He knew he was being a creep. He knew it, but he couldn't help it. After she had collapsed, he had put her in bed again, checking her vital parameters to make sure she was okay. "She is fine", he had mumbled to himself. "You can't do anything right now, she just has to rest, her body is just worn out." he said, as he tried to make himself leave the room. But he couldn't. And so now there he was. Staring at her as she was sleeping. Being a total creep.

He wondered why he found it so hard not to look at her. He wondered why he liked being in her presence, a thought that never before had crossed his mind. A thought he had never before had allowed. But it was true. He was pulled to her like a magnet.

He tried to objectify it. Sure, she was beautiful, but Jace was no stranger in that department. He had always been good with the ladies, as his friend Alec had always complained, and she wasn't even that special in normal beauty standards. Fiery red hair, green almond shaped eyes, pale skin, … Not everyone would consider that combination as beauty. But to him it was. It was a complex but balanced combination, something that made you turn around and stare. He had noticed it from the first day he had been observing her. But she had been so much more than he expected her to be. After weeks of observing her, he knew her glistening yet sometimes cold blooded eyes, her solemn and concentrated expressions and her ease in movement that would make a ballerina jealous. He knew that she was strong-headed, proud, loyal, smart and brave, but he knew she could also be ruthless, impatient and cold as ice. She didn't give second chances. Her inside was as complex as her outside, but other than her looks, he wasn't sure if her inside was beautiful or not. Maybe that was what fascinated him: he couldn't figure her out.


When Clary woke up, she was alone in her room again. There was no trace of Jace, the only thing that seemed changed was a pile of clothes on a chair next to it. Her head was still a bit fuzzy from sleep and it took her a second to realize the pile was meant for her. She looked down at herself, realizing she was still wearing the same clothes as she had arrived here, with the difference that a part of her shirt had been cut off, right where she had been stabbed. A large piece of her skin would've been visible, if it hadn't been covered by a bandage that seemed to surround her entire abdomen. She looked at it for a second. She had enough experience with wounds to know that this was cared for with experience. Which made her wonder even more why he hadn't taken of her other clothes. He must have had sufficient experience with wounded soldiers to care for her wounds, so he must have know that he took a risk by not checking the rest of her body for injuries. She could've had a deadly internal hemorrhage and he would've never known… It was one of the first things she had learned about emergency medicine at The Circle: "Always check the entire body for both visible ánd hidden trauma if you don't want to end up dead." At The Circle, they would've just taken of her clothes, assessed her body for what it was, a body, and cared for her wounds without sentimentality. The fact that Jace didn't do it, was remarkable. It was completely against his training, and even though she knew he had forsaken The Circle years ago, it still surprised her. She could understand resentment, but resentment didn't make you stupid. This seemed an irrational opposition, that was purely based on his hate for The Circle and not on rational thinking.

Lost in thoughts, trying to figure Jace out, she took the stack of clothes, wanting to check what he had chosen out for her –already determined to find some reason to judge him for his choice– when she saw the paper on top of the pile.

I know this isn't your style, but it was the only thing I could find in your size. The bathroom is in the second room to your left. I guess you will want to take a shower after all you've been through. Best take off the bandage before showering, the wound plaster underneath is hydrophobic so please leave that one on. I will check the wound after your shower. Just come and find me in the living room, it's right across form the bathroom.

She fought a smile as she took the clothes and headed to the door of her room, taking a deep breath before she carefully opened the door a bit. She listened for a second, making sure he wasn't in the corridor, before she opened it entirely and soundlessly headed to the bathroom. She wasn't ready yet to talk to him, as she wasn't really ready to process everything that had happened. She wanted to stay ignorant for a little longer, because she knew that once she would start to think about the consequences of what happened, there would be no turning back. As she entered the bathroom, (another squeaky clean, excessively white room) she realized a cold feeling had started to creep into her body. She couldn't shake the ice-cold feeling that her world and beliefs were about to crumble and even the scalding hot water that was pouring over her couldn't drive away that sort of cold.


It felt like an eternity before he heard her turn off the shower. He had at least twice thought about the possibility that she had lost consciousness again, assuring himself that he would've at least heard a thud if that would've happened. He would, right? He shook his head, as if it would stop the thoughts in his head from swirling around, knowing damn well that he would only be eased by her presence. By visual confirmation of her well-being. He clenched his fists at this thought, wondering what hat happened to the cold blooded person who had tried to kill the girl who was now standing in his bathroom. Standing in his bathroom… naked. He grunted as he walked to the kitchen, silently scolding at his brain. This was getting out of control. He decided to bake an omelette for the both of them, as it was almost noon and she probably would be starving. And more than that, he wanted to have something to do when she walked in, so she wouldn't think that the only thing he did all day was obsess about her. Even though that was exactly what he had been doing the last few days. He broke the eggs with a little more force than was necessary.


Okay, so my plan is to try and update at least once every week! Feel free to tell me your ideas of the story, how you interpret it, your questions, ... That way, I know if some storylines need more clarification or if people want to know more about a certain detail. Maybe I'll work it in the story, or maybe I'll PM you about it! xoxo N.