Disclaimer: I don't own any of Cassandra Clare's characters.

CPOV

An annoying buzzing noise woke me up from my dreams. I reached for my phone and noticed it was already 8.18 AM, so I quickly got up and went downstairs to see if the girls were already awake. All the lights were off and no sound came from the kitchen or living room. I was able to breathe again, I hadn't messed up the only thing I had; look after Jace's daughters. Jace. Shit, I thought. What the hell happened last night? Or WHY the hell did that happen. I rubbed my temples and tried to forget it ever happened.

I went back to my room to change my clothes before checking if the girls were still sleeping. I had to wake them up at 8.30 'cause Alexandra and Jennifer's gymnastic season started and I had to drive them to gym by ten o'clock. Valerie didn't want to do gymnastics, she had her own soccer practices 3 times a week at 5.30 PM, so it wasn't usually my duty to get her there in time.

I changed my pajama into black skinny jeans and a loose white top with bandeau under it before brushing my knotted hair and finally giving up and putting it into a high messy bun. I knocked carefully on Alexandra's door before opening it. She was still sleeping so I shook her gently. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, the long dark hair in knots.

"It's time to wake up Lexi. Here's your leotard, put it on and I'll put your hair into a bun." She changed into a red leotard with glittering details. I brushed her brown hair and pulled it into a tight bun.

"Put those on, I'll go to wake up your sisters." I said pointing her sweatpants and shirt on the chair. Next one was Jennifer. She was already up, coloring something at her desk.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" I asked as I walked to her closet and took out her leotard. It was a navy blue one with white sleeves and 'diamonds'.

"Yes." She answered smiling. I helped her put on the leotard and put her blond hair into a tight bun as well.

"Your sweatpants and hoodie are in the dryer, could you please get them for me and put them on while I go to wake Valerie up?" I asked. She nodded and skipped to the laundry room.

"Valerie?" I whispered as I opened the door. "Honey it's time to wake up." I went to shake her carefully. She just shivered and mumbled something.

"Sweetie, come on. We'll be late soon." I reached my hand to brush her golden hair from her forehead and it felt hot under my fingers.

"Oh no." I said, mostly to myself. "Wait here, I'll go get the thermometer." I went to the girl's bathroom and looked for it. Finally I found it from one of the cabinets. I made a mental note to myself to clean these bathrooms someday.

"Here, I'll help you sit up." Valerie was shaking as she tiredly sat up and I put the thermometer into her mouth. After a while it beeped and I took it out to look if she had fever. Great. She had a high fever and I couldn't leave her by herself while I took her sisters to their practices. I couldn't take a sick child to sit in the car, then what the hell should I do? I wondered. I took out my phone and dialed Jace's number.

"Hello?" He answered. "Clary?"

"Yeah it's me. Look, Valerie's sick, she has a high fever and I have to drive the other girls to the gym soon. What do I do with her?" I asked.

"Oh no, I should've known. She was so weird last night before bed and didn't eat anything. Hmmm. You could bring her here and I could watch after her while you take Jen and Lexi to gymnastics? And after their practices are over you can come and get Valerie. How's that?" He asked. He was working just few blocks from their house and had a big office with a soft couch where Valerie could sleep on.

"Yeah, that's great! Thank you Jace. We'll be there in 45 minutes" I said before hanging up. I took Valerie's wine red sweatpants and a white long-sleeved shirt from her closet before digging her drawer for warm wool socks. I helped her changing them before helping her up. I took her pillow and duvet and helped her down the stairs and onto the couch in living room. She curled into a ball and closed her eyes while I went to make some breakfast.

JPOV

After Clary hung up, I put my head into my hands. Last night came crashing into my mind, again. I just couldn't get her tiny hands all over my body and her soft lips out of my head. I could almost feel her hand roaming my back, finally setting under my waistband of my jeans, on my hips.

Come on Jace, pull yourself together. I smacked myself in my mind. My sick daughter would be here soon, I need to focus. I ran my hand through the silky hair of mine and loosened the tie a bit. I leaned again the back rest and put my hands over my face.

There was a knock on my door.

"Come in!" I said turning to look who it was. Aline. My boss' assistant. Hot as hell.

"Boss wants to see you." She said with flirtatious smile. She flipped her black hair over her right shoulder and closed and locked the door and shut the curtains "But I'm sure he can wait twenty minutes." She said and came around my desk slowly opening her blouse. I saw her black lace bra and swallowed loudly. I had been so long without any physical contact with a woman if you don't count last night. She sat down on my lap and started to take off my tie while kissing and sucking my neck. Before she managed to get my tie off, I gently pushed her off my lap.

