Hello my lovelies. It's been a while since we've been here, but I'm so happy to be back. Quarantine definitely brought some worries for my health/CF, which gave me a horrible case of writer's block. Though I'm happy to report that I'm safe and healthy, and back with a vengeance. So enjoy this chapter and those to come!

And thank you to my beta for giving me a nudge to keep going every now and then :)

Disclaimer: All TMI characters belong to Cassandra Clare :)

Chapter Songs:

**no tears left to cry by Ariana Grande (Scene 1)

**Greek Tragedy by The Wombats (Scene 2)

**Dazed & Confused by Ruel (Scene 3)

The front door to the hotel room opened just as Clary finished braiding her hair. Looking up from the vanity mirror, she watched as Jace swaggered through the threshold with that signature smirk of his and what looked like a peach in his hand.

It'd been a week since they started their little adventure, and she had to say that each day was becoming better than the last. After spending a couple more days in Virginia, they did a quick pass through the Carolinas, where they ate some amazing food and met even kinder southerners. They'd reached the next stop on her list late last night. And after getting a good night's rest, Clary was very excited to see what the great city of Atlanta had to offer.

Today, she was dragging Jace to the Georgia Aquarium, which happened to be the largest in the country. She absolutely loved animals, so taking advantage of the place while they were there was a must.

Tying off one of her two braids with a tiny rubber band, Clary couldn't help but smile as she watched Jace move further into the room. He was dressed just as ridiculous as ever, with his favorite leather jacket, plain t-shirt, and roughed up jeans that looked like they were once plain until life got in the way.

If there was one thing she knew about Georgia so far, it was the life-altering heat. But Jace didn't appear to get the memo, because he continued to rebel and wear whatever the heck he wanted. Too bad he looked so good doing it.

With his smirk still in place, Jace tossed the peach in the air and caught it with ease. "Check it. An authentic Georgian peach." He held it out to her. "I figured you'd want to try one at some point—I mean, you kinda have to if you're here."

"Good point." She looked up at him. "But you should try it first since you went through the trouble of getting it."

Shaking his head, he pointed to his working jaw. That made Clary smile even wider because she knew exactly what that meant. Ever since that day at the waterfall, where he made the grand gesture of chucking those poison sticks into the water, he'd kept true to his word and hadn't touched the things since.

And in order to curb those cravings he was sure to have, he'd started chewing nicotine gum, which kept him from getting the nasty withdrawal symptoms that came with quitting cold turkey. It couldn't have been easy, but she was extremely proud of him.

"You still don't hate me for this?" she asked, tugging on the end of a braid.

With a roll of his eyes, Jace pushed the peach into her hand and crossed his arms. "How many times do we have to do this, princess?" Reaching up, he grabbed her wrist and tugged it away, forcing her to stop toying with her hair. "What I did was my choice, and I wouldn't change it for anything. Got that?"

Clary nodded and glanced down at the peach, running her thumb over the fuzz. Feeling his eyes on her, she brought the fruit to her mouth and took a tentative bite. The sweet, tangy flavor immediately exploded on her taste buds, making her close her eyes and sigh. Now she understood why the area was known for them. It was unlike any street vendor peach she'd had back home.

"Oh, my God," she murmured. "This is amazing. We're definitely going to need more."

Jace raised a skeptical brow and looked down at the peach. Swiping it from her hand, he used his free one to pluck the gum out of his mouth. And when he raised the exquisite fruit to his lips, she was surprised to see he hadn't turned it around, instead he put his mouth right where hers had been and bit down. Clary swore she flinched from the jolt of electricity that shot through her at the sight.

Did he mean to do that? Or was he torturing her on purpose?

It had to be the latter. A man like that had to have known the effect he had on women.

After chewing and swallowing, Jace popped the gum back into his mouth, all without taking his eyes off her. "Sweet," he said lowly.

Clary felt like she was being pulled into a trance, having those golden eyes staring deep into her soul. "Yeah," she mumbled offhandedly.

Jace smirked at her reaction to him as he returned the peach. Though she was barely paying attention to that—who could with those eyes?—so the fruit slipped through her limp fingers and landed with a small thump on the floor. That smirk of his turned into a full on grin as he began to chuckle.

