A/N - So this is the final chapter to tie everything up. I want to thank all the readers out there that stuck with me. I knew this story took a lot of turns and became very confusing at times and I just hope I was able to tie everything together and not leave anybody with questions at the end. This was my first FanFiction and it has been so fun and rewarding. I don't expect to make a sequel at this time, but I already have a new story I'm working on and I've included a tiny teaser at the bottom. I'm hoping to get the first chapter of my new story out in a couple of weeks, but I don't know when exactly. If you're interested in reading another story from me keep an eye out for my new story or follow me. Thank you again for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing. You guys have been so encouraging you make me want to never stop writing!


Jace's POV

SEVEN YEARS LATER – FOURTH OF JULY WEEK

I stood out by the water with my dark green swim trunks on and my arms crossed over my chest. I looked out and watched the waves of the lake as they gently lapped against the sand. The early morning air was warm and still, but not yet overly hot. Without a breeze today it was likely to be another oppressively hot day. I loved being here, at the Lightwood cottage. With how busy our lives have gotten, I always look forward to this week we all spend together. Clary and I make it up here a few times a year, but no matter what's going on in our lives or where the wind takes us, the whole gang comes back once a year around Fourth of July. There wasn't a day that went by that I wasn't thankful for everything I had, but I always seemed to appreciate everything that much more this time of year.

I had to really fight the paramedics to be allowed to stay by Clary's side the night of the fire, but ultimately they reluctantly permitted me to ride in the same ambulance as her. She lost consciousness on the way to the hospital and as soon as we got to the emergency room they were rushing her to surgery saying I couldn't follow. The most terrified I had ever felt in my entire life was how I felt looking down at Clary's pale unresponsive face as they wheeled her away from me. I remember feeling so helpless watching my world crash down around me, but there was nothing I could do. I looked around the emergency room in a disoriented haze and saw all the people that had been injured in the explosion. So many people spoke to me, offered me soothing words, knew who I was, and yet, I didn't know who most the people there were. I wasn't in the waiting room but a few minutes before I was being situated in a wheelchair and brought into an examination room. I ended up needing close to seventy stitches besides a cast put on my leg which was broken in three places and a cast put on my arm that was broken in four places and needed three pins put in it as well.

I had asked the nurses and doctors a number of times how Clary was doing, and they just kept telling me they'd see what they could find out for me. I wasn't surprised at all that Robert and Maryse were my first visitors. I bombarded them with questions about Clary, but they didn't know anything. Robert had spoken with Will however, and he broke the news to me that Michael had to be brought to the hospital after all because the injuries he sustained were far past that which Will and Jem could handle on their own. Michael had lost a lot of blood and sustained a number of gunshot wounds, but he was conscious when he arrived at the hospital, which was a good sign. Robert didn't question my lack of surprise that Michael was alive, but I really doubted he was all that surprised either when he had originally spoke to Will. With the number of police officers hovering around asking questions about Michael, it was pretty clear they either already knew he had been admitted or would know soon enough. I knew if Michael was at the hospital, then he'd end up arrested and thrown in jail. Robert tried to reassure me he was going to do everything he could to help Michael legally, we just needed to focus on what was important right now, and that was getting him the medical assistance he needed.

Once I was able to freely have visitors, several people tried to fill me in as best they could on what happened that night. Although, without talking to Clary, Michael or Will, I knew I was missing a lot of the story. Several people had sustained gunshot wounds, with Imogen, Benedict, and Thomas being in the worst condition when they arrived at the hospital, but they were all out of surgery and in recovery by the time I was able to have visitors. I had found it odd that Izzy didn't come to see me for the longest time, but when she finally did she actually had news about Clary. Izzy was able to convince a doctor she was Clary's sister and he gave her a thorough update on how Clary was doing. Surprisingly the way she accomplished this was that she had the chain Clary had gotten from Valentine with the Morgenstern family ring on it. Izzy told me Valentine had given it to her in the library during all the commotion and he had asked that if she survived and he didn't that she give the ring back to Clary as something to remember him by. The doctor Izzy talked to said Clary was out of surgery, but still unconscious. Clary ended up needing surgery not only to remove the knife and repair the extensive damage to her shoulder, but to repair a deep wound to her leg. She had to have a blood transfusion and she also sustained a concussion. She needed a number of stitches to her head and to her arms. After one horribly nerve-racking night without being able to actually see or talk to Clary, I was able to be transferred so Clary and I could share a room until I was discharged. Though, even after I was discharged I pretty much just stayed by Clary's side every minute I could until she was finally discharged about a week later.

