I know it's been a long time since I've updated, but this idea came to me and I decided to just go for it. I hope you enjoy.

Clary's eyes moved to the clock hanging on the wall, for what she thought must have been the hundredth time. She had been waiting for nearly an hour for her interview. With each passing minute, she grew more anxious.

"Ms. Highsmith will see you now," the receptionist said, motioning to the office door.

She held the briefcase, her mother had given to her the previous night, to her chest. She then thanked the receptionist and then moved towards the office.

She knocked softly as a courtesy and then entered.

"Have a seat," Ms. Highsmith told her, looking up from her desktop.

She pulled out the chair across from the headmistress and sat down.

"They weren't lying when they said that you were young."

Clary swallowed nervously. She wasn't sure what to say. It wasn't as if she didn't know she was young.

"How old are you?"

"I'm 24."

Ms. Highsmith smiled in a way that surprised Clary.

"You must be something very special to be so young and come highly recommended. Our standard minimum age to be hired is 35. You sure impressed the right person or you wouldn't be here right now."

"Impressed?" Clary asked. "Who recommended me?"

"That would be telling, wouldn't it."

Ms. Highsmith leaned over and pulled out her desk drawer. When she sat up again, she was holding a desk file. She opened it and looked up at Clary.

"Let's begin shall we," she smiled. "I'm formally known as Ms. Highsmith to students and parents, but you along with the rest of the staff may call me Annamarie. I assume that your teaching name would be Fairchild, am I correct?"

Clary's heart skipped a beat. She made it sound as though it was a done deal and the job was already hers. Everyone had told her that she would have interview after interview and it could take anywhere from months to over a year to be hired.

"Yes," Clary said, ignoring the urge to grin like an idiot.

"I see that you attended Yale your freshman year before transferring to Columbia, what was the reason for that?"

The question seemed unexpected to her. It had been over five years since she'd started college, near a lifetime ago. But the reason she'd transferred wasn't one she was going to share with Annamarie. It had been the result of a careless eighteen year old's mistakes and she didn't care to relive it.

"I was having a difficult time transitioning, being so far from home," Clary lied.

Annamarie raised a single eyebrow in amusement.

"You had a 4.0, I'd say that qualifies as a successful adjustment."

She felt her cheeks grow a bit red.

"While it had a fantastic art program, I didn't enjoy their teaching methods."

"Oh?" Mused the headmistress. "What you think suitable teaching methods are?"

Clary turned her bracelet nervously. She had gone over the answer at least a hundred times when she had practiced, yet at that point, she was drawing a blank. Finally, when she thought the moment couldn't get any worse, she remembered.

"I think teacher-student relationships are the key. Having only recently finished school myself, I understand that what students want is to be engaged, while being treated like adults."

"I see," she nodded. "I noticed in addition to you majoring in art you also majored in literature, is that correct?"

"Yes," Clary answered. "Art was my main focus, but I found that two are closely related, which is why I made it a point to major in both, as well as minor in history."

"I think that should serve you well."

Clary began to sense that she wasn't interviewing for the arts position. That would be too good to be true.

"It's my understanding that you intend to teach art." Annamarie paused just long enough for Clary to nod. "Unfortunately, we don't currently have that position available. However, should you accept the history position, you would be eligible to replace the art teacher when she retires in two to three years."

Clary knew that there had to be a catch. She had never wanted to teach anything other than art. But she had been there all of five minutes and to be offered a job straight out of university, at a private school, was an amazing opportunity. She couldn't say no.

"You can give me your answer now, or I can give you until next week at the latest to hear back from you."

She internally sighed. Something told her that Annamarie already knew what her answer was going to be.

"There's no need," Clary told her. "I accept."

Clary met Tessa later that afternoon, in a café near her apartment. Since Clary was a freshman in high school they had done so every week. The only time they had ever missed having coffee had been when Clary briefly attended Yale and when Tessa had studied in England as an exchange student.

"How did it go?" Tessa asked eagerly, setting her coffee on the table as she sat down.

Clary looked over to Lucie's stroller, where she was sleeping soundly. It never ceased to amaze her how she could seemingly sleep through anything.

"I got the job," Clary said, glancing back to Tessa.

Tessa smiled.

"I thought you would."

She leaned over and picked up her diaper bag. Clary expected her to pull out something for Lucie, but instead she produced a small box and slid it across the table.

"What's this?"

"Just open it."

She pulled at the delicate ribbons and removed the lid. Inside laid an apple necklace engraved with a C.

"Oh Tessa, they're beautiful, you didn't have to, though."

