A/N: Hey…more stuff coming up…

Tears

Jace paused midstride, only a yard away from Clary. Such a small amount of distance. He could close the distance in seconds, and he would've. But that was the past; he could not dwell on before, only now mattered. But he could not resist his heart. An ache grew in his chest as he recognized the figure before him, bent before his locker, her books scattered about, creating a semi-circled around her, surrounding her miniscule frame, which was racking with sobs.

Confusion befuddled him, but he knew one thing: Go. He took a step forward, but then hesitated. He couldn't. It was over, even he had said so. But his heart still ached for its missing half, the edges still jagged with the tear, not repairable by anything.

Her fiery hair, the hair that he had once tangled his fingers in, the hair that he had brushed his lips across and felt its silky softness, the hair that he buried his face in with the scent of Clary all around; strawberries and crushed rose petals and of goodness; the hair that caught the rays of every beam of sunlight was covering her petite figure, her hands pulling at it savagely. She pulled it over her body, a tiny frame with such strength that none could overpower.

Yet, he had, and he regretted it every day. Every hour. Every second. Every moment of his life, he thought of his girl - wait. She wasn't his girl anymore. Yet, how he wished for it to be different. His heart bled every day, and he didn't know when his body would run out of blood. She made him alive. She brought him back.

Jace watched, frozen to the spot as he saw her before him. All those walls she had built, the shielding, the pretense strength, came tumbling down to their feet. She pulled her blazing red hair around her, her shoulders tense and her knees drawn up.

She's so small, Jace thought. Wait, what was he doing? Why wasn't he there with her, helping her? Doesn't he remember? Doesn't he know? Doesn't he care?

She's all he is, what makes him run every day. To know that she is well is what he needed. But she is definitely not well.

He picked up his common sense and courage, and raced towards her. He didn't care about anything else. Only the thought of her being hurt by anybody made him furious. Except, this time, he'd caused it. He had broken his promise.

He knew she would never forgive him, hell, he didn't even know if he was even helping her, but he had to at least try. He couldn't bear to live with the thought of her unwell.

He dropped his books on the ground, the heavy weight relieved from his arms. He encased Clary with his warmth, the heat seeping into her skin and warming it. She was so small; he had nearly forgotten how right it was to have her, her pressed so close to him that they were one, their hearts and souls intertwined so that they could never be separated.

But they were. And he did not even know what she thought of him anymore, that any feelings lingered. He doubted it, but he couldn't leave her be. He just couldn't.

He gently lifted her onto his lap, and she ceased her crying. Sniffling, she raised her hands away from her head, and turned to see who it was. He knew she had recognized him. He felt her stiffen in his arms, and he feared that she would run. That she didn't want him. But she did something so unexpected, and Jace was gladdened.

He felt her warm hands fling themselves around his neck. As if moved by some unseen force, his arms wrapped themselves around her slender body. She sobbed, hugging him closer.

He crushed her to him even further, and he caught her eyes. They betrayed all emotion, the pain displayed overwhelming, and he could not stop himself. He could not restrain her pull, their magnetism. He leaned forward, his warm breath fanning over her face.

He brushed his lips over her eyelids, them fluttering shut at the touch of him, like a pair of butterfly's wings. Tears traced crevices in her face, the face in which he had memorized every aspect of, and dreamt of every night. The face that he had so bitterly loved, yet he didn't know if they were anything anymore.

Nonetheless, he traced a tear track, the saltiness of the tears lingering on his lips for just that moment. Their gazes were locked, and Jace couldn't see anything else but the green of Clary's eyes. And he could see the hurt in there this time, and it pained him so.

But, she did not resist when he brushed his lips at the corners of her mouth, or when he pulled her gently on his lap and wrapped his arms securely around her. Nor did she protest when he laced his hands around her hands, rubbing circles in her smooth, soft skin, wiping away any stray tears.

And, together, simultaneously, they leaned forward, and their lips met. Lightning raced through Jace's body, as well as surprise. But neither of them stopped, and they continued to kiss. Their lips moved together in synchronization, for they knew each other so well. It was gentle, with no urgency in it; strange and familiar at the same time.

Clary reached up and wrapped her fingers into Jace's hair, tugging softly to elicit a moan from him. Tingles were left on Jace's skin from everywhere he made contact with Clary, and he knew that this was what they wanted, that this is what they needed.

A/N: This is really sappy, as you've probably noticed, but I think it's sweet:) This was betaed by KissingFire!