Thank you, Lauren1225 for looking this through for errors!
Two hours have passed since Jonathan and Simon trudged out of the basement with their hands filled with firewood. Everyone is sitting in the living room in silence, but I know that it is too good to last. "I'm bored!" Magnus groaned, sounding a bit too much like a three year old for my liking.
"Do something to preoccupy yourself," I tell him, from my spot on Jace's chest. I hope that will end the conversation that I will be able to go back to my almost nap in peace. Of course, I'm not that lucky.
"Alec," he says hopefully. "Your lips look lonely; would they like to meet mine?"
I hear Alec splutter something incoherently beside me and I can't fight back the peel of laughter that tears its way past my lips. I turn and look over at Alec, who is still sitting beside me. He'd been lounging almost limply a moment ago, but now he is sitting straight up, stiff as a board; his cheeks are as red as I have ever seen them. I can feel Jace shaking from silent laughter beneath me seeing as he still refuses to talk. I hear Jon sniggering from the armchair, and Isabelle cooing from the pallet. Simon is the only one that looks remotely disgusted. "Take that to the bedroom," he groans. "Isabelle and I don't torment you with cheesy pickup lines!"
"That's because you're not smart enough to come up with any," Magnus sniffs. "Imagine how we feel having to observe the silent looks you guys give each other!"
I have a feeling that this argument isn't going to be over anytime soon. I look over at Jace, who is watching them with rapt attention, his golden eyes darting back and forth between Simon and Magnus as though he is watching a tennis match. He is full-on grinning as he watches them, not even bothering to try and hide his amusement. I can feel the vibrations in his chest as he begins to laugh harder, still managing to keep them silent.
"We've got to change your bandage on your leg," I tell Jace quietly, not wanting to accidentally throw myself into the banter that has now pulled my brother into the fray. I have a feeling that if I do not hurry out of the room I will be next.
He looks down at me with a raised eyebrow and I smile at him almost pleadingly. After a moment he shrugs. I take that as a sure, and push myself off him. All of the first aid supplies are safely back in the bathroom so no one could accidently mess them up. It gives me the perfect excuse to get out of the room and away from the others for a little while. I have a little bit of a headache anyways, so it would do me good to get away from the noise. Jace has no idea how much of a favor he is doing me by being mute for my apparent annoyance.
I push the blanket off me and all the way on to Jace so that I can rise to my feet. I stretch, cracking my back. The others are so immersed in their conversations that they don't spare me or Jace a second glance as we walk behind the couch and down the hallway.
"Go to the back room," I tell him. "I'll grab the supplies." He gives me a nod, which is barely visible in the dim light of the shadowy hall, before turning around and walking through the doorway. It only takes me a few moments to grab the supplies off the counter top when I get into the bathroom. I get the alcohol, gauze, the peroxide, and a towel before hurrying to the back bedroom.
I try not to think too much about the fact that Jace has already discarded his pants, which are sitting in a careless heap in the middle of the floor. "Getting into your pants seems to be a lot easier than before," I say. My breath catches in my throat as I realize how stupid it sounds as soon as it comes from my mouth.
Thankfully Jace just snorts at me and winks, making enough of an insinuation with that single movement that words are not needed. I walk forward and sit my supplies down on the wooden floor beside the bed before kneeling beside them. I can feel the cold through the cloth of my sweat pants and cringe slightly at the feeling. My head pounds when my body suddenly tenses and I wince at the feeling. The pain eases after a moment and becomes manageable enough to push it to the back of my mind. I look up to see Jace looking at me with a concerned raised eyebrow. I can tell that he is dying to ask me what is wrong but seems to be too stubborn to break the rule of silence.
"I just have a small headache," I tell him quietly with a shrug, indicating that he shouldn't think anything of it, "no big deal." I look down at the bandage that was wrapped around his leg. "This, on the other hand, is a very big deal. Let's get it fixed up."
I start to unwrap it, going slowly to stop my heart from changing pace to prevent any sharp pains to shoot through my head. I am halfway finished with unwrapping the bandage when Jace stops me silently. He places on hand over mine and the other on my face, pulling on it until I am looking at him again. He is frowning at me silently.
"What is it?" I question softly.
