A/N: Well, here we are. I'll save the long, sappy author's note for the end, but for now, let me just say: thank you. And without further ado, the finale of City of Smoke and Dust.
Chapter Twenty-Four
This chapter contains a graphic description of birth. Reader discretion is advised.
"JACE! COME BACK! Jace, please, please—"
Clary sobbed, clutching her belly as a contraction hit her with the force of a tidal wave, accompanied by a terrifying pressure around her hips. A scream tore through her throat. There was a sort of electricity thrumming through her veins; her hands were shaking so hard that they were sending tremors up her arms.
"Jace," she cried, and when the next contraction hit, she collapsed, her fingers clawing uselessly at the ground. And as she lay there, curled up on her side, in so much pain that she was nearly blind, she knew she was going to die.
She was aware that she was screaming, but the sound was muffled, as if she were deep underwater. Pain enveloped her, and she felt herself sinking—she wanted it to end, she wanted to be with Jace...
I'm not strong enough, she thought.
But even as the words formed in her mind, another, sharper voice eclipsed them: You're the strongest person I know. You can do this.
I can't...
She closed her eyes and waited for the end to come. But as if by its own volition, her arm moved, wrapping protectively around her stomach.
He needs me. The thought was like a bell ringing clearly in her mind. He has to live.
Her bones turned to steel; her mind cleared like wind blowing away smoke. She forced herself to sit up, drawing in a shuddering breath. Tears spilled down her cheeks, but she paid them no attention. There was nothing else that mattered, nothing but giving life to the child inside her.
A contraction built within her, and there again was that pressure; as it intensified, every thought left her mind but one: push.
She pressed her back into the wall, drew her knees up to her chest, and pushed. A guttural scream ripped through her. Something shifted inside her; she put a shaking hand between her legs, reached up inside herself, and felt the baby's head.
"Oh God," she whispered. "Oh God, this is really happening..."
There was no time to dwell on the thought. Another contraction slammed into her, and she pushed. Time seemed to flow around her; she didn't know if it had been seconds, or minutes, or hours. All she could do was breathe, and push.
Then several things happened at once: as Clary gave a gargantuan push, the cave seemed to disappear before her, her vision obscured by a single, shining rune; there was a horrible, tearing pain inside her that ripped the air from her lungs—and then, with a heavy gush of blood that made her head grow light, something slid into her hands.
For a moment, there was only silence; then there was the tiniest cough, and at last cries filled the cavern, echoing like music off the stone walls.
Tears sprang to her eyes as Clary brought the baby up onto her chest with trembling hands. The baby wailed, squirming against Clary, and then Clary was crying too.
"Hi, baby," she whispered, kissing her child's head. Tears streamed down her face. "I love you. God, I love you so much."
The baby quieted after a moment; Clary shifted, turning him over to more comfortably cradle him—except—
"Oh!" she gasped. "You're not a boy. You are definitely not a boy." The baby gurgled, waving her fat little arms. Clary caught one of them, the tiny fingers of her daughter wrapping around her own index finger. There was a small, star-shaped mark on the inside of her wrist, identical to the one on both Clary and Jace's shoulders. "Hi, there," Clary whispered, giving a watery smile. "I'm sorry I thought you were a boy."
The baby opened her eyes, squinting up at Clary, and Clary's breath hitched. They were pure, shining gold.
Clary stared down at her daughter's face, trying to memorize every feature. She wished time would stop, so she could live in this moment forever, the baby gazing up at her with those beautiful golden eyes.
Then, suddenly, there was a cry from outside. Clary's head snapped up; outside the cave, she could hear the squelch of demons dying, but there was something else, a familiar grunting...
She looked down at the baby; her resolve hardened. Carefully, she shifted the baby to one arm and picked up the seraph blade Jace had given her. The name was on her lips before she had even thought it.
"Ithuriel," she whispered.
The blade came to life. Clary brought it down, shearing through the umbilical cord. Then she set the blade down and pulled Jace's jacket off her shoulders, wrapping the baby carefully in it.
