From Ragged to Golden Chapter 21: Opening Up, a mortal instruments fanfic

Author's note:

Hello again.

Well, this is the final chapter and then we only have the epilogue. Yay?

Okay, so, did that last chapter just hit you right in the feels?

I REGRET NOTHING!

WOW, so many reviews from the last chapter...Thank you!

Shit! Nearly 200 reviews? I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

The reaction to the last chapter was quite an emotional one. Sorry, hopefully this long one makes up for emotions and crying and I make no promises that there will no tears for this chapter, depends on what makes you cry.

Remember, I LOVE fluff. ;)

Hopefully the title of this chapter isn't misleading...

Here we go.

One Month Later...

"Jonathan, I need you." Clary let the button of her intercom go as she waited for her brother to appear. His office was right next to hers, he shouldn't take too long.

"You rang?"

"What. Are. These?" Clary asked through gritted teeth, waving the pieces of paper around as if they had personally offended her. Which, they had.

"There claim forms Clary, you have to go over them for the tri monthly." Jonathan said soothingly, which was at odds with his amused grin. She threw a paper ball at his head.

"It's not funny Jonathan. I have no idea what I'm doing. Aren't you supposed to help me?" Clary put her head in her hands, frustrated. "I can't do this."

"Hey," Jonathan came to kneel in front of her and grasped her hands. "You can do this. Mother thought so and obviously father did to or else, you would have never been left at that place. Here," he said taking some papers from her. "I'll help you."

So they laid the papers along the bigger desk in Clary's office—she had switched with Jonathan, she didn't want to work in something her father had practically lived in. Jonathan explained how to organise the files and how to tell which ones to terminate and which to follow through with.

"You know," Clary said, swivelling in her chair. "I thought the point of being the boss of a company was to pay people to do this for you."

Jonathan grinned. "Sometimes the boss has to work too and these aren't even half of the claims, you just get the ones from our longest policies—people who have had their policy with this company for over a decade."

"Huh," Clary leant her forehead on the desk and whipped her hand across the table, causing some files to fall on the floor. She groaned.

"I'll go get us some coffee." Jonathan said, standing up and heading to the door, closing it behind him.

"You do that." Clary murmured as she swivelled in her chair to pick up the papers. She head the door click open and shook her head.

"Jonathan, you have been getting me coffee everyday for the last month, you know how I take it, so why are you—"

In the process of berating her brother, Clary had picked up the dropped files and had swivelled back around to face him. Only it wasn't Jonathan that had entered the office. Clary had to blink several times to make sure she wasn't seeing an illusion and as it became apparent that the person before her was real, her emotions became more erratic.

"I don't know whether to be offended that you thought I was your brother or offended that you think I forgot how you take your coffee."

"What are you doing here Jace?"

Clary's voice came out calm, which was the complete opposite of what she was feeling. She hadn't let herself think of Jace—or at least dwell on him in a month and now here he was, standing before her in all his golden glory. Clary had forgotten how gorgeous he was, well, she handy forgotten so much as her memory didn't do Jace justice.

"Am I not allowed to visit old friends?"

At the sound of his voice all the memories Clary had kept at bay washed over her. Jace's eyes. His touch. The way he knew exactly what to do to her in bed. The way he knew how to comfort her. All of it, but one was more painful than any other.

His face at court.

That face had been in her dreams every night since she left. She had replayed that day over and over again, always overanalysing it and always trying to determine if she really made the right choice in leaving. She sometimes wondered what would have happened if she had recanted, took back everything. Would she be in Jace's arms now? Would he have stopped waiting and jumped in? Would she be on the sidelines, falling for someone who wasn't ready?

No, she had made the right decision. He wasn't ready to be with her and she wasn't ready to wait to be with him. It was mutual.

Seeing him, Clary doubted herself. She noticed how dim his eyes looked, normally they shone, they had always been bright to her, a beacon and now they were dull, a flame about to go out. She had done this to him by not being able to wait for him to be ready, but she hadn't been all that great either. They had both hurt each other because they were too stubborn. This realization was something Clary had never thought about before, but with Jace in front of her, she couldn't help but think that maybe, maybe, the pain was needless. That one of them should just give in.

She didn't think that was going to happen. She wanted what she wanted and Jace wasn't ready to commit. She knew he wouldn't admit that he had been foolish, he was too proud.

Then what he had said hit her and brought back the most unpleasant memory of all.

Visit old friends?

"I know, but. I don't want any of that if we aren't going somewhere."

