Hey guys,

So this is the first time I have ventured in my writing outside of the Harry Potter fanfiction sphere. I've had this idea for a Clary and Jace story in my head for a while it's just been a matter of getting it out and into a Word Document. Let me know what you guys think!

Love,

TheWordsIWrite

Chapter 1

"No. Absolutely not!" I shout at my parents, leaping off the sofa and to my feet.

Jocelyn gives Valentine a look that says 'See I told you she would react like this.' He returns her look with one of his own that says 'I know. I've got this.'

"Clarissa," Valentine began, using that annoyingly patient tone that all fathers seem to have at their disposal, "Your mother and I have been friends with Robert and Maryse since college. There was no way we could possibly have said no when they asked us."

I shook my head in disagreement "Yes, Yes there was. You could have said 'No' it's one word. I'm saying it now. See: No, no, no, no. There is no way in any world that I'm okay with this."

My father took a deep breath, obviously trying to maintain his patience. Jocelyn put a hand on his shoulder and picks up where he had left off. "It hasn't been easy on the Lightwoods since Max…passed…and now with Robert and Maryse starting this whole messy divorce process... This is the least we could do."

"Your brother acted very maturely about this whole situation. Your friends with Isabelle and Alec." Valentine points out, "I don't see what the problem is."

"It's not Izzy and Alec that are the problem. It's what comes with them." How could they not understand this? I had been complaining about him for the past four years ever since Jonathan befriended him in sophomore year, "Isn't enough that I have to see him at school and whenever Jon has him over?"

My parents share another look. This time it looks to be saying 'Oh not this again.'

"Yes, Clarissa as the Lightwood's adopted son he will obviously be coming along. Clarissa, we have already extended the invitation and the Lightwoods have already accepted. Robert and Maryse were very grateful for this."

"Please, please, please don't do this to me," I beg them, "Can I stay with Luke until their gone? Or Simon. I could go live at Simon's. His mother loves me. There is no way she would mind."

Apparently my father had had enough of my complaining because he stood, holding his hand up in the universal sign for stop, "That's enough Clarissa. I realize you don't like this boy, but I already gave my word to Maryse and Robert that we would take care of the kids while they figure out the divorce."

"God knows this house is big enough that we can house everyone comfortably," Jocelyn adds, "You and Jace Herondale will just have to co-exist until this whole thing is sorted out."

Jace. Even the sound of his name made me cringe. The two of us barely coexist in the same hemisphere. Let alone the same house. But when I look at my parents again I knew that there was no way they were going to change their minds on this.

I let out a sigh of frustration, "Fine!" I snap, "But I will not do it happily."

My father rolls his eyes, "I never thought for a second you would."

I huff and storm up the stairs, my mother's voice calling after me, "They'll be here tomorrow afternoon."

I reach my room and throw my door open. Stepping inside I turn around to throw it closed with equal force, rattling the many jars of art supplies that were set in various places around my room, "Really I don't understand why you're so upset by this whole thing."

I spin around to find my older brother lounging on my bed, flipping through one of my sketchbooks, "Get the hell out." I snap at him. I snatch my sketchbook out of his hand, accidentally tearing the page he had been looking at. "Shit." I curse looking down at the ruined drawing.

"You know Clarissa maybe if you were less of a hot head you and Jace would get along better," Jon suggests.

"You can't put this on me. The reason your supposed best friend and I don't get along is not because of me. It is because he is a raging asshole."

Jon shook his head, with a mock disappointed expression on his face, "Clarissa you cannot keep blaming other people for your shortcomings it isn't healthy."

Normally I have more patience for my brother. But when it comes to Jace patience goes out the window, "GET OUT!" I shout. I can practically feel the steam coming out my ears, which is, perhaps, why Jon listens this time. Languidly he gets off my bed stretches and then strolls out of my room.

However, apparently it is impossible for him to let someone else have the last word because he stops in the doorway and says, "I personally am looking forward to the next few months. They hold the promise of being very entertaining."

