Author's Note: Hey! I was on vacation, but I come bearing gifts. Will and Tessa and baby feels and maybe a few tears… all good things, all good things. Our Clizzy 'friendship' has risen from the ashes of festering hate. Clary is on the road of moving on and self-discovery. Will is mad about something. Our sage Tessa gives some wise words.

So, sit back, enjoy and feel all you are meant to feel.

After

Clary met Tessa and Will at the entrance of the hospital. Tessa handed her a coffee and a brown paper bag that smelled enticingly of Clary's favorite chocolate croissants.

"Jace told us how much you love those things," Tessa winks.

"You two are the best," Clary smiles, placing her snack in Will's pickup before hugging the duo, "Thanks for picking me up,"

"Of course, Jace got held up with a few meetings, but he'll be back for dinner," Tessa replies, grabbing Clary's keys from her outstretched hand, "I'll meet you guys at the house,"

Once his girlfriend had begun to walk off, Will silently got into the driver's seat of his truck. Clary got in the passenger's seat and waited until they were out of the parking lot to speak up.

"Is everything okay?"

"Peachy," Will responds. His hands were tight on the wheel, a far cry from his usual light, one handed grip that unnerved Tessa to no end. His jaw was firm and his eyes did not meet hers.

"Are you sure?" Clary asks, angling her body to face his profile head on.

"Just tired," he sighs, though he did not make an effort to make conversation the entire ride home. When they arrived, Clary slammed the lock on his door down, causing his eyes to shoot to her.

"I'm a taken man Clary, and you are an engaged woman," he says dryly, without a spot of amusement or humor.

"Cut the crap Will. I know something's wrong," Whenever Will had gotten into his moods as a kid, sweet coaxing words never worked. It normally took hours of Jace's not stop pestering and yelling to get the real Will back.

"Can't I be tired!" he exclaims, "I have a job too Clary. I am an adult and things stress me out. I'm sorry the William show isn't amusing you today!" he sits back in his seat, a hand rising to massage his temple.

Clary sat stunned. Will had never so much as raised his voice to her before. But she didn't let it get to her.

"You're not a show," she begins, "You are my friend, my damn near brother. I care about you, and this is not you. Tell me what's wrong,"

"You went," he whispers, eyes closed.

"What?"

"You went with that girl to the hospital," he says, eyes blazing into her own, "watched as she delivered the baby she had with your husband and stayed to take care of her," Clary was speechless. Was he honestly mad she had been with Isabelle?

"They don't deserve you," Will sighs, "After all the pain they put you through, they don't deserve your kindness, or your love, or your forgiveness. And yet, you give it to them," he sounded so confused and sad.

Clary scoots across the bench seat and rests her head on his shoulder. She only speaks when Will's falls to rest on her own. "I didn't do it for them, Will. I did it for me. And for Jace. For us. I can't live my life angry and hateful,"

"But you don't have to be around them," he whispers, "just forget them, let them go,"

"But they are a part of me," Clary says. What she had been scared to say for so long, "They are part of who I was, who I am, what I could be. They don't define me, but they sure did help. I hate to admit it, but I missed Izzy, and the Lightwoods. Nearly as much as I missed you, and Jace, and Ma," she could feel moisture drip onto her forehead from Will's eyes. "It'll never be like it was before, for any of us, but it can be something new. Something better. We all can be,"

She sits up and wipes Will's cheeks free of tears. His eyes were glassy with them and his lip wobbled like when he was a little boy with a skinned knee.

"They won't hurt me like before," she promises him, herself, "I'm the same, but so different. Better, stronger. And with all of you, I could never go back to the broken girl I was," with that, Clary pulls one of her dearest friends close and cries with him as they sit in his pickup truck.

They sat and talked until Tessa pulled into the drive honking and revving.

"That's my girl," Will smiles, tears long gone. He smiles down at Clary before they exit and meet the girl at the trunk.

"This is a nice truck," Tessa beams, tossing clary her keys, "I got things for dinner, hope you don't mind,"

"How could I?" Clary smiles, "I didn't have to go grocery shopping," she ducks the lemon that came flying her way.

Cooking with Will in the kitchen was like cooking with a pack of rabid dog children. He was constantly licking spoons and asking to taste test and hopping onto the counters to 'watch the magic' as he called it. Gone was angry Will, replaced with his usual, lovable self.

