It is incredible how the human body gets accustomed to having someone to sleep next to. The days without Jace had been full of long hours and restless sleep. For the first time in a week, Clary slept soundly hearing his low breathing and feeling his body heat warming their sheets. She had missed the noises he made in his sleep, the way his breathing would quicken before evening out again. He used to talk in his sleep when they were children, a practice he had mostly grown out of in the years since. Even his nightmares had ebbed away in the months they had been sharing a bed.

The first morning after their reunion, Clary could not help but track the contours of his face as he lay sleeping. The slight upturn of his nose, the sharp line of his jaw, the spray of freckles along his nose from when he would refuse to reapply his sunscreen. Clary reached out a single finger and ran it along the curve of his cheek. Not quite so rounded as when they were children but still full under her touch. His eyelids fluttered but he did not wake yet. Emboldened, Clary moved in closer and pressed a feather soft kiss to his cheek, the skin warm against her lips.

The sun was beginning to shine brighter through the windows and Clary knew Jace's alarm would be going off soon. She wanted to savor these minutes after so many mornings of waking up alone, the only company being Cornelius curled up behind her knees. He was at the foot of the bed now, groggily lifting his head.

When Clary turned her eyes back to Jace she jumped a bit seeing his caramel eyes already open and staring at her.

"I've missed this," he sighed, wrapping his arm over her hip, "You being the first thing I see in the morning"

"So have I" Clary responded, shifting impossibly closer to his.

"What's the plan for today?" Jace asked, his voice muffled by Clary's hair.

"I do have some work to finish up, but it could probably use a rest. I've hit a wall lately," She did not have to say why. Jace only nodded in understanding. They lay there for a few minutes more, Clary nearly dozing back off to sleep, when suddenly a sound roused them both. Not Jace's alarm yet, they still had ten minutes or so. It was Clary's cellphone, vibrating on the side table. She made no move to answer it, but when it began ringing again, she turned over and scooped it up.

"It's Izzy," she says softly. She had been ducking her calls during the week she fought with Jace. It felt awkward now, but she did respond to her texts. They had mostly been pictures of the baby and a few updates on Simon. He had showed up for the first three days and spoken to Alec or Magnus, growing more belligerent with each day. Clary had reminded Izzy that it was his child as well, but she just wasn't ready to see him again.

"I'm going to get ready" was all Jace said,dropping a kiss to her bare shoulder. Clary knew he was giving her the space to make her own decision. Watching as he rose from the bed and stepped through the bathroom door, closing it behind him, Clary hit 'accept'.

"Hello?"

"You've been avoiding me," Izzy responded. She sounded tired, likely from the restless nights Clary imagined came with being a new mom. The thought tightened her throat.

"I haven't been avoiding you…I've been working"

"You're right, I'm sorry. I'm just a little on edge" Isabelle sighs, "Simon sent me a letter. He wants to see her this weekend. He wants to come over and see Jessamine"

"We've discussed this Iz. It's his right, whether you're mad at him or not" Clary kept her eyes on the bathroom door. She had heard the sink turn on and off and now the shower was starting up.

"I know that. Alec has been chirping in my ear all week" a brief pause, "I'm just scared. I don't want to be with him, but I don't want him to take her away,"

Clary felt her impatience rising, her anger. She didn't know where it was coming from, why she was feeling this way, but she could not keep the words from spilling forth.

"So you sleep with my husband and then decide you don't want him?" Clary hissed. She nearly recoiled at her own words.

"Clary-"

"Just had to try him out, didn't you? Because fuck the fact that we were MARRIED. That he was MINE. You just had to get what you wanted, just like always. You need to grow the fuck up Isabelle and realize it's not always about what you want! Even now, the only thing you're concerned about is wanting to keep Jessamine all for yourself, despite the fact you didn't get pregnant on your own. You slept with Simon, ruined my marriage, had his child and now want to keep her from him,"

"Clary, stop-"

"Stop what? Telling you the truth?" Clary heard herself scoff. But she could not stop. She realized she wanted to hurt Izzy, at least a little bit., "No one ever told you the truth Izzy and it made you a selfish little monster,"

"Like Simon has no fault in this? It almost sounds like you're on his side now," Isabelle tosses back, though she sounded hurt. Still, Clary could not hold her tongue.

