I do not own the Mortal Instruments. All characters and references belong to Cassandra Clare.

Things were looking up for once in Clary's life. Sebastian hadn't laid a hand on her in the past three weeks, progress was finally being made on their wedding plans, and she was getting along better with Jace. The only things missing were Simon and Isabelle. Every time she passed one of them in the halls at work, they would blatantly ignore her, not even glancing in her direction. She missed them dearly, but wasn't about to go crawling back to them. If they were going to act that way towards her, they weren't true friends, right?

Now, she was sitting in a chair in the corner of Jace's office spinning in slow circles and flipping through a wedding dress catalog. Jace was sitting at his desk looking over the Owens case. The case was stressing him out and she was dying to know why, but every time she asked he would quickly change the subject. All that she could get out of him was that it was a domestic abuse case involving a wife and child. The whole thing made her feel uneasy.

"I just don't understand," Jace muttered suddenly.

Clary looked up at him. "Don't understand what?"

He exhaled heavily and leaned back in his chair with his hands laced behind his head. "I don't understand how she could stay with the bastard for so long, especially with a child. How could you bring a child into that kind of environment?" The anger was evident in his voice.

Clary froze. "Love," she whispered out loud without meaning to.

He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Love?" he scoffed.

Nodding, she elaborated. "She probably stayed around because she loved him and hoped he would change."

Jace mulled the thought over for a moment. "That makes sense for when it was just the two of them, but you would think she would love her baby enough to leave before bringing it into an abusive home." His tone was bitter and Clary felt there was more to the whole situation than he was letting on.

She shrugged at him, not liking the subject, and went back to the magazine in her hands. She would need someone to go dress shopping with her. Isabelle had been her first choice when she had gotten engaged, but that was no longer an option. Jocelyn would have also been in the running, but now she was across the country. It was turning out to be more frustrating than she thought.

"So, when's the big day?" Jace asked, pulling her from her thoughts.

"April 21," she answered, beaming. It was the day that her and Sebastian had first met.

Jace opened his mouth to reply, when the door flew open and Izzy walking in with Simon trailing behind. Jace groaned and Clary quickly looked down at the catalog again.

"What do you want, Izzy?" Jace asked, exasperated.

Clary could practically hear Izzy rolling her eyes. "Simon, Maia, and I are going to Taki's. Wanna come?"

"Can't."

"But we need a fourth person to go with us."

Clary felt a pang in her chest. That used to be their thing. The four of them would go to Taki's together in order to get the two-for-one specials. Her eyes began to sting but she pushed the sensation away.

"I'm busy, Isabelle. Find someone else."

She heard Isabelle huff and the sound of the door slamming a few seconds later. Clary exhaled slowly, willing the pain in her chest to go away.

"Clary?" Jace said softly.

"Hm?" she hummed back, not trusting her voice.

"Look at me."

She shook her head and suddenly Jace was in front of her, hooking his fingers under her chin and lifting her head up. She was forced to stare into his golden eyes.

"They're being shitty friends for a stupid ass reason. Don't let it get to you. You aren't in the wrong."

Clary looked at him skeptically. "How do you know?"

He frowned. "Isabelle likes to rant and I tend to be stuck listening to her."

It was Clary's turn to frown. "She talks about me that much?"

Slowly, he nodded. "But you know what you're going to do?" She shook her head. "You are going to go to Taki's, order me some coconut pancakes to go, and show them, and yourself, that they don't affect you."

"Jace," she whined, dragging his name out.

"Are you complaining, Fray? As your boss, I don't appreciate that and I'm starving. Now go."

"Fine."

He smirked at her. "One day you'll thank me."

Fifteen minutes later, she walked into the jail-like structure that was Taki's. Immediately her eyes fell on Simon and Isabelle. They were sitting at a booth in the back corner laughing and talking with Maia and Magnus. Clary forced herself to look away. The don't affect you.

A blonde waitress bounced up to her. The name on her laminated nametag was Kaelie. The name sounded familiar and Clary scrunched up her nose. One of them many exes Jace talks about.

"Welcome to Taki's. What can I get you?" she asked with fake enthusiasm.

"An order of coconut pancakes and fries to go, please." Clary said with an equally fake smile. Kaelie gave her a weird look, but she was prepared for it. Yes, it was weird for someone to order pancakes at two in the afternoon, but that was Jace for you.

