It was a strange habit, but one Jace had taken to doing every weekend. He wasn't sure why he was here, but somehow it made him feel better.

"This seat taken?" a soft female voice spoke beside him.

"I'm married," Jace said to try and get the girl to go away.

"I don't see a ring on that finger," she replied.

Seized with a sudden idea, Jace reached for the bowl of pretzels and put his finger through one of them as if it were a ring.

"You're funny," the girl giggled and sat down anyway.

Jace sighed. Maybe the bar wasn't the best idea. Usually people left him alone, but tonight didn't seem to be one of those times. With a sigh, Jace turned to face the women. Her skin was fair but not as pale as Clary's. Her hair was done up in ringlets of blonde and brown, and she was wearing a bold red lipstick with smokey eye make up. All her body language screamed 'touch me.' It was moments like this when Jace realized just how empty his old lifestyle had been. There was no challenge in picking up women who came to bars. For all he knew, out in daylight these women were well respected professionals, or at least studying to be such, but here it was different. This bar was about hiding your open wounds with the temporary bandage of a strangers company.

"A penny for your thoughts," she asked.

"Oh you don't want to hear my thoughts," Jace replied.

"Maybe I do," she smiled.

"Alright, but you asked for it," Jace began. "Look around this place and you will find not a single happy person." He turned and added, "Okay, maybe those people in the corner with the birthday hats are having a good time, but in general people come here to escape something, usually that something is inside their own hearts and minds." He paused to throw back half his drink. "There is no challenge in exploiting the pain in someone else to help ease your own. The real challenge is in recognizing that pain for what it is, and moving past it of your own power. Instead of covering the problem, face it head one and then just maybe you have a shot at being happy."

"I don't think I have a come back for that," the women smiled. And she got up and left. Jace sighed. If pretzel rings didn't get rid of them, speeches sure did. Downing what was left of his drink, Jace got up and left the bar.

As he walked home, Jace checked his phone. No new messages from Clary. He thought about texting her - something simple like 'hey' - but with her so busy he felt like he was a nuisance to her, and he didn't want that.

Jace started counting on his fingers as he walked. She'd left in mid August, and it was nearing the end of November now so… that was over three months that she'd been gone. Jace sighed. That still left seven months to go. The thought was more depressing than he believed possible. He was already forgetting what it was like to touch her. He could picture Clary's face perfectly in his mind, but the feel of her skin against his had somehow slipped through the sieve of his mind.

Thoughts of his beautiful redhead faded from his mind as Jace approached his front door. He could hear raised voices from the other side. Curious beyond his powers to simply back away, Jace moved forward.

"I can't believe you!" a woman's voice yelled with such force it could be easily heard through the door.

When Jace poked his head through the door he recognized who had spoken. It rather amazed him how little Paige sounded like herself. He'd never heard her raise her voice before, not even a little and yet here she was, screaming at the top of her voice to a rather terrified looking Jordan.

"Maybe I should go," Jace offered, trying to back away.

"No stay," Paige snapped, turning to face him. "Listen to this. After a year together! A whole year, he finally tells me he loves me right before he explains that in order to figure this out he had to sleep with another woman."

"That isn't what I meant," Jordan pleaded.

"Oh, well what else did you mean by it then," Paige snapped.

"Hey, you knew I was broken when we met," Jordan stood to his defense. "And you took me anyway."

"Clearly I didn't realize how broken," Paige yelled back. "How was I to know that a year of my life later, and you'd still be broken!"

"What can I do to make it up to you?" Jordan asked.

"Nothing!" Paige yelled. "I could have forgiven a lot of things, but not this."

"Please," Jordan tried again. "Don't say that."

"Cheating without love is forgivable," Paige began firmly. "A moment's lapse in judgement doesn't negate all the time that came before, but I can not forgive that it took you sleeping with the last woman you loved to realize that you loved me." She paused, taking a deep breath before facing him and saying. "Goodbye Jordan."

Then to Jace's surprise, she walked towards her now ex-boyfriend and took both his shoulders in her hands. "I've known I was in love with you for months now, and I would have told you so if I thought you'd have said it back when I did." Then she kissed him.

Jace was sure she'd meant it as a quick kiss, but Jordan seized the opportunity to pull her closer. Paige kindly but firmly pulled herself away, collected her purse and made for the door.

"I'll pack up later," she told Jordan. Then she turned to Jace and added, "Come with me."

"What, me why?" Jace asked confused.

"I need a drinking buddy," Paige explained, as she pull Jace along by the arm. Jace decided it was best to go with the flow, rather than face Paige's newly single wrath.

Within the hour Jace found himself right back where he started: at the bar. Though this time instead of giving life advice to some stranger, he was sitting next to a women who wanted to be drunk more than anything in the world, even if she wasn't having much luck.

"Love is stupid," Paige stated bitterly.

"Not sure I'm the right person to rant to about love," Jace offered.

"Oh, but you are," Paige said, ordering another drink. "Where is your soulmate, huh? Oh yeah that's right, getting hit on by french guys with sexy accents."

"I think you've had enough to drink," Jace offered.

"Oh please," Paige snapped. "I don't even have a buzz yet." She accepted the drink the bartender offered and began to sip this one rather than throwing it back in one go.

"I just can't believe him!" Paige ranted. "What a waist of a year! And now I have to move. Plus all my friends are his friends, and I have to get through another year and five months of school before I can leave this place." Her voice turned to a whine as she added, "I'm gonna run into him in the halls, aren't I?"

"One problem at a time," Jace tried to comfort her.

"Maybe I should just change schools," Paige sighed, all her energy vanishing at once.

