*************** Chapter 21 *******************

Clary closed the door quietly behind her as she tiptoed into Jace's room. Jace looked at her and smiled. He thought that she would be dead to the world as soon as her head hit the pillow given how tired she was at the meeting. Clary took a seat next to Jace and kissed him on the lips passionately. Jace returned the kiss happily. Before he could pull her down Clary pulled away.

"Happy Birthday." She smiled.

He looked at the clock and saw it turn midnight. Jace turned back to the beautiful green eyed redhead on his lap and smiled.

"You just had to be first one to say it didn't you sweetheart?" He grinned kissing her once more.

"Every year hun, by the way, I brought you some presents. I couldn't wait." She laughed.

"Presents? As in more than one?" he replied rolling his hands down to her hips and pushing up her shirt.

"Calm down birthday boy. I want to see you open this present first." She giggled.

"I thought that was what I was doing." He smiled kissing her on her now bare stomach. "Unwrapping my present."

Clary pulled her shirt down and pushed him back onto the bed playfully.

"Behave!" she said reaching out to grab the wrapped present.

"My beautiful fiancée comes into my room in the middle of the night, on my birthday I might add, wearing this!" he gestured to her short shorts and reveling tank top. He could see a lacy bra peeking through the straps. "No promises!"

Clary rolled her eyes but blushed.

"Just open the present already Jace."

Jace grinned mischievously and took the wrapped gift into his hands. Clary moved off of his lap and took a seat on the bed in front of him. Jace grinned and began unwrapping the flat package carefully. When he was finished he looked down at a beautiful picture of two people he had never seen in real life.

"Is this…" he asked

"Yes, she replied. "It is a picture of your parents. I painted it. Do you… like it?"

Jace looked at the painted portrait in silence. He gazed at his father's face and his mothers eyes. He carefully brushed the canvas with his hands. He wished he could have known them. Clary was silent and let him take everything in.

"Thank you." He whispered finally looking up into her eyes.

He kissed her lightly on the cheek and got up from the bed. Clary followed him with her eyes. He walked slowly with a saddened look of longing on his face. Jace placed the portrait in a safe place sitting up on his desk. He gave it once last glance before he turned to Clarissa.

"So…wasn't there another present?" he asked smiling sweetly.

Clary looked away blushing.

"Yes, there was." She squeaked.

"Was?" Jace asked mischievously.

Clary responded by looking away trying to hold back a smile. Jace chuckled and turned off the light before crawling back into bed.

"I love the present and I love you." He said pulling her into his arms.

"I love you too." She replied running her hands through his hair.

Jace kissed her neck and slid his hands down the sides of her body.

"I love the bra too by the way." He whispered teasingly in her ear.

"I'm glad you love it. I thought about you when I put it on."

"hummm." He hummed kissing her throat. "Too bad it will be on the floor in a few minutes." He said pulling her shirt off.

"At least it will have your clothes to keep it company then." She added seductively.

Jace chuckled once more before taking off his own shirt.

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The demons body convulsed crying out its last breath as it died on the dirt floor. Jonathan removed his sword from the creature's body before turning his gaze onto the snake women that stood before him. The woman's body would have been beautiful if it weren't for the black pits she had for eyes and the serpents that lived there. It was enough to send a shiver down his spine.

"I can give her to you if that is what you desire my son." She smiled not seeming to be concerned that he could cut her down at any moment.

"That is the thing about you demons. You don't understand love and that is why I will never be like you. When you love someone you put there happiness before your wants. To you all that matters is desire and lust. Yes I desire Clary but I love her enough to put her happiness first." Jonathan argued.

"You are more demon and angel than you are human my dear. You are more than a pathetic humans. They pride themselves preaching selflessness. Yes, demons do satisfy their own needs my son but they also satisfy the petty needs of humans that the angels turn their blind eyes to. If you desire this girl than you should take her. You should be claiming her for your own and be the strong warrior I see before. Instead you allow another to claim what is yours and your reason is that she is your sister. That means nothing to us my son. Your father saw to that when he gave your human mother my blood. You are no more related to her than Jace is. Growing up with Jocelyn has made you lose your demonic nature. I am more your mother than that pathetic women." She said.

"Jocelyn Morgenstern is my mother. Not you!" Jonathan spat.

He never thought he would be defending his mother. A part of him hated her but he would be lying if he said that a part of him, a large part of him, loved her. Jocelyn loved him and would give her life for him. She put herself in Valentine's cross fire multiple times to save his skin. This thing didn't care about him. It was a demon and it should be destroyed.

"Think what you like Jonathan Morgenstern but you are my son. You have the power of a greater demon, a princess of hell, flowing through your veins. I asked you here hoping that you would be ready to take your place by my side but it seems that you are still not ready yet." She said disappointedly; turning her back to walk away.

Jonathan knew that he should go after her, take his blade and strike her down. He wanted to take a step forward but found that he couldn't do it. Jonathan had fought his entire life to remain in control of his emotions. He knew he had to keep a calm head. If he attacked her there was a very good chance that he might die. She was a princess of hell after all and not to mention his father's ally. If he attacked her it would get back to his father and he doubted Valentine would be lenient in his disapproval.

"Goodbye Lilith. I wish I could say it's been a pleasure but I that would be a lie." He said sheathing his sword and turning to leave.

"Goodbye my son." Lilith whispered turning her head to watch her son leave.

