'Don't I know you from somewhere?' She asked him, her heart beginning to race. There was something about him so familiar, but her mind couldn't hold onto the memory, as though trying to catch smoke.

'No, I don't think so.' He began to turn away, afraid to let himself hope. She shouldn't have been able to see him. He was afraid the angels were torturing him in some sick game.

Her stomach lurched at the thought of him walking away. She couldn't lose him, not now, when she was so close. 'No, I do. I definitely do, I...'

The same flashes and images she'd been having for months flitted through her brain. Golden hair. Symbols tattooed on a perfectly sculpted male torso. One blue eye and one brown looking at her with love and longing. A name. The name that had been floating in her head: Jace. She looked into those same eyes staring at her right now. '...you're Jace, right?'

She held her breath, afraid she would be wrong. Afraid he would walk away and she would never see him again.

A small smile lifted the corners of his mouth. 'Yeah. Yeah, I'm Jace.'

'I'm Clary.' She smiled radiantly up at him. Jace thought his heart might leap from his chest. Could this be it? A year of going through the motions, of emptiness. The pain of grief so strong he could barely breathe most days, longing for what had been ripped away from him just as it had been starting. They were meant to have a life together, to be finally free to love each other without obstacles, after everything they had endured and overcome. Every day he had prayed to the angels to bring her back to him. To forgive and let them be together. Had they finally listened? Or had what he told Simon been true? Their love was stronger than the angels' spite.

He gazed down at her, not knowing what she remembered, but knowing this was the start, and he'd be damned if he let her get away from him again.

'What are these tattoos on your neck?' Clary reached her hand up to his neck and touched the rune visible above his collar. His neck tingled at her touch and he looked into her eyes, desperate to know what she was thinking.

Clary's eyes widened at the tingling she felt as her fingers made contact with Jace's skin. If she wasn't sure before, she was now. They were connected...somehow. She felt as though she was on the verge of remembering. It was right in front of her, she just couldn't quite reach. But she knew Jace. Knew that he was hers and she was his, completely.

Jace raised his hand and placed it over Clary's on his neck, leaning into her touch. He had no idea how long they'd been standing there in the alley before she linked her fingers with his and pulled him along to follow her.

'Come with me?' She asked as she began to move. Jace nodded and let her lead him back into the gallery. While she collected her bag, he deglamoured. There was no reason to hide now that she could see him. She took his hand again and led him through the streets. Clary led him to her apartment. He, of course, knew exactly where she lived. He'd been watching her for a year. Protecting her from a distance, making sure she was ok.

She let go of his hand to unlock her front door, her heart pounding the whole time she'd been walking with him. Clary had no idea what she was doing, she never took guys home. But Jace wasn't just anyone. He was the only one. She just knew it.

They entered and paused in the middle of her tiny apartment. Jace had stood guard outside her home many times, gazing up at her windows, but he had never been inside. No matter how much he wanted to, he had felt that it wouldn't be right, that he had no place in her life anymore. He was an outsider observing. But now she had invited him in and he was never going to go back to hiding in the shadows.

Jace looked around him, taking it all in. The apartment was open-plan, with the 'bedroom' in the right hand corner, the bathroom next to it. A small kitchen to the left hand side and a living area in the middle. Her art easel was set up facing the living room window and art supplies littered every surface. Her home was a reflection of Clary. He smiled, remembering how messy she could become when she focussed on her art. She had pinned up some of her pictures on the walls, and he moved toward some that caught his eye. There must have been 50 sketches, some in charcoal that she'd obviously quickly gotten onto the page before they left her mind, and others detailed in colour and more refined. Jace stepped closer, and realised what they were pictures of: Demons. Angels. Runes. Her lost memories. He turned his head to look at her with a questioning gaze.

'Dreams.' She answered. 'When I wake up, I have to get them down on paper.'

He turned back, and that was when he noticed one picture in particular. Above her bed was a sketch of an angel. No, not an angel. Not really. It was him. Standing with no shirt on, his runes plain to see, but expanding from his back was a pair of large angel wings. She had coloured his eyes - one brown and one blue. She remembered him. He felt the sting of tears prickle behind his eyes. Clary's mind had remembered him in some way.

Clary noticed him taking in her picture and she blushed. His eyes looked into hers again, the two of them locked in an intense gaze that had Clary's blood heating. She really wanted him to kiss her. She began imagining how his lips would feel touching hers and her cheeks grew warm.

Jace watched as her eyes began to glaze over and her cheeks grew pink. He couldn't take any more. With a soft growl, he grabbed her face with both his hands and kissed her, pouring into it a year's worth of longing and love. Her lips felt warm and soft beneath his as she relaxed into his kiss. She raised her hands to cradle his face against hers, bringing him closer. She opened her mouth, allowing his tongue entry, deepening their contact.

