And we've got an update! Thank you guys for being patient with me; just got a lot going on right now, and my health is still playing up—alongside my usual migraines, I've also had a cold for over a month that I just can't shake, so if you guys have any home remedies, let me know! Anyway, on with the chapter, hope you enjoy!

Also—there's been some problems with uploading, giving me errors when I'm uploading, and apparently not sending out alerts to you guys by email. So...Fingers crossed this works for everyone this time!

Jace had only planned to be here for two weeks. Charlotte had even brought a return ticket for him at the end of those two weeks, but those two weeks that he originally had thought he would be going back after turned into a month. And then that turned into six weeks.

There was just something about being here, surrounded by Alec and Isabelle and their families, that was so anchoring.

Isaac and Rhys accepted him easily, calling him 'Uncle Jace' after he was only there for a week. Isaac had school through the week, and Rhys was meant to be at childcare three days a week when both parents needed to work, but after a few weeks went by, Rhys seemed happy enough to stay at the house and have Jace look after him. Jace thought that he would be freaked out to responsible for another human—a breakable and delicate human—but it went smoother than expected. Sometimes Clary came over when Alec was around, and the four of them would watch kids movies with Rhys that Jace would never have had the time for usually.

Maxci was also adorable, and she seemed pretty happy with whoever picked her up and made faces at her. There was one time after lunch at Isabelle and Simon's that she fell asleep in her arms, her perfect little rosebud mouth pursed. In that moment, Jace could absolutely understand how people said they fell in love at first sight.

Simon seemed a little hesitant around him, and it was clear how protective he was over Clary, in a similar way to Magnus and Alec, just more-so, especially since he had no history with Jace, like the others did. From what Jace understood, Clary was the first one out of the group that Simon had met, and she was considered his best friend. Clearly it was Isabelle that he loved, but there was this brotherly way that he would look at Clary which made Jace glad she had someone like him around since Jon wasn't, even if that meant he got glared at every now and then when Jace and Clary would stand too close to each other.

With Clary...Jace wasn't even sure what was going on between them. They were friendly, although maybe not friends. They were careful about not being left alone in the same room as each other since the day that Magnus had thrown them together, and they didn't touch on purpose, mumbling out apologies when they did bump against one another. Even on the few occasions when she came over to help him with Rhys, she would always leave when he went down for his nap in the afternoon.

Sometimes it was easy with her, when they were in group settings she was always full of smiles and quick to laugh. Her green eyes would dance and her lips were tipped upwards, and she looked so young, exactly like when they were teenagers.

But then there was a night when she came by Alec and Magnus' house because Magnus was taking her out to some fancy wine tasting event. It was meant to be a date night for Magnus and Alec, going out to the event for some alone time together and also to pick up some new labels to sell in his restaurant. But Isaac had gotten sick, and he had just wanted one of his daddies. Clary had shown up in this sleek black jumpsuit that accentuated her slim wist and her toned legs. There was a low dip at the front which showed off a tasteful amount of cleavage and the hem of the jumpsuit legs ended just where a pair of black high heels started. She was wearing dark eye makeup and her lips were painted a dark red, her long red hair straightened and framing her face. He had answered the door and let her in, and he was glad that her and Magnus had left promptly because the blatant appreciation on his face was obvious—Alec had called him out on it after the two had left.

She looked so grown up—so completely different, which was to be expected.

She was like a whole other person—so grown up and confident, completely comfortable in her own skin. It wasn't as though she had been nervous and unsure of herself before, but it was just something that came with growing up. Or at least, it was something that came with some people growing up. Clary had been lucky.

She had grown up well.

Insanely well.

Jace knew that it was just a matter of time before he was called on the fact that he couldn't stop looking at her when they were in the same room as each other. It was a miracle that Clary hadn't caught him yet, but Simon definitely had, and Magnus gave him knowing looks as well.

"Phone, Uncle Jace!" Isaac announced, sprinting toward Jace with Jace's Galaxy Edge phone in his hands, waving it around. Both of his fathers had said to him several times that he needed to be careful with the phone, kept telling him how expensive it was, but Jace didn't care. It wasn't as though he paid for it, it was given to him for promotional purposes, and the Isaac and Rhys had so much fun playing games on it he really didn't care about the sticky finger prints and the risk of a cracked screen.

