Innocence Corrupts

Cold Feet (Clary POV)

Clary was a rare child of separated parents in that she had no desire for her parents to get back together. She had never met her father but that wasn't why. In her heart Luke was her father so his wedding to her mother felt right to her.

Jocelyn seemed oddly stressed however.

"Mom," Clary said holding her mother by the shoulder and shaking her a little. "Chill!"

"I'm fine," Jocelyn said trying to push Clary off.

"No, you aren't," Clary said. "Is it Luke? Did something happen?"

"Everything with Luke is fine," Jocelyn said, waving her hand dismissively.

"Then you have to tell me what is going on," Clary said. "You are freaking me out!"

"Do you remember how I put the time and location of the wedding in the paper?" Jocelyn said. She was looking down at her phone as she spoke as if waiting for something.

"Yeah," Clary said. Wasn't that the normal thing people did with weddings?

"Your father and I never got divorced," Jocelyn said.

"Huh. Kinda late for that don't ya think?" Clary yelled, gesturing to the flowing white wedding dress her mother was wearing.

"Valentine isn't going to be happy when he reads about me and Luke," Jocelyn continued.

"Why did you put it in the paper then!? And if you are still married to him," Clary said. "What are you going to tell Luke!?"

"He knows," Jocelyn said. She held Clary's shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. "I'm sorry. But this wedding isn't actually a wedding."

"But you made me pick out cake!" Clary complained.

"And you were wonderful at it," her mother said affectionately.

"So you don't want to marry Luke?" Clary asked, more hurt by this than she thought.

"I can't," Jocelyn said. "But that doesn't mean I don't want to."

"You lost me," Clary said.

"I tried to get my marriage annulled or in any way dismissed but they won't do that without a death certificate or a divorce involving both parties," Jocelyn explained. "Before I can be a Garroway I need to not be a Morgenstern."

"How will you find him to divorce him?" Clary asked. "He's been missing with Jonathan for my whole life."

"He won't like this wedding one bit," Jocelyn said, grinning. "Robert and Maryse are on watch. We will find him when he shows up. Police make up half the guests."

"Why did you invite everyone else then?" Clary asked. "I mean, why invite my friends if it's fake?"

"We need it to look real," Jocelyn said. "And if all goes according to plan Luke and I will get married today."

"When has anything about Valentine gone according to plan, mom?" Clary asked.

"Never," Jocelyn said. "But this is our best chance to see Jonathan again and our best chance to be free of Valentine forever." She paused but Clary couldn't think of anything to say. "You can't tell the others. Now stop worrying about me having cold feet and go enjoy the party."

"I'm not worried your feet are cold anymore," Clary said. "Now I'm worried they are insane."

"Some trust please," Jocelyn said. "While you were tasting cake, Robert, Maryse, Luke and I were planning. Now go find Jace and not a word! Understand?"

"I understand," Clary said with a sigh as she left her mother's room. The wedding, or rather the fake wedding, was being held in a grand hall. Clary had suggested doing a small one at home in the back yard and only now realized why her idea had been dismissed.