JACE'S POV
Around seven that night, the rain is pouring down as thunder shakes the building and lightning illuminates the room. Jace's phone goes off and he answers without checking who it is. Isabelle's voice soon fills his ear.
"Okay, so it's seven now and I'm thinking that we should leave at nine." She starts saying without so much as a hello. "That just leaves the question of whether you're going to come and get me or if I'm going to come over there and meet you guys. The latter would give me more time to get ready but I'll be okay with coming over there if you need me to. Of course, if you come over here then you can quickly say hi to the guys before we go out and Clary could even meet them. You know what? I like that idea, let's have you two come over here at nine. I-"
"Isabelle," Jace cuts her off. He knows that he sounds aggravated and that's because he is. After the fight he'd had with Clary over an hour before, he was just put in a terrible mood. "It's storming out. I don't know how good of an idea it still is to go out, especially if we're going to end up drinking."
"Are you okay?" Isabelle asks. "You sound sort of upset."
"I'm fine," Jace snaps. He sighs and tries calming himself down. "Sorry, I'm just feeling a little irritated right now. Clary and I got into this whole fight and-"
"Oh?" Isabelle sounds oddly excited. "What about? Do tell."
Jace rolls his eyes. "Nothing. Just, I don't know if I even want to go out still. Let's just move this to another night."
"Oh come on," Isabelle whines. "This is exactly what you need to take your mind off whatever happened. A night out dancing and having fun is exactly what we all need to get over this gloomy weather."
As if on cue, the lights go out with Isabelle's words. Jace curses as another boom fills the skies. "Did your lights just go out?" Jace asks Isabelle.
She sighs. "Yes." Now she sounds aggravated. "Ugh, fine, we'll go out some other night. I have to go and help Alec and Magnus light candles and take care of Raphael. The poor thing is crying now. I'll talk to you later and, uh, please be nice to Clary."
"Why don't you tell her to be nice to me?" Jace scowls.
"I would if I could but I can't so I shan't." Isabelle pauses. "Be nice." With that, the line goes dead.
Jace checks his phone battery to find that it's only at twenty percent. Hopefully the lights would come on soon, but for now he would have to conserve his battery. He exits his room and stands in his doorway for a moment while his eyes adjust to the dark. Just as they finally do, Clary's door opens. Jace avoids her gaze as he makes his way to the bathroom.
"I'm gonna get some candles. There are more in the kitchen along with a lighter," he says flatly. Clary doesn't respond but he hears her retreating footsteps.
Jace walks around the apartment placing the four candles that were in the bathroom around. He leaves one in the bathroom, puts another in his room, one in his office, and one in Clary's room. He sets it down on the dresser and is about to leave when he notices the sketches that are strewn about the room. There are drawings of flowers and buildings, birds and vinyl record players, there's one of a cemetery and another of Church (which Jace knows is the cat himself because it's so accurate). He picks up one of what appears to be the very window in Clary rooms and stares at it for a solid minute or so. He hadn't known that Clary was so talented. But of course, he didn't know her very well. She'd been right about that in their argument earlier.
"Can I help you?" Clary's voice makes Jace spin around on his heel and hastily drop the paper he'd been holding. She's holding a lighter in one of her hands and her eyebrows are raised.
"No, sorry, I was just putting a candle in here and... did you do all of these?" Jace gestures around to the sketches.
Clary walks forward and picks up the paper Jace had dropped. She sets in on the bed and walks over to the dresser where the candle sits. "Yes, I did."
"They're amazing," Jace says. The candlelight flickers a moment before sitting strong. Clary turns around to face Jace with her arms crossed. Clearly, she was still very angry from earlier. "Really."
"Thanks," she says avoiding meeting Jace's eye. She catches sight of what appears to be a sketchbook, though, and her eyes widen just a fraction. She rushes over and closes it before Jace can see whatever it was open to. Clary clutches the book to her chest and sighs. "I guess I got it from my mom."
Jace nods remembering what she'd told him at the cemetery. "Right, well we should probably light the rest of the candles."
Clary nods and swiftly leaves the room still holding the sketchbook. Jace walks out to the living room as she lights the candles. He sits on the couch and stares at two flaming candles that are on the coffee table. Church comes along and curls up beside Jace. He lets out what could almost be heard as a sigh and Jace chuckles.
