A/N: I had a little writer's block writing this so it is shorter than usual but it gives some calmness before the craziness of a tour. I hope you guys like it :) Another A/N & thank you's at the bottom.
After the plane took off, Clary looked out of her window, into the darkness, the flashing of a red light on the wing of the plane the only thing she could see besides the night. Her eyes lids were moving slower with every blink and she could finally feel the fatigue of no sleep start to hit her. She turned forward, settling back into her seat then looked up at Jace, who was nuzzled in his neck pillow and he glanced at her from the side of his eye. She resisted to smile seeing that he was so tired that he couldn't even move his head.
"Not sleeping?" He asked, groggy, his voice low and raspy.
"I am," Clary said and put her arm on the arm rest. "Just waiting for it."
"Hm." He made the noise and she couldn't help but smile.
"Go to sleep, Jace. You can barely open your eyes."
He kept his right one open while the left closed. "I'm waiting."
"Waiting for what?" Clary asked.
"For you to sleep. What if you get sad again?" He asked and Clary looked down. When the plane had taken off, Jace noticed the way Clary was chewing on the plastic that came from her water bottle.
She didn't answer at first when he asked what was wrong but when she finally calmed down and her leg stopped shaking, she told Jace in a whisper. "This is stupid but I'm already missing my mom and Luke. We've never been apart the four of us and it's stupid for someone my age to say. I'm just worried about them and us and ... everything," She said, looking down at her lap, her hands tightly held together.
"No," Jace told her. "It's not stupid. You're just lucky." Clary wasn't sure what he meant but she didn't reply and he just stared at the TV in the seat in front of him. The band and Jace's team filled first class and Clary looked around her. Simon and Isabelle were in the aisle across from them and she could see them clenching their hands together. Clary leaned back and took deep breaths in order to calm her mind from any worry. She felt like she was clinging and searching for things to worry about. She looked up at Jace and he turned to look at her. "It'll be okay. It'll all work out."
She gave a nod and Jace smirked at her then, turning away from her.
Clary stared at Jace while she watched him struggle to keep his eyes open. "I'll wake you up if I do," She told him and he opened his mouth to say something but she covered his eyes by pulling down the hood he had on. He smiled and she did in return even though he couldn't see. "Goodnight, Jace."
"Goodnight, Clary," He muttered and Clary turned away. She smiled when she could hear him breathing steadily and snoring slightly in a few minutes.
Isabelle grinned when she snapped a picture. Simon shook his head with a slight smile on his face as she retreated back to her window seat, scooting past his legs. She leaned into his open arm that wrapped around her while she showed him the picture.
"Aren't they precious?" Isabelle asked and Simon nodded, leaning his head back, fighting the sleep. Isabelle said they couldn't sleep until both Jace and Clary had because she wanted a picture.
"They're very cute," Simon said, and she shot him a glare.
"They're more than cute. Just look at them," She said, pointing at her phone. Simon concentrated as he stared at the picture. Clary and Jace both had their heads titled back, sleeping with their chins inclined up. They both had furrowed eyebrows as if they were dreaming of the same thing and their lips were slightly parted. Their pinkies were inches away from touching. Simon's eyebrows went up a little.
"They are really cute," Simon said, sincerely.
"See," Isabelle said in satisfaction then finally settled into her chair and Simon's arm, making herself comfortable. "Now, we can sleep." She closed her eyes and Simon laughed a little.
"Why are you so invested in these two?" Simon whispered.
"I love Clary," Isabelle stated as if it was fact. "You do too. You should be shipping them just as much."
"I know that and I do but this is different, you're really invested. Whenever Clary was with anyone else, you didn't support her this much," Simon said and Isabelle opened her eyes slowly, looking up at him.
"That was different. Clary wasn't ... she didn't need help with other guys. She knew what she felt towards them and it wasn't like this."
"Why does she need help with Jace?"
"Because," Isabelle said, closing her eyes again. "This could be a second chance for them."
"Second chance for what?"
"Shh," Isabelle hushed him now. "We need to catch some sleep."
Simon didn't reply as Isabelle kept her eyes shut and he stared at her. He sighed because he wasn't understanding her motives but as usual, he supported whatever she was up to. He kissed her forehead and leaned his head against hers for a few minutes before he lifted his head, resting it back and drifting off to sleep.