Robert told Clary and I that the fire took two days to put out and that Jonathan's body had been recovered and positively identified by Michael. Robert gave me my family ring and said that Michael had asked that he return it to me. I just slipped the ring back on my finger without asking where Michael had gotten it from, but I was pretty sure he probably took it off of Jonathan's corpse. Michael stayed at the hospital a few days, but he was under constant police watch and I wasn't allowed to see him. When he was finally discharged the cops took him away as I had anticipated. Since Robert was Michael's lawyer he could see Michael pretty much whenever he felt like it, so at least I could get regular updates on how Michael was doing.

The mansion was so destroyed and damaged from the fire that it took weeks to sort through the ruins for human remains. Clary and I were at the Lightwood's the day Imogen came to break the news that among the dead they were able to confirm the identities of not only seventeen guards, but Startweather, Seraphina, and Valentine as well. Miraculously there had been no other casualties. Based on all the stories I had been told of how the last couple hours of that night unfolded, I wasn't surprised when Clary cried after hearing the news. I think that was the first day I remember Clary putting back on her chain with the Morgenstern ring and she wore it everyday thereafter.

Robert was unbelievably able to convince a judge that Michael wasn't a threat to society and he was released on a million dollar bail. Seeing as Clary and I both knew that would be short lived, we didn't hesitate to plan our wedding for as soon as we could get a marriage license. It was a pretty sad looking wedding seeing as a good portion of the wedding party and guests were fairly banged up, but Clary and I didn't care, all we wanted was to get married and we knew we wanted Michael to be there. I'm not sure how exactly I lost Alec as my best man, but he ended up walking Clary down the aisle. I was able to find a pretty great substitute though, and Michael was very touched that I wanted him to stand up with me on my wedding day.

I was probably the only one trying to convince Michael to make a run for it, but with the fancy tracking device he had attached to his ankle, it didn't look like he could go far even if he wanted to. Although, I was pretty sure I heard him sputtered under his breath at one point that he could remove the piece of shit blindfolded. Michael didn't want to make a run for it, he was tired of always hiding and ready to just face the music. Robert was hopeful that the DA would be lenient and offer Michael a plea bargain if Michael told them what he knew. After Michael talked to the DA and cooperated with the police a great deal of the Morgenstern and Wayland assets were seized and an enormous debt was calculated as well. I'm not sure how taxes are supposed to be done, I have a guy do mine, but whoever was doing Valentine's taxes, were doing them very wrong. Of course when you're involved in illegal crap like money laundering, it's impossible to get your taxes done correctly. Clary adamantly didn't want to be involved in any of the legal aspects, and I didn't blame her, I really didn't want to be involved in any of it either. After much debate, Robert, Michael, the Lightwood's accountant, and me all sat down and painstakingly went through all the Morgenstern and Wayland affairs closely. All the property in Chicago and all the businesses around the world were sold, with no profit to show for it. The prize wining horses including one exceptional Frisian were also sold. All the cars that weren't destroyed in the fire were sold, including my new Ferrari and my BMW. I didn't see why I had to get ride of my BMW, but Michael was terribly concerned with how long my car was at the estate and he was petrified it was just a death trap at this point.

It took weeks to review and dissolve all the assets, and just when we were starting to feel close to finishing, we received a call from the fire department saying the Morgenstern safe was located intact; it was the only object in the whole mansion that wasn't completely destroyed in the fire. It took a locksmith two hours to get the thing open, but it included a variety of jewelry, over $100,000 in cash, a number of legal documents, and several ledgers which were vague at best, but Michael was more than able to decipher them and they were useful evidence to support Michael's case. The ledgers were submitted as evidence, but everything else in the safe was liquidated. The legal documents also indicated who the Morgenstern's personal attorney was, which had been impossible to figure out up until that point. Robert had to contact him, which just added several more grueling days to the process.

