Disclaimer: If it hasn't been clear already, yes I own the Mortal Instruments series.

Jk tho

So I have surprise for you, check the Author note at the end of this chapter to find out


Clary and Jace walked through the school's doors, immediately heading for Clary's locker. Clary gave the locker a flat look, a threat clear in her eyes before she turned to Jace with a teasing grin, "Do I have to curse down the locker before you help me with it?" she asked cheekily.

"Maybe a curse or two" Jace said in all seriousness as he leaned on the adjacent lockers, crossing his arms over his chest and giving her the best 'Try me' expression with a raised eyebrow. Clary followed the movement with her eyes momentarily, letting her thoughts wander before she snapped back to reality.

"Jace" Clary whined.

Jace sighed overdramatically, with a roll of his eyes, "You would be so lost without me" Jace said with a huff as he pushed himself off the lockers and opened hers, successfully on his first try, Clary detested that greatly. How come everyone can open it except for her?

She looked at him teasingly, "Am I supposed to swoon and fall into your arms now?" Clary asked.

Jace thought it over, "You don't have to, but it would greatly help my ego".

"Because your ego needs help?" Clary asked flabbergasted at the mere thought. The day that Jace's ego needs a boost from her is the day that hell freezes over and pigs wearing gold totos fly.

"Sometimes..." Jace started with a sigh, and a feigned pained expression, looking to the ground with a hand on his heart in the most dramatic gesture, "I cry myself to sleep".

Clary sighed with a roll of her eyes, "Fine" she gave in. She put the back of her hand to forehead and she swooned and sighed as she leaned against Jace's shoulder, Jace's hand immediately wrapping around the small of her waist, as she muttered "My h-ero".

It was supposed to be teasing, but once she felt his touch on her skin, she shuddered and stuttered over her words, she hoped he didn't notice it or at the very least, not mention it. She looked up into his eyes, he was looking at her with that expression again, the expression that told her she was all he sees in the moment, she has been seeing that expression a lot lately, "Better?" she asked.

"My ego thanks you" Jace said, his tone just a little breathless. But why would he be breathless? Over her? There was no way.

Clary and Jace's phones buzzed simultaneously and it was like the spell was broken, Clary got to her fell length and stepped away from Jace like he shocked her and Jace's hand went into his pocket immediately as if it wasn't just holding her.

"It's Izzy" Clary said as she looked up at Jace, he showed her his phone and it showed a picture of Sebastian with the name 'Foreign Bastard', she tucked her lips as she held back from chuckling, picking up Izzy's call.

"Hey Clary"

"Hey, Iz, what's up?"

"Nothing, just wanted to tell you that I'm going to be late. And to tell Jace so he doesn't worry something happened to me".

"You called me to tell Jace you'll be late?" Clary asked confused, "Why didn't you just call him straight away?"

"Uuumm.. he.. said he was driving you to school and I thought maybe he was driving and I didn't want to distract him. Yes, exactly that"

"Oh" Clary said with realization, she remembered also Jace telling her to keep the fact that Jace was teaching her to drive as their little secret, he said it's better that the rest not know because they would want to get involved somehow but she had her suspicions that he just wanted the two of them to have something of their own that none of the others would know about, and she didn't mind that at all. "That's okay, by the way you are totally taking me shopping after school-"

"Say no more. I'm in"

"-for Maia's birthday" Clary interrupted, "Not for clothes".

"Sure we'll get Maia presents while we are shopping for you"

"No, Iz, no shopping for me"

"Great, I'll see you after school for shopping then"

"No, Iz there will be no-"

Clary went to tell her again that they will most definitely not be shopping for new clothes but Iz just cut the call and hung up on her, Clary looked for a moment at the phone dumbfounded before muttering "That bitch".

"You can say that again" Jace said as he put his phone back in his pocket, "What did she say?"

"That she will be late and not to worry" Clary said.

"Oh how odd, Sebastian is going to be late too" Jace said with a smile, "What a coincidence?"

"I know right, what are the odds?" Clary smiled with a shrug, as she pulled out a few books and dropped her bag in her locker, "Anyways, how come we are having a party at the Lightwoods? I thought with the whole Maryse-Alec-Magnus situation that would be... awkward".

