Jace Babysits
Clary and Alec was lost in the war against Sebastian. Jace killed the bastard but lost his right arm while trying to save his parabatai. Jace felt like a failure and didn't feel good enough to be a shadowhunter anymore. So, he went to live as a mundane in Ohio.
Five Years Later
There was a knock on his door. Thinking it was the pizza delivery guy, Jace grabbed his wallet and opened the door with his left hand. His only hand. At least it was his good hand. It was tough at first trying to adjust because he would forget he was missing an arm. He had to learn how to rebalance himself with everything that he did. Taking $10 out with his forefinger he was about to hand it out when he looked up to find Simon, who looked the same as ever with his vampire self, and a little girl in his arms with short black hair and stubby arms around his neck. "I don't like this magic trick." Jace muttered shoving his stuff into his back pocket.
"I knew you wouldn't but I didn't know I was going to get paid." Simon responded. He glanced around before pushing his way inside. "It's been awhile huh Herondale."
"What are you doing here? I specifically don't want to be bother by you."
"Did you know, it took three days, two wizards, a demon, and five different spells to find you?" Simon said raising a finger at every point.
"I'm appalled it only took three days." Jace frowned "Well you found me, tell me what it is so you can leave."
Simon glared at him trying not to explode with words that he would regret. "We need your help. We need someone to watch Kimi. Your niece."
Jace was not expecting that. "You couldn't have texted me, so I could deny you over the phone and save you some embarrassment and time."
"You never gave us your new number-" jackass he thoughtbut said "dummy-head." Simon looked down at the child.
"Dummy-head?" Jace paused "You could of asked anyone else, why me? Ask your neighbors to watch her." Jace insisted.
"Ask my neighbors to adopt my daughter for a month or two. You know she's a shadowhunter right? With super strength and speed and could probably chew her way through your kitchen table. I'm sure anyone would find that normal"
"Wait, a couple hours is one thing, but a month or two?"
"There is nobody else. In case you haven't heard, Alicante isn't safe anymore. The different clans of downworlders and shadow hunters are fighting for dominance. Maryse and Mrs. Garroway" Clary's mom "were caught in the crossfire and have been in the infirmary and has to stay in Alicante until their court date and who knows how long that will take. Everyone else is needed for support and I don't want our daughter there in case someone decides to burn down the building or any other mishap of war."
"I thought vampires couldn't breed?" Jace said curiously looking at the little girl
"It's me you're talking about. The one who can walk in sunlight? She may look like her mom but she's got some skills from her dad too. Please take her. Isabelle is waiting for me to return."
Jace stared at him, 'Isabelle was here and she didn't want to see me?' Something clawed inside his chest. 'I didn't know she even had a baby'. Jace felt himself nod. Simon set the baby bag with all of her clothes, toys, movies on the floor. Then Simon gave the girl a big hug. " Kimi, this is Uncle Jace. You guys will have fun together okay?" Kimi reached her little arms towards Jace. She was amazed in awe touching his face and pulling on his golden hair.
"You're the last person I would give her to, but Magnus insisted you're safer than Alicante at this point."
"Does she talk?"
"She's two." Simon said waving his hand around in frustration
"What does she eat? Blood?"
"Anything but beer." Simon eyed the bottles on the counter. He handed Jace an envelope. "There is $2,000 and I'll double it when I pick her up, if you keep her safe." Jace growled and pushed the envelope back at him.
"I don't need to be bribed."
"Then use it to buy food for her and to keep her happy. If you have questions, text this number and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Oh, and she is potty trained. I have to go." Simon turned to Kimi "Daddy has to go okay? Be nice and listen to Uncle Jace." Simon kissed her forehead and nodded to Jace before he left.
Both of Kimi's hands were touching Jace's face. "It's been a long time since I let a girl be this close to me." He mused. Five long years.
After wearing half of the pizza, Jace cleaned up Kimi and tucked her into his big bed. He sank to the floor and watched her sleep. Thoughts were running through his head 'She's so tiny.' 'Clary would have known what to do with a child.' 'Max was small but never this tiny.' 'Good thing I don't work tomorrow, I need to get groceries'.
