I wanted it all out in the open. No more lies, no more secrets. Sadly, I ended up here before I could tell everyone everything, but I don't regret feeling that way. In my opinion, they deserved to know."

The judge lifted her gaze from the wristband, glancing back at the paper with slight distaste. "What about your client? Did you not know that a relationship with him was illegal in your case?"

"I somewhat knew. But I never really paid much attention to that part of the lecture back at the Academy because I never thought that it'd apply to me."

"And look where your ignorance got you," Hawthorne stated.

Clary bit back a snide remark, trying to focus on getting herself out of this. "We fell in love," she told the judge. "It wasn't planned, I wasn't going out of my way to persuade him; it just . . . happened."

"I see," Judge Hawthorne said, and she knew what was coming next. "Do you regret it now?"

She held her chin up. "Not a single second of it. He's the best thing that's ever happened to me, your honor. Surely you can attest to that."

To her surprise, the judge let out a snort. "You teenagers, always confusing simple attraction and endearment for love."

Okay, now she was getting a little pissed. "All due respect, your honor, my age has nothing to do with this. I am aware of what love is, and I know what it feels like."

"Well then, let me ask you this, Miss Morgenstern. Was all of this worth it? Putting your career on the line for a guy that might not even remember your name when you move on from this mission? Falling for a guy who probably only saw you as a challenge and probably pursued you only because you were forced to stay under the same roof? Trusting his friends with secrets you swore to protect, all because you wanted to fit in and be a normal teenager?" She met her hard gaze. "Was it really worth it?"

Clary took in a deep breath through her nose. Although the judge was spouting utter nonsense, she couldn't exactly call her out on said nonsense. But still, she was sick and tired of being disrespected by this woman.

"I know what he and I have. We may be teenagers, but our love for each other runs deep. I mean, excuse my language, but I took a goddamned bullet for him. What more can I do to prove that this isn't a joke? And now you're sitting here asking me if it was all worth it?" She shrugged. "Well, guess what? It was worth it. I understand that this place has certain rules for a reason, but I feel like I've been allowing you people to dictate my life for too long. I'll always want to be an Agent, but not if it means lying to the people I care about most and depriving myself of the happiness that I deserve."

Judge Hawthorne stayed silent for a moment, taking in everything she said before speaking again. "So, what I'm hearing is that you feel no remorse? If you had the opportunity for a do-over, you'd do it all again?"

She sighed. "I wish I could say I wouldn't, but then this thing would turn red and we don't want that," she said, tapping the oval, which hadn't strayed from green for the entire trial.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

The judge leaned forward, folding her hands together. "Well then, you leave me with no choice. And it pains me, because you are such a smart girl, and to think you're in this predicament because of a boy and his friends . . . it truly hurts." She scanned the papers once more. "Seeing as though the accusations against you are all true, since you have not disproved them, I am forced to give some sort of punishment." There was a pause as she set the papers down. "Now, these charges alone can get you up to five years in this place, but I see your potential and I think this punishment could be good for you."

Clary suddenly became nervous. "What kind of punishment?"

Judge Hawthorne reached out to grab her gavel. "I sentence you, Clarissa Adele Morgenstern, to two years in isolation." She pounded the gavel onto the block in front of her, causing Clary to flinch.

She furrowed her brows. "Isolation?"

The older woman began to explain. "You'll be taken to a place out of state, far away from the Agency, far away from your everyday life. It'll most likely be a house in a secluded area where you'll have one roommate/guardian. You will be given necessities, but no outside contact is allowed and you yourself will not be allowed to leave the property. I trust that after the two years, you will have matured enough to realize your mistakes and carry on with the Agency. If not, you will stay until you do. Am I clear?"

Clary just stared at the judge for a moment. She'd imagined that worst case scenario, she'd end up having to do a few months in the penitentiary, where she could still have phone calls and visitors. But two years? All alone in a place she didn't know without any outside contact? Was this woman crazy?

"Will I at least be able to call my brother?" she asked frantically, knowing that she really wanted to ask about Jace. "We've never gone that long without seeing or talking to each other. I need to be able to reach him."

"Isolation means no contact," the judge said. "You'll learn soon enough. As soon as they find a place, a car should be on its way to take you to your new home for the next couple of years."