"Don't be silly," Jace smiled. "You still have friends here. Clary adores you."

"Clary hated washing dishes," Paige laughed. Then her laughter faded. She took a sip of her drink and added, "You know how it is when you think you have your life figured out? It's like you can see the whole thing laid out in front of you. It's so solid, so real that when it all falls away you aren't really sure where you stand anymore."

"I know how that feels," Jace said.

She turned to him then, her eyes taking him in a way they hadn't before. "You know what's really annoying," Paige scowled. "Somehow you got hotter."

"Huh?" Jace asked stunned.

"I mean you were always hot, but without Clary you must be living at the gym because I swear your arms didn't used to be that thick," Paige explained.

"Um," Jace mumbled. "I um- well I have more free time so…"

"Have you ever wondered what it would be like if we made a go of it," Paige asked him, far more earnestly than he'd expected. "I mean we both wants kids one day. We work well together. I can't speak for you, but I'm definitely attracted to you." She didn't seem that drunk, and Jace had to take her question seriously.

"I love Clary," Jace stated softly.

"Yeah, but do you really think the two of you are going to be on the same page by the time she gets back?" Paige asked. "Jordan and I couldn't even be on the same page while living in the same apartment. Clary wants very different things from you."

"I know," Jace sighed. "And I won't lie. The idea scares the hell out of me, but I can't be the one who gives up first. I have to wait for her to get back and give us a real chance before I can even think of doing anything else."

Paige sighed. She took a big gulp of her drink before adding, "I'm sensing a pattern."

"Oh?" Jace inquired.

"My pattern," Paige continued. "I must have a thing for men in love with someone else they can't get over. Why do I think I can fix people I don't know."

"You like to see the best in people," Jace smiled at her. "And there isn't anything wrong with that."

"Except when it comes to bite me in the ass," Paige sighed.

"Don't change who you are just because once being yourself hurt you," Jace replied.

"Yeah yeah," Paige scoffed. "Don't pretend like you're all wise with all the wisdom, just because you changed your lifestyle for a girl."

"Wise with all the wisdom?" Jace chuckled.

"Hey, I'm drunk," Paige defended herself. "You try and make good comebacks when you're drunk. It's harder than it looks."

"You aren't that drunk," Jace reminded her, one eyebrow raised.

"Whatever," Paige scoffed, finishing her drink and ordering another one. "Is it my fault I hate the taste of alcohol."

Paige finished her last drink, pulling a disgusted face as she did so. "Okay, that's my limit," she stated sadly. "I better get home to pack."

"You shouldn't have to move out," Jace told her. "Jordan should."

"Oh yeah, and where is he gonna go?" Paige asked. "For that matter where am I gonna go?"

"I'm sure Alec and Magnus wouldn't mind you staying with them," Jace offered. "Just till you get back on your feet. I can ask for you."

"That's very kind," Paige sighed. "But I don't want to be a bother."

"I promise it isn't a bother," Jace smiled. "I know it's what Clary would want. She'd never leave you out in the cold."

"I didn't even tempt you, did I?" Paige sighed.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Jace chuckled, refusing to tell her that her offer had so far been the only thing that came even close to tempting him. Every other woman who'd propositioned Jace since Clary had left hadn't even made his radar, but with Paige Jace could almost picture it. It was a testimony to how much Clary had changed him that only a real chance of a future could tempt him at all. Though he wasn't about to tell anyone, Jace had to forgive himself for indulging the idea for a moment; he was after all only human.

"I hope Clary knows how lucky she is," Paige stated, soberly.

"I know how lucky, I am," Jace replied, easily.

"You aren't as broken as you think you are, Jace," Paige told him kindly. "Don't sell yourself short."

Jace just smiled, unsure how to answer. Then Paige stood up. "Time to crash at Malec's, I guess," Paige sighed. "Or maybe I should pack first?" She sighed, leaning her head back.

"I can help if you want," Jace offered. "Collect a few things at least before you head over. In my experience everything is bleaker without a toothbrush and a clean change of clothes."

"Fair point," Paige replied.

"Oh and can I tell Clary that you guys broke up?" Jace asked as they left the bar together. "Or do you want to keep it under wraps?"

"She's across the Atlantic," Paige shrugged. "Even if I did, who's she gonna tell?"

"Simon?" Jace suggested.

"Oh please," Paige scoffed. "Simon probably knew before I did."

Awws you guys. I got more reviews than normal like you were trying to cheer me up. *HUGS* As a reward I give you this chapter a little early. I had planned on holding onto it for a few more day since only 158 people have read the previous one. But YOLO, reviews must be rewarded!

So who has an opinion on the Jace/Paige scene they just read? I'm SO curious about what you guys think of this one. :)

Guest Review:
oh, c'mon, we do review!

My Reply:
Sure you do… The problem is that writers (and therefore me) are needy and I remember how many reviews I used to get. Though it seems for this last chapter I must agree with you. :D

Sneak Peek Chapter 137

"Ain't got a soapbox I can stand upon," Izzy began the song once again from the beginning. "But God gave me a stage, a guitar and a song."

An adorable smile on his face Simon sang with her, "My daddy told me, son, don't you get involved in. Politics, religions or other people's quotes."

"It's a good thing I love you," Simon chuckled as they once again finished singing the song together.

"Oh and why is that?" Izzy teased.

"How else am I to put up with you," he laughed, pulling her in closer and kissing her deeply this time. Izzy quite forgot where she was, all her attention on her boyfriend's wandering hands, before the oven timer interrupted them.

"Cookies are done," Izzy chirped as she got up very quickly, straightening her clothes as she did so. She was quite impressed to discover Simon had gotten half the clasp of her bra undone.