The door of the Institute was cold as Clary placed her hand on it. It sent a shiver up her spine, but the feel of it was familiar. Clary began the mantra silently in her head. My name is Clarissa Fairc- The door swung open before she could even get past her name as if the Institute was eager to welcome her inside; her touch was quite well known to the door by now.

As she stepped inside the foyer, Clary shuddered slightly as the warmth of the room slowly thawed out her bones and restored feeling to her fingers, which had been chilled by the cold January air despite the warming runes she had drawn onto her skin before she left Luke's house.

Soaking in the warmth, Clary walked down the corridors lit by witchlight and cast her eyes upon the walls adorned by Christmas decorations that someone had forgotten to take down.

As she rounded the corner that brought her to Jace's room, Clary felt her stomach tighten with nerves and fought back the urge to turn around and walk back into the icy streets of the frozen city.

She walked slowly, her boots thudding lightly as she came to a stop in front of his door, pausing momentarily to steel herself before she knocked on the door. She had fought endarkened, slain demons, and ended a war. Surely confronting her boyfriend would be easy, right? Taking a breath, Clary knocked on the door. To her extreme disappoint and immense relief, no one answered.

Rolling her eyes at her own insecurity, Clary twisted the knob to Jace's room and stepped inside taking in the familiar neatness of his room with its carefully arranged books and weapons. The first time she had been in his room, it had seemed oddly empty with little insights into the person who lived there. No colors and no pictures decorating the walls. Now it was different. Still neat, but on his dresser was a photo of him, Izzy, and Alec with Max standing between them grinning widely, glasses slightly crooked, and clutching the tiny soldier Jace had given him.

On the nightstand beside his bed, there was a slightly careworn Harry Potter novel Jace had snatched from Clary's bedroom the last time he had been there. It was sitting next to two pictures.

One picture was of him and Clary, taken by Izzy shortly after they had officially started dating. They were standing among the shelves in the library. Jace had one hand cradling her the side of her face, the other rest on her waist, and he was laughing lightly at something Clary had said. Clary had her hands around his neck and was grinning up at him, red hair spilling down her back in waves. Neither of them had realized Izzy was there until she had given Jace the picture.

The other picture was of Clary alone. This one had been taken by Jace at his request despite Clary's protests. They had been on the roof of the Institute preparing to take Jace's stolen vampire bike to meet Alec at Magnus's loft before going out for patrol. Clary had been sitting sideways on the bike in her Shadowhunter gear, legs crossed in front of her and booted feet resting against the stone of the roof. The spires of the Institute rose behind her and the Manhattan skyline cast light on the roof making the Morgenstern ring glint at her neck. She gazed in the camera's direction grinning lightly at Jace with a slight blush gracing her cheeks, somewhat embarrassed and flattered that he had asked to take her picture.

Looking away from the photos, Clary took off her coat and hung it on the back of the door and removed her dagger and her stele she had sheathed in her boots before sitting down in the chair in the corner of Jace's room. She decided to kill time waiting for him by leafing through one of his books.

Clary was partially through the second chapter of Persuasion and was settled quite comfortably in the chair when Jace opened the door quietly and noted Clary's presence with slight but entirely pleasant surprise.

Normally, Clary would have noticed this intrusion, but she was too caught up with Anne Elliot to notice. This gave Jace the opportunity to study her for a moment. He took in the sight of her curling red hair tumbling down her shoulders against the dark grey sweater she was wearing that contrasted against her scarlet hair and the paleness of her skin. Her jean-clad legs were drawn up under her and her boots lay discarded on the floor.

As always, the sight of her sent a thrill of adrenaline through his veins and his heartbeat quickened. Jace could spend hours just staring at Clary, but he had enough self-awareness to realize that that would be more creepy than romantic.

"Clary?" he asked, finally. His tone was slightly bemused. "What are you doing here?"

Clary, who had been distracted by the novel, glanced up quickly. For a moment, she said nothing. Her stomach twisted again, and her blood began to race. She attempted to ground herself by taking in appearance. He was wearing a long-sleeved thermal shirt with a pair of jeans and his Shadowhunter boots. His golden hair was messy and windswept from walking outside and his tawny eyes shone as he waited for her to respond.

A beat passed, and she stood and returned the book to his dresser before going to him and twining her arms around his neck pulling him close, and Jace returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around her and settling into the hug.

"I came to see you," Clary said, pulling away and answering his question.

Jace grinned at her and twined their fingers together.

"Is that so?" he asked, pulling her back towards the chair. He sat down, and Clary, understanding, sat as well, straddling his lap and caging his legs between hers.