I vainly search for something to throw at him, but by the time I grab one of the pillows off of my bed, he's already gone. Still I throw the pillow at my closed door. It makes me feel a little better. But only a little.

For a minute, I just stand in the middle of my room, glaring at everything in sight. Then once I feel as if I can move without punching something I pick up my phone.

Simon meets me in Java Jones exactly fifteen minutes later, just as my text specified. He's out of breath, probably from running all the way here from his apartment, "What…is…it…Clary…your text…said…emergency…." He wheezes, collapsing onto the sofa next to me.

"JaceHerondaleismovingintomyhousewhilehisparentsgetadivorce!" I exclaim the words meshing together as they tumble out of my mouth.

"In English?" Simon asked, his breathing slowly returning to normal.

"Jace Herondale and his siblings are moving into my house while their parents get a divorce."

Simon gapes at me. Finally! Someone understands, "So how long? For a few weeks? A month?" His voice has the same astonished tone that mine did when my parents first told me. He dislikes Jace Herondale. Not with the same burning passion as I do, but Simon usually reserves that sort of burning hatred for things like Twilight and Voldemort.

I shake my head, "No we're talking months. Maybe three. Maybe six. But it doesn't matter. One day would be too long." I let out a miserable groan and let my head fall into my hands.

Simone gives me a pitying look and stands, "I'm going to get us some coffee. The usual I assume?" I just groan again in response, which I assume he takes as valid confirmation, because when I look up again he's gone.

Why is this happening to me? What did I ever do to deserve this? Why couldn't someone decent be staying with us?

`My gaze drifts over to where Simon is standing awkwardly at the counter, his Star Wars top hanging off his body as if his shoulders were simply a coat hanger. This is when the idea hits me. By the time, Simon returns with our coffees five minutes later I have already texted or called everyone I need to to make this happen. What can I say? I'm just that good.

"Simon," I begin taking a sip of my coffee, "How would you feel about moving into my house while the Lightwoods are there?" I ask as casually as if I was asking about the weather.

Simon raises his eyebrows at me and then looks back down at his cup of coffee, "You know there is no way on earth your parents or my mom would agree to that." He says.

"Yeah. I know." I say a slow smile spreading across my face, "But what if they did?"

"They won't."

"Yeah. I know. But what if they did?" I repeat.

He looks up from his mug, "You already called them didn't you?"

I nod.

"And because your parents feel guilty about this whole thing they said yes? Didn't they?"

Another nod.

"And you had your mother call mine and we both know no one can say no to Jocelyn."

"Yep," I say popping the 'p.'

"But Clary what if I don't want to stay in the same house as Jace Herondale for a whole three months?" Simon says, very close to sounding as if he's whining.

I take a sip of my coffee, "Well Isabelle is going to be there too. You know since we're getting all of the Lightwood kids."

Simon has had a crush on Isabelle for well over a year now. Since she and I hang out quite a bit she knows he exists, but I am fairly certain she has a hard time seeing geeky, Lord of the Rings loving Simon in that way. However, Simon refuses to give up.

As I had suspected his eyes light up at the prospect of three to six months in the same house as Isabelle. A few weeks ago when our school had let out for the summer he had bemoaned the fact that he would barely see her all summer. Now I have given him a solution to this "problem."

"Okay." He agrees, "I'm in. When do I move in?"

I stand up and do a little celebratory victory dance. After a minute, Simon tugs me back into my seat while hissing "Clary you're embarrassing yourself."

"You move in on Sunday with everyone else. Be at my house by five o'clock." I inform him my grin still lighting up my face.

"I can't believe your parents are okay with four extra teenagers moving into their house for this long. My mom would never go for that."

"I think it has something to do with the fact that they feel like Jon and I are almost all grown up. They're probably just trying to make the time they have left last. And if most of our friends are living at our house, in theory, it means we'll be home more."

Simon shakes his head in mock disappointment at my parents supposed reasoning, "And here I thought they were doing this for the Lightwoods out of the kindness of their heart. I'm very disappointed in Jocelyn and Valentine."

I laugh, "I'm sure that fits in there somewhere as well."

