A/N: I have been very lazy with updating because of many things so I apologise. Life's been a bit crappy for me, having probably failed a bunch of recent exams in subjects I'm supposed to be good in and learning a dear friend of mine committed suicide. (not the self-harming one, he's okay thankfully) I'll try to get back on track but I think it will take some time for me to be okay.
Jace had been wandering around the dimly lit streets for ages now. He didn't want to go home early to face his mom's questioning; he'd told her he'd be back after midnight probably and it was half past eleven. He had abandoned the party at quarter to ten.
He was kicking a soda can down the road, shivering a little as a bitter wind coursed through his body. He was on tenderhooks and had been on leaving, getting paranoid that something was going to happen. Usually he'd be fine, but something about the atmosphere tonight felt ominous.
His phone then buzzed frantically in his pocket, so he fished it out and held it to his ear without bothering to look at the caller ID. "Hello?"
"Hey Jace, where are you?" Alec's voice showed no signs that he'd been drinking; he was typically sober. "Clary claimed to have seen you last but that was nearly two hours ago."
"I'm at home. Felt sick," Jace lied quickly. "Are you all still at Pandemonium?"
"Jon and Clary left about twenty minutes ago but otherwise yes. We've all been waiting for you," he grumbled. "Next time you decide to pull a sickie, I don't know, maybe let someone know rather than just walking out?"
"Sorry Mom," Jace answered dryly. "Anyway, I've got to go. See ya."
He held up, cutting off whatever Alec was about to say. He hadn't meant to be grouchy with his best friend, but it was too late to take anything back now.
Besides, he had every right to be short-tempered. He had missed the opportunity to save Clary from becoming a victim of Sebastian's sadistic ways. Granted, they were back on good terms now, but would she believe him over Mr Perfect?
He still felt uncomfortable going down the road, so Jace made the decision of blotting it all out with putting his earphones in and putting his music on shuffle. Like I Can by Sam Smith was the first song.
He could be a sinner, or a gentleman
He could be a preacher when your soul is damned
He could be a lawyer on a witness stand
But he'll never love you like I can, can
He could be a stranger you gave a second glance
He could be a trophy of a one night stand
He could have your humour, but I don't understand
'Cause he'll never love you like I can, can, can
Why are you looking down all the wrong roads?
When mine is the heart and the salt of the soul
There may be lovers who hold out their hands
But they'll never love you like I can, can, can
They'll never love you like I can, can
A chance encounter of circumstance
Maybe he's a mantra keeps your mind entranced
He could be the silence in this mayhem, but then again
He'll never love you like I can, can, can
Why are you looking down all the wrong roads?
When mine is the heart and the salt of the soul
There may be lovers who hold out their hands
But they'll never love you like I can, can, can
They'll never love you like I can, can, can
They'll never love you like I can, can, can
We both have demons, that we can't stand
I love your demons, like devils can
If you're self-seeking an honest man
Then stop deceiving,
Lord, please
Why are you looking down all the wrong roads?
When mine is the heart and the salt of the soul
There may be lovers who hold out their hands
But they'll never love you like I can, can, can
They'll never love you like I can, can, can
They'll never love you like I can, can, can
God, he needed to clear his head. He couldn't stop thinking about Clary and Sebastian.
He soon found himself knocking on his front door, which was answered immediately by a wide-eyed and messy-haired Céline. "I'm glad you're home, Jace," she whispered softly. "Come inside. I want to introduce you to someone."
Jace's blood boiled. Had she cheated on Stephen with a new man?
Of course she hasn't. She would never be disloyal to Stephen. Be quiet.
Once he'd slipped his shoes off, he came into the living room and was alarmed by the site of a man a little older than his mother sitting on their couch, the news blaring in the background. He had a ragged looking appearance - crazy uneven brown hair, wistful blue eyes behind a pair of glasses, a red and black flannel shirt and tatty old jeans. When he stood up from the couch, Jace noticed he was quite tall and towered above Céline, who was smiling as if this wasn't a big deal. "This is Luke Garroway, a friend of mine from high school," she explained. "Luke, this is my son Jace. He's recently crossed paths with the Morgensterns."
Luke held out his hand politely, smiling. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Jace."
"And yourself," Jace responded unnervingly, returning the gesture. "Why are you here? What do you want with the Morgensterns?"
Luke blinked, dazed. "Didn't your mother tell you?"
Jace glanced alarmingly over to Céline, which made Luke turn the TV set on mute. "Then it appears I've got some explaining to do. You might as well settle down and hear me out; this'll take a while, but I'll shorten it down as much as I can..."
Jocelyn Fairchild was my childhood best friend. We did everything together and were as close as you could get, no matter what was thrown at us. Once we started high school, we met Valentine Morgenstern.
