Clary's POV

I must have fallen asleep in Jace's car, because I woke up to a bright room, wrapped in Jace's arms, still wearing the clothes I had ridden in, with only my sneakers removed. I'd have to make a point to wash Jace's bed linings today. He had on his riding clothes too and it smelled like a stable in here. I carefully detached myself from Jace and he seemed to be deadweight at my side. It was only 7:00, but I was wide awake. I was a little sore from being so active yesterday, but I decided to start my day with a nice run anyway. I wrote a note for Jace and left it on his night stand.

I wasn't too surprised to find a room full of people when I got back from my run. Simon, Izzy, Jordan, Sebastian, and Aline were all in the kitchen eating, drinking coffee and visiting. Predominately everybody was talking about the bonfire. Jace must still have been asleep. I was sure Maia would be up by now, maybe she was in the bathroom or something. Izzy's eyes went immediately to me when I walked in the door sizing me up. The room got quiet as I walked over to the cabinets to get a glass for water.

"No." Izzy said matter-of-factly.

"Dammit I lost!" Jordan snapped as he pounded his fist firmly to the table. I rolled my eyes. There were several chuckles.

"Good morning everybody. So nice to see you." I went to the fridge to fill my glass.

"Does she know?" Aline asked suspiciously. There were several murmured No's. Of course I know you people aren't exactly being that super secret about it.

"Yes I know you idiots!" I downed my glass of water.

"Hey!" Izzy snapped indignantly.

"You're incorrigible." I shook my head. I was use to Izzy's antics. It was part of who she was. What would she do with all of her time if she didn't have me? They wanted to do this? Fine. I wanted the details though. They were talking about me.

"So I might as well get an overview. Who already lost the bet? I want to see what my friends really think of me." I headed for the coffee. There were a few snickers.

"Lost what bet? What is everybody talking about? If there is a bet I want in." Sebastian seemed confused and eager all mixed together. There were a number of chuckles. God, I figured everybody was in on this. I would have been just as happy leaving anybody in the dark that was already in the dark.

"Well Clary if you think you know what we're all talking about, why don't you tell Sebastian?" Izzy's voice had a hint of wickedness in it. I didn't doubt she knew I had a good idea, but she just wanted me to say it out loud. She knew I wasn't that comfortable talking about sex. It's a lot more embarrassing to talk about something you don't really know that much about. Just talking to Jace about it the other day, letting him know I was a virgin, then the whole thing with the bet, I knew my cheeks were burning up with those conversations, and he didn't bat an eye. He wasn't uncomfortable at all talking about that stuff. I was surrounded by sex lately, the idea of sex. I knew very clearly Jace wanted to have sex, and part of me really did too, but part of me was nervous and scared and just not sure if I was ready. We really had only been dating a couple of days, that's not that long of a time to just decide, yep, this is the right guy to lose my virginity to. Though this was Jace, and I knew I loved him, and he loved me, but this was a huge decision to make and I didn't want to feel like I was being pressured into it. I knew Jace wasn't really trying to pressure me, but I still felt the pressure. Of course this bet was the worst part. I felt like everybody was analyzing me every time they saw me to see if I looked like I was glowing, to see if I looked like I had sex. If things were different, if I wasn't a virgin, nobody would care. I could talk about this without blushing without getting uncomfortable. I took a deep breath.

"Sex Sebastian. They are betting on when Jace and I have sex!" I spit that out much harsher than I meant to. I got it out though. It was a little easier seeing as my back was to everybody because I was making my coffee, that way I couldn't see their reactions, and they couldn't see the blush I'm sure I had on my face. It worked in my benefit that I had just come back from a run though, my face usually got pretty red after I worked out and stayed that way for a while. I heard a few chuckles behind me.

"Oh yeah? I want in on that bet." Sebastian said sinisterly. His tone sent a shiver through my body. I turned around and leaned against the counter taking a sip of my coffee. There was a slightly odd silence as a door in the hallway opened and closed. Maia walked in the kitchen and came over and gave me a hug.

"Hey girl." I gave her a one handed hug back, still holding my coffee.

"Hey big sis." I smiled. Maia started to pour herself a cup of coffee. Ok. I could talk about this causally. I reiterated my question.

"So who already lost the bet?"

"You know about the bet?" Maia asked surprised and shot Izzy a glare.

"Yes!" I snapped a little too abruptly. I tried to compose myself. Maia shrugged.

"Jordan and Aline already lost. Everybody else is still in the running." I nodded slowly.

"So who had what day?" I asked trying to sound somewhat indifferent. There were several undecipherable murmurs.

"Oh no!" Izzy was shaking her head.

"You'll cheat. You'll pick who you want to win." I laughed. I waited nearly nineteen years to have sex just to pick the date based on this stupid bet. I don't think so.