Jace broke away just as her lungs began to burn, and rested his forehead against hers, both of them heaving their chests, gasping in oxygen. 'I love you Clary.'

She looked into his eyes and knew she had found the other half of her. 'I love you too Jace.' For so long she had felt like a huge part of her was missing, but not knowing what it was. Her dreams taunted her with vague pictures that had her waking up in tears, crying over something she'd lost, but not sure what it was. Having Jace, standing here in front of her now, she felt that whether she remembered or not, didn't matter, as long as he was with her.

Jace kissed her again, wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her body tight against his. She eagerly pressed into him, happy to have as much of her touching him as possible. Clary moved her hands down his shoulders, sliding his jacket off, and running her hands back up his arms to wrap them around his neck, never breaking their kiss. Jace ran his hands down her back to cup her behind. He lifted her effortlessly, as though she weighed nothing, and she wrapped her legs around him. He broke the kiss again. 'Are... are you sure?' He asked breathlessly.

Clary nodded emphatically. 'I've never been more sure of anything.'

He gazed into her eyes again and made the decision to slow down. He didn't want their reunion to be quick. He wanted it to last for as long as possible. He wanted to show her how much she meant to him. Jace walked them over to the bed and unwrapped her legs from around him, sliding her down his body.

Clary looked up at him confused, until his hands slid underneath her shirt, lifting it up over her ribs. She raised her arms above her head, allowing him to take it off. He kissed her again, as she followed suit lifting his shirt up, breaking the kiss long enough to remove it over his head. He pushed her skirt down her legs, letting it pool on the floor. She tried to undo his jeans, giggling a little as she failed. He smiled into her kiss, breaking their contact to remove the rest of his clothing himself.

Clary gasped as her eyes followed the removal of his pants. He was built like the Greek statues and paintings she'd studied for her art. His perfectly chiseled body was covered in symbols and scars, making him look like an ancient warrior come to life before her eyes. Clary's breathing became shallow as her arousal grew.

Jace watched Clary peruse his body. He liked that she wanted him. As her eyes drew back up to his, he saw her usually bright green eyes had darkened with desire, her pupils blown wide. She was still dressed in her underwear, and he wanted to see all of her. He slowly reached out, sliding her bra strap down her shoulder, his hand continuing the slide down her arm. She shivered and held onto his waist for balance as she felt shaky. He reached around behind her to unclip her bra, letting it fall to the floor. He pushed her firey hair behind her, exposing her unmarked skin to him. He bent his head and started trailing kisses from her neck down across her chest and belly, tasting her flawless skin as he descended onto his knees. He hooked his thumbs into the waistband of her panties and slid them down her legs. Clary placed her hands on Jace's head as she stepped out of her underwear, completely exposed to him. Jace ran his hands up the backs of her legs as he placed soft, slow kisses on her thighs, making his way toward the place he desperately wanted to go.

Clary had never felt so loved. She felt like a goddess being worshipped by a devoted follower bent on her pleasure. As Jace's kisses grew closer to the junction of her thighs, her heart beat a frantic rhythm and her legs started to tremble. She felt his tongue connect with her, lightly tasting and teasing her. She moaned, and Jace took this as approval to proceed. He pushed his tongue repeatedly onto her clit with more pressure, seeking her pleasure. At the sound of her breathy sighs above him, he brought his finger up to slick through her wetness, pushing into her. Clary threw her head back and felt the pleasure building deep in her belly as Jace began swirling his fingers inside her. She screamed as he hit the right spot and her legs gave out.

Jace caught her as she fell, his 'speed' rune coming in handy. He scooped her up and placed her reverently on the bed, sitting next to her, all the while watching as she came down from her orgasm. Clary stared up at him, her crystalline eyes shining through her long lashes. By the angel, she was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen.

She reached her arms out to him and drew him in for a kiss. This was a kiss of passion and desire, her tongue battling with his. Jace crawled over her, taking all his weight onto his arms to avoid crushing her. Clary wrapped a leg around his waist, using her heel on his behind to settle him between her legs. He tore his mouth from hers to look down at her, his chest heaving. 'Clary... I...'

'Shhh.' She cut him off and leaned up to kiss him, her hand wrapping around his nape. 'Please Jace. I need you.'

Jace groaned. He needed her too, needed to be connected to her in every way. He slid his hands under her shoulders and pulled them both so they were sitting up. Clary wrapped her legs around him. This position allowed her to see directly into his eyes, nowhere to hide. For a moment they just sat there, holding onto each other, Clary tracing the contours of his face, making sure he was real. Jace allowed her whatever time she needed, happier than he'd ever remembered being.

Clary lifted herself up, reaching down she took him in her hand and guided him into her. She lowered herself slowly, her hands resting on his muscular shoulders, eyes locked on his the whole way until he was completely inside her.