Nothing he couldn't pay to get fixed, and money wasn't something he was worried about. He would rather watch them smile and have fun.

"Thanks, buddy," Jace smiled and took the phone off the little boy. Isaac gave him a big smile before he skipped off to join his brother was playing with Cleo in the backyard. He watched them for a moment before putting the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Jace," it was Charlotte. "How's my boy doing?"

"I'm good," Jace replied easily as the boys started shouting and laughing, running toward the playground that was set up for them. There was a tyre swing that Isaac carefully lifted his little brother into and starting pushing him on. Jace watched them carefully, even though he knew that Isaac was extremely protective when it came to Rhys. But Jace couldn't help but watch them, more just out of some instinct that had occurred to him over these past few weeks.

"Yeah? So you got any idea as to when to expect you back? I've got a couple of magazines who want to do a spread with you, and also Gucci wants you to do an ad and a billboard for their new cologne coming out," Charlotte started rattling off, but Jace was barely listening. He was watching Isaac push his brother on his swing, Cleo running around and barking happily, and the wind smelt so fresh and sharp, something that he never would have in New York. "Jace? Are you listening?"

"Uh, yeah," Jace blinked. "Sure am."

"So? When you think you're going to be back?" She asked expectantly. Jace sighed and dropped his eyes from where he was watching the two boys, looking down at the grass that was springy underneath his feet.

"I'm honestly not sure, Char," Jace told her quietly. "I'm really liking it here. I can..." he didn't really know how to explain this feeling that he had been experiencing. "I can breathe," he settled for. "And I can sleep." Charlotte was quiet on the other end, he couldn't even hear her typing away on her computer anymore, which was a rare occurrence for her. Finally, she took in a deep breath and he heard some rustling.

"Okay," she said. "Okay, sweetie. You take your time. You have a few more months before you're really needed to be back here. These offers will keep coming, so let me know when you're ready, and we'll get everything moving on this end again."

"You know you'll be the first person I tell when I know," Jace answered, her voice warm. People sometimes forgot that Charlotte meant a whole lot more to him than just an agent. An agent was one of an actors most trusted and valued companions, but she was even more than that to him. Charlotte somehow managed to keep the balance between agent and guardian. She was like a parent to him as he was growing up, and even though she pushed for him to do the best he was able to do in his career, she also made sure he looked after himself.

"Alright. Well, you say hello to your cousins and their gorgeous children. Call me in a few days, let me know how things are going," Charlotte murmured.

"Bye, Char," Jace pulled the phone away from his ear and ended the call, tucking it into her back pocket. His crossed his muscular arms over his chest, the shirt he was wearing pulling tight over his back, and he felt a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth as Rhys let out an especially loud squeal as Isaac pushed him higher. The older brother was laughing, his dark curls bouncing around his face, but Jace didn't miss the way Isaac followed his brother carefully with his eyes, making sure that he wasn't pushing him too high to the point of being dangerous. Cleo also had a protective glint in her eye as she jogged around the boys, occasionally snuffling against Isaac's hand for a pat or parking playfully as Rhys swooped by on the swing.

"Hey," Alec's voice was quiet as he appeared at Jace's side. Jace started slightly, and gave his cousin a smile. "How's it going?"

"Everything's good," Jace replied as he took the cold bottle of beer from Alec's hand and sipped from it. The two of them were quiet for a bit as they watched the boys and Cleo play. "What time is Magnus going to be back tonight?"

"It's a Friday," Alec began. "So that means the restaurant is going to be closing until around midnight. Maybe one or two? It can depend on the workload, and whether any of his staff calls in sick." Jace nodded, understanding that work could be unpredictable. Out of the two parents, Alec was the one with set hours, working three days a week, from eight until four, occasionally five. Magnus' hours could be long and sometimes he worked the full seven days of the week, leaving around lunch and not coming home until the early hours of the morning.

