Author's Note: Salut! I got a few ideas that I would like you to comment and vote on for new names. I'll probably use them when updating my other stories as well, so choose wisely!

1. "MAGNUSIFICAL" from 59

2. Cornelius beans from ThatOneLife (who also liked William lovers…just saying)

3. "call us your llamas" so…MY LLAMAS! From LazyLittleLlama677 (Llamas are cool)

4. Cookies from MyHavenisBooks (*smirky face*)

So…VOTE! BE HEARD! Or comment more options…do as you please.

Clary

Jace had gone off to work and deciding I needed to get out of the house for a bit, I decided to pay a visit to my neglected studio. The entire shop was quite when I entered, considering it was fairly early in the morning. I was just getting into the groove of a new painting when I heard the from door jingle brightly.

It was only when I heard a voice calling out that I decided to investigate. Wiping my hands on my apron and placing my brush down in a bowl of water, I made my way to the front rooms where some of the art was on display for sale.

Standing, observing one of the other artist's works was a tall, thin woman, her hair tied back in a severe bun at the nape of her neck.

"Hello?" I say, trying not to startle her if she had not noted my presence.

"Are you Clarissa?" she asks, pulling her eyes to look at me. Though her back was ramrod straight, her eyes twinkled with warmth and amusement, taking the edge off my nerves.

"Yes, Clarissa…Wayland," I smile, feeling the tingling in my toes at the name.

"Wayland?" the woman approaches me, holding out a hand, "I heard a Clarissa Lewis painted here,"

"I was married," It was surprising how easy it was to admit, as I shake the woman's hand "Not anymore,"

"Ah," she nodded, "Well, I heard about a very talented young woman and I had to come look at her work," she smiles broadly, indicating the wall that did hold my work.

"Are you interested in buying anything particular?"

"Oh, I'm not buying, I have a little job for you dear," this piqued my interest, "I work at the hospital over on Sycamore and the child's wing is so drab. We've recently been given a grant to spruce up the place, and what better way to do so than with a bright mural,"

"A mural?" I was astounded. I had never drawn on anything large than standard canvas.

"Yes, a full wall mural. Your work is just so bright and warm; I think you'd be perfect,"

"I'd be honored; maybe we can set up a meeting. I can check out the space and we can discuss the whole thing in greater detail," I was trying to remain professional despite the bubbling in my gut. I couldn't wait to tell Jace.

"Perfect! Here's my card, my name is Janice by the way, Janice Pierce," she hands me a small white card with her name and number before leaving the gallery. Only when she was gone and I was back in my gallery did I allow myself to shriek in excitement. My first mural.

Jace

It was hard leaving Clary, so damn hard. She had been wearing my high school jersey this morning as she made us a quick breakfast. And damn, did it look good. Her eyes had been sparkling and her hair was in a messy bun on her head, proudly displaying 'Wayland' spread across the back.

When I walked into the office, I was a changed man. I had always been polite, but never quite so happy and open. She made me want to sing from rooftops. So yes, people noticed.

Drifting through the office, I didn't notice my secretary was not at her desk. The usually plump and warm older woman had been replaced by a young dark haired girl, chomping away on a piece of gum.

"Where's Rose?" I blurt, breaking her intense stare at her nails. Her head snaps up before her eyes move over me from head to toe. The stare makes me want to shuffle my feet, but I simply stare into her eyes when they return to my face.

"She called out today," the woman purrs, "I'm a sub,"

"That's nice," I reply, wanting to get away from that obvious look she's sending me, "Just take my calls and that's about it. You get an hour lunch at noon and can leave by three," with that, I walk into my office and shut the door.

I was completely immersed in my work when there was a knock at the door. Hoping it was a surprise visit from Clary, I beckoned the knocker in. But it was only the sub.

"Mr. Wayland, I was wondering if I could make you coffee, or get you…anything," her blouse was unbuttoned a bit farther than this morning and her skirt was inappropriately short.

