AN: I apologize if you were looking for detailed deed doing, but this story is rated T, and let's be honest, my M material would be corny, cringy and just…*shudder* Imagine it, or don't, but we do fluff and humor here, no lemon-nothing. Sorry my dear chickens. Enjoy some fluff then bridal shower times!

What comes after

Clary

It could have been a dream. The past few months with Jace, the proposal, what came after…it could have all been a dream to wake up from at any moment. After we had gotten home, the urgency just seemed to slip away and suddenly, we had all the time in the world. Never had I experienced such tender and loving care. Never had I felt so sexy and empowered. There was just something about knowing you were undeniably loved by someone that craved you just as much.

Jace had been sweet and comforting and perfect. Even as we lay together this morning, the sky gray with storm, my heart could not be any brighter. Jace was sleeping on his back, his face turned towards me as one arm rests over his stomach and the other was stretched over to me. His chest rose and fell with even breaths as I brushed his hair from his eyes.

Last night, I had not even looked at the ring, but waking up this morning it caught my eye, a large diamond in the center of a silver band, two smaller diamonds on either side. It wasn't the ring itself that caught my eye, but what it meant. I was going to marry my best friend, and the love of my life.

I was admiring the ring when Jace began to stir, his arm resting around me tightening before pulling me completely on top of him, only a sheet separating us. Squealing, I reach up to pull the sheet over my chest.

"My sweet flower," he chuckles, voice ruff from sleep as his eyes open and his hands bunch the sheets at my waist.

"I love you," I smile, kissing his grinning lips. In the kiss, his hands link with mine and his thumb brushes back and forth over the ring.

"I love you, my wife to be," he beams, eyes crinkling with how large he smiles, "When are we getting married?"

I laugh and he seems to rejoice at the sound, "Slow down cowboy,"

"I've been waiting two months to give you that ring, and nearly a decade to marry you, if I slow down anymore, I'll have gray hair in all our wedding pictures," he pouts.

"Soon, love, I'll marry you soon as possible,"

"Not nearly soon enough," he mutters, "How's Friday?"

"Like in four days Friday?"

"Yeah, we could always push it to Saturday if you want," he smiles, arms tightening around my waist and I could see that he would be fine if I were to agree with the ridiculous notion.

"How about, before the end of next year?" I ask. These things took time, and no one even knew yet.

"How about before my birthday?" he asks, "I would really like a wife for a birthday gift," his fingers caress the skin of my hip as his eyes drift down to my hands on his chest.

"I think we can make that work," I whisper warmly, lying down on his chest. Eight months. Jace's birthday was in eight months.

"Perfect…a wife for my birthday," a chuckle alerts me to the mischievous thoughts in his mind, "And a baby for Christmas!"

"Jace!"

"You don't have to go. I'm sure Magnus will understand," Jace says from the doorway of the bathroom as Clary put on her earrings. Her hands fell to her sides as she looks up to her fiancé. He was still in his pajamas, and had sex-hair from the night before.

"I need to do this, for us. For me," she replies, placing her hands on his shoulders. Though his arms had been crossed before, he easily unravels them to pull her close.

"I can come with you," he offers, his chin resting on her shoulder.

Clary sighs as she runs her hands down his bare, smooth back, "I need to do this on my own, and besides, no men are allowed,"

"That's stupid," Jace grumbles, "And Magnus is going,"

"But he planned it,"

"Fine, fine," Jace grins, "I'll just have to wait for my brave girl here," he kisses her nose.

"I love you," her voice is a whisper, but Jace still hears. He always hears.

"I love you too, more than you can imagine,"

Magnus greeted Clary at the door, leading her into the venue. The party would take place in a country club, overlooking a beautiful garden. It was elaborate and over-the-top, just like Isabelle.

"You look ravishing my dear," Magnus grins, his arm looped with Clary's.

"As do you," she grins, Magnus was in a lavender suit with a crisp white shirt that was undone at the top. "How are Alec and the boys? Little Max is already 6!" The Lightwood-Bane family truly became complete when the men adopted a young boy on one of their trips to Mexico. They had stayed in the country for nearly a year to get everything sorted out, but the little boy had been worth every moment.

