A/N: Hey guys! Here's the next chapter of Backstabbers Never Die. I hope you enjoy it.

A guest reviewer pointed something out to me, hopefully you know who you are, and I went back and changed a small portion in the last part of the chapter to hopefully correct any misinterpretation.

Clary ran her fingers over the clothes as she wandered between aisles. Her belly had grown enough that she needed new clothes. She wanted to feel the baby kick and stuff, but she probably had a few more weeks before that would happen. She picked up some nice looking clothes and placed them in the cart. She also needed clothes for court. Isabelle had agreed to go shopping with her.

"What is this?" Isabelle asked as she held up some odd contraption.

"I think it's a breast pump." Clary giggled, draping some clothes over her arm.

"Do your breast need pumping?" Isabelle gave her best friend a sly look, cocking an eyebrow up.

"Shut up." Clary shoved her friend and walked around the racks.

"I mean, something should play with your boobs," she snickered, following closely behind Clary. "They've doubled in size almost overnight!" she snorted.

"I can't take you anywhere." Clary laughed as her best friend groped her breast from behind.

"These puppies need some love and attention," Isabelle teased, skipping around her.

"Do you know a Jace Herondale?" Clary asked, knowing that bringing this man up around her friend would be a nightmare. She might not have necessarily wanted to discuss men with her friend, but she wanted to know more about Jace. She agreed to get a drink with him for whatever reason, and all she knew about him was that he had been nice to her twice.

"Jace? How do you know Jace?" Isabelle's brow furrowed, and she immediately stopping her teasing about boobs.

"He took Sebastian's job, and held my hair back while I was throwing up the other day." She gritted her teeth, turning around to look at her friend. "He also asked me out," she murmured, not knowing if she was okay with the idea of dating yet. Sebastian had crushed her.

"He asked you out? He saw you getting sick, and he asked you out!" she exclaimed. "He knows who your ex-husband is and he asked you out!" she pretty much yelled, squealing with excitement.

"Izzy, calm down." Clary widened her eyes in horror. Everyone had gotten quiet, and looked at them before returning to their lives. "Yes, he knows pretty much everything. I just feel like he wants something from me though. Why else would he want to go out with a damaged, knocked up wife of a murder?" Clary scoffed, shaking her head.

"Jace is a good guy, Clary. My mother pretty much raised him," Isabelle assured her, rubbing her arm.

"I thought Sebastian was a good guy," she huffed, rolling her eyes at herself.

"Something was always off about Sebastian. Don't pretend otherwise." Her friend led her to the dressing rooms. Clary didn't respond. That was very true. There was always something that seemed dark about him, but she never expected it to be that dark. "What did you say to him? Are you going out with him?" she asked, changing the subject.

"I said I'd go." She shrugged, hanging her clothes in the dressing room.

"Then I need to find you another outfit. These are all court based and relaxing baby yoga clothes." Izzy ran back towards the clothes.

OoOoO

Clary sat in Alec's conference room, waiting for him to join her. They were going to talk strategy for court. Alec strode in and sat next to her. "Sorry I made you wait." He sighed, shaking his head. "I was dealing with this other couple, and they're just a nightmare."

"It's okay." She crossed her legs, leaning back in the chair lightly.

"Their case isn't nearly as much fun as yours," he chuckled, pulling out a file. "Now, from all the evidence that we have, the judge should automatically sway in your favor, but if it doesn't, I want to get you on the stand," he explained, flipping through the pages.

"Okay." She nodded, nervous about getting up and talking about everything her husband had done to her.

"You said you'd gotten more evidence when we were in the prison. What all happened?" He asked, clicking his pen. Alec did a good job separating business from private life. He hardly ever talked about her relationship with Sebastian unless they were in his office, which she greatly appreciated.

"I asked him if he ever cared about me, and he said he only cared about my status and my- umm… body," she stated, knowing that it was actually only her sex organ, but it felt awkward to say that. Alec's eyes softened slightly and he sighed quietly. "He also asked me to come for a conjugal visit because he likes me better the way I am now," she whispered, her chest tightening. She wanted to hate him so much. He just wanted to have sex with her. He still only wanted to have sex with her. It wasn't that he wanted her to come by because he regretted what he had done. He had done it because he wanted to screw her.

"Hey." Alec placed his hand over hers. "Everything is going to be okay," he assured her.

"I was with Sebastian for a decade. I don't understand how he could do this to me. I just don't understand him. Things shifted, and I ignored it. Before that, though, he treated me like I was a queen. He worshiped the ground I walked on. I just don't understand..." she whispered, shaking her head.