But despite it all, the looks of devotion and love toward each other and toward their boys never wavered of Alec or Magnus' face.

It was like when they were together, they just breathed easier.

Jace couldn't begin to process how jealous he was of that.

It was the same with Isabelle and Simon, they just moved as though they had their own force of gravity which pulled them together, comfortably touching each other and bumping hips and adoring Maxci.

And then there was Clary.

Who just fit perfectly into all of their worlds, completely belonging there.

"Where you at?" Alec asked and Jace blinked, realized that Rhys and Isaac were now running toward them, no longer on the swing.

"Huh?" Jace turned to his cousin as the two boys ran past them, into the house, leaving the two men outside with the dog, who was entertaining herself by barking at a bird perched on the high fence surrounding the property.

"Where's your head at?" Alec clarified. "You went somewhere."

"Just...Thinking," Jace shrugged and ducked his head, stubbing the toe of his shoe on the concrete.

"About Clary?" Alec asked knowingly and Jace's head jerked back up to look at his cousin, his cheeks warming. He knew that he didn't need to answer by the way that Alec let out a snort and drank from his own bottle of beer. The laughter from the two brothers could be heard inside, and Cleo seemed to loose interest in the bird, her claws clipping away on the wood of the balcony as she ran inside to join the two of them, not wanting to be left out. "Let's head in, it's almost dinner and those two will start to tear the kitchen apart if we don't start."

"Sounds good," Jace gave Alec a smile as the dark haired man lead the way off the balcony. Jace paused as they were making their way down the hall, his eye caught on the photos that were hanging on the walls, of family and friends. He had looked at these photos a dozen times, and every time he got the same ache in his chest. "Hey, Alec?" Jace raised his voice so that his cousin could hear.

"Yeah?" Alec looked over his shoulder, a faint smile on his face. That defensive look in his eyes that had been there for the first week had faded, and there was a warm expression on his face whenever he looked at his cousin.

"I'm sorry I missed so much," he a was a little embarrassed by how tight his voice was when he uttered the statement. Alec's lips tightened imperceptibly before he jerked his head in a nod and rolled his eyes.

"Stop getting all sappy, man," he grinned. "You still have to help with dinner—you're peeling the potatoes."

Sorry, this is going to be a little bit of a long A/N—only because I've got a lot that I want to recommend to you guys! Movie wise; I've only just seen Moonlight, taken me a while to get there, but I saw it, and I loved it. My heart was aching through it, but it was beautiful. Beauty and the Beast, it was great. Was really worried because I loved the original so much, but it was great. And also Logan, shit—I managed to hold it together right at the end, where Laura changed the cross to a X. Then I kind of lost it. So I absolutely recommend all thee of these.

Now, with TV series—Big Little Lies. Holy SHIT! This was incredible! I binged the whole thing in one morning. It was sooooo good. I've also just started watching American Gods, and I've got high hopes for it :) AND SENSE8 SEASON 2 IS OUT! Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees! And it's just as amazing as ever! Also, I've got some song recommendations; Enjoy The Ride and Alive, by Krewella. Great songs, I've had them on repeat for the past couple of weeks. And then Red, by Tyler Ward. The original song is by Taylor Swift, although I've never actually heard that version, only the one by Tyler, and it's so fucking beautiful.

And finally, I've got two stories that I'm pretty obsessed with. The first one I've been meaning to recommend for ages, but I just kept forgetting! It's by reppinda5o3, who is absolutely fucking amazing and listens to all my word vomit with my stories and is always there for me when I need to rant/rave. It's called Clarissa Is A Punk, it's an AU story, she write in incredible detail, and you should all check it out! The second story is The Cry of The Wild, another AU story, by happiness trap. She updates frequently as well, so that's always a plus!

Alright—so let me know what you think of the update! Did you enjoy it? Let me know what your recommendations for songs, fics, movies or TV series are, and if you guys agree with the ones I've included.

If you'd like a preview of the next chapter and you're logged in, let me know, and I'll send it out xx

Also, it's my birthday next week, so a review would be a pretty nice present from ya'll :)