"What do you mean we aren't going anywhere? We're friends Clary, we are going everywhere."

"Friends?" She asked. "Everything that we've...friends?"

"Well, maybe a little more than friends."

"Like, how much more?"

"Like how Kaelie and I are friends."

Clary still couldn't wrap her head around why he would say that and then act so broken; like he was losing a part of himself, when she told him she was leaving. Anger boiled inside her at the unwelcome image of that day.

"Oh, so you've come for a quickie?"

He blinked at her. "What?" Clary no I—"

"Kaelie not around anymore? You have to come to your other 'Beneficial friend'."

The words hurt to say, but they needed to be said. Clary needed to get them out, needed Jace to understand why she left, because Clary didn't leave Jace because she didn't want to wait for him. Well, she didn't want to wait for him, she was ready and he wasn't, but she could have waited, she would have talked herself into it but that day in the car, Clary realised that Jace was viewing her like he viewed every other woman he had ever been with. Temporary.

Clary didn't want to temporary in Jace's life, but she couldn't have just stopped their relationship, continued to live with him and work for him because if she had seen him with another woman, she would probably have ripped that woman's hair out.

"I just came to see how you were, you never returned my calls, emails, letters, nothing."

"Well you came, you saw." Clary's response was clipped. She didn't want to talk to Jace, she wanted to push him against the wall and kiss him, she wanted to scream at him for being such an ass, she wanted to scream at him for letting her go, but what she wanted and what she should want were different things. She should want Jace to be happy and she did want that and for him to be happy, she couldn't be around him. She knew that. She knew that he didn't want to hurt her and he didn't want her to not be in his life but he knew—so did she—that she couldn't stay in his life, because it would hurt them both.

Jace nodded sharply and it seemed like he was about to go, Clary breathed out in relief and stood, stretching and going back to her notes.

"No," She turned and Jace was standing a few feet away from her. "I'm not going to accept that."

"Accept what?"

"You and you bullshit answers!" His voice rose.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You got your chance to talk, well you know what? Now it's my turn. I have missed you, every day since you've been gone—"

"Jace, don't." Clary begged, she didn't want to hear this, but he continued as if she hadn't spoken.

"—I haven't stopped thinking about you and how much I hurt you. I have tried to talk to you, but you don't answer, you don't get my messages and they won't let me see you and I've had enough. Okay Clary? You made your choice and now it's my turn to choose. Don't give me bullshit Clary; I want to know, right now, why won't you talk to me? Is it easy for you to just pretend I don't exist?"

"Is it—is it easy for me? Are you kidding?"

"Well it looks like its pretty fucking easy for you."

"Hey," a new voice joined in and Clary looked to the door as Jace whirled around to glare at the intruder. Jonathan stood there, two steaming cups of coffee in his hands. "I would appreciate it if you did not shout and swear at my sister." Jonathan put the cups down on the desk he and Clary had been working at and looked over at her, asking a silent question with his eyes.

Are you okay?

She nodded and this time, as he straightened, his back turned to Jace so he couldn't see what Jonathan was asking his sister, he mouthed a question.

'Do you want me to leave?'

Clary hesitated before nodding. She shouldn't let Jonathan leave, but she had to hear Jace out or else she would be consumed with wondering what he was going to say. Jonathan nodded before taking one of the mugs and walking out of the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

Clary and Jace just stared at each other for a moment, a long moment and Clary couldn't take it. She had to ask, she had to know. She walked up to him and smacked his chest. He looked stunned at the sudden assault and gazed, wide eyed, down at Clary.

"What was that f—?"

"Why did you let me leave?"

Jace looked even more stunned, his eyes widening even more as he absorbed what Clary had just asked him.

"If you remember," he finally replied. "I didn't let you leave. You were determined."

"Why didn't you stop me?"

"I tried! What did you expect me to do? Grab onto your leg? Hold your ankles until you had to drag me?"

"Yes!"

"This is a strange turn in events considering for the last month you have been avoiding me and accusing me of thinking we are only friends."

"Accusing you—you're the one that told me we were only friends!"

"Oh, I'm sorry; I thought you could read people. Do I need to spell it out for you?"

"Spell what out? That you're a horny son of a bitch?"

"I. Am. Falling. In. Love. With. You. Clary. L—"

"Don't actually spell it out."

Jace breathed in and cupped Clary's cheek. She knew she should have pulled away but she was loathe too.