"I wanted to," Tessa told her. "Besides, it's something that will never go out of style."

Clary jokingly rolled her eyes. Between the two of them, Tessa would have been much better suited to being a teacher. But instead, Tessa had become a journalist, writing a successful weekly column for the New York Times, while juggling being a full-time mom. Part of Clary was a bit jealous. Tessa was only two years older, yet she had her entire life together.

"When do you start?"

"Three weeks."

Clary caught the slight hint of a sparkle in Tessa's eyes. Whenever that happened, it meant Tessa had an idea. And Tessa's ideas tended to lead Clary down a path of trouble.

"Since you have some time before you start, do you think it would be possible for you to watch Lucie and James for a couple nights, so Will and I could get out of town."

A couple nights with a four-year-old and a two-year-old was a far cry from how Clary envisioned spending part of the remainder of her free time. A night here and there was fine, but more than one was daunting.

"Of course, you won't be alone!" Tessa was sure to add.

Clary's eyes widened. That could only mean one thing.

"Will already talked to Jace and he said he'd be happy to help you."

"No," Clary groaned.

Tessa had made it one of her goals in life to get Clary and Jace on cordial terms. But five years of her near constant attempts had amounted to little more than a deep-seated hatred between the two.

"Please," Tessa begged. "You know you want to. I'm your best friend. How could you say no to me?"

Clary decided there was no point in arguing. Because it was Tessa she knew she could never say no.

"I'll do it, but only because I love you."

Clary was putting in her earrings when the doorbell rang.

"Coming," she called.

She grabbed her coat from off the bed, flipped off the lights, and closed the bedroom door behind her. When Clary got to the living room, she saw that her roommate had already let her boyfriend in and he was waiting for her.

It had been a month since she had started teaching, and to celebrate they were having a night out. Additionally, it was nearly their five-year anniversary, so it made sense to celebrate the two occasions together.

"You look nice." Jordan smiled.

"Thanks," she blushed.

She walked over to the closet and took her shoes out. Clary then went to the couch to slip them on.

"What are you going to do?" Maia, Clary's roommate, asked.

"Dinner and then I think we'll see where the night takes us."

He glanced at her and winked, causing Maia to let out a nervous laugh. Clary knew that look, he had a plan.

"Well, have fun," Maia said, standing up. "Be safe."

Clary stood to pull her jacket on. After a quick once-over in the mirror, she went and looped her arm with Jordan's.

"Ready to go?"

She nodded and walked with him to the door. When she had turned the lock they set off to walk to the restaurant.

When they arrived their table was already waiting for them and they were promptly seated.

"It's so nice to be out in the real world, surrounded by adults," Clary told him, as they were deciding what to order.

"Is it?" He laughed.

He had no idea. Her first month had been the longer than she could have ever imagined. But she was having the best time with it. She loved her students and surprisingly had found it much easier to teach language arts than she initially thought it would be.

Clary felt her phone vibrate, just as the waiter poured them both glasses of champagne and left the bottle. She quickly pulled it out and read the text.

Maia: Let me know if you want the apartment tonight

Clary let out a laugh. From across the table, she could see Jordan's curiosity.

"I'm sorry." She said. "I'll put it away. No more phone. I promise."

She clicked the power button and turned to slip it back into her coat pocket. When she sat back up Jordan was beaming at her with an open ring box, causing her to gasp.

"Jordan-I-I."

She was speechless. Clary didn't know what to say. Of course, she had had an inkling that it could be coming, but she felt so unprepared.

"Yes!" She exclaimed.

"Oh, thank goodness. For a moment I thought you would say no."

"Of course not!"

Jordan picked the ring out of the box and took Clary's hand. He then carefully slipped it onto her finger.

"It's beautiful." She breathed.

"Just like you. And the name Clarissa Kyle."

They were just starting dessert when her phone began to ring. At first, she silenced it, assuming that is was Maia, but after two more calls, she finally gave up and broke her promise. When she pulled out her phone, she saw that the calls had come from an unknown number.

"Who is it?" Jordan asked.

"I'm not sure," she said just as it began to ring for the fourth time." But I think I should take it."

She stood up and started towards the entrance of the restaurant, pressing the accept button when she was nearly outside.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Clarissa Fairchild?"

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"This is she."

"My name is Officer Townsend, I'm calling you from Beth Israel in regards to William and Teresa Herondale, who have you listed as their primary emergency contact. I'm sorry to inform you, there's been an accident."

What do you think? Is it worth continuing? Please let me know in a review! Also, I'm always open to feedback and constructive criticism.

~Lillie