Jace tucked a curl behind her ear and smiled at her. "So," he said. "Do you want to go out for dinner? Or if you'd prefer- "

Clary cut him off. "Um, actually, I wanted to ask you something," she said, as a blush rose to her face.

Jace's eyebrows knit together at her anxious tone. It wasn't like Clary to be nervous around him. At least not in a long time.

"Of course," he said. "Anything."

Clary bit her bottom lit in the way that typically drove Jace mad. At the moment, however, he found that this sign of anxiety made him feel unsettled.

Clary expelled a nervous breath and twisted her hands in the locks of Jace's hair.

"Do you remember Edom?" Clary began, and Jace's eyebrows shut up in surprise. "Edom?" he asked, his voice somewhat strained. "Of course, I remember it."

"No," Clary said, shaking her head and feeling pathetic. "Do you remember what we did in Edom?"

Jace still looked confounded. "With the sword?" He started but stopped when he caught Clary's look. It was a mix of distress, impatience, embarrassment, and exasperation.

"Oh, you mean what we did in the cave by the water," Jace said, his eyes alight with the memory. "Yes, I remember it very well," he murmured, the gold in his eyes looked like liquid fire and his pupils were blown wide.

"Okay, good." Clary's mouth was dry, and she fought the urge to run away and never return.

"Um, well-why?" she stammered, before letting out a growl in frustration and burying her face in his shoulder in embarrassment and defeat.

Jace pushed Clary back slightly so she was looking at him again and cupped her face in his hands.

"Clary, just ask me what you want to know," he said lightly, running his thumb along her cheekbone.

She nodded and took a deep breath steeling herself.

"Okay, did you…not like it? Or are you not interested in doing that again?" she asked in a rush.

Jace stared at her silently for a moment, and right as Clary began to think he wasn't going to answer, he threw his head back and let out a loud laugh. Clary felt her stomach sink like a stone and wondered if it had fallen completely out of her body.

Jace's laughter slowly died off, and he looked at Clary and noticed that she looked slightly sick and became serious again or at least tried to. Clary could still see amusement alight in his eyes.

"Clary, how could you possibly think that?" Jace asked, and his voice softened. "I loved every moment of that night-well, aside from being in hell surrounded by demons-and I am still very interested in doing that again," he said, mimicking her earlier tone.

Clary felt the tension run out of her body and the unease lessen enough where she felt like she could actually breathe.

"Oh," she said. Jace grinned. "Yeah, oh," he said, teasing.

"Well, why haven't you…" Clary let the question hang there.

"Made a move?" Jace asked, and Clary nodded in answer. She couldn't help but notice that he seemed to be the uncomfortable one now. Silently, she was pleased.

"Well, I didn't know how you felt about it," he said. "You never brought it up, and I began to wonder if maybe you changed your mind and were not ready and that maybe it was some kind of last night alive deal. So, yes, I've wanted to "make a move," but I wanted to leave it up to you to decide how you wanted to proceed. Clary, I want whatever you want, whenever you want it."

Clary stared at him silently and for a moment was reminded of a room in another country where someone not quite Jace had told her those same words. The difference was that the not-Jace's eyes had been predatory and challenging while her Jace's eyes were darkened by desire, love, and vulnerability that only she had the privilege of seeing.

Suddenly, Clary cursed her anxiety and embarrassment from earlier and wished she had talked to Jace sooner. She had no reason to be cautious around him. He loved her.

"Jace, I didn't do it because I thought we might die," She said, smiling slightly now. "I did it because I wanted to and I love you. And I haven't changed my mind. I'm still ready."

Jace grinned at her. "That's good to know." Clary laughed and drew his lips to hers grinning. She could feel him smiling into the kiss as he put his hands on her hips and pulled her flush against him. Clary gasped and he took that as an opportunity to sweep his tongue into her mouth.

All their earlier playfulness and anxiety had evaporated and was replaced by fiery need and desire that grew as they kissed. Clary ran her hands through Jace's hair and tugged at the strands at the nape of his neck while she bit his lip causing him to groan and tighten his grasp on her hips pulling her impossibly closer. They could feel every movement the other made and were only separated by their clothing.

Jace broke the kiss and began trailing his lips along the line of her jaw and continued toward her neck where he stopped and grazed his teeth along her pulse point. Clary moaned lightly but pulled away before Jace could continue his descent and tugged his shirt over his head before crossing her arms and drawing her sweater and undershirt off leaving her chest covered only in a pale lavender bra adorned in lace.

Jace eyes swept over her quickly taking in her disheveled curls, her flushed face and bright green eyes that burned with want, the star-shaped mark on her shoulder that was a twin to his own, the delicately scarred and runed skin of her chest and abdomen, and her breasts that were rising and falling quickly with her breaths before pulling her back in for a deep kiss.