Jonathan stared at his opened book. Alec looked over at his best friend. Jonathan hadn't turned to the next page in almost fifteen minutes and Alec looked up at Jonathan, who was biting his nails. Alec looked down at his leg that was bouncing relentlessly since they got on the plane.
"Maybe you'll feel better if you say it out loud," Alec interrupted Jonathan's thoughts.
"Say what out loud?" He asked, crossing his arms so he would stop biting his nails but his leg was still going.
"Whatever it is you're worried about," Alec said, closing his eyes, listening to the mix of the airplane and silence filling his ears. He waited patiently for Jonathan to answer, not sure if he would reply at all.
"I.." Jonathan whispered, as he started. "I'm scared about reliving the past."
Alec opened his eyes and looked to Jonathan. It was usually always Clary who spoke of her worries and concerns about their past with The Uprising and Jonathan rarely chimed in. The most Alec had heard about their past as kids was when Jonathan first moved to New York City and Alec told him that he should get it out his system so he would stop being like a ticking time bomb.
"I know we're a different group of people because we're family more than I think our parents were - except Luke and my father," Jonathan stopped himself as she turned his head to Alec in thought. "But isn't that worse? Luke and my father were friends, actual friends and look what happened to them."
Alec shook his head. "Your mom was the one who was best friends with Luke. Never forget that and look where they are now. We have been friends for a long time, Jon and we're been through a lot of shit together. One tour isn't going to change that."
"Yeah." Jon looked down. "Maybe our group will be fine but what if we become people we aren't when we left the city?"
"You aren't your father," Alec told him and Jon's head snapped up. "You aren't. And if you've got some of him in you and it starts to ruin things, I'll be there. Clary and Isabelle will be there."
Alec watched as Jon's leg slowed down to almost a stop. "Right," Jonathan replied. "You're right."
Clary's legs dangled as she sat on Celine's lap. Celine had her arms wrapped around Clary's mid-section and although it was a comforting hold, Clary knew that Celine was holding her down - keeping her from running to the back. Clary had her arms crossed as ACDC's 'Highway To Hell' played painfully loud in the tour bus. There was nothing else that could be heard - except the faint screaming in the back that would have rocked the bus if the music didn't drown it out. That was always the meaning of the music played to the volume's capacity - someone was fighting and that night, it was Clary's parents.
Clary looked around her at the empty kitchen area. Stephen was putting Jace into his bunk because he wanted to lie down in his bed. Jonathan was with Luke on another bus that had all the instruments because Jonathan asked for a guitar lesson. Clary looked at the bus driver, who tried to look like everything was okay, but was failing because Clary could see the concern in his eyes and the crease in his forehead from worry.
"Want water, babe?" Celine asked and Clary looked up at her.
"Yes, please," She whispered and Celine reached over. Hyper aware of Celine's arms around her, Clary could feel when they loosened a little and she took the opportunity to pry her arms off of her and jumped off her lap. She ran towards the door as Celine called for her but Clary didn't look back as she pulled on the door knob that she was only a head taller than.
"Stephen!" Celine yelled but it was too late. Clary slipped past Stephen, who had his head in Jace's top bunk and Clary reached for the door knob, knowing she only had a few seconds. She threw the back door open and she stared up at her parents. Both were obviously angry, their screams no longer inaudible because of music but she could hear them throw curses and blame at one another. But Clary couldn't see what had been thrown on the floor admist their fighting and rage, she couldn't see the way her parents were looking at each other like they were wishing harm upon one another - all she could see was the way Valentine was gripping onto Jocelyn's arm. Clary thought that the marks of his fingers would be etched into Jocelyn's skin for eternity from the way he held onto it, shaking her whole upper body from just her arm. Then together, in unison, they looked toward Clary before she was picked up and the door was shut before her.
"Clarissa," Stephen said, soothingly. "Just stay here with Jace, okay?" He lifted her up and she ducked her head, crawling into Jace's bunk. Jace was already at the wall and she turned her body to face his chest as if it was an action she was most familiar with. "Don't let her come down, Jace."