"You can't keep doing that, Jace!" she playfully scolded.

He shrugged. "I don't know what you're talking about." Then he looked her up and down. "You ready to go?"

"Just a second." Turning on her heel, Clary rushed over to her bed to grab the mini backpack Isabelle gifted her. It didn't exactly go with the floral green dress she had on, but it allowed her to go hands free for the day. She also wasn't sure how the dress's long sleeves would hold up to the heat, but the fabric was light and airy, and the skirt rested gently against her thighs.

With the backpack now slung over her shoulders, Clary floated back over to Jace just as he was putting on his sunglasses. It only added to his overall appearance, while simultaneously highlighting the differences between them. It was an interesting contrast between hard and soft. No one would believe they had any connection to each other just by looking at them, but that didn't matter to her. Despite their differences, they managed to bridge the gap every day and be friends.

After checking that they had their room key, they rode the elevator down to the lobby and exited the hotel. Just as she expected, as soon as they set foot on the hot pavement, Jace reached back and offered his hand. Without hesitating, Clary intertwined her small fingers with his and allowed him to lead the way down the busy street.

That was one rule they'd come to break over the past few days. It started the day after the waterfall incident, where he not only saved her from drowning but also shared an important part of himself. The first time he initiated the hand holding, she was too shocked and elated to say anything, but curiosity got the better of her the next day when he did it again, and she couldn't stop herself from asking why.

I need to know you're with me, was all he'd said. Since then he hadn't said a word about it, and neither had she. At this point, she was afraid bringing it up would send them back to square one.

"Think you can walk in this heat or should I get us a cab?" Jace asked as he made a path for them with just his presence alone.

Clary snorted. "It's just down the street. Besides, you're the one who's gonna have a heat stroke in that jacket."

"Beauty is pain, princess." He looked down at her with a grin. "But it does help that I have a high tolerance for heat."

"Whatever you say, Jace," she said with a roll of her eyes.

He simply squeezed her hand in response.

"How are you even doing this, anyway?"

"Doing what?"

She motioned in front of them. "You're not even saying anything and people are just moving out of your way. It's like they're creating a path for you without even realizing it."

Jace chuckled. "You noticed that, huh?"

"It's kind of hard to miss," she told him.

"Well, I guess when you walk through life like you've got nothing to lose, people tend to take notice."

Clary crinkled her nose. "Everyone has something to lose."

Stopping momentarily at a crosswalk, Jace used his grip on her hand to pull her closer as people started to crowd the area. The gesture brought a small smile to her lips. Since the beginning, he'd always made sure she felt safe and that meant a lot to her.

"Maybe I'm starting to realize that," he murmured, staring down at her through his sunglasses.

"And is that a good thing?" Clary asked, her voice catching in her throat.

He seemed to hesitate, chewing hard on his gum before answering. "I think it has the potential to be."

She was still processing his statement when the crosswalk opened again and they were back on the move. A few moments later, the aquarium came into view and her mind immediately cleared of anything else. Without thinking, an excited squeal tumbled out of her mouth, which got a chuckle out of Jace and odd looks from bystanders.

Then, suddenly, she was the one tugging him down the street, but he seemed to have no trouble keeping up with her strides. In fact, he appeared amused by her effort to get her legs to move as fast as they could.

"You know the place doesn't close until tonight, right?"

Clary rolled her eyes. "Thanks, Captain Obvious. I'm just really excited. Other than nature documentaries, I haven't seen many animals up close."

Instead of teasing her, he asked, "What are you most excited to see?"

"The dolphins," she chirped. "They've always been my favorite animal, and they're incredibly beautiful, not to mention insanely smart."

He furrowed his brows in a sort of amused confusion. "Wow, okay. Let's make sure to get you in front of some dolphins ASAP."

"Not so soon," she said quickly. "I want them to be the last thing I see so I can let my excitement build."

He chuckled. "Kind of like a title fight in MMA. They always save the best for last."

"Um, yeah. Whatever that sports reference means." She scratched her head, but smiled anyway. "I'm saving the best for last."

