The others left as soon as possible, leaving Jace and I alone once again.
We walked into the bedroom and pulled out a bag and began throwing some clothes in for the both of us. Jace grabbed my arm before, stopping me mid-throw. He looked at me with a look of concern that made me drop the clothes in the middle of the room, his hand still firm on my arm.
"Jace—" I looked at him puzzled before he interrupted.
"You're not coming" he said in a final tone.
"What? Of course I'm coming, don't be ridiculous."
"There is nothing ridiculous about it Clary, you could get hurt and I refuse to risk that. Not now, not when I finally have you." He voice broke on the last sentence and I realised how serious he was being.
I don't care. No matter how upset he may look, I am mad.
"Jace do you honestly think I can't handle it? That I haven't had far worse situations that I could get hurt in? I've been training and you know I'm good Jace, you even said so yourself. I can't believe you would even suggest that I don't come when the others need me!", tears welled up in my eyes and my breathing quickened. Jace's expression was broken.
"Clary, I just don't want you in any danger. Can't you see how stressful it is for me? I have you here finally where I can protect you and make sure you're safe, and the last thing I need is for you to be sleeping in a house that is surrounded by unknown demons!" his voiced raised louder and louder as he spoke.
"So you'd rather I was here by myself? Huh?"
"N—" he began but I quickly interrupted.
"And did it occur to you that maybe I would want to be with you to know your okay when your in a house surrounded by demons" I stated mockingly.
"But I won't be there long. I'll be gone and back before you even have time to worry that little head of yours" he said ruffling my hair. I pulled back and gave him a deadly stare. His eyes softened and he looked pleading.
"Please—can you stay?" his tone was almost irresistible but I stood my ground.
"Not a chance". I said defiantly.
He sighed. "Fine, but we have an agreement okay?" he looked down at me questioningly.
"I'm listening".
"You stay with me at all times. Not with Isabelle or Alec— me. Got it?"
"That's the best compromise you've ever come on with" I said half joking whilst mostly serious. He chuckled and tackled me onto the bed, cradling me in his arms. I laughed and cuddled closer to him we laid on the bed, tangled in each other and somehow comfortable. He leant down to whisper in my ear "I'm sorry. My protective side can sometimes leave me blind as to what else matters."
I cuddled even closer to him in a failing attempt in that I couldn't get any closer. I closed my eyes and felt myself half drifting off to sleep. Looks like I was packing in the morning. I was slipping closer and closer to sleep when I heard Jace's voice whisper again in my ear.
"I love you".
I woke up the next morning in a mangle of sheets, pillows and Jace. For once I was awake first and he lay soundlessly beside me, still holding to me loosely. I couldn't help but watch him for a while. He was so beautiful. I glanced toward the clock that told me immediately…we were late. I jumped up quickly, braking Jace's hold. He stirred to being half awake. He mumbled some inaudible sounds before rolling over back to sleep.
"Jace, get up. We're late!" I cursed several times before Jace finally came back to earth.
I searched for the bag I had pulled out last night. Two over-night bags sat by the glass door, packed and neatly waiting. A hand touched my shoulder lightly and I turned to see Jace standing still in a daze. His hair was slightly sticking up, but after a quick flattening he had made it perfect. I imagined how useful that would be if I were capable of such instant beauty.
"W-W…how?" I baffled on like an idiot. Jace chuckled and went to flop on the bed.
"Its okay, I packed for us both last night after you fell asleep".
"Oh, I guess I'll have a shower then". Jace smiled at me like I was crazy and I just frowned at him, which of course made him laugh.
We were both showered and ready to go as we headed into the yard. I am presuming Jace is expecting me to portal us there, despite my first attempt at coming to Alicante via one of my portals. I stood facing the old wall with my nerves finally catching up to me. I had Jace with me this time, I couldn't mess it up and risk him getting killed or downing in Lake Lynn!