Michael's insurance policy from his "death" had to be repaid with interest, but after a long argument I walked away without a cent taken out of my own bank accounts. I wanted to give back the money, I should have never been given it in the first place, but Michael wanted me to have it, kept telling me to look at it as a wedding gift. A severance was also put aside to be paid to all the employees that had been on record as working with the Morgensterns. To the families of the guards that had died that night, Robert drafted documents that gave each family a generous sum of money in exchange for not suing Michael in the future no matter what the outcome of his pending case. Not surprisingly all the families signed, they would never have been treated so well by Seraphina or Valentine.

After pouring over the finances it was pleasantly discovered the majority of the Wayland money was legal. Although, the bulk of the money was tied to the mansion and to priceless artifacts within the mansion and they were all lost in the fire. On top of that, the insurance payouts were all pending Michael being found innocent of starting the fire, which nobody believed that would happen. After everything, Michael was still able to keep the estate and most importantly the manor, which had been completely untouched by the fire and was all he really wanted. There were still so many positive memories of the Wayland Manor that he felt made it worth keeping. He had no hidden jewels, priceless antiques, or stashes of money, and all the weapons from the basement were seized, but the rest of the house was perfectly kept intact just the way it had been when I was a child, right down to the last picture hanging on the wall.

Besides the estate, which even without the mansion was valued at close to a million dollars, Michael ended up with roughly 15 million dollars in stocks that had belonged to his father, but compared to how much money the Wayland family once had, it seemed like very little in comparison. After all of the accounting was finished it was found that the Morgenstern money was virtually non-existent. All of the Morgenstern money had been reduced to one single object; a quarter of a million dollar Harry Winston diamond wreath necklace. Though, I would have loved to sell the thing and invest the money, I could tell Clary was oddly attached to the necklace she was wearing the night of the fire, so I left the decision completely up to her. Ultimately she decided to keep the necklace. She referred to it as our emergency nest egg.

Robert worked very hard trying to get Michael the best deal he could and ultimately, after all the assistance Michael provided, he still ended up getting twelve years in prison with an option of parole after half his sentence was served. I took the verdict hard, but Michael was happy, he said it could have been so much worse and he was looking forward to serving his time and having a fresh start. I visited Michael often and brought him pictures of the progress that was being made at the estate.

It took months for the area where the grand mansion once stood to be completely cleared and leveled. The elaborate gardens were no longer tended to and turned into unrecognizable overgrown bushes with random marble busts situated throughout. The empty stables and barns of the main residence quickly became dusty vacant buildings surrounded by lush dense fields. Out of all the animals, we only kept Wayfarer and Blaze and so they were moved to the small Wayland Manor stables. I loved having Wayfarer right on the property whenever I could make it up, so instead of moving him to another stable, Thomas was offered a permanent full time position as a grounds keeper, which predominately meant doing light landscaping and taking care of the horses. I had taken off the fall semester that year and Clary ended up quitting her job at the bank, so we spent a great deal of our time at the Wayland Manor House. We straightened up the manor, took down all the white sheets, and gave the place a good top to bottom cleaning. I pretty much packed up my entire room, donating a good portion of the stuff and keeping a small box of things. We swapped out the twin bed for a queen and set the room up as a spare bedroom we could use when we were there. We liked the Manor House and we liked our cozy little spare room, it was our home away from home. We spent a lot of time that fall at the property, but by the spring semester we were both enrolled at the university and attending classes, so we were venturing up to the Manor House less and less.

I heard a high pitched laugh and I broke out of my thoughts as I turned back towards the cottage just as I saw her barreling down the hill. I smiled as she bee lined in my direction. Her strawberry blonde curls bounced at her dainty porcelain shoulders, the long ties from the oversized black bikini she had on nearly dragged against the ground. Her emerald green eyes sparkled mischievously. A huge smirk lit up her face. I caught her quickly into my arms and swung her up into the air as she let out a peal of laughter and wrapped her arms around my neck. I gave her a big kiss on the cheek.

"Where did you get that bathing suit?" I mock scolded as I tickled her stomach and she threw her head back with a squeal.

"It's mommy's." She said in her musical sweet little four year old bell of a voice. I smiled as she leaned her head against my bare chest and I followed her gaze up towards the cottage.