"I'm not on either of your sides, but I can't stand being the middleman anymore. I told you I'm over it, but I'm not. Especially now that I see you learned absolutely nothing through all of this. Don't call me again,"

"Clary, wait-"

"Never. Again" Clary hung up the phone and every inch of her felt shaky. The conversation had gotten away from her. She had not meant to say any of that…or had she? She truly thought she was over it and had compartmentalized her pain enough to forgive Isabelle. Yet, hearing her voice brought forth all kinds of nasty emotions. Maybe it had been too soon, too raw. Too naive for Clary to assume she could be friends with Isabelle again after what she did.

Feeling numb, Clary rose from the bed and walked to the bedroom door. She saw her hand opening the door, then drawing back the shower curtain. Clary stepped into the shower stall behind Jace, still wearing her pajamas.

"Clary?" he turned, "What happened?" hearing his voice so full of concern, feeling his warm, wet hands come up to cup her cheeks, Clary felt the thick tears start streaming down.

"Clary?"

She only wrapped her arms around his waist and cried as the water pounded down on their heads.

ISABELLE

The call ended and hot tears were carving paths into Isabelle's cheeks. Jessamine was sleeping soundly in her arms and she could hear footsteps approaching.

"How is she?" Magnus asked, looking down at some papers in his hands. At Isabelle's silence, he looked up and his eyebrows knit together.

"Angry,"

Magnus sighed and placed the papers on the changing table before going to sit on the footstool near the rocking chair Isabelle was sitting in, "Did you expect her not to be?"

"She said she was okay-"

"She may be okay. But I don't think that's the same as being ready to be friends," Magnus placed a warm hand on Isabelle's knee. It had been hard to keep his own emotions at bay, but Isabelle was Alec's sister. And he loved Alec with all his heart.

"Was I silly to think we could be?" Isabelle sniffled. Magnus did not respond. "She called me a monster"

"You're not a monster, not to me" Magnus said, pushing a stray tendril of hair behind her ear, "But you did bad things Isabelle. You're not a little girl anymore. You have to learn to face those consequences,"

"I know,"

Jace

They stayed in the shower until the water ran cold. Jace helped Clary out of her soaking pajamas and wrapped her in a towel as he went to retrieve some clothes. He had actively worked not to hear the phone call, and thus had no idea what had been said. Though it was clear it had not went well. Clary did not elaborate on the details and he did not push her.

Returning to the bathroom, dressed himself, Jace helped Clary pull on a pair of sweats and a tshirt. As she stood in front of the mirror he brushed through her wet curls and quickly braided the hair back. Clary had taught him to braid when they were children, a skill he had maintained. Once Clary was all ready he took her hand and walked her down to the kitchen.

She wordlessly went to make a pot of coffee and Jace moved about the kitchen, deciding to make them a quick breakfast. He thought about calling out of work, sensing Clary would be needing him. He quickly sent his assistant a text, letting her know to resolve any of his appointments for the day, that he would presumably be back the next.

When Jace and Clary reconvened at the table, coffee and plates before them she released a long breath, "So Isabelle called,"

Jace only nodded, allowing her to gather her thoughts.

"She was saying how Simon wanted to see Jessamine but she didn't want him to. That she doesn't want to be with him, but she was afraid he'd take Jessamine. And hearing her speak just got me so angry," Clary looks down at her plate, "Like she ruined my marriage as some kind of whim. That what she didn't mean anything to her. Simon and I had issues, but she had willingly participated in the act that ended our marriage, all to just leave him so soon after," Clary sighed.

Jace did not know what to say, what response would be appropriate.

"I called her a monster," Clary's voice was small. She pulled her legs up and tucked her chin into her knees, "I don't really think she's a monster,"

Jace pulled his chair closer and placed an arm over her shoulders, "Your pain was speaking. Don't be so hard on yourself-"

"Don't be so hard on myself? I said such nasty things,"

"And she did nasty things," Jace said gently, "it's okay that you still feel angry about it. It's understandable these emotions would come back up because of this situation with Simon. Your pain no longer has ANY justification because they aren't even together anymore," Clary nodded, "It will take time to move past this. You owe yourself that time,"

"Okay,"

"I love you,"

"I love you too Jace" Clary leaned further into him and exhaled, "Thank you,"