Marry me today. Clary? Jace called out as he ascended the stairs to the greenhouse.

She enjoyed looking out on the New York cityscape while she sketched, getting so lost in her work that the rest of the world fell away and nothing but physical contact could bring her back. Not hearing any answer, he finished trekking up the spiral staircase and pushed open the doors that guarded his girlfriends sanctuary. Clary was fast asleep on the bench, sketchpad resting on her stomach and her pen still clutched loosely in her hand. Jace chuckled softly and walked to her slowly, examining her closely while making sure not to disturb any of the planters and creating undue noise that would wake her up. He appreciated the time he was able to observe Clary without distraction, as it always seemed that they were running off to take care of something and that he never got to appreciate the little things. Like the way her vibrant hair tumbled across the soft slopes of her shoulders and contrasted so brilliantly with her pale, freckled flesh. How even while asleep she worried her bottom lip with her teeth, looking adorable and sultry in the same turn. How the stark light of the moon painted her in a study of contrasts, creating shadowed hollows and glowing hills on the milky planes of her skin. Skin that now bore the silvery remnants of past marks. Truly she was advancing quickly in her Shadowhunter training; the times he was able to surprise her, both in combat and in their normal routine, were rapidly diminishing. Though, there were certain advantages to being pinned to the wall or floor by a sweating and adrenaline fuel Clary The thought makes him stumble and he knocks over a clay pot in his distraction. Clary was sitting up and awake, though not necessarily coherent, in seconds- steele held at the ready, pad and paper dropping to the floor with audible thumps. Jace quick stepped to her, slightly dismayed that he had managed to wake her up when shed been sleeping so soundly. Shh sokay Clary, its okay. Go back to sleep. he whispered as he slipped behind her to settle down on the bench as well. Mm Jace? she questions sleepily, already laying back and rearranging herself against his chest. Yeah. Its me. he says tenderly, wrapping his arms around her middle and resting his chin atop her head. Clary sighed in contentment, mumbling what sound to him to be her approval of his appearance, and was breathing deeply in minutes.

Jace watched as she slipped back into her dreams and feeling his own eye droop, realized this was how he wanted to spend the rest of his days, however many that would be. Watching Clary nod off next to him and having her be the first thing he gazed upon when he awoke in the morning. This feeling, which he knew to be love, couldnt be wrong, couldnt destroy the angel girl lying against him- his attachment was too strong to harm her. He couldnt break something that was so much a part of him, not when every fiber of his being only wanted to protect her and make her happy. This would be a new chapter of his life. One that was filled with goodness instead of ruled by fear. A life that included Clarissa Morgenstern. Hopefully soon, Clary Herondale. Resolute, he removed the heavy silver band that sat on his own finger and slipped it onto the left ring finger of the sleeping girl on top of him, taking extreme caution not to wake her this time. He would stay with her on this hard bench in the stuff greenhouse for the night, and in the morning, he would ask her to marry him. It was unconventional to get married when they were barely considered adults in the their world, but nothing about their relationship had been normal and theyd been through too much to let society dictate their actions. He loved this girl, belonged to her, would die for her- had died for her in fact, and thats all there was to it. After all, wasnt she the one who had told him that love was the most powerful force in the world, that it could do anything?