*Thanks everyone for all your comments I really enjoyed and appreciated them! Hope you guys enjoy it's about Jace like everybody requested =) keep reading n responding please*

**Disclaimer: All characters belong to Cassandra Clare**

Jace breathed in the quiet, country air and crept towards the barn door soundlessly. It was late at night; the stable boys were long gone. Jace edged his fingers into the crack of the door and eased it open before gracefully slipping inside. He quickly pushed the door closed before turning and peering into the gloom of the barn, the only light shining down from the two high windows at the top of the loft. He paused and listened for noises outside the large barn and when he was sure he hadn't been followed, Jace breathed a sigh of relief.

All the horses were in their stables, but none of them seemed to be asleep. Jace grinned; it was like they knew he would be coming to see them tonight. He walked towards his horse's stall, his boots making soft scuffing sounds as he stepped on the scattered hay. The large chestnut horse whinnied at Jace in greeting.

With the grin still pulling up the corner of his mouth, Jace climbed over the fence of the stall and walked up slowly to his horse, stopping when he was a few feet away. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a carrot. His horse raised its head and shuffled back and forth. Jace smiled at him and dangled the carrot.

"You want it?" The horse snorted in response. "Come on. Come get it then." The horse didn't move. Jace couldn't suppress a sigh; his father had these horses trained better than the best dogs. They almost had no free will left.

Jace softly clicked his tongue and the horse sauntered over to him immediately, nostrils flaring as it smelled the treat. Jace held it up and his horse pulled it from his hand eagerly and chomped it. Jace winced as he imagined the horse chomping his fingers with the same grinding snaps the carrot made. His horse snorted at him then, blowing his hair back, almost as if it knew what he had been thinking. Jace smiled and ran his hand up the horse's velvety nose, relaxing completely for the first time in days.

He liked coming out to the barn on quiet nights like this. It was the only place on their property where he could go without worrying about having to fake what he was feeling. His father was always too busy to come out here and Jonathan…couldn't stand the smell. His brother didn't like animals very much, except when they were on his plate or the moving target of his arrows. Jace personally believed that somebody like Jonathan shouldn't even have animals. With a sigh, he gave his horse one last pat before turning back to the gate.

His hand brushed the padlock as he climbed up the wooden gate and he frowned at it. Valentine kept all the horse's stables padlocked for some reason. Only himself and the head stable boy were allowed to have the keys to them. It's probably so I don't try running away. He thought to himself bitterly as he swung his leg over the fence and dropped down onto the floor gracefully. His father must know how much he hates living here…so why else would he always keep the horses locked up if not to keep Jace prisoner?

Jace ambled over to Jonathan's horse, thinking that of all the things living at the Morganstern Manor, he himself was not the most mistreated. Jace's heart squeezed painfully as he peered over the gate at the big black horse that was huddled in the farthest corner. The beast stared back at him without blinking, her huge eyes glassy with mistrust and fear.

Jace clenched his hands on the wooden gate so hard he felt more than one splinter dig into his palms. Slowly, to not frighten the horse, Jace pulled himself up onto the gate. The black mare whinnied and stepped back into the wall away from him, her eyes growing even wider. Jace clenched his teeth and held still, waiting for her to realize that he wasn't his brother. When the horse stopped retreating, Jace slowly swung his leg over the gate, never taking his eyes off her and willing her to stay calm. The mare flicked her tail nervously and lowered her head. Jace pulled his other leg over the gate and dropped down onto the straw scattered floor.

The mare neighed loudly and danced backwards away from him so fast her rump hit the gate and made it rattle like an instrument. Jace held up his hands and spoke in his softest voice.

"Shhh. You're okay. It's not him, it's me. Easy, girl." The horse's ears pricked up at his soothing tone, but she didn't seem to recognize him. Jace slowly slipped his fingers into his pocket and pulled out another carrot. He then held it up in front of him, feeling like it was a white surrender flag, and carefully took a step towards Jonathan's horse. His boot cracked a twig in half and the snap was startling enough to make the horse edge back and rear up on her hind legs for a second. Jace stopped and held his breath, praying that she wouldn't panic and run at him and crush him into the gate.

"You're okay…I'm not gunna hurt you." Jace murmured as he stepped closer. He had the feeling that the horse couldn't even smell the carrot over the smell of her own fear. Hatred for his cruel brother shivered through him and made his skin feel hot. Jace kneeled down and dropped the carrot on the floor in front of him. Then he slowly stood up and backed away to the gate. The horse didn't look away from his face to see what he had left for her. Jace dug his fingers into the gate behind him and softly clicked his tongue at her. His chest tightened as she immediately stepped forward, like a puppet being pulled on a string, but even more obedient to his commands. She walked forward, her head low, and almost stepped on the carrot. She stopped in front of it, smelling it, all the while keeping her big eyes locked on Jace.