She had been deprived of children for so long that she looked at the boy longingly. He was the closest thing she had or probably would ever have to a son. She wanted and would have her son beside her. She just had to play her cards right and the key to everything would be his little sister. Lilith smiled wickedly and disappeared in a cloud of sparks.

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"Happy birthday Jace!" Jocelyn greeted him with a kiss on the cheek as he entered the kitchen.

"Thanks …mom?" Jace hesitated.

Jocelyn looked at him curiously and laughed.

"You can still call me mom. I will be your mother in law technically anyway so it shouldn't be too weird."

Jace nodded and took his seat at the table next to Jonathan. Jonathan was already eating the stack full of pancakes in front of him.

"Sorry." He muttered. "I just got home and I was starving."

Jace smiled and dug into his own stack put in front of him. They were chocolate chip and peanut butter pancakes that he loaded with maple syrup; his favorite. He also snagged some bacon from the serving plate in front of him. Clary had gone back to her room after they woke up to take a shower. Jace couldn't help but smile remembering her sex hair this morning. Waking up with her naked body curled up in his arms had been one of the most present things he had ever experienced. He couldn't ask for a better birthday and the day had only just begun.

"So, where were you last night?" Jace asked taking a couple of bites.

Jonathan looked up at his mother tiredly. Jocelyn was facing away cooking off the last of the pancake batter. Although she looked busy he knew that she was listening intently. He debated telling Jace what happened but he knew his mother would be listening to every word he said. He knew she would be furious that he saw Lilith and decided that he didn't want to ruin Jace's birthday.

"I'll tell you about it later. I'm tired and I need a nap or I won't be a pleasant person to be around today."

Jace sighed but nodded. He looked at Jocelyn and figured Jonathan would tell him when their mother wasn't around.

"Well I can respect that. I know how you love your beauty sleep Snow White." Jace teased.

Things became silent as Jace and Jonathan ate. Jonathan took the last bite of his pancakes when Clary joined them.

"Good morning everyone!" Clary greeted walking into the kitchen.

"Morning honey." Their mother replied kissing her on the cheek.

Clary seemed to be in a very good mood today. Jonathan was pretty sure he knew why but pushed the thought from his mind. Sex was actually the last thing his tired mind wanted to think about. Clary came behind Jonathan and wrapped her arms around him.

"Good morning Jonathan! I missed you last night." Clary said happily.

Jonathan felt her chest push up against his back. The vision of her naked body being pinned beneath him flashing through his mind. Without thinking Jonathan jumped up and clary fell back trying to gain her footing. Everyone looked at him startled.

"I'm sorry Clary. I guess you just surprised me. It's been a long night." He fumbled over his words.

Clary looked up at him and nodded. His mother stopped what she was doing to walk over to him. Jocelyn put her hand on her his shoulder.

"What's wrong Jonathan?" his mother asked.

Jonathan stared at his mother's green eyes. At that moment he wanted to tell her that he saw Lilith last night. He wanted to thank her for loving him and keeping that creature as far away from him as possible; but the words wouldn't come. Instead he did something he hadn't done since he was little. He hugged his mother.

Jocelyn's body went rigid. She slowly got over the shock and wrapped her arms around him.

"I love you mom." He said over her shoulder before letting her go.

Clary and Jace were staring at him dumbfounded. He grabbed his dishes off of the table and headed for the sink.

"I love you too Jonathan." Jocelyn said watching her son turn and place his dishes in the sink.

"I'm going to get some sleep. I'll see everyone in a few hours." He called out leaving the room.

Once Jonathan was in the hall safely away from his family's gaze he stopped. Resting his back up against the pillar he took in a deep breath desperately trying to calm his mind. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and looked up to see his father coming from down the hall.

"Long night son? I was curious what took you so long?" Valentine asked crossing his arms in front of him.

"It was a very long night but a successful one. You will be pleased to know that the towers did react after only a drop of my blood." Jonathan replied coldly.

Valentine smiled at this.

"You have done well my son."

'Done well my son?' He wanted to ask why Valentine only addressed him as son only when he succeeded. Did Valentine not want to admit he was his father without something positive being associated with it. Was he ashamed about what he did? Did he feel remorse for poisoning his own son? Jonathan was finding it difficult to contain his anger.

"Why?" he whispered not meeting his father's eyes.

"Why? Because you have done well. Now we have a way to enter Idris my son." Valentine answered confusedly.

"No." Jonathan said sternly. "Why did you give mom Lilith's blood when she was pregnant with me? Was I such a for gone disappointment as an infant that you needed to poison me with demon blood?"

Jonathan looked up into his father's eyes angrily. Valentine looked taken back. At first he didn't say anything. His father seemed to be at a loss for words; very rare for his father.

"Jonathan." His mother's soft voice spoke as she appeared beside them.

"No answer father? I was hoping you could tell me so I would know what to say next time Lilith wants to meet with me in the middle of the night." He spat.

Jocelyn gasped at this looking sternly at Valentine.

Valentine looked at him surprised. Maybe he hadn't known that Lilith met him last night. She might have really gone behind his back. It still didn't ease the anger that coursed through his veins though.

"I told you before that I do not want that creature anywhere near my son!" his mother hissed at his father.

At this Valentine's dark eyes focused onto Jonathan's. Normally Jonathan would back down but not this time. He was tired, not thinking straight and above all else thoroughly pissed off. It felt like years of rage finally built up in his body and it was about to exploded. Jonathan moved so swiftly he didn't have a chance to second-guess his actions.

He punched his father square in the face breaking his nose.

*********** Authors Note *************

*Thanks for the reviews! I love the feedback. :)