AN: Thanks for the reviews and alerts and favorites and whatnots! Hope you like this chapter :)
Jaceluver14 was a bit confused about their ages, so to clear that up: Clary and Jace are just a little older than in the books. Jace is 18, Clary almost 18. It's not very important, I just picture them like that in my head :).
Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments, it all belongs to Cassandra Clare.
Jace's head was filled with chaos. He heard Clary whimper behind him and resisted the urge to grab her and lock her up safe somewhere miles away. The thing in front of him hissed and its eyes were fixed on him. Jace's hand automatically slipped behind his belt. He had no idea how he would get himself and Clary out of this situation, but he did know that he could. Instinctively, his fingers hooked behind a leather loop, twisted, and pulled out a blade.
"Ithuriel" He said the word without thinking about it and the blade shimmered. It startled him, but he knew he didn't have any time to loose.
He moved and circled the thing in front of him, knowing that the small eyes wouldn't be able to follow him. He realized that he was smiling, and his muscles tingled, anticipating the exertion that was about to follow. Somehow he knew this, knew exactly what to do and how to react. His arm shot forward and he injured one of the creatures legs, crippling it. It snarled, showing fangs and twisted. He ducked when it tried to pierce him with the pointed end of another leg and shoved the blade into the creatures body. It let out a piercing wail and stupidly lunged at him again. He tripped when he tried to move away and landed on his back. Scrambling away, he quickly pushed himself to his feet and gave the thing a kick in the head. It staggered back, swaying a little, and Jace smiled. He pierced the grey scales and twisted his blade, destroying the heart. It fell back, dead, and Jace grinned. In a few seconds, the body dissolved and left behind stains of dark fluid.
Jace was feeling pretty good about himself as he watched the pools of black blood, until he heard Clary's shuddering breath. He turned around and she saw her sitting on the ground, her hands pressed against her mouth and her eyes wide. He walked over to where she was sitting, hesitating a bit. She would ask him questions, but he already knew he wouldn't be able to answer. What he had just been doing, it had to be something he did often. Not once did he hesitate or panic while fighting, everything had come to him easily, and he had no idea why.
Clary lowered her hands but kept staring at him. He reached out and offered her his hand so she could get up. She took it, her fingers trembling, and awkwardly pushed herself off the ground.
He wanted to say something, but before he got the chance, she was clinging to him. Her hands still shaking, but gripping his sleeves tightly. Her face buried against his shoulders. He could feel her heart hammer against his and her whole body was trembling.
"My god, Jace, what was that?" She said, her voice caught when she said his name.
"I don't know." He said, "I really don't, but I feel like I ought to. It has to be something I'm used to." He said. He looked down at her and didn't really know what to do.
She looked up at him, her cheeks turning red. "I- I'm sorry. I shouldn't-" Her voice faltered and she glanced away, but she didn't let go of him and he liked that.
His heart was still beating fast and adrenaline still pumped through his veins. Fighting had left him exhilarated, and he was fearless, he could do anything. His hands moved to Clary's face, making her look at him. She looked up at him, startled, and he moved one hand to her neck, his fingers twisting around the soft red curls. She wasn't moving, just staring at him with big eyes and breathing in small gasps. He wanted to wait, to just keep standing there with her and never move, but her body was moulded so perfectly against his, and her lips just begged to be kissed. He tilted her chin up slowly and kissed her, lightly brushing his lips against hers and gauging her reaction. She let out a trembling breath and pushed herself against him, her arms reaching around his neck.
Clary was flying. She was feeling everything. Her lips were moving of their own accord and her legs were tingling, threatening to give out. Jace's hands were everywhere, twisting in her hair, around her back, cupping her face. Part of her was still shocked at what she'd just seen, Jace killing a monster and the thing disappearing, and she could taste her dried tears on her lips. But Jace's embrace pushed the memory away and made her feel alive. She didn't know why, but tears started running down her cheeks. Jace noticed and froze.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing." She gasped, pulling him closer.
He didn't kiss her, though, and studied her worriedly. She stood up on her toes and held his face in her hands.
"Don't stop." She said, and her fingertips stroked his cheeks. "I don't want to worry about what happened, I want you."
He didn't hesitate any longer and almost lifted her off the ground when he kissed her again. His lips moved to her throat. "That's good." He mumbled against her skin. "Because I want you too."
"We probably should go home." Clary mumbled. She was leaning against Jace, who was stroking her back. They were both still a bit breathless and Clary was feeling a little light headed. She lifted her head and looked around. The narrow alley was the least romantic location possible, and she'd never imagined having her first kiss right after seeing some monster die right in front of her and collapsing to the ground in fear, but whoa… That had been one amazing first kiss. She smiled at nothing in particular and pressed her lips against Jace's chest.
"Yeah, we should." Jace said, leaning back and letting go of her.
They walked home in silence, their hands intertwined in the pocket of Jace's hoodie. Clary kept sneaking glances at him, and he smiled knowingly each time, as if sensing her gaze without looking at her. When they reached the house, Jace frowned.