"Shh," she said softly as the baby began to squall again. "It's okay. It'll be okay."
She picked up the seraph blade and Jace's stele and braced herself. Then she pushed herself to her feet.
Pain sliced through her, and she nearly fell to her knees; it took all her strength to remain standing. Blood gushed between her legs, spilling down the length of the dangling umbilical cord and splashing onto the floor. The hem of her dress felt heavy. Was this much bleeding normal?
She pushed the thought aside and took a step toward the mouth of the cave. Her legs shook; it felt as if she were being torn in half. She grit her teeth and took another step, then another one.
At last, she arrived at the entrance. Sweat poured down her back, and she leaned heavily against the edge of the cave, gasping for breath.
Outside, the cliffside was a graveyard. There were patches of ichor where demons had died and returned to their home dimension, but for the demons who had lived here, their carcasses were strewn across the land, split open and rotting. Clary fought back the urge to vomit. She cast her gaze around—there, his back pressed against the cliff, was Jace. One of his arms was wrapped around his ribcage; as he swung out at a flying demon with his sword, Clary saw blood gush between his fingers.
The demons were dwindling; Jace killed one, then another. But as he drove his sword up through one demon's throat, something huge swooped down from the sky. Jace cried out as it slammed into him; he hit the wall, slumped to the ground, and was still.
For a moment, Clary forgot how to breathe. Her arm moved automatically; she flung the seraph blade. The demon went down, screeching as it toppled over the edge of the cliff.
Clary wasted no time. She stumbled forward, almost slipping on her own blood. Painstakingly, she made her way to Jace, collapsing beside him.
"Jace," she whispered.
He coughed, opening his eyes. Blood trickled down his temple. "Clary," he choked. "It's...not...over..."
"They're gone," Clary said. "You killed them all, Jace."
"No—there's...more..."
She looked around; her stomach sank. He was right. In the distance, another black cloud was gathering. Clary seized his stele and began to draw runes around them.
"What..."
"Shh," Clary said, linking the runes together with a line to form a semicircle. A protective barrier rose up, shimmering around them.
"Clary...go..."
She ignored him and began to trace iratze runes onto his body. He inhaled as the runes sank in. "Better?"
He nodded, sitting up slowly. "You're incredible," he breathed. "How did you..."
She set the stele aside. "I couldn't let you die before you met your daughter."
"Wha—it's a girl?"
Clary smiled. "Do you want to see her?"
He nodded. Clary shifted closer to him, cradling the baby. She was dozing; Jace gazed down at her in wonder.
"She has your eyes," Clary said softly.
Jace's eyes were shining. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Clary's lips. She breathed into him.
"Clary," he murmured. "You have to go. They're coming."
"I'm not leaving without you," she said.
"You have to." He shifted, wincing. "I'll only slow you down."
"Then I'll keep healing you," said Clary fiercely. "I won't leave you, Jace."
"Clary—"
"Aw. How touching."
Clary whirled around. Leviathan stood there, smiling down at them. "So lovely to see such devotion in a wife." His gaze flicked downward. "And a mother."
Clary's breath hitched; she pulled the baby in against her, gripping her tightly. The demon laughed.
"You needn't be so afraid," he said. "I want nothing to do with your little whelp. I've come to get my due." He looked at Jace. "Well? Had enough yet? Or shall I summon those demons here?" He smiled down at Clary. "Perhaps this time, I'll tell them to go after your wife."
"No," Jace snarled.
"Then give me what I want," Leviathan said.
Jace swallowed. "If I do," he said, his voice shaking slightly, "will you send Clary and the baby home?"
"No," Clary said vehemently, but he ignored her, staring up at the demon.
"I will," Leviathan said, smiling. "You have my word."
"No," Clary said again, catching at Jace's shirt as he made to stand. "You can't do this. I won't let you."
"Clary," he said softly. "It's the only way." He tried to push past her; the runes around them glowed.
And all at once, it came to her.
"Wait!" she said. "Take me instead."
Jace's eyes widened, but Leviathan only laughed.
"Why would I want you?" he said, sneering.
