A/N: This is my first 'Mortal Instruments' fic and it won't be the last. I know, I know, Jace and Clary are brother and sister, but they didn't find out until the ship was already sailed! Besides, i still think there's something suspicious about Valentine's story and that perhaps, another twist for the next book, they're not related! Anyways, this is like an alternate ending to the book set right from Jace's line 'What are you thinking?'.
Disclaimer: I do not own City Of Bones, Motal Instruments, or any of the characters.
"What are you thinking?" Jace called back over his shoulder as they flew just above the surface of the East River.
"I'm not sure I should tell you." Clary called back, gripping Jace's waist tighter as they gained speed.
"Why?"
Clary was silent for a moment, deciding whether or not she should tell him what was on her mind.
You might as well tell him now, Fray; he will eventually find out anyways and this is something that shouldn't be left to fate…Her conscience told her.
"Clary?" Jace asked again as he gunned the motorcycle straight up only to let it plummet back down through the darkening sky, leveling it out a few feet above the water.
Clary hesitated before saying, "I want to tell you, I do. It's just…"
"Just what?"
"You probably won't like it."
"Come on Clary, I kill demons for a living; do you really think that I can't handle whatever it is you're thinking?"
He has a point…
"Alright, I'll tell you."
"Yes!"
"Just promise me one thing."
"Anything." Jace replied without thinking.
"Don't crash us into the river when I tell you."
"What? Clary, I'm not going to crash us! I already told you, I've gotten lots of practice driving this thing since Magnus gave it to me. Besides, Alec did say that there was a story floating about that some of these bikes could go underwater…"
"Jace Wayland, don't you dare!" Clary screamed into his ear, feeling his rib cage reverberate with laughter as she did so.
"Hey, all myths are true aren't they?"
"Maybe so, but this isn't one that I want you to test. You almost got me killed twice testing other ones!"
"When? I never got you killed!" Jace answered indignantly.
"I said almost got me killed."
"But I didn't."
"What about the time you drew the runes on me, not even knowing if I could survive the marks?"
"I was trying to protect you! To heal you!"
"Perhaps, but they kill mundanes within hours!"
"You're not a mundane though."
"You didn't know that."
"I guessed."
"And what about the first time we were on one of these contraptions?" Clary questioned, talking about the flying motorcycle they currently were flying all over Brooklyn, following the river way.
"It's called a motorcycle, Fray."
"Don't call me that! You know I hate it! And don't forget Jace, you drove us off of a roof not knowing whether it could fly or not!"
"It was that or let you get kidnapped by a werewolf!" Jace retaliated, making sure he was going to justify his actions, getting his point across.
"But it wasn't just any werewolf, it was Alaric-"
"You didn't know that." Jace said, copying her words from earlier.
Clary fell silent, deciding to drop the argument as she turned her gaze towards the now rising moon.
"Clary?" Jace said after a few moments of silence.
She didn't answer.
"Clary? Are you going to tell me now?"
Still no answer. Noticing her lack of enthusiasm to answer his question, he decided to turn to his favorite form of speech for help: sarcasm.
"It can't be that bad." Jace started again, trying to wheedle the information out of Clary. "What could it be? Hmm… I know!"
Jace looked over his shoulder, noticing that he had caught her attention. A sly grin spread across his face, before his first accusation escaped his lips, "You're going to confess that after I flipped through your sketch pad and got upset that there weren't any pictures of me in it, you went back and added some!"
Clary's eyes widened. Jace's grin grew.
"A-ha! So you admit it! You went back and added the torrid fantasies and the steamy romance novel covers and the tragic love movies posters! Seriously Clary, I told you before, if you ever needed a nude model, all you had to do was ask!"
"Jace, watch out! Turn, turn, turn!" She screamed.
Jace turned around only to see one of the supports of the Brooklyn bridge almost directly in front of them. In a split second, he sent the bike shooting upwards, the wheels skimming the support. Clary instantly wrapped her arms even tighter around Jace, almost squeezing the life out of him, and burying her head into the back of his black t-shirt, shielding her eyes from what could very possibly be her impending doom.
If he keeps putting my life in danger he'll never know what I was going to tell him. If we actually survive this, I'll have to tell him, and soon… Clary thought.
Jace, realizing that Clary was holding him tighter than before, knew he had to do something, and fast. She still wasn't used to the motorcycle's flying ability, and was anxious to get back on flat ground, no matter how much she trusted him.
As soon as they reached the top of the support, Jace leaned forward, causing the bike to fall back from it's vertical position into a horizontal one. About halfway across the beam, Jace put slowed them down to a stop. After putting down the kickstand, he dropped his hands down over Clay's trying to wrench them from around his waist. However, her grip stayed locked.
"Clary?"
"Yeah?" Her voice was muffled from his shirt.
"You can let go now. We've stopped."
Clary lifted her head up, to see Jace looking at her over her shoulder. Blushing slightly, she let go of him, sliding her hands out of his, and dismounted. She gasped as she looked around that the view of the city she had grown up in. She walked carefully over to the edge, staring down at the cars running along the bridge below.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Jace said as he walked up behind the red-haired beauty.
"Yeah. It sure is." She replied as she glanced up towards the now starry sky.