"Maryse is in Moscow on some lawyer business" Jace said with a shrug.

"Oh" Clary said, her eyes going wide, she nodded to show that she understood but didn't ask any of the various questions she wanted to ask. How does a lawyer in a small country like Idris get work out of the country? How can she leave three teenagers and a kid in the care of a doctor who is at work most of the time? How is Alec doing with his mother after the whole gay-reveal thing? Is Isabelle sleeping at home?

"You can ask, you know" Jace said looking at her with the corner of his eye in a knowing stare.

"What?" Clary furrowed her eyebrows, pretending to be confused.

"I see it in your face, you have questions. Come on, hit me" Jace said as he gestured with his hand, "Worst case scenario, I'll tell you it is not of your busniess" he joked grinning as the two started walking to class.

"How is Alec? With all this?" Clary asked first. She wasn't close enough to Alec to ask him that question, mainly because he will definitely bark at her before she could even ask him that question until she loses her mind and forgets to ask. But she does care about him, she felt bad for him that he was going through all this.

"He tries not to show it but he cares what his mother thinks, she thinks it's a phase or something and she's waiting it out" Jace said.

"Waiting it out?" Clary asked perplexed.

"I don't even know" Jace said with a sigh and a shrug of his shoulders, "But Alec will be alright. He will".

Clary heard the tone in his voice, she always noticed how much they all care for each other, but Alec and Jace seemed different, the look in Jace's eyes reminded her of how Jon used to look at her. She nodded as she bit her lip, she didn't know if Alec would be okay but she knew Jace needed to believe in that.

"What about Iz? I know she said she doesn't want to stay in the same house as her mom" Clary said, hoping she was not overstepping her place as she asked. She remembered when Isabelle told her that she will not be staying home so long as her mother keeps looking at Alec like he is an alien, she had offered her own house as a temporary arrangement, to that Isabelle said, and she quotes...

You bitch, that is sweet but I already made arrangements.

And that was the last Clary heard of the subject.

"She isn't and I rather not ask where my sister is staying her nights or with who" Jace said with a shake of his head like the idea scared him to know.

"Maybe with Raphael, they seemed pretty close at the club that night" Clary said as a thought.

"Let me be clear when I said I rather not ask, I meant I rather not know, think or guess it either" Jace shuddering and Clary raised her hands up as in surrender with a smirk.

They found their seats at the back of the classroom, Clary not missing the surprised look from Mr Starkweather as he looked at the watch on his hand, probably surprised they were on time for once.

"Mr Herondale, your timing is perfect" Mr Starkweather said with obvious shock.

"And it only took me three and a half years to get it down" Jace said with a smirk.

"Now if you can work on your listening and your attitude..." Mr Starkweather trailed off, his meaning clear.

"That'll probably take another three to five years" Jace said with an understanding nod, then his eyes sparkled as if he just had the most brilliant idea ever "Maybe I won't graduate and I'll stay in your class until I-"

"No, that's okay, I'll deal with the attitude and I'll ignore the fact that you don't listen" Mr Starkweather interrupted in a look that seemed almost fearful.

Jace smirked, "Then we are in agreement? Wonderful" Jace said as he leaned back, his hand going to rest over Clary's chair.

"You scare the living hell out of him" Clary noted then narrowed her eyes as she looked at Mr Starkweather, "I wonder what he is thinking about now".

"Hundreds of smart ass comments and annoying opinion essays" Jace said with a serious expression.

Clary looked at Jace with a confused expression, "There is not opinion essays in history".

"That's the annoying part" Jace said winking at her with a smirk and Clasy couldn't help but chuckle.

"You are something else, Jace" Clary said.


"I can't believe you think Maia will like that" Isabelle said.

Clary turned away from the dress on the rack to look at Isabelle, who had her arms crossed and a disappointed expression on her face. Clary looked back at the dress, what was wrong with it? It was cute.

"But-"

"No buts, you are horrible at this" Is said.

"That's why I need your help" Clary sighed, "This is hopeless".

"It's not, you're just hopeless" Isabelle teased.

"Maybe I should just give her a gift certificate or money, she knows what she wants, she can get it for herself, she knows better what she likes" Clary said.