Jace had been holding his breath the entire time Clary was sliding onto him. Her warmth engulfed him and he sighed with pure ecstasy. They fit together like a perfect puzzle.

'Jace... your eyes... what's happening?' She stared as Jace's eyes began to glow a golden colour. The runes etched onto Jace's body began to glow with the same golden light Clary saw in his eyes. She roved her eyes over his body, in awe of the sight.

With excruciating slowness, Clary began to move on him, up and down, circling her hips slightly. If his eyes hadn't been locked onto Clary's, he was pretty sure they would've rolled back in his head. As her tempo began to change, Jace felt the

pressure building, but he was determined to hold on, awaiting Clary's pleasure.

Clary knew Jace wanted more, but was allowing her to set the pace, which made her love him all the more. They started moving together, as though they had worked out their rhythm long ago, and Clary felt her orgasm building again.

As they continued to move, faster and faster, the glow grew brighter.

'Jace - harder!' Clary held onto his shoulders tighter, her nails digging in as she ground her hips harder onto him. Jace grunted as he pulled her hips down harder onto him, flexing his hips to thrust into her. She was so close, he could feel her walls tightening around him. Jace reached down to where they were joined and pressed his thumb against her clit.

'Jace!' Clary screamed his name as she came. Her mind exploding into thousands of golden lights. Jace was in awe as he watched Clary reach her peak. He looked down at her body and gasped as he watched runes appear on her body, shining along with his, reminding him of when Clary had created the rune to connect them in an effort to track her brother. The two of them shone together like a blazing star fallen from the heavens. He sighed her name as he came inside her. They clung together as their light faded along with their mutual high, their heavy breaths the only sound filling the apartment.

'You're so beautiful.' He breathed.

'Jace...' Clary's eyes had filled with tears, but her smile lit up her countenance. 'I remember.'

It was the sunlight streaming through the window that woke him. He had slept better than he had in a year, and he knew exactly why - she was currently asleep right beside him. His Clary. Here. Next to him. He hadn't dreamt it. His heart was full to bursting with happiness. He propped himself up on his elbow to look at her. She was lying on her stomach, arms underneath her pillow, giving him a small glimpse of her right breast. The sheet was draped across her hips, displaying the dips and curves of her milky white back. Her hair fanned out like molten lava cascading over and across her wherever it pleased. His hand slowly followed the line of her back, tickling her. Clary groaned sleepily and rolled over onto her back, eyes still closed. Jace breathed in shakily at the sight of her fully exposed to him. His eyes flicked to the various runes that had appeared last night, recognising all of them, except one. It was displayed over her left breast, above her heart, an intricate design, like something Clary would have previously created. As he wondered, he felt Clary stir and decided to wake her in a more pleasurable way.

Jace began touching her body, his hands skimming across her ribs and flat stomach. He leant down and placed kisses on her chest, moving to take her left nipple into his mouth, sucking and gently biting. Clary gasped and moaned at the feeling, raising her arms to run her fingers through his hair, urging him to continue. Jace moved over her body and slipped his erection inside her, both of them shuddering at the contact. He moved slowly at first, kissing her neck as Clary arched her back. She wrapped her legs around his hips, using her heel to pull him deeper into her. Jace brought his hands up to cup her face, kissing her deeply, his tongue delving into her mouth, capturing her moans. She hugged Jace to her, wanting him as close as possible, skin to skin. He picked up the pace as they moved together, climbing higher and higher towards their peak. Clary began to feel a tingling on the skin on her left breast. Her eyes moved to the runes on Jace's chest, one in particular catching her eye. It was the same symbol as hers, in the same position, over his heart.

'Jace?' She reached up and touched the unknown rune on his chest.

Jace looked down to see where she was touching him, never breaking his rhythm. He used his angelic ability to activate the unknown rune, his eyes glowing gold.

The two of them paused and gasped as they felt the power of the rune flowing through both of them. It was a connection rune, binding them together. At Clary's smile, Jace resumed motion, harder and faster than before. Their connection intensifying the feeling as they came together.

Jace rested his head against Clary's, both their chests heaving from the exertion.

'That was... incredible.' Clary breathed.

'I guess that's what that rune does!' He chuckled. He slid out of her and rolled to the side, gathering her in his arms, kissing her shoulder.

As they calmed, Clary became quiet and contemplative. Jace brushed a strand of hair off her face. 'What is it?'

'I don't want you to go. I feel like if you leave... Everything will disappear again.' Her voice trembled.

Jace gathered her into his arms, stroking her back and resting his cheek on the top of her head. 'Clary. I will never let you go. I love you. In this life and the next.'

Clary sighed as she felt Jace through their connection rune, like a humming through her blood. She wondered how far the connection would go. 'Think of something.'

'Like what?' He quirked an eyebrow at her.