"'Whatever that sports reference means'?" he asked incredulously. "Oh, princess. If we're gonna be friends, you at least need to know what the UFC is."

Clary cringed. "I do?"

"Ultimate Fighting Championship? Mixed Martial Arts?" He looked down at her. "Is any of this ringing a bell?"

"You mean the sport where people just beat each other up for a living?" she asked.

Jace tilted his head. "Yes, though it's not as simple as you put it. It's pretty underrated if you ask me, but like most sports, it takes a lot of skill and discipline."

A smile suddenly overtook her face at the excitement in his voice. "This sounds like something you're really passionate about."

It looked as if her comment caught him off guard. "What?"

"You're practically buzzing just talking about it," Clary pointed out. "Honestly, I was starting to think you didn't have any interests, but this is an exciting surprise."

He shrugged one shoulder. "It's no big deal. I know a lot of people just find it barbaric, but I've always been able to see the art in it."

As they neared the entrance to the aquarium, Clary paused and turned so she was facing him. "Well, I'd like to learn more about it, if that's okay with you."

"You're serious?" he asked with a raised brow.

She giggled. "Of course. I will admit I'm not a huge fan of violence, but if you can see the art in it, maybe I can too."

Jace continued to simply stare at her with a confused expression. With his sunglasses, she couldn't exactly read the emotions in his eyes, so it was hard to know what his silence meant for sure.

"What? You don't think I can handle it?" she teased.

Seeming to snap out of it, he glanced down at their hands as he ran his thumb over her knuckles slowly. "No. I guess I'm just not used to people wanting to know more about my interests."

That just made her smile wider. "That's what friends are for."

Tipping his head forward in a nod, a hint of a smile pulled at his lips as he turned and led them the rest of the way to the entrance.

Luckily, they were smart and purchased their tickets online, so it wasn't necessary to stand out in the sweltering heat, waiting for the long line to move. So, after a quick scan of Jace's phone, they were let inside the mammoth of a building with the world at their feet.

She had no idea where to begin, but that didn't matter much because they had the whole day to explore. Not letting herself hesitate, she picked the first exhibit on the map and began walking toward it, making a mental note to save the Dolphin Coast for last.

The first exhibit started off easy with freshwater fish. She imagined it would be one of the more colorful exhibits they'd see that day. It was amazing how many different species of fish there were, all swimming around together in harmony.

It was then that Jace let go of her hand, allowing Clary to roam free and fully immerse herself in the experience. She read every plaque, silently absorbing as much information as she could. And even though they were no longer connected, Jace was never far behind as she flitted from wall to wall. He definitely wasn't as excited about it all, but whenever she looked back at him or read him one of the many facts she found interesting, he always had a small grin on his face.

He wasn't exactly champing at the bit to observe and learn, but it was obvious her enthusiasm was rubbing off on him. Clary caught him more than once looking around with interest in his eyes, though Jace would never admit that he was having as good a time as her.

After she got her fill of the tiny fish, they moved on to the mammal exhibit which totally blew her mind. The minute she saw the penguins waddling around she couldn't contain her gasp, because the closest thing she'd ever come to penguins was watching Happy Feet as a child.

"Jace, oh my God, they're so cute!" Clary waved him over as the penguins walked around the rocks and splashed around in the water. "Oh, and it says these two are taking care of an egg! How sweet is that?" she asked, reading the plaque in front of her.

"Hmm, might want to do a paternity test considering the circumstances," he said, motioning to the many penguins in the exhibit.

Laughing, Clary nudged his shoulder. "Only you would think something like that."

Jace held his hands up in surrender. "I'm just saying, who's to say that guy is actually the father?"

"It says here that penguins mate for life." Standing up straighter, Clary glanced over at him, feeling her heart jump when she found his eyes right on her. "One life. One love. Most of us don't get that lucky."

His gaze didn't waver when he said, "No, we don't."

Feeling like their innocent joke about penguins was getting a little too deep, Clary cleared her throat and turned away, shielding herself from the intensity of his eyes.

It was rare for humans to mate for life, but that didn't stop most from imagining a world in which love could last a lifetime. Call her a dreamer, but she hoped a love like that was out there.