We watched as Clary descended the hill. She was barefoot. She had on a pretty light green sundress with spaghetti straps and an empire waist that curved over her noticeably bulging belly and hung down to just above her knees. Her long auburn red hair flowed freely as she walked, curls swaying down over her shoulders. Her eyes were narrowed, her lips pursed, her hands on her hips. She wasn't happy. I leaned down and whispered in my little angel's ear.

"Did mommy say you could wear that?" Her little head shook dramatically.

"Alexis Celine Wayland I told you to take that off." Alexis crossed her arms and jutted her chin in the air with an indignant look.

"Hump." Her little voice chimed. I tried to suppress a laugh, but she was so damn cute I couldn't. Alexis laughed responsively in my arms.

"Jace, don't you encourage her." Clary scolded as she reached her arms out and scooped Alexis out of mine. Alexis wrapped her arms around Clary's neck with a smile.

"Do you hate me mommy?" Alexis asked as she smirked and laid her head against Clary's chest. Clary's smirk turned into a smile as she rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"You know mommy loves you." Clary said sweetly. Alexis's whole face lit up as she sat up, she knew she had won. Alexis picked that little phrase up from me about a month ago, Clary wasn't too happy about it, but Alexis knew Clary would melt every time she said it.

"This one's yours." Clary muttered. I put my arms around them both and gave my heart, my soul, my love, a gentle kiss on the lips. Alexis giggled.

"Think fast Jace." I heard Izzy yell from the cottage. I looked over to see an almost two year old bolt of lightening headed my way. Short white blonde curls spiraled in all directions, his tan muscular arms pumping with determination, and his dark blue Mickey Mouse swim trunks sitting too low on his hips. I reached my arms down towards him as he attempted to dodge out of my way. I tackled him from behind and swung him into my arms like a baby as he struggled and protested. Izzy walked leisurely down the hill. She had on flip flops and wore a black pair of terrycloth shorts and a dark red bikini top. Her black hair was pulled up in a messy knot. I refocused my attention on the struggling two year old and looked down at golden protesting eyes.

"Where do you think you're going tough guy?" I asked sarcastically. He continued to struggle in my arms. I walked the few paces back over to Clary and Alexis. Clary was suppressing a laugh.

"No daddy. Want down. Auntie says I swim too." The little firecracker in my arms belted out, kicking and flailing about. Izzy shook her head not even ten feet away.

"No Billy. Auntie said maybe if you went swimming too you'd actually go down for your nap." Billy shot Izzy a little glare as he continued to struggle in my arms. Clary rocked gently side to side with Alexis on her hip.

"Hear from Maia or Jordan?" Clary asked Izzy.

"Yep. Another false alarm. Jordan says Maia's uncomfortable and exhausted, but she should have the twins any day now. He'll keep us posted and call us as soon as the babies are born. It's only a four hour drive back…" Clary nodded. I lost track of their conversation as I continued to try to position Billy to keep him from wiggling, but he was relentless. I could tell he had something hard in his pocket that kept jabbing into me.

"What's in your pocket?" I muttered just as much to him as to myself. He didn't acknowledge me as he squirmed. I finally got my fingers in his tiny little pocket. It brought a smile to my face as I pulled out the all too familiar toy soldier. I was surprised how apprehensive I was about giving Billy the little collection of toy soldiers, not because I thought he would destroy them, I was afraid he wouldn't want them and they had meant so much to me. He didn't seem thrilled at first, but when Clary had told him they belonged to me when I was a little boy and I had actually made them myself, Billy just seemed to see them in a whole new light; they became his favorite toy by far and he had to bring at least one of them wherever he went. It always brought a smile to my face when I saw him with one of those soldiers.

"Mine!" Billy snapped sounding rather indignant as he snatched the little soldier out of my hand and shoved it back in his pocket. I didn't even have time to react when I heard Clary giggle and I looked up to see her looking right at me, her pursed lips trying to suppress a laugh. Clary shook her head at me.

"Give me him. Take her." She said as she rolled her eyes, a smile still playing on her lips. We jostled the kids between us. Billy immediately stopped struggling and Clary held him comfortably on her hip. He always does that. He never struggles for her. He's definitely mama's boy.

