On Jaces tenth birthday he convinced Tessa to take him book shopping in New York. They had portaled over the night before and had stayed in Magnus' apartment and set of early the next morning to make the most of the day. Magnus had lent them $50 for the day -Tessa had told him not to, but he insisted - and Jace couldn't have been more excited.

It had been a long time since Tessa had walked around the streets of New York and it was certainly more crowded than before. Everyone seemed to know where they were going and no one seemed to care if they shoved someone out the way to get past.

"Rude!" Tessa yelled at one man who walked right between her and Jace even though she was gripping his hand. He didn't even give her a second glance, either not hearing or not caring.

Despite his usual bravery, Jace looked utterly terrified as they walked down the high street. He had never seen much more of New York than Magnus' apartment and the institute. Tessa pulled him closer to her and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, taking his hand in her free one. She pulled him into the first book shop she saw.

It was quieter inside and colder. The shop wasn't massive, but there were few people there and everyone who was stayed in the adult section. Jace suddenly perked up and ran over to the teen fiction books (which he had started reading when he was six).

Tessa followed to watch him scan the books, looking for something that he hadn't read. He picked several up and read the backs before sliding them back into place and turning to Tessa.

"There's nothing interesting here," he announced.

"What do you mean?" Tessa asked.

"I mean I've read everything here that looks remotely interesting," he said, but she noticed looking at the bookshelf behind her. She looked back to see the young adult section, housing some of the books she had forbidden him to read.

"Please!" he begged, putting on his puppy dog eyes and giving her a look that laced her stomach with guilt. He is ten now she thought maybe he is old enough now.

Tessa sighed, "pick a few out, but I need to make sure they're appropriate before we buy them," Tessa warned before Jace flashed a smile and turned to scan the young adult books.

Jace picked out six books, which cost was almost all the money they had been given, and after Tessa deemed them appropriate for his young eyes, they paid and dodged the crowded streets back to Magnus' apartment where Jace shut himself in his room to read.

"Now Tessa," Magnus said once they were alone, "what would you say if I said I made him a cake?" he asked. Tessa wasn't entirely sure Magnus could bake, or that he would even try to without his magic.

"I would say let me see it," she answered.

"And what would you say if I told you I'd invited Clary and Jocelyn over for Jace?" he asked, a smile creeping onto his face.

"You did that for him?" Tessa asked, not being able to keep a straight face as he nodded and she threw herself at him.

"No need to get to excited," he said as he wrapped his arms around her and then whispered "Jace might here."

Tessa released him and muttered and thank you. "When will they arrive?" she asked.

"In about an hour. I saw them last week, Clary's grown a lot, still as cute as anything though," he said, walking into the kitchen and opening one of the cupboards above the worktop. He brought down a transparent box, and when he took of the lid Tessa saw the chocolate cake beneath. Not to Tessa's surprise, it was covered in glitter. "Edible glitter," he explained when he noticed her expression.

"How does it taste?" she asked.

"No idea."

"I didn't know you could bake."

"Well, it was a series of lucky guesses, I haven't attempted cooking in at least ten years," Magnus said, and for some reason Tessa wasn't so excited to try it.

---

"Get changed," Tessa instructed Jace as he walked out of his bedroom. Jace frowned; he had just begun a very exciting fantasy novel and was in no mood to be interrupted.

"Why" Jace asked.

"Because you look a mess," Tessa said, gripping his shoulders and turning him back to his bedroom, he had only left to get a drink and this is what he got in return. And on his birthday!

"Why does it matter if I look a mess?" Jace asked, letting his mother guide him into his room.

Tessa stopped by the open door and gave him a smile "You'll see soon," she said as she pushed him inside and closed the door.

Jace didn't see what was wrong with his clothes, he was stunning wheather they were messy or not; not that he would tell his mother that, it always made her seem sad and withdrawn. He didn't like to upset her; she was the only family he had.

He found a folded pair of jeans and t-shirt and slipped them on, not caring if they matched or how they looked. He was going to spend the rest of the day reading in his room and Magnus' house and nothing could be done to change that.

"Jace, there's someone here to see you," he heard his mother call, and even if he had just got back into his story he would put it down for her, and only for her. If Magnus had asked there's not a chance he would have even bothered to hear. Jace opened his bedroom door and there stood Clary.

It had been years since he had last seen her, but somehow he still recognised her. She looked the same and different and utterly beautiful. Her red hair was tied up on top of her head and she had on a pretty pink dress with a golden belt. So this is why his mother had wanted to get changed.

Clary beamed at him and beckoned him into the hallway. He shut the door behind him and they walked into the living room where the lights were dim. Tessa and Jocelyn were talking and Magnus was lighting the candles on the cake that sat on the coffee table. Jace hadn't been expecting this.

When they all saw him they began to sing and at the end of the song he blew out the candles and made a wish, refusing to tell Clary when she asked.

The adults let them talk and play until Clary had to leave, and not once did he regret his wish, his small, humongous, childish yet not so childish wish: that one day he would be wist Clary, and she would never leave him ever again.

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A/N: look who finally updated after forever

I'm such a horrible person I know...

I'd say I'll try and update more often but I know I won't

At first I told myself once a week but... Its not happened

Well hope you enjoyed comment / vote if you like or just spam me with hate comments...

Bye!!!!

Btw if your reading / already read queen of shadows I hope your enjoying it as much as I am!!!