Snapping herself out of her fantasies, Clary led them through the rest of the exhibit, her excitement about the animals returning in no time. Though, when she looked back at Jace, he still looked deep in thought, his brows drawn together as he watched her.

It was clear that what she'd said stumped him, but she had no idea why. Maybe the idea of soulmates freaked him out, or maybe it was love in general. Whatever it was, she hoped in time he realized there was nothing to be afraid of. That no matter what he thought of himself, there was someone out there who would love him unconditionally. Flaws and all.

Once they moved on from the warm and cuddly mammals, their next stop was on the more dangerous end of the spectrum. Different species of sharks and stingrays swam the length of the hundred foot tunnel, making it feel as if they were in the water with them. While it was an interesting experience, Clary couldn't help but think of the movie Jaws and how she'd been terrified to even take a bath for weeks after watching it as a child.

Not even realizing what she was doing, she silently gravitated closer to Jace as they walked through the tunnel. Noticing the change in her demeanor, he let out a soft chuckle and looked down at her.

"Not so cute, huh?"

"Is it crazy that I have the Jaws theme music playing in my head?" she asked, wincing.

He shook his head. "Nah, that movie scared the shit out of me the first time I watched it. Knowing what these things are capable of, I don't blame you for being cautious."

They reached a part of the exhibit with floor to ceiling windows that gave them a wide view of the fish. Most people had their phones out taking pictures, but she and Jace simply watched as they swam by. "Now that I'm thinking about it, they're awfully big to be kept in there by a little glass. I mean, what keeps them from bursting right through if they wanted to?"

Jace tucked his hands into his pockets and smirked at her obvious worry. "Well, millions of people come here each year and leave unscathed, so I think we'd have to be horribly unlucky for them to pick today to snap."

"Okay, maybe you're onto something," she laughed, now finding her worries ridiculous. Waving them off, she joined the others around her and got closer to the glass. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity and she didn't want to miss a thing.

For the first few minutes, Clary quietly watched the sharks and stingrays pass by, along with some other smaller fish, but it was clear what everyone was there for. And she had to say these were some of the biggest creatures she'd even seen. She understood now why they were so feared by the rest of the ocean, and even those on land.

Though, she was so focused on the moving traffic that she didn't notice a shark swimming towards them head on. She heard a gasp from the children right before its large face appeared right in front of hers as if singling her out specifically. If that glass wasn't there, it probably could have swallowed her in one gulp.

Letting out a yelp, Clary flinched away and turned, immediately smacking into the wall of mass that was Jace's torso. In the heat of the moment, she was a little too startled to do anything but grip his leather jacket in her hands and huddle in close.

"Is it still looking at me?" she spoke into his chest.

"No, but people sure are," he said quietly.

Feeling her cheeks heat, Clary lifted her head and met his gaze, which was a lot closer than she expected. That was when she felt his hand on her waist and saw his shoulders pulled forward in a protective stance. Even though her fears had been totally unfounded, his go-to reaction was to make sure she was safe. The thought made her shiver in his arms, causing him to swallow hard and clench his jaw.

"I'm totally embarrassing us, aren't I?" she whispered up at him.

Jace didn't respond for the first couple seconds, his eyes passing over her face before they returned to hers. "I don't give a shit what they think. You okay?"

Clary released a breath. "Yeah, just a little jump scare. Big guy over there looked like he wanted me to be his next meal, so I forgot about the glass for a second."

That was when a chuckle left him, which she felt rumble against her chest. "Okay, I think that's enough danger for you today." Reaching up, he moved a lock of hair out of her eyes, slowly tucking it behind her ear. "Let's get you some face time with a few non-lethal dolphins, yeah? I think you've kept yourself in suspense long enough."

Ignoring the flutter she felt in her belly at his touch, Clary nodded slowly and detached herself from him. "That sounds like a good idea."

When he gestured for her to lead the way, they continued through the last of the exhibit and followed the directions to the main event: the Dolphin Coast.

When they finally arrived, the first sound Clary heard was the happy squeaks of the dolphins inside. Ones she'd previously only heard in the nature documentaries she watched late at night. It was music to her ears.

Just as they approached the pool all the dolphins collectively swam in, one came shooting out of the water, going high in the air before diving back in. The sight made Clary gasp in amazement.