"Because you were wrong," Clary said, her heartbeat beginning to quicken. "Jace didn't kill Beelzebub. I did."
The demon laughed again. "Your tricks won't work on me, little one. I know it was Jace."
She shook her head. "Jace was only the weapon," she said. "It was my rune that killed him. My hand behind it."
Leviathan gazed at her; she could see doubt in his eyes. She turned around; Jace was staring at her, his lips parted. She handed him the baby. His arms curled automatically around her.
"Clary, what are you doing?" he whispered.
The tip of his stele brushed against her palm as she leaned in to kiss him. "Trust me," she breathed.
She could feel the demon's eyes on her; with her heart pounding, she turned to face him. "I killed Beelzebub," she said in a ringing voice, "which means I am the ruler of this realm."
She stood; her legs trembled, pain shooting down them, but she forced herself to step out of the protective circle, toward the demon. "Now take it from me," she said quietly, holding out her hand.
Leviathan stepped forward; his hand closed on hers.
"NO!" Jace shouted.
There was a flare of light. Leviathan jerked backward, hissing as he stared down at his hand, which now bore a rune identical to the one on Clary's palm.
"Leviathan, Prince of Hell," Clary cried, "I banish you!"
The demon screeched, lunging for her. There was a blast of wind; Leviathan was flung backward. It looked as though he were crumpling, shrinking down into himself. With a final flash of light, he was gone. Silence fell.
Clary gasped for breath. Her legs gave out, and she sank to the ground, trembling. Then Jace was there, his arm around her. Clary took the baby from him, hugging her to her chest, kissing her forehead softly. The baby coughed, blinking up at her.
"Clary," Jace murmured—but before he could say anything else, the cliffside shook.
Clary looked up; all around them, the world was crumbling. Rock formations tumbled down, collapsing into dust. The horde of demons in the distance was shrinking as demons vanished in flashes of light.
"He was holding it together!" Jace shouted over the rumbling of stone. "It's falling apart without him!"
Rocks fell around them. Jace hauled Clary to her feet, pulling her back into the shadows of the cliffside. "Clary—" he said, his eyes wide with fear.
She gasped. "Stele! Give me your stele!"
He handed it to her automatically. She began to carve runes into the wall. "What are you doing?"
"Look!" She jerked her head toward the demons, who were still evaporating into thin air. "They're going back to their own dimensions," she said. "The borders between this world and the other ones are disappearing. Which means—"
The Portal roared to life. She caught her breath. "This might not work," she said.
"It's our only chance," said Jace.
Clary gazed at him; her fear was mirrored in his eyes. Then he gripped her shoulder, and she tightened her hold on the baby.
They stepped through together.
"What do you mean, it stopped?" Maryse demanded.
"I don't know!" Simon snapped. "I told you, it just stopped hurting!"
"But does that mean she's had the baby?" said Maryse. Her face was white.
"Or it could mean she's unconscious, or a hundred other things," Simon said. "I don't know."
"Whatever it is," Alec interjected before Maryse could speak again, "it probably means we need to hurry."
Magnus came up behind him, squeezing his hand. He, Alec, and the kids had returned a few minutes ago. "Is Jace—"
Alec shook his head. "I haven't felt anything else. I think he's okay. For now."
Then, all at once, Simon's parabatai rune flared—not with pain, but with warmth. Alec gasped; Simon looked up to see his fingers flutter to his shoulder.
Light burst from the table. Jocelyn shot to her feet, knocking over her chair as the sketchbook and dagger glowed bright gold, accompanied by a flash of light on the map.
Simon caught Alec's eye—they both turned and ran out of the library.
Jace toppled out of the Portal, Clary falling out beside him. His surroundings swung around him; it took him a moment to orient himself, to recognize the familiar cathedral and lush green garden.
He let out a disbelieving laugh. "You did it, Clary," he said, turning to look at her. "We're—"
His voice died in his throat. She was swaying on her feet, her face paper-white. It was only then that he noticed that the bottom of her dress was soaked with blood.
