Hey, guys! I'm managing to keep up my daily updates (yay!) but that's gonna change once I post the next chapter. 39 is the last one, and I want to *really* make sure I get it done right. So I'm taking one or two days to look it over and make the changes I have to, and then I'm gonna post it, probably either Friday or Saturday.

Also, a quick note: Aline and Jace did not have sex. I know it seemed so, because they slept in the same bed, but it *is* possible for two people to sleep inthe same bed without having sex. And, besides, Jace still loves Clary, despite all the crappy things he's done. Also, just so you know, Jace broke up with Aline after the events of the last chapter and the two are now just friends.

Thank you guys so much for reading and reviewing! I noticed I hit 200 reviews, which is HUGE, so thank you, thank you, thank you! It means more to me than you could possibly imagine, and your reviews brighten my days! :) I hope you guys like this chapter!

Can you feel it now?
These walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down
This revolution, the time will come
For us to finally win

("Change" by Taylor Swift)

She'd been waiting for spring break to roll around for what seemed like an eternity.

After her weekend with Jace—her long, peaceful weekend, full of apologies and promises and things that were like music to her ears—Clary had ended things with Sebastian, telling him that, even though she thought he was a great guy, she couldn't be with him as long as she was with Jace. He didn't seem to appreciate the fact that he wasn't the one she'd chosen, but, then again, she never said she'd choose him.

Her mom had given her permission to go on her own, mostly because Clary deserved it and Jace did too, and her mother knew all about what had happened with them during winter break.

That had been a whole other thing Clary didn't want to think about. Her mother's reaction to everything was her worst nightmare.

All Jocelyn had told her, though, were a few simple words. Just a couple of them, and she said them with a cup of tea in her hand, a nonjudgmental smile, and a kind stare.

"I don't want to know the details of what's going on in your relationship, but I want you to know that you need to put yourself first right now."

She'd left before Clary could've questioned her further, though that was probably for the best, or the questions would've never stopped. What did she mean? Clary had to put herself first? In what way? How would she do that before completely hurting Jace and therefore ruining their relationship? They'd worked so hard, and she loved him so much—she wouldn't even think of it. She couldn't.

And now she was in a taxi and on the way to Jace's apartment. He told her he'd be staying in because he had to study for some exams, so she thought he'd make his spring break better and surprise him with her presence for a little less than a week.

It was well worth it, the decision and the money spent. Jace had flown over for Valentine's Day. And he knew she was going over sometime that week, but she just didn't know what day of the week.

She had a key to his room. He'd given it to her in February, saying that she could do with it whatever she wanted. She didn't know how that would help her until she got the brilliant idea of surprising him, catching him off guard when he least expected it, especially when he was going through a tough time in any way. That would've been the best.

And now it was. He had his mom still in rehab, exams, and their whole relationship thing now that he didn't have whoever it was he was sleeping with. Jace deserved to be caught off guard, to have something good going on for a change.

So she got a campus map and got to where his dorm was located, and she was shaking as she opened the door to his room.

And she felt herself growing livid at the sight in front of her.

Jace sat in his room, waiting for Aline to show up. They were supposed to have a study date, sine they had exams the following week. It sucked, having to stay behind because of it, but he did so anyway. Also, he wanted to rediscover what being her friend—just her friend—was like.

"Hi," she said when he opened the door for her. "How're you?"

"I'm fine, thanks." He said so with a smile. "How about you?"

"Great." She had the biggest smile on as she walked inside. "Ready to study?"

Not really. "Totally," Jace replied with a hint of sarcasm, which wasn't exactly unusual for him.

"Oh, come on," she replied playfully. "What's more fun than this?"

He rolled his eyes as she set down her stuff on his bed. He remembered the times when she'd been the one on it.

It wasn't like he regretted her, not exactly. It was more like he couldn't believe he let himself put his relationships with Clary on the line for it, for hooking up and having fun in college or whatever. He should've been smarter about the whole thing.

She began taking her books and notebooks out of her bag. "Anything, then," she said. "Let's get started on this."

Two hours later, Jace's brain was fried. He felt like he was going to explode. He was lying down on his back, looking up at the ceiling of his room. He listened as Aline droned on and on about the topic. She did really know her shit, unlike him.