"That's the worst gift ever" Isabelle said horrified.

"Then what?" Clary asked unsure, then her eyes sparkled with an idea "Maybe I can get her something homemade, like those coupons with things like 'Spa day with Clary' and 'Lunch date' and stuff like that".

Isabelle waited a moment, licked her lips before saying, "For my birthday.. just get me money".

Clary furrowed her brows, confused, "I thought you said that is the worst gift ever".

"I was wrong" Isabelle said, making Clary pout.

"Just" Isabelle started looking like she has just given up on her friend, "Come with me".

And Clary followed Isabelle out of the store they were in, and she did not ask any other questions.


Clary reached home tiredly and she slumped down against the couch, taking off her shoes in her place and throwing them at the ground in front of her.

"Ah ah ah, since when do we put shoes in the middle of the living area?" her mother chidded as she walked in after here, "And did you just get home? It's like seven".

"Please just let me be, just this once, I can't stand up a second longer" Clary sighed as she buried her face in the couch.

Her mother rolled her eyes but took her shoes and put them at the wall by the couch, out of sight and sat down beside Clary's slumped figure. "You okay?" she asked with a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm just tired" Clary said, "Isabelle and I were shopping for hours".

"Really? You didn't call to tell me" her mother noted.

"I thought you were at work?" Clary said.

"I was, I just got in, ten minutes before you did" her mother said.

Clary shrugged, "Right so it wouldn't have made a difference anyways".

"Sure" her mother nodded with a grim expression, "Anyways I was thinking maybe we could go out and have dinner at some restaurant".

"Actually I ate with Isabelle, all that shopping made us hungry" Clary said.

"Oh"

"But I want to go either way, get out of the house" Clary said.

"Because you've been cooped up in here all day?" her mother said with sarcasm.

"Don't tease" Clary said.

Miranda raised a suspicious eyebrow, "So you'll come with and just look at me eating, without having anything?"

"What? No, who said that?" Clary said in shock.

Miranda smirked "I thought you said you ate with Isabelle?"

"And what does that have to do with anything?" Clary said in a feigned confused expression before chuckling, not helping herself, her mother joining her in a chuckle.


Clary sat down at the usual lunch table in the cafeteria the next day, smiling at Maia as she did and she said "Hey Maia, happy birthday".

"Thanks Clare" Maia said smiling up at her.

Izzy's eyes widened, next to Clary, as the most fake expression of shock crossed on her features, "Good golly miss Molly, by the holy Angel Maia, I seem to have forgotten it is your birthday".

Clary looked at Jace, who was sitting in front of her and whispered questioning with a confused expression "Good Golly, miss Molly?"

Isabelle elbowed Clary at the side and she flinched up, Jace tugged his lips into a smile as he whispered back "You're gonna love this".

Maia nodded, not seeming the least bit offended or mad, just amused, "That's okay, Iz".

"By the angel that is not right, I have completely forgotten your day of birth" Isabelle said robotically. Clary never knew Isabelle was a bad liar, she looked around and saw Sebastian and Aline with amused expressions and Alec just seemed bored with her frantics, "And we have not made any plans for your day of birth that is horrible of us".

When she was met with silence, she elbowed Sebastian on her other side and he jumped up, "Yes, completely terrible. We are bad, bad people".

She glared at Aline and she nodded with a soulful face "Yes, oh the horror and shame".

Isabelle turned her glare to Jace, he just looked at her like she was crazy "No, I'm not- GAH" Jace jumped up as Clary suspected Iz kicked him under the table, "I'm sorry, Maia".

"That's okay guys" Maia said, not really bothered.

"We have no party planned for you, for shame" Isabelle said looking down at the ground with a pained look.

"I'll see you tonight Jace"

They all turned as a beautiful girl waved to Jace, Clary looked her over with a confused expression, who was this girl? She brushed her dark hair away from her face with a delicate hand as she smiled at Jace, Clary looked back at Jace who sent the girl his usual flirting smirk, and said "I'll see you there, Diana".

The girl had walked away then leaving Clary in a swamp of questions, who was that girl? Why had she never seen her before? And what exactly does she mean by seeing Jace tonight? Is she going to be at the party? Is it like a date thing?

