Author's note:

Hi all, so we are in the final stretch of this. Four chapters and an epilogue to go!

Hence why I have started updating Elegant Script and Blue Pen—which, might I add seems to be very popular; three chapters and over fifty reviews.

Okay, so, let the final chapters begin!

Xox

"Miss Morgenstern, Miss Morgenstern, why are you stepping forward now?"

"Miss Morgenstern, what can you tell us about the trial?"

"Miss Morgenstern, is it true that you are in a relationship with Jace Wayland?"

"Can you comment on your boyfriend being your father's rival?"

Clary ducked past photographers and reporters, saying no comments to everything they ask. Alec and Magnus were in front, trying to push them away. Simon stood by her side as did Isabelle and kept the microphones away from her. Aline, Jace and Maia—an employee of Isabelle's and Aline's girlfriend—were behind her. She was encased and no one was going to get to her.

They got into the court room and Clary was finally able to breathe.

"You'd think I was Madonna with the way they're acting." Clary said, running her hands through her hair.

"Sweetie, in this city you are. They live for scandals like this." Isabelle replied. "Now look at me."

"Isabelle, I don't think it matters what I look like."

"Looking good is an air of confidence now look!" Isabelle snapped her fingers and Clary rested her eyes on her. Isabelle fixed up Clary's face and removed any smudges of makeup, then moved on to her outfit. "I knew this would be perfect for you."

"Izzy," Simon said, shaking his head at his fiancée

"Hush, you cannot rush me."

Clary was dressed in a black dress that was tight and gave her an hour glass look, the waist and hips were covered in a piece of flowing material that made the outfit look like a skirt and shirt combo. Her shoes were black and gold heels with a strand of gold connecting the toe and ankle strap and she had a vintage Chanel bag.

"Okay, you look presentable, let's go." Isabelle tugged on Clary's arm and she was led to the doors where she would meet her father. She swallowed in nervousness.

"Don't worry," Jace said, whispering in her ear so that no one could hear. "You look beautiful and you haven't done anything wrong." Discreetly, he placed a kiss below her ear. Clary breathed in a calming breath and was told that she could go in. Opening the doors, she entered all eyes on her. Her small entourage walked in behind her, taking seats at the front of the court room. Alec and Magnus walked with Clary, one in front and one behind.

They walked behind their desk, Clary refusing to look to her left at her father. She could feel his gaze burning into her.

"Valentine Morgenstern charged with falsely putting his daughter in an orphanage in which was not a legal exchange and breaching legal documents drawn up between Jocelyn Fairchild and Lucian Garroway. Is this correct?" The judge asked looking up from her papers to Alec.

"It is your honour."

"How do you plea Mr. Morgenstern?"

"Not guilty."

"On what grounds?"

"I did not know that the exchange between the owner of the orphanage and I was illegal and I was also unaware of these legal documents."

"These legal documents say different." The judge looked down her at Valentine, who did not squirm or seem uncomfortable at all. Clary was infuriated by this.

He was smug, confident that he wasn't going to be put away. He didn't know Clary though; he didn't know what his daughter could do.

He was going to find out very soon.

"Your honour," Valentine's Lawyer said. "My client and I wish to convene with Miss Fray—"

"Miss Morgenstern." The judge corrected.

"And her legal team, may we be a granted a brief recess?"

"So soon? I suppose. A recess of one hour is granted." The judge banged her gavel and stood.

"Alec," Clary whispered. "I thought this was just a hearing."

"It is."

"Really? I have seen Law and Order, the hearings are just a formality it is not an actual court case!"

"Civil hearings work differently, besides I assumed that your father has something to do with the speed of his trial." Alec cast a glance over to the man in question as Magnus talked with his lawyer. He came back, shaking his head.

"They want to meet his in interview room C to discuss a deal." Alec gritted his teeth and nodded. Clary looked over and saw Jace cast her a confused—and worried—glance.

"I'll be right back."

Clary made her way over to Jace, who was standing away from Isabelle, Simon, Aline and Maia so that he could talk to her privately.

"What's going on?" He asked as soon as she reached him.

