Hey guys! Sorry about the long wait, I've been busy, but I promise to find more time to write! Thanks for your continued support though!

…

A few days after the double date, Clary was still confused. She still had questions which needed answers. Ones that she couldn't provide for herself. Okay, maybe she had the answers to a few of them, others, however, were going to need some input from someone. Jace, namely. So, it was this need for answers that powered Clary to take the drive to Jace's house. Each purposeful step lead to her standing in front of his simple wooden door but she hesitated to knock. For some reason her hand remained frozen at her side refusing to move, but she also wasn't willing to leave without the answers that had fuelled her hasty arrival to her statue state in front of his door. With one final burst of courage she lifted her now willing hand and rapped on the door.

After a lifetime, the door was flung open to reveal Jace's frame. He raised one muscular arm to lean on the door frame, and his lips curled into an arrogant smile as he blocked Clary's path inside. "I thought I saw your car pull up, but after the long pause before the knock, I couldn't be sure." Jace teased.

Clary stepped forward and gave him a playful nudge whilst a content smile graced her face. "Shut up!" She replied weakly as Jace took a step aside to allow her entry. Clary takes her chance to enter the house only to find herself colliding into a wall of muscle. Jace wrapped his arms around Clary to keep her there. Pausing to look into to her eyes, he slowly begins to lower his head. Clary instinctively raises herself up slightly to meet him halfway. Lips slam into each other, softly yet harsh as they continue to slip passionately together. Jace presses his palm against the small of Clary's back and the other moving to cup her cheek to gently ensure that their lips stay connected. At the same time Clary's hands begin to wonder until they reach their place with one winding into Jace's golden waves and one supports the back of his neck.

It is only when the need for air became necessary to survival does Clary break the kiss. She distanced them just enough to find their breath again but Jace's and her hands remained in their places. Moss green quickly melts with golden caramel as their eyes meet. Clary whispers breathlessly "Hi.". The soft tone of her voice and the slightly swollen lips that allow the sound to escape, cause Jace's eyes to darken as he answers Clary.

"Hey. I was just making myself a coffee when I saw you pull up; do you want one?" Jace asked. Clary would have agreed to anything with the way he was looking at her. Only after she gave a small nod did she realise that the follow through of his offer would mean that the current embrace would have to be broken. As Jace gave her cheek one last stroke with his thumb that could almost be interpreted as lovingly, he reluctantly removed his hand from the small of her back. He used this hand to intertwine his fingers with Clary's hand. "Black? No sugar?", he asked.

Jace turned without waiting for a reply, using the hand that connected his body to Clary's to pull her along behind him as he made his way towards the kitchen. Clary couldn't help but smile as he had remembered her coffee order despite it only being mentioned once. "Just like my soul." Her tone light and the smile that Jace caused could be heard.

On entering the kitchen Jace lead Clary to the tall wooden stool that sat in front of the marble island. He places a peck to her forehead as he lets go of her hand to go and finish the coffee that he had long ago started, adding Clary's mug to his. As he moves around the kitchen grabbing what he needs to complete the coffees, Jace finds ways to feel Clary. Little squeezes and brushes of the hand only add to the confusion that Clary has.

"How do you think the double date went? I mean after the revaluation that you are Alec's best friend?" Clary said, wanting to break the silence that had settled over them. Jace turned with coffee now complete and mugs in his hands. He placed them on the table before pulling out the stool that was next to Clary. He sat down, moving so that he was facing her with his knees almost brushing against Clary's thighs.

"It went well right? Isabelle seemed like she trusted me a little more with the shared history." Jace replied as he lifted his mug to his mouth to take a sip. Clary wrapped her hands around the mug, as she smiled at Jace.

Clary lifted both her hands with the mug, to take a sip feeling it calmingly warm the pathway into her stomach. She used this to gather her courage. "Yeah, that definitely helped. But now there is still another matter to deal with," Clary took a deep breath as she glared at the coffee that was still cased in her hands. "Aline." Clary was shocked. Whilst this was one of the problems that she was facing it wasn't the one that was causing her the most concern. "I know that I blamed you before and I'm sorry. But Aline needs to know that we are engaged right?"

"Clare," Jace gave her a confused look. "Didn't the issue of Aline's involvement resolve itself, when you told Isabelle the truth?". He placed one hand on her thigh just above the knee as he spoke, trying to draw her attention away from the coffee between her hands. Jace wanted to be able to look into Clary's eyes to attempt to gauge what she was thinking.

Clary placed her hand on top of the Jace's lifting it to intertwine their fingers together, before allowing their now joined hands to rest on her thigh in the same place. "That was more to do with the threat itself though. Can I handle this though? In my own way?"

Jace reluctantly agreed. With the Aline issue dealt with conversation seemed to flow, with their hands remaining joined. It wasn't until cups were drained and Clary was buckling to her seatbelt did, she realise that she hadn't managed to ask about the state of the relationship.

