Right, so last chapter you guys said that things were a bit confusing because there was no evidence earlier in the story that Jace actually reciprocated the feelings of love for Clary. So, to combat this, I've decided to go back in time to when it all began in this chappie. Enjoy!P.s any of you who have read my other fic All the Moons Under the Sun may recognise a character (spoilers) so feel free to guess who they are going to play out in this fic! I'll tell you if you're right!

In the past...

There was snow on the ground outside Jace and Clary's high school. Students ran around throwing large balls of slush at each other, laughing and generally enjoying each others company. Jace was in the middle of a group of his mates, all laughing and red cheeked from the cold. A little way away from them, a young girl with red hair, which was escaping her braid, was observing the scene from a bench, sketch book in hand, chewing a pencil.

Jace Herondale, the object of her observation, was cool, hot and certainly one of the most popular guys in her high school. Like every other girl she knew, apart from his sister and her best friend Isabelle, she wished one day that he would take notice of her and ask her out. But of course, why would the popular guy ask out "little red" as the others called her, not out of affection, but out of spite. Clary knew she was short, she knew that she was freckly and not as pretty or as leggy or as chesty as the other girls, but they loved to make fun of her because of it.

"Yo, Little Red, you're in our seat!"

"Yeah, go back to the baby school where you belong!"

"Come on guys, that's my sister's friend. Let her be. You don't want to have to fight with Izzy do ya?" Jace's voice was smooth, gentle and almost… caring. The bench next to her creaked as the other guys grumbled and wandered off. "What are you drawing?" Jace asked, trying to peer over her shoulder. "If it's me, you don't have to hide it from me. I know all the girls fantasise about having me in their beds." He chuckled.

That was Jace Herondale, the player. He had a different girl on his arm everyday, and he didn't care who or what he broke. That's why Clary knew it was dangerous to crush on him, why she avoided him when she was over Izzy's, why she never accepted a ride home with them. Because she was scared of becoming one of those girls, one of the number of broken hearts that he had trailed all other the floor.

2 months later

It was movie night. They had rented of all things, Pretty Woman, and were curled up on the sofa with a large bowl of popcorn to share between them. Izzy swore the movie was great, and that Clary was going to love it, but Clary wasn't sure. A movie about a girl who was a prostitute and the rich guy who happened to request her company for the night?

Izzy was curled up guarding the popcorn, her slippered feet tucked neatly underneath her, whilst Clary was stretched across the length of the sofa, her slipper socked feet in Izzy's lap. The floor creaked as Jace walked up behind them, just in time to catch the opening credits.

"Hey Clarissa. Budge up will ya?" she sighed and sat up, allowing him to slip onto the sofa. She felt Jace's arm go around her, and was going to shrug it off, but he was just so… warm. And nice, despite her knowledge of how awful he was to be in a relationship with. She guessed that he was only turning on the charm because she was his sister's kid friend, but it was doing wonders for her popularity to be seen chatting with Jace Herondale.

She couldn't remember what the movie was about, because tucked up against Jace's warm side; she was so comfortable that her eyes began to droop before the movie was even half way through.

1 month later

"I still can't believe that you two have lasted this long. This is possibly the longest relationship Jace has ever been in. A whole month. Whatever spell you've cast on him Clary, I want you to never take it off, you hear me." Jace could her Izzy talking to Clary as he came through the kitchen door. Clary was sitting at the table with a bowl of cereal, and Izzy was trying unsuccessfully to cook an omelette.

Clarissa. Only he was allowed to call her Clarissa. He loved the way her name rolled off his tongue, the way when he said it the corner of her mouth turned up slightly in irritation and humour. He still couldn't believe that they were dating. Little Clarissa and him. He smiled and chuckled lightly to himself before walking into the kitchen. Clary spun around and smiled at him, a smile that really beamed, and her strode over so that he could just… hold her. With Clary, just holding her was enough to make his heart race.

2 months later

The shopping centre was packed, and it was difficult to negotiate their way around the clothing shop. Especially since Jace refused to remove his arm from where it was draped across her shoulders, a warm weight that continually reminded her that her hot boyfriend was shopping with her. Occasionally people would stare, especially when they came across someone that they knew from school. Jace's friends always had a slight look of disdain about them Clary thought, and the girls always sent venomous jealous stares.

Izzy scuttled ahead, occasionally stopping to grab a top or a dress or a skirt off the racks for Clary to try on. She was insisting on dressing Clary, again, and Clary was happy to humour her if it meant that she could spend more time with Jace whilst Izzy did all the work.