"Yes Izzy. That was exactly what I planned to do." I said sarcastically and shook my head.

"I just wanted to know about the two that lost. That's all." I said trying to sound nonchalant. Izzy nodded reluctantly.

"Fine. Jordan had yesterday and Aline had Saturday." I was trying to register what she had said.

"Wait. Aline had Saturday? When did you make this bet?" I snapped. I was too surprised. I was leaning forward from the counter. Several eyes diverted their gaze as I looked skeptically at Izzy.

"When you said you'd come on the trip." She said matter-of-factly.

"Izzy! You were betting on me and Jace having sex before I even got here." I said in a raised voice, I had lost my composure completely. I was glaring at Izzy. Izzy took a sip of her coffee and shrugged.

"No no…that's not it per se…Well it started with me betting Maia you'd have sex with…somebody else…" I knew Izzy was talking about Sebastian and my cheeks were already feeling warm. I turned around and added more coffee, taking my time. I had pretty much downed my first cup, though I still had about a forth of a cup left. I just needed a minute to take a breath. I didn't want to talk about this anymore.

"-Then Aline got in on it…and it turned into a when and not an if…Then the bet kind of came out on Saturday and everybody else just kind of wanted in when they heard about it and…now the bet…well…it's implied, but it just isn't about Jace explicitly." She muttered the last part.

"Bet better be about me explicitly!" Jace snapped. I held my coffee cup as my head snapped in the direction of Jace's voice. He was leaning against the doorframe from the hallway to the kitchen, silver gym shorts on, no shirt, arms crossed. I hadn't heard him at all. He was directing a scowl in Izzy's direction. I wondered how much he heard. He wasn't there when I turned towards the coffee maker, but that doesn't mean he wasn't within earshot range in the hallway. He looked pretty pissed and if he picked up the Sebastian implication, I know that wouldn't make him very happy. I doubt Jace knew Izzy had made a point multiple times to tell me Sebastian would make great vacation sex. I didn't want to deal with this right now.

"I've got to shower." I shook my head. I walked towards Jace. Gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and said good morning. He was still glaring passed me at Izzy.

"You go on. I'd like a minute to talk to my sister." I rolled my eyes. I went to my room, cup of coffee still in hand, leaving Jace with a scowl.


Isabelle's POV

Jace dragged me outside to give me a stupid lecture. He felt I was pressuring Clary into having sex and making her feel uncomfortable, I think he's just overreacting. Clary's fine, she knows I kid around with her all the time. Though I do think she'd calm down if she got laid, but that's just me. He wanted to know who the bet was originally about, like it wasn't obvious, but he was pretty pissed about the Sebastian vacation sex thing, but whatever, he'll get over it. He said Clary seemed rather flustered about the whole idea of the bet and had brought it up a few times the day before while they were out. That didn't sound like Clary to me. Not the same Clary that had a pool going senior year whether I'd get knocked up before I graduated. Jace didn't get our relationship, we teased each other. It was mutual; to an extent, I teased Clary a bit more. He never came to my aid when she said horrible things about my cooking. Anyway, he had turned into this crazy overprotective boyfriend. Now he was worried that something was bothering her and he was worried it had something to do with this bet, or sex in general, he wasn't sure. He blamed me either way. He thought she seemed really off the day before, extra snappy, but when he tried to ask her about it she brushed him off. He asked me to talk to her about it, see if it was a girl thing, maybe she just had her period or something, and maybe she'd feel more comfortable talking to me.

"God. She doesn't have her period Jace." I was shaking my head at him. Men always think if a women acts off you're either PMSing or you have your period. His eyebrows were all furrowed.

"How can you be sure? She moves away from me when I-" I held up my hand as I cut him off.

"I don't want to know where you were going with that Jace. I know she doesn't. She'll get her period not next Tuesday but the week after that." He looked so confused.

"How do you-" I shook my head.

"We hang out all the time Jace. We have the same cycle and we are both on the pill, so I know she gets her period the same day I do, and it will always be that way until one of us comes off the pill, and maybe even then, I don't know. I get mine on Tuesday the week after next and so does she. End of story." He just looked so confused. He was just staring at me not saying anything.

"What?" I snapped. He shook his head.

"I don't even know where to begin." I rolled my eyes at him as a thought crossed my mind that didn't sound too far off base. All the times I tease Clary about sex, try to have safe sex talks with her, whatever, she gets really embarrassed and uncomfortable, but she was probably never really in a place in her life that sex was all that imminent of a concern for her. She never asked questions or seemed to really want to talk about it. Maybe she did have things she wanted to talk about now and it wasn't like she had a mother or sister to talk to. I was so blind. That's probably exactly what was bothering her. This was totally a me thing! Oh my baby is growing up. A big smile crossed my face. Jace had been going on and on about whether all that crap about women's cycles aligning was true or not. I hadn't really been paying attention.