"You can't do this," Clary pleaded. "None of it is fair."

"It's the least aggressive punishment I could give you, Clarissa. Take it while you still can."

She watched as the judge gathered the rest of her paperwork and stood, motioning for the guards to take her away. Then she looked down at her watch and Clary was reminded that she had a lunch to get to.

As the guards moved towards her, she turned to meet the judge's gaze one last time. "Of course. Well, enjoy your lunch." And for the second time that day, the oval turned red.

Judge Hawthorne noticed and sent her a smile. "Good luck, Clarissa. I hope to see a marked improvement from you."

Clary kept her lips pressed firmly together, knowing that she'd only give this woman a piece of her mind if she spoke. Seeing that she was done talking, the judge turned her back on them and left the room, as if she just couldn't get away fast enough. Clary scowled at the woman's back as the two guards grabbed her arms and led her out of the small courtroom.

They weren't as gentle as Winston, but they weren't hurting her either. Not that she'd be able to tell. Right about now, she just felt numb. None of this was supposed to happen. After the mission, she was supposed to go to the actual prom with Jace, graduate, and then move on to college with him and the rest of their friends. But by the looks of it, they'd already be in their second year of college by the time she got out. And the worst thing about it? She didn't even get to say goodbye. She'd give anything to see Jace one last time, even if it was just for a second, even if she didn't get to touch him. One last goodbye was all she wanted.

The guards led her down yet another hallway, forcing her to keep up with their long strides and before she knew it, she was being put into another lifeless, barren room. One of the guards reached out to remove her cuffs and then the wristband. She immediately rubbed her sore wrists.

"Do I at least get a phone call before I leave? There are people wondering where I am."

The guard to her left shook his head. "You heard the judge. No contact means no contact."

"But—"

They ignored her and the other guard continued. "A car should be here soon. Someone will come back to get you when it's time."

She tried to ask more questions, but before she could even get a word out, the guards left the room, slamming the door shut in her face. Clary turned to look at the confined room. It felt like the walls were closing in on her, squeezing the air out of her lungs. It was strange, because she never had a problem with small spaces before. But after a moment of trying and failing to get her breathing under control, she realized that it wasn't claustrophobia that she was feeling, it was something else entirely. She was having a panic attack.

There was a large window in the corner of the room and Clary let out a relieved breath at the sight of it. Climbing onto the window sill, she drew her legs up and hugged them against her chest. There wasn't much to look at outside, just another part of the building, but it was enough to calm her breathing a little. Tears welled in her eyes as she stared blankly out the window. All the hope that she'd had before seeped out of her body, leaving her with that same empty feeling. There wasn't anything worse than this. Being upset and angry was one thing, but to feel nothing at all was the lowest of the low.

Clary didn't know how long she sat there, staring out into the void, but when the door opened again, she didn't bother to look up. If they wanted to take her, they'd have to come and get her themselves. The door clicked shut and she expected to hear footsteps coming towards her, but the sharp intake of breath from her visitor shook her to the core.

"Baby . . ."

Wiping her face, Clary immediately turned in the window sill so she could see for herself if he was really there, or if this was just a figment of her imagination. But then she saw his tall, muscular figure across the room and stumbled to her feet. "Jace? How did you—"

He crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her before she could finish. "Ask me again in another minute or so," he said, and then he pressed his lips to hers. Clary wrapped her arms around his neck and moaned, matching the desperation and passion of his kiss. It was all she needed at the moment.

Him.

As he kissed her, Jace's hands slid past her waist and over her ass, finally stopping at the back of her thighs. Gripping them firmly, he lifted her up, forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist. With her wrapped around him, he took a few steps back and once he was pressed against the wall, he slid down until they were both on the floor.

Clary broke the kiss once he sat down and moved so she could comfortably straddle him. Then she grabbed his wrists and pulled his arms around her, but he refused to hold her as tightly as she wanted him to. Lifting her hands, she grasped his cheeks and leaned her forehead against his. "Hold me. Please."

He looked between her eyes, his golden ones hesitant. "I don't want to hurt you," he whispered.

She shook her head. "You won't. I can handle it. I just really need your arms right now, Jace."

"Okay." His arms tightened around her waist and although she felt a flash of discomfort for no more than a second, she relished in the feeling of being surrounded by his warmth.

