Before Gold and Silver

Prologue to Gold and Silver Angels

There was a bliss to pregnancy that Clary only found at night when her husband was fast asleep beside her, an arm draped over her mid section protectively. Usually she was exhausted and with the kicking of her child she was usually drained and wanted nothing more than to fall asleep. But now, stroking her stomach, she found the peace to envision her child's future.

Making friends, training, gaining hobbies, and falling in love. Her child would grow in a world filled with love and happiness. Nothing destructive would ever happen to her baby, as long as she was here.

Clary chewed on her lower lip, the spot that had never gotten to heal with her constantly chewing on it. There was another reason she loved and treasured the moment was because of the sudden bursts of pain. They showed sign that this would be the last night she would be fully able to protect her child. Clary rubbed her stomach more, wincing in pain before the sheets soaked and the future she dreamed of became a reality.

"Jace." She smacked his arm until he blinked sleepily at her, "The baby's coming." Clary groaned, the pain was becoming excruciating and Jace shot up, sliding his arms underneath her. One arm slid underneath her knees and the other supported her back. She groaned again as another contraction shook her body.

"Don't worry love, we're almost to the infirmary." Jace kissed her temple as he sprinted to the room. Clary sighed, the wind produced from that cooled her face, she could feel beads of sweat building and falling down her face. "She's going into labor." His voice drifted above her but she was racked with another contraction to notice anyone else.

Jace soon placed her on the bed, holding her hand and whispering sweet nothings while rubbing circles. "She's almost ready to crown." Someone else said, Maryse, she thought. There was a bright light shining in her eyes and the woman's face came into view, "You're ok sweetie. I need you to breathe." The woman pushed a cool rag against her forehead, wiping the beads of sweat away and dampening her hair line.

Clary only groaned in response, there were other voices now as well and the pain lessened but there was something burning. Like a fire that was raging inside her, seeping through her veins from her child outward. "She's ready, everyone needs to leave." Another voice said and her mother's face appeared in her mind.

The next hours were a blur of pushing, the pain was neverending and she could only feel the fire raging inside her heart. Clary fell back on the pillows, tears streaming down her face and her vision was blotchy, fuzzy. "I-I-I can't. It hurts too much." She whimpered and she tightened her grip on her husband's hand, his face covered her vision, gold eyes comforting and soothing her. Clary could stare endlessly into those eyes, she would forever stare endlessly into those eyes.

"You can do this love. We all have faith in you, just think of our child. Our beautiful child that will look just like you, she wants to meet her mother face to face." Jace brushed her hair from her forehead.

The vision of a faceless child filled her vision as she leaned forward. "One more time Clary, one more push." Her mother pressed a wet rag to her forehead. Clary nodded and squeezed her eyes shut pushing with everything she had. Nothing happened for a few minutes before the cries of a baby filled the room. She fell back against the pillows and felt Jace's lips kiss her forehead before he disappeared. She closed her eyes tiredly but the pain shot up again and she shot upwards.

"What's happening. The pain should be over." Jace's voice sounded terrified.

"There's another baby. We're going to need you to push again Clary." Maryse said above her, Clary could barely understand a word they were saying other than another baby. Pain filled her from the other child's readiness to meet the world. Clary began the next few hours of pushing, even pushing a chord out of her before the chord was cut and she could finally rest. Darkness enveloped her before anyone could say anything and the silence was deafening.