Clary's eyes widened with shock as she was met with the realization she was jealous. God freaking dammit.

"You are bringing a date to Maia's p-?" Clary asked in a clipped tone.

"Aaachho" Isabelle faked a sneeze cutting Clary off before she said the P word.

"Yeah I'm bringing a date, why? Is that a problem?" Jace asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No, no problem" Clary said defensively.

"Really?" Jace asked, "Because if it was a problem-"

"Nope, why would it be a problem?" Clary said, "In fact I think that's great".

"It's great?"

"Yeah it's great" Clary furrowed her eyebrows at Jace's amused expression.

"Great then"

"Great"

"Wonderful"

"Fantastic"

"Marvelous"

"Glor-"

"Will you two shut up already?" Alec said with an annoyed expression, "I swear you straight people drive me crazy".

Clary's cheeks redened as she felt her face heat up, looking from Jace to Alec's very pissed off face.

Isabelle cleared her throat bringing the attention back to her, "Anyways Maia, let us make it up to you by hanging out tonight, my place. No birthdays or parties or all that stuff just us, the seven of us, just hanging out".

"Hey Isabelle, I'll see you tonight" a girl walking by said.

"I have no idea what she is talking about" Isabelle insisted with a serious expression, not looking away from Maia for a second.

"That sounds great Isabelle" Maia said smiling, "Can I bring Jordan? I think it is time for you guys to meet him".

"Ooooh finally meeting Jordan? It's that serious?" Isabelle asked with a grin.

Maia blushed, "Maybe".

"Great" Aline rolled her eyes but Maia didn't seem to notice.

"But you guys have to promise to be on your best behavior tonight at the party" Maia warned looking between Sebastian, Jace and Alec.

"Party? What party? You silly goose, there is no party" Isabelle said in a panicked voice.

"Hey Iz, I'll see you at the party" a sound was heard as a group of friends walked by them and Isabelle kept the panicked smile on her face as she said "Nope, no party tonight".

"Just out of curiosity" Clary said suddenly as she looked at Jace, making sure their conversation wouldn't be heard by the others as they continued talking and Isabelle continued to fail at being subtle, "Why would you think it'd be a problem for me if you brought a date?"

Jace hid a secretive grin, "I don't think it would be a problem for you".

"Great, because that is not a problem" Clary said, "Not a problem for me at least, because there is no reason for me to have a problem with it. It would be a problem if I had feelings for you, then it would be a problem but since I don't have feelings for you, it's no problem".

"You keep saying the word 'problem', is there a reason for that?" Jace asked, hiding a grin.

"Nope" Clary said tight lipped.

"And has the fact that I can figure out when you're lying sunk into your head yet?" Jace asked with furrowed eyebrows and an amused tone. The bell ringing saved her from giving an answer she wasn't ready to give and she was just about ready to leave for art class. She wanted to ask if him having a date means he will not be picking her up like he said he would but she was pretty sure if she said the word 'date' aloud he would hear the venom in her voice.

She'd text him later.

Alec joined her as soon as she left the table, he looked her over, studying her, as if searching for something in her face, what she wasn't sure. "What?" she snapped.

"Someone's irritable" Alec noted.

"I have no idea what you mean" Clary said in all seriousness, "I'm completely plesant".

"Clearly, you are plesant as ever, my bad" Alec said with obvious sarcasm. They had reached her art class in a few moments and they caught Magnus as he was at the door, he, when he caught sight of Alec, stopped and smiled.

Clary noticed Alec's sudden smile at seeing Magnus, she saw the two share a quick kiss and she stopped herself from screaming 'awwwweeee' or 'encore'.

"Should I be worried you always drop Clary off to class and have never dropped me off?" Magnus joked.

"I would ditch this imp in a heartbeat if you would ask" Alec said pointing at Clary at his side.

"Hey" Clary protested, "You know I can jump on your back and just never come down and then you would be forever bound to an imp on your head, messing up your hair".

"Can you even jump up this high, little girl, or do I have to bend down?" Alec said looking down at her and Clary gasped teasingly as if offended.