"Me too, bud." He scratches Church's head and he stretches out with his paws in the air.
Clary comes into the living room then and sits in the chair across from Jace. Neither says anything for several minutes until Church stands up, stretches, and dawdles over to Clary. He hops up on the chair and lays on the armrest. Clary appears to be suppressing a laugh as she strokes his fur.
"Jem, his owner," Jace says softly. "Is going to get a kick out of hearing about how Church acts around you."
Clary smiles. "Animals have always liked me," she says. "I don't know why they just have."
Jace almost says it's because she's plain out likable but he stops himself. He furrows his eyebrows confused by where that thought came from. As innocent as it was, it still felt weird to think because he did like Clary, as a friend, that is. Despite the whole fight they'd had he thought she seemed like a decent person.
"Maybe it really does have to do with you stealing their souls," Jace says instead. Clary glares up at him before shaking her head and looking back down at Church.
"When does your neighbor come back?" Clary wonders.
"A few weeks," Jace says. He takes the time that she's looking down to study her. The candlelight casts shadows across her face making the freckles seem sparse and brightening just one of her green eyes. Her hair is atop her head in a messy red bun mirroring the tiny flame above the blue wax.
"Hmm," Clary grunts pulling Jace out of his trance. She's still staring at the cat but now he's not staring quite so intensely at her. "Looks like I'll just have to visit until then so I can see my favorite little guy." A smile pulls at her lips as Church flips onto his side exposing his belly for Clary.
"Well, I'm quite flattered," Jace says letting the sarcasm pour out. As he speaks, Clary looks up at him with her eyebrows raised. "I mean, I'm obviously everyone's favorite guy but that whole 'little' comment seems a little off. You know?" Clary just stares at Jace and he grins. "Sorry."
She shakes her head and picks up Church and sets him back down on her lap. "I understand, you just can't help being... well, you." She blinks up at Jace. She also sounded sarcastic but her words remind him of the fight they'd had and he suddenly feels really bad about it all.
"I'm sorry," he blurts out before he can stop himself. Clary looks up confused. "About what I did and said earlier. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."
Clary chews on her lip. "No, you were kind of right. I was just riled up because I saw Sebastian and-" she shakes her head cutting herself off. "I'm sorry. I really shouldn't be such an idiot some times. Or all the time, really."
"You weren't being an idiot," Jace scoffs. "Your reaction was reasonable after that guy just showed up with no warning. I mean, he went through crazy lengths to find you. Asking your coworkers? Who does that?"
Clary chuckles a little. "Yeah, he's always been like that."
"Why'd you break up with him, anyway?" Jace asks curiosity taking over.
Clary shakes her head. "He was just... an ass." Jace raises an eyebrow and she sighs chewing on her lip again. "Okay, fine, I went to his office one day to surprise him because he was always working late and I thought I'd be a good fiance and bring him dinner, but..." Clary trails off and Jace's jaw drops as he guesses what happened next. "I instead found him nailing his secretary atop his desk." She laughs a little as though the whole thing is funny. "I just sort of stood there in shock for a minute and they didn't notice me until I dropped the dinner I'd made on the ground. God," she runs a shaky hand through her hair. "Saying that all out loud makes it seem so... ridiculous."
"Well, yeah," Jace scoffs. "Any scenario where the guy is cheating on you is pretty damn ridiculous." A small blush creeps up on Clary's cheeks and she looks down at Church again. Jace opens his mouth to speak again when his phone goes off. He looks at the caller ID and holds out his phone. "It's Simon."
Clary looks down at the purring cat in her lap. "Umm, why don't you just put it on speaker?"
Jace nods and answers the phone. He set it down on the coffee table as Simon speaks.
"Hey, Jace, can I talk to Clary?"
"I'm here, Si," Clary calls into the phone. "What's up?"
"Oh, hey," Simon says. "Well, I was watching the news and I saw that the area you're in is blacked out. You okay?"
"Yeah, we're alright," Clary says. "It's just really dark over here."
Simon laughs. "Yeah, I bet. I'd say that you could come over here for the night but one, Jordan's family is literally insane and two, the storm is far too intense to drive in."