'Anything. I want to see if I can hear your thoughts!'

'Hmmm. Ok...' He thought 'Clary, I love you'

'I love you too Jace. Huh! It worked! Oh my god, Jace - I can hear your thoughts!' She jumped up so she was kneeling in front of him, excited to discover their unique ability.

'Well this could come in handy.' He chuckled and leant forward to kiss her soundly on the mouth.

One year later...

Jace stood tall, Alec by his side, patiently waiting for the ceremony to begin. He looked out over the crowd seeing familiar and beloved faces. Vampires, werewolves, seelies and shadowhunters gathered in one room, all smiling, all here to celebrate the happiest of times. The room itself looked amazing. Magnus and Izzy had done a great job of decorating. It reminded him very much of the Seelie Court, but without the foreboding air. Thousands of twinkle-lights peeking out from flower arrangements made the room glow, and Magnus had spelled the ceiling to gently rain rose petals intermittently. All that was missing was Clary.

Jace turned to Alec. His parabatai knew he was beginning to feel nervous as the last of the guests took their seat. Alec patted him on the shoulder, reassuring him. The song playing ended, and the first notes of a new song began, triggering Izzy to appear at the end of the aisle. She made her way towards the front, grinning as she stepped up onto the alter and took her place. All eyes turned back to watch the bride make her entrance.

Jace's heart skipped, and his breathing stopped when he saw her. Clary stood at the far end of the aisle, her arm linking with Luke's. She was a vision in white lace, holding her bouquet of pale pink and white flowers. Her hair was piled high on her head with a few tendrils escaping. She gracefully made her way up the aisle, escorted by the man she considered her father, until she reached the alter.

Jace held out his hand to her and she slid her hand into his, Luke relinquishing his charge with a kiss on her cheek. She made her way up the steps to stand opposite Jace, giving him her megawatt smile.

'Welcome all who have come to celebrate the union of Jace and Clary.' Brother Zachariah began the ceremony and before long it was time for their vows. Clary went first, reaching out to hold both of Jace's hands in her own.

'Jace. From the moment I saw you, I knew my life would change. I had no idea what was ahead, but something in me knew I would face it with you by my side. Every battle, every obstacle we've overcome together. Every time we were torn apart, we fought harder to find our way back to each other. When my memories of the shadow world were taken away, my soul remembered you, held onto you, refused to let me forget you. I felt your heart calling to mine, and now we are here, nothing will break us apart. I will love you until the last day of this life, and into the next.' She concluded with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes as she looked up at him.

Jace breathed out a shaky breath, unshed tears misting his vision.

'Clary. When I first met you outside that club, and you stared up at me all fire and attitude, I knew I was in trouble. And, if I'm honest, I fell in love with you then, in that very moment. The more time I spent with you, the harder I fell. You turned my whole world upside down, and I would never go back. Whatever has been thrown at us, we've overcome and we were made stronger. When I lost you... I couldn't let you go, wouldn't move on. I refused to believe it was the end of us. We are destined. Meant to be together. A love like ours is epic and will last forever. I will love you until the last day of this life, and into the next.' As he finished he raised her hands and kissed them, sealing his promise.

Brother Zachariah spoke and drew their attention back to the ceremony. 'Now for the runing.'

Jace and Clary each collected their stele from Izzy and Alec, the wedlock rune forming in the crystal behind them. Jace raised his stele and pulled the rune out of the crystal holding it above the back of Clary's right hand.

Brother Zachariah turned to Clary. 'Do you, Clarissa Fairchild, accept this man to be your husband? To be bound to him for your lifetime as his partner and equal?'

Staring into Jace's eyes, Clary answered proudly. 'I do.'

With her acceptance, Jace etched the rune onto her hand.

'Do you, Jonathan Christopher Herondale, accept this women to be your wife? To be bound to her for your lifetime as her partner and equal?'

'I do.' Jace replied confidently.

Clary pulled the rune from the crystal and formed it onto the back of Jace's right hand. Once complete they handed their steles back to their attendants and smiled triumphantly at each other.

'The wedding ceremony is now complete. I pronounce you husband and wife.'

Jace and Clary laughed with relief as they leant toward each other. Jace cupped Clary's face in his hands and kissed her, as she held onto his hips. Their guests applauded and cheered in celebration, as they broke apart, resting their foreheads together. In that moment, Jace activated their shared rune, feeling the familiar glow beginning to light up his and Clary's runes. Before now they had never shown anyone what they could do, feeling that it was for them alone, until the time was right.

The guests fell into silent awe as they watched the couple shine together, none of them ever witnessing anything like it before.

As their light faded and they lifted their heads, the applause resumed. They turned their smiling faces toward their loved ones, stepped down from the alter, and made their way back down the aisle, ready to start their happily ever after.