Jace took a deep breath. He was standing on Luke's doorstep. He had made sure that Clary was the only one home at that moment. The conversation would be difficult enough as it is. Luke, Simon and even Magnus have all warned him that Clary was at a delicate place right now. She was still coping with the loss of her mother afterall.

He was scared shitless, about the confession he was about to make. He had no idea how she will react after finding out that they were not siblings, they never were siblings. A truth which had been kept from her for a long time. Jace knew it was wrong, had known it from the moment he went back inside the Institute, after seeing her and Simon on the stairs.

But he was jealous and scared that he will be rejected. At that moment he was not a fierce warrior, he was just another boy desperately in love with a girl who he had no chance with. His only thought had been that atleast if he didn't tell her, he could cling to the idea that if she knew the truth, she will choose him over Simon always.

Although, after spending almost half the year deliberating over this and talking to Simon, he had understood there never was any need to choose. Simon was to Clary, what Alec was to him. Her safety blanket, her soulmate, someone who would never hurt her, at least not intentionally. Had Simon been a shadowhunter, Jace thought, Clary and Simon would definitely be parabatai.

Taking his time, and praying to the Angel that she doesn't slam the door shut in his face, he finally knocked. Finally after a few moments the door opened. And there she stood.

Relatively, Jace knew she looked horrible. Her hair were unkempt, like she hadn't even bothered to brush them. She was still in sweatpants and an old sweater (which Jace realised was his, he had been searching for it ever since he came back) even though it was noon. Her eyes were red and puffy and she looked as if she had been crying for days. But for Jace she was still the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. As she stared at him, her eyes filled with tears again.

Jace couldn't control himself. He really could never see his loved ones cry. He just gathered her in his arms and embraced her like his life depended on it. By now she was full on sobbing and Jace felt as if his heart was breaking into a million pieces.

He made a vow to himself, to never let anyone or anything make her cry like that ever again. Not if he could help it. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally stopped crying. Jace knew his Tshirt was ruined, but at that moment he didn't care.

"I-I am s-s-sorry..it's j-just t-that I m-missed y-you s-so much..." she said as she finally started calming down.

Fearing that she might start crying again and not wanting to make anymore of a spectacle in front of the neighbours, who he knew were watching, Jace gently guided the red head inside and closed the door.

Luke's flat was modest but clean. Not grand like Magnus' penthouse, but still nice. He could definitely imagine Luke living here, offering a place to stay to whichever werewolf wanted.

He noticed an open sketchbook and art supplies lying on the sofa, Clary was apparently sketching before he came. He smiled, good to know somethings never change. He also realised that she was drawing a sketch of him. A drawing of how she saw him. With wings and a halo. He looked like an avenging angel. He looked beautiful. Was that how Clary saw him? Pushing the thought from his mind, he kept the art supplies aside, and made Clary sit on the sofa.

He, himself took a seat on the armchair opposite.

"So.." he began hesitantly "...how are you?"

Anybody looking at the girl in front of him could have told him it was a stupid question. She was clearly not okay. But Jace was feeling uncomfortably awkward for the first time in his life and didn't know what to do. He felt like a 13 year old about to have his first kiss.

"I am..okay? I guess? Not really sure.." Clary said, but she still refused to meet his eyes, focusing instead on playing with a fraying thread of the sofa cover.

He decided then that the best way to get her attention would be to tell her the truth. The entire truth. This small talk was not working, at all.

"Clary, please look at me.." he began, and only continued when her eyes met his "...I have been keeping something from you. Something that you have every right to know. And after I reveal this thing, you have my absolute permission to be angry at me, even to not talk to me for the rest of our lives. But I request to listen to my reasons and then decide okay?"

He could actually see the confusion in those green orbs of hers. But she nodded anyway.

"Okay.." he said, taking a deep breath "...do you know what I was doing in Idris."

Clary shook her head. "I only know that you were taken to be questioned by the Clave. But that you were free to go after a day. Afterall, no one would tell me anything. I tried asking Izzy and Alec, but..." she trailed off, not wanting to revive the sting of his parabatai's words. After a few minutes of silence, she continued "After that, Izzy won't even tell Simon anything. Magnus too kept stubbornly silent about the whole thing. I just felt so..lonely and alone..and shit..I am sorry, but..."

"Well..not exactly" Jace said after a few seconds "..initially yes, I was questioned. But after that, I was in Idris to try and learn about my family and my parents."

Clary looked up in surprise "You wanted to know about mom and Valentine? You could have asked me about mom, atleast."

Jace gentlt shook her head "Clary, my parents, not yours."

"What are you talking about. We have the same parents, that the biggest problem of them all!" She said, her eyes wide.

"No. We don't.." he said, and held up a hand to get her to listen "..that night when I was fighting Valentine, he confessed something. And he was holding the Soul Sword so I know its true. And so, does the Clave. I am not Valentine and Jocelyn's son. I never was. I am not your brother. Never was."

Clary just looked at him "Why are you lying? This isn't funny Jace."

"I am not. Please listen. Your brother does have demon blood. But I am not you brother. I am Jace, Jace Herondale. Not Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern. I am Stephen and Celine Herondale's son. The Inquisitor's grandson."

Clary just stared at him unblinkingly. "Why are you lying to me? Its not funny at all."

"Clary, I am not. Thats how I could activate he Sword, he was playing us both. He was manipulating us all along." Jace tried to reason with the girl, who was getting increasingly angry and had started to pace the room like a caged animal.

Finally in an attempt to pacify her, he said "You don't believe me? Who would you like to talk to in order to certify it? Magnus? Luke? Alec? Izzy? The Inquisitor?"

"Luke." Clary said, knowing her father figure would never play such a cruel joke on her.

So Jace dialled his number and gave her the phone.

He really had no idea what they talked about, he didn't bother to listen but when she was done, Clary sat down on the couch looking worn.

"So, do you believe it?" He asked.

Clary just looked thoughtful. "Seriously?" she asked after a long pause.

"Seriously." He confirmed.

And he was attacked by 5 feet of squealing red head. Kissing Clary felt like heaven. It was better than he remembered. She was soft, so soft and pliable under his arms. Scared that it may quickly get out of hand, he gently pushed her away.

She was crying again, but this time he knew they were tears of happiness. But for how long? But for now holding Clary in his arm, touching her was enough.