City of Shattered Glass

Part 8: The Law is Hard

Every time he woke in the night, Clary was awake. As he lay next to her on the medical bed, her breathing was uneven as if she had just woken from a nightmare. After the fourth time he'd woken up, Jace had peered through his eyelashes to find her eyes wide open. She was staring toward her hands, which were flat against his chest and he could only wonder what was keeping her up. His worry had already been bad enough, the sobs that had come from her were like a punch to the gut, but her fail to sleep made his worry only worsen. He had a damn lot of worry at the moment. Jace just hoped that he could help her figure it out, he would never let her go through this alone. More than anything, he wished he could take away everything, take it upon himself instead.

Jace tightened his arms around her and whispered against her hair, "You should be sleeping."

Clary tensed in his arms. Clearly, she hadn't known he'd been awake, "I've slept enough lately." She mumbled. Jace silently cursed himself. What she meant was when she had been unconscious. He found it hard to breath as he thought about all the reasons she had fallen unconscious, the pain his father—no, Valentine— had inflicted on her.

Jace ran his hand through her hair, "Are you okay?" He didn't know why he even asked, of course she wasn't, but he also knew that maybe asking her would get her to open up to him.

"No." She said and that was it, no explanation. He didn't want her to suffer alone, more than anything he wanted her to talk to him. But he wouldn't push her, if he pushed her, he may lose her entirely. Still, Jace had to try.

So, he asked, "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"No." She said again, her voice weary.

"Okay," Jace said it partly just to show her that he would wait until she was ready. He fingered a piece of her fiery hair, lifting the strands to the light that was slowly beginning to filter through the window. It felt like silk in his touch, and he had to hold himself back from burying his face into the red strands and losing himself forever.

Jace knew he should be grateful she was back and that Valentine was no longer able to hurt her, but it was clear her suffering was not over yet. Damn it. Why was it always like this for them? If Clary doesn't sleep, then neither will I, Jace promised himself. They went through this together, supported each other. If anyone could survive this together, it was them. Nothing was stronger than the love that Jace had for Clary, and nothing, nothing, could ever tear her from him again.

Jace kept his eyes open, staring at Clary until finally the sun shine brightly outside the window. Nothing felt better than the beat of her heart beneath his palm, "How are you feeling?" He breathed against her temple.

She drew in a deep breath, "Better."

He squeezed her tight, relieved, "Good. Is there anything I can get you?"

Clary shook her head, "No. I'm happy right where I am."

He could sense her trying to seem normal for him, acting as if everything was fine. He didn't know who she thought she was fooling, "Clary, please don't try and act as if everything is fine. It's me, I want to be here for you."

She let out a long breath and her small body began to shake, "I know, I know. I just—I'm scared. If I fall asleep, will I wake up to more pain again?"

Jace felt his own hands begin to shake, "Clary I—"

Shadowhunters burst into the room. Aldertree and three others swept through the door, striding toward the medical bed. Clary's eyes widened as they grabbed her arms and yanked her from Jace's arms, a whimper of pain escaping her lips.

Jace scrambled to his feet, "What are you doing?!" He couldn't let them touch her. They were only going to hurt her more, drive her further away from him. He couldn't bare it if she was ever beyond his reach.