Sighing, Clary ran her fingers through his hair. "How did you get here?"

"I went to go see Luke earlier and demanded to know where you were. It took some convincing, which eventually led him to giving me the address. He said it wouldn't be easy to get in, but I had to try."

"Wait. You went to the Agency alone?" He nodded and she furrowed her brows. "How did you get in?"

Jace grimaced. "I kind of broke into the control panel with a crowbar and hot wired the elevator."

Clary gasped and slapped his shoulder. "Jace!" she scolded. "Are you crazy?"

Leaning forward, he planted a kiss to her lips. "Crazy about you." He held her tighter. "Nothing was going to keep me from you, Tiger. Those men who pulled me away from you? I sent them all to the hospital with broken bones. After that, I was pretty much unstoppable. And I don't regret anything because it led me to you."

"So you just walked in here and they let you come see me?"

"Well, not exactly," he said. "At first they weren't letting me through, but the guy at the front desk looked kind of like Simon—you know, easily intimidated. I threatened him a little, but that only made him call security. So, the next thing I know, in comes this big, MMA looking dude with muscles the size of my head and a face like Morris Chestnut—seriously the guy was handsome, I'll admit that."

Clary raised a brow. "He sounds really familiar. What was his name?"

"I'm not sure, but as soon as he got there, he told Simon's doppelgänger that he'd handle it. Then he dragged me into a hallway and told me how he was Luke's friend and would help sneak me in here. And I was like, thank fuck for that, because I seriously thought I was going to get thrown out on my ass."

She snorted. "That was Winston. He was helping me out earlier and told me about Luke's plan. He's really sweet, actually."

"Well, he's the reason why I'm here. So, I owe him big time. He said he'd create a diversion that'll give us some time together."

"Good." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "There's a lot we need to talk about."

Realization seemed to hit him. "Oh, shit. Your trial. How'd it go?"

"Not so great," she admitted. "The judge wasn't empathetic at all."

"No?"

"She was cold and unforgiving, and didn't take a single word I said seriously. She thinks I'm in need of a wake up call."

"What kind of wake up call?"

She sighed. "They're taking me away, Jace."

"How long?" he asked.

She bit her lip and glanced away, not knowing how he was going to react when she told him. Would he be able to wait for her? Would this tear them apart? Part of her didn't want to know the answer.

One of his hands rose to cup her cheek and he forced her gaze on his. At the sight of her nervousness, his eyes widened. "Clary, tell me how long."

"Two years," she finally said, her chest clenching painfully at his expression.

His lips parted. "No."

Clary bit back another rush of tears. "It's true. The judge thought that it was necessary that I take some time to mature. Maybe then I could live up to my full potential as an Agent."

He dropped his hand and wrapped it back around her waist. "That's bullshit," he said. "This has nothing to do with how good of an Agent you are. You're better than anyone else I've seen." He looked pissed. "This is about keeping you under their control. I bet your CEO put the judge up to this. They're afraid of you, Clary. That's why they did this, and it's completely fucked up."

"You may be right, but it doesn't matter anymore. I've been sentenced already. In fact, there's a car on its way to take me to some place out of state right now. There's no escaping this, Jace. What's done is done."

"There is a way," he said, trying to keep her hopes up. "Luke is starting the process of becoming CEO as we speak. We can get you out of this before you're in too deep."

She shook her head. "It's a long process that might take the entire time I'm away. You can try, but don't get your hopes up. I don't want you thinking that I'm going to be back in a few months and then getting angry when I'm not. You're going to have to accept that we're going to be apart for a while."

He buried his face into the crook of her neck and let out a sigh. "I know, but two years is a long time, Clary."

Her heart rate picked up and she felt her panic coming back. "Are you afraid that you won't be able to wait that long? That you won't be able to stay committed?"

"What?" Jace lifted his head and gave her an unbelieving look. "Are you serious right now?"

Clary reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear. "You said it yourself. Two years is a long time. And college is full of girls with tons of experience and boobs the size of watermelons. I'm sure once they get a glimpse of this," she motioned to his body, "they'll be all over you. What if, after a while, you get tired of waiting for me?"