"Take—take her," Clary gasped, thrusting the baby into Jace's arms. He had only a moment to marvel at the warm, comfortable weight of his daughter before Clary crumpled to the ground.
"Clary!" He knelt beside her, cradling the baby carefully. Clary lay motionless, a circle of blood growing beneath her, blackening the bright green grass. "Clary!"
He took his stele out of her limp fingers and scrawled a Blood-Replenishment rune onto her collarbone. It sank in, but the blood was still spreading. "Clary," he said again, his voice cracking.
There was a loud bang behind him—Jace turned to see figures dashing around the corner of the Institute.
"Jace!" Isabelle cried, flinging herself toward him. She stopped short, gaping down at the baby in his arms and Clary's prone body.
Magnus dropped down beside Clary, a blue glow already forming around his fingers. "I can stabilize her, but she needs a Silent Brother," he said, speaking quickly.
"I'll go—" Maryse turned and ran back into the Institute.
Jace clutched the baby tightly. She was fussing; he rocked her automatically, watching Magnus. He put his glowing hands to Clary's stomach, and the flow of blood began to slow. Jace let out a shuddering breath.
Simon reached out; Jace handed over his stele, and Simon traced another amissio rune over Jace's. Jocelyn and Luke knelt beside Clary's head, Jocelyn stroking her hair and whispering words of comfort.
"Oh, Jace," Isabelle whispered. Her arms went around him, and Jace felt Alec join them. He leaned into his siblings, closing his eyes as all the energy drained out of him.
The hallway outside the infirmary was silent. Jace sat on one of the benches, numb. The baby was sleeping peacefully in his arms, swaddled in a soft yellow blanket. She had been pronounced in perfect health by Brother Enoch, just before he had entered the infirmary to help tend to Clary with two of his brethren. The doors had barely closed when Maryse came over to him, peering down at the baby wrapped clumsily in his jacket.
"Let me clean the baby up," she had said. "You can sit for a while."
"No, I'll do it," Jace said. "I need to get away from here."
He took the baby to the bathroom nearest to their bedroom, where they had set up a basket full of diapers and swaddling blankets. As he had settled the baby in the sink, gently rinsing dried blood off her, it had occurred to him that this was something Clary should have been there for: their daughter's first bath. It was such a little thing, and yet it was something she would never get the chance to see.
All at once, a thousand emotions enveloped him, choking him. He shut off the tap and collapsed over the sink, hot tears spilling down his cheeks. The baby whimpered softly, and he brushed kisses across her forehead, trying to memorize the scent of her, needing something tangible to grab onto. He lifted her out of the sink and slid to the floor, cradling her against his chest.
It was a long time before he felt that his legs could support him. His emotions receded; he pushed them back behind a metal wall, focusing on what he could do. Mechanically, he dried the baby off, diapered her, and swaddled her the way Maryse had taught him. Then, carrying her carefully, he made his way back to the infirmary, sitting down by the doors and avoiding eye contact with everyone.
Now, Isabelle came over, sitting beside him. "Aww," she cooed, leaning over the baby. "He's so cute."
"It's a girl," said Jace dully.
"What?" Isabelle looked astonished. "But you guys were so sure!"
"I guess we were wrong." He shifted his arms, settling the baby more snugly in them as he rubbed a thumb absently across her cheek. The baby slept on serenely.
"Well, don't keep us all in suspense," Isabelle said. "What's her name?"
Jace shook his head. "We—we didn't get a chance to decide before..." His vision clouded. He blinked rapidly, swallowing.
"Hey." Isabelle gripped his shoulder. He looked at her. "She's not dying," said Isabelle fiercely. "This isn't how she's going to die. You guys just escaped a freaking demon dimension. If she can do that, she can do this."
"Women die in childbirth every day," said Jace hollowly.
"I know, but...she won't, okay?"
"Yeah." Jace looked down at the baby. Though she had his eyes, everything else was Clary: her fiery hair, her soft, delicate features, the precise set of her jaw and curve of her nose. "She's going to be beautiful," Jace said, almost to himself.
Isabelle chuckled. "A real heartbreaker."
