You're not the only one. ( Admissions that are hard pressed to come out; she may not realize it yet, how she's already unlocked something inside him, minimal effort required...Clary's presence was the only requirement. ) Feeling like that. Relieved. Guilty. Afraid. ( A fear different than any other he's experienced. Send an army of demons with Valentine at the lead and he wouldn't have blinked. Wouldn't hesitate to throw himself into the chaos. Afraid of what could be lost; afraid of what might never happen. Her.

Shifting, he reaches out, fingertips slipping into the fiery locks of her hair, gaze meeting in a shared moment of understanding ) Do you know why I said yes? ( A thick swallow; mouth dry, and the thunder of his heartbeat threatens to overpower everything else. Words he didn't know if he would share. ) My wish, Clary. It's not some...heroic pursuit. I could have asked to stop Valentine and I didn't. Or made sure all our friends would be safe. The people we care about.

( Reasons in the hundreds; belief, even when his self worth was at the lowest, that they were capable of doing all of those things on their own. And a pure selfishness. Having others that loved you never stopped the feeling of being an orphan ) I could have, and there's no doubt in my mind when I activate the wish stone, those things would have happened.

( Cupping her face gently, there's a vulnerability in his eyes, raw and shining ) It's not dumb, being happy, on some level to be here. ( Thumb brushing over Clary's cheek, he breathes out softly, closer now to her than before ) My wish is to meet my parents. It doesn't matter if it's only for five minutes. I-I need them to know Valentine didn't win. That I survived...and that I'm their son. That's...that's why I can't force myself to regret being here.