"Go ahead, it's yours." He said softly. The horse took the carrot into its muzzle and started chomping it slowly. Jace pulled out her second carrot and rolled it between his palms. He always brought Jonathan's horse two carrots because he felt like she deserved one more than his own horse. He held it out to her, not dangling it around teasingly like he did with his horse for fear of frightening her again. She raised her head and sniffed at it, but didn't move. Neither did Jace.

"Come on. You have to come get this one." he said to her. A sad grin curved his lips. "Don't worry, I trust you." The horse whined softly and pranced a step to the side. Jace clicked his tongue twice. She cautiously stepped forward, her nostrils wiggling as she smelled the carrot in front of her. Seeing the undiluted fear in her eyes at being so close to him almost broke his heart. Jace clicked his tongue again, partially hating himself for it. She took the last steps to him as he had commanded, and took the carrot out of his hand without taking her eyes off his. Jace sighed in relief.

He slowly held his palm out to her and tried not to laugh when her velvety mouth tickled his hand while she searched for stray chunks of carrot she may have missed. He ran his other hand up her smooth face, trying to get her to remember his scent. She swayed her head away from his hand, but stayed in front of him. Jace rubbed between her ears and was immensely pleased when she didn't flinch away from him again. His brother was an idiot…how could he not love such a sweetheart?

He continued to pet her face, but his eyes traveled down her back and settled on the burn on her left hip. The brand had the fancy letters 'JM' on it. His brother had requested his own personalized brand for his horse, and had even used it on her himself. "To make it official." Jonathan had said boastfully.

Jace had then turned to his father and requested that he have a special brand too, only he wanted the letters D-I-C-K on his so he could brand his brother's forehead with it. Jace hadn't been attempting humor and Valentine hadn't been amused regardless. Jace's punishment for 'being rude' had been getting the backs of his hands hit with a leather horse whip. Even though his hands were red, raw, and throbbing after Valentine was done, Jace couldn't spare a second of thought for his trivial pain when Jonathan's horse had just been burned by the cretin himself.

Jace held the mare's face between his hands and touched his forehead to hers. She turned her head and nuzzled at his cheek, finally recognizing him as the blonde brother that didn't ever hurt her and went out of his way to try to make up for her rider's cruelness. Jace smiled and kissed her nose, he couldn't help it; she was just too damn cute.

"Well isn't that just the sweetest thing." A voice drawled from behind him.

Jace jumped and spun around towards the voice, making the mare step back nervously and whine in alarm. Jace turned his back on his father and went to her, rubbing her face again to get her to calm down.

"It's okay…" Jace murmured to her. The horse didn't seem to hear him and wasn't looking at him. Jace could see the silhouette of his father leaning against the gate in the reflection of her wide eyes.

"Wow. My son, the horse whisperer. I have to admit," Valentine said with a sneer, "I didn't see this coming." Jace bit back the retort he had thought of and turned to face his father, making his expression blank.

"I figured she needed some extra attention since her rider…" Jace stopped himself. Valentine raised his eyebrows and tilted his head curiously.

"Since her rider what, Jace? Haven't I always told you to speak your mind?" A crease appeared between Jace's eyebrows.

"You've never once told me to speak my mind." He said stiffly, trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. Valentine smiled kindly. "In fact, I think you've specifically said that 'a good son never talks back or questions his father, instead he keeps his smart mouth shut and is respectful no matter what.'"

"Yeah? That does sound like me." Valentine said jovially. "Well, better late then never eh?" he said smoothly, his eyes gleaming as he stared at his youngest son, daring him with his eyes to say what he had been thinking.

Jace battled against his stubborn rebelliousness, and failed miserably after only a few seconds. He walked up to the gate, putting himself between his father and Jonathan's horse in case Valentine decided to throw something at him.

"I was gunna say," Jace began slowly, his head raising defiantly and completely against his volition, "That I thought she needed some extra attention since her rider… is a cruel bastard that enjoys hurting creatures he thinks are below him because he's a heartless, fucking moron." Oops… Jace thought. That wasn't even what I was gunna say…ah well. Too late now.

Valentine stared at him without blinking. Jace felt his heart thudding in his chest but refused to look away from his father's burning, black stare. The barn had fallen silent around them; even the crickets had better sense then to start chirping. Every living creature around Jace seemed to know when to shut up…except for him. Valentine's eyes glittered like the dark carapaces of insects as he smiled.

"Where do you get that delightful arrogance from, boy?" Jace narrowed his eyes. "Surely, not from me." he said with a mocking laugh. Jace remained silent because he honestly didn't know what to say. Valentine smiled wider, and the hostility faded from his eyes. "Ah, Jace. You make me laugh. You remind me to be youthful." Jace smiled stiffly and rubbed his palms on his jeans.

