CHAPTER 7

The pregnancy has continued over the past few months with a few mornings still containing morning sickness. I can tell Jace is worried because he never takes his eyes off of me, he's always watching. The light pull that's in my abdomen has also progressed and is now becoming more frequent and stronger.

I'm now in my eighth month of pregnancy, one month away from my due date and I've still refused to go to Magnus, telling Jace that I'm fine. I woke up again at two a.m. with morning sickness and Jace holding my hair back. It seems that the more that tug increases, the more frequent the morning sickness becomes. And the thing is, is that the morning sickness comes during the night, in the middle of the day, whenever. It is also becoming a lot after I've eaten, which is a little worrying because I'm barely keeping any food down.

Jace had his ceremony today where his mind became blocked to any of the curses and mind control spells that can be placed upon him. Unfortunately I had to ruin it by running out of the room and puking my guts out. The Silent Brothers have become attuned to the problems I've been having with the pregnancy and with Brother Zachariah's constant questions, I know he too is becoming concerned. Although every time he offers to check how the baby is progressing, I refuse.

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"Clary, wake up." I hear Jace's voice break through my dreams. I groan and pull a pillow over my head. He chuckles. "Clary, I just want to tell you that we've received message of demons in Central Park. Alec, Isabelle and I are going to go." I pull the pillow away from my face and stare at him sadly. He knows I don't like him going demon fighting; every time I'm lying here on my own worrying about him. I know that he's Jace Herondale, one of the best shadowhunters for his age, but still. "I'll be back soon, I promise."

I sigh. "I wish I could go with you…"

"Yes but you're pregnant."

"I know, I know… help me up?" I raise my arms above my head for him to wrench me up.

Once I was on my feet, Jace asks me, "Where are you going?"

"Bathroom?" I question as if I'm asking for permission.

"Well do I get a kiss before I go then?" He asks, tapping his toe. I consider my answer for a second before finally nodding. He takes a few steps to close the distance between us and then his lips are on mine. We stand there for a few minutes, lost in each other, until a knock and a cough come from the doorway.

We break apart and turn to see Alec waiting there, looking kind of awkward and embarrassed. Almost instantly I blush. "Er, Jace…" he says. "We have to get going."

"Right." He replies and gives me one last peck on the cheek. "See you soon."

"Right baby, it's just you and me for a little while." I whisper to the little baby that's growing inside me, once Jace has left.

***PAGE BREAK***

"Simon?" I say as he picks up my call on the third ring.

There's a rummaging sound in the background and a crash of symbols and a guitar plucking. "Oh, Clary, hi."

"What are you doing? Do you want to hang out?"

Another clash of a cymbal and then Simon's voice was back and the sound of suburban life. "Um, I would love to except I have band practise."

"Oh…" I thought for a moment. "Could I come and watch?"

"Er, Clary, do you think that's a good idea? I mean, you are pregnant…"

I feel so angry that I could slam the phone shut but I don't. I hate being pregnant, you can barely do anything and everyone treats you as if you are made of the finest glass. "Fine then." As I go to close my phone, a sharp pain ripples through my lower abdomen.

I gasp aloud and suddenly Simon's voice becomes urgent and worried. "Clary? Clary, are you ok?" Another pain is sent through my stomach and I almost drop the phone. My free hand grasps my stomach. "Clary…" he says warily.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." I say and hung up. I quickly sit on the edge of the bed and press number one into my phone, the speed dial number for Jace. "Ah!" I groan and begin to breath gently. Jace picks up on the fourth ring.

"Er, Clary, this isn't a good time…" he says and I hear the slash of his seraph sword as it strucks at a demon.

Tears are welling up in my eyes and spilling onto my cheeks. The pain has subsided for now but I still feel it lingering in the background. "I know, I'm sorry Jace, but ah!" For a second I hear Jace falter and he curses under his breath. With the jolts that could be heard through the phone's receiver I could tell he must be running.

"Clary, I'm sorry but I've got to go, Alec needs my help."

He goes to hang up but I quickly scream, "Its time! Oh, God, Jace! I think it's time!"

Jace stops running automatically and I hear the thud of his phone hit the ground and him curse once more. "W-what?" he stutters as soon as he has gotten a grip of it again.

"I think the baby's coming."

"But you're not due for another month…"

I sob out loud. "Jace, help me." I know he would be torn between me and Alec and I know Isabelle is there but I have no one here with me. It's too early; the baby shouldn't be coming this early. "It's too early!" I cry.

I can imagine him standing in the middle of Central Park, his mind going around in circles. "Ok," he says finally. "I'm on my way, just hold on. Call your Mum and Maryse should be in her office. She can help. It's all going to be fine, Clary."

"Hurry!" And then he was gone.

***PAGE BREAK***

"Mum? It's time."

I hear her gasp in the background. "Oh, honey, I'll be right there."

***PAGE BREAK***

Maryse's office was empty and so was the library, I begin to wander back to Jace's room as another contraction hit. I press my hand to the wall and hunch over, trying to fight the pain.

"By the angel, Clary, are you alright?" I hear Maryse's voice from behind me and her footsteps running down the hallway towards me.

"Contraction," I breathe out as I begin to breathe deeply.

"Oh, my!" she exclaims. "Yes, that's it, pant it out." After a moment the pain subsides and I slowly up right myself. "Let's get you down to the Infirmary and make you comfortable."

***PAGE BREAK***

The infirmary is quiet and clean. Maryse rummages through the closets and pulls out plastic sheets and spreads them over one of the beds, then allowing for me to lie down on it. Eventually Jace bursts through the doors and hurries towards me. He's covered in demon ichor and a few cuts are on his arms and face, already beginning to heal from the many iratzes he's inked across his biceps and neck.

"Jace!" I squeak, holding out my hand for him to take it.

He does so, smiles and squeezes my hand before glancing at Maryse. "I had to leave Isabelle and Alec there. Once Clary had called me, I left almost straight away."

Maryse nods, her face solemn. "If you need anything or if the contractions become closer together, call for me."