Just saying, everyone should know Jace isn't stupid. Enjoy,

-Jen

ps. I'm going to start posting Jace quotes from the books at the end of each chapter. They make me . hard. :)

Chapter five

Clary stared wide-eyed at Jace's back. He seemed tense, as if he'd never wanted her to notice him. Before he'd even turned around she could tell he was dirty. His blonde hair had dirt patches mixed in and his clothes had holes in them. "Jace?" she said again. She didn't have to force a sob into her voice that time. She hadn't seen him in years and here he was, standing in front of her.

Jace swallowed, flexed his wrist, and turned around, unsmiling. "Clary." She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around his waist. She sobbed. He felt himself move to hold her head to his chest.

"Y-you have to help me." She whispered. "Get me out of here." Jace held her at arms length. Her eyes were puffy from crying. Could he trust her? He wasn't so sure. She'd lived years in that home. He'd seen her do terrible things. The runes… He needed to know what they were. "V-Valentine h-he's done things to me. Jonathan-Sebastian… He…." She choked on her words. "Jace, I can't-"

"Clary." He said again, a little more forcefully. Her lower lip was trembling. He craved to kiss it, but… "I-I can't take you with me." She looked at him like he'd shot her. "Look, you've changed. I've seen you kill demons, a few Shadow Hunters. You're working for him, Clary. Until I know more, I can't. I'm sorry."

"I can't live like this anymore Jace-"

"Clary." He practically growled. "Tell me about that rune you have." She narrowed her eyes at him. He could see her eyes shift slightly; trying to keep whatever animal was in her at bay. It took her a few moments to answer.

"The one on my arm?" he nodded. She wiped her nose on her sleeve. "He made me create it. All the Enforcers have it." That wasn't enough for him.

"What does it do?" Clary swallowed.

"I-It makes us stronger. It amplifies the other runes." She didn't seem to be lying. "J-Jace, please. I can't do this anymore. I can't live with them. I don't like to kill people. I don't want to. P-please!" Jace looked away. He thought. If he let her go with him, a lot of people would be in danger. She didn't look like his Clary anymore. She was different somehow.

"Why are you alone tonight?" He realized as he spoke that she was alone. She'd never been let out on her own. Why tonight?

"What-"

"You've never been allowed by yourself." She looked at the ground. "I need a reason to trust you Clary. You have to give me something." She could take a gamble and tell him the truth or she could ruin the whole thing and feel the wrath of her father and brother ten fold. She decided against her better judgment to lie.

"I…" She stopped, taking a deep breath. "Sebastian isn't following me." She put up a hand to stop his coming question. "Because, I ran away." Jace pulled her farther into the ally, where lights from the street couldn't find her. "Don't ask me how I got out, Jace. I don't remember any of it. J-Sebastian was training and he… took it a little too far-"

"When you say too far…" Jace asked slowly.

"He knocked me unconscious." She lied. "F-Valentine never let him get that brutal before. I'd had enough and I ran. I'd never given the guards a reason not to let me out." That was true, Clary thought. They didn't. She wondered if she couldn't gotten out of there months ago, or if Valentine had informed them that she wasn't allowed out by herself.

Jace studied her for a moment, and then sighed. She was lying. If she had run away, she would've been running away from the city, not into it. Or, if she'd been looking for him, she would've been running, not walking casually through the streets for thirty minutes. She wasn't that stupid.

He didn't tell her this realization though. She truly looked wounded and scared. She did want protection but, why was she lying? Was she really in trouble?

"Have you been watching me?" She asked suddenly, eyes widening in fear.

"Um," Jace said, brushing his blonde hair with his hand. "Why would you think that?" Clary rested her hands on her hips.

"You said this was the first time I'd been alone. How could you know that? You've been spying on me… what have you seen?" Now she was genuinely frightened. She was afraid of what he thought of her. If he still cared for her because of what she'd done; what Valentine had made her do.

"I've seen you kill people." He sighed. "With strength I'm not even sure I have. Man, that's the first time I've ever said that." Clary snorted and shook her head.

"What that I've killed people?" Jace shook his head and rubbed his chin, thinking.

"No, that someone's stronger and better than me." Clary rolled her eyes.

"You never said anyone was better than you."

"I'm giving you a complement Clar." She sighed. "You need to go home." He added quickly. Clary took a step away from him.

"Excuse me?"

"To the mansion, castle, whatever it is. I normally don't follow rules. You know that. I do my own thing. But I need to keep the others protected. If you ever want to get in touch with me, how about…" He looked around at the street. "Leave a napkin on the wall here. I'll replace it with a time and place." He rubbed his hand down his face. "If you can prove to me that you're not dangerous, I'll let you come with me." Clary shook her head.

"Jace, I can't-" He kissed her, and time stopped. Her breathing hitched as he pushed her back against the brick wall. Her hands roamed his back and she felt her legs wrap around his waist on their own accord. She kissed back with the same ferocity he was, her. He trailed down her cheekbone and pulled away.

"Yes, I've seen those you've killed; the way you've killed. I want to trust you, but I can't until you prove it to me. You'd do the same if you saw yourself." Clary nodded slowly, her feet hitting the cobblestone. She rested her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat for a few seconds.

"I love you Jace." She whispered.

"I love you too Clary."

Jace Quote: :) "Sebastian just smiled. "I could hear your heart beating," he said softly. "When you were watching me with Valentine. Did it bother you?"

"That you seem to be dating my dad?" Jace shrugged. "You're a little young for him, to be honest."

"What?" For the first time since Jace had met him, Sebastian seemed flabbergasted."

― Cassandra Clare, City of Glass