"They're great! Max is completely fascinated by Raphael, he always wants to hold him and play with him, giving Alec a heart attack in the process," the duo giggles as they enter a large ballroom with about a hundred pasteled women milling around. Many had swollen bellies and tired faces while others were bright and polished.

"She insisted we invite the entire birthing class, I've never been yelled at by so many pregnant woman in my life, then had to comfort them," he sighs, rubbing a hand across his brow and down his face, "I'm going to need a vacation after this party," Cupping Clary's hand between the both of his, he finally noticed the ring. Jace and Clary had remained in their own bubble, hardly leaving the house in the two weeks since he'd proposed; only telling Ma and Will.

"Is that a ring I feel on Miss Clary's finger?" he asks. Clary nods softly, a grin pulling from ear to ear at the thought of Jace.

"He wants to get married before his next birthday," she tells him.

"In eight months?" he seems horrified

"In eight months,"
"Then Tessa and I have to get to work!" Magnus begins prattling on over flowers and bridesmaid dresses and colors, but is mercifully pulled away by a waiter claiming Mrs. Lewis needed him. Tessa had divulged the details from Magnus on Isabelle and Simon's shotgun wedding after her mother found out she was pregnant. Hardly the happy ending Clary remembered Isabelle imagining.

"I'll be back dear, just…mingle, try to have fun," and then he was gone. Clary looked about and found the dessert table. Oh, she would have fun in deed.

Clary was on her tenth creampuff when she got a text from Jace. It was a picture of Cornelius sitting on his chest while lying on the couch, We miss you, it said.

Clary took a picture of the cream puff tray and sent it to Jace; These are helping fill the void.

It continued that way, Jace sending increasingly sad pictures from all over the house, some even in black and white, while clary kept sending pictures of the beautiful pastries, cakes and cookies laid out, yet no one else had touched.

Suddenly, a microphone boomed and Clary turned to find Magnus at the front of the room holding a champagne glass. Beside him was Mrs. Lightwood, Isabelle's mother and Isabelle. Clary had not seen Mrs. Lewis around, yet she wasn't sure what she would say if she did.

"Mrs. Lightwood would like to say a few words," Magnus introduced, handing the microphone to a forcefully-smiling Maryse.

"Thank you Magnus. I would just like to say, I am extremely excited to be a grandmother once again," Clary had seen her with Max and it was a sight to behold. The harsh women became soft and tender and downright lovable, "Though it was a struggle to get here, every child is a blessing," she seemed to be looking for someone in the crowd as she lifted her glass. When she found Clary's eyes she held them, even as she took a sip of her champagne, handed Magnus the microphone and walked right up to her.

"Can I speak to you?" she asks. Clary simply nods. She had known the woman all her life, and all she could manage was a nod. Maryse led them out to the garden and seated herself on one of the stone benches. Clary sat besides her, leaving a few inches between them, and waited for Maryse to speak.

"I'm sorry," she says, nearly jolting clary from her seat, "I'm sorry you had to go through something like that. Isabelle became a kind of woman I always hated, stealing someone else's husband,"

Clary sat in shock as the woman continued, "But she's my daughter, my only daughter. And I had to forgive what she'd done even though I don't expect you to," with that she got up and left Clary without another word. When she had finally gathered the courage to go back in, she grabbed her bag and went up to Magnus. She thanked him for inviting her and said she had a nice time. When he asked her to stay for the games, she merely declined.

Walking to the doors, she caught Isabelle's eye. They weren't as bright as they used to be, not as fierce and wild. She was duller, older looking now. Not a girl Clary knew anymore.

Heading to her car, Clary's phone buzzed with another picture of Jace. This one had a tub of frosting that said; Now I'm eating my feelings. She laughed. Laughed hard and long in the parking lot all by herself. And when she stopped and got into her car, she felt lighter than she had in years, lighter than the day of her wedding, or the day she met Jace, or even the day he proposed. She had moved on, and she would only continue to move forward.

She sent one last picture, this one of the steering wheel, I'm coming home.