"I'm falling for you Clary. Hopelessly falling and I have been falling with nothing to pull me back for a long time now, but I couldn't tell you."

"Why not?" Her voice was quiet, barely a disturbance in the air.

"Because you don't deserve that. You deserve better than me."

"I don't want better than you because to me, no one is better."

Jace smiled a genuine one of complete happiness.

"But," Clary said, removing his hand from her cheek. "I can't wait for you."

"I'm—"

"I'm sorry Jace, I really am, and I wish we could be together now but we can't. You aren't ready to jump, but I already have." She was about to say more, her final goodbye when suddenly he was kissing her.

Oh god! How could I have forgotten how good this felt?

Clary pulled back and looked up at Jace in confusion.

"Clary, I told you I was falling for you, so in order to fall, I would have already jumped."

Clary's heart skipped a beat at his words, her hands and knees trembled and she couldn't think of anything but that damn kiss. Damn his irresistible lips!

"I don't know Jace, it seems—I mean, I know about you. I know about all the girls and I don't know if I can believe you."

"Clary, I hardly need to tell girls I am falling in love with them to get them to sleep with me."

Clary looked him up and down.

"Did I tell you I was falling in love with you before we slept together?"

"Oh, you would bring that up." Clary eyed him speculatively and decided to go with it. "I guess not..."

"Have dinner with me."

"What?"

"Have dinner with me. Tonight. Right now. Just a normal dinner, a date, with no strings."

"I don't know..."

"C'mon Clary, what have you got to lose?"

The emotional barrier I put up when I left you.

"Please?"

Who am I kidding? Those barriers were never strong enough anyway.

"I'll need to go home and change first, so I need to find a ride or a taxi." Jace jingled keys in front of her face.

"Already covered."

#####

Orgasms were amazing things. The way it made you feel was quite amazing and Clary couldn't help but think of that amazing feeling as she looked at Jace. He grinned at her expression. Clary swallowed and let out a satisfied moan.

"If I eat this for the rest of my life, I won't ever need sex again."

They were in a quiet Italian restaurant and Jace had managed to get a two seater table in the back, away from windows and doors in case any paparazzi were around. Clary had become good at dodging them. There was faint piano music playing and their table was surrounded by candles and wonderful smelling flowers. Clary couldn't help but think that the staff was going to be well tipped for this.

When Jace had asked her to dinner, they had gone back to the apartment she was renting and Clary got changed into something simple. She changed into a fitted knit dress that had a black slip under the ivory knitted work and a pair of suede black pumps covered her feet and she put a long, wool black coat over herself. She had brought a bag—a black clutch with a long strap, intending to pay for some of dinner, when Jace saw this he shook his head fiercely.

"You are not paying anything on that bill."

"But Jace—"

"Nothing."

So here she was, eating amazing food with a gorgeous guy and not paying for anything. She felt giddy that she was on a date with Jace but made a mental note to slip a note onto the table when they left.

"Don't say that," Jace said, responding to her previous statement. "I intend to get reacquainted with every inch of your body."

Clary swallowed her food and felt a familiar tingle run through her veins. She looked at Jace from under her lashes and gave him a coy smile.

"We'll see."

Jace grinned back at her and went back to eating. Clary had ordered a chicken pasta dish and it was the most amazing thing she had ever had, well, now with Jace's words in her mind it was a close second to her orgasms with Jace.

Don't think about that. Keep a level head. You can't give in to him that easily, remember why you walked away.

Clary shook herself. Her inner thoughts were correct, she had to remember why she had left Jace and she was here to give him a chance, to see if he was ready. She focused on that, on an image of her waiting in the sidelines and Jace doing any woman that walked past.

Although, he told her he was falling in love with her. Clary processed this as she ate her meal, trying to calm the excitement running through her whole body at Jace's words.

"I'm falling for you Clary. Hopelessly falling and I have been falling with nothing to pull me back for a long time now, but I couldn't tell you."

Clary thought back to the six months she had known Jace. She remembered all the times he had shown her kindness and all the times he had showed her malice. One memory rang clear in her mind and caused an epiphany.

"I mean, god I sound like an ass, you aren't just something to look at, you aren't the type of girl that would make herself up to only impress men. No. You Clary are to be treasured, not used nor tossed aside and you," He sighed. "You mean a lot to me."

"When I say that I don't think you're pretty, I mean it. I don't. I think you are one of the most beautiful women I have ever met."

Clary tried not to show any reaction on her face over what she had just figured out.

Jace was telling the truth. He was falling for her, he did care about her.