"Thanks…" he said uncertainly. Valentine stepped away from the gate and beckoned Jace over with his large hand.

"Come out of there, kid, you'll smell like horses for hours." He said lightly. Jace stepped to the gate and climbed up it. Valentine ambled over to the gate across from Jonathan's horse and leaned on it, the muscles in his back making the rich satin of his expensive jacket strain slightly. Jace swung his long legs over the gate and dropped down on the floor, not trying to be quiet even though his feet hadn't made much noise anyways.

"So I assume you do this regularly?" Valentine said without looking at him. His youngest son sometimes wasn't very bright. He hadn't even noticed that Valentine had effectively coaxed him out of the confined safety of the stall with the same gentle tone that Jace himself had used with the frightened horse. Jace kicked hay out from under his boots before slipping his thumbs into his front pockets. Valentine looked at him over his broad shoulder when he didn't answer after three seconds. Jace shrugged, not wanting to admit to it but not wanting to lie either.

Somehow, Valentine always knew when he was lying. Once, after catching him in a lie, his father had told him it was his eyes that gave him away. He said they were too innocent and showed deception too clearly. Jace had had no choice but to agree since Valentine had some how figured out that he was lying. From that day on, Jace had practiced making his eyes hard and unyielding so that he could at least keep some things from his father.

"I asked you a question, Jace." Valentine said as he turned to face him, his voice rumbling deeply. "And when I ask you a question, you answer me. Do you need to be reminded why it's a good idea to be respectful to me?" His tone had become softer, gentler; as it usually did when he was threatening someone. Jace shook his head.

"No, sir, I don't need to be reminded." He said stiffly, trying to keep the annoyance that he felt out of his voice. Valentine took three leisurely steps toward his son, knowing that his calm demeanor was far more threatening than if he chose to run at him. Valentine admired the fact that Jace looked him in the eyes while being reprimanded; while Jonathan had a tendency to always look away.

"Then answer my question the first time I ask it and do not make me wait while you try to think up a convincing enough lie." Valentine said softly. Jace nodded.

"Okay. I'll remember that…sir." He said. His father narrowed his anthracitic eyes at him and Jace felt his heart stutter over its next beat. "And no, Father, I don't come here regularly. I don't usually have the time to come play with horses." He said in an arrogant voice that reminded him instantly of Valentine. He didn't know where that tone had come from, but he hoped it would help him lie and sound convincing.

Valentine smiled and stared down into Jace's golden eyes, searching for that strange, innocent and guilty gleam that always gave him away while he was lying straight to his father's face.

While Jace didn't look much like him physically, as Jonathan did, Jace some times resembled him in ways that seemed more obvious then facial features. When Jace was angry, his eyes hardened and burned in the same way that Valentine's did even though they were different colors. When he wanted something, his voice dropped persuasively and took on a soft tone that became almost impossible to refuse, just like his father's. And when Jace was arrogant or prideful, his head rose up and his shoulders broadened while Valentine's exact smirk pulled up the corner of his mouth. Sometimes the resemblance was startling. This was one of those startling times where Valentine felt like he was looking at a mirror that reflected his own cadences back at him.

Jace just stood there under Valentine's searching gaze, his body relaxed, his eyes clear and truthful, and looked back at his father without fear.

Suddenly, just as his relaxed, and completely fake demeanor was starting to slip, Valentine backhanded him hard in the face.

Jace heard the crack of his father's hand on his cheek before he felt it, the strength of it making him stumble back as he lost his balance. Jace inhaled a breath through his teeth as the pain came suddenly with bruising force. He held his palm up to his face, his skin becoming hot as the blood rushed to it.

Valentine stared down at him with smoldering anger, ignoring completely the frightened sounds that the horses were making.

Jace prayed to the Angel that they would shut up before they got hit as well. Then he would really get in trouble because he would immediately go to their defense. He could clearly imagine the look on his father's face as he stepped defiantly between him and the animals that he considered dumb beasts.

"I have to say, you're getting much better at lying…that was very well done. You almost had everything down perfectly: the tone of voice, the body language, you knew what to say…even your eyes didn't give you away this time..." Valentine said maliciously with a small smile. "It seems like you've finally lost your innocence, Jace. It's about time, I was beginning to loose hope. So tell me…what happened to your wings, little angel boy?" He laughed.

Jace closed his eyes, trying to force down the anger that had flared up inside him hotter and more acrid than liquid metal. His cheek burned and throbbed persistently beneath his hand and he could feel Valentine smirking at him, waiting for an answer. Jace dropped his hand from his face and opened his eyes, feeling them brighten with his smoldering defiance.

"I broke them."