Clary was so sick of planes. There was nothing like flying half way around the world to make you miss the ground. She was tired, acky and now that the captain had turned the seat belt sign back on she nervous at seeing Jace again. She knew she'd been the worst girlfriend ever, not making time for his calls or video chats. She hadn't even texted him much. It had just been too hard. She knew it wasn't a good enough excuse, and her stomach twisted into a knot just thinking about it, but at the time none of him had felt easier than so little of him. Not seeing his face had seemed more bearable than seeing him, but being unable to touch him. Clary had therefore focused all her time and energy on art, painting, school and Paris. She had had a marvelous time, but now she was facing seeing him again, and there was a tight feeling in her chest she shouldn't shake.

Of course, there was another reason why she'd been such a horrible girlfriend, but Clary didn't even want to think about that right now. The captain had announced their arrival, and it was time to face the music.

Clary felt the pressure change in her ears before she felt the plane's wheels hit the ground. Slowly, the huge metal tube moved down the runway until it parked near the terminal.

Clary decided to let the other passengers get off ahead of her. It was easier to wait than push through the crowd, and it also gave her more time to compose herself. Everyone was in such a hurry as if those extra few moments they'd save by dashing out of the plane would actually cut down on their travel time. It reminded her of the way some cars overtook vehicles going the speed limit just to get stuck together at the same red light anyway. Like, what was the rush?

As the plane become more empty Clary got up and began to collect her bags from the overhead compartment. Carry-on in hand, Clary did one last check to make sure she had everything. Then she walked off the plane and directly into the air conditioned hall of the Toronto airport.

"Home sweet home," she whispered to herself.

Looking up, Clary saw the baggage claim signs and made her way in that direction. But when she passed a bathroom Clary decided to take a little detour. Standing in the mirror Clary appraised herself. She looked like she'd been sleeping with her head mashed into a pillow for hours, which of course, she had. Getting some water on her hands Clary tried to fix her hair with marginal success. There was jet lag bags under her eyes, but Clary knew there was nothing she could do about those. She did not feel beautiful at all, but rather like she needed a shower and good night's sleep.

Oh well. This would go the way it would go. Jace was either still interested, or he wasn't. They'd either survive the time apart, or they wouldn't. But either way, standing here in this bathroom would get her nowhere. She took a deep breath before leaving the safety of the washroom.

She continued to follow the signs until she came to a large room with yet unmoving baggage conveyors. Her eyes circled the room until they found his face. Those bright golden eyes stared back at her, and for a moment she drank in the sight of him. Jace looked exactly the same. Blonde hair, strong build with soft eyes. Gorgeous. Then everything around him came into view, and she realized that her two best friends were standing with him.

"Missed you!" Simon moved forward to greet her with a smile and a hug.

"Biscuit!" Magnus grinned. "Skill testing question for you. How many croissants did you eat?" Clary laughed, slightly because she'd sensed he'd meant to be funny, but she'd hardly heard him. Her eyes were locked with Jace's, and had been since the moment she'd entered the room.

The rest of the world fell away as she looked at Jace, trying to take in every inch of him. It was strange because she knew what he looked like, but it had been so long some of the details felt new to her. His lean slim muscular build she'd recalled, but those long eyelashes had slipped her mind. And had he always dressed this way? He was wearing dark blue jeans, and a black button up shirt. The whole look was very dark, almost solemn, but his smile was welcoming.

"Hello," Jace finally spoke. It was the first thing she'd heard him speak without the interference of a phone or laptop speaker in so long, the words almost didn't sound right.

"Hi," Clary replied with a nervous laugh.

And then there was silence. Jace was looking at her and she stared back at him, but no one made a peep. Then Clary heard the thud of the luggage conveyors starting to move.

"Oh geez, really?" Magnus whined. "You're gonna do this, huh?" She could almost hear his eye roll in the tone of his voice, though Clary hadn't moved her eyes off Jace's face. "Haven't seen each other in ten months, and we get silence and staring. Yep, makes total sense."