"I think," he says, finally breaking his streak. His voice is slightly hoarse from its disuse over the past several hours, "that I should be asking you that question. What's wrong?"
"Nothing," I say with a reassuring smile. "Like I said, it's just a headache."
"Clary," he says. There is a hint of warning to his voice and it is clear that he doesn't like the fact I have a headache. "You hit your head this morning. That's nothing to be messing around with. My leg can wait."
"No," I insist, feeling a little aggravated. As sweet as he's being, it's getting a little annoying. I am perfectly capable of changing bandages with or without a lousy headache. "I'm fine and it needs to be changed. Do you want it to get infected?"
"I think you're far from fine," he informs me seriously. "I'll make you a deal: you come up on the bed and lay down, and I'll change my own bandages."
I look at him with narrowed eyes and he returns it with raised eyebrows and an easy smile. "Come on, Clary. What can it hurt?"
"You," I reply. "What if you don't bandage it right?" I demand.
"You got it right," he informs me. "You only halfway paid attention in class because you were apparently too busy gawking at your instructor. I'm pretty sure that I can pull it off." I blink at the sharpness of his tone. I am taken aback by the suddenness of it and a bit thrown off. His harsh expression melts after a moment and he sighs. "Sorry," he sighs, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I didn't mean to sound so…so…."
"Jealous?" I suggest for him, raising an eyebrow.
Jace smiles at me, his lips curving in a way that makes me want to kiss them rather badly. I banish the thought from my head, blinking at the sudden feeling as he says, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Jace Herondale does not get jealous."
"Maybe," I say with a smirk of my own, "Jonathan Christopher Herondale does."
His smile grows slightly as he leans down and wraps his arms around my middle so that his face is buried into the crook of my neck. "Maybe he does," he agrees, making my heart stutter a lot more than I am proud of admitting. He sits back up, but doesn't release me as he does. I find myself on the bed…well if I am going to be more technical about it, I am in his lap.
"What are you doing, Jace?" I demand, my hands resting on his shoulders as I try and think past the pounding that feels as though it is building up enough pressure to break my skull open.
"Trying to control the jealous rage that is burning within me," he replies dryly. I can't help but snort at this as I look at him rolling his eyes.
"Admit it, Jacie," I say; my voice is barely a whisper as I lean closer to him, smiling slightly. "You're jealous of Sebastian."
We are nose to nose as he replies. "You guys are on a first name basis, are you?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. I raise an accusing on in turn and he says. "You see, with teachers, you're not supposed to be on such familiar terms."
"Okay," I say, allowing my voice to turn thoughtful. "Then who am I allowed to be so familiar with?"
"Well," Jace says, drawing out the word. "I guess your family would be okay."
"Anyone else?" I question with a raised eyebrow.
"Girls," he said after a moment, a small smirk starting to grow on his lips. "I think they're acceptable."
"That all?" I question, allowing a small smile to grow on my face, managing to forget my headache as his proximity took up all corners of my mind.
"And me," he whispers before leaning forward so that his lips brushed against mine, causing electric tingles to shoot through my entire body. I shudder as my hands slide from his shoulders so that my arms are loosely wrapped around his neck. Our lips are barely connected and I can feel him smiling against the small parts that are. I am getting sick of waiting and am about to take initiative when he suddenly wraps his arms tightly around my waist. My lips smash against his at the same time that he leans backward, taking me with him. I'm disoriented, to say the least, so I have no idea how I end up with my back against the bed instead of Jace's.
He pulls away from me and stares with a soft smile and tender golden eyes. He pushes my hair behind my ear gently and says, "Sleep, okay? You have a headache, and I'm pretty sure you'll feel better if you sleep."
I look up at him with unsure eyes. "But Jace—"
He leans down and cuts me off with a quick and sweet kiss. "No buts, Clary. Sleep and let me wrap my leg, alright? I'll tell the others what you're doing."
"It's cold back here," I grumble, knowing that it is my last line of defense.
"Once I am finished with my leg," he says, "I'll get under the blankets and share some body heat, okay?"
I finally nod, not really wanting to let him wrap his own leg, but figuring that he is right. "Fine," I say. "I'll go to sleep."