"You know... you threatened Azazel for me" Clary said finally, remembering when they were at the club a few days ago and when Azazel grasped her hand, Alec was on him in a second, pinning him to the wall and threatening him to not touch her again.

"I don't see how-"

"It means, act tough all you want, you like me" Clary grinned.

"No" Alec protested instantly.

"Admit you like me" Clary said grinning.

"Like is a very strong word" Alec argued.

"You couldn't bare the thought of Azazel hurting me-"

"I'm starting to regret that decision already"

"-because my charming personality-"

"Does charming mean something different in America?"

"-has won you over and now you like me" Clary said grinning in triumph.

"I..." Alec started but found himself at a loss for words, he growled then muttering, "I hate you" before walking away, stomping his feet angrily.

"Wow, he must really really like me" Clary said grinning after him.

"Obviously biscuit" Magnus agreed sarcastically, "Now will you give me a hug?"


Clary walked down the stairs ruffling her wig, she saw her mother laying on the couch, glasses on and a book in her hand and she coughed, clearing her throat to get her attention before strutting out and doing a twirl in front of her to show her outfit, it was a dress Isabelle had picked out, it was a little black dress, that had long sleeves and ended at her midthigh and despite her small frame, stuck to her tightly in the right places.

Her mother whistled teasingly, "Damn, pretty lady. Where are we going?"

Clary looked back at her mother in an awkward expression, "Oh um, I am going to a party".

"I don't remember you asking for my permission to go out late at night" Miranda noted.

Clary had a sheepish expression, "I may have forgotten".

"Then you can't go" Miranda said simply, looking back at her book.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me" Miranda insisted, flipping a page, easily and not looking at her.

Clary turned from feeling sheepish to defensive, "I may have forgotten to ask but-"

"There is not buts-"

"Don't interrupt me when I am talking" Clary said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Miranda closed her book and looked at Clary with a raised eyebrow, unbelieving, "Excuse me? What's with the attitude?"

"It's not an attitude, I am asking you to not interrupt me when I am speaking" Clary said. She felt a rage bubble inside her, partly at the fear of not going to the party and the other part at being treated like a child. After everything she's been through, she hasn't been a child for years and does not deserve to be treated like one.

"Oh really? Then go ahead, speak your case" Miranda said proping her chin on her hand with a smile and a sarcastic expression on her face which made Clary fume with anger.

"I may have forgotten to tell you earlier, but it's Maia's birthday and I can't miss it" Clary said.

"Oh well since you put it that way... no, you can't go" Miranda said dismissively.

Clary narrowed her eyes, growing angrier with each passing moment, "What do you mean no? It's my friend's birthday I have to go".

"Should have thought of that beforehand then" Miranda said easily.

Clary huffed, "You can't just tell me no".

"I can actually I am your mother" Miranda argued.

"You can't do that, it's my friend's birthday, you can't force me to skip it" Clary argued growing livid, "I deserve to go to this".

"Deserve? And how in your mind do you think you earned that right?" Miranda asked.

"Ugh, I never do anything wrong, I have to pack up and move my entire life around-"

"You can't blame me for that"

"-And you asked me to make some friends at the start of the year, and I did. I finally got some friends that I care about and going to each other's birthdays is part of friendship. You can't just ask me to-"

"I am not asking you, I am telling you" Miranda interrupted sharply.

"I told you not to interrupt me like I am a child" Clary growled in anger, "Why? All this because I forgot to tell you about the party beforehand?"

"It's not just the party Clary" Miranda said, throwing her book down at the coffee table as she stood up to meet Clary at eye level, "It's the last minute plans with your friends, it's the meals you keep missing to go out with them, it's coming back home late at night after going out with them".

Clary nodded in understanding, a sarcatic expression on her face "So you have a problem with my friends?"

"I have a problem with the effect they have on you" Miranda corrected as she placed her hand on her hips.

"They have no effect on me" Clary argued defensively.

"No? Then explain all the outings and hangouts, you are never home lately and when you are home all you do is talk about your friends" Miranda argued.

