End chapter, epilogue coming... Thanks to all of my followers, you guys are awesome, and i love you guys! This was my first really long story, and i think it was an okay first. R&R your thoughts on this chapter! This is pretty much just a family chapter, really fluffy, Jocelyn talks to Jace as a mother. I liked it. Hope yall do 2! :)
The first night was the hardest? Hell no. I sit awake with a sick Jansen, Jace at his first football practice of our senior year. School started a few weeks ago, and the schedule was working out amazingly. Most people would think that raising a baby while in college would be a pain in the ass, but Jace was so cooperative and Jansen was low key. I even had free time in the evenings because I was able to finish homework quickly. Jace would sometimes let us have a family evening, but some nights he ran the tub water and told me to 'get in the tub and relax'. When Jace had classes, he had a rougher time getting homework done, because he wanted to play with his son. But he was usually done by three or four, and practice would go from five to six, so he got a good hour in with the family. We hadn't been able to plan the wedding, but it was definitely going to happen sometime in the spring when we're back home in New York.
Jansen snaps me out of my dream wedding planning with a gurgle like cough, his cheeks turning a dark pink. I take his temperature for the third time. "102, you poor baby," I coo at him making him scrunch his nose up and grin his father's famous grin.
The door opens and Jace shuffles in with his gym duffle bag stuffed, his cheeks bright pink from working out. "Hey, there's my favorite little boy," he coos and picks Jansen up. He turns to me, a three month old Jansen sitting on his hip. "And here is my favorite woman," he says pecking my cheek. "How is he?" he asks turning his head towards Jansen, feeling his forehead.
I sigh. "102, it has dropped one degree since you left. He's taken the medicine that Magnus gave him, so he should sleep well tonight." I sigh. Jace goes to put his arm around me, but I put a hand to his rib cage and push him away. "Not until you shower baby." I say.
He groans and pushes himself up, stretching wide, his muscle shirt riding up his stomach, clinging to his biceps. "Ow," he groans. "I'm so sore, and tired, and hungry," he moans.
I laugh again. "That means you're working that much harder towards New York. Shower, then you can eat. I made dinner again since JJ is sick. Then you're free to go to bed." I say.
He smirks, and winks. "Not without you. I can't sleep alone." He says pouting a bit.
I smack his butt as he turns to leave. "Oh you poor baby," I say with dripping sarcasm.
I turn back to Jansen, who sits on the floor in his play pin, coughing up a storm. He sniffles and sneezes and coughs and I wish that I could be sick for him if it meant him being healthy again. I smile sadly at him. "Come on bubba, let's get you to bed. We have a long weekend tomorrow." I tell him, balancing him on my hip as I carry him to his nursery.
I lay him in the crib, his little eyelids drooping shut heavily. I swallow hard, worried about him. I sigh and sit down in the rocking chair, my phone balanced in my left palm, while my right rests on the arm of the rocker. I scroll through my contacts and press call when I click on the one person I can count on.
"Hey, Mom," I say when I hear her pick up.
"Hey, Clary how's the family?" She asks.
"Jace is great, but Jansen came down with something. Anyways, I was just calling to see when you guys would be down here for Jace's game." I say.
"We're leaving tonight at seven, so around eleven to midnight we'll call. We were going to have you guys pick up, but we'll call Izzy and Simon, since you probably need to be there for Jansen." She explains.
I nod even though she can't see me. "Alright, thanks so much, Mom. You are free to stay with us tonight, just be expecting a couch since Jace is having one of his nights." I chuckle.
"Alright sweetie," my mom laughs, "I'll see you when I get there. I can't wait to see how much my little grandson has grown!" She exclaims. "Love you, bye."
When I hang up I jump at the sound of a cleared throat. "Would you like to define 'One of Jace's nights', or are you just going to keep it an inside joke?" Jace asks from the doorway, whispering so he doesn't wake up Jansen.
I smile crookedly at him. "Come on babe, like you don't know how you get moody sometimes." I tease.
His grin falls off his face. "I'm just worried and stressed…" He trails off.
I take his hand and lead him out of the room, across the hall, and into ours. When we're seated leaning against the headboard, I speak. "Talk," I say.
Jace gives a sad smile. "I'm worried about Jansen. My mom called and said that sickness was really hard for babies, and that it really affects them. She told me that it drains them, and it's dangerous for a fever to be higher than 103." He explains.
I run my thumb over his, and snuggle into his side. "He'll be fine. It should be going away in a few days, and everyone is coming down tonight, so they could help us. Our moms aren't new to parenting like us. We can get their help. Magnus said that he was doing exceptionally well compared to other babies with the same stomach virus." I comfort him.