She remembered that day; it was the day she too had realised that her feelings for Jace went far beyond friendship. Everytime he had looked at her, touched her, her heart had skipped a beat and her legs had gone shaky, wiggly, like jelly.

Clary couldn't help but think back to other times where Jace had looked at her like that. All the times he had tried to protect her, when he was playful with her and he even got jealous over Sebastian and Simon. The way he had held her as they snuggled closely in his bed. The way he had comforted her after Luke's passing. The looks his friends, people who had known him his whole life, had given them when Jace would show her affection of any kind.

"He's a player Clary. Be careful."

"I can handle guy Isabelle. I live in the streets; I've had to fight plenty off."

She remembered those words. Isabelle had said them on the first day that she had woken up in Wayland Manor and then she remembered something else Isabelle had said, before the court case and after Luke's passing when Izzy had kept Clary company during the day.

"You've changed him."

"Who?"

"Jace, he's different now. You changed him."

"I'm...sorry?"

"For what? It's a good change. He cares about you Clary, you may not see it but I do."

"How can you?"

"Because I know him and I know what to look for. Clary, he has never treated another girl the way he treats you. I look at him and he is always looking at you and when you're not there, I still see you."

"Isabelle—"

"Clary, I know that I told you Jace was a player and believe me, he was, but since you came into his life, besides a couple of times with Kaelie, he has never even looked at another girl."

Clary decided there and then that it was time to tell him, to ask him, if she was going to give him a fair chance, to convince her, then he deserved the truth.

"Jace," He looked up and her and Clary had to calm herself before continuing. "I realised I started falling for you a long time ago and I hid my feelings, ignored them, but they were always there. I would see you with Kaelie and I would get so angry so...jealous.

You have to know that my upbringing, I have never been shown any love or kindness, until I met you. I was hesitant to trust anyone, for obvious reasons, and when these feelings started I didn't know what they were or what to do about them. I had no one to talk too because everyone that I could possibly talk to had known you for years. So, I kept them hidden, kept telling myself it was useless to have a crush on you because you would never think of me in that way and when I would see you, or hear you, with her, it was harder to pretend that I wasn't affected.

I tried to move on from them, thinking them as just a crush and eventually the feelings would go away. I went to that party with Sebastian and even then I kept thinking about you. I held you on a pedestal; I was foolish to do so. I couldn't keep things up with Sebastian because I would be living a lie. Lying to him, to you and myself."

Clary took a sip of wine and gauged his reaction. She had his full attention, his eyes were in hers, watching her, his mouth pressed into a hard line and his body stiff. She couldn't tell what he was feeling; he had a poker face on that gave no emotions away. She was about to continue when he spoke.

"What was the lie? Exactly."

"That I could even pretend to care about someone else." He inhaled a sharp breath. Clary continued, putting all her cards on the table. She was all in now. She took his hand across the table and looked into his eyes; the gold seemed lighter than before. "Jace, you can be the biggest jerk there is. You're an asshole, a sarcastic bastard even. You can be cold and malicious, but despite that, I have still fallen. I jumped a long time ago; I jumped off a ledge and waited for you to catch me. You never came, so I left but even then—even now," Jace was watching her carefully. "Even now, I am still hurtling towards the ground, waiting for you. Despite your flaws, despite your past, despite everything I know, the only person that I have ever cared about like this, the only person I have started falling for, is you. It's always been you Jace; I left to deny it, to move on from it. I left because I didn't think you would ever catch me.

But, I have come to realise that that wasn't fair to you. I never tried to find out if you were falling to and you deserve to know how I feel. So, there it is. Despite you being a sarcastic ass, despite you sometimes being angry and cold and distant, I have seen your other side. I would like to think that I only fell for your sweet side, but I fell for all of you. So, I'm all in. I have jumped and I need to be caught, are you waiting on the ground with your arms ready or am I going to hit solid earth and break?"

Clary looked down at her hand, the one not currently holding Jace's, and waited. Waited for him to say something, anything. He remained silent, Clary had no idea how much time had passed and eventually he released her hand and stood up, walking away from the table. Clary did not allow her tears to fall.

Good job Clary, letting him know what is in your heart and he walks away, You fucked up. What happened to not letting him in because he is just going to hurt you? And now he is gone AND he has left you with the cheque!

Clary put her other hand on her lap and stared at them. She was debating whether to just sit there or put some money on the table—enough that would most definitely cover the bill—and walk out, go home, sit in bed and cry. She didn't know how she could be so foolish. To believe that what Jace had said was true.