She left him outside the changing rooms while she tried on the latest pile of "lush" clothes Izzy had picked out. Choosing her favourite ensemble, she walked out to find out what her boyfriend thought. Jace was sitting there, just looking at her, a small, crooked smile playing on his lips. He approved, obviously.

Clothes bought they escaped from Izzy to visit the coffee shop, curled up together with a cup of coffee each and each others company. Clary loved the way Jace could make her laugh about the smallest of things, the way that whenever he smiled she just couldn't help but smile with him. She couldn't believe that someone like Jace could have two such different personalities. His lips touched hers and she couldn't believe that she was actually kissing him, Jace Herondale.

The next morning, curled up against his warm chest on an innocent sleep over with Izzy, she couldn't imagine that life got any better.

3 weeks later

Clary left her art class happy. She was going out with Jace later, and then she was spending the weekend with Jace and Izzy, who were home alone because Alec was visiting Magnus and their parents were away at some work thing.

The halls were lined with students, a buzz of noise rising off the walls from their chatter. She slung the books she didn't need into her locker and headed towards the exit, her heart throbbing with anticipation of the night ahead.

Standing in the street was Jace, his golden hair reflecting lightly, his shirt clinging to his muscles gently, showing them off to the world. Her boyfriend. Her beautiful, too good for her boyfriend.

Kissing another girl. Holding another girl. Whispering things in her ear. Holding onto her face with ginger gentleness that he held her with.

Of course she'd managed to stay with Jace, because he was seeing other girls on the side.

The tears well up in the corners of her eyes, she ran for Izzy, and someone to take her home. Away from Jace.

Away from her broken heart.

3 months later

Jace lay on his bed, staring aimlessly at the ceiling whilst contemplating his loneliness. To say he didn't understand the emotions he was feeling was an understatement. It felt like a piece of his heart was missing, ever since the incident with Amber outside the school. He'd been so happy to see Amber, but when he saw Clarissa's red hair streaking past towards his sister.

"Dude, are you coming or what? We don't want to miss the school rising star thing." Alec stuck his head his door. Jace sighed and stood up, grabbing his jacket from the hook behind his door.

The room was packed. It had been a harsh 3 months but her music was her life now, and she didn't care about Jace any more. So what if he had cheated on her. Its not like she hadn't known he was a player. It wasn't as if she didn't already know that one day he was going to break her heart.

Now she didn't need him. She had her music. She had her new, stronger personality. She had her brand new, gleaming motorbike with sexy new leathers. When she went out on her own now, boys stared. They stared and stared and stared. At school people couldn't understand the change, but she didn't care.

Lay a whisper on my pillow,
leave the winter on the ground.
I wake up lonely, there's air of silence
in the bedroom and all around.

She wrote the song about Jace, about what she wished he felt about losing her. She knew that he didn't feel that way, but it didn't matter to her. She just wanted to tell the world how she felt, how broken she was when he left her.

Touch me now, I close my eyes and dream away.

It must have been love but it's over now.
It must have been good but I lost it somehow.
It must have been love but it's over now.
From the moment we touched 'til the time had run out.

Jace couldn't believe it. Little Clarissa was on stage, singing in front of everybody. His heart broke all over again to hear the emotion in her voice, to see the edge of sadness in her eyes, hidden under her makeup and perfectly arranged hair. The sweet little woman that he had loved hidden under the guise of a rock star.

Wait- loved?

Make-believing we're together,
that I'm sheltered by your heart.
But in and outside I've turned to water
like a teardrop in your palm.
And it's a hard winter's day, I dream away.

Clary could see him staring at the back of the room, sitting with Alec with a beer in his hand, his mouth practically hanging open. She looked him in the eye with all the venom she could muster from the remains of her torn heart.

It must have been love but it's over now,
it was all that I wanted, now I'm living without.
It must have been love but it's over now,
it's where the water flows, it's where the wind blows
it's where the wind blows

There was a scout for a well respected record label at the back of the room with a small camcorder. She couldn't believe the talent that this one young possessed. The emotion, the connection with the audience, the way that she just owned the stage with her presence.

It must have been love but it's over now,
it was all that I wanted, now I'm living without.
It must have been love but it's over now,
it's where the water flows...

Every one clapped as Clary left the stage, shaking slightly but grinning, and walked right into the arms of her two best friends, Simon and Izzy, catching a kiss on the lips from Simon and a squealing hug from Izzy.

She didn't need Jace Herondale.

She had a new life now.

Okay so the song is It Must Have Been Love by Roxette- cookies if you know what movie it's from!

R&R my peepz!

Vikki :)~

and Merry Chrimbo if I don't get a post up tomorrow!