They lapsed into silence. How many times had they sat together in the past nine months, waiting to see if Clary lived or died? Jace glanced around, catching sight of Simon; he was sitting white-faced and rigid against the wall, gripping his forearm so tightly that the Voyance rune on the back of his hand looked almost distorted. He looked up, noticing Jace's attention on him, and loosened his grip, shaking his head. Nothing yet.
Jace wanted to pace; he wanted to run. The only thing keeping him grounded was the tiny child in his arms. He hadn't let anyone else hold her yet. If he let her go, he thought he might crumble. He had to hold onto her, this tiny piece of Clary, this perfect angel. The baby made a noise—he looked down, but she simply gave a little cough and continued to sleep.
I'd die for her, he reflected. But it meant something different now than it had before. No more could he throw himself into battle unthinkingly. Now this little girl was depending on him to come back home. He had to protect her, above all else. Her and Clary...his family.
The infirmary doors opened at last. Jace looked up, his grip tightening on the baby.
She is alive and well, Brother Enoch said. There was a collective exhale from everyone. Jace blinked back tears of relief. Sleeping for now. She lost a great deal of blood.
"Is she—" Jace's voice cracked. "Will she be okay?"
She had what is called a placental abruption. The placenta detached too early and too quickly, which caused her bleeding. But she will be fine. And she should have no issues carrying a child in the future. Brother Enoch stood aside. You may see her.
Jace stood, his knees trembling, and went into the infirmary.
Clary awoke to the sound of wailing. She opened her eyes; the ceiling above her was stark white. Her hand went automatically to her belly before she remembered.
"Shh, shh," someone was saying softly. "Let your mom sleep for a little longer..."
She turned her head to the side. The baby was squalling in Jace's arms, her little face squinched up. He rocked her gently, shushing her.
"Jace," Clary said. Her throat felt dry as sand. He looked up.
"You're awake," he said, relief coloring his voice. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine." She sat up slowly, her body sore. "Let me hold her." She reached out for the baby, and Jace transferred her carefully into Clary's arms. The baby fussed, squinting up at her with those breathtaking golden eyes. "Thank the Angel," Clary whispered. She brushed a kiss across her daughter's temple. "Thank the Angel she's okay."
"Are you okay?" said Jace, watching her closely.
She opened her mouth to respond—and then she was crying. She felt the bed sink on one side as Jace climbed up next to her, putting an arm around her shaking shoulders. She leaned into him, her emotions spilling out of her.
"Clary," Jace murmured into her hair. "Talk to me."
She drew in a shuddering breath. "I was so scared," she whispered.
"I know," Jace said softly. "I was too. I thought—" His voice cracked. "I thought I might lose you. Or that I might never get to meet her." He brushed his finger across the baby's cheek. "Clary, I promise you, if there had been any other way, I would have done it. But I'm sorry. I swore I wouldn't leave you, and I broke my promise."
Clary shook her head. "I want to be mad at you," she said quietly. "But I can't. I know you didn't want to do it. You did what you thought was right. You did it to save us."
"Yes," Jace breathed. "But I'm still sorry. I can't—I can't imagine how hard it was for you. Doing that on your own."
She closed her eyes, tears sliding down her cheeks. She could still see that cave, as if it were imprinted on the inside of her eyelids. "It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do."
Jace brushed her tears away. "I love you," he said. "I love you so much. You're amazing."
Clary gave a hiccupping laugh. "You're pretty amazing too, I guess. Killing all those demons."
"You guess?" said Jace, sounding affronted.
Clary laughed again. She took another deep breath, sighing it out. "I love you, too."
Jace kissed her forehead. Then he kissed her cheek, then her lips. She sank into the kiss, letting the tension in her body ease.
The baby squirmed in her arms again. Then she began to wail. Clary looked down at her. "She must be hungry," she said.
"Do you want to try feeding her?"
Clary nodded. The Silent Brothers had cleaned her up and dressed her in a gown; now she unbuttoned it, baring her breast and guiding the baby up the way Maryse and Jocelyn had taught her. The baby latched immediately and began to suck in earnest.
