Jace was starting to worry about Annika. She'd been avoiding him for a couple of weeks now and he didn't know why. Okay so maybe she wasn't totally avoiding him. When he texted her she'd always reply just with one word answers. When he asked if she was okay she'd say she was fine and not reply again. When he suggested they hang out she'd said she was busy and stop answering. He knew she was alive, or at least well enough to use her cell phone, but that was about it.

"I think something's wrong," Jace said. "She's usually so blunt about everything. This passive-aggressive ditching is so unlike her."

"Maybe she is fine and busy," Alec suggested. "You said she started a new job right?"

"Yeah," Jace replied. "She's a junior accountant at a hotel downtown."

"Sounds like a big deal to me," Alec said. "You are probably overthinking this."

"You just want to change the topic to the house you looked at yesterday," Jace laughed.

"Guilty," Alec admitted. "But I do think Annika is fine and you don't need to worry so much."

"Okay fine," Jace sighed. "Tell me about the house."

It only took about five minutes for Jace to regret this statement. Once given free rein Alec started talking about houses like they were his firstborn son. Jace tuned in just enough to reply in a way that made it seem like he was listening.

Jace was saved from Alec's monologue by the arrival of Clary who was home from work. Before Alec could start his house enthusiasm up again, Jace changed the topic by asking Clary about her day at work.

"Oh the usual," Clary responded. "People tried on clothes, I got the clothes for them and then folded them and put them all back once they decided not to buy them."

"Sounds dull," Alec replied.

"It wasn't all bad," Clary said. "Watching Izzy work was pretty hilarious. I swear that woman is running on adrenaline right now. She's like an energizer bunny." Clary giggled and Jace couldn't help but stare at her. It was amazing to him how she could get more beautiful each time he saw her even if she hadn't technically changed at all. Maybe it was just that his memory couldn't do her justice. Jace loved how Clary never wore any makeup. He loved the way the sun coming in through the window made her hair sparkle. He loved the way her nose crinkled when she laughed.

"That's what she gets for mixing her exams with her wedding," Alec replied in an 'I told you so' kinda way.

"Have you heard from Annika yet?" Clary asked, taking Jace totally off guard.

"Nothing more than what's become her usual excuse," Jace answered. "Working late."

"You two need to stop worrying," Alec said. "She is probably just working late."

"Just because a friend doesn't ask for help doesn't mean they don't need it," Clary told Alec off in an authoritative kinda way.

"I suppose that's true," Alec admitted.

"I really don't have enough friends to afford to just let them drop off on me," Jace replied.

"Sure you do," Alec said brightly. "You have me."

Jace couldn't help but laugh at that. Clary too was laughing beside him.

"But can you fix a sink?" Clary said to Alec through her laughter.

"I'm more the 'call a plumber kinda' guy," Alec admitted.

"So to rephrase," Clary continued. "Jace doesn't have enough handy friends to let one of them ghost him."

"Oh hush you," Alec grumbled.

"On that note," Jace chuckled. "I should really be getting home."

"Thanks for coming over buddy," Alec said with a wave. "See you later."

"Yeah later," Jace waved back, then he turned to Clary. "It was nice to see you."

"You too," Clary smiled back.

Jace wanted to say something else to her but couldn't think of anything, so he turned and left. He couldn't help but wonder what Alec and Clary did after he left. Magnus would likely be home from work soon too and then it would be the three of them. Jace couldn't help but be a little jealous of the three of them as he headed back home to his empty apartment. It was a new kind of lonely living alone and the longer he did it the less Jace liked it, but where was he supposed to go? Living with a stranger didn't really appeal. That felt like going backwards. He could only put off his apartment problem for so long.

Jace got off the bus and walked up to his building. His circular thoughts carried him up the stairs and into his apartment. Maybe he should just suck it up and put out an ad for a roommate? What were his other options? Moving into a smaller cheaper place by himself felt just as depressing as staying here. What he really wanted was someone to come home to, but getting that was proving to be more complicated than he'd once thought.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Jace picked up his cell phone and to his great surprise realized Annika was calling him. He picked up at once, unsure what to expect.

"Are you home?" was all she said. Jace responded with "yes" and she hung up.