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-

The whole of the next morning was spent cleaning. Yes, the Lightwoods had been at our house many times before. Yes, they had been there when it was in all different kinds of chaos. However, my mother still wanted to spotless for their arrival. Consequently, I spent what was to be my last Jace free morning for the next few months scrubbing toilets. If possible, this made me even less pleased for his arrival.

The only silver lining was Simon. Who had been texting me all morning about what he should bring? As if by the power of my thoughts my phone chimes.

Simon: You have all the Harry Potter movies, right? Or do I need to bring mine?

Clary: Of course I have all the movies. However, if you want to read the books while you are here you will have to bring your own. There is no way in hell anyone besides me will ever touch my Harry Potter books.

While I'm not as big of a nerd as Simon was, mainly because I'm not sure that's humanly possible, I was still a nerd. And nerds do not share their books, even with their best friends.

I finish all the chores my mother had prescribed me with and rush to jump in the shower before everyone arrives. I just finish blow drying my hair when I hear the doorbell ring. Simon never bothers to ring the doorbell anymore, so it must be the Lightwoods.

Sure enough, a second later my brother is banging on my bathroom door, "Clary! Isabelle, Jace, Alex and Simon are all here. Mom says get your lazy ass downstairs right now!" He shouts through the door, even though he knows I could hear him perfectly well if he just spoke like a normal person. But Jon always has had a problem being a normal person.

"I said no such thing!" My mother calls up the stairs, "Now both of you get down here."

I open the bathroom door and shove past Jonathan, who retaliates by shoving me back. I stumble and start to fall down the stairs. At the last second, I grab onto Jon's shirt taking him tumbling down the stairs with me. The two of us land in a heap on the landing.

"Lose your balance there Red?" A familiar annoying voice asks. I look around and see Jace, Alex, Isabelle and Simon all standing in the foyer, surrounded by bags.

"Hi, guys," I say struggling to my feet. I go to take a step and trip over Jon who has yet to pick himself off the floor. My knees hit the ground, but before the rest of me can a strong arm reaches out to catch me.

"Look I know I'm good looking and all, but the term 'falling for you' is a figure of speech Red." Of course, it was Jace who caught me. Of freaking course. I yank my arm away from him and steady myself.

"In your dreams." I snap.

Jace smirks at me, "Well in my dreams you are certainly on your knees in front of me, but-"

"Watch it Herondale," Jon growls, finally standing up and brushing himself off, "You may be my best friend but reserve the perverted jokes for girls who aren't my little sister."

But it's too late my face is already flaming red from embarrassment and anger. Before anyone can say anything else though my mother comes into the room, "Okay everyone into the living room. Valentine and I want to go over a few things before you all settle in."

Once everyone has seated in the living room my mom starts, "First of all I want all of you to feel welcome while you're here. Our home is yours. There are just a few rules Valentine and I want you guys to follow, the same rules as we have Clary and Jonathan follow."

"Curfew is 12." My father picks up for my mother, "No parties. Ever."

"And since you are all staying here everyone will have a few chores to do around the house. Nothing big just a few little things each." My mother turns to Alec, "Now obviously Alec the first one doesn't apply to you as you're over 18, but we would appreciate it if you would check in every once and a while."

"No problem Jocelyn," Alec says with a nod.

My mother smiles, "Now for room arrangements. All of you have been here before so you know the house has two floors with bedrooms on it, along with Valentine's and my room which is on the ground floor. Isabelle and Simone your rooms are on the same floor as Clary's bedroom. Then Jace and Alec you guys are on the next floor up with Jon. Does that sound good to everyone?"

There're murmurs of assent and my mother stands up, smiling, "Okay well Clary and Jon will be happy to help you guys carry all of your stuff up to your rooms. Valentine and I, however, have to run, we have a work dinner to go tonight. I am so sorry to be gone on your guys' first night here. But there's money for pizza in the kitchen."

My mom looks around the room, trying to remember if she forgot anything. Once she's satisfied that she hasn't she and my father say their goodbyes and then are gone.

"So," Jace says his eyes boring into me, "This is going to be fun."