With that, Stephen closed the door to the front of the bus and Clary could only hear ACDC playing on while she cried silently.
Clary awoke with a gasp and she tightened her grip. She looked down at her hand that was fiercely holding Jace's wrist. She looked up at him and he was already glancing down at her, a book in his free hand. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, calming her heart down. She let go of Jace's wrist and put her hands in her lap.
"You okay?" He whispered. She nodded and then looked around the plane. Some windows were open and she could see the sunlight spilling in. She turned to her window then opened it a little, wincing when it was too bright. She closed it then leaned back into her seat. "We're almost there. Starting our descent." Clary nodded again before closing her eyes and Jace took the opportunity to stare at her face for a few moments before lifting his book up to read.
"I get a bottom bunk," Isabelle exclaimed, raising her hand in the air while they walked, trying to decide what the sleeping arrangements would be.
"I'm with Isabelle. Top bunk," Clary stated.
"Bottom bunk," Jonathan said, quickly.
"Yeah, because you fell off the top bunk so many times you've been scarred," Clary whispered to Isabelle, who snickered.
"With Jonathan. Top bunk," Alec said, looking at Jace and Simon, who walked beside each other.
"With Jace. Baahh ... toppp?" Simon said, prolonging his words because he wasn't sure of Jace's preference.
Jace resisted to smile so he wouldn't offend his new bunk mate. "Top," Jace said, simply.
Simon exhaled in relief. "Good, I like bottom bunks."
He turned to look at Isabelle, who was staring at him with a raised eyebrow.
"What was that? Baa, tahp," She mimicked and Simon glared.
"You guys, ready?" Jordan asked, appearing at the end of their line.
"Ready for what?" Alec asked.
Jordan smirked and Jace put his head down, purposely walking in front of them a little so they wouldn't get involved just because they were at his side. Once they stepped off the escalators, Clary could spot them and flashes began.
In a rush of girls calling out for Jace and the series of paparazzi pictures being taken, the group instinctively bunched together as they were led out the door where the black vans were in the sight. Once the doors slid open, Clary could faintly hear, underneath the screams for Jace, a few girls call out the names of everyone in The Elite Four. She smiled to herself as she kept her gaze on the ground.
A/N: I know there wasn't anything too heart racing in the chapter because the last few have been quite action filled (with feels) but this was feeling calm and just explanatory of the relationships. I also wanted to add a few mentions of the past. I was happy to see some reviews mentioning the excitement for tour though!
Please keep up your awesomeness and leave some reviews & feedback! I'd love to read what you guys think of the different friendships that were shown in this chapter. Send me some inspiration and motivation, please :)
Thank you so very much to those who reviewed, favorited & alerted for this story! You guys make me grin in public whenever I see any of those emails.
Shout out to Riley207, shaniamae99, rcs17, LOVERGIRL, Daire123, Islandgirl4evR, imcrazyanditscontagious, cfire27, Guest (Cici), Guest, Guest, Freddrax3, Mavis, Katwood5, rippingbutterflywings, IWriteNaked, SmokesGurl20, EmFinch, fictionallfangirl and LuckyAsLockhart! Thank you for making my days with your reviews & for letting me know what you guys think of the chapters. Big thank you to those who catch up with this story so quickly, you are amazing individuals.
LOVERGIRL: Thank you so much for your review :) I hope you liked this chapter!
Daire123: Clary and Jace are definitely cute. Even though they're older in the story, I still picture them being cute kids sometimes, haha. And yes! Thank you for seeing that it would be best if they were to figure out their feelings before tour :) I felt like they would be so jumbled if they were so unsure when tour was already starting. Thank you for your review :)
Guest (Cici): Thank you for your, as always, lovely review! And yes, definitely love The Smiths, especially during fall & winter. They're perfect for days at work. Youu are the awesome one. And I'm glad you're feeling better!
Guest: So glad you really like it so far! I hope you liked the new chapter & please, keep letting me know what you think :)
Guest: Seeing your review was more than perfect! Thank you so much for your kind words :)
Mavis: Thank you for your review! I'm glad that you liked that I gave Isabelle more substance. I absolutely love her as a character and I honestly believe there's so much depth in her and she has the most caring heart, as well.