"He wants to make a deal." Clary looked up, her eyes wide and shining with unshed tears. She had dreamed of having a mother and father, dreamed of the day she may meet them, thinking that maybe they gave her up because they were young and not ready and they would welcome her with open arms. She never thought that she would be in a court room, suing her father for giving her up for the sheer fact of not wanting her.

Jace pulled her to him, one hand on the back of her head, resting it on his shoulder and the other around her waist. He whispered into her ear.

"Don't worry, we'll figure it out. No matter what, you won't be alone in this." He discreetly kissed her and pulled back. Clary nodded and turned to where Alec had been waiting, and watching—along with everyone else in the room. She didn't care, let them watch; let them see Jace Wayland show her affection. Then everyone would know that she meant something to someone.

#####

"So we meet again."

Clary glared as Valentine—her father—smirked. She was seated across from him and his legal team. She was in the middle, directly opposite Jonathan who said nothing and wouldn't even look at her.

"We aren't here to gloat," Alec said in annoyance. "We are here to listen to your deal plea." Valentine's lawyer—Stephen—chuckled at this.

"The deal was for you. You have no case, you know as well as I do that you are not going to win. There is no case. So we are prepared to offer you a deal."

"Oh?" Clary piped up. "What kind of a deal?"

"One that involves giving you a very substantial amount of money in order for you to withdraw the charges and keep your silence," Stephen smiled and slid a folded piece of notebook paper towards Clary. "I think you'll find this amount to your liking."

Clary unfolded the note and looked down at the numbers written on the page.

10, 000, 000

Clary felt her eyes widen slightly at the amount. He—her father—was offering her ten million dollars to keep her silence. She looked up and met his cool, dark gaze. Lifting the note she tore it in half and watched as he narrowed his eyes to her.

"What do you think—" Valentine began, but Clary cut him off. She had had enough of people pushing her and telling her what to do. She was finally going to do something for herself, by herself.

"You think I want your money? You think you can just write down a figure and expect me to grovel?"

"Clary—" Alec cut in but she talked over him, shaking with fury.

"You dumped me! In that place! Because—because I look like my mother? Because I'm a girl? How can someone be so heartless? You had one child and two was too much?"

"Clarissa, do not raise you voice to me."

"Don't tell me what to do you son of a bitch! I know why you gave me up! I know everything that you have done and no figure is going to silence me!" She pulled out the folder she had hidden in a briefcase that Jace had handed her as he hugged her at the court room.

She dumped the folder on the table and it made a loud thud.

Valentine looked at it, eyes wide. Stephen lost his smirk and glance up at Clary.

"This is hardly necessary, Mr. Morgenstern is a much respected businessman, to unleash this would destroy his company."

"I think that's less than half of what he owes me. He took away my life, my family, he let me suffer in that place and in the streets and he knew, he knew what it was like for me and he did nothing. I am his daughter, his flesh and blood, his family and he threw me away like trash. His loss of reputation is nothing compared to what he put me through. There is to be no deal. I am taking you down, dad, and I will make damn sure you never get up."

Clary put the folder back in her briefcase and stormed out, Alec was already at the door, holding it open for her.

She walked past, not once glancing back at the shocked stare of Stephen, the proud—and callous—stare of her father and the curious stare of her brother.

#####

He watched her go, he watched his father squirm, for once, in uncomfortableness. Jonathan wondered if his father had noticed it too, the Clarissa looked so much like Jocelyn but had a bit of Valentine's attitude in her. The way she had just acted, ruthless, reminded him of his father.

Jonathan had asked his father about Clarissa and he had pushed him away, telling him not to dwell on unpleasant thoughts, but he could not forget her. Since he had first met her, he knew, on some level, he knew who she was and he hadn't wanted to push her away, he wanted to pull her closer.

He wanted to protect her.

He wanted to be a big brother to his little sister.

Jonathan stood and walked out of the room, thinking, when all this was over, he wanted to be in Clarissa's life.

He wanted his sister to be in his.

He wanted his family.

Okay, final stretch. Five chapters left. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN?

Will Clary and Jace have their happily ever after?

Will Valentine pay for what he has done?

Will Jonathan get to be in Clary's life?

Will Clary and Jace finally admit their feelings or will one of them walk away?

Find out, in the next chapter.