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

Grinning, she stared at the sonogram in her hands. You could barely make out the baby, but it was there. Just a little spot. But a little spot was the was slowly growing inside her.

The front door opened and she quickly shoved the picture between the couch cushions. Sebastian still wasn't too happy about the pregnancy. However, she had a feeling he would come around eventually.

She stood up and greeted him in the entryway. "Hey, honey. How was work?"

Running a hand through his hair, he grimaced. "Stressful," he said curtly.

Clary frowned. All she had been getting out of him lately was one or two word answers. They were slowly drifting apart and it terrified her. Even he had said himself that she was nothing without him.

"I'll be in my study. Don't bother me."

He briskly walked away and Clary let out a sigh once he was out of hearing distance. They hadn't been seeing much of each other, either. He always seemed to be at work, in his study, or sleeping. There was a bad feeling in her gut that told her he was hiding something, but she ignored. He just needs some space, she told herself.

A shrill ringing cut through the silence of the penthouse and Clary hunted down her phone, picking it up right before it cut off.

"Hello?" she breathed into the phone.

"Clary, it's Jace. I know it's your day off, but could you come in for just an hour or two? I really need your help."

Sighing, Clary glanced at the closed doors of Sebastian's study. He wouldn't mind, right? He was probably too wrapped up in his own job to care. "I guess that'll be fine. Just let me get changed first."

"Thank you so much. See you soon," he said and hung up.

Clary quickly got dressed and threw her hair into a bun. She stood outside Sebastian's study, debating on whether or not to inform him she was going to work. He had said not to bother him, so she settled on sending him a quick text before exiting the apartment.

His reply was a simple "whatever."

"What is so important that you needed me in today for?" she asked upon entering Jace's office. He looked up at her and she took in his disheveled appearance with disapproval. He still looked like he hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in a while.

"I'm putting the final touches on this case and I have a date in less than three hours. There's no way I'll be done in time without your help," he replied.

She was tempted to tell him just to reschedule his date, but didn't. He had spent more than three-quarters of his life in this office since he had first started the case. A date would be a good chance for him to get his mind off of it for a little while.

"What do you need me to do?" she asked with a small sigh. She felt nauseous and not at all like working, but she was going to put up with it for a friend.

He handed her a stack of photos. "I need you to go make 3 copies of each of these."

She nodded and left to the copy room. The photos made the nauseous feeling in her stomach grow. They were of all the damage done to Owens' son and wife. Bruises covered a beautiful woman's face and a small child's body. There were scars and cuts and burns on the child's arms and chest.

Clary's hand flew to her stomach. What if Sebastian ends up like that? What if he hurts their child? She remembered what Jace had said. I don't understand how somebody could bring a child into that type of environment. Clary suddenly didn't understand it either. Why would she want to possibly bring harm to her child? Then she remembered Magnus.

The door to the copy room clicked shut and Clary's head snapped up. As if on cue, there stood a grinning Magnus, leaning against the closed door with his arm still in a cast.

"Magnus," Clary hissed. "You're supposed to be avoiding me."

He waved his free hand dismissively in the air. "I know the whole thing is Alec's idea, and frankly I don't like it. You're my friend. I'm not going to leave you like everyone else. Now, want to tell me about your little bun in the oven?"

She chewed her bottom lip. "Not much to tell. It's there. Don't know the gender yet. Oh yeah, and Sebastian isn't too happy about it," she said bitterly.

Magnus frowned slightly. "Don't be upset, Clary. You're going to be a mom! Sebastian will come around eventually,"

Tears started to build in her eyes. "But what if he doesn't?" she cried. "What if he ends up doing this?" She thrust a picture of the little boy at him. "I mean, look at what he did to you! What makes you think he won't do worse to our baby?"

Magnus's eyes darkened as he examined the photograph. "Clarissa, if you really think he's going to do something like this, then you need to get out before it's too late."

"It's not that simple, Magnus! What do you think he's going to do if I try to leave again?"

He looked at her sympathetically. "I don't know, but it's a risk you might just have to take. For the sake of your child." He glanced at his watch. "I have to go before Alec realizes I'm not really going to the bathroom. If you need anything, don't you ever hesitate to call me. Alec will just have to deal with it."

