Heart by heart. (TMI)

8) Burning.

Her mind was frozen but her heart was fast. Beating. Burning. She shoved herself through the crowd and found herself stood by the blue velvet drapes. 

Slow now. Slow motion. Slow hand, reaching up to the curtain. Doubt. Confusion. Rage.

Ripping.

The curtain was open, revealing the bitter truth. Jace turned, a rabbit in the headlights. Aware of the bare truth Clary could see before her.

His head spun and he tried to speak. Drugs pumping through his system. A racetrack for adrenaline.  He dropped Penny as though she was something hot, scorching him and scarring his burning flesh. Clary turned, a loud hammering in her head. She needed no more answers. She had the one she truly needed. 

Used.

She had to leave. Get out. Escape. 

A hand. On her shoulder. Turn. Jace.

"You have nothing to say to me. " She spat. 

"Clary please, just let me explain."

"Go on then. Explain this."

"I-" He paused, trying to find the word in a flooded bank of literature. "Can't."

Penny laughed from behind. Blue faery eyes gleaming.

"I've heard enough." She turned on her heel and made her way back to the institute.

--

She wanted to cry. Scream. Slam her fists into the ground. But she knew he was following, so she applied her deep red lipstick, dried her eyes and waited. Standing in front of the institute elevator, waiting.

They lurched open revealing Jace's sorry arse. His eyes met hers. A plea. No.

"What in Raziel's heavens was that?" Her voice was not quiet, far from it. "I am pregnant, with our SECOND child and you have the nerve do do something so STUPID and IGNORANT?"

Footsteps behind her. She glanced back to find a gathering of her closest friends gasping at the scene. 

Jace stepped forward, reaching towards her. "Clary, please." He glanced at his friends. "Please leave."

"They have every right to hear this. I thought you loved me Jace. We got married 2 days ago!"

"Clary, please just let me explain."

"I did, Jace, and you couldn't. Get out. I can't even look at you."

"Clary-"

"Leave." 

He turned into the elevator and the door closed in front of him. 

When they shut, Clary dropped to her knees and a loud sob racked her body. It felt as if the floor was cracking underneath her. She was then falling: never reaching the bottom; never touching the sides. 

Just, falling.