A/N: Another chapter finally. Sorry it took so long but I've been bombarded with homework and other stuff. R&R. What do ya think?

Chapter Eight

~Clary~

After Jace called me beautiful, we both fell silent. How could he think I was beautiful? It seemed so absurd. Then, Jace pulled into a driveway and stopped the car.

We'd stopped before a gigantic house. The grass around the house was bright, healthy green, there were several tall trees, and I could see a pond that probably had fish. I wondered if they had a pool. Most likely. Whoever Isabelle's and Jace's parents were, they were rich. Suddenly, I felt so underdressed and grungy. Jace must have seen something in my face, because he came over and gently took me elbow. When I looked up at him, he was looking straight ahead, a blank expression on his face.

"Isabelle mentioned that she had three brothers. If you're one of them, who's the other two?" I suddenly asked.

"There's Alec, who's 18, and Max, who's 8," Jace answered. We got to the front door and Jace held it open for me. I turned slightly red and muttered,

"Thanks." He laughed at that and led me down a couple of hallways.

"And this is our library," Jace said as he opened the door. My breath caught as I gazed around.

"Whoa. Jace, this is amazing!" There were books everywhere and a couple of tables. In the center of the room, there was a black grand piano. I walked over to it and lightly pressed a couple of keys. Their melodious sound echoed throughout the room.

"Do you play?" Jace asked, right behind me. Startled, I sucked in a sharp breath, but answered,

"Not really. Do you?"

"I used to." His tone left no room for discussion. I wanted to ask what he meant but I didn't want to pry.

"So…" I began, "The English project?"

"I was thinking we could do a dramatic scene or something," Jace told me. I mulled that idea over in my head. It sounded neat.

"Would we take it from a book or just make it up from our own sparkling imaginations?" I asked drying. Jace's lips quirked in an almost smile and responded,

"Maybe a mix of both?"

"Yeah…" I mused. "That would work. Incorporating ourselves into a book…" A thought hit me. "What book?" Jace and I thought over all the books that we knew.

"What if we did a Darcy and Elizabeth thing?"

"From Pride and Prejudice? That would work…"

"Great. Lets begin!" There was almost a smile on his face and I wondered briefly what his full smile would be like.

For the next hour and a half or so, Jace and I worked on our skit.

"Um…" I began. A blush started to form on my cheeks.

"Yes?" Jace looked at me expectantly.

"Where's the, uh, b-bathroom?" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him smirk at my uncomfortableness, and he answered,

"Left down the hall and the third door on the right."

"'Kay, thanks…" I walked out and immediately forgot Jace's instructions. Okay, I told myself, turn…. Right and then third door on the… left… Okay. I went to the third door on the left and opened it.

Well, it wasn't the bathroom.

There was a piano against the wall and a bed and a dresser. Whose bedroom is this?

Carefully, I walked into the room and sat down at the piano. I played a not, middle C. It had been so long since I'd last played the piano. Ever since the accident.

I flinched. The accident was not my favorite topic. Especially since it was my fault. I'd started arguing with Sebastian and distracted mom. If I'd died, I wouldn't deserved it. Not that I would tell anyone that. I knew it was wrong… but I couldn't help it.

"Clary?" Jace's voice interrupted my thoughts. He was in the doorways to this room, staring at me.

"J-Jace. I couldn't find the bathroom and the piano-" I stopped at the distant look on his face. "I'm sorry."

~Jace~

Clary was in my room. It had been forever since there had been someone other than me in my bedroom.

"It's alright." Why was it alright? You hate people in your room, a snide voice inside my head told me. But with Clary, I didn't really mind.

"Do you play?" Clary looked confused until I motioned to the piano.

"Yeah." She flushed. It was kind of cute. "Well, barely." I walked over and sat down next to her. Slowly, as I felt Clary watching me, I place my fingers on the piano.

I took a deep breath and began to play.

~Jocelyn~

Sebastian walked in and set his things down on the counter but I didn't see Clary.

"Where's your sister?" I demanded.

"She's working on a school project for English," Sebastian told me. He looked like he was going to say something else but the doorbell rang. It was probably Luke. No. I told myself, Lucian. He is no longer your friend. He's with Valentine. Weary, I opened the door.

But I tripped and fell right into Luke. He dropped what he was holding and caught me. Our lips met.

~Clary~

Jace finished playing. There were no words adequate enough to describe his playing. Breath-taking. Wonderful. Amazing. Beautiful.

"Wow," I breathed.

Jace's laughter broke the spell.

"Why are you laughing?"

"You looked so-" Jace couldn't continue, he was laughing to much.

"Hey!" I cried, indignant. But Jace's laughter was contagious and soon I was laughing along.

"JACE!" Isabelle's voice yelled down the hallway. Jace took a deep breath to stop laughing. "JACE! Come on! Its supper time and then we're going to that new club, Pandemonium!"

When Jace and I walked out of Jace's room, Isabelle seemed surprised.

"Clary!" she cried, covering up her surprise.

"Hey, Isabelle."

"Call me Izzy, everyone does. I'm so sorry you have to put up with my brother. Didn't he offer you anything to eat or drink? He's such a barbarian!" she exclaimed. Jace, a barbarian? But he played such lovely music.

"Jace?" I turned to him but he only smiled and shook his head.

"Come on! I'm starving!" Isabelle grabbed my arm and started dragging me to the dining room. Despite Isabelle's loudness and roughness, it wasn't that bad overall.