"I'm fine, thank you," I averted my eyes back to my computer screen and when I heard the door shut, I did not expect the padding of feet across the floor. Before I could ask her to leave, she was leaning across the desk, hands braced on the top.

"Are you sure?" she asks, voice low and husky. Jace was losing his patience. Work flings had never been my cup of tea; far too messy. And I hadn't so much as looked at another woman since Clary came back into my life.

"Yeah, my fiancé made me a wonderful breakfast this morning, and even made me a lunch, so I am good to go," the hint was anything but subtle, and the look on her face said it was necessary.

"Well, I'll be outside," with a flip of her hair, she left the room, leaving Jace to simply shake his head.

***Page Break***

Returning home that night, seeing the windows lit with buttery light made Jace happier than ever. The house was cool against his slightly sweaty skin and he cooked smell what Clary was cooking. She truly had become sensational in the years they had been apart. He remembered all the failed attempts they had made in those long summer days.

Most of the time, it was just the two of them left to their own devices, having parents that worked full days. He wouldn't give those memories up for anything.

"I have news!" Clary calls from the kitchen. Jace smiles as he sees her dancing about, filling their plates with the night's meal, spaghetti and meatballs, his favorite. With crispy garlic bread and homemade sauce.

"What's your news baby?" he asks, grabbing cutlery and the bowl of bread she had placed on the counter.

"A woman, MS Pierce came by the studio today," he could see the smile widening, "and she asked me to paint a mural in the children's wing of the hospital!"

"That's incredible!" he wrapped her in a deep hug, so proud of his girl.

"I'm so excited," she says into his chest. He was warm and hard, but soft in all the right places.

Placing a kiss to the crown of her head he responded, "I'm proud of you Clary, my little artist,"

***Page Break***

The next day, Jace went back to work, and to his dismay did not see Rose. Only the sub from the day before, whose name he had not even bothered to learn. Asking on of the other receptionists on the floor when Rose would be back, he was disappointed to hear she'd be gone all week.

"I hear you'll be sticking around," he says to the sub, grabbing his mail from the small basket on the desk.

"Yeah, it's great. I really like it here," she smiles at him, a predatory glint in her eye.

"So does Rose," with that, he entered his office once more. He knew Clary was not the jealous type, and that there was nothing to worry about. Just something about the woman made him want to talk to Clary.

She was at the studio again, working on her latest set for her fall gallery, so he didn't want to bother her, though he resolved to tell her about the sub that night.

Happy with his plan, he got to work opening emails, responding and checking the quarter sales. At least until he was interrupted by a call.

"Wayland speaking," he said absently, trying to crunch numbers in his head.

"Do you really have a fiancé? Or is she just a cover?" the voice was slightly familiar, and it sent a burst of irritation through him.

"She's very real, very beautiful, and very much everything I want and more," with that he hung up, grabbed the work and made for the door. Working at home it was.

That afternoon, Clary found him working at the kitchen table, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, tie abandoned before him.

"I didn't expect you until tonight," she smiles, running her hands down his shoulder blades before kissing away the furrow between his eyebrows. His muscles uncoiled at that, and when she went to walk away, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into his lap, "Jace!" she laughs.

"I missed you," he nuzzles her neck, placing open mouthed kisses along the skin there.

"I missed you too," she sighs, "Are you okay?"

"Just the sub secretary," he mutters.

"Is she bad?" she asks, massaging the kinks in his neck before moving to massage at his scalp.

"Just…forward. She keeps eyeing me and trying to flirt. It makes me uncomfortable," he says, shifting pointedly. To his surprise, Clary only laughed.

"Well babe, you are very attractive. I'm sure Rose will be back soon," she placed a chaste kiss to his lips before moving to make lunch, "But if it makes you uncomfortable, just go to H.R and file a complaint. Disorderly conduct, unwanted advances, however you'd describe it," she placed a sandwich before him, dropping a kiss to his cheek, "You shouldn't feel uncomfortable in your workplace,"

"I'd rather you just come and show her exactly why I'm eternally faithful," he mutters, biting into his sandwich.