Clary's hands roamed his back as she kissed him back feverishly. Jace could feel her fingers ghosting lightly along scars and runes. Her feather light touches were driving him out of his mind, and he moaned and rolled his hips against hers while one of his hands ran through the scarlet waves of her hair and the other touched the bare skin of her back and traced her spine. His roaming hands, devilish mouth, and incessant rolling hips drew forth a low needy groan from Clary.

She pulled back away from him hastily, breathing heavily and feeling flushed. Jace looked no better. His eyes were dark and moving with uncontrollable energy. His cheekbones were graced with a hectic blush.

Clary's breasts were still heaving with every breath she took in, and Jace glanced down at them before quickly looking back up to her eyes. Clary leaned in and pressed her forehead against his own, her breath mingled with his as she pressed a chaste kiss to his mouth. Her fingers were wrapped in his hair, and his hands were on her bare waist, his fingers dipping lightly into the waistband of her jeans. He moved to kiss her again, but she pulled away slightly.

"Jace," Clary said, her breath catching in her throat at the intensity in his eyes. "Take me to bed," she whispered.

Clary heard him suck in a breath and felt his entire body tense beneath her; he stared at her hard before putting his hand to the back of her head and kissing her deeply. Clary leaned in and returned the kiss with fervor. Suddenly, Jace's hands were on her thighs and he stood abruptly causing Clary to gasp out in surprise and wrap her legs around his waist, which made Jace dig his fingers into her thighs harder as he walked her to the bed.

Jace stopped at the edge of the bed and set Clary down gently and pulled away from her slowly. His hand that was tangled in her hair trailed slowly down her neck, between the valley of her breasts, and down her stomach before stopping at the button of her jeans clearly waiting for permission. Clary nodded slightly and pressed kisses along his neck and shoulder making Jace's hands shake as he undid the button and freed her from her jeans. Once she stepped out of her jeans, Clary moved to undo Jace's belt. He stood still, not breathing, as she pulled the leather from around his hips and began pushing his pants down allowing him to step free of them.

Clad only in their underwear, they stood silently for a moment just staring at one another. Jace's hands were drawing slow patterns on her back, and Clary put her hands on his waist pulling him closer and drawing his face down to her own.

This kiss was different-slower, more cautious. Jace's tongue was sweeping through her mouth, and his hands were ghosting along her ribs. When his thumb lightly ran under the lace of her bra and he bit her lip lightly, Clary made a sound that was practically a growl and arched into him, kissing him harder.

Jace wrapped an arm her back and lowered them onto the bed. Clary's hair fanned around her as she settled against the pillows on Jace's bed with him on top of her, his hands on each side of her head. He stared at her, momentarily stunned.

"You're so beautiful, Clary," he said. "You know that, right?"

Blood rushed into Clary's face and she put her hands flat against the muscles in his back and pulled him flush against her as she whispered, "I love you."

Every last ounce of hesitation between them evaporated, and they crashed together like an explosion. Their bodies moved against each other sinuously. Their lips pressed together with a bruising force and their hands were everywhere. Clary's hands were on his chest and her legs were wrapped around his hips as Jace reached behind her to unhook her bra and draw it slowly from her body.

Once it was free of her, he threw it somewhere over his shoulder and took her one of her breasts into his mouth teasing her with his lips and tongue as Clary moaned and ground her hips into his. He grazed her nipple with his teeth and she bit on her lip to keep herself from screaming as she clawed at his back and shoulder making him hiss in pain and satisfaction.

He moved down her body as she began placing kisses on his neck, shoulders, and chest. Occasionally, she would pause to bite or suck at the skin leaving red marks and making him jerk or thrust his narrow hips into hers.

Jace was placing his lips in a line down her toned stomach and continued below her navel stopping right above the lace hemline of her panties. He curled his fingers around the hemline and looked up at Clary who was staring down at him, eyes as fiery as her hair and temper. She bit her lip and nodded, pushing her hips up and letting him pull the lace down her legs.

Clary shivered as she felt his breath against her core, and her stomach tightened. Though Jace had done this in Edom, the anticipation was enough to make her want to scream. Then, Jace put his mouth on her, and she practically did. Clary's back arched and suddenly her hands were winding through the silky golden tresses of his hair pushing him closer, and his name was on her lips in the sound of a moan.

Clary couldn't take it. Her body felt hypersensitive. She could feel Jace's hot breath, his quick tongue, his hand grasping her hip, and the other one gripping her leg he had thrown over his shoulder. She could even feel the flutter of his eyelashes against her skin.

