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Dirt On A Window
Summary: AU, all-human. Jace is sent to Pakistan to fight in a war, and Clary is on a vacation in the Texas countryside, fearing for her husband's life. Jace finished his time as a soldier and surprises Clary at sunset. Short Clace one-shot.
Rating: T
A/N: I just wanted to write something for TMI, for it is my top fav book series at the moment.
Clary Herondale
I sit here in the room I was supposed to share with Jace before he went to the war.
It was in the Texas countryside and it was supposed to be our second honeymoon. Jace proposed 2 years ago, when we were 19, well, me 19, him 20. I didn't want to come here without him, but he insisted.
So, all in all, Izzy, Alec, and Simon dragged me here.
So here I am, sitting in the beanbag chair in the corner of the room. Holding a pregnancy test in my hand (cleaned of course). It was positive.
It was my third test. I feel tears fall from my eyes. Jace was supposed to be here, and be happy with me here not fighting for his life in a war. He was just sent 2 months ago, when the country needed more soldiers, and I hear that the war is almost over. They said he would only have to fight a few months. I hope so. I wrap the test with tissue and keep it in my purse.
I walk into the bathroom and wash my face. I look in the mirror. I look horrible. My red hair a frizzy mess; eyes, nose, and cheeks red, and bags under my eyes. I shut my eyes and take a deep breath.
Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. No stress. Bad for the baby.
I open my eyes; I looked calmer.
I decided to take a shower. Try to wash away the sadness, but I already know that won't work.
***∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞***
After my shower, I got in a pair of paint-splattered jeans and a baggy t-shirt that has the peace sign on it. How ironic.
I had taken out the pregnancy test and was staring at it, rubbing my stomach where a child was growing.
I sit on the window seat, and look out the window. It was twilight, and the landscape would probably be stunning, but I could only focus on the dirt on the window.
There was the dirt left over from rain drops.
Can't the hotel people at least clean it? I understand it just finished raining an hour ago, but they should! I count all the drops of dirt; it somehow calms me. Numbers. I know numbers. 1, 2, 3. Easy. I can count in other languages. Un, deux, trois.
As I am counting, I catch sight of the sunset. And it was magnificent.
The sky had turned different colors from flaming red to a soft orange. The star we call our sun was nearly touching the bottom of the horizon. The clouds still had white around the edges, but most of it had turned beautiful shades.
Some movement on the ground caught my attention. Isabelle was waving at me to come down. I tucked the test in my pocket of my jeans and walked down the stairs and outside to where Izzy was waiting for me.
The sunset was even more spectacular without anything in the way.
"Hurry up!" Izzy beckons me over impatiently, holding a camera that seemed to be recording. I was confused, but I walked over anyway.
"Hey, Iz. What's with the camera?" She just rolls her eyes and shoves a blindfold in my hands. "Put it on." She orders, and I roll my eyes, but I put it on anyway. I think she's just going to bring me to another restaurant and make confetti rain down when I walk in. Again. Seriously, she did it before.
I felt the ground turn from concrete, to dirt, to leaves. After a few minutes of walking in silence, I spoke, "Okay, where are we going?"
"You'll see." Was all I got for an answer.
I huffed, but didn't ask any more questions.
After a few more minutes, Izzy stopped walking, "Okay, take off the blindfold." I did, and what I saw made me gasp.
We were at the edge of a lake and the sun was reflecting against the water, making it sparkle like a thousand diamonds. Surrounding the lake was a forest, and the last remnants of sunshine shone through the leaves, which were swaying in the soft breeze. It was beautiful. But what was really amazing was when Izzy called my name.
I turned to her, noting that she was still recording me, and she pointed in front of me. There was a small fishing dock in front of me, only about 15-20 meters long. I hadn't noticed it before. There was also a man on the edge of the wooden dock.
He was quite tall, at least a head taller than me. Though I was quite small. He was wearing a military uniform, even the hat. He was looking towards the sun, and I only had view of his back, which was well-defined. At first, I was confused. Why would Izzy make me come here? I thought it was the scenery, to make me feel better, and it did. But from the way she showed me this man and was videoing me, as if this was a moment that needed to be caught on tape. I was going to ask Izzy what there was to see, when I recognized the soldier.
He has the same height and same build, he held himself the same way, and then he turned his head towards my direction. My eyes widened, and I gasped, my hands fly to my wide, gaping mouth.
It was Jace. My husband.
He smiles at me. His hair was shorter, but not my much. I blink my eyes a few times, as to see if I am dreaming or not. He was still there.
Tears welled up in my eyes and I ran towards him. And he ran towards me too. We meet in the middle.
I jump in his arms and wrap my arms around his neck and his wrap around my waist. I smash my lips onto his, and he returns the fervor. I broke away after a few seconds, burying my face into the nape of his neck and just, broke down. I started sobbing, tears streaming down my face, in a good way.
"Oh, by the Angel. How are you here?" I whisper against his neck.
Jace was still holding me, a hand at my hip and one in my hair, "The war ended a little early." I held him tighter. I understood why Izzy had the video camera.