The music in the restaurant changed from soft piano to a song with sweet lyrics and the playing of a guitar.

"Give me love like her,

'Cause lately I've been waking up alone,

Paint splattered teardrops on my shirt,

Told you, I'd let them go,"

Clary felt a tap on her shoulder and looked up. Jace was looking down at her, his hand held out for hers. She took it without hesitation, if this was all she was going to get, she would take it. Jace pulled her to her feet and walked out onto a patio area of the restaurant—like a greenhouse—and spun her, bringing their bodies close, they started dancing under the moonlight, surrounded by the sweetest smelling flowers.

"And that I'll fight my corner,

Maybe tonight I'll call ya,

After my blood turns to alcohol,

No, I just wanna hold ya."

"Clary, from the moment I saw you I knew you were something special. I became something I had never realised I wanted to become."

"What's that?" Clary whispered her head on Jace's shoulder. He held on of her hands, the other arm he had wrapped around her waist, her free arm she had around his back, across his shoulder blades.

"A man hopelessly devoted to one woman."

"Give a little time to me or burn this out,

We'll play hide and seek to turn this around,

All I want is the taste that your lips allow,

My, my, my, my, oh give me love,

My, my, my, my, oh give me love.

"Hopelessly devoted?" Clary echoed him, wondering what he meant.

"It means that, from the moment we met, I have belonged entirely to you. I am yours and yours alone and it took you leaving for me to realise that that is all I have ever wanted." They were moving around in a circle. Clary had always imagined a moment like this, so full of romance, she never thought that she would experience it for herself.

"Give me love like never before,

'cause lately I've been craving more,

And it's been a while but I still feel the same,

Maybe I should let you go,

You know I'll fight in my corner,

And that tonight I'll call ya,

After my blood is drowning in alcohol,

No, I just wanna hold ya."

"How did you manage to find a song that tells me everything you can't say yourself?"

She felt him smile. "I have my ways."

"Give a little time to me or burn this out,

We'll play hide and seek to turn this around,

All I want is the taste that your lips allow,

My, my, my, my, oh give me love,

"Give a little time to me or burn this out,

We'll play hide and seek to turn this around,

All I want is the taste that your lips allow,

My, my, my, my, oh give me love,

My, my, my, my, oh give me love.

M-my, my, m-my, my, m-my my, oh give me love, lover,

My, my, my, my, oh give me love,

My, my, my, my, oh give me love."

"Clary, I know you don't want to wait for me and I don't want to make you wait."

Clary knew this was coming, he was going to tell her that he still wasn't ready for her and she was going to feel rejected, go home, cry and live her life alone because the only boy she wanted wasn't ready for her. She was foolish to think that she deserved happiness after everything she had gone through, why should she be happy?

Clary clutched Jace tighter though, not ready to let him go. He buried his nose in her hair and spoke, Clary felt her eyes open in shock at his words.

"You don't have to wait for me Clary because I'm ready. I'm waiting on the ground to catch you, the question is, are you sure you're ready to be caught by me?"

Clary pulled back to look into his eyes, she brought her lips to his and they brushed his as she spoke.

"I have been waiting for you to catch me since you found me in that alley."

She pulled back, she didn't want to kiss him, not now, it would ruin the moment. She put her head back on his shoulder and resumed dancing with him and listening to the song that was so like his unspoken words. He kissed her hair and held her once more.

"Of all the money that e'er I had

I've spent it in good company

And all the harm that e'er I've done

Alas it was to none but me

And all I've done for want of wit

To memory now I can't recall

So fill to me the parting glass

Good night and joy be with you all
Of all the comrades that e'er I had

They are sorry for my going away

And all the sweethearts that e'er I had

They would wish me one more day to stay

But since it falls unto my lord

That I should rise and you should not

I'll gently rise and I'll softly call

Good night and joy be with you all
A man may drink and not be drunk

A man may fight and not be slain

A man may court a pretty girl

And perhaps be welcomed back again

But since it has so ordered been

By a time to rise and a time to fall

Come fill to me the parting glass

Goodnight and joy be with you all

Goodnight and joy be with you all."

Clary sighed, the song had ended but she wasn't ready to let Jace go, not yet and not ever again. Walking away from him was hard, painfully hard, but she had to do it. Jace would probably never forgive her for walking away, but she knew he understood why she had to do it. If she hadn't, she wouldn't have fulfilled Luke's wished, lived up to his last words.