"Hey," she said, her voice soft. "You okay?"

He nodded, yawning. "Can we take a nap or something?"

She let out a string of laughter. "You're gonna fail this exam."

"I'll do so with pride," he said, walking over to his bed and collapsing on top of it. "You can take Alec's bed. I'm sure he won't mind."

She didn't reply, and he shut his eyes, thinking of how exhausted he was. His head hurt, and he just felt like he would explode if sleep didn't come to him as quickly as he needed it to.

The bed shifted, and he wanted to say something. Anything. But he was too tired, and he thought she would just poke him until she was sure that he was asleep. It was a game they played when they were more than friends, and one that they hadn't played since they broke it off.

When her lips met his, he wasn't expecting it.

He opened his eyes suddenly, very aware of the fact that she was lying on top of him, her legs on either side of his body. He was in shock, his lips not moving. She deepened the kiss when he didn't stop it, which was a big, big mistake.

And then the door swung open.

They broke off the kiss, and Jace was finally able to react. He pushed her away gently, shaking his head, and looked up to see who'd opened the door, expecting it to be Alec.

He noticed the red hair before he noticed anything else, before he noticed that she looked devastated and like her heart had shattered into a million pieces. He wondered why he kept fucking it up, even though it wasn't his fault this time. It didn't matter. She was still standing there, looking at him as if he'd torn her open, and she shut her eyes.

She was mad when she opened them.

"I was stupid," Clary said. "So, so stupid. I thought you were done with this shit, but I was clearly wrong." She shook her head, and he wanted to punch himself in the face. "I'm done. We're done."

She began walking out, but Aline stopped her. "Wait," she blurted out. "Wait a second, Clary." She got off the bed. "I kissed him. He was just—he was falling asleep and too tired to think, but I kissed him. He was gonna stop it. Seriously. Besides, there can't be anything going on between us, and not just 'cause of you. I'm not—I was just testing something."

"You aren't making any sense." Clary shook her head. "What the hell do you mean, you were testing something?"

Aline shifted, and he noticed her nervousness. Jace wanted to ask, but he had a feeling he'd be finding out sooner than he thought. "A few weeks ago, there was a party. It was just after Jace and I had ended this whole thing, and I was kind of upset because, you know, I was his second choice. I hated being anyone's second choice, no matter what. So I got really, really drunk," she added, regret filling her voice. "And I hooked up with someone."

"Still not making any sense," Clary replied, tapping her foot impatiently.

"A girl," she said. "I hooked up with a girl."

Jace couldn't help but blink several times at the girl who stood in front of him, the one that had been on his bed only a few minutes before. He couldn't believe those words had stumbled out of her mouth, but there they were.

Out of all the things he would've thought she'd say, that wasn't one of them.

"Okay," Clary said to her, drawing the word out.

"And I liked it, and I was just making sure—I spent all that time trying to feel something for a guy. Some kind of attraction. I made myself be with Jace because I thought it was the perfect chance, but I still don't—I still like girls." Aline looked like she wanted to run out of the room as soon as she could.

Clary's expression changed completely, too. It grew from mad to understanding, and she looked at Jace to see if he knew any of it. When his look confirmed that he didn't, she nodded at him and at Aline. "Sorry," she said to the other girl, shaking her head. "I'm just—well, after everything that happened, I don't know. I really hope you would've picked someone else to test out you theory with."

Aline nodded. "I understand. I just…trust Jace, and I figured he wouldn't totally freak out if I told him the truth," she said. She walked back to the bed and kneeled down in front of Jace. "I'm sorry. I should've told you about it, but I was scared and I felt like an idiot."

"You shouldn't," he told her. "There's nothing to feel that way about."

She smiled. "I'll get my stuff and go."

He nodded, saying goodbye and watching her pack up her stuff and walk towards the door, stopping only to tell Clary that it was nice meeting her. He watched his girlfriend say it back and shut his eyes as the door closed and Clary sat down on the bed.

"I'm sorry that I didn't trust you," Clary said.

"I don't blame you," he replied. "I was an idiot, Clary, and I know it's gonna take a long time to regain your trust. But believe me when I say that I know better now."

She lay down beside him, nodding, his arms wrapped around her, and sleep finally came to him.

Let me know what you think! xo