Reaching out, he grasped her hand in his and pressed it against his chest. She gasped at the feeling of his rampant heartbeat. With his other hand, he cupped her cheek, his golden eyes boring into hers. "Alright, I have no idea where these insecurities are coming from, but if you think for one second that I could ever look at someone else and feel what I feel for you, there's something seriously wrong in that little head of yours." He tightened his grip on her hand. "My heart is yours, Clary. Always has been, always will be. It doesn't matter how many girls shove their watermelons in my face. I've stopped feeling attraction to other girls the minute we got together. It's like a switch in my brain flicked off and all I can see is you."

Clary looked down at their hands, realizing how crazy she sounded. It was that stupid judge getting into her head. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I understand why you're worried." He let go of her hand and looked down. "I haven't exactly had the best track record with girls, but I've changed. You're all I want in life, Tiger. No matter where you are, or what you're doing, I'll always be yours. Nothing is ever going to get in the way of my love for you, okay? I'm going to need you to trust me on that."

"I do," she whispered. "I do trust you."

"I wish there was a way I could prove it to you." He picked up her hand again and pressed his lips to her fingers, peppering kisses along her knuckles. "Honestly, if I could put a ring on your finger right this second, I would."

Clary stared at him, mouth agape. "Are you seriously asking me to marry you right now?"

Jace nibbled on her ring finger. "Oh you'll know when I'm asking you to marry me. It'll be when you're screaming: 'Yes! Yes! Oh my God, Jace. Yes!'"

She hit him in the arm, her cheeks turning bright red. "That sounded a lot like sex," she said.

"Oh, there will be a lot of that too." He placed his hands back on her hips. "Two years without touching you is going to kill me. But I'll wait for you." He leaned his forehead against hers. "However long it takes."

Clary held him against her. "Promise me something."

"Anything," he whispered.

"Just . . . be happy," she said simply. "I know the first few months aren't going to be easy—hell, it might not ever get easy—but you have to promise me that you'll at least try to enjoy the life you have after we leave this room." She cupped his cheeks and managed to give him a small smile. "Go hang out with the guys, go to stupid college parties and drink loads of alcohol, keep training with Jon, and work on being not so much of an asshole." An amused smirk tugged at his lips as she continued. "Look, I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't put your life on hold because of me. Don't feel like you don't deserve to be happy because I'm not there. That's exactly how I felt after my parents died and I'd never wish that feeling on someone else."

He furrowed his brows. "You want me to be happy that you're gone?"

"No, I want you to be happy while I'm gone. When I think about you on those late nights alone, I need to know that you're not just moping around feeling sorry for yourself. I need to know that you'll let our friends comfort you and lift you up when you're down. Don't push them away. Can you do that for me?"

Jace closed his eyes and gave a slight nod. "I can try."

"Good." She pressed her lips to his, trying to stay strong for the both of them even though she felt like breaking down right then and there. "And I know there will be days where you feel angry and upset at the world, wondering how it could tear something so beautiful and good apart. But on those days, just know that I'm thinking about you and that I love you." A few unwanted tears escaped, which Jace immediately wiped away. "Just know that whatever happens, we'll eventually find our way back to each other. We'll get our happy ending, Jace. I know it."

He reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, his gaze searching hers. "Promise?"

Clary brushed her lips against his as she whispered, "Cross my heart."

Groaning, Jace grasped her cheeks in his hands and brought her mouth down on his. The kiss was sweet at first, but the minute she parted her lips, allowing him to taste her, the sweetness of the kiss disappeared, replaced by fiery passion.

"I'm going to miss you so damn much," he murmured in between kisses.

Clary's hands slid down to his chest and clutched his jacket tightly. "I'm going to miss you more."

He shook his head. "Not possible."

She didn't respond, just kissed him harder. It probably looked like they were trying to eat each other's faces, but she didn't care. In this moment, she felt safe, like nothing else in the world mattered. It was just him and her, nothing else. Jace's hands left her face and started a path down her spine, soon landing on her bum once again. She moaned into his mouth as he squeezed and pulled her impossibly closer.

A knock at the door had them both pulling away from each other, their gazes falling on the door. Jace snapped out of his daze first and kept a hold of her as he stood. Placing her carefully back on her feet, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into him.

Clary furrowed her brows. "Come in?" She had no idea why they were asking for permission to take her away.

Seconds later, the door opened and a large figure stepped into the room. Clary let out a relieved breath at the sight of Luke's friend.

