It's our anniversary

Clary woke up as she should have a year ago after the first time she slept with Jace. Warm, sober, and wrapped in his arms. She could smell the sweet scent of his clean sheets, which was a lovely juxtaposition to the smell of her clogged toilet that she remembered too vividly.

Jace hugged her tighter as she tried to get up and grumbled into her hair. "Not yet," he groaned. "Too early…"

Clary chuckled and slowly pried his arms from around her. "Don't you want me to make you breakfast?"

Jace smiled softly without opening his eyes. "I wouldn't say no to some French toast. Or pancakes. Or… oooh, waffles?"

"Waffles," Clary nodded. She hopped up from the bed and threw on the shirt Jace had been wearing the day before. It was a faded blue t-shirt with angel wings across the back. She thought it was funny that someone with so much money would keep such worn things.

On her way downstairs, she stopped by James' room, and was surprised to see that he was still sleeping. She knew the baby monitor hadn't gone off, but she thought it was too good to be true.

About 30 minutes later, Jace finally made it downstairs with a still sleepy James hugged to his chest. Clary smiled at them both as she flipped two more waffles onto the already towering stack, and started pouring more batter into the two waffle presses.

Jace set James down to sit on the counter just in front of him, his little chubby legs dangling off the side, and reached up to yawn and rub his eyes. In almost perfect timing, James reached up to do the exact same.

Clary stared at the two of them for a moment, wondering if this what her life could have been like if that night with Jace had been different. If Jace hadn't left that morning, or even if they hadn't been quite so drunk the night before. Jace had enough money that he could have supported Clary and the baby through her tough time. They could have bought a house together, maybe one with a kitchen like this one, and Clary could have made him waffles every morning. And Jace could hug their daughter and kiss her on the forehead like he was doing now…

Clary shook her head, clearing herself from her daze, and walked around the kitchen island to wrap her arms around Jace from behind. She pressed her cheek to his bare shoulder.

Jace seemed to understand what she was thinking and didn't stop her. He kept one hand on James, who was still sitting on the counter and sucking on his fist. Jace's other hand came to rest on Clary's and they stood there quietly for a few peaceful moments.

"Look at them!" Magnus cried, wildly gesturing to the TV. "Would they not be great parents? Aren't they so good together?"

Alec sighed. He did have to admit that they seemed to be getting along really well. But still, he shook his head. "They still haven't talked about the baby. Jace knows that Clary gave up their baby and they're both avoiding the subject. A functional couple can't raise a baby without having open communication."

Magnus nodded along with everything Alec said as he slowly and discreetly lifted his phone to his ear.

"Magnus, are you calling Jace right now?"

Magnus' eyes widened as a soft ringing sound came from the TV. "Nooo… I'm calling Clary." The Jace on the TV released Clary's hand and reached for Clary's phone on the counter.

Alec dove and tackled Magnus to the floor, wrestling the phone out of his hand just as Jace answered.

"Magnus? What's up?"

Alec coughed. "Jace, it is I. Your dearest brother."

"Alec, I know your lying voice. Are you about to lie to me?"

Alec smacked Magnus' hand away as he tried to snatch the phone from his ear. "Ok fine, we're coming home."

"Already? After one night? Where did you two even go?"

Alec hung up the phone without answering Jace's question. He and Magnus watched the TV as Jace stared at his phone, perplexed, before setting it down on the counter and reaching for a waffle.

Alec shoved his husband's phone into his back pocket. "Were you really about to reveal the true parentage of our adopted child to his birth parents over the fucking phone?"

Magnus shrugged, "we have to tell them somehow."

Alec shook his head. "We still have a lot to do before we can tell them. All that this little experiment has done has proved that they still have feelings for each other. We still don't know if they would be good parents, or if they would even want to raise a child together. James is still our son and I'm not signing him over to anyone until we know it's what's best for him."

Magnus sighed. "You're right, you're right. I'm sorry, I just got caught up in the heat of the moment."