"Did you see how high he got?" she asked excitedly, looking back at Jace.

"Yeah, I see why people are willing to pay for these shows."

"I've never really been interested in the shows. I just like seeing them in their natural habitat, not what people make them do." She smiled when a couple dolphins came up to the glass and opened their mouths to whistle. Unlike the menacing sharks, they actually appeared to be smiling at her. "They really are beautiful. How could anyone not be happy around them?"

"Depends on the person, I guess." Putting his hands in his pockets, he faced forward and watched with her. "I do know that the right something can soften even the hardest of us."

Clary's eyes widened at his words, not able to stop herself from sneaking a glance at him, but he was still looking forward. It was then that she picked up on what he meant, in the words he hadn't said. It could be the right something, indeed.

Or someone.

Smiling to herself, Clary faced forward again, her eyes drifting to the top of the pool where a woman was getting out in a wetsuit. She must have been part of the crew that took care of the dolphins. As she rang the water out of her hair, the little cuties squeaked excitedly at her feet. With wistful eyes, she watched as the trainer talked softly to them, her eyes full of light. It was clear she loved what she did.

"That might just be the best job in the world," she said, laughing.

Jace tried to follow her line of sight. "What is?"

She pointed to the trainer still chatting up the dolphins. "Being able to work with these guys all day. Petting them, feeding them, having them look up at you with those adorable little eyes." She sighed. "I'd pay to be her for a day."

"Hm." Running a hand through his hair, Jace's eyes narrowed on the woman, then his gaze slowly made its way back to her. "Hang here for a second, I'll be right back."

Before Clary could agree, he was off in the direction of the stairs that led to the top of the humongous pool. She watched him in confusion, having no idea what he was doing. But then she saw him approach the trainer in that confident stride of his until he was right in front of her. In seconds the woman was enamored, her eyes glowing in a very different way than when she was looking at the dolphins. Now, though, it seemed as if they didn't even exist in his presence.

Clary had no idea what they were saying, but she had to admit the grin she saw on Jace's face had her a little crestfallen. It was hard not to be when just moments before he'd had her in his arms, comforting her after a scare. Now he appeared to be flirting with this woman after a single glimpse. And even though she knew none of the things that happened between them was anything but platonic and harmless on his end, it still didn't stop the tightness in her chest as she watched them both laugh out loud.

Deciding that it would be best to keep her focus elsewhere, Clary directed her gaze back to the inside of the pool as she toyed nervously with her hair. There were definitely things in front of her, but it felt like she was looking right through them as she involuntarily spaced out. At least the laughing had stopped, but she refused to chance another glance and simply stayed put.

When she felt a tap on her shoulder, she whipped around to find Jace looking down at her with a raised brow. "You alright there, princess?"

Clary quickly relaxed. "Yes, perfect."

He smirked. "Good, because you're gonna need to be ready."

Her brows furrowed. "Ready? For what?"

"To make your dreams come true," he said, tugging her hand from her hair again. "You said you'd pay money to be a dolphin trainer for a day. I can't give you a day, but I hope you can settle for a few minutes."

Her jaw went slack. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

He watched her with an amused expression. "Yeah, princess, I am. So if you want to pet these fuckers to your heart's content, I'd get a move on it."

Clary squealed with excitement and actually jumped up and down. "I'm so happy right now, I'm gonna ignore that you just called them fiddlesticks!"

With a shake of his head, Jace held out his hand for her. "You ready?"

"More ready than I've ever been in my life." All of her worries from before drifted out as soon as she took his hand, but when he began leading her up the stairs, there was one thing she couldn't help but ask. "Did you seriously bribe that lady to get a few minutes with the dolphins?"

He scoffed. "I don't need money to get what I want. These eyes and this body could charm the pants off a nun. It's all the currency I need."

Clary rolled her eyes. "Of course, how could I underestimate the oh-so powerful Jace Lightwood? Silly me."

"Hey, I just whored myself out for you, a 'thank you' would suffice," he joked.

"You did not," she smiled before sobering. "But thank you, I can't remember the last time I was this happy."