He nods and takes a deep breath. "I just want to make sure that he'll be alright and healthy. I don't want this to hurt him or get too dangerous." He says.
I wrap my arms around Jace and bury my face in his chest, breathing in the smell of his soap. "You're amazing, you know that?" I ask.
He chuckles, sending vibrations through his chest. "Nothing compared to you, though." He says, laying down with me. He runs his fingers through my hair and buries his face in my hair. "I'm nothing at all compared to you." He murmurs as we fall into a comfortable sleep.
Jace POV:
I wake in the morning to the smell of coffee and breakfast. Rubbing my eyes, I look beside me to see Clary still asleep on her side of the bed. I kiss her once on the forehead, and push my sore body out of bed. I had a game tomorrow, so today was my lazy day, my time to spend with my family, and my own family.
I pad across the hall, my warm feet sticking to the cold hardwood floors, and slowly open the door to Jansen's nursery. It's empty, and that's when I hear the cooing and talking.
"Hey Jansen, you're going to get to see daddy's first game tomorrow. It's really fun, and you'll get to sit in the front with mommy and your grandma and uncles and me." I hear Jocelyn talking.
I stand at the door where Jocelyn's back faces towards me, and I watch her bounce Jansen as she stands in front of the coffee maker. I grin at the sight of my soon-to-be mother in law. She's so much like Clary, not only on the outside, but also on the inside. Her funny, outgoing personality, her unconditional kindness, and even the way she likes her coffee black, is so much like my Clary. She cuddles a sniffling Jansen to her chest, her face buried in his curly blonde hair.
"I'm so glad you're here, baby. Your mommy and daddy deserved you. They love each other so much, and they love you all the same. They work so hard to keep you happy. Just be sure to love them as much as you can, because that's all we ever want." She says gently.
I decide to make my entrance known, so I walk towards them. "Thank you so much, Jocelyn." I say.
She turns around and grins at me, her eyes lighting up and crinkling at the sides with age. "It's true though, Jace. You two are amazing parents." She says, setting a hand on my arm after setting Jansen in his highchair.
I wrap Jocelyn's tiny body in a hug, resting my face in her hair. "It's so hard sometimes. I can't seem to focus on school, I just want my family." I mumble.
She squeezes me back, rubbing my back like my own mother would. "Just one more school year, and then you can come home and live out your dream. It's hard, but you have to push through." She tells me.
I pull away nodding. I smile genuinely at her. "Clary is so much like you." I tell her.
She laughs, immediately brightening up the whole house with the sound. "I can only do so much as be a role model. Jace, Jansen is going to look up to you. I want you to never change for the worst. You're a great role model now. Teach him to love his family, and he'll turn out fine. Don't baby him, but be gentle. He needs to learn how to be a strong man for his future family. But, you have nothing to worry about, just keep doing what you're doing. Also, when you two do get married, and even now, Clary needs you to lead her. Never doubt your love for her, because it's there, trust me. You've grown up so much, Jace, from that little conceited teenager, to a kind, loving man. I'm proud of you, and I just needed to let you know that I love you, and I couldn't have asked for a better man for Clary." She tells me.
I smile, my eyes glistening with happy tears, but none fall. "Thank you, Jocelyn." I tell her.
She smacks my arm, actually hurting it. "But don't get a big head about this Jace. Clary is going to kill me." She exclaims.
I laugh at her and join her in making breakfast for everyone. It takes a few hours, but I learn so much about Clary, that it flies by.
Clary is the last to get to the kitchen, wearing yoga pants and an oversized sweater. She looks refreshed, the stress of the week gone, and our extended family and little Jansen all enjoy each other's company at the table.
I look around and see Jon and Alec teasing a flustered Simon, Izzy laughing along with her and her best friend's brothers. I See Maryse watching Jocelyn as she opens the door to a glittering Magnus, who takes a seat next to a blushing Alec. I then look at Jansen as he grabs a handful of mushy cheerios, shoving his fist into his mouth. His little red nose is red and sniffling. He looks much better; a good night's sleep was what he needed. I then feel a light squeeze on my hand, and look to Clary. She looks at me, a confused glint in her eye, but when I smile, her face breaks into a smile of her own, way more breathtaking than her mother's. I kiss her cheek, but leave my lips next to her ear.
"I love you." I whisper. "Aren't you glad you said yes to that first date?"
She smacks my arm and gives a breathy laugh. "Best choice in my life." She breathes as I kiss her ear.
The End. Until the epilogue...