"Look at that," Jace said, smiling. "You're a natural."
"Please," said Clary, chuckling. "She's doing all the work."
They sat there for a long moment, watching their daughter eat. She gazed up at them, her golden eyes full of wonder.
"She needs a name," Clary said at last. "We can't call her William, can we?"
"No, I think that would border on child abuse," Jace said, grinning.
They pondered the baby. She blinked up at them inquisitively.
"Jocelyn?" Jace said eventually.
Clary considered this. "She doesn't really look like a Jocelyn," she said. "But I like it as a middle name. Otherwise we'd run into the same problem as—oh!" she gasped.
"What?"
"Alexandra," she breathed.
Jace stared at her. "Alexandra," he repeated.
"You said you wanted to name the baby after Alec, if it was a boy," Clary said. "And I like it, don't you? I think it fits."
"Yeah." The word was a breath. "Yes. It's perfect."
Clary smiled. "So it's decided. Alexandra Jocelyn Herondale."
"No," Jace said. "Alexandra Jocelyn Fairchild Herondale."
Clary raised her eyebrows. "That's a big name for such a little person."
"She'll grow into it," said Jace. "And it feels right. She's a Fairchild, through and through."
The baby had finished eating; Clary buttoned her gown and brought the baby to her shoulder, patting her back gently. The baby gave a squelching burp.
"Gross," said Jace, wrinkling his nose. Clary shot him a sharp glare. "I mean...beautiful. She has a beautiful burp."
Clary laughed, bringing the baby back down into her arms. "Hello, Alexandra," she said, smiling down at her daughter. Alexandra yawned widely, peering up at her parents. Clary ran a hand over the baby's soft red hair. "She's all fire, isn't she?" she said, smiling. "Red and gold."
"That explains why she's so stubborn," Jace said. "She got all the fire from both of us."
Grinning, Clary rested her head on his shoulder. Alexandra yawned again, her eyes fluttering shut. In a moment, she was asleep.
There was a soft rapping on the door. Jace looked up. "Come in," he called.
The doors opened, admitting a veritable flood of people—Isabelle and Simon led the pack, followed swiftly by Jocelyn and Luke. Alec and Maryse brought up the rear.
"Clary, oh my God," Jocelyn said, rushing to her side. "Thank God you're okay."
"What the hell happened over there?" Isabelle said as they all gathered around the bed. "How did you come back?"
Clary hesitated. Jace rubbed her shoulder. "We don't have to talk about it right now," he said quietly.
She shook her head. "It's okay." She drew in a breath. "Sit down," she told the others. "It's a long story."
They settled around her bed, drawing up chairs. Isabelle perched on the edge of the bed, pulling her legs up. Slowly, Clary began to explain. The others listened, their eyes wide, faces pale. When she had finished, they were silent for a long moment.
"So let me get this straight," Isabelle said finally. She began to tick things off on her fingers. "You gave birth by yourself, cut your own cord, killed a demon, saved Jace's life, faced down a freaking Prince of Hell, and made a Portal that crossed dimensions, all while you were practically bleeding to death?"
"Um," said Clary. "Yes."
Isabelle stared at her. "Clary Fairchild," she said, "you may be the most badass person I know."
Clary cracked a smile. "Thanks, Izzy."
The doors opened again; Magnus entered, holding his children's hands. "Doing okay, biscuit?" he said, smiling at Clary.
She returned the smile. "I'm great." She looked at Max and Rafael; they were staring at the baby.
Magnus crouched down beside them. "You want to meet your baby cousin?" he said. Max and Rafe nodded excitedly, and they ran over to the bed, ogling the baby.
"Wow, she's really big," said Max, his eyes like saucers. "How did she fit in your tummy, Aunt Clary? My tummy gets really full when I eat a burrito, even a little one."
"Don't be ridiculous," said Rafe, very serious for his age. "Babies don't grow in people's stomachs. Right, Dad?"
Alec went very pink. "Uh—we'll discuss it later."
Magnus conjured another chair out of thin air and settled into it. He and Alec each pulled one of their children into their laps.