"She knows you have a fiancé?" she asks, biting into her own sandwich.

"I've mentioned you twice already," he affirms, "Maybe I'll just work from home until Rose gets back,"

"No, go into work babe," she grins, "Maybe I'll just have to pay the office a little visit,"

"That's my girl," he smirks.

***Page Break***

The next day, when Jace asked if he'd be seeing Clary at the office she only have him a coy grin and a kiss on the lips. So there he was, eyeing the clock as he sat in his office. He had been at work for nearly two hours, but when he'd left, Clary had been still in bed, sketching in her sketchbook.

He had nearly talked himself into work when he got a call from the lobby line.

"Yes?" he asks

"We have a Mrs. Clarissa Wayland, sir?" Tony, his head security guard said into the receiver.

"That's my fiancée Tony, you can send her in," Jace was smiling, standing from his desk.

"Oh, congratulations sir! I'll let her right up," with that, the line died and Jace returned the phone to its place. He walked to the door and waited a few moments before he opened it. Standing in the doorway, his gaze glued to the elevator, he did not notice the look the still-nameless sub gave him.

"Mr. Wayland?" she finally said.

"Cancel my appointment this afternoon," was all he said, meeting her eyes for a brief moment, hearing the elevator ding.

Looking up, he wasn't sure it was Clary walking toward him. A woman in a knee length, body hugging black dress stepped off the elevator. Her heels clicked on the floor, drawing attention to her toned creamy legs. On her face were large, dark sunglasses giving her a mysterious edge. Her blood red lips smiled at him as she removed those sunglasses, pressing them into her glossy red locks, straightened to fall past her waist.

"Who's that?" the sub asked.

"I'm Clarissa, Mr. Wayland's fiancée," Clary said, voice clear and strong. The sway of her hips was clear as she got closer, a breath away, "hello dear," she said.

"Hi," he smiles, reaching back for his door handle, "I'll be at lunch with my fiancé, hold my calls," he did not wait for the answer before he lead Clary back to the elevator. A hand around her waist, they waited. When they entered, Jace had not chance at halting Clary as she pulled him in for a mind-bending kiss, lip to lip, that seared his very soul.

Long after the doors shut did she pull back, swiping the red lipstick from his lips, fixing her own as well.

"Do you think she got the message?" she grins.

"One would think so," Jace laughed as they rode the elevator together. God, did he love this woman.

***Page Break***

The meeting with Ms. Pierce, Janice, went well. Clary really liked the woman and vice versa. They had worked well together, planning the mural and other small paintings for the rooms. Clary had never been more excited to get her hands on some paint.

She was starting her first day, nearly three weeks after that first meeting with Janice. She was simply planning it all out, as she did with any canvas. She was nearly done with the outline when her phone began to ring.

She and Jace were due to have Will and Tessa over for dinner, so she was expecting one of them, not the breathless voice that greeted her. One that made her blood run hot and cold all at once. One she had not heard in months.

"Clary!" this snapped her from her daze.

"Izzy?"

"Clary…ahh… I need-I need your help," her voice was strained and she seemed to be in quite a bit of pain, "No one else- no one can help,"

"What is it?' she asks apprehensively, though she quickly began packing her things.

"The baby, the baby is coming," her heart dropped at the words.

"The baby? The baby is coming! Where is Simon?" urgency made the name roll out easier than ever.

"He's at some history conference in Florida. Alec is on a cruise with Magnus and…Ahh…my mom is on a business trip in Taiwan," Clary was waiting for the elevator. When they were growing up, Clary had always imagined being there for Izzy when she had babies, but in these months, that had not been even an option.

Yet…here it was staring her in the face. Could she hang up? Let this woman that had been her friend for so long, give birth all alone?

"Where are you?"

"At home," Izzy rasped. Magnus had spoken briefly of the new home her and Simon had bought…two streets away from Sycamore.

"Be at your door, I'll be there in five minutes," Clary said, running to her car, keys jingling in her other hand.

"Please hurry," Izzy cried out, "and Clary"

"Yeah?" she was now in the driver seat, staring out her front windshield as she started the car.