~Jace~Jace~Jace~
Clary falls asleep quickly and I can't help but feel a little smug as I listen to her slow and even breaths. I can't help the feeling, though. I love it so much when I am right. I look down at my halfway unwrapped leg and begin to finish the job. Hopefully it won't be too hard.
Of course, it takes me about thirty long minutes to complete something that only takes her around fifteen, but I don't mind. The only thing that I am concerned about is if I did it the same way that she does. I shrug, the thought quickly fading as Clary begins to move to the forefront of my mind. I stand up, and am about to walk into the living room to tell the others, when I pause and turn around to look at her. She looks so peaceful that I can't help but smile. I decide that the others probably won't miss us too much as I crawl into the bed beside her carefully, not wanting to jolt her or my leg.
Once I settle down and cover myself with my blanket, I wrap an arm around her waist. I make sure to pull her back flush against my chest as I close my eyes. A nap kind of sounds good right now, and, with the smell of her hair invading my thoughts, it's pulling me under with a greater intensity. I don't fight it as I close my eyes, a sleepy smile coming to my face.
I wake up with the door slamming against the back wall so loudly that my ears ring as I sit straight up in the bed. My eyes are filled with sleep and are only halfway open as I glare at Jon while simultaneously trying to rub fists into my eyes to wake myself up completely.
I blink, as I slowly lower my hands, realizing that the look on his face isn't of someone with concerns about me being in the bed with his younger sister. It is something else…why is he grinning? "Dude!" he shouts excitedly, "I never thought I'd say that I love my parents, but right now, they're the best people in the freaking world!"
"Not that I'm arguing with you," I reply slowly, "but what in God's name are you talking about?"
"Get Clary up," he orders. "We're about to head up to the hospital for your leg to get checked out and then we're going to get a hotel with a backup generator."
I look at him blankly, not allowing myself to acknowledge the burning sensation of hope that is beginning to flare in my chest. His grin is widening by the seconds of silence that stretch and I am getting sick of his dramatic pause and am relieved when he finally breaks it. "My parents called up to some of their friends at Carstairs' Towing, and asked for someone to come down and check on us; some dude named Jem is here as our savior!" his voice rose at the end and I'm sure that he has finally went over the edge. I am too happy to tell him this though; I just grin and lean over Clary.
I shake her shoulder and at first she doesn't respond. When she does, it is with a groan. "My head," she whimpers, clutching at the top of her skull with both of her hands as she curls into the fetal position.
"I'm sorry," I whisper to her, kissing her temple and not really caring if Jon saw. "Just lay here for a moment, okay; someone's here to take us into town. I'll get your jacket."
I look over at Jon, who's jovial expression has dimmed a bit as concern has taken its place. He is looking at Clary concernedly. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"I don't really know," I tell him as I walk away from Clary, still careful to whisper so that I don't make her headache any worse. "I think her head's hurting from that fall she had." I know from the look on his face that we are both thinking the same thing. Concussion.
I turn around and look at her one last time before I walk out into the hallway. Sitting on the couch, in what looked to be wool clothes, was an oriental man with black hair and eyes that seemed to have a silvery sheen to it despite his obvious youth. I nod my head in his direction in a greeting as I cast him a polite smile. I don't have time to talk.
I make it to the coat rack and pick up Clary's jacket and immediately discard it. I don't even know what it's still doing outside of a garbage bin; the things covered in blood…my blood. Just the sight of it causes my leg to throb and I grimace slightly as I pick my leather jacket up. She would just have to wear this. I doubt she would have enough energy to really fight about anything anyway.
"Come on," I say to her as I make it back into the room. I have the jacket slung over one arm as I walk to the bed. She is trying to get up, but I can tell that the pain is crippling her. "Only have a little way to walk. You know what," I murmur, "I can't carry you right now, which I feel awful about, but Jon can."
"No," Clary whispers weakly. She winces as though the movement pains her as well.
I grimace at it and say, "You're not walking, Clare. It'll be over before you know it."
I get up before she can say anything and walk back out of the room to get Jonathan. So we could finally get out of the snowed in cabin.
Hey! It's almost the end again! I admittedly thought of another story idea a couple of days ago and I am in the process of seeing if I like the idea or not. The name: How to not Die During the Zombie Apocalypse. Tell me if the title seems interesting at all to you! I'll put the summery up for it next chapter.