"Lick one more damn spoon and I'm putting you outside!" Tessa shouts, making Clary laugh from her spot chopping peppers. A turn of the head reveals Will with his tongue a centimeter from a spoon covered in beef stew sauce, his favorite.

"But Tessie-" he begins, lowering the spoon.

"OUT!" she shouts, pointing a rather intimidating finger to the exit. With a lowered head, Will walked towards it, stopping to drop a swift peck to his girlfriend's cheek before making a swift exit. Clary did not miss Tessa's smile and blush that ensued.

"I love that boy," she says softly, joining Clary at the counter, peeling potatoes, "But he drives me insane,"

Clary only nodded in agreement.

"So, how's mom and baby doing?" Tessa asks, "Magnus stopped sending me updates when they got there,"

"They're great, Baby Jessamine is healthy and beautiful," Clary felt her heart swell thinking of the baby that had slept in her arms, so warm on her chest, that morning.

"Was it hard?" Tessa whispers, "Being there,"

Clary thought about it. She hadn't had much of a choice, and once the wheels had started, there was no going back, "I didn't know I had made my peace with what had happened until I saw Isabelle holding that baby and I didn't feel anger or jealousy, only happiness. That my childhood friend had been given such a gift,"

"You're a better woman than I am," Tessa grins, "When I was in college, my boyfriend knocked up this girl. So of course we broke up. When I found her at the bus stop with her water broken, I called a cab and drove away,"

"Tessa!" Clary laughs, nudging the laughing girl, "You didn't"

"I did!" she laughs, "I feel bad now, if that counts,"

"I'll count it," Clary smiles, moving to put the potatoes and peppers with the meat. When she turned and rested against the countertop, Tessa was her mirror leaning against the island.

"But in all seriousness," the brunette begins, suddenly sobered, "I admire what you did. Not many would have done it, and despite the fact that some don't agree, you were very brave,"

"I'm not brave Tess," Clary waves her off, "I just did what I thought was right,"

"Thinking something is right and doing it, even when it could hurt you, is not easy. And that, my dear friend, is the bravest thing you could do," her hands were comforting and motherly on Clary's shoulders, and they made her want to hug the older girl. She seemed like she gave good hugs.

"Come here," Tessa whispers, pulling Clary close so her ear rested against Tessa's collarbone and hugged the redhead tighter than Jocelyn ever had. "You're stronger and kinder than them all. But you can share the love if you want to," she whispers, making Clary laugh.

When they pulled apart, clary wiped at the tears that had fallen to her cheeks.

"Thanks Tess, I needed that,"

"Anytime Clary," with a grin she turns back to the stove, "Now, let's finish dinner before Will starts knawing on your furniture,"

**Page Break**

Jace got home later than he had intended, or wanted to. When he arrived, he was happy to see Will's truck but overjoyed to see Clary's. It had been a long, restless night without her by his side. And more than once, he had to remind himself she would return this time.

He loosened his tie as he made his way to the front door, only to find his cousin on the stoop. His elbows rested on his knees as he watched Jace approach.

"Why are you out here?" Jace asks, sitting beside his cousin.

"I licked the spoon again," he replied, looking forward with a twinkle in his eye, "I talked to Clary,"

"What'd you say?" Jace sighs, rolling his shirt sleeves up to his elbows.

"I expressed my discontent, but she said she did it for her, to get better," Will replied, looking out into the rapidly darkening night. Jace remained silent, sharing his cousin's rare silence. He expected as much from Clary; sweet, kind Clary.

"She's better than us all," Will finally whispered. Jace was only beginning to nod when the front door was pulled open behind them. When they turn, Clary is in the doorway, a hand on her hip and a disapproving pout on her lips.

"I don't see my fiancé all day after seeing the terrors of childbirth and he doesn't even kiss me when he gets home from work," she tells Will mournfully. Jace chuckles and stands from the stoop. He loops an arm through her own, around her waist before pressing a kiss to her lips.

"He sounds terrible," he whispers into her neck, "You should break it off and run away with me instead,"

"Eh," she smiles; pecking his lips lightly, "I think I'll keep him around a bit longer,"

"So, is dinner done? Or do enjoy making me suffer," Will finally coos, purposely smooshing between the couple, nose to nose with Clary with his back pressed into Jace's front, "You evil, evil women,"

"Hit the road," Jace laughs, tossing his cousin into the house. Will simply stumbled into the kitchen laughing over insatiable cousins, "How are you?" he asks, returning his gaze to Clary.