To remember who she was and let the world know.

She was Clarissa Morgenstern, daughter of Jocelyn and Valentine Morgenstern, sister of Jonathan Morgenstern and completely and irrevocably falling for Jace Wayland.

They stood under the moon, neither moving away from the other, dancing and holding each other. Occasionally they would kiss, but they were small and sweet. Tonight wasn't about blind passion, desire and lust. It was about them. About feelings. About love.

Clary smiled against Jace's shoulder and she didn't think she would ever stop smiling.

#####

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this."

Clary looked around the room of reporters and straightened her outfit. A simple business outfit, blazer, shirt, pencil skirt. Isabelle was fussing with her hair again.

"A ponytail is so unoriginal!" She groaned eyeing it in distaste.

"Then how about you not wear one and leave Clary's alone?" Jace suggested, putting his arm around Clary's waist and flicking her ponytail. "I like it." He grinned.

Clary was still getting used to this affection he was showing her, especially in front of people. They seemed to accept it, like they knew this was going to happen and it didn't seem different at all for Jace to act like this.

Since their dinner and dance, they had been near inseparable. It had been two weeks and their picture was all over the papers, declaring them a couple, one even said they were like Romeo and Juliet. Clary had snorted at that headline. Just because her father was enemies with Jace and his father did not mean that Clary had to be too.

"Clary," Jonathan came up to her, handing her a piece of paper with words already typed on it. "You're on."

Jace gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and Clary moved up the steps to the stage that awaited her. Instantly there were flashes of cameras, murmured words and news cameras fixed on her. She approached the wooden lectern and placed her paper on top. She looked out at the crowd that had gone silent and then looked back at Jace, he nodded encouragingly.

Clary cleared her throat and proceeded.

"Good morning, ladies, gentlemen, members of the press. As you know you have been called here to learn of a massive change this is happening within Morgenstern Corp. Since taking over, I have been overwhelmed with the kindness of the employees and the way the business is run. My brother has helped me but I have come to realise that I shouldn't need to rely on his—or anyone's help—if I am to run this business. That is why, after much consideration on mine and my brothers' part, we have decided to change Morgenstern Corp," Clary drew in a breath; she knew everyone would start shouting questions at her after she revealed her next move. "We have decided that it is in the best interest of the company if Jonathan Morgenstern takes my place as CEO and I step down and take his as a vice CEO and, we have decided, that for this business to keep running smoothly, it is in everyone's best interest if we merge both Morgenstern and Wayland into one company."

As predicted everyone was yelling questions. Clary gestured for them to calm down and then started answering them calmly, not surprised at all by their contents.

"Are you merging because of your recent relationship with Jace Wayland?"

"Has Mr. Wayland conned you into this?"

"Is this because of Mr. Wayland?"

"This decision would not have been made without Mr. Wayland obviously because he is the CEO but no. It has nothing to do with my relationship with him and everything to do with the good of this company." Clary stepped away from the lectern and stood behind a small table that had been placed on the stage. Jace and Jonathan joined her. Jonathan placing the contract on the table, Jace standing beside her, pen in hand.

He signed the spot and handed the pen to Jonathan who signed his spot and then he passed it to Clary. With a deep breath she wrote her signature, signing away her company and merging with Jace's.

The reporters starting yelling again and Jace turned to Clary, a grin on his face, one Clary didn't trust.

"What are you planning?" She asked as she gave him his pen back. He kept that grin plastered on his face as he grabbed her hand and pulled her to the middle of the stage.

"Just go with it." He whispered and then turning to the cameras and speaking in a loud clear voice. "Hey guys, how about this for your front page?"

Without knowing what was happening, Clary was suddenly dipped and Jace had his mouth on hers. He was holding her up as he ravaged her lips, Clary wrapped her arms around her neck and got lost in the kiss, the voices of the media drowned at as the kiss deepened.

Jace stood her back up, eventually, and continued grinned. He wrapped his arm around her waist and brought her close to his side, posing for the cameras. Clary put a hand on his chest and looked up at him, he looked down at her and smiled, Clary finding it infectious and smiling back.

She stood on her toes and gave him a light peck. Jace blinked and his smile grew.

"Oh Miss Morgenstern, I do believe that I have fallen for you completely."

"No going back?" She asked in a small voice.

"No going back." He agreed and kissed her once more.

Wow.

That was a long chapter.

So, how was it? How are the feels?

Let me know.

Only the epilogue to go and then we are done!

Review?