Alec hugged Magnus. "It's ok. We just need to be careful."

Magnus laid his head on his husband's shoulder. "Can we go get waffles now?"

Jace was halfway through his third waffle, and Clary was just finishing her ninth when they heard the garage door opening.

Clary chuckled, "wow, they got here fast. Didn't they call less than half an hour ago?"

Jace nodded. "Wherever they went, it wasn't far."

Clary giggled, "it's almost like they were just across the street." She stood and walked behind Jace. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm gonna run upstairs and grab a sweater."

Jace nodded, leaning into her touch as she pulled away.

Just as Clary left, Jace heard Alec and Magnus coming down the hall. "Yes, I can smell the waffles from here. They didn't eat them all!"

"How did you know we made waffles?" Jace asked.

Alec entered the kitchen looking startled and wide-eyed. "Because. Uh. It is National Waffle Day."

Jace nodded, seeming like he actually believed it. "Cool. Didn't know that."

Alec mentally fist pumped at his convincing lie.

Magnus patted Alec on the back with his syrupy hand as he shoved a second waffle into his mouth. Alec cringed. "God, you've been spending too much time with Clary."

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

There was a bang, like a door slamming. James whimpered in his baby seat and shoved his fist into his mouth.

Clary stomped down the stairs and into the kitchen. Magnus and Alec shuffled to the side to stay out of her warpath.

Clary stomped through the kitchen and flung what looked like an entire plastic crate at Jace's head.

"What the fuck is this?"

Jace took a mouthful of hard plastic to the face and fell out of his chair. He stood up, rubbing his jaw as he leaned over and opened the box. "A… box full of old shirts?"

"Not the box," Clary growled, and thrust a phone across the counter.

It was Jace's phone. He had left it upstairs when he came down for breakfast. It was unlocked, and on it was a text from Kaelie Whitewillow. Hey baby, I'm back. I missed you. Dinner tonight? It's our anniversary 3 And under it, a topless picture.

Jace swore under his breath. "It's not what it looks like."

"Really?" Clary demanded, her eyes filling with tears, "because it looks like when you told me you weren't seeing anyone you were lying. It looks like you cheated on this girl with me."

Jace shook his head, "no no no, it's not that at all—"

"I thought you were a lot of things Jace, but I didn't think you were a liar."

Jace stopped, and his eyes narrowed. "Liar? You think I'm the liar? How about we talk about the fact that you gave away our baby AND NEVER TOLD ME!"

Clary started to yell over Jace. "I did tell you! I just told you a few days ago!"

"No you didn't! You told someone else and I just happened to hear you say it!"

James started to cry over the yelling. Alec took him out of his high chair and started to rock him, but otherwise did not interfere with the argument.

"Are you really mad that I didn't tell you or are you just mad that I gave the baby up in general? Did you ever even want kids or do you just feel territorial over something that grew inside of me for nine months?"

"Of course I'm upset that you gave the baby up! You didn't even try to contact me!"

"You didn't try to contact me either!"

"I didn't even know you!"

"WELL I DIDN'T FUCKING KNOW YOU EITHER!"

Jace turned to Alec and pointed an accusatory finger at Clary. "You have to choose. I can't live in the same house as her anymore. Both of you have to choose who stays and who—"

"Clary," Magnus and Alec both said in unison.

Jace dropped his hand. "What?"

"No offence Jace, but Clary does work here. And this is her only source of money. And you're super rich. And you have three other houses. I really don't know why you live with us."

Jace nodded solumnly. "Wow, my own brother. My own flesh and blood—"

"You're adopted."

"Abandoning me to live on the streets—"

"Three houses."

"To starve and die alone." Jace sniffed and wiped a tear from beneath his eye. He stormed out of the room and left to pack his bags.

Clary sunk down onto a chair by the kitchen island. She dropped her face into her hands and broke down crying.

Wow we updated in a smaller amount of time than 6 months! Wow!

There are only like 4 chapters left. We hope you enjoy!

xoxo

-R&A