~Third Person~

Maryse and Robert Lightwood, the parents of Alec, Isabelle and Max Lightwood and the adoptive parents of Jace Wayland, walked into their home. Max would be home soon and it was nearly 5 o'clock. Max was only out so late because he had a book club meeting.

As Robert went to put away his and Maryse's work, Maryse started supper. Hamburgers, to be exact.

"Isabelle! Call your brothers for supper!"

Isabelle ran to go find her brothers and Maryse finished setting the table. Supper was the one time that their family could all be together.

Robert came into the room and gave Maryse a quick peck on the lips. Soon after, Max came home and Isabelle came in, leading a read haired girl.

Robert and Maryse stared at the girl.

It was like seeing a ghost.

~Jace~

I was glad Isabelle had not said anything about Clary being in my room. I didn't want a huge deal mad out of it.

Even though, it kind of was a huge deal. Today had also been the first time in a long time that I'd played. It was all thanks to Clary.

She was special.

I followed behind Clary as Isabelle dragged her. Almost, I felt sorry for her and was going to intervene, but I figured Isabelle would let go soon enough.

When Clary suddenly stopped, I ran into her. She almost fell, but I caught her.

I saw over Clary that Maryse and Robert were staring at Clary.

"Geez, didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to stare?" I half-snapped at them.

"Isabelle… who is this?" Maryse asked, her voice shaking. That didn't seem right. Maryse was always so strong and confident; she never shook.

"Mom?" Isabelle asked worriedly.

"Maryse, this is my partner, Clary," I said. "Now, can we eat or are you just gonna stare at her? It is rude." Maybe not the nicest thing to say to my adoptive parents, but it couldn't be helped.

"Oh… we're sorry," Robert apologized as Maryse left to go get the food. "You just look a lot like someone we had known." Now that that was over, I led Clary to a seat, right between me and Isabelle.

Then Alec walked in, followed by Maryse and we all started eating.

~Clary~

Dinner was delicious after I got over being stared at by Jace's parents. That had been slightly creepy and unnerving, the way they'd stared at me.

I would've asked if the person they thought was me, was my mom, Jocelyn, but Jace's dad had used the past tense, meaning that person was dead… and I was fairly certain that my mom was alive. It couldn't be her anyways, she'd said all of her friends and family were dead.

After dinner, Isabelle dragged me to her room. It was pink… and pink.

Oh…my…god…

"Come on, Clary! Lets get you read. We'll have Jace drooling all over you!" This, Isabelle said with an evil grin on her face.

"But…" I started to protest, but Isabelle pulled me into her room, shutting the door behind me.

I was trapped.

~Jace~

It was fairly easy for me to get ready, just throw on some baggy jeans, a black t-shirt, and mess up my hair, but Isabelle took forever to get ready. Mostly, it was annoying but this time, I was slightly curious to see how Clary turned out. However, I wasn't that patient.

"Isabelle! Come on! Hurry up!" I yelled.

"Just one more second!" she hollered back. I heard some giggling coming from her room and I was just about to yell again when the door opened and Clary stepped out.

My breath caught in my throat.

~Clary~

Jace was staring at me. To tell the truth, it was embarrassing and unnerving.

I felt Isabelle come out behind me.

"Geez, Jace. You were the one who said staring is rude," she snapped. I was staring at Jace too. He was… gorgeous. That was the only way to describe him. Sure, he hadn't changed that much, but something seemed different about him.

Jace cleared his throat and turned away.

"Let's go," he said. I started to walk past him, but he stopped me.

"What?" I asked, slightly nervous. He didn't say anything, just reached up and pulled out the clip that had been holding up my hair. My hair tumbled out and fell on my shoulder.

"That's better." Isabelle stared at what Jace had done, then nodded.

"Yeah, that is better."

"Come on, guys. Magnus is here." A black haired boy came down the hallway. It was Alec.

"Who's Magnus?" I asked.

"A friend," Jace answered and he and Isabelle led me out to the car and we got in.

Jace sat right next to me and I fought hard not to blush.

A sparkly man sat in the driver's seat. So… this was Magnus. Alec got in the shotgun and Magnus started the car.

Then, we were off.

~Jocelyn~

I was so surprised, I didn't react.

Then I realized how this must look.

"I'm so sorry," I stammered and tried to get up. Luke didn't let go of me. "Uh…Luke?"

Instead of answering, he kissed me again. I let him, going with my emotions, against my better judgement.

That is, until my son said,

"Mom?" Oh crap…

This time, when I pulled away, Luke let me go. We stood up.

"Sebastian, go back and do your homework," I ordered. For a second, Sebastian stared at me before turning around and walking away.

Luke bent down and picked up what he'd dropped when I'd fallen on him.

"Well, I was going to ask if you'd like to have supper with me, but your son is here." Luke turned around and took a couple of steps.

"N-No," I stammered and inwardly cursed my stammer. Luke paused and turned to face me. "You can stay… with me and Sebastian." He smiled and my heart gave a weird stammer.

"I'd like that," he said. I smiled back faintly, but turned serious.

"Don't you dare mention Valentine."

"Of course not. But what do you know of their father?"

"That he went to Harvard and that he died in a boating accident."

"Okay." He paused and then held up his bag. "I hope you're hungry. I brought steak." My mouth watered. Steak was my favorite food.

Hold on. Did he-

Luke walked past me with a wink. So he had known. A piece of my armor fell off without me noticing it.