I wasn't talking about the view Clary, I wish you knew that… Jace heard his mind's eye say. Why do you have to be my sister? I want to be so much more I want things to go back to the way they were, when I thought my parent's were dead and I was put on this planet as a Shadowhunter to save you, aid you in your time of need, and, dare I even think it, find love in the form of you.
He snapped out of his reverie just in time to see her waver slightly. His arm shot out fast, catching her shoulder and pulling her back slightly. Clary gasped at the sudden movement, but complied when he moved his hand to the small of her back, guiding her back over to where the motorcycle was parked, and sitting her down beside it.
"Thanks for that." She muttered quietly as he sat across from her, crossing his legs.
"It was nothing." Jace shrugged.
"You are going to be a really good brother Jace." Clary said idly, a look of detachment crossing her face.
"What's wrong?" Jace asked kindly as he took he hand in his.
"What?" Clary questioned, confused.
"The look on your face; you look sad about something."
Clary sighed before speaking, "Yes. No. I don't know!"
"You're very indecisive about something."
"Yeah." Clary mumbled as she dropped her head.
Jace reached forward and slid a stray piece of red hair behind her ear before moving her hand under her chin, lifting her face to meet his.
"Clary, you know you can tell me anything, right?"
"Yes."
"Then why don't you get whatever's bothering you off of your back?"
"It's harder than it sounds Jace!" Clary snapped as she swatted his hand away.
There was a moment of silence before Jace got an idea.
"Clary," He began hesitantly.
"What now?"
"I know this must be hard for you," Jace's voice wavered, "Trying to gain the courage to tell me whatever it is you want to. So, why don't we make a deal."
"A deal?"
"Yes. I'll tell you something about me, my deepest, darkest secret, in return for you telling me yours."
Clary looked at him, unsure about this. However, she trusted Jace with her life, and knew that he would never do or say anything to hurt her.
"Alright. Deal."
"You want me to go first, I take it?" Jace asked as he took her other hand in his free one, trying to sooth both Clary, and himself for what he was about to say.
"Uh-huh." She nodded.
Jace let out a deep breath before gazing deep into her eyes.
It's now or never… He told himself.
"Clary, before the whole ordeal with Valentine, our father, back when we didn't know we were siblings… when I first starting talking to you, and making you hang around the institute, you gave me a sense of belonging. I had it before, somewhat with Isabelle and Alec, but never as strongly as you made me feel. Just being around you brings me comfort and makes my heart flutter. When I told you that it was dangerous to fall in love, I wasn't lying. I had lost all of the love in my life, my mother, my father; I never thought I would be able to love again. Until you, Clary."
Clary's eyes widened, her lips parting as if she was about to interject, but Jace made a shushing sound and she remained quiet.
"That night, up in the greenhouse, I meant that kiss. I meant it more than I have ever meant anything in my entire life. I loved you then, and even more now that I know I was born to love you. However, the scary part is, I don't love you like a brother. I love you like a man loves a woman. I know you probably don't feel the same way, anymore at least, and I know that it is wrong for me to, but I just can't help it! Clary Fray, I love you!" Jace exclaimed as he stared at her innocent face, feeling he said too much.
A mysterious look passed over her face like it concealed a great secret. Was it annoyance? Anger? Sympathy? Jace couldn't tell.
Without a word, Clary got up, dragging Jace up with her. He stared at her curiously before she wrapped him in an affectionate hug. He leaned down and rested his face in her hair, letting newly formed tears fall among her fiery tresses.
"Jace?" Clary said as she pulled away slightly.
"Yeah?" Jace muttered nervously as he glanced down at Clary, as if she were a precious angel.
"You never let me tell my secret."
"You still feel comfortable saying it after my embarrassing display a few moments ago?" Jace joked.
"Yes."
"Well then, what is it? I'm dying to know!" He cried, his old sarcastic, anxious tone returning.
"My secret, Jace Wayland, is that I love you too. No in a brotherly-sisterly way, but in a…how did you put it? The way a woman loves a man."
"I actually said 'man loves a woman' but you're close enough." Jace chuckled. Clary laughed as she stood up on the toes, pulling his lips down to hers. As soon as they met, Jace picked her up off of the bridge, and swung her around a couple of times before putting her back down, breaking their kiss.
After a few minutes of silence and just gazing dreamily at each other, Clary spoke up.
"We should probably go now. You know, to see if you can wake up Mom." Clary mumbled sheepishly as Jace took her hand and helped her mount the bike.
"Yeah. We probably should." Jace replied as he got on in front of her. "Although if it's alright with you and her, I think I'll just call her Jocelyn. It might make this," He gestured between him and her, "A little less awkward."
"Oh no! What will Mom think? And Luke?" Clary paled at the idea.
"Hey, Jocelyn fell for the evil overlord himself, she has no right to tell us who to love! And to tell you the truth, I think Luke already sort of knows."
"Really?" Clary asked as she wrapped her arms around him as he started the motorcycle, and kicked up the kickstand.
"Yeah. And if Jocelyn doesn't see it like he does, I'm sure he'll be able to convince her that it's alright." Jace smiled as looked over his shoulder at Clary.
"To love?" He laughed.
"To love!" Clary cried as the bike shot forward, off of the end of the bridge, falling into the dark abyss, before Jace gunned it up and off into the night.