"Billy honey. Mommy said you could go swimming when you get up." Billy shrugged.

"I'm up." He said so matter-of-factly. I shook my head as Clary suppressed a laugh. She spoils that one. Izzy was now next to us and smiled as she reached over and plucked Alexis from my arms.

"Want to go swimming with Auntie?" Izzy said in a sweet kid voice. Alexis giggled and nodded her head adamantly.

"No! Me swim." Billy protested.

"Auntie can take you both swimming. We just need to get your swimmies on first. Uncle Simon's coming out-" Before Izzy could even finish Billy spotted Simon coming down from the cottage.

"Uncle Si. Uncle Si. Uncle Si." Billy chanted as he began to struggle in Clary's arms. She put him down and he jetted towards Simon. Simon was wearing black swim trunks. He knelt down and scooped Billy up in his arms and proceeded down the hill.

"Not in that suit Izzy." Clary reprimanded and gave Alexis a firm look. Izzy whispered into Alexis's ear and her whole face lit up.

"What did Auntie tell you?" Clary asked suspiciously.

"She'll bring me shopping and buy me new clothes and my own black bikini." Alexis chimed as her eyes sparkled. Clary shook her head.

"Oh no Izzy. You are not playing dress up with my baby girl." I snapped. I reached out and attempted to pluck Alexis from Izzy's arms, but she held firm to Izzy's neck and I gave up.

"Daddy please." Alexis begged as she jutted out her bottom lip and batted her eyelashes. I shook my head with a smirk.

"This one is supposed to be mine?" I muttered. Magnus was just coming down from the cottage barefoot, with fluorescent blue swim trunks, and matching fluorescent blue glittered tips in his short spiky black hair. Alexis lit up when she saw him and struggled in Izzy's arms. Izzy put Alexis down and she took off. Billy had struggled out of Simon's arms at some point and Simon was chasing him around the yard. Izzy stood mock pouting with her arms crossed as she watched Alexis rush to Magnus.

"I always thought I'd be her favorite auntie." Izzy said sarcastically. Magnus scooped Alexis up and her fingers went straight to his glittery hair. He delicately swatted away her attempts to latch on to his sparkling tips. Clary chuckled.

"It's the glitter Izzy. Don't take it personally." Clary joked, though it was probably half true. Alec trailed closely behind Magnus; he wore dark blue swim trunks. His hair was overdue for a haircut, it was just about ear length, messy and tousled, with glitter throughout, which was really unusual for Alec. The sun caught the glitter in Magnus and Alec's hair and it sparkled incessantly. Alec quickly caught up to Alexis and Magnus and Alexis nearly jumped into Alec's arms, her hands flying into his hair. Alec didn't stop her reaching hands and she ran them through his hair and pulled them away to look down at her sparkling fingers.

"I guess it is the glitter." Izzy mumbled. My eyes followed my energetic bolt of lightening as he seemed to be venturing closer to the driveway than I'd like, Simon still tailing him, but not as closely as he had been before.

"Billy. Not too close to the driveway." I yelled up, but Billy just seemed to ignore me as he ran between Magnus and Alec whacking them both on the legs as he flew by, just missing Magnus's reaching hands. Simon threw me a quick look.

"I think your dad and Will are here Jace." He shouted back. Of course when I told them both we were arriving last night and would catch up with them today, I should have expected they'd be here bright and early.

My eyes flashed up to see Will and my dad just coming into view. My dad was juggling a number of big boxes of fireworks in his arms. I couldn't help absentmindedly thinking most of those fireworks were probably illegal in New York. I just rolled my eyes and shook my head.

"Gampa!" Billy shouted as he raced towards them. My dad noticeably tried to shift the fireworks in his arms as Billy jumped up and latched on to his bent arm causing him to drop one of the boxes nearly on Billy's head.

"Are you watching your son?" I muttered under my breath to Clary. She never missed a beat with her conversation with Izzy, but she glanced up towards Billy and rolled her eyes with a chuckle.

"Hey buddy, I'll pick you up as soon as I put these down." My dad said affectionately as he smiled down at Billy. Billy's arms were hanging latched around my dad's bent arm as he seemed to be trying to walk up my dad's side. What a little monkey.

