Hey, guys! Sorry that I haven't updated in, uh, over a month. Two weeks before school started, I learned that I was moving, so...I've been dealing with that and starting a new school and organizing my stuff, so I haven't had lots of time for writing. HOWEVER, I do now, I hope. Anyway, thanks to the very fantastic lightlacedwithbeauty for beta'ing this chapter for me. :) And, to maxwaylandgrey: feel better! *hugs*
Thanks to everyone who's read this story, and special thanks to everyone who's favorited/followed/reviewed. :)) Hope you like this chapter!


your voice was the soundtrack of my summer
do you know you're unlike any other?
you'll always be my thunder, and i said,
your eyes are the brightest of all the colors
i don't wanna ever love another
you'll always be my thunder
so bring on the rain
and bring on the thunder


Clary unpacked with the kind of slowness that drove her mother insane.

Although it was pleasing to see her mother grow so frustrated at her, it was not the reason why she took so long to open up her past and make it her present. That was just because she was unable to accept that this was her life now, and it consisted of a big, loud city, her mom and Luke, a new school, new friends, and no Jace.

Leaving a single person wasn't so difficult. Even though Clary was going to miss her friends deep in her heart, it didn't hurt so much to leave them when she compared it to leaving her life altogether.

She didn't think it would happen. She thought that, moving once, her life would stay still until college. Clary let herself like Florida. She let herself have friends and fall madly in love, and now she's back home, and it was the last place she wanted to be, even though she would have killed for a chance like this a couple of years ago. She would have killed for the liveliness and uniqueness and the feeling of New York, with its tall buildings and Times Square and Broadway and its unpredictability that could somehow be predicted by her at times.

But now, all she wanted was to take New York and rip it apart until the city bled and she got her way. And it wasn't that she didn't love the city, because she did. It was that she didn't love it enough to trade it for her life back in Florida. She wouldn't trade her life there for the world.

"I see you've finally unpacked," said Jace, looking at her room through her laptop's camera. He said it in a disappointed, kind of resigned way, unlike her mother, who had been thankful that her daughter had gotten her ass out of the bed and done something.

"I know," she replied in the same tone. "How are things with your mom?"

"She's been better ever since that night I told you about." His voice dropped. "I think something's going on though."

Clary readjusted her headphones and let out a sigh of frustration. She wanted to be there for him, especially now, when he was so confused and trying to help out his mom. "I feel so useless over here. Just-tell me what it is as soon as you find out, okay?"

"Of course," he said, flashing her a smile that didn't meet his eyes. "Have you gone out to see the city?"

"Nope," Clary said. "And I don't plan on it. I have summer work to do, and a boyfriend to talk to. And movies to watch."

"I love you," Jace said. Her heart was stuck in her throat, but she was undeniably happy. She smiled, because she couldn't get the words out, but he knew, because he smiled back.

I love you, too.


It wasn't that he didn't like watching movies with her, because he did.

But the thing was, he had grown used to her. Not just her personality, but her presence. It didn't feel right, having her as an image on his computer when he used to have the real her, the one with crazy curls and soft green eyes, right by his side.

He enjoyed her commentary, and he loved watching her laugh more than anything in the world. She knew there was something wrong, just because she always did, but that didn't keep him from trying. He liked having her there—at least a part of her, anyway.

It wasn't the same without her. Things weren't quite as interesting, and landscapes weren't quite as breathtaking. He realized that she was the one that made everyday experiences feel extraordinary.

After they had finished watching the movies, they talked for about an hour, until Clary said that she was too tired to stay up. She loved him, she said, and he didn't doubt it. Not even a single bit.

"Jace, are you coming to pick your father up from the airport?" said his mother from the doorway. "You don't have to."

"Sure, I'll go," he said, because he didn't want to leave them alone. For some reason, he knew that his dad was part of why his mom was acting so weird.

"How's Clary?" She walked down the stairs by his side, picking up the keys to the house and car from the kitchen counter as they made their way out of the house.

"She finally finished unpacking," he said with a half-assed smile. It wasn't even a good answer, but it was enough for his mom to get the message.

"I'm glad she's settling in. When does she begin school?"

"In three weeks, I think." Jace buckled his seatbelt, automatically pulling out his phone to check if he had any messages.

"Around the same time as you, then," Celine said, trying to smile as if to make the conversation lighter. Her attempt at this, although greatly appreciated, was unsuccessful.

"Yeah." Silence followed, but it was more of a relieved silence. Neither of them knew what to say to each other. He wanted so badly to talk to her, ask her what was wrong, but he couldn't do it. Every time he tried, he was worried that she would lie, and then would try harder to keep things from him. He decided that it was better to just let things play out.

His mom lined up the car so that his dad could find them, which he did. He was all business, with his suit and briefcase and suitcase. He kissed Celine's cheek, and she smiled. Touched his shoulder. All that Jace noticed was that these were not affectionate gestures. They were more like a polite greeting, something that they had learned to do over the years.

"Hey, Dad," said Jace once his dad was inside the car. "How was Europe?"

"Busy," said Stephen, attempting to smile at the same time. It didn't reach his eyes, though, and it looked odd on his too-tight face. "How's Clary doing?"

It surprised Jace, and he couldn't help the shock from showing on his face. His dad was actually asking about Clary, and he didn't seem to have an ulterior motive, like he usually did. Stephen didn't seem to want to know the details in Jace's life, except when they interfered with his plans. So, needless to say, this was kind of a shock.

"She's okay, I guess. Bummed about moving, but she's all settled in."

"That's good to hear. Your mom and I have been talking," he said, "and we were planning to go visit New York for Thanksgiving. You could go see Clary, and your mom and I could go back to New York, since we haven't been back there in years."

The rush of happiness Jace felt when he received the news was unreal. He didn't realize how much he wanted to see Clary until the opportunity was right in front of him.

"Seriously?"

"You could sound happier," Celine said, teasing.

He rolled his eyes at her. "Thanks for considering it, guys. Let me know what you decide."

"Will do," Stephen said, and that was that.

Of course Jace was happy to see Clary again. But it was late, and he was tired, and he missed his girlfriend. He knew that he would have to say goodbye again, and he didn't know if he was ready for that.

He didn't know if he ever would be.


The song at the beginning is "Thunder" by Boys Like Girls. :) Let me know what you think of this chapter! Thank you for reading xxx