She could feel herself teetering on the edge of something wild and dark and perfect. She felt like every nerve in her body was alive and pulsating as Jace continued his relentless assault. Right as she felt like her body was about to shatter from sheer pleasure, Jace inserted two fingers inside her and twisted, and Clary fell, gasping, over the edge.

Her body shook and Jace made his way back up to her face and could not believe the sight before his eyes or comprehend how he had gotten so goddamn lucky. He was placing soothing kisses on her shoulder, and she blinked at him hazily and grabbed the back of his neck pulling him into a lingering kiss.

It may have been moments or minutes or hours for all Jace knew or cared. All he could see, hear, and feel was Clary. If demons flew through and shattered the windows into a million shimmering sharp-edged pieces, Jace still would not have cared or noticed. All there was, was Clary. His hands were brushing her hair away from her face and they were kissing slowly, languorously when he suddenly felt Clary's smooth hand, calloused from holding daggers and swords and paintbrushes and pencils, reach into his boxers and wrap around him.

Jace groaned loudly. He felt her every movement against him as she tentatively, tortuously moved her hand surronding him. His body reacted to her ministrations and he was, unconsciously, thrusting into her hand. His head was on her shoulder, and he could feel her kiss the back of his neck as he breathed raggedly. All of a sudden, Clary's grip on him tightened, only fractionally, but enough to make Jace tense and growl low in his throat as he moved his hand to grab her arm stilling it and pushed himself up slightly.

Liquid gold eyes met fiery green ones, and they knew. They kissed again for what felt like the thousandth, millionth time that night, and Clary put her hands on Jace's hips and pushed his boxers down, removing the last piece of clothing that separated them as he reached over and grabbed something from the nightstand.

Jace entered her slowly feeling her tightness around him. He fought the urge to go faster, harder. It was only Clary's second time after all, and he wanted to make sure she was okay and wasn't in any kind of pain.

He stopped kissing her to gauge her facial expressions. Her eyes were closed tight and her teeth sunk into her bottom lip. He was resolutely still, and his body was tense from the effort it took to hold back.

Slowly, Clary's face relaxed and her eyes opened and flicked up to Jace's.

"Go," she whispered, and he did.

At first, it was gentle, tender. Their hands moved against one another slowly in soft caresses. Their lips moved softly, teasing, and their bodies moved in perfect sync drawing breathy moans and low groans from each of them. Clary gasped Jace's name in soft fervent tones while Jace breathed hers like a prayer as if she were the only thing binding him to this earth.

Gradually, the pace quickened. It began with Clary's teeth sinking into Jace's bottom lip, and his hands gripping her hips with a bruising force. Then, he was placing his mouth on her breasts and her fingernails were digging into his shoulders, his back trying to pull him closer, closer while she murmured I love you in his ear. His mouth moved against hers and whispered back I love you, too, and her legs wrapped around his waist as he thrust faster, and she rolled her hips up to meet his.

Everything was hazy and beautiful and pleasurable. Clary could feel that she was rising to the precipice again and prepared herself for the fall. Based on the jerky movements of Jace's hips and the restless movements of his hands and lips, Clary thought he was almost there too.

"Jace," she rasped in his ear, her voice low, husky. "Harder."

Jace groaned in response, but he obeyed and moved with more force. Clary moaned, but Jace captured it with his mouth. He was beginning to see stars in the back of his eyelids, and he was shaking. Clary, too, was shuddering in his arms and then suddenly she tensed around him and his name fell from her lips.

"Jace." She said it quietly and it was almost swallowed up by another moan, but he heard it. She had said it as if it were the only thing that mattered- as if he was the only thing that mattered.

She was driving him over the edge with her sounds, her voice, her lips, the way her hands moved quickly over his body as if she were mapping it out, and the way her body moved with his as if they were two parts of one whole.

It was her mouth on his that pushed him over the edge. His whole body tensed, and he felt as if he were falling wrapped in the hot embrace of heavenly fire.

He didn't know it, but her name fell like a litany from his lips.

Clary. Clary. Clary.

They were lying together, breathing finally under control. Clary's head was pillowed on Jace's chest, and one of his arms was wrapped around her back. The other was bent and resting on his chest holding Clary's hand. The blankets were in a haphazard tangle around their waists.

They were quiet, wrapped up one another. He was tracing the arch of her spine with a finger, his hand occasionally winding itself into her messy red curls. She was lying against him breathing quietly running her thumb across his knuckles where their hands were joined together, and her other hand was under his back drawing patterns and shapes absently.

They had never been together like this. It was terribly distracting. Jace could feel the press of Clary's breast against his side and her muscled leg thrown carelessly over one of his own, and Clary could feel the hardness of his muscles against her and shivered as he ran his hand down her body.