"Yeah, thanks anyway, Si." Clary seems to think before continuing. "Seb came by here a few hours ago."
The other line goes completely silent for a bit. Then, Simon takes a deep breath and speaks. "Are you okay? How'd he know where you are?"
"I'm fine," Clary says and she looks up at Jace. "Jace sort of came to my rescue." He raises an eyebrow in question as Simon talks.
"Really? Where is he right now?"
"I'm here," Jace says not breaking his gaze from Clary. "You're on speaker and, come on Lewis, no need to sound so surprised there."
"Sorry," Simon says. "Just seems a little... odd. Anyway, what happened? Did you give him back the ring, Clary?"
"Yes," Clary says tearing her eyes away from Jace's. He can't help but feel a ping of disappointment. "He was reluctant to take it, but he did. I don't know if he's going to try and show up here again."
"If he does I'll just punch his lights out," Jace says like it's nothing. Clary shakes her head at him though she's smiling.
"Please no," Simon sighs. "I'm sure that Jon is already planning on doing so." At his words, Clary looks down at her feet and scratches her head. Jace furrows his eyebrows confused and when no one says anything, Simon speaks slowly. "You have told Jon, right? Clary, you promised me you were going to tell him!"
"I know!" Clary exclaims. "I know and I will, I just haven't yet."
"He's going to be so mad."
"I know..."
"What if he shows up in New York and goes to Sebastian's house and finds out like that?"
"He won't," Clary looks nervous. "Because I'll be picking him up from the airport."
"Who's Jon?" Jace questions but Clary waves a dismissive hand at him and doesn't answer.
"I'll tell him in person," Clary says. "It'll be best if I just tell him in person."
"Do you want me to be there?"
Clary thinks. "No, maybe be nearby, but I have to tell him myself."
"Okay, tell him on your birthday that way you can just pull the 'please be calm, it's my birthday' card."
Clary laughs. "Will do. I should go now, though, I don't want to kill Jace's phone's battery. I'll talk to you later, Si."
"Talk to you later, Clare. Love you."
"Love you too."
Jace leans forward and ends the call. His phone has dropped five percent.
"God, that reminds me that I still need to talk to Luke too. His flight doesn't come in for a few more weeks, though so I have time. I just don't know if he'll want to cancel the flight. He might come out anyway."
"Who is Luke?" Jace questions confused by all the new names being thrown into the conversation.
"He was my mom's best friend when they were kids. He was the Simon to my mom's Clary."
Jace nods understandingly. "I see, and you haven't told him or this other dude, Jon, that the wedding is off? You have told everyone that was invited it's off, right?"
Clary crunches up her nose. "Umm, no?" She groans letting her head fall back in the chair. Church jumps off her lap and wanders into some other room. "I still have so much to do. I've canceled mostly everything and giving back the ring was on my to-do list, but I just haven't really felt like doing much else."
"I can help," Jace says casually and Clary's head springs up. "Anything you need to be done, just ask."
Clary shakes her head. "No, you're already doing enough by letting me stay here period. I couldn't possibly ask you to do anything more."
"I don't mind," Jace shrugs. "What have I got going on that's more important?"
Clary opens her mouth but seems torn. She chews her lips and sighs. "No, I really couldn't impose on your life like that. Thank you, but no." Jace just nods though he's disappointed.
"That's fine, let's change the subject then. Get your mind off of it."
Clary nods and raps her fingers against her sketchbook before suddenly blurting out, "Do you want to see something kind of cool?"
Jace raises an eyebrow. "Sure."
Clary grins giddy and stands up. She sits beside Jace on the couch and pulls her feet up under her. She opens up her sketchbook and flips through the pages before settling on one. She runs her hands over the page and moves it over so Jace can see. It's just in black and white but the four different parts of it are very distinct: in the upper right is part of the face of a woman; then, connected to the woman, on the left side is part of the face of a man; below that are two more segments of male faces. Jace grabs one of the candles and holds it carefully so that he can see the drawing better but if he were to drop it there'd be no chance of burning the paper. When he looks closer, he notices that the woman part looks similar to Clary but different at the same time, the other half of the upper face Jace doesn't recognize but there's something familiar about both bottom segments.