"Aline, I can't do this. It's not right. Believe me, if things weren't like this, I would be more than happy to fuck you on this desk, you're insanely hot and beautiful but I can't. My sick daughter will be here in-" I checked the clock on my wrist."- twenty minutes and boss wanted to see me, so I'll have to go. Now." I said. Aline looked disappointed as she closed her white blouse and stuffed it under her skirt, but nodded and kissed my cheek before opening the door and going out. I sighed and closed the buttons Aline had opened and tightened the tie before checking my hair in the mirror. All good.

I knocked on my boss' door and waited for the 'come in'. After it came, I opened the door and stepped in closing the door.

"Mr. Starkweather. You wanted to see me?" I said.

"Yes, Mr. Herondale. Sit down." I sat across him, on the other side of the desk. "I wanted to talk about you job here." He said, looking for some paper. "Ah, here it is."

"What about it, Sir?" I asked gulping. "Have I done something?"

"Oh no, not at all. Your work is really impressing! Look, our company has a new job for department manager in Miami and I think you'd be perfect for it. What do you say?"

"I.. I uh.. I don't know what to say." Was all I got out.

"You don't have to say yes or no right now! Think about it and let me know. Now, if you excuse me, I have a meeting in-" I looked at his clock "-ten minutes." He got up and shook my hand before going out. I sat there a while, million thoughts buzzing in my head. Miami? A department manager? Me? WHAT? I shook my head and walked into my own office.

It would be so great opportunity. But what about the girls? And Clary? My girls seemed to like her so it would be sad if she didn't want to move with us. The girls were going to start school next year, what would be the best school for them? I was deep in my thoughts when I heard a knock on my door. I hurried to open it and there they were.

Clary looked so beautiful in her white shirt, leather jacket and big woolly scarf. Her flaming hair was pulled up into a loose bun and her petite legs were covered with black skinny jeans and white Converses. She was carrying a duvet, a pillow and a backpack and behind her stood a pale and shaking Valerie with a teddy bear in her hands. I couldn't move my eyes away from Clary as I said:

"Come in." and lifted my daughter into my hands and carried her to my couch, finally being able to look away from Clary. I gently put her on it and stroked her hair while Clary put the pillow under Val's head and covered her with the duvet.

"Here's some painkillers and a juice bottle. I made you gyus lunch too, it's in a plastic box. Try to make her eat something. At least drink." Clary explained pointing the backpack she had in her hand.

"I need to go now, but I'll come get her at 1 o'clock, okay?" She said rushing to the door.

"Yes, we'll be alright." I said and she nodded, opening the door "Hey Clary?" I said and she looked at me. "I need to talk to you after I get home." I said and didn't miss her expression. It was worried. But she didn't say anything, just nodded and closed the door.

Valerie had already fell asleep so I gave a quick kiss on her forehead before going back to my desk and opened my computer. I had nothing important to do anymore, so I began to search for the schools for the girls and houses in sale in Miami.

CPOV

Oh god. The 'I need to talk to you' – sentence was never good. Never. What if he wanted to fire me? Because of the kiss? Oh no, I really needed this job, was all I could think while rushing back to the car where the girls were waiting. I got into the car and drove Lexie and Jen to the gymnasium. I went inside with them, put their sweatpants and shirts into their bags, gave them their bottles and made sure they saw the other girls and their coach. I said goodbye to them as I walked out of the building. I had two hours free and nothing to do.

I pulled out my phone and decided to call Will.

"Hello?" He answered.

"Hi, it's me, Clary." I said, not sure if I could ask him to meet me.

"Yeah, I knew it was you. I have your number saved in my phone, you know." He laughed. "So what's up?" He asked.

"Oh right. Look, I was just wondering if you wanted to meet. I have two free hours, Jennifer and Alexandra are in gymnastics practice and Valerie is at Jace's work, she's sick. We could grab a cup of coffee if you wanted to..?" I made it sound like a question.

"Yeah, sure! That would be nice. I'll meet you at Robert's coffee in ten? Okay?" He asked.

"That sounds good! Thanks Will!" I said and hung up. I got into the car and parked it in front of the café. I went inside and ordered black coffee, just like I liked it, while I waited for my company.

A few minutes later Will sat across me on the booth with a cup of coffee in his hands.

"So what's up?" He asked sipping his coffee.

"The same as yesterday." I answered looking anywhere but Will.

"You got in safely last night? Was Jace still awake?" He asked.

"Mmm mh. I got safely inside. He- umm. He went to sleep soon after I got home." I felt my face turn red. I noticed a beautiful brown-haired girl who kept looking at Will. Oddly I wasn't jealous at all. I couldn't help but smile.

"What are you smiling at?" Will asked amused.

"Look, I have something to tell you. Please don't get mad or anything. I want to be honest. Last night was probably the best date-night I've ever had." I looked at him and he smiled and nodded. "And you're extremely good kisser. I didn't expect anything less from a guy who looks like that." Will smirked at that. "But. Here it comes. I might be crazy or something, but I have a feeling that if we tried to be more than friends, it'd end up badly for one or both of us. And I don't want that to happen. I want to keep you in my life as a friend. Am I a total bitch?" I asked carefully. He was just smiling at me. Suddenly he reached across the table and took my hands into his.