"Yes, yes. We align. Eureka! You've just figured out the big secret to women. Now I'll have to kill you before you tell all the other men…I'll talk to her." I started to turn around as he grabbed my shoulder.

"Why do you look like the cat that just ate the canary? What do you know?" I winked.

"I think I know what's wrong, and it is a girl thing." I brushed off his hand as I walked into the cottage. He just stood outside. I had to soften her up a little. I was pretty sure she'd just brush me off if I went in there right now. Mimosas! It was the day before Fourth of July. We could start celebrating now. We had bought a few bottles of Champaign to make Mimosas tomorrow, but really, with the bonfire tonight, I didn't think anybody was going to be waking up early tomorrow and want more to drink. I took out two of the larger Champaign glasses, a bottle of bubbly and a bottle of citrus vodka. Mimosas alone would take a couple to get her talking, I improvised. I put a shot of vodka in each cup, put in enough Champaign to add bubbles and filled what was left with OJ. They'd be strong, but good.

"What are you doing? It's not even 9:00?" Simon was right behind me.

"Mimosas in the morning!" I sung." I turned around and gave Simon a peck on the cheek. His eyebrows were furrowed and he was looking at me very skeptically.

"With vodka?" He questioned. I shot him a glare.

"Yes. With vodka." He didn't say another word. He knew not to question me. I picked up the two glasses and walked to Clary's room. I glanced down the hall first towards the bathroom and noticed the door wide open, so she had to be in her room. I kicked the door a couple times with my foot.

"Come in." Her voice floated out of the bedroom.

"My hands are full." A moment later she was opening the door. A smile lit up her face.

"Mimosas?" I nodded. I offered her one and she took it as I closed the door behind me, locking it. She looked at me a little skeptically, but didn't say anything. We both walked over and sat on her bed. She still had on her smelly clothes from yesterday. Her cheeks were still a little pink. She was just holding her glass, neither one of us had taken a sip. Clary loves to toast, but often doesn't actually make the speech, so I thought of something to say. I started hesitantly, toasting to her numbered days as a virgin probably wouldn't go over well.

"So, we're not in high school anymore and I guess that means we're all grown-up, so let's toast to growing up." She gave me a suspicious look put raised her glass to mine.

"To growing up." She repeated. Our glasses clinked and we each took a sip.

"Mmm. This is good." She said as she licked her lips. I sat back and took another sip of my drink. She was kind of eyeing me, but I was just waiting for her to loosen up a bit, hoping she'd talk first. She finally broke the silence, only about a quarter of the way into her drink. I should have put a straw in it. She would have sucked it down.

"What's up Izzy?" She took another sip. I decided to start in another direction. It was something I had been meaning to talk to her about as well.

"It's just. We haven't spent much time together just the two of us and a lot seems to be changing very quickly. We've been here a whole week and when we get back Simon and I will be moving in together, and Maia and Jordan will be. I think I'm moving to Simon's so I don't know if I'll keep my job at the bank-" She looked startled but didn't say anything.

"-It's just it won't be as close. A five minute walk to be a teller at a bank is awesome, but a 20 minute commute that involves me getting on the metro is long. There are a lot of branches by Simon's I could transfer to. Plus I get the feeling you might move." She looked down at her drink. She was probably about halfway through it at this point. I had barely touched mine, just those first two sips. I just waited to see if she'd say something, but when she didn't I continued.

"Anyway, I thought we could just talk a little about what's going on. If you don't want to we don't have to though." It was always easier to be equivocal with Clary. Not to corner her. Open the door and let her walk through it. Draw it out of her without her realizing it. She took another big gulp of her drink, leaving only about ¼ left in the glass. Okay, maybe the straw would have been overkill. There was a long silence, but this time she broke it.

"Yes. I have been thinking about moving. You and Maia seem so happy with Simon and Jordan, you don't need me around all the time, and I can't bear the thought of Jace going back to school. I feel like he'd take a piece of me with him if he left. Jace and I talked about it a little, but not really that seriously. I don't know exactly how he feels about the idea,-" I cut her off.

"The idea of you moving closer to him?" I asked skeptically. That's not what I really thought she was suggesting, but I wanted to be very clear.

"The idea of me moving in with him. I love to go to sleep in his arms every night and wake up there every morning. I've been spoiled, if he makes me sleep in my own bed again I won't be able to fall asleep." She chuckled uncomfortably.

"I guess that makes me a crazy clingy girlfriend right? After just a few days and I want to live with him." I shook my head.