"Thank you,"

****Little Break***

Clary thanked God for every green light she got. Her heart was racing as she drove; suddenly realizing she wasn't exactly sure where the house was. She promptly called back Izzy who gave rather calm directions for a woman going into labor. Another blessing.

When Clary pulled up, Izzy was right in front of the door, a bag at her feet as she held her swollen stomach, breathing.

Clary leaped from the car and ran over, gently grabbing the other woman by the arm, gingerly walking her to the passenger seat before running to grab the bag. When she returned, Izzy had tied her hair from her sweaty face, and was clutching the panic bar with her eyes closed.

"You're not going to do this alone," Clary grabbed her hand and drove like hell to the hospital.

She walked Izzy right in, shouting for a nurse, shouting a woman was giving birth. When she went to follow them back, Isabelle's hand painfully tight around her own, they tried to stop her.

"Family only sweetie,"

"I'm her-"

"Cousin, she's my cousin, the only family I have," Izzy wheezed, not releasing Clary's hand for a moment.

"Alright then," the nurse nodded, wheeling her to the back. They promptly got her into a hospital gown and had a doctor come to assess her condition.

A far way off, she had said. Izzy almost looked ready to cry.

"I want it out! Clary, I want it out!" she yelled as she paced across the hospital room and back. Clary would have laughed, almost did. Until she remembered how this wasn't just Izzy, but her ex-husband's mistress. It made the whole situation weirder when she thought about it that way.

Nearly two hours later, after a rather harsh contraction, Izzy was drifting nearly to sleep, skin shimmering with sweat, loose hairs pasted to her forehead. And that's when Clary's phone rang. Stepping into the hall, she answered.

"Babe, where are you? Tessa and Will will be here any minute," I was Jace. Sweet, lovable Jace, worried about where she was.

"I'm with Izzy," she began.

"What?"

"She's- she's giving birth. There was no one around and she called me. I couldn't let her do this alone," he was silent on the other end, but then he spoke, and she wanted to kiss him.

"I'll be there in 20 minutes, let me just tell them we have to reschedule,"

"I love you," she smiles.

"I love you too,"

Hearing Izzy stir behind the door, Clary walked back in. The other woman was writhing in bed, features colored in pain. The doctor stepped in behind Clary and asked Izzy to lay flat. With much coaxing, she complied.

"It's happening," the doctor confirmed, running to get nurses to assist in the birth. In that moment of silence before chaos, Izzy grabbed Cary's hand.

"I'm scared," she said, eyes brimming with tears.

"We'll do this, together," Clary told her, "I'm here," and that was when Izzy truly began to cry.

"I miss you," she sobbed, "I miss you more than you can imagine. I know I was horrible and unforgivable, but you are just so good and pure and I hate myself knowing how I hurt you,"

"Let's not do this now-"
"No, I have to say it," Izzy took a breath, "It didn't seem real, doing what we did. Until you found out. It all hit me. I was the other woman, the other woman to my one true friend, and it kills me inside,"

Clary didn't know what to say. She hated wanting to comfort Izzy through this, but the utter self-loathing didn't satisfy her, it simply made her tired. Oh so tired.

"I was going to leave him, end it all. But then I found out I was pregnant. I can't raise this baby alone,"

What Clary said next, it wasn't to make Izzy or even herself feel better. The words were bred from the fact that this woman before her was no more than the little girl that skinned her knees and lost her teeth. This was little Izzy, scared and feeling so alone. And it was Clary's love for that little girl that made her say, "You are not alone, not when you have me,"

Those big brown eyes met hers, "Leave him if you need to leave him, but don't stay because you feel you have to. If there is anyone that can make it through this, it's you. And I forgive you,"

That's when the doctors came in and asked if they were ready.

One final look in each other's eyes and Izzy spoke, "Yes,"

They were ready. Ready to have this baby, ready to stand on their feet, and ready to move on. They were ready, especially to meet this beautiful baby girl that would bring light from so much dark.