"You'll be right Clary, I believe in you" Jace said encouragingly. I smiled and begun drawing runes. They came to me naturally and I traced them with my eyes closed as though it was as simple as brushing my teeth.
My portal worked! Thank the Lord. I was in Brooklyn, my once permanent and only home. My sanctuary…my life. But I had a new life, and he stood right beside me.
"Wow, great work Clary" he sounded amazed even for Jace.
"Um, thanks". I headed towards the institute door. Everything seemed normal, no demons lurking around, it was actually quite peaceful. Jace caught up with me easily and pulled me into the door hurriedly. I looked at him and he knew my answer.
"I don't want to be hanging out there; we don't know when these forsaken come and go". I nodded. "Fair enough".
We called the elevator and had some last kisses before the parents were around, which inevitable would make things awkward. The door opened and everyone was there waiting for us.
I ran out as soon as I saw Mum and Luke and she held her arms open for me. I threw my arms around both of them as Jace hugged the Lightwoods, seemingly not as enthusiastically as me, but when was Jace ever enthusiastic?
After catching up, Maryse told Jace and I the theories they have for when the forsaken come, due to days of research and recording. It seemed they came alternate day and night. One day they will come around midday and then the next midnight. They said that before we attack properly we have to wait for Magnus, Alec's official boyfriend, to give us information on the type of forsaken to enhance our chances. No one seemed too panicked so they helped me remain calm and surprisingly not overly frightened.
We all walked out of the room and went out separate ways. "Clary, can I talk to you for a minute?" my Mums voiced called out. I spun around to face her, standing a few metres away. "Yeah, sure" I agreed easily. I looked to Jace and he picked up our bags and nodded towards his room before smiling faintly.
Mum walked over to me and started asking me stupid questions, obviously not what she wanted to say. "Mum, just tell me". She sighed, but a happy sigh. "Okay well a few weeks ago Luke and I went out to lunch to a beautiful restaurant, oh Clary you should have seen it, magnificent views and all the rest. And anyway, out of the blue, Luke proposed!" She gave me a moment to soak it in and after my silence she continued. "So of course I said yes. We're planning for the wedding to be…well soon, we really want it to be official". She stood there smiling hugely at me like she expected me to leap up and down. So why wasn't I? Why did I feel like my heart had just fallen down into my stomach? And even more confusingly, why was I running to the elevator with tears welling up in my eyes? My mother's calls were a distant cry I could barely hear through all the chaos in my head. I made it into the elevator and just as I pressed the button to go down I heard one last yell, this time not my Mums.
"Clary!" Jace's voice pounded in my head as something told me I wasn't supposed to be going outside by myself, too late. I'd already run out and made it to the streets so familiar to me. The tears held back thankfully. I found a park bench to sit on and sat in silence trying to figure out what was going on in my head. I'd wanted Mum and Luke together for uncountable years and now its happened I am upset? Maybe it's the fact that this is the reason she 'really wanted to see me' as Simon had said. How could she not of told me sooner? And surely she can't expect that I'd move back with her and Luke? I like where I am with Jace no matter how much I love my Mum. Could she want another baby? Is she too old? Argh, so many things that come with their marriage that effect me and I didn't even stick around to ask her any of the questions I have. I am so selfish! I stood up and decided to go back to the institute before all my dignity was lost. I hadn't realised, but it was dark now. It felt quite late. I walked through the gates and grew frightened. Something was off.
A huge figure leapt itself towards me and I screamed before stumbling backwards, the creature missing me by a mere inch.
"Clary!" Jace came sprinting through the gates towards the creature, stabbing it as soon as he was in reach. Had Jace been looking for me? The creature coiled up and disappeared. Before I had time to breath, I was in Jace's arms and he was running us to the doors. Three more forsaken came towards us and were a split second off reaching us before the institute door was slammed shut. I clutched onto Jace, crying. He held me but was kind of shaky and unstable. The elevator dinged and everyone came rushing out. "Clary!" "Jace!" they chanted.
I shunned away and put my head into Jace's chest.
