I'm dedicating this story to my new (and totally hot and blond) boyfriend, Parker. And Be The Crayon, thank you so much for the awesome review!
Summary: Jace and Clary go to an old friend to help them reverse time...
This is the third and final story of the 'Time' trilogy.
"Clary?" Simon asked again, this time with a tinge of desperation in his voice.
She fiddled her thumbs idly, wondering if she should answer or ignore him. It didn't really matter: both would hurt his feelings anyway.
Isabelle, to her relief, came to her rescue. "Simon," she said gently. "This is probably a lot for Jace to take in... why don't we leave them alone for a minute?"
Clary heard Simon murmur words like "Flirt" "Never gets old" and "Incest".
She blushed and tried to tune him out.
Jace, she could feel, was still staring at her. Hurt and shock was plain on his face. "How could you not tell me?" he demanded in a hoarse voice.
"Because," she whispered. "I thought you'd moved on."
Jace scowled at her. "Clary," he said impatiently. "I can't love anybody but you. I never have, and I never will."
There was such finality in his tone that she felt herself surrender. Finally. After fifty years.
"Of course," he went on. "I highly doubt that you'd no anything about one love."
Clary's face went redder than her hair had been before it went white.
"Jace," she whispered. "I'm so, so sorry."
Jace had his face turned away from her, so she couldn't see his thoughts. Not that he'd let her in, of course.
"By the way," Clary said slowly. Jace kept his head turned away. "How come you're still seventeen?"
He shrugged. "I stayed to long in that damn Faerie Realm."
Clary smiled softly. "Why did you go in the first place?"
Jace looked at her steadily. "I heard you and Simon going at it," he said tiredly. "And it hurt me, so I left."
Clary swallowed a lump in her throat. "Let's go see Magnus," she said suddenly, surprising herself.
Jace cocked an eyebrow at her. "You know where he lives?" he asked.
Clary shook her head. "Nah. I can use a tracking rune."
As she spoke, she pulled a glowing stele out of her pocket.
Jace smiled, happy to see that her youthness hadn't died as she'd gotten older, like Maryse and Hodge.
Clary grinned wickedly back at him, for a split second looking like her old, mischevious, impish self.
Clary's portal took them to somewhere in London, much to Jace's surprise.
"I never really thought of Magnus as the tea and cricket type," he commented as Clary led him to a fancy looking flat.
Clary rolled her eyes. "Really, Jace?" she questioned. "Would it KILL you to stop being sarcastic for one day?"
Jace thought about that for a moment.
"Sorry, Grandma," he said in a sweet, innocent voice. "I forgot how being rude just pisses old people off."
Clary made a growling noise that Jace found intimidating and attracting at the same time.
"C'mon, you rascal," she said in a gravelly voice. "You know, back in my day--"
"No!" Jace slapped his hands on his ears. "Please, I'm begging you," he pleade. "Don't start with the 'Back In My Day' stories."
Clary smiled, her jade eyes dancing evilly. "I have tons," she said cheerfully. "If you feel the itch to be sarcastic, I have a story to tell you about some hooligans--"
Jace let out a yell and ran up the steps to the flat, and began hammering on the door. "Magnus," he yelled. "I know you're in here. Open up before Clary tells me about back in the day..."
The door swung open, revealing the tall warlock.
Jace had seen him three days before the accident, but he'd seen him laughing.
This Magnus looked destroyed; skinnier and sadder, bags under his eyes, which were empty and lifeless.
When Magnus saw who it was, his gaze went black with hatred, and he moved as to shut the door, but Clary had appered in front of Jace, sticking her Keds in the way.
Magnus looked at her, his eyes softening when he recognized the redhead he'd watched grow up.
"Magnus," Clary whispered in a fierce whisper. "I need to speak with you."
He made a sweeping motion with his arm, indicating for her to speak. "The stage is yours," he said generously.
Clary cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Uh, how about inside your apartment?"
Magnus nodded. "You mean flat," he corrected.
Jace winked at him. "In case you were wondering, Maggie, I'm still straight."
Magnus rolled his eyes, and Jace saw a glimmer of his old self. But as quickly as he'd glimpsed it, it'd disappeared.
"How is it," he asked Clary. "That you can put up with him without slicing his mouth off?"
Jace smirked. "She likes the sight of it too much."
Clary reddened but glared at him.
Magnus raised his eyebrows. "I take it you've told him?"
Jace glanced at Clary before nodding. "Yeah. How'd you guys find out?"
Magnus gave an inhuman smile, sparks flying off his fingertips. "We tortured it out of Valentine before killing him."
Jace shuddered.