Jace woke up from something pounding on his head. He looked up to find two little hands coming down. He put his arm up as protection. It felt like little hard rocks. "I'm up." He groaned sleepily and she giggled. Jace turned around and saw her sitting on the bed all innocent with her hands stretched out towards him. "It's not nice to hit people when they're sleeping." She looked at him with a big smile.
Her hands opening and closing doing the 'pick me up' sign that little kids do so well. Jace picked her up and twirled around and she squealed in laughter. He set her on the couch, but she climbed down. Then she tugged down on her jammie zipper. "Loo" she said which meant toilet in England. "So you do speak. Your father just doesn't know it." He took her to the bathroom which was uncomfortable to say the least. He feels like a perv but she can't jump onto the toilet herself. Plus she could fall in.
After the awkward bathroom moment, Jace put in her video while he went to make coffee. The voices were so annoying. Halfway to the kitchen he felt something tugging on his pant leg. Kimi had her arms stretched out towards him. She wanted him to hold her. "Go watch your movie, I'll be right back." Apparently, that was the wrong answer. Kimi started to cry. "I can't hold you and make breakfast."
He set her back on the couch and before he could get three steps, Kimi was tugging on his leg again. 'What the hell' he ignored her and kept walking and the crying got louder. He turned around to look at her. About to start screaming again, Jace picked her up and set her on the kitchen counter.
"Don't move, okay?" He started the coffee machine and turned to look at her, and Kimi had the empty beer bottle to her lips. "That's not yours." Jace said shaking his head. She held the bottle out for him. He eyed her. Smart girl. Taking all of the empty bottles from the other night, Jace tossed them away. He filled a glass with water and put it to her mouth. Once she was done, she grinned. Jace walked over to pull a mug out of the cupboard and heard water plashing behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see Kimi playing with the sink faucet. 'How did she get over there so fast?' Obviously, she watched him get her a glass of water so she knows how to turn it on and off. She giggled as she stuck her hand in the water and pulled it out. Soaking her jammies.
"I told you to stay." He growled in frustration and he picked her up to take her out of the kitchen. He wasn't going to be soft with her because she was a child or a girl. Was he? He wanted to treat her like a shadowhunter she was meant to be. To make her strong. But wouldn't that contradict his living style. It's not his place. He'll just be the cool uncle she never had. A flash of Alec and Max went through his mind. Jace bit his tongue. He's the only uncle she has left. Shadowhunters die all the time.
The colorful characters on tv started dancing. "I can't believe your mom lets you watch this sh-tuff.". He said shaking his head changing her outfit into baby leggings and a black frilly top from the baby bag. Kimi pulled a stretchy string with a pink flower on it over her head but it wouldn't stay. "What are you doing? You look ridiculous." Kimi was making funny vowel sounds as if she was talking back to him. "Come here." Jace placed the headband around her tiny head. "Happy now?" she tapped her head and then squirmed out of his grasp. "Don't I get a thank you?" He watched her bring her tiny shoes to his lap. "Demanding aren't you. I guess we can head out now. I want to finish my coffee first."
Finally, he was able to drink his coffee in peace. Nice and quiet. Wait, it was too quiet. Jace peeked to see if she was watching her show, and she wasn't there. "Kimi, come out here." He said looking around the floor and on the other side of the couch. Where was she? He quickly searched the bathroom and the bedroom. "Kimi? Come on, it's time to go." At the last second, he saw her black hair and pink flower from the ceiling across the room. This whole time, he was looking around the floor. "Jump" she said which sounded like 'Jmm' as she flung herself off the top shelf of the bookshelf that was as tall as the ceiling, looking like a falling doll with style. Jace kicked the couch with enough force for it to glide across the wooden floor in time to catch Kimi. She giggled and started to climb again. He grabbed her waist with his hand. "You're fearless, I get it. But you can't jump unless I'm here to watch you, ok?" whether or not she understood she tried squirming out of his grasp. "You're grounded. Literally. I'm not letting you out of my sight." Jace raised Kimi upon his shoulders. "Hold on to my head." He said and showed her where to put her hands.