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Chapter 28…

{Jace's POV}

That night was the most relaxed I had had in a while.

Mostly because of her.

I was wondering if I would ever stop being mesmerized by everything about her.

Throughout the evening she was watching me with intent, analysing my every movement as I prepared the food.

"Have you never had anyone cook for you before?"

I asked, amused by her fascination.

"Well yes. But I have never seen anyone cook before. At the Manor we had a mundane who was a Chef"

Even as she spoke, her gaze never left my hands.

"Wait, my cooking skills are being compared to a professional?"

I sarcastically pushed all of my equipment and ingredients away from me.

"Maybe I should just order in some Chinese…"

Clary's fixed stare dashed up to meet mine,

"Don't you dare"

She breathed, I wasn't able to tell if she was joking or not to be honest.

"I can still beat your ass"

She reminded me pointedly.

"Ok ok, but don't get your hopes up too much"

I smirked, in which she responded,

"Oh they are already sky high"

Her eyes had a childish glimmer of excitement to them, rather than making me elated also, I felt a strong swell of pity form in my gut.

Clary had obviously missed out on much as a child, probably to harden and mould her into the fighter she is today.

{Clary's POV}

I knew I was acting like an excited child, but I couldn't help it.

So when Jace finally placed a plate in front of me of spaghetti bolognese, I heaved in a massive mouthful.

Feeling his eyes watching my reaction, I pretended to choke on the food.

His face began to droop, so I swallowed the food quickly and smiled at him.

"You tease! I really thought you didn't like it"

He remarked back to me, in between odd bits of laughter.

There was something odd about his smile, whenever Jace smiled it made you think everything was going to be ok. But more importantly, Jace smiled with his eyes - a presence that rarely existed in people. But now with him, I knew when he was really smiling, this made me feel more secure, I enjoyed being able to read people.

I glimpsed back down to my plate to realise that all the food was gone.

I must have eaten it absentmindedly.

Maybe I'm more hungry than I thought.

"Hungry by any chance?"

"Don't mock me. I haven't eaten in a bloody long time. Besides, a girls gotta eat"

"I don't doubt that"

We were silent for a few moments, not an awkward silence mind you.

Then Jace's face shifted as if he had just remembered something.

"Uhm, Clary?"

"Yes?"

"I need to tend to your injured, Magnus said I would need to reapply some of the creams he has created."

Feeling my face drop as the memories of the whip and the wolfsbane resurfaced I sensed a violent shiver run through me.

"Yeah, just let me change quickly."

Entering the bedroom I realised there were women's clothes in the chest of drawers.

I placed on some baggy booty shorts and a small sports bra.

On the way out I caught myself in the mirror and froze.

I really did not realise how bad I looked, my hair was a mess - although that wasn't what scared me.

All of my bruises and scars were now on show - a sudden self-consciousness.

I felt naked.

When I walked out that door, Jace would be able to see me.

Not the brave, badass Clarissa.

He would be looking at Clary, the bashed up girl who was raised by a monster.

I normally wore my scars with pride, but it was different with him.

Ever since I had met him, he had made me second guess everything I was taught to believe.

And he knew it.

{Stephen's POV}

I had been sitting in that ridiculous meeting for 3 hours now, and it was about 11 in the evening.

The very same debate, with the very same arguments had been delivered.

My head was in my hands.

Jace.

He consumed my thoughts, I was wrestling with myself over how to think of my son.

Half of me was proud that he had taken such a large stand for something he believed in.

However, the other half was devastated that it had to be over this.

Why did it have to be this time?

As now I could no longer protect him, the Clave had every reason to believe that Jace was in league with Valentine.

Due to him protecting Clarissa Morgenstern-

"Stephen. Stephen have you even been listening?"

It was my mother's voice.

"I was paying attention last year. We cannot continue to go in circles like this - considering there is nothing we can do about Clarissa. We all heard what Jace said - he will return when she is recovered"

I stated factually into the room.

"So you expect us to all sit here and do nothing?"

Luke asked me, rather impatiently might I add.

"We can do nothing about Jace and Clarissa no. However we need to shift our focus onto Valentine for the meanwhile"

"What do you propose then?"

My mother queried.

"We go to the root of the issue. There are still clearly Circle members within the Clave, how else would Valentine had gotte into contact with Clary when she was in the lock-up"

A few murmurs of agreement circled the room,

"The only ones we can trust are in this very room. Which includes: myself, Lucian, Jocelyn, Maryse, Robert, Celine and Imogen. I want to say Alec and Isabelle, however they are too close to Jace - which can complicate issues"

I looked longingly at Maryse and Robert, expecting a reaction - yet they just nodded in agreement.

Everyone mutually accepted my terms in silence.

{Jace's POV}

I nearly dropped all of the creams and bandages when she appeared at the end of the corridor.

I had never seen her look so exposed before.

Not beautiful in the way she was when fighting, beautiful in the sense that she was beginning to open up to me.

She perched on the end of the sofa with her back to me.

Now that I could see her more clearly I couldn't help staring.

If I had thought she'd had many bruises and scars on her face, then that was nothing.

It seemed I could find no place of skin that had neither scar nor rune or bruise.

Rather than being repelled by the sight of her, I was in awe.

She had endured all of this pain and was still fighting, she was still human.

I took the gauzes off of her back and shuddered slightly.

The marks of the whip had tarnished her, whilst some had begun to heal nicely and might fade someday.

There were others - much more deep - that I feared will have damaged her for life.

Hearing her wince slightly as I began applying the ointments Magnus had given me I stopped.

"Clary, are you ok?"

"Define ok?"

If she had meant her voice to sound joking and strong then she had failed.

Her tone didn't match her at all, she sounded defeated.

"Clary, I know you don't really know me. But you can talk to me."

I offered.

In return she swiveled around so that we were facing one another.

Our faces were so close - about 10 inches apart.

"Jace I can't"

"But why? Clary I want to understand you"

"You can't. You heard what Magnus said earlier - 'I'm one of a kind'. Nobody will ever be able to understand, my existence was one I was born to suffer alone"

Acceptance leaked through her, I could tell by her face and voice.

"I don't believe in that."

I told her very flatly, causing her to look up to me questioningly.

"Clary, my whole life I have been taught to be the perfect son, perfect brother and the perfect shadowhunter. But now you're here, and everything is different."

She looked surprised by my words,

"And if that much can change, then so can you. All I'm saying is that fate is a bunch of bullshit - you were born on a course, but you can change lanes"

"You really think so?"

"Yes Clary I do."

She smiled a smile I had never seen on her before - but it seemed to match her so well.

"But Blondie, don't think for a second that you're the only one who's been changed here."

At that she turned around to allow me to continue tending to her wounds.

I'm sorry these chapters are not very active at the moment.

I am establishing more character relationships.

Trust me it's all about to kick off soon !

Song 6 ~ Walk through the fire - Zayde Wolf + Ruelle