"I'll try to remember more. Maybe having killed that demon will help." His face darkened.
Clary felt something twinge inside of her. She remembered how pale he looked and how much his hands shook when he tried to remember. Her worry was stopped short when she thought about what he'd just said.
"It was a demon?"
Jace looked at her, surprised. "I guess so. I didn't really think about saying that, it came naturally."
"Just like pulling out that glowing knife." Clary reasoned.
Jace nodded.
"You know, Magnus is coming over this evening, he's big on all that magic and demon stuff. I never believed anything he said, but if that thing you killed was real, maybe he knows more than I thought."
"His name sounds really familiar, I've been wondering about that ever since you told me about him." Jace said. "I think talking to him is a good idea."
As it turned out, Magnus was already inside when Jace and Clary arrived. Clary could hear him talking to Luke in the kitchen, and she was surprised to realize that she felt nervous. What if Magnus knew how to get Jace's memory back? That would be great, of course, but why didn't the thought of it make her feel happy? Clary knew it was selfish, but part of her wanted to keep Jace to herself. If he remembered where he lived, and who he lived with, he'd leave and she'd lose him. She'd known him for just two days, and the first one he'd even been unconscious, but it had felt so right to her. It had been like living in a bubble, just her and Jace to worry about, nothing else. But they needed to know what had happened earlier, and Jace needed to go back to his own live.
"Is that Magnus?" Jace asked, talking about the voice in the kitchen.
Clary nodded. "Yes, that's him."
Her voice was squeaky and Jace raised an eyebrow at her. "Something wrong?"
"It's nothing." She said, looking away and heading towards the kitchen.
Jace didn't say anything else, but his hand wound around hers, comforting her even though he didn't know what was bothering her.
Magnus was sitting down, his long legs stretched out in front of him and resting on another chair. Luke was making coffee and smiled at Clary when he noticed her entering.
"Hi Luke, hi Magnus." Clary greeted them. "Magnus, this is Jace. I imagine Luke has told you everything already?"
Luke was staring at their linked hands with a weird expression on his face. Magnus stared too, but he was grinning widely.
"Yes he did." He said, moving gracefully as he stood up. "So nice to meet you Jace."
Luke excused himself, probably to get ready for his night shift.
Magnus was wearing black leather pants that had some sort of shimmer on them which alternated in colour, depending on the light. His shirt was of the same sort, extremely tight fitting with a deep V-neck, glittering covering the front. He'd left his hair alone, and instead of it standing straight up in spikes, bangs covered his forehead and made him look much younger.
Jace took it all in sceptically. "I know you... somehow"
Magnus looked startled for a second. "I thought you didn't remember anything?"
"Even with severe memory loss, I doubt I could forget someone looking like that." Jace said, gesturing at the glittering clothes.
"Thank you." Magnus beamed, apparently taking it as a compliment.
Clary glanced at Jace, and from the tense set of his jaw, she knew that he was trying to remember Magnus.
"Don't you know him?" She asked Magnus, while worriedly rubbing circles on Jace's hand with her thumb.
"Sadly, no." Magnus shook his head in regret. "I do know of a family who lost a guy two days ago. Eigteen years old, about your height, blonde,… Why, now that I think about it, that might be you!" Magnus feigned surprise and sank down on his chair. "What a coincidence! Such a small world we live in." He smiled at Clary.
Clary was getting frustrated. Magnus was playing with them and she wasn't amused. "If you know something, then tell us. Enough has happened today and we don't need your riddles." Clary sighed. "Do you know Jace's family or not?"
Magnus looked taken aback, and maybe even a little bit hurt. He covered it up quickly and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Well, fine. I do. But don't expect me to call them right this second, it's too late in the evening for such things. Jace will have to stay here until tomorrow."
Clary was about to protest, surely Jace's family would want to hear whether their son was alright, but Jace squeezed her hand.
"It's fine. We can wait until tomorrow." He said warily.
Magnus's eyes lit up. "Great. That's settled then. And don't worry Clary, his family knows he can get himself out of trouble."
Clary shot Jace a questioning look. Should they tell Magnus about the demon thing?
Jace shook his head a little, telling her to keep quiet about it.
Magnus was watching them curiously, and then gave Jace a piece of paper.
"That's my address. Meet me around noon and I'll take you to your family." He smiled at them and then left the room.
Clary frowned when she heard the front door bang shut. "He's usually not that crazy." She told Jace. "I'm sorry you have to wait. I don't know what's going on with him."
Jace shrugged. "I don't mind."
Clary smiled. She didn't mind either, and if she could have a little more time with Jace in her bubble, she wouldn't complain.
AN: So, liked it? Magnus was supposed to be acting a little weird, was it not too OOC? Did I write the kissing scene alright? What did you think? Leave me a review, pretty please?
For those of you who are wondering: Alec and Isabelle will appear in the next chapter :)