Jace simply squeezed her hand, a grin tugging at his lips as he threw her words right back at her.

"That's what friends are for."

.o.O.o.

There wasn't a lot out there that could put a genuine smile on Jace's face, but watching Clary giggle as she pet and got splashed by dolphins had his lips spread in a smile only she seemed to be able to bring out of him.

He was still aware of the trainer trying her best to catch his eye, but her attempts were pointless. It was probably a dick move, flirting with her knowing nothing would come of it. But with Clary practically glowing like a ray of sunshine, it was hard to feel anything but good about his decision.

She may have been on a mission to make the most of their trip and have fun, but he had a mission of his own, and it involved keeping that smile on her face. Jace still didn't know why he cared so much. There wasn't a lot of hope left for him in this world, but there was for her.

Since the beginning, he'd told himself he would protect that light inside of her, and he would stay true to his word. Clary deserved nothing less. Shit, she still believed in absurd things like soulmates and true love. But what did he know, really? There could very well be a man out there waiting to sweep her off her feet and give her the world.

Though, when Jace pictured that man in his head, his hand suddenly clenched into a fist at his side. He thought about her looking up at that man with those big, trusting green eyes while he held her like Jace just had, and he wanted to put his fist through that imaginary man's face. Then he realized what he was doing and forced himself to relax. Why should he care what she did with her life after their trip was over?

As much as she wanted them to be the best of friends, they'd most likely go their separate ways when it ended. They lived in different worlds. She had dreams and aspirations, and he was still running from his past. She would probably be better off moving on as if they never met. So why did the thought leave a bad taste in his mouth?

The sound of Clary's laughter brought him back in the moment. In just a short time, one of the dolphins seemed to be completely taken with her. He'd brought her what looked like a dog toy and happily dropped it at her feet. She gasped and looked up at the trainer as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

The woman smiled and said, "Looks like Pacino has a little crush. He loves to play fetch, but he hardly ever does it with anyone besides us."

"Oh my God, he loves to play fetch? How adorable is that," she giggled. Picking up the toy, Clary tossed it out into the water and within seconds the dolphin began squeaking as he swam after it. When he brought it right back to her, she looked up at Jace with knowing eyes. "I told you they were smart."

"My goldfish certainly could never do that."

She cocked her head to the side. "I can't imagine you with a goldfish."

He put a hand to his heart. "That is a disgrace to Bubbles' name, God rest his soul."

Clary threw her head back and laughed. "Please send Bubbles my apologies in little fish heaven."

Jace playfully plucked at one of her braids. "Okay, smartass, maybe I will."

With one more smile his way, she continued playing fetch with the dolphin until the others joined. Soon she was playing with almost all of them, getting splashed plenty of times in the process, but she seemed to be loving it. At this point, they appeared no different than dogs, only wanting to play, be pet, and have a human's undivided attention. But Clary looked just as happy to dish it out as they were to receive.

For the remainder of the time she had with them, Clary tried her best to give them all the attention they wanted and begged for with their squeaks and whistles. It was a sight to behold, and before he knew it, he was pulling the video camera from the bag she gave him and started filming. A moment like this needed to be captured. It was the happiest he'd ever seen her and he knew she'd want to remember this day.

When her time was up, he discreetly slid the camera back into her bag and began zipping it up just as he felt arms go around his neck.

"I'm aware no hugs are still on your list of rules, but tough." She stood on the tips of her toes and rested her head against his shoulder. "No one's ever done anything like this for me before. I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

Jace hesitated for a moment. The old him would have torn himself away already, not wanting her to get any ideas or feel too special, but that wasn't the case anymore. Whether he wanted to believe it or not, she did something to him—something he couldn't even begin to explain. So when his arms went around her and held on tight, even he was a little surprised. "You don't have to repay me, princess. That's not why I did it."

"You're hugging me back." She pulled away slightly to look up at him in shock. "So far, you've only tolerated my hugs." Her eyes searched his. "What's changed?"

Everything.

But he couldn't tell her that, so instead he shrugged and reluctantly dropped his arms. "It looked like you needed it."

"Right." Tucking her hair behind her ear, she gave him a victorious grin. "I think I'm just wearing you down, Mr. Grumpy."