She propped her head up on her chin against his chest to look at him and found that he was already staring at her. She gave him a soft smile, and he returned it with a lazy, content grin.

"Jace," she said, hesitantly. "Does it always feel like that?"

His grin widened and he twisted a lock of her scarlet hair around his finger and shook his head slowly.

"No, it never feels like that," he said with complete sincerity. Clary blushed.

"Really?" she asked, still unsure. "But it must have felt similar this when you did it with some-"

Jace shook his head again, impatiently this time, and rested his hand against the small of her back.

"Clary, I've been with other girls before you, but sex never mattered as much as it does with you, and I promise you that it has never felt as amazing as it does with you either. You can count on that," Jace said, his words soft but firm and sincere, his eyes burning with intesity. Clary smiled softly in assent and let the subject drop.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," she said, and Jace smirked at her suggestively. "I must say that I rather agree with you," he said, sneaking his hand under the sheets and squeezing her ass playfully and dropping a cheeky wink at her as she huffed out a surprised laugh.

"Jace!" she said, slapping at his chest lightly, and he grinned widely at her causing her to laugh harder.

He brushed a curl from her eyes and muttered "sorry" thoroughly sounding as if he was not at all sorry but was, in fact, rather pleased with himself. Then, he caught sight of the clock on his nightstand and frowned, noting the late hour.

"Clary, how are you here? Won't your mom and Luke know your missing?" he asked, reluctantly. He wanted her to stay, but he didn't want her mom to discover that she was gone and forbid her from ever coming to the institute again. Jace was not even sure if Luke would try to stop Jocelyn if he suspected that he and Clary were sleeping together.

Unexpectedly, Clary shot a half guilty and half prideful grin up at him.

"Actually, mom and Luke are spending the weekend at the farmhouse as a kind of belated honeymoon. My mom left me with Magnus under strict orders that you were not to know that they were gone and that I was not allowed to go to the Institute unless it was to train and that you were not allowed at Magnus's at all. However, Magnus worked a bit of magic and made it where if mom called his place looking for me, the call would just be directed to my cell, so she'll never know," Clary said, with a mischievous half-smile.

Jace looked at her incredulously. "And Magnus just let you go? Just like that?" he asked, surprised.

"Well, it took very little effort on my part. It seemed that Magnus was eager to have some alone time with Alec as well," Clary said, still smiling.

Jace stared at her momentarily before his body began shaking with laughter and he pulled her toward him and placed a quick kiss on her mouth.

"God, I love you," he said, grinning down at her. Clary grinned back at him and kissed him on the jaw. "I love you, too."

"So," Jace began, his fingers dancing along her ribcage. "Does that mean you're staying the night?"

"If you want," Clary said, looking up at him through her lashes. "Oh, I very much want that," Jace said, smirking at her.

"Now the only problem is what to do next," Jace continued with a glint in his eye that meant he was up to something. Clary's brow furrowed in puzzlement.

"What do you mean?" she asked, curiously.

"Well," Jace said. "There are really only two options. One: we stay just like this. You and I in bed with you beautiful and perfect and unclothed," he said, giving her another wink as she rolled her eyes at him in amusement.

"And the second option?" she asked, her voice playful, and Jace shifted suddenly so he was on top of her, their bodies pressed together like puzzle pieces.

"That involves," Jace said, his voice low and husky. "Us making love again if you'd like." He captured her hands with his own and pinned them above her head.

Clary's heart began to pound in her chest. "Does it now?" she asked, licking her lips. Jace's eyes darted down to her mouth, and he captured it with his own.

"It does," he whispered against her lips.

"Hmm," Clary hummed, considering. "I suppose if I must choose, I'll go with the second option."

Jace's face broke out into another grin. "Are you sure?"

Clary nodded, eyes lidded and focused on his mouth.

"Excellent choice," he whispered, face ducking down to meet hers.

Wow. It's been a long time. This past year has been hectic. Since the last time I wrote, I've started college and gotten a job amongst other things. Subsequently, I have not been writing like I used to. Hopefully, I'll start making more time for it.

Anyhow, this has been on my mind for a while, so I finally wrote it. I'm not sure how I feel about it. It took much longer than I expected and is much longer than I expected. Moreover, I feel a bit rusty, and the grammar is most likely atrocious. Also, this is my first sexy fanfic, so I'm super nervous. Therefore, be gentle. Please.

For those of you who read this to the end, I hope you enjoy it. To those who open it and click back out of it, I'm sorry if it's that bad.

Thank you and comment if you'd like! Happy reading!