Clary ignored him, and so it seemed did Jace.

The sound of the conveyors was overshadowed by the thuds of suitcases sliding down the shoot.

Clary wasn't sure if she should speak first, and she was even more unsure of what to say. How did you tell the love of your life that you weren't sure the same person he'd said goodbye to now stood before him?

"I-" Clary started, but stopped. And silence fell again.

"Good to see you," Jace finally mumbed. She could tell now how nervous he was, and it was making her feel less and more nervous. Slowly she moved towards him, reaching out her hand. The second her finger touched his hand some invisible barrier broke. Clary was pulled swiftly and firmly into his arms. Jace's grip was strong and she could feel just how much he wanted her there, right there in his arms; she felt her whole body relax at his touch.

"I don't have words for how much I missed you, Clary," Jace whipsered into her ear. Clary's stomach did a strange flipping thing like it had when they'd first started dating. The tightness in her chest had melted away. It was the strangest feeling she'd ever experienced. For somehow this moment felt both like meeting someone new, and returning home at the same time.

She wasn't sure how long they stood like that. Just holding each other in a hug that felt like it would never end. The thudding of suitcases continued, but Clary paid it no notice.

"Hey love birds," Simon's voice interrupted them. "Which suitcase if yours?"

"Oh, the black one with the purple and blue ribbon," Clary answered as she turned out of the hug to face her oldest friend, but she didn't let go of Jace's hand. "And I have another one too that's more like a big backpack with the same colour ribbon on it."

"Did a lot of shopping in Paris, huh?" Magnus asked.

"Well it was Paris," Clary chuckled.

"Fair point," Magnus replied as he moved to stand watch over the falling luggage. Simon followed him, leaving Clary and Jace semi-alone a few meters away.

Clary held Jace's hand firmly in hers, but neither of them spoke, and after a moment Simon and Magnus's voices reached their ears.

"I can't wait to see the look on Izzy's face when she realizes Clary got to shop in Paris," Simon was laughing. "I wouldn't even be surprised if she tries to get a shopping trip to Paris out of her parents for her birthday or something."

"Those Lightwoods are spoiled if you ask me," Magnus laughed. "Just wait till you marry one. Then you'll be in for all kinds of strange first world problems."

"Oh please," Simon scoffed. "There can't be a downside to marrying into money as long as you marry for love."

"Oh, but there is," Magnus replied. "Don't get me wrong. I love being married to Alec, but I am pretty sure some of the jobs I applied for only interviewed me because I'm Alec Lightwood's husband. I got asked some strange questions about my personal life in those interviews."

"Oh wow," Simon chuckled. "That I did not know. So basically what you're saying is that you ended up as a trophy husband."

"Urg," Magnus whined. "Sounds so cheap when you say it like that."

"Just telling it like it is," Simon replied.

"You just wait," Magnus's voice answered with a hint of a threat.

"I really don't think Izzy and I are there yet," Simon laughed. "So that's future Simon's problem."

"That logic," Magnus chuckled. Then his voice shifted as he added, "Oh look, a purple and blue ribbon." There was a loud thud just seconds later, and Clary assumed Magnus had lifted it off the conveyor.

"Besides, seems to me like there are worst problems to have than being a trophy husband," Simon added from where they'd left off. "And now we are just waiting on the backpack."

"Yes you are right," Magnus replied. "Still I don't get why people are so weird about it. I'm a person outside of my marriage. Stupid Lightwoods, and their owning half the country."

"There there," Simon sniggered. "Maybe if you work real hard you'll have poor people problems again." The laughter and silence that followed made Clary sure Magnus had glared daggers at Simon.

"Hush you," Magnus scoffed. "Watch for suitcases like a good little Sherlock."

"Ha ha, very funny," Simon's voice answered tonelessly. "How's getting to know dear old dad going?"