"Whatever." With a roll of his eyes, Jace reached for her hand again to lead her away from the pool. Knowing her, she'd trip and fall right in with the damn dolphins, making their day. "You hungry?"

"I could eat," she said.

"What are you in the mood for?"

Clary put a finger to her chin. "You know, I wouldn't mind some fish."

Jace couldn't help a chuckle at her cheeky answer, that genuine smile returning as he looked back at her.

"Fish it is, princess."

.o.O.o.

Hours later, they were back in their hotel room and Jace was stepping out of the shower, water still dripping from his hair as he rushed to dry it. He'd spent a little more time in there than he wanted to, but the shower seemed like the perfect place to get away from everything and reflect.

Since they met, his mind had been a jumbled mess and it was hard to know which way was up. She was kind, innocent, selfless. Everything he wasn't. And yet, they were making this work. He'd expected them to butt heads every day, with his need to be an uncaring asshole and hers to be friendly. They should have driven each other crazy, but there they were meeting each other halfway.

Clary was learning to be more assertive and letting her snarky side come through without fear, and Jace was learning what it meant to care for others and that letting people in didn't have to be a liability. They had a long way to go—change didn't happen overnight, of course—but maybe their trip had the potential to leave them both better off.

Jace had never been an optimistic person, but the more time he spent with Clary, the better he felt. He knew she didn't think much of herself, but the world clearly saw something in her that she didn't. Not a lot of people could make a dark and evil world a little bit brighter, but she did it without even trying. He only hoped there was someone out there that deserved her, because he sure as hell didn't.

Shaking the fog from his head, he rushed through the rest of his routine and threw on some clothes. When he exited the bathroom, the first thing he was greeted with was Clary's laughter.

"I know, it was the sweetest thing ever. I definitely wasn't expecting it."

"Are you sure you're still on this trip with my brother?" he heard Isabelle retort.

"And to think I was just about to send you an 'I miss you' text," Jace said loudly, alerting them both to his presence.

Clary looked over her shoulder with a gasp, the hand that wasn't holding the phone up to her face going to her mouth. She was clearly trying to hide another laugh at his sister's comment.

"Bullshit," Isabelle said from the phone, rolling her eyes. And as he got closer, he saw that she was sitting at her vanity back home applying makeup. Typical Izzy. "And excuse me for being shocked that my dear brother actually did something nice for someone."

Jace simply flipped her off.

"There's the brother I know," she said, smiling. "How you can put up with being around him twenty-four seven like I have, I have no idea."

"He's not so bad when you get to know him." Clary said in his defense, her gaze moving to meet his. "Not bad at all."

Not able to help himself, Jace reached up to playfully tweak her nose and grinned. "Thanks, princess."

A blush came to her cheeks as she looked between his eyes before quickly returning her gaze back to the phone. Not quickly enough, though. Apparently their little moment hadn't gone unnoticed, because there on the screen, Isabelle was frozen in place, staring at them wide eyed with a mascara wand in her hand. Then she sobered and looked to Clary with a smile, but knowing her like he did, Jace knew this smile was forced.

"Hey, Clare Bear, would you mind if I talked to my brother for a quick sec? The idiot doesn't call me so I want to take advantage." Her eyes were kind, but it definitely wasn't for him.

Like the nice person she was, Clary quickly agreed. "Of course. Pretty boy here hogged the shower so I better hurry while there's still hot water," she giggled, handing the phone over to Jace. "It was nice chatting with you, Izzy."

She gave her a wink. "Anytime, babe."

Jace waited for Clary to head into the bathroom and turn on the shower before he turned back to his sister. "Clare Bear?" he asked first.

Isabelle raised a brow. "Princess?"

"Touché." He ran a hand through his still damp hair. "What's up?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Don't 'what's up' me. First I hear that you gave this girl what she calls the best day of her life and now I see you two practically gazing into each other's eyes? What the hell is going on?"

Jace scoffed. "I don't know what you think you saw, but nothing is going on."