"I'm fine," she whispers, leaning into him, "I didn't really have time to decide how I felt until it was all over. But then, I realized, I was happy," her eyes held his, "Happy there was such a beautiful healthy baby, happy Izzy had something to love her the way she had always dreamed, happy I was able to be part of it,"

"But, are you happy," Jace had never asked, never thought to.

Soft hands cradling his cheeks grounded him, "I'm the happiest I've ever been. I'm happy laughing with you and sleeping beside you and living with you and being yours. I'm happy to have you, and Will, and Tessa in my life. But most of all, I'm happy to call this my life to begin with,"

"All I've ever wanted was to make you happy," Jace

"Mission accomplished, my love,"

***Page Break***

Isabelle was supposed to be getting discharged at four. But Clary was 'breaking her out' at noon.

"Alec will try to feed me green drinks and grilled chicken," she had told Clary when the redhead had called to check in that morning, "I can't take it, I CAN'T!"

And thus their plan was birthed. Under the ruse of a cousin, Clary would go to pick-up Izzy and baby Jessamine up, get McDonald's takeout, and then take Izzy home. Clary was just getting ready to leave when her phone rang. And unknown, yet familiar, number flashed across her screen. Without thinking, Clary answered, shoving her wallet in her jacket pocket.

"Hello?" she asks distractedly.

"Clary, hi," the voice halted her. Simon.

"What do you want?" she blurted, grabbing her keys and heading to the car, intending to keep the conversation quick.

"To meet you. Please, meet me. I'm in town, Izzy doesn't know yet," he rushes. He sounded out of breath, like he was running.

"Lying to your new wife, classy," Clary snorts, "Well did you know that your child has been born, a little girl,"

"Of course! But, I need to see you,"

"I have nothing to say to you," Clary said.

"Clary, please-"and she hung up. When the number blared across her screen again, she hit ignore. When it blazed a third time, she blocked it. Sliding her phone into her pocket, she felt nothing at all.

**Page Break**

Isabelle was giggling in the backseat of Clary's truck, a finger trapped in her baby's soft fist.

"What are you giggling about back there?" Clary asks as she comes to a red light.

"Oh, nothing, cousin," with that, she chortled once more. Clary rolled her eyes lovingly. Isabelle had always been a silly mess after one of their little schemes. There had been the time they snuck a stray cat into her bedroom, and stolen Alec's birthday cake, and the time they hid in the treehouse is Isabelle's backyard for three days. Isabelle's giggles always gave them away.

When Clary pulled into the McDonald's drive through, she had to hold Izzy back from lunging out the window to order. Despite giving birth only about two days before, the woman acted like she was ready to run a marathon.

When they received their food, Clary parked in a spot and hopped in the backseat to eat, just like when they were teenagers. Izzy ate her fries and nuggets happily as she and Clary gazed at the sleeping baby in the seat beside them.

"Izzy?"

"Yeah,"

"Simon called me today," Isabelle looked up at Clary, eyes reserved but unsurprised.

"What'd he say?"

"He wanted me to meet him in town, talk," Clary responds, picking at the lettuce hanging out of her burger,

They sat in a chilly silence for a moment, not cold to each other, but together against the man that couldn't do anything right.

"I had Alec get the locks changed last night," The raven haired girl finally says. She sips on her soda for a moment, not looking at Clary's surprised face. "He hasn't been to see me at the hospital, to see Jessie," her eyes brimmed with tears.

"All this lying and pain we caused for what? For him to just up and leave?" Izzy was crying softly. Clary thought this would be odd for anyone else, consoling your husband's mistress. But that isn't all Izzy was, not all she could even be. And at the moment, she was Clary's best friend who'd been hurt by her husband, so much like how Clary had.

"Simon just needs some time to be on his own. He's not ready to put other people first, and we need to accept that. It's not us, but him,"

"I know," Izzy admits, "It just doesn't make it easier,"

"It's not going to be easy-"

"It's not that, everyone wants to be the hero of their own story, and sometimes that means being the villain in someone else's," Izzy runs a hand through her hair, "But I never wanted to be the villain in yours, I much prefer being the awesome sidekick,"

Clary can't hold in her laughs, "Me too Izzy, me too,"

"Are you going to talk to Simon?" Izzy asks as Clary drops her off at her house, new key in hand.

"I don't have anything left to say,"