Winston shut the door behind him, one hand held over his eyes. "You two done mackin' on each other?"

She blushed and Jace smirked. "Yes, we are."

Winston removed his hand, revealing his handsome face. Jace was right; he did look like Morris Chestnut.

His gaze fell on Jace. "Was that enough time for you?"

"It'll never be enough time," he said. "But I really appreciate you getting me in here with her. I don't know how I can ever repay you for this."

Winston waved a hand. "Don't worry about it. Any friend of Luke's is a friend of mine, so I was glad to help. Besides, I have a soft spot when it comes to love."

"Well, thank you. For everything," she said sincerely.

"Is it time?" Jace asked.

Winston nodded and turned to face Clary. "They've found a cabin in Maine for you. A car will be here in a few minutes to take you there. I thought that it'd be better if I came and got him before they got here, since technically, no one else should be in here."

She bit her lip. "Can we get a minute?"

"Of course. I'll be out here waiting," he said.

Once he left, Clary let go of Jace's hand and threw her arms around his neck. His arms slid around her waist as he pressed his lips to her temple. They simply embraced for a few seconds before she pulled away to look up at him. She opened her mouth to speak, but he silenced her with another kiss.

"Please don't say goodbye," he whispered. "I don't think I can take it."

"I won't." She ran her fingers through his hair. "How does 'see you later' sound?"

"Better."

"I will come back, Jace. Nothing is going to stop me."

He nodded. "I know you will. That's why we're not going to say goodbye." He seemed to remember something because his hands left her waist and he shrugged off his jacket. Then he unwrapped her arms from around his neck and put the jacket on her. The sleeves went past her hands and the jacket itself fell to the middle of her thighs, but it was warm and smelled just like him. "It gets cold in Maine," he explained. "Besides, I know how much you enjoy wearing my clothes and all."

Clary smiled at the inside joke. "Thank you. This jacket and my locket may be my lifeline for the next two years."

"What's going to be mine?"

She knew exactly what it'd be. "My sketchbook. There's something in there just for you."

"I'll make sure to find it," he said.

Winston gave them a warning knock.

Clary sighed and turned back to face her boyfriend, trying her best to memorize his beautiful face for safe keeping. And even though she wouldn't say it, this was goodbye.

"See you later, Jace."

He grasped her cheeks, his eyes darting across her face. "See you later, baby."

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you more."

Clary sniffed and shook her head. "Not possible."

They moved towards the door and Jace reached out to grab the knob, but before he left, he leaned down and kissed her one last time. And when they parted, he looked between both of her eyes, the look conveying so much. She gave him a nod, silently telling him that he could do this. They would survive this and come out even stronger than before. She knew it.

Without another word, he turned the knob, opened the door, and backed out of the room, keeping his eyes on her as he did. And once he was out in the hallway, Winston placed a hand on his shoulder then leaned down to whisper something in his ear. Jace nodded and sent Clary one last longing glance before turning away, allowing Winston to lead him further down hallway, further from her.

The door closed after them and she leaned forward, placing her forehead against the cold metal. With one hand, she grasped her locket and closed her eyes. The only thing keeping her from freaking out was knowing that he'd be okay. It would take a while for them to get used to not seeing each other every single day, but they'd get through it. It was going to be hard, so hard, but she'd never give up on him. They would have that future together. One where they're not hiding from psychopaths, one where they get a college degree, one where they get married and start a family.

Moments later, two men entered the room and pulled her hands behind her back, slapping a pair of cuffs on her wrists. And as they led her down the hallway and towards the car taking her away from everyone and everything she cared about, she refused to hang her head in shame. Despite the void she felt in her heart and the fact that she had no idea what life would be like for the next two years, she knew one thing for sure.

It was all worth it.

What did you think?

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A/N: So, that's a wrap for PJ, guys . . . hahaha just kidding. Please don't kill me for that joke. There's definitely more to come. What did you think of Judge Hawthorne? How will Jace and Clary cope without each other? How will Jace explain her absence to their friends? Will Luke take over the Agency in time to save her? So many questions, I know, but you'll find answers soon. For now, here's the chapter question,

Question: Where are you from? I'm not looking for anything specific, just a country, or a city. I currently live in the U.S. . . . kinda wish I was somewhere else.