Charming

Set in chapter 6 in City of Bones (Falling Angels)

OK. Now a few people have asked me to continue with my story Destroyer. And whilst I was suprised and thrilled that people had liked it so much, I had no Idea how the hell I was gonna carry on with it. Eventually, I had the idea to do some select parts of chapters 16 and 17 in City Of Bones from Jace's point of view. So thats what i'm going to do. Please review and tell me what you think!

I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the cool, slightly musty air of the institute. I knocked lightly on the door. The door opened quietly and Clary peered around the edge of the door. I caught a glimpse of the soft cotton tank top she was wearing. Was she in her pyjamas?

"Were you asleep?" I asked curiously, not wanting her to be angry at me if I had just woken her up.

"No. Why would you think that?" She asked as she stepped out into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind her. She was wearing her pyjamas: a light blue cotton tank top and shorts. My eyes came to a halt on her shapely legs; I gulped slightly, mentally slapping myself and pulled my eyes away.

"No reason" She had seen me looking at what she was wearing.

"I was in bed most of the day" She explained, looking somewhat nervous. I wondered why. "What about you? Aren't you exhausted?"

I was. But I couldn't let her know that; I had a surprise for her and now was the perfect time.

"No. Much like the postal service, demon hunters never sleep. Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these-" I knew I had gone back to being an asshole again, but I couldn't help it. Isabelle had told me once she thought it was a nervous habit, which it probably was; but I couldn't let Isabelle know that she was right. That was like giving a criminal your home address.

"You'd be in major trouble if gloom of the night stayed you" Clary pointed out. I grinned, more out of appreciation for her putting up with me than for the comment itself.

"What are you doing here anyway?" I saw she was shivering; Goosebumps were raised on her arms. I had a sudden longing to put my arms around her; too protect her from the cold.

Stop it! A voice in my head commanded me; I always imagined that it was the voice of my father. Although so much time had passed that I couldn't actually remember what the sound of his voice anymore.

Too love is too destroy…

Clary was waiting for an answer, she looked at me expectantly. I had too options here: I could be nice, polite, charming. Or I could be 'asshole-Jace' and hit her with another cynical comment. I went with the latter.

"'Here' as in you bedroom 'here'. Or 'here' as in the great spiritual question of our purpose here on this planet? If you're asking whether it's all just some cosmic coincidence or there's a greater metaethical purpose to life, well, there's a puzzler for the ages. I mean, simple ontological reductionism is clearly fallacious argument, but-"

I saw Clary roll her eyes and turn back towards the door "I'm going back to bed" She said and reached for the door knob

Oops. Quickly my shadow hunter reflexes kicked in, fluidly, I slid between her and the door.

"I'm here because Hodge reminded me it was your birthday" I told her quietly. See. I could be charming.

Clary looked at me, exasperated.

"Not until tomorrow…" She began, trying to put me off.

"That's no reason to start celebrating now" I said, casually.

She squinted at me and a half amused smirk slid onto her face

"Your avoiding Alec and Isabelle" Well…yes. But that wasn't the main reason, but there was no need to tell her that. I nodded.

"Both of them are trying to pick fights with me" That was the truth. Alec and Isabelle were furious with me. So as soon as I could, I got out of the firing range.

"For the same reason?"
"I couldn't tell." I glanced down the hallway, watching to see if either of the Lightwoods would appear as if by magic. "Hodge too. Everybody wants to talk to me. Except you. I bet you don't want to talk to me." I winced at the slightly resentful edge to my voice.

…and to be loved is to be the one destroyed.

"No. I want to eat. I'm starving" Me too. As slick as a magician producing a bunch of flowers from his sleeve, I pulled the paper bag out form behind my back.

"I sneaked some food from the kitchen when Isabelle wasn't looking"

Clary grinned, her whole face lit up radiantly and her green eyes sparkled with amusement.

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun…

"A picnic? It's a bit late for Central Park, don't you think? It's full of…"

"Faeries. I know." I waved my hand nonchalantly.

Her face fell minimally, thinking through what I had just said.

"I was going to say muggers, though I pity the mugger that goes after you."

I nodded, satisfied. She was learning.

"That is a wise attitude and I commend you for it. But I wasn't thinking about Central Park. How about the green house?

She looked apprehensive "Now? At night? Won't it be – dark?"

I smiled and thought of what I had planned for her.

"Come on. I'll show you."

Next Chapter will be midnight flower from Jace's POV. Tell me what you think!