"Look Clary, I totally get your point. I couldn't agree more. Don't get me wrong, you're incredibly beautiful and all, but this doesn't feel like a promising relationship start, you know?" I nodded and he smiled. "Good."

"So now I can say that there's a beautiful brown-haired girl who has keep looking at you for the whole time we've been here. You know her?" I asked and Will turned to look. Suddenly he was smiling widely and waved his hand. The girl got up and walked shyly to us. I made room for her and she sat down next to me.

"Clary, this is Tessa. Tes, this is my friend Clary." I shook hands with her and smiled at her.

"Nice to meet you." I said to her.

"You too." She said shyly

"So, do you live here?" I asked, trying to make a conversation.

"Yeah, just a few blocks from here." She answered. I nodded.

"Oh that's cool." Great Clary.. You created an awkward silence. Way to go. Fortunately Will opened his mouth.

"Tessa here helped me with my apartment, as I told you yesterday!" He said happily and kept staring at Tessa. Yeah, she was definitely just his friend. I smiled to myself as they stared each other. Why Will didn't said his heart was already taken by this beautiful girl here.

"You know guys, I'm still here. I'll go if you want to be just the two of you." I smirked at Will. I darted his eyes at me and narrowed them. I lifted my other eyebrow at him, I finally had learned how to do that. Tessa blushed and looked away. Will just looked down and smiled. Yeah, that's what I thought.

Will asked something about Tessa's project to change the subject and Tessa told us about her recent house-project. I watched Will's expressions as he listened to Tessa's story. It was funny and adorable how he was so lost in her face. I couldn't help but wonder why he had asked me on a date because his crush on this Tessa was so obvious to me.

"So Tessa, how are things with Jem?" He asked, as if he was forced to ask about him. Oh. That's why he was on date with me. Tessa is dating somebody else.

"Great." She forced a smile. "He's on a business trip right now in New York."

Another awkward silence. I looked at my phone and saw it was already quarter to twelve.

"Oh shit. Hey I'm sorry guys, but I have to go. I need to get Jen and Lexi from their gymnastics practice. It was great to meet you Tessa! Will, bring her with you when we next hang out." I said winking to him as I got out of the booth.

"It was great to meet you too, Clary. I'm sure we'll meet again." I waved for goodbye and rushed to my car. I drove to the gymnasium and went inside to wait the girls. 10 minutes later they ran to me and put on rest of their clothes. We drove to get Valerie home like I promised. But there was Jace already at the parking lot with sleeping Valerie in his arms, her backpack hanging from his shoulder, the duvet wrapped around Valerie. I stopped in front of him and opened the back door for him. He sat next to Jennifer with Valerie still sleeping on his lap.

"So you're coming home with us?" I asked and he nodded.

"Yes. I quit my day early. And my boss let me have rest of the week off." He explained nodding at Valerie.

"Okay."

At home Jace took Valerie into living room to sleep and so he could keep eye on her condition. He told Alexandra and Jennifer to stay upstairs so Valerie could sleep in silence. I made food for the them before they went to play to their rooms.

"Clary? Come here." Jace called when I was putting my own food onto a plate.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." I put food on his plate aswell and gave it to him as I sat down next to him.

"You wanted to talk to me?" I asked warily.

"Yeah. Look, I know you just moved here and all, but I'm going to ask a lot from you now. You can say no, I'm won't be angry. I promise." He looked at me and I nodded, urging him to continue.

"My boss offered me a department manager's job today." He said.

"That's great! Congratulations!" I said happily, grabbing his arm before quickly letting go. His eyes were glued to my hand as he said:

"In Miami."

"Oh" was my response.

"But I haven't agreed yet! I wanted to hear your opinion 'cause I want you to move with us. I need help with all this house keeping and my girls seem to like you so it would be sad if we lost you now. You've been here just a month or two, but you belong to the family already." He said scratching his neck.

I had to think it for a while. Did I want to stay in this town? No, if there was other options. Did I want to work for Jace and see the girls everyday? Hell yes. I didn't have that much friends in this city, except for Will but I was sure he was going to be okay, he had Tessa. So the answer was easy, almost too easy:

"Yes." I said and Jace's head turned to me in a flash.

"What?" was his response. "You really want to move with us?!"

"Yeah. I have nothing special here and I need this job." I said smiling. Suddenly I was spinning around in the air. Jace had wrapped me into his arms and lifted me up. I laughed as I hugged him back.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you. Now I can say yes to my boss!" He whispered into my ear before putting me back on the ground.

"You're welcome" I smiled.

I'm going to move to Miami!

Hello! Here's a new chapter! I hope you liked it..! Please leave me a review, they let me know what you want me to write!

Until next time.

/jbm33