Magnus motioned for them to come in.
Magnus's flat looked shockingly like his apartment in New York, but with more old-fashioned stuff.
Clary made herself at home on a red leather love seat, and much to Jace's surprise,there was no glitter on it.
Actually, when he thought about it, there wasn't gitter on anything.
"No glitter?" Jace asked, sitting down next to Clary.
Magnus grimaced, and Clary elbowed him in the ribs.
Jace frowned at her. For an old lady, Clary was still strong. "Uh, ow," he said. "What the hell was that for?"
She stuck her nose high up in the air primly. "Magnus hasn't worn glitter since he died," she hissed.
Understanding struck him like a slap. "Oh." he felt like an idiot.
Magnus threw himself lazily into an armchair. "So," he said without much interest. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
Jace shrugged, for he had no idea.
Clary swallowed and begand to nibble on her right index finger's nail. Jace felt an ache in his heart. The last time he'd seen her do that she'd been sixteen.
"Well," she said quietly. "I was wondering. Is there, uh, a spell that can, you know, reverse time....?"
Jace felt stupid for not thinking about that. Stupidstupidstupidstupid...
Magnus sighed wearily. "Clarissa, darling..." he cradled his face in his hands. "Don't you think I've tried that? Don't you think I want that? Ever since Alec's--" he froze, as if he was unsure what to say next.
"Died, you've been trying," Jace finished for him.
Magnus flinched at the word 'died' but nodded.
Clary got a thoughtful look in her eyes, a ghost of a smile hovering around her mouth.
"Maybe you can't," she whispered. "But I might be able to."
Magnus looked at her warily. "Is she on medication?" he asked Jace. "Or does she usually do this?"
Jace shrugged. "I always thought it was little bit of both," he muttered back.
Clary shot a murderous glare at both of them. "Shut up so I can think," she growled.
Jace and Magnus fell quiet.
She sprang up from her perch, eyes wide with excitement. "I could always make a rune," she suggested.
Jace shook his head. "Uh-uh," he said. "No way."
"Do you have a better idea?'
"No, but--"
"I think it's a wonderful idea, darling," Magnus said doubtfully.
Clary ignored the doubt and nodded. "So, I was thinking," she said. Jace closed his eyes. "Sweet lord," he muttered.
She shot him an annoyed look, but went on.
"What if I drew a Portal that could take me and Jace back into time?" she asked eagerly.
Magnus shrugged. "Then you would either go back in time, or screw up and disappear into nothing."
Jace stared at him. "I hate you."
Clary sighed. "Yeah, Mags. Thanks for the support."
Magnus shrugged in a 'whataya want me ta do?' gesture. "Hey," he said. "Do you want me to lie to you?"
Jace nodded.
"You two are going to do fine. You'll make it at the perfect timing, and will live happily ever after."
Clary groaned.
Jace shook his head. "What the hell did Alec see in you?"he demanded.
"Boys." Clary cut in as Magnus opened his mouth to reply. "Shut up."
The two boys, one a Downworlder, the other a Shadowhunter, watched in forced silence as Clary pulled out her stele and marked a time portal on the ground, her eyes squeezed shut in concentration.
The Portal covered the whole wall, an acid blue and green edge, with pitch blackness in the center.
Clary calmly took Jace's nervous hand, and jumped through, pulling him with her.
Jace sat up, disoriented and alone.
He stood up, swaying slightly. He was back in the Institute, looking normal again.
"Clary?"
He began to run down the hallway towards Clary's room, heart in his throat.
"Cla-ary!"
He skidded to a halt outside of her door, remembering what he'd heard last time.
Sure enough, as soon as he'd thought it, the moans started up again.
Swallowing hard, Jace remembered her sketchbook, and forced himsellf to softly creak the door open.
He gaped.
Laying on Clary's bed laid Simon, who's naked legs were tangled with a pair of curved, creamy legs.
Isabelle's dark head was under the covers, shifting up and down as Simon wailed and moaned.
Jace felt disgust and happiness at the same time.
Shutting the door softly behind him, he turned and ran in seach for Clary.
He found her in the greenhouse, sketchpad on her lap and a faraway look in her eyes.
She was also sixteen.
Red pigtails, wrinkle-free skin with a spray of freckles, and bright jade green eyes.
He was so delighted, he ran up to her and threw her in the air, swinging her around and kissing her.
And she kissed him back.
If you ever have the chance to look in Clary's sketchpad, you'd find sketches of her husband, Jace, and her four children.
Of her golden family.
This took me FOREVER to write.
Anyway, so far, it's my favorite story I've written so far. R&R
Love you guys,
StalkingJace