"I don't either, Clary," he murmured, settling back in his seat.

"I need to get going for my appointment." She inhaled a small breath.

"Do you want me to go in with you?" Alec asked, as he stood up in his chair. "I can push back my next meeting," he offered kindly.

"No, I think I should go on my own," she murmured, getting to her feet. She knew going alone would make her sad, but she was on her own now. She was her own person, and this baby was no one's but her own. And she thought it would be odd to bring a friend with her. If her mother were here, she might have brought her, but her mom was still up in New York.

"Well, if you change your mind, call Izzy. I'm sure she can leave work for an hour or two," he assured her, tucking the files under his arm.

"I will," she promised, heading out the door. She fished out her keys as she left the building. She slid into her car, and felt like the gap between her and the steering wheel was beginning to shrink. Not much, but enough for her to notice. She pressed her fingers lighting into her abdomen, a fleshy ball underneath her fingers. She felt the ball wiggle around. She smiled faintly, placing her whole hand over it. It wasn't a kick; it was more like squirming. The perfect way to describe it was that it was alive. There was no other way to describe the being in her tummy, and the being in her tummy was her baby. It was hers and hers alone. She didn't care how much she fought with Sebastian, because she was still going to love her child. It couldn't help who its father was, but she was going to raise her child with a set of morals, unlike what her ex-husband would probably do.

She started the car, and made her way to the hospital. She was seeing one of the best obgyns in the state, which comforted her. She was going through this alone, but what she'd learned about this doctor told her that she was beyond sweet and caring. She arrived at the hospital, and went to the maternity ward. Nerves started to creep up her neck, making her shoulders tense in the most uncomfortable way.

She was the only one sitting alone in the waiting room.

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she picked up a magazine. She was hoping it was a tabloid or something, but it wasn't. It was about pregnancy. She sighed quietly, but decided to flip through it anyways. Her name was called minutes later, and she was relieved to leave the waiting room that was now full of cooing mother and fathers to be. She laid back on the examining table and rolled back her shirt so the nurse could do an ultrasound.

This was her first real appointment. They said that you didn't really need to meet with a doctor until about 3 months, and she thought she was around that time now.

"I warmed this up, so it shouldn't be too cold for your skin," the nurse assured, squirting the jelly onto her stomach. It felt really goopy and sticky, but it wasn't cold. She would give the nurse that. She slid a device across her abdomen, and Clary could see a black and gray image on the screen. "Do you hear that?" the nurse questioned, drawing Clary's attention to faint rhythm in the background. "That's your baby's heartbeat." She smiled at her.

"Can you tell the gender yet?" Clary asked, wanting to make the baby more real. She needed her baby. This baby was her only true light.

"Yes, and it's a boy." The nurse smiled at her again.

"A boy." Clary covered her mouth, beginning to feel tears well up in her eyes. She wished she wasn't alone now. Maybe she could have brought Isabelle with her. But it wouldn't be the same. She hated herself for wanting it, but she wanted Sebastian to be here with her. She wanted him to hold her hand, and kiss her head when he found out it was a boy. She wished that Sebastian loved her. She wished that he'd never betrayed her.

OoOoO

Clary slipped on her new pencil skirt and a nice top. She looked in the mirror, soothing her hand down her stomach. It wasn't extremely noticeable, which she was thankful for. She still couldn't believe that she agreed to go out on date. After her mini breakdown at the obgyn, she thought that she should just cancel because she obviously wasn't over her husband. Ex-husband, she corrected herself. At the same time, she thought that she needed to get out there even more because she wasn't over her ex-husband.

She arrived at the bar precisely at 8, and she saw that Jace was already there, sitting at a table with a drink in his hand. She slid into the bar stood next to him, feeling extremely sheepish.

"Hi." He grinned at her in a way that made her blush.

"Hi." She chewed on the inside of her cheek, adjusting awkwardly on her seat.

"How has baby yoga been?" he teased softly, bringing his brown drink to his lips.

"It's been good. Very zen." She smiled faintly, feeling a nagging sensation in the back of her mind. She didn't want it to be there, but it was. She couldn't help doubting him. He had her ex-husband's job. His appearance might have been the polar opposite, but she couldn't help but think that they might have the same mind.

"What do you get out of this?" she asked bluntly, but she couldn't stop the words from coming out of her mouth. She couldn't help her suspicious feelings. What did he want from her?

"Get out of what?" his expression changed into one of confusion, and he furrowed his brow.

"This. What do you get out of dating me?" she asked, looking over at him. Her heart hurt asking, because it made her admit what she felt like. She felt like a tool in someone's belt.

"I don't understand." He shook his head, sipping his drink.