Confused, Jace could only imagine this meant she planned to come over, but it was almost eight o'clock at night. There was a time when such a phone call at such a time was very easily interpreted but their booty call days were long over. So what was going on?

About a quarter of an hour later, when he heard the buzzer, Jace let Annika into the building and a few moments after that there was a knock on his door.

Jace went to answer it and sure enough, here stood Annika, looking rather anxious. Jace thought that at least he was going to find out what had been going on with her these last few weeks.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi," Jace answered. "Long time no see."

"Yeah sorry about that," Annika replied as she moved forward into the apartment and closed the door behind her.

She took a deep breath. Jace could tell something was bothering her, but he hadn't a clue what it was.

"So there's something I need to tell you but I need you to let me finish before you say anything okay?"

Jace nodded. It seemed a simple enough request.

"Okay," Annika said. "Okay, okay, kay kay kay kay… so how do I say this?" She took another deep anxious breath. "Right, well, where to start. See I've always had really irregular periods so missing one never really worried me. Happens a lot. Missing two didn't even really bother me either but then after the third month, well, I thought I might as well check since it wouldn't amount to anything and long story short... I'm pregnant. Totally not planned and no we didn't forget the condom one time. All I can think is that it broke, but that hardly matters now." She paused for breath. If Jace had been allowed to talk he wasn't even sure what he'd say. His mind was blank.

"And just to get something out in the open, I am not the kind of girl who'd marry a guy just for knocking me up, especially a guy I know is so completely in love with someone else. So if even the tiniest hint of that idea is floating around your stupid head I want you to squish it! We were never a couple let alone romantic and I have no interest in a relationship without the feelings behind it regardless of what is growing in my uterus."

"Why would you assume I'd want to propose?" Jace asked.

"You seem like the type," Annika replied. "But I said not to interrupt." Jace fell silent again.

"By the time I went to the doctor a couple weeks ago and found out it was almost too late to really choose if I wanted to keep it. What little research I did on second trimester abortions didn't look like fun and even if that were the case I've always wanted kids even if not right now and not like this. Just couldn't bring myself to think about getting rid of it so I guess I just wanted you to know you are going to be a father and you don't really get a say in the matter."

She stopped talking, but Jace didn't want to assume that meant she was done.

"That's it really," she continued after a moment. "I don't expect anything from you and I won't ask anything of you. I just thought you had a right to know."

Jace waited again to see if she was really done.

"You can talk now," Annika added sheepishly.

"I'm glad you aren't getting rid of it," Jace began. "And I would never have proposed even if you think I 'seem the type'." Jace couldn't help but chuckle. She hadn't known him before he met Clary so she can't know how totally and completely ironic her assumption was.

"There is however one point I can't agree with you on," Jace continued firmly. "I want you to expect things of me. Just because you are unwilling to ask doesn't mean I don't want to give. I want to be a father. Maybe this wasn't quite the way I pictured it but I won't be one of those dads who isn't around."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "Because this isn't going to be easy."

"Nothing worthwhile ever is," Jace replied without hesitation.

"So what you're suggesting is that we raise this kid together as friends?" Annika said with hesitation as if she wanted to confirm what he meant.

"Yes," Jace stated firmly.

"Works for me," Annika replied. "But only if this is really what you want. I'd rather you not be involved at all then chicken out half way through."

"I promise this is really what I want," Jace beamed at her. "I won't flake out." It was a strange feeling. Thanks to Clary, Jace knew with perfect clarity what it felt like to be in love. With that same knowledge he knew he and Annika had never even approached romantic affection let alone love. Apart from the fact that she was a beautiful woman, his relationship with Annika had always reminded him of hanging out with Alec. Yet, now he was facing a future in which she would always be a part of his life, thanks to the person they would soon have in common.

"Well that's a relief," Annika added slightly awkwardly. "Cause I'm almost five months into this whole thing."

"Five months!" Jace exclaimed. "How can that be possible?"

"As I said my period didn't really clue me in," Annika explained. "Plus I didn't get any morning sickness or gain any significant weight. I was a bit tired, but I just thought that was because of my new job. I was a bit more hungry but I've never been the type of girl who watches what I eat. I took one sniff of that jerky you had and finished the whole bag but I thought it just tasted good. How was I supposed to know there was more going on? I myself didn't find out until I was over four months along and then it took me a while to pluck up the courage to tell you."