"I know that she talks about you like you hung the moon. That she looks at you like you're her protector or something." There was a pause. "I just—I know the effect you have on women, Jace. I've seen them trip over themselves to get a fleeting moment with you, only to be cast aside when you're done. And I know a lot of those women knew what they were getting into, but Clary is different. She's a sweetheart, and I don't want to see her hurt."

"You think I want that to happen?" he asked, incredulously. "I know she's not like those women, which is exactly why I'm leaving her alone."

"Yeah? Well tell that to you face."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She sighed, shaking her head. "I knew the minute you brought her home that she was special. I thought, finally, someone's gotten through to you. And now, seeing the way you look at her, I know I was right."

Jace rolled his eyes. "You can't be serious."

"Look, you can believe it or not. I just hope you know what you're doing." She put down her makeup brush. "Clary needs something long term, someone to depend on. I'm not saying I don't believe you could be that person—because this situation is definitely different—but you've been playing the game for so long that I know it will take time for you to open up to someone in that way. I'm just not sure if you're ready for someone to fall for you, and after what I saw today, it seems as though you're headed down that path."

Jace was at a loss for words. That wasn't something he'd ever considered. He was so caught up in the time they spent together, he didn't stop to think about what he was really doing. The flirting, the little touches, the selfless acts just to make her happy.

He was playing with fire.

Isabelle was right. He wasn't ready for long term and he sure as hell wasn't someone to depend on, but his actions clearly said otherwise. And if that resulted in Clary getting hurt, he'd feel like an even bigger piece of shit than he already did.

As good as it felt to be around her and make her happy, he knew it could never be more. There was too much wrong with him, and the last thing he wanted to do was give her hope. Hope that he could be the man she needed.

Sighing, he scrubbed a hand over his face. "I didn't think about it that way."

"I can tell that you care about her, Jace. She's a sweet girl." She looked down. "I just want to keep it that way."

"You really like her, don't you?"

Isabelle smiled. "I do. She just has this way of brightening your day, you know? Like you can't help but let her happiness rub off on you a little."

He bit back a grin. "I know what you mean."

"And I especially like the effect she has on you. If I didn't know any better I'd say you were happy spending your days with that red-haired beauty," she said, eyes alight. "I've never seen you like this, but it's a good look on you, big brother."

Jace raised a brow. "I thought you were mad at me."

"I'm not mad, I just wanted to make sure you weren't playing around with her feelings," she told him. "Clearly, whatever you're doing is bringing her joy, so keep it up. Just be careful, okay?"

"I'll be on my best behavior." He watched as she finished up her makeup. "Can you say the same, though? What are you all dolled up for, huh?"

"The club is having an eighteen and over night, so me and a couple girlfriends are gonna go check it out," she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

"Shit," he cursed under his breath. "Don't go too wild tonight, okay? And if some asshole messes with you, call me. I still have guys up there that owe me a favor and wouldn't hesitate to do some damage."

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, Dad."

"I mean it, Izzy. Call me."

"You know I will. You're always who I call. Who else would be willing to pummel a guy in my honor?" She smiled, but her eyes were a little sad. "I really do miss you, bro."

"Come on, none of that sappy shit. I'll be back before you know it."

Isabelle laughed. "God, you're such an asshole. I'm going to hang up now, before my good image of you is ruined."

He gave her a smirk. "Love you too, Iz."

With a middle finger of her own, Isabelle reached for her phone to end the call. When the screen turned black, Jace set the phone down and let his back hit the mattress. He could forget about getting any sleep that night. His sister left him with a lot to think about.

He was so focused on protecting Clary from the harsh world that he didn't even think to protect her from the worst thing of all. Himself.

He'd gotten comfortable this last week. Let his guard down and allowed himself to get close to her, but that decision could have serious consequences. Consequences that he wasn't ready to face.

Jace had to remember something important. He made those rules for a reason.

Maybe it was time he followed them.

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A/N: So the adventure continues. I've wrestled for months with this chapter, but I was determined to put out something that I was proud of because you guys are worth it. I also wanted to thank you all for your kind words and encouraging messages. They always put a smile on my face and inspire me to keep writing. You guys are the best and I can't wait for you all to see how this story unfolds! Until then, here's the chapter fact,

Fun fact: If Pinocchio said "My nose will grow now" it would cause a paradox