"Clary, darling!" a voice called and she turned to see Magnus a few inches away. Before she could react, he had thrown his arms around her and picked her up in a warm embrace.

"Magnus! Put me down!" He did as she asked and she looked down to find herself covered in glitter.

"You haven't returned any of my calls, Clarissa," he said in an accusatory tone.

Clary chewed her bottom lip. "It's just been hectic lately, Mags. I'll make it up to you somehow."

Magnus looked her over with disapproval. "Your fashion sense is still in need of adjustment. Let me take you shopping and we'll call it even."

She was about to ask for an alternative when an idea came to her. "I have something better. How about you go dress shopping with me?"

His cat-like eyes widened. "For your wedding?"

"Yep," she said, popping the p.

He clapped his hands together. "Of course I'll go! I would be honored. But," he glanced nervously at Simon and Izzy, "what about Isa-"

"Don't," she cut him off.

He shook his head sadly. "I don't approve of this little tiff you guys have going on and I advise you find a way to sort everything out with her."

"So she's been talking to you, too. Just who hasn't she opened her big mouth to?" Clary sent a glare in Isabelle's direction, suddenly angry. "Besides, I'm not the one with a problem. If you want this 'sorted out', tell Izzy to stop being a drama queen for five minutes." Kaelie came back with Jace's order and Clary gladly took it. "I have to go now. I'll text you the details about shopping later. Bye, Magnus."

She left before he could say anything else, fearing she would snap at him.

Clary stormed into Jace's office and threw his food on his desk. He looked up from the computer, startled.

"So, how'd it go?" he asked, an amused smile forming on his lips.

"How do you think it went?" she growled.

Shrugging, he leaned back in his chair. "Pretty good considering you aren't on the brink of tears anymore."

Crossing her arms, she narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, but now I'm pissed off. Izzy even talks to Magnus about me! It's like she can talk to everyone about me except me."

Jace rolled his eyes. "Women and their drama," he muttered. "So you're going to talk to me about her, but not her? Kinda hypocritical, wouldn't you say?"

Sighing, she sunk down into a chair. "You're right. I should talk to her. Actually, I would if she would stop being a bitch and acknowledge me for five seconds." She paused for a second and added, "Sorry. She's your sister. I shouldn't say things like that around you."

Jace scoffed. "Please, I have lived with her most of my life. She's a total bitch and I really don't care who calls her one. Rant to me if you want. I'm just trying to save your relationship with her."

Clary cocked her head to the side. "Why?"

"That's what friends do."

Friends? Were her and Jace friends? She guessed you could call it that. They did hang out sometimes outside of work. Although, they were always with a group of other people.

Friends with Jace Wayland. The thought brought a small smile to her face.

The door slammed against the wall and Clary froze. She looked up from her sketchpad and glanced at the clock. 11:30. Her heart dropped. Sebastian was home late. His loud footsteps echoed in the silent penthouse and she tried to calm down. He said he would stop. He wouldn't start again so easily, right?

The bedroom door flew open and Clary scrambled off the bed. Sebastian stood in the doorway with bloodshot eyes. His tie was lose around his neck and his dress shirt was untucked.

"Hi, honey," Clary said with what she hoped was a calming smile.

"Why the fuck didn't you answer your phone?" he slurred.

He called her? She hadn't noticed. "I- I'm sorry. I was distracted."

"I-I'm sorry?" he mocked her. "I had to ride a fucking cab home from the bar. You know how much I hate public transportation. I've had a shit day at work and my fiancee can't even be bothered to answer her goddamned phone." He picked her sketchpad off the bed and held it up. "Is this what had you so busy?" She didn't say anything and he smacked her. "Fucking answer me, Clarissa!"

"Yes," she said as tears pricked her eyes. He said he would stop. He was doing so well.

Wrinkling his nose, he examined her sketch of Central Park and ripped it out. "This is a piece of shit, Clarissa." He tore the paper into tiny shreds. "I've told you before to give up on your silly little dream. You are never going to be an artist. You aren't good enough" He tore the rest of her sketches out and ripped them into pieces.

Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Why are you doing this, Sebastian?" she choked out.

"Because you need to know your place. You are worthless. Without me, you would be some starving artist living on the streets. You need me, Clarissa."

She looked into his eyes as he said this, and she believed him.

Would have updated earlier, but I had a lot of homework and homecoming to deal with. And some writer's block. I know where I want the story to go, but not how to get it there without rushing things. Meh.

Reviews: It's what all the cool cats are writing.