…

Once Jace had agreed to the Aline situation, she texted Izzy. Her words are simple and soon a plan is coming together. With the aid of a quick Facebook search they able to find out where Aline spends most mornings. With a location set, the plan put into motion.

Clary and Izzy meet each other outside the café the next morning. They enter the room together as they make plans to go shopping later in the week. The previous tension that resulted from the revolution that both marriages are arranged, now gone. Laughter begins to flow between the two as they enjoy their brunch.

It's not until the door chimes as it opens do, they look up. Aline enters and start to raise up on the tips of her toes as she tries to look for a table in the busy café. Clary smiles back at Izzy before turning to Aline, walking towards her. "Hey Aline, I thought that was you." Clary gives her a sweetly smile. "It's Clary. Jace's fiancé." She places emphasis on the word. "Are you meeting someone? Because you're welcome to sit with my best friend, Isabelle and I."

Aline imitates Clary's faux smile. "Hi Clary. I might just take you up on that offer." Upon hearing the Aline's agreeance, Clary turns on her heel and walks briskly back to her seat that she previously occupied. Clary doesn't turn to see if Aline has followed her, but her presence is known as Aline pulls out a chair scraping it along the ground.

Clary and Izzy share a look. "Hi I'm Izzy. This one's," She gazes towards Clary, tilting her head slightly. "Best friend. And maid of honour." Iz finishes stating. Her tone making her words seem like a fact. Isabelle adds as an afterthought, "I don't think we have met before. Have we?". She smiles, and with an overly-friendly-cheery-tone. This combined with Izzy's earlier introduction, definitely making it seem condescending.

Aline smiles, and answers Isabelle in a similar tone. "I don't believe that we have. I'm Aline." Whilst the introductions are completed a waitress comes and takes their coffee orders.

Clary who had remained silent up until this point, decides that it is time to put the next phase of the plan into action. "Great, now everyone knows each other." She shares a look with Iz, before she continues. "We were just discussing details of the wedding. Do you mind if we continue? It was about colours schemes?" Clary asks both questions at once, making it obvious that she doesn't want an answer for the first.

"Yes, but colours are hard to decide without knowing a theme." Izzy states. "And a theme is hard to decide without a location too. Well I think anyway." Izzy pauses taking a sip of her coffee that had just arrived. "Have you and Jace started looking yet?"

They continue discussing details for a wedding that will probably be forgotten. Aline's presence and input often ignored. The only response Aline receives are looks and nods before the conversation continues. The topic of conversation alongside the constant dismissal, was succeeding in both making Aline uncomfortable and reinforcing Jace's now taken status. Aline begins to fidget, unable to sit still. Thinking of an excuse she leaves quickly.

Once Aline has made her hasty exit, Clary and Izzy share a celebratory smile and finish their brunch. The laughter from the two can be heard from across the room as they talk about things unrelated to the predicament that they both find themselves in.

…

Isabelle enters her driveway and her good mood left over from her lunch is the only reason that she doesn't leave immediately when she sees Simon's car also parked there. However, she slowly gathers her belongings to take with her. Izzy takes a deep breath before exiting the car to make her way slowly to the front door. Iz tries to buy herself some time before she enters the house and must greet Simon.

Entering the lounge room, Isabelle sees her mother sitting comfortable in her overstuffed air chair as Simon sits opposite, looking like he wants to leave at any moment. Maryse speaks and Simon responds whilst he wraps his hands further around themselves. Isabelle isn't close enough to hear the words that are spoken but judging by the positions of the two, she knows that there is an interrogation happening.

Izzy decides to make her presence known. "Hi Simon. Mum." She turns her head to look at each of them as she greets them individually however Isabelle pauses to give her mother a pointed look. The integration was uncalled for, despite what the terms where between Simon and herself. Isabelle still hadn't exactly spoken to her mother since finding out about the arrangement. Her anger was still too strong.

Sensing the tension within the room Maryse made her goodbye quick. After her abrupt departure, Isabelle entered further into the room. She dropped what she had taken from the car alongside her keys to the coffee table as she made her way towards the spot closest to Simon. Iz flopped down before turning to him and gave him a shy smile. "I'm sorry about mum." Isabelle began to apologise. "She can be a little intense sometimes, and maybe just a little overprotective."

Simon returned her smile before assuring her that it was fine. "I understand. You are her only daughter and its normal for her to want to protect you. Even if it is from the fiancé that she forced onto you." Simon took a deep breath before asking his next question. "How are you feeling with that anyway."

Izzy noticed how his hands remained at his sides, but his eyes seemed to will that she be okay with the question. "I think that I'm slowly getting there. At least we don't have a crazy ex to contended with on top of everything." At Simon's confused look, Iz launched into a recount of her morning. She used her hands and changed her facial expressions for the moments that were her favourite or was passionate about.

As the conversation continues Izzy starts to notice little things that for some reason irate her. The way Simon doesn't brush his hand against her to calm her down. The way he refuses to laugh instead of smile. And the way he doesn't even hug her. Isabelle comes to a realisation. One that shocks her. Isabelle is jealous.

…

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