"Urg," Magnus whined. "Don't ask."

"That bad huh?"

"No, it isn't even that," Magnus replied. "He's been great. It just feels too good to be true, and I can't tell if I'm just a jaded skeptic, or if he really is just trying to be nice."

"That sucks- oh look ribbon number two," Simon interrupted himself. Clary heard movement again before the sound of an object being lifted of a moving conveyor.

Assuming the two of them were headed back towards her once more, Clary focused her attention back to what she could see instead of hear. For her eyes had been locked with Jace's golden ones the entire time her ears had been taking in Simon and Magnus's conversation.

"So who's winning the staring contest then?" Simon asked. "Because loser buys lattes."

"And by that he means loser's friend buys lattes," Magnus smirked. "Is this you volunteering then?"

"Oh shut up," Simon replied with a wave of his hand. "Shall we go?"

Clary nodded. She was eager to back home again, though she couldn't quite remember what home looked like. It felt strange actually to call that apartment home after resting her head somewhere else for so long.

"You'll notice neither of them offered to carry a bag," Magnus remarked as they began walking towards the exit.

"Ah yes, how sneaky of them," Simon replied. "I wonder if Jace would even notice if I throw the bag over his shoulder."

"Did you see his face? My money is on no," Magnus answered. Simon chuckled a little, but as far as Clary could tell neither of them actually intended to try to hand off any luggage.

The moment they left the airport, and Clary breathed in the fresh canadian air, she realized just how horrible Pairs air is.

"Wow, home smells good!" Clary said, stopping mid stride to take a few deep breaths.

"It's just air," Simon shrugged.

"Yeah, but it's such clear air," Clary replied. "Try breathing in Paris for a few months and you'll agree with me."

"Never been," Simon replied. "But I'll take your word for it."

Clary hadn't once let go of Jace's hand since that first moment they'd touched, even now as they approached what looked to her to be Will's big blue truck. It almost seemed to her like if she let go he might vanish in a wisp of smoke or something. It felt good to hold onto a piece of him, to be able to feel his presence there even if she wasn't looking at him while they walked.

"I know why you wanted us to come along now," Simon said with narrowed eyes as he and Magnus were tossing Clary's suitcases into the back of the truck. "You just wanted someone else to carry her stuff so you could get all snuggly with your fingers."

Jace didn't reply so Clary said smiling. "Such wonderful friends I have."

Simon rolled his eyes and went to get into the front seat. Magnus got into the drivers side, and Jace pulled Clary gently into the back beside him.

Tired and feeling very comfortable at Jace's side, Clary closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder. For the moment everything was alright. She wasn't going to worry right now. She would just be. Focusing her mind on his breathing and her own, Clary took in her new reality. She was home.

Figured I'd kept you guys waiting long enough. ^_^ So is this what you were expecting?

Chapter 152 Sneak Peek

Moving past her bookworm nostalgia, Tessa picked up the next book to be shelved on the trolly. It was a rather peaceful task, shelving library books. Tessa found it relaxing to make up their index numbers and make sure each one went in its proper place. She'd been volunteering here for quite a few months now and it had become her quiet me time. At home with two partners and a child there was always someone who wanted her attention, but here in the library surrounded by books Tessa was totally and completely at peace.

It didn't mean she loved Will, Jem or Lucie any less. In fact, it probably meant she appreciated them more. Spending four afternoons a week here had been the best decision she'd made in years. Tessa had even signed up for a couple classes come September. She had dropped out after her third year so doing classes part time Tessa was pretty sure she could finish her Bachelor's in two years which was fine by her. What was the rush anyway? After all Tessa enjoyed studying English and taking more time to get it done didn't bother her, especially as she had very little idea what she was gonna do once she completed it.

Finishing the stack she had left, Tessa moved away to go fill the trolley once more. Pushing it down the endless rows of books she liked to glance at the titles and see how many she knew.