Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

Thank you all for your strong and passionate reactions ! Seeing that you like what I write brings me great satisfaction and keeps me going !

Clary woke up the next day and went to the bathroom , then sat at her vanity to do her make-up. She felt like lying in bed all day ,but she knew it would be good for her to be active and try and ignore what a mess her life had become.. She had a lunatic after her and a husband who didn't trust her and thought she was crazy. She didn't know how she would get over the fact that Jace had thought she was lying. She wasn't exactly mad, she felt.. disappointed, she felt betrayed. He had been the only person she had wanted to help her, yet, he didn't believe her and wasn't there to help her. That's what she gets for relying on someone else other than herself and Isabelle. But she couldn't expect Isabelle to take care of her. SHe had a husband to take care of. So she had to take care of herself. She knew she could take him down if she had the proper weapons. After finishing her soft cat-eye make-up and applying coral lipstick , she got up from the vanity and went looking for some clothes to wear. She picked out a black long sleeved cotton blouse that she tucked in a pair of skinny high- waisted jeans , she put on black wedged-sneakers that would give her height but would still be practical to run in. Then, she started gearing herself up, hiding weapons where-ever she could. She opened the door to go and have some breakfast.

The moment he heard the door, Jace's eyes snapped open.

"Where are you going all by yourself?" he inquired.

"I'm going to go eat something." she replied, not looking at him.

"By yourself ? " he asked, irritation obvious in his voice.

"Yes. "

"What if you run into Sebastian?" he said, getting up from the bed and starting to get dressed.

"I can defend myself. Who else am I going to count on? You ?" she arched her eyebrows.

"Yes, me ! Your husband .", he said, while washing his face hastily.

"I don't recall you being there to protect me yesterday. You were too busy questioning my sanity."

"Clary, I made a mistake ! I'm sorry !"

"I'm sorry too. That I ever considered turning to you for help. Bye, Jace." she said , going out the door.

Jace brushed his teeth and ran after her , catching up with her quickly.

"You are not allowed to go anywhere without me or Isabelle. Do you undestand ?" he growled.

"You don't get to tell me what to do, Jace Wayland. " she snapped.

"Yes , I do. You are my wife and my duty is to protect you. So, you will do as I say." he roared, grabbing her forearm.

"Touch me again and I'll pound on you. And not in the good way." she warned him, looking at him with eyes filled with hate and hurt. Jace felt like he could hear pieces of glass shattering around him. He had hurt her badly. He had never had someone upset with him before. When it was only him and the guys they didn't fight much ,and when they did, they would patch things up immediately. With women it was more difficult. They cared too much.

"So, what ? I'm not allowed to touch you anymore?"

Clary wanted to hurt him like he had hurt her, so she chose her words to do exactly so."I don't want you to touch me anymore." she said, not looking at him.

"You don't want me anymore?" he asked, his voice visibly shaking.

"No. I don't." Jace could feel himself getting sick. He felt like throwing up. Her words had hit exactly where it hurt him the most. But no, it couldn't be . SHe had told him she cared about him, she had been so affectionate and kind to him, she couldn't not want him. They had been together so many times, shared so many moments. No. He wouldn't believe it. He just wouldn't.

"I don't believe that." he whispered.

They had arrived in the living room where they all ate. In the morning there were usually buffets so, Clary grabbed a plate and started putting food on it. Being such a big Institute with so many people, it would be difficult and crowded for the women to cook, so they had a hired personnel of mundanes who had been sworn to secrecy.

"Believe what you want." she snapped as she headed towards a table with Jace behind her. They sat down and began eating in silence when Jace heard Clary gasp and looked in the direction she was looking. He saw Sebastian coming towards them with Aline. Of course, they all sat at the same table all the time. And of course Sebastian would keep up with his ridiculous charade , he thought. He felt Clary scoot closer to him and he placed an arm on the back of her chair, touching her shoulder slightly to make her feel safe. She was safe. He wouldn't let anything happen to her.

"Good morning" Sebastian said cheerfully, sitting down with Aline.

"You have some nerve sitting with us at the table." Jace said, trying to control his anger. He just wanted to see Sebastian in a big pool of blood.

"What?" Sebastian asked , feigning surprise.

"You know exactly what."

"Oh, so you decided to believe her."Sebastian said, looking at Clary. Jace could see in his eyes his sick desire for her and wanted to beat him into the next week, but he refrained himself.

"Believe what?" Aline asked, curiously."What's going on with you two, Jace?" she asked, touching his shoulder lightly. They were sitting at a round table and Aline had sat next to Jace, obviously, when she could have easily sat across from them. Jace didn't jerk away from her touch, just chose to ignore it.

"Don't. touch. my husband." Clary growled at her and Aline winced, rolling her eyes afterwards.

Jace felt relieved after seeing Clary's jealous reaction,thinking he might still be able to make it up to her.

"Why won't your husband tell you?" Jace answered Aline.

Sebastian sighed."Clary told Jace that I had been hitting on her. But it isn't true. I think she's trying to get to you" he said, stroking her cheek."You know how she hates you.." he cooed.

"Oh, for fuck's sake " Clary rolled her eyes.

"You bitch." Aline snarled.

"Watch it, missy ." Clary warned, leaning towards her, mentally slapping herself for having been so scared of Sebastian and of that whole situation. SHe was perfectly capable of beating them."You are the one who's been hitting on my husband. In front of yours." Aline's eyes flickered to Sebastian who was just looking at them with no emotion on his faced. Jace ignored the tingling sensation he felt whenever she called him her husband.

"That's not true."she spat.

"Yes. It is. And you're lucky I decided to be a lady and not do anything about it when I could have kicked your sorry ass. Now, leave this table before I change my mind and decide to give you a facial." she growled. Jace couldn't help but feel extremely turned on by Clary's badass attitude and sass. That was until he saw that it had stirred the same reaction in Sebastian who was leering at her and undressing her with his eyes.

"I think it would be best for the both of you to choose a different table."he warned, looking at Sebastian.

"Fine, believe what you want." Sebastian spat. "But she is lying ,Wayland. And you're choosing her over me, your friend."

"Yes. I'm choosing her. Now leave." he replied.

Sebastian and Aline left, both fuming with rage. Clary could imagine both their little heads exploding and making "choo-choo" sounds. In a different situation, it would have been hilarious, she thought.

Thoughts ?