"I studied communication and psychology in college. Whenever we set out to make relationships, we weight the cost and the benefits, and I'm not seeing any benefits. I am full of emotional baggage, an ex-husband who's in prison, and I'm pregnant. What do you get out of pursuing me?" She didn't mean to sound harsh, but her tone was rough. Jace adjusted in his seat, setting his drink down. He looked uncomfortable now, which made him look guilty. She swallowed down the feeling in her chest, knowing that he wanted to use her.

"You want the honest truth?" He cocked his head to the side and leaned back in his seat.

"Preferably." She bit her lip, her stomach stirring with uncertainty.

"I'm a Politian. You know that. You know my position. You also have an in with a lot of people because of your previous connection with them. I don't have anyone in my corner, and I squandered my 20s. The age appropriate women that I can see just want to use me. They're fake. I don't want fake. I also want to be a father, and by the time I get married, the woman I get hitched to probably won't be able to get pregnant. That's why I don't mind that you're pregnant." He propped his arms against the table, looking her straight in the eyes.

"So you want me to be a trophy on your arm and have a lame excuse to adopt my baby." She scoffed, crossing her arms.

"No, I just-" He shook his head. "I'm trying to think of a way to say this without sounding like a dick." He ran his hand through his hair, taking a deep breath.

"Sebastian told me he only cared about my status and my vagina. It seems like you only care about the same things." She got to her feet.

"Clary," he sighed, beginning to follow her.

"What?" she snapped, spinning on her heels.

"I like you. You're a strong human being. Not everyone would be able to face the man that tried to kill them. Not everyone would be able to deal with being pregnant with said man's child. He attacked you when you were a month pregnant. You could have gotten an abortion, but you kept your baby. You're strong and courageous. I admire you. I don't want to control you. If you don't want to talk to congress people, fine. I don't care. I want a chance with you." He was out of breath by the time he got to the end of his speech.

"You think women who get abortions are weak?" She exclaimed, not believing what he just said.

"No, I'm saying, I think it is incredibly brave of you to keep this baby, even though it will tie yourself to him for the rest of your life." He countered almost immediately.

"You are insane! You shouldn't want to get near me with a 10 foot pole. You want to be with me because I'm strong. That's a load of crap." She stepped outside, looking for a taxi.

"Clary," he sighed, stepping in front of her. "I get why you have trouble trusting me, but I'm not Sebastian. He controlled you. We never met, but I saw how he man handed you at galas and lunch ins."

"Shut up." She walked around him.

"You were submissive to the point where you weren't your own person! I don't want to screw you over. I like you. You are a genuine person, and I want you to be yourself with me. I don't want to control you!" He yelled from a distance, making her pause in her steps. "Oh, now you're silent!" he exclaimed. She turned around and strode over to him. Then she slapped him across his face.

"You don't know anything!" she hissed.

"I do. Because I can look at you and see what's underneath. I see the pain. I see the hurt. I see the mistrust. I also see that you blame yourself," he countered. "I don't want to control you, and if I start controlling you, tell me to stop," he said softly, touching her arm. "Please. Come back inside and sit back down with me," he whispered, reaching up to stroke her cheek lightly. She felt heat shoot down her stomach, making her blush. "Please. You don't have to go," he murmured, inhaling a deep breath.

"I can't do this." She shook her head, moving away from his touch. "I can't afford to do this." She breathed. "You don't have anything to lose by pursuing me, but I have everything to lose by pursuing you. I can't get hurt again. I can't deal with this on top of everything." She put her hands over her face, overcome with anxiety.

"I understand." He nodded, taking her hand lightly in his. "Can you just give me a chance? No labels. Just some dates with food."

"Okay." She stated after several seconds of contemplation. She inhaled a deep breath, not believing that she really agreed to go out with him yet again. She didn't want to be alone, and so far Jace had been nice to her. She wasn't about to thrown down everything and trust him completely, but he if he wanted to by her food, she was willing to accept. "But if you hurt me, I'm going to kill you." She took a shaky breath, putting her hand out to get a taxi.

"I believe you." He opened her taxi door. "Lunch Monday- same time, same place?" he asked, leaning against the car.

"Alright." She slid into the car, gulping heavily.

A/N: So here was the next chapter! I hope you liked it. I am trying to write this story without having Jace be her rescuer. I know that it might end up that way, but we don't need a guy to sweep up and save us. I am going to try to make it like that, but I don't know how it will go.

What did you guys think?

Now that the first season of the show is over what was your favorite part of the show? Mine was definitely AU Jace seeing a demon. Lol. Priceless.

Please review!