"So that's why you've been avoiding me lately," Jace said with sudden understanding.

"Yeah," Annika said. "I'm a chicken," She shrugged nervously.

"For no reason," Jace laughed. "I thought you'd have known me well enough to know I'd want to be involved."

"What can I say? I'm hormonal," Annika replied.

"No kidding," Jace laughed. "Oh and you know what this means." He was still laughing as she shook her head. "I have the rest of our lives to try and beat you at Mario Kart or at the very least the hope that one day our kid will beat you at Mario Kart."

"Oh shove it," Annika grumbled, hitting him with all her might in the shoulder.

"Ouch," Jace laughed. To be honest it did actually hurt. Like him, she was an athlete and quite strong. It was only then that he noticed the change in her wardrobe from the last time he'd seen her. Gone were the days of spandex and tight fitting shirts. Today she had on a slightly baggy sweater, but apart from that she really looked the same. It was hard to believe she was so far along.

"Are you sure you're five months?" Jace asked. "I mean you barely look bigger."

"Hey I'm just going by what the doctor said at the ultrasound," Annika replied. "I can hardly believe it either."

Moving forward Jace pulled on her sweater to try and tighten the fabric over her stomach. Now that he was looking for it there was a slight bulge but not more than some women got from eating a large meal.

"Do your clothes still fit?" Jace asked.

"Most of them," she replied. "Just some of the super tight stuff isn't very comfortable."

"So weird," Jace murmured. He couldn't help but stare at her stomach. The idea that there was a person in there seemed almost like a miracle to him. To make something so big and important from someone so small was both the most impossible and most normal thing in the world.

"Hey dumb blonde," Annika stated loudly as she waved her hands in front of his face to get his attention. "Stop looking at me and think. Do you know what this also means?" Annika asked him as if he were missing something very obvious.

"What?" Jace asked, finally pulling his gaze from her abdomen back to her face.

"Oh I don't know, maybe it has something to do with a certain woman we both know that you're madly in love with," Annika began, but Jace didn't need her to finish her sentence.

This was it. The solution to his dilemma. He didn't have to choose. Thanks to this miraculous accident Jace could have everything he wanted!

"If this was a cartoon a light bulb would have just appeared over your head," Annika chuckled. "Took you long enough." She paused for just a moment before adding. "What are you still doing here? Go find her!"

"Right," Jace said quickly and bolted from the room.

Did anyone see this coming? I've had this planned for SO long that it almost feels wrong to actually upload it. lol. The second half of this chapter has been written for months and months and months while I waited for the rest of the story to catch up.

Annika has been pregnant this whole time she just had no idea. I never thought I'd write a storyline like this because it felt so silly to me. I mean how could you not know? But then I was pregnant and now I get it. If you don't know why you feel off, you'd totally assume it was something else. It wasn't until I could feel my son moving inside me that it really felt like I was pregnant. Before that, it's very easy to write off typical pregnancy symptoms as nothing but a cold or stomach bug. I also follow an OBGYN on youtube who gave me some ideas for this plotline too. ^_^

Sneak Peek Chapter 202

It was past eight o'clock by the time any noise outside her room could distract from her mindless youtube binge. She could hear a voice in the living room that wasn't just the married couple squabbling. Curious, despite herself, Clary closed her laptop and finally got out of bed. She had to stretch for a moment, having gotten stiff from sitting still so long.

Then suddenly Clary froze. She recognized the voice. It was Jace.

Why was he back so soon? Was something wrong? Did this mean he'd finally decided? Did this mean she would lose him forever? Clary had almost been enjoying this little world of hope she'd been living in since they'd become friends again. If he'd made a decision that meant everything could come crashing down.

Then again, maybe she was being too pessimistic. Maybe Jace was just here to see Alec for something. Besides, if it was bad news it hardly made sense for him to rush over and tell her, right?

The fact of the matter was that she'd never know what was going on if she didn't open her bedroom door and find out.

Taking a deep breath, Clary moved her hand forward towards her door handle. She could do this. She needed to do this.