Clary flinched back, "I never realized telling you about my day was such a burden to you. Fine, I get the point, I'll never talk again". Clary said as she stepped back, shutting herself out. If her mother didn't want to listen to her talk about her day, that's fine. She should have expected it, she should have just kept her mouth shut and stick to short answers.

Yes, my day was fine.

No, nothing happened at school today.

Yes, I'm okay.

The sudden feeling of being a burden to her mother when talking about her feelings twisted a knot in her stomach. Of course she didn't want to listen to her silly everyday life events. And really, if her own mother didn't want to hear her talk.. who would?

"Clary that's not what I meant" Miranda shook her head, "But since you have been hanging out with your friends, you spend less time at home, you are constantly talking and texting them, you are always tired at the end of the day, it's not healthy".

"That's because I'm happy" Clary yelled out finally, "I'm happy with them and I haven't felt happy in a long time". Clary admitted in a yell, she was angrier than she had ever been with her mother. She thought she understood, Clary's need for people her own age to talk to, to be friends with. All her life, she suffered, because of him. She had to be constantly on the run because of him. She never got the chance to have a normal life because of him. She had been bruised and beaten down because of him.

Her life is a mess because of him. This, her friends. is finally something good that she has, the first good thing she has ever had and doesn't she deserve that? Just one good thing in her bad awful life? No? Is that it? Will she just be doomed to never be happy again?

She almost laughed at the thought, serves her right for thinking she deserves something good. Hadn't Valentine shown her enough times that she doesn't even deserve the air she is breathing, she looked up and was faced with the even worse reality that this time it wasn't Valentine who was in her way, it was her own mother. The only person she thought she could trust.

She thought they were in this together, but they're not.

Miranda didn't seem to catch the honesty in Clary's words, probably thinking she was being overdramatic since her angered expression did not change.

"And I suppose your grades dropping and you getting into fights at school are all because you are happy?" Miranda argued.

Clary jumped back, shock evident in her features but the angry knot in her eyebrows didn't cease, "How do you know about that?"

"Your principal called me, you never had a problem with your grades before you met those people" Miranda said.

"Those people are my friends and it isn't their faults, they all have good grades" Clary argued, in defense of her friends as she suddenly felt betrayed. Sure she had been getting bad grades lately but that isn't their fault, Jace is surprisingly a straight A student, it shouldn't have come as a surprise to her since he is so good at everything.

"Oh so it is just my daughter that is the problem? Great" Miranda said sarcastically.

"I'm not a problem" Clary huffed out angrily, "Did you ever think that maybe I want more to my life then just getting good grades and spending hours locked in my room studying for stuff I don't care about? What would be the point? I can't apply to any colleges, I will never have the academic career driven life so why bother? Why can't I do what I want in life? Did you ever even ask me, just once, what do I want?"

"We don't have the luxury of getting everything we want in life" Miranda said, trying to reason with her.

"Do you even care?" Clary asked suddenly, not angry but detatched "Do you even care that I am happy with my friends? That they make me happy?"

"That's not fair, Clary" Miranda argued, "Of course I care".

"It doesn't seem like it" Clary said.

"Because I care more about you, that they are a bad influence on you" Miranda said.

"They are not a bad influence" Clary yelled out frustrated, "They are my friends, and I will go to that party, even if you say no".

"Oh yeah, how will you get there? I'm not driving you" Miranda said, crossing her arms over her chest and pulling her back straighter as she raised her head up.

Clary huffed, "Jace is picking me up actually, in fact I'll meet him half way" Clary said and then took the box that she had next to the door, Maia's gift, and walked out into the night, slamming the door behind her with a heavy thud. She'll just meet Jace halfway, she knows the road and he's probably on his way by now. She mentally cursed herself for forgetting her phone.

But she went out into the night anyways, no phone, no purse, no way to call Jace.

She heard the whistles and the cat calls and decided to ignore it as a group of guys on the other side of the street stared her down. Just ignore them Clary, don't even look at them, do NOT look at them.

She kept her gaze to the ground but she could hear every word and sound they made, when she passed by them, she could hear them walk after her and telling her to wait but she refused to.

"Hey guys wait, I think that's Jace's girl"


A/N: Hey guys I hope you enjoyed this and I'll see you in the next chapter which is what? Look at that, it's already out. Surprise.