"What are you doing little Will?" Will said with a chuckle as he swooped down quickly and scooped Billy up, throwing him up and onto his shoulder. I could hear Billy's laughter as they all descended the hill. Simon came over to us and Clary and Izzy's idle conversation ended as Simon gave Izzy a peck on the lips. He took his hand and gently placed it on Izzy's stomach rubbing circles.

"How do you feel?" He asked softly. She smiled and put her hand on top of his on her stomach.

"Good. I only threw-up that one time this morning..." She smiled as he scrunched up his face.

"…I still look pretty damn hot for being knocked up." Izzy smirked. Clary glared at her.

"Watch your tongue. Alexis keeps asking me what things mean that she shouldn't be hearing." Clary scolded. Izzy rolled her eyes. Simon wrapped his arms around Izzy and continued to talk quietly. I put my arms around Clary and pulled her close to me. She wrapped her arms around my waist and I brought my lips to hers. I didn't deepen the kiss, but I let me lips linger. As I pulled back, her eyes twinkled and her cheeks were slightly flush.

"How do you feel?" I asked quietly. She smiled and took a deep breath.

"Alright. This one's a lot more active than the other two were. He didn't let me sleep much last night and I think he's trying to see if he can kick his way out." She shrugged with a little chuckle. I pulled back just a little and splayed one of my hands against Clary's belly leaving the other one wrapped around her.

"He?" I asked skeptically with a smirk and one eyebrow cocked as I moved my hand slightly so it was directly over the little kicks. Though we didn't know if this was another girl or boy, Clary was adamant she was having a girl, she didn't know if she could handle another energetic stubborn wild child like Billy. I was adamant it would be another boy; I just couldn't handle the thought of another girl I would have to keep guys away from as she grew up.

"She." Clary countered.

"He." I said again with a smile as I rubbed small circles against the little kicker. She rolled her eyes.

"She." Clary snapped a little sharper.

"He." I said softly.

"Really? You want to fight with a hormonally imbalanced woman Jace?" Clary snapped. I wrapped both my arms around her again and gave her my best puppy dog face.

"Do you hate me?" I teased. Clary rolled her eyes as a smile crossed her lips.

"You know I love you Jace." She said sweetly.

"I love you too Clary and I love Alexis and I love William and I'll love this baby too, whether we have another little girl or another little boy." A smile lit up her face as I brought my lips to hers again. I kissed the love of my life as I held her tightly in my arms. I had everything I could ever dream of, I had two healthy beautiful children with another one on the way and I had Clary.

THE END


Below is a short Teaser for my upcoming story.


Counteracting Fate

Teaser

Clary's POV

It was one of those moments where I was having a complete out of body experience. I was in the room with everybody else. I was all dressed up like everybody else. I decorated, I did this, I made this place look like heaven. I arranged the whole party; we were in my apartment, our apartment. The difference, what separated me from the rest of our friends and family, why was everybody else screaming and excited rushing over for hugs and handshakes, while I was standing here like I had just suffered from a minor stroke. The word passed through my head again and again engaged. I swear I could taste vomit in the back of my throat.

"Ok, let's get you some air before people start asking questions." I heard Izzy's soft voice in my ear and felt an arm around my shoulders as she quickly ushered me into the kitchen shouting who wants Champaign over her shoulder. We were on the veranda a moment later. It wasn't an elaborate balcony or anything, it was about four feet by ten feet, pretty much just big enough to grill on, but it was one of the things I loved about this apartment. My hands clenched to the railing and I hung my head down over the side, reminding myself that if I threw-up from the twenty-second floor it wouldn't go over well for anybody below.

"I take it you didn't know." She said quietly as she rubbed my back. I shook my head.

"No." I spat out sounding a lot like I was about ready to break into tears. Izzy stroked my hair gently.

"The place looks amazing." She said softly. I scoffed and glanced at her sideways.

"You knew?" It sounded more like an accusation than a question. Izzy's cobalt blue eyes softened as she looked back at me. Her long midnight black hair seemed to find just enough of the moonlight to bounce off of her perfectly curled ends.

"He said he wanted to be the one to tell you." She said gently. Her hand reached towards my face and wiped away a stray tear I hadn't realized had fallen. My mind tried desperately to figure out how I had let it get this far.


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