A/N: Well, this one took me forever to write.

Some things are revealed in this one, but I kinda hate the way I wrote it...

anyway, I hope you guys like it!

Chapter 4: Once Upon A Time

Clary pushed herself down onto the sofa. The scowl on her face was as plain and clear as the cloudless sky. Isabelle rolled her eyes. "Oh, what?"

"I know what you're doing." Clary pointed at her accusingly. "It's never going to happen."

"Oh, it will." Isabelle grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "It's only a matter of time."

"For what?" Simon Lewis sauntered into the living room. His hair was disheveled, as if he had just woken up. Then again, Simon always looked rumpled. Isabelle thought it was cute. Clary thought it was revolting.

Clary ignored him and kept pushing Isabelle. "Does history attest to nothing?"

Isabelle held up a finger. She had the look that Clary's mother had when she wanted Clary to shut up. "He was young and stupid."

"Ah," Simon said. "Jace. That's my cue to leave." He grabbed his keys and left the apartment, not bothering to close the door quietly. Clary turned to Isabelle.

"He is young and stupid!" Clary threw up her hands. "We don't work."

The other girl laughed. "That's not what you said in Junior year."

Clary pushed off from her comfortable position on the couch. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Isabelle's smile glittered like diamonds. "Sit down. We have much to discuss."

Boxing never felt so good. Jace pounded his fist into the hanging bag. His heart raced in his chest.

He was ignoring Alec, who had taken it upon himself to play matchmaker for him. He didn't need a girlfriend. Hell, he didn't even want one.

And Clary...God, there was once a time when he'd do anything to have her. Now? Why chase something you know is lost?

But it's not lost, a nasty voice in the back of his head said. Because she found you.

Shut up. Jace pressed forward harder and harder, faster and faster. Sweat dripped down his body, falling from his hair to his shoulders. The curls were matted to his head with sweat. He stopped only to strip his shirt from his body before moving onto jabs. Right hook. Left hook. The rhythm was there. It was intoxicating. The beats of soundless music flooded into his mind, freeing it from captivity. He could think.

He wanted Clary so badly when he was younger, so much that it broke him. The sight of her had made his heart pound. But that was six years ago. He couldn't feel the same way, not after all this time, right? He had to forget. He knew he did.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't forget. He could never forget the girl with the auburn waves and iridescent green eyes.

Isabelle formed the words into her mind. She was about to do it. She was about to tell Clary the secret she had hidden from her for seven years.

The red-headed girl shifted on the seat in front of her. Her leaf-green eyes held boredom, but they were also tense.

"Okay," Isabelle finally said. "So I may have kept this secret from you for a while..."

"How long?" The sharpness in Clary's voice surprised her.

"Seven years." Clary's eyes widened, but Isabelle kept pushing on. "Anyway, do you remember Sebastian's party after the football game in Junior year?"

"No," said Clary. "I was drunk out of my mind."

"Well, yeah." Izzy smirked. "Well what I didn't tell you was...youkissedJace," she said quickly. Maybe this wasn't a good idea...

Unfortunately, Clary caught it. She jumped up, looking downright livid. "I did what?"

"Well Sebastian and I were going upstairs to...you know...but his room was occupied. We opened it to find you and Jace making out on his bed."

"Oh no." Clary put her face in her hands. She remembered now. Flashes of gold. Muted whispers. God, it had been him.

Isabelle grinned. "Oh, yeah. He was drunk too, mind you. But anyway, that's when I knew."

"Knew what?"

"That you two were MTB, of course," Isabelle replied, picking at her nails. "The ancho took away his walls. He looked at you so gently...and you were looking at him the same way."

Clary sighed, turning the new information over in her head. "Well," she said, taking a step forward. "Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, I was in love with Jace." She grabbed her messenger bag and moved towards the door, stopping right before it. She looked over her shoulder at her friend, who was looking at her with awe. "And once upon a time, he broke me."

Jace decided to do a bit of early afternoon walking. He couldn't remember the last time he had gone to Central Park, but suddenly he found himself there. It was more shaded than he remembered. Trails were hooded with trees and branches. People were running through the fall leaves, trampling them as if they were nothing. It was a shame. They were truly beautiful.

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Jace ventured on. There was still the old chestnut stand he and his mother used to go to. There was a different man working it, though. Still, the sentiment was the same. Jace went up to the vendor, two dollars in his hand. "One bag, please."

The man nodded, his mustache twitching as he did so. He piled the steaming nuts into a cliché striped bag. Jace nodded 'thanks' and continued walking. For the first time, he truly opened his eyes and looked around. Jace had never cared much about the place, but as he strolled around, he began to appreciate the beauty. "Jace?"

Clary stood before him. Her hair matched the color of the leaves behind her completely. Jace had to blink to make sure she was real. He grinned slyly. "Stalking me?"

"Nah, that's your thing." She pushed her hair away from her face. "What're you doing here?"

"Are you kidding?" He spread his arms out, grinning hugely. "Central Park is my scene."

Clary rolled her eyes. "Uh huh. What part of Manhattan is it in?"

"Uh..." Jace tilted his head skyward. "Upper...West Side?"

"East, but you were close." Clary looked at him warily. "Actually, it's a good thing I ran into you. I have to ask you something."

Jace sat down on the nearest bench, shooing pigeons away as he did. "Ask away," he said, patting the seat beside him.

Clary sat down. "Did you know about what happened at the party after our game again Sherwood in Junior year?"

"Junior year..." Jace racked his brain long and hard. He remembered scoring the winning touchdown. He remembered the cheers. "Yeah, it was at Sebastian's. But...I was drunk. I only remember making out with some chick."

Clary bit her lower lip and ran her hands together to warm them up. "Yeah, I was drunk, too, and I only remember making out with...some guy."

Jace's eyes widened. He cocked a brow. "So you're saying..."

"Isabelle apparently walked in on us making out," she said, "and didn't bother saying anything for seven years."

Jace stood up abruptly, eyes wide. He predatory stare was gone. "You're messing with me."

"I wish." She folded her arms and peered at him through copper lashes. "She just told me today. And...it makes sense. I remember flashes of yellow."

"Well, that proves it." Jace mimicked her position, a self-deprecating look masking his face. "My hair isn't yellow. It's good and luminous."

"Well, gold colored pencils don't exist," Clary retorted. "if I were to draw you, I'd use yellow."

"Aha!" Jace grinned triumphantly. "So you do draw me obsessively!"

Clary rolled her eyes, not bothering to respond. "Whatever. So you're not mad?"

He shook his head. Blonde strands fell into his tawny eyes. "Nah, like you said, it makes sense. Besides, it's in the past."

The lie tasted bitter in his mouth, like black coffee at three in the morning. It wasn't in the past. Seven years ago, his unguarded mind seeked her out through the haze of booze and smoke. And seven years ago, so did hers.

A/N: Well, there you have it! Stuff came out.

Let me know your thoughts, suggestions...

thanks so much for reading!