"You and Jace have always had a different relationship. It's like, in a bizarre way, he's spent the last two years courting you and now that you two are together it's like you've been together all the time over these last two years. You just fast-tracked through some of the initial relationship bonding and now have become inseparable. I don't know if it seems that crazy. I love Simon, but I flipped out when he mentioned moving in together, I didn't know if I was ready, I still don't know, I'm very independent. I wish I was as sure about living with Simon as you are about Jace. It's like you've become dependent on each other, but not in a bad way. Like being together makes you both stronger. Plus, I know you. You are the last person to do something like move in with somebody impulsively. I felt like it took us forever just to get you to sell your parent's house. When it comes to big decisions, you think them through before you take the plunge, you over think them. If you're ready you know it, maybe you're just afraid to actually take the steps." The last part had a double meaning, but I wasn't sure she picked up on it. I didn't want her to get too suspicious so I tried to circle back. She had just finished her drink. Her cheeks were getting pretty rosy, but I wasn't sure how much of that was the alcohol.

"Just talk to him and tell him clearly what you want. If he doesn't feel the same, which knowing Jace he might feel exactly the same as you do, he's impulsive, he loves you, which is something completely new for Jace, but if he doesn't want exactly what you want, I'm sure you two can reach a compromise you're both happy with. Don't fret about it. Enjoy your vacation." I handed her my barely touched drink and to my surprise she took it and took another gulp. Maybe I should have told her these things had vodka in them.

"Izzy can I talk to you about something serious?" Clary always would lead with Izzy can I talk to you about something serious? when she didn't want me to harass her or poke fun, she needed to talk about something, well serious. Ok so maybe the vodka was a good idea, we were getting somewhere.

"Of course." I said lightly. She took a deep breath and another gulp of her drink. There was a long pause. She was staring at her drink

"Do you really…bleed?...You know…the first time?" Her cheeks definitely looked red. Ah. So we were making progress. I reached my hand out and pushed her hair behind her ear gently.

"Not necessarily…Some girls do some don't…I wouldn't worry about that… you use tampons so physically you're probably no longer in tact, your hymen is probably gone, or partially gone…you might spot a little…but, I wouldn't worry about that…I still spot sometimes…you shouldn't really bleed, not unless it's rough-" She looked at me like she was frightened. I shouldn't have said that.

"No…Don't worry about that…If you bleed it should hardly be noticeable." She took a deep breath and then another sip of her drink, God it was half gone now. I gently rubbed her back.

"Does Jace know you're a virgin?" She nodded still looking at her drink. Well that was a surprise. I was beginning to think I should say something to him on the side, but I'm glad she told him.

"So don't worry about it. I'm sure he'll be very gentle with you. Just relax and keep a positive attitude and you'll be good." She smiled and gave me a somewhat amused look.

"What?" She took another sip of her drink.

"Do you find this conversation odd Izzy? Jace is your brother."

"No. Not at all. I've talked to Jace about sex. It's not odd to talk to you about sex." She looked up at me eyebrows furrowed.

"You talk to Jace about sex?" I nodded.

"I have. Yes." She shook her head slightly like she didn't believe me. She had such a curious expression.

"So. What other myths would you like to dispel?" She laughed an uncomfortable laugh. There was another long pause as she took another gulp from her drink.

"I've heard…it hurts…some people say…it hurts." I shook my head.

"It shouldn't…Not if you do it right…well unless you want it to-" She gave me that frightened look again. Shouldn't have said that.

"Never mind…If it hurts, it means you aren't ready…your body was too tense, you're too stressed…you physically weren't ready…you should stop and…well have more foreplay…third base is very fun…or just stop all together if you want to, but it should be pain-free. If you rush it or feel nervous and tense…it will hurt. If you're all stressed out and tense and inadvertently clenching all your vaginal muscles, you can't expect him to be able to comfortably fit his-" She cut me off.

"Izzy I get it." She was beet red.

"Have a lot of foreplay, that will mentally and physically get your body ready, go slow, and enjoy it, you'll be fine. It's not about what's at the finish line, don't sprint, it should take you some time to get there, enjoy the marathon. Unless you're blissfully relaxed before he's heading into home plate, you won't fully enjoy what fourth base has to offer." She nodded with an amused smile and drank the rest of her drink.

"Nice analogies Izzy." I put my arm around her, even though she still had on those smelly horseback riding clothes, and pulled her close to my side, rocking us both gently.

"There's no rush. Just enjoy your time together and see where it leads. If things are moving too fast and you start to feel uncomfortable, you know you've reached the boundaries of what you are ready for. You never have to do anything you don't want to. You can tell him to stop at any time."

"I know…I was just a little nervous." She said softly. I smiled.

"I know…Feel better though?" I said softly. She took a deep breath.

"Much." I nodded.

"Good." I leaned my head against hers.

"Izzy will you help me get dressed up tonight?" I smiled wilder.

"Definitely!"