I don't know how long we stood there, holding each other, but it didn't feel long enough. Then, I remembered the pregnancy test. I lifted my head off his shoulder and looked him right in the eyes. They were the same color they always have been, a strange hazel/gold color; they still had the light in them, but now there was pain behind the beautiful color. I don't want to know what he's seen during his time in the war.
I take a deep breath, but Jace speaks first, "I missed you, so much." I smile wider, "You have no idea."
He leans for another kiss, but I put my hand up, "Wait. I have something to show you too." I close my eyes, and I reach in my pocket for the pregnancy test. I open my eyes and hand him the test. At first, he looks confused, but then he sees the pink plus sign. He stares at it then stares back at me. I bit my lip so hard that I tasted the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. He opens and closes his mouth. Then he takes a deep breath, and speaks, "You're pregnant?" Jace whispers and he looks to my slightly swollen stomach. My guess is I'm 2 months pregnant, since that was the last time we had sex. I guess the condom didn't work. I nod, my green eyes wide, not knowing how he would react.
His face breaks into a wide grin. He picks me up and spins me around; I laugh, relieved. "You're not angry?" I ask, and Jace looks at me like I'm crazy. "Why would I be angry? We made this child. Something from each of us. And I would never be angry about that." I feel so relieved I would cry if I wasn't already.
I shut my eyes and shook my head in disbelief. I can't believe I have such an amazing husband.
I looked at him, and I took the hat off. The sunlight made his hair look like spun gold. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him. After we broke away, I whispered against his lips, "I love you. So, so much, Jace."
I feel him smile against my lips, "I love you, too. So, very, very much." I never got tired of hearing that.
Jace pressed a soft kiss to my forehead. "As much as I want to stay here and kiss you, I plan on something a little more intimate. In our bedroom." He whispers seductively. Shivers go through my spine.
I giggle. It was also what I wanted. After Jace left, I got many things, including morning sickness, and I got way hornier.
I feel him pick me up bridal style, and I laugh genuinely for the first time in what feels like forever. It feels like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
Izzy was still recording when we passed her. Alec was there, too. Simon was next to Iz as well, an arm around her waist. They were engaged a few months before Jace and I were. Izzy is 23, though she looks 19, and Simon will turn 26 in a few months. They still haven't gotten married yet, since Izzy said she wouldn't get married until gay marriage was legal everywhere. And of course, Simon would agree to anything his she said. And, I quote, 'anything my amazingly gorgeous, caring, fantastic wife wants, I'll try my best to get it for her.'
"Nice surprise right, Clare?" Iz smiles at me, and I nod. "You told him you're pregnant right?" Oh yeah, Izzy was the one that told me to get the pregnancy test. When I started getting sick, she got suspicious. When my boobs grew and my belly had swollen a little, she practically forced me to get pregnancy tests. She comforted me when I found out I was pregnant. I could always count on the dark haired, dark eyes beauty. "Yeah, I told him." She smiles wider, and Simon's eyes widen considerably, and Alec doesn't look surprised at all. Well, Simon was a little oblivious to a lot of things, and Alec, is well, Alec.
I waved goodbye from inside Jace's arms as I was carried to the black SUV I hadn't noticed before.
Then before I knew it, we were inside our hotel room.
***∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞***
I had just come down from my high of what we had just done. We didn't use a condom this time, because what's the point? It felt amazing. Jace got up, and lifted me bridal style, and brought me to the bathroom and set me down in the shower.
He then washed me with great care. He washed every inch of my body, from my hair to the tips of my toes. When he got to my lower areas, he didn't do anything except press his lips to my belly. Him being this innocent seemed more intimate than when we made love.
After he was finished with me, Jace picked me up and set me in the small hot tub they had in there. It was full of warm water and red rose petals floated around the tub. There were also scented candles in here. The hotel staff must've done this while I was gone.
Jace then took a shower in the glass shower. It have me a very nice view of his body. It had gained many new scars.
After Jace was done, he joined me in the tub.
I went and sat in between his legs, my back to his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and set them on my stomach, caressing it.
I wanted to freeze this moment forever.
***∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞Ω∞***
Sunbeams filtered through my tired eyelids.
There was a warm body lying next to me under the blanket. My back was pressed against his chest, and I was lying on his arm, and his other arm was wrapped around my waist in an almost protective position. He woke only boxers, and I was only wearing one of Jace's t-shirts, and some panties. And I was hungry, and for some reason, wanted a tuna sandwich.
I tried to softly get out of the embrace, as to not wake Jace up. Then, of course, morning sickness shows up.
I run to the bathroom and throw up whatever was in my stomach. Then Jace was holding my hair up and was rubbing my back.
After throwing up, I flushed the toilet and brushed my teeth before looking at Jace. He looked worried, "Does that happen every morning?" I nod. "Wow. That must suck." I nod again, "But this time, I'm right here. So it will suck less." I laugh at that.
And just like that, we were back to normal.
I loved Jace so much. And I loved the child that was growing inside me at this moment as well.
And I guess a little dirt on a window wasn't that bad. Imperfections were what made everyone and everything unique.
A/N: Review?
~Mal