He was attractive, charming, intelligent, talented... the perfect student. Everyone adored him, and so did I. I idolized and hero worshipped this boy, which Jocelyn teased me about, but a group of us formed our own little gang. We called ourselves the Circle. Consisting of Valentine, Jocelyn, Robert Lightwood, Maryse Trueblood, Stephen Herondale, Céline Montclaire and myself, we were the most popular people in the school. At this time I learnt of Jocelyn's affections for Valentine once she'd asked me on advice for how to approach him.
It broke my heart, because I'd soundlessly loved her since we became friends.
In the end, Jocelyn and Valentine got married after graduating. I'd been the best man as I'd worked myself up to Valentine's best friend as well as Jocelyn's, though I'd been close to making up excuses of not to go because I couldn't bear witnessing my childhood sweetheart marrying my best friend. I made the decision to go along with it and spent a lot of my time with Stephen, who's fianceé Céline was the maid of the honour. It was a generally good night, even if it was the night my heart shattered into a million irreplaceable pieces.
After that I never saw the Herondales again until now. The Lightwoods I've not seen either, but I stayed close with the Morgenstern family. Roughly two months after the wedding Jocelyn fell pregnant, and Jonathan was the result of that pregnancy. Less than eleven months later Clary came into the world. I'd been appointed their godfather, but they saw me as and called me their uncle. I loved them both as if they were my own children. They spent some summers with me on my farm and I hold many memories from those days dear to my heart, though that isn't the point.
Jonathan was eleven and Clary was ten when life turned on them.
It had been a bitterly cold day and the family were on the icy road to town. Jocelyn was eight months pregnant I think and was originally going to stay at home, but Clary was eager for her mother to join them. I had been sceptical about her about going, but she was adamant everything would be fine.
I'd been reading when I received a phone call from the hospital telling me the Morgensterns had been caught up in a head-on collision with a swerving car. The driver of the other car had been pronounced dead on the scene and they had to perform an emergency caesarean on Jocelyn in any hope of saving the child. I'd been asked for specifically, so I hurried straight over as if hell was chasing me.
When I got there the caesarean had been successful, but Jocelyn was clearly on the brink of death. Valentine was begging for her to name their miracle daughter and Clary and Jon were looking very lost in the background. With permission I sat beside her and she rested her head against my shoulder, her dimly lit eyes fixated on Valentine. "Call her Valentina." she whispered, just as a monitor let out a long beep and alerted a doctor into the room. I didn't need to be told what had happened; I knew all too well.
She'd died in my arms.
I attended the funeral and spoke of her unwavering commitment and gentleness to those she'd befriended over the years. She hadn't deserved her death.
Even more upsettingly, Valentine wanted to cut me out of his life forever. I backed off without a word, but I cried when I got home that I'd lost my two best friends, and I'd never get them back.
After Luke had finished, Jace had been stunned into complete and utter silence. He didn't know what he could have possibly said to make the situation any better.
"Your mother contacted me after you brought up Jocelyn, and lo by hold I'm here.," Luke said. "She also told me on my arrival that you'd fallen for Clary."
Jace could feel his face heating up, but he'd been distracted by Céline coughing politely. "It's getting stupidly late, so we should probably continue this discussion in the morning," she announced hurriedly. "Luke, you're more than welcome to crash on the couch."
He nodded curtly. "Thank you."
Valentina had fallen asleep on the couch with the TV when Clary and Jon had got home from the party, so Clary had carefully carried her up to bed while Jon caught up on some much needed sleep. She was light as a feather so it was no problem, but she was almost too light. Her illness was to blame.
She was just undoing Val's plaits when her wide green eyes sprung open like a deer in the headlights. "Clary?" she whispered. "Can you sing to me? I can't sleep."
Clary's heart melted at her innocent little voice. "Of course. Any specifics?"
"Something Mommy liked."
The first song that came into Clary's head at the thought of her mother was Wonderwall by Oasis, so while stroking her little sister's red locks she started to sing that softly.
Today is gonna be the day
That they're gonna throw it back to you
By now you should've somehow
Realized what you gotta do
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you now
Back beat, the word is on the street
That the fire in your heart is out
I'm sure you've heard it all before
But you never really had a doubt
I don't believe that anybody feels
The way I do about you now
And all the roads we have to walk are winding
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding
There are many things that I would
Like to say to you
But I don't know how
Because maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall
Today was gonna be the day
But they'll never throw it back to you
By now you should've somehow
Realized what you're not to do
I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do
About you now
And all the roads that lead you there were winding
And all the lights that light the way are blinding
There are many things that I would like to say to you
But I don't know how
I said maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall
I said maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall
I said maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
You're gonna be the one that saves me
You're gonna be the one that saves me
By the end of it Val's eyelids had drooped, so Clary collapsed onto the bed herself cradling her fragile little sister. She was totally exhausted.
Too exhausted to catch a whiff of burning downstairs.
And there we have it! Sorry for the wait!