Jocelyn leaned forward to look at Alexandra. "She's so beautiful," she breathed. "Can I hold her?"
"Here you go, Grandma," Clary said, handing the baby carefully to her mother. Jocelyn gave a soft laugh, her eyes shining.
"Grandma," she repeated. "God, I feel so old." She cradled the baby gently before handing her off to Luke. Then Luke passed the baby to Maryse, who promptly burst into tears.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she sobbed, waving away the tissue Isabelle offered her. "I'm just s-s-so happy..."
"Why don't you let me hold her," said Magnus hastily, taking the baby out of Maryse's arms.
At last, the baby had been passed around to everyone and returned to Clary's arms. Somehow she had managed to stay asleep the whole time, but now she opened her eyes again. Beside her, Jocelyn caught her breath.
"God, she looks so much like you, Clary," she said. "Except for those eyes."
"She's gorgeous," Simon agreed.
Clary smiled down at her daughter. "I know."
"Well?" Isabelle said. "Does she have a name?"
"She does." Clary looked around the room. "Alexandra Jocelyn Fairchild Herondale."
There was a moment of silence.
At last, Alec spoke, his voice hoarse. "I'm honored," he said softly.
"Me too," Jocelyn said. She kissed the top of Clary's head. "Thank you, baby," she whispered.
Isabelle sighed. "Well, I'll forgive the fact that you didn't name her after me, considering how adorable that name is," she said.
"You think so?" Clary asked, smiling.
"Yeah," Isabelle said, "but it's too long. Way too long. How about...Lexie?"
Jace looked down at the baby. "Lexie Herondale."
"Sounds badass," Clary said, grinning.
Jace laughed and pulled her in against him. She snuggled into him and kissed the baby's forehead gently.
"Oh," Isabelle sighed. "I want one."
Simon glanced at her. "A nickname?"
She shook her head. "A baby," she said. "I want a baby."
His lips parted slightly. "Iz..."
"I'm ready," she said softly. "I'm ready now."
Simon stared at her for a long moment before pulling her into his arms and kissing her passionately. Rafe made a sound of disgust, folding his arms. Clary fought hard not to laugh.
"Hey," said Jace loudly, "could you maybe not make one right this minute?"
"How do you make a baby?" Max asked, cocking his head. Alec went, if possible, an even deeper shade of pink.
"Oh!" Maryse squealed, flinging herself on Isabelle. "Another grandbaby, I'm so excited!"
"I'm not pregnant yet, Mom," Isabelle said, prying herself away from her mother. "And I probably won't be for a while."
"Not with that attitude," said Maryse determinedly. "You should start planning right away—how regular are your monthly cycles?"
"Mom!" Isabelle spluttered, blushing.
Clary laughed. Lexie squirmed, looking disoriented by all the noise. "Your family is very silly," Clary whispered to her.
"Crazy, more like," Jace put in. "You, little Lexie, are going to have a very crazy life."
She didn't seem bothered; in fact, if Clary hadn't known better, she would have said her daughter looked rather determined. Clary smiled, relaxing back into Jace's arms.
Outside the window, the day was clear and crisp, the sky a bright blue with clouds drifting lazily past the sun. In her mind's eye, Clary could still see the smoke-filled scarlet sky of Beelzebub's realm, but it gave her hope to know that it was finally gone. He was finally gone. And for the first time in a long time, her mind felt clear.
She gazed down at Lexie. You are my world, she thought. My everything.
The clouds shifted, and the room filled with sunlight, bright as golden fire.
THE END
A/N: Thank you for reading City of Smoke and Dust! I'm so grateful to everyone who's been here since the beginning, and everyone who binged this story in one sitting, and everyone in between. Reading your reviews (EDIT: now over 100! Thank you so much!) between each upload brought me so much joy. I was always surprised by how invested people were in this little story I worked on in my spare time (or time when I was supposed to be writing papers, but we'll leave that aside). So from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Until next time.
With love,
~The Lovelorn Lovelace
PS: Keep an eye out for the sequel...coming soon.