"So, I took the four people that matter to me most and I connected their faces," Clary says. "This is my mom," she points to the woman then moves her finger to the other eye. "This is Jonathon. Below him is Simon's jaw and besides that... well, that's Sebastian but I think I'm going to have to change that now." She traces over Sebastian's section with her finger before placing her hand flat over it to hide just it. "When I color it, I'm going to do a seasons theme that connects to each of their personalities. My mom is Spring because I connect her to flowers and she was always so happy like the blooming of flowers and trees. Jon is Winter because he can be really cold sometimes but he's also always the one to cheer me up- you know, hot chocolate, warm fires, Christmas." Clary laughs and Jace wants to question who Jon is again but she continues before he gets the chance. "Then Simon is Autumn because we grew up together and he was the main influence that changed who I am and every change I've ever gone through he was there for. Lastly, Sebastian was going to be Summer because he was the 'light of my life' but as I said, that's going to change."
Jace laughs and takes the sketchbook. Clary reluctantly lets him look at it, she reaches over at takes the candle from him as he holds the paper.
"This is really good," Jace says. He looks up at Clary but she's staring right at the paper. Her face is still mere inches from his. "I can totally tell that that is Simon's jaw."
Clary laughs and looks up. When she does, her eyes meet Jace's and she seems to freeze. Her eyes quickly flicker down to his lips almost unconsciously. Jace feels himself move in just as there's a loud mew below them. Clary jumps back immediately and sets the candle down on the coffee table. Jace, still in the same position, takes a calming breath before glaring down at the cat that had reappeared in front of them. He could've sworn there was an evil glint in the things eye.
"Thanks," Clary says in an uneven voice. She takes the sketchbook back from Jace without meeting his eye. "I did them all without references so I was pretty proud of that." She runs a hand through her hair and Jace can't tell whether the darkening of her cheeks is due to what almost happened or if it's just the lighting.
"Are you hungry?" Jace asks randomly just trying to fill the silence. Clary turns to him and nods. Jace stands up and enters the kitchen. He opens the unlit fridge hoping that the lights come on soon so everything doesn't go bad. He bites his tongue trying to think of what there is that doesn't require some sort of cooking. "All I can think of is salad."
"You can make some good stuff from salad," Clary says. Jace turns to see that she's now sitting at the island in the kitchen. Her hair seems impossibly bright in the darkness. She stands up and walks over to the fridge. "Here, give me your phone or a flashlight." Deciding his phone battery is low enough, Jace opens one of the drawers in the kitchen and pulls out a flashlight. He hands it to Clary and she shines it into the fridge.
She begins taking things out of the fridge and setting them on the counter. She opens several cabinets until she finds the ones filled with spices and such. Clary takes out a large bowl, finds some measuring cups, and begins putting the things together. Jace sits down at the kitchen island and watches. As she's close to finishing, she speaks.
"This salad has some really weird and fancy French name that I cannot remember for the life of me," she says. "I'm also leaving out a few things because you don't have them but it'll be fine." Clary takes out two more bowls and puts some of the salad into each. She pushes one of the bowls over to Jace along with a fork. He stares down at it suspiciously and Clary rolls her eyes. "It won't bite, just eat it. Trust me."
Jace sighs and takes a bite. To his surprise, it's not bad at all. "This is pretty good," Jace says and Clary smiles. "You're a far better chef than Isabelle. I'm sure that if she were to even make a salad it'd end up tasting like something from a dumpster."
"Aww," Clary says. "That's just mean. I'm sure she's not that bad."
Jace shakes his head laughing. "No, she is. She tried making soup and she burned the water."
Clary laughs and then promptly covers her mouth. Jace holds back a little laugh too. "Now I just feel bad for her," Clary says.
"Don't," Jace says. "She excels in plenty of other fields. Such as fashion, charisma, interior and exterior decorating, knowing and getting what she wants, empathy-"
"Okay!" Clary cuts him off, putting her hands up. "You've proven your point." Jace nods his head once, satisfied.
The rest of the evening goes by all too quickly. Jace finds himself laughing every time Clary does and smiling every time she does too. He stays confused the entire time as his mind whirls around how he's feeling. Not that he knows what he's feeling, but that's precisely what's so confusing to him. Clary's a nice person, a good friend and that's all... he thinks.
Hope y'all liked this chapter. Please review your thoughts!