She quickly threw her arms around him in a hug. "Thank you," she whispered before releasing him.

"No problem," he said and left.

Clary followed suit a few seconds later and returned to Jace's office. He was leaning over his desk, scribbling notes down on a piece of paper. She gently set the stack of photos down next to him. "

"Now what?"

Jace grabbed a sticky note, wrote something down, and handed it to her. She looked at the address written in his neat handwriting and recognized it as a florist. "Go there and tell them you're picking up Jace Wayland's order."

Clary cocked an eyebrow. "Jace Wayland getting flowers for a girl? What has the world come to?"

He laughed quietly. "I might be player, Clary, but I still know how to treat a girl right."

Clary felt a pang of jealousy. Why couldn't she have someone like Jace? She would take a player of an abusive boyfriend any day. She went downstairs and hailed a cab.

About halfway back from the florist, her phone started ringing, She fished it out of her pocket and looked at the caller ID. Sebastian. Clary's brow furrowed. He rarely called her. Especially when either one of them was working. She pressed the answer button.

"Hey, Seb-"

She stopped, her heart dropping at the noises coming from the other side. The moans and the pants and the I love you's and the sound of skin on skin. The phone slipped between her fingers and landed on the seat of the cab, ending the call.

The cabbie glanced at her in the rear-view mirror. "You okay back there?"

Clary nodded numbly. Sebastian was cheating on her. Out of all the things he had done, she felt this was the worst. He had destroyed all the trust she put into him. And the big question was why. Why was he cheating on her? Was it because she was pregnant? Did he not love her anymore? Was he going to leave her for this other woman?

The cab pulled up outside the building and Clary quickly threw the fare at the cabbie and climbed out, tears stinging the backs of her eyes.

She placed the bouquet of flowers on Jace's desk and he looked at her graciously. "Thank you so much." He looked at her and cocked his head to the side. "Hey, are you okay?"

Clary smiled weakly. "Yeah. I just think I have allergies or something."

"I'm so sorry. You can go home if you want. I'm almost done here."

"Thanks," she said, gathering her things. She stopped at the door. "Have fun on your date."

"Don't worry, I will," he responded with a wink.

A small smile crept onto her face. Same old Jace.

She entered the apartment to find Sebastian leaning against the kitchen counter drinking a beer. Her eyes focused in on his appearance. His shirt was untucked and wrinkled and the tie around his neck was lose. She zeroed in on the lipstick stain on the collar of his shirt.

Anger bubbled inside her. He didn't even have the decency to try and cover it up and that was the last straw. She had to leave. She couldn't bring a baby into this household. She couldn't bring a baby into a home with an alcoholic, abusive, and cheating father. She would find a way to survive without him.

She stormed into their bedroom, pulled out a suitcase, and started throwing her belongings into it. Zipping the bag closed, she exited and tried to walk past Sebastian, but he grabbed her arm.

"Where the hell are you going?" he demanded.

She tried to yank her arm free to no avail. "I'm leaving, Sebastian."

His eyes hardened and his face showed unmasked fury. "You said you wouldn't leave again, Clarissa. You promised."

"Yeah? Well that was before," she said coldly.

"Before what?" he snarled.

"Before I got pregnant and had a child to worry about!" she yelled. And before you decided to cheat on me.

His expression quickly turned impassive. "So you're leaving me for some thing that isn't even born yet?"

Clary nodded. "A thing that is our child and I have to worry about protecting from monsters like you!"

He released her arm, but slapped her. Hard enough to knock her to the ground. "You promised me, Clarissa. I don't like it when people break there promises."

He brought his foot back and delivered a blow to her stomach, knocking the breath out of her. She gasped loudly in pain and tried to get up but he kicked her again.

"You are never," kick. "Leaving me," kick. "Clarissa!"

He kicked her again and her vision started to go blurry around the edges. "You are mine" was the last thing she heard before the darkness consumed her.

Sorry. Rough week with school and just life in general. Couldn't really get into the writing mood. But don't worry. I'll be more into the next chapter.

Reviews let me know what you think.