Lots of Love! XIV
As the holiday came in full swing, the Lightwood house was becoming livelier by the day. Friends stayed over, Magnus just about lived there by now, despite the grumblings of Maryse and Robert, and in a few days Simon would arrive to stay a few weeks while his parents were working.
Since both Luke and Jocelyn were working most of the time too, Clary decided to spend most of her time over at Jace and Isabelle too. It would be fun, hanging out with all of her friends.
"Clary!" Izzy's voice came from the kitchen as Clary entered the house, laden with a heavy bag full of clothes.
"Coming, hang on a minute." Clary called back, as she dropped the bag in the hallway next to the stairs.
She saw Alec coming down and waved.
"Need help?" He asked, pointing at the bag.
"It needs to get upstairs, I'll do it later though."
"Nah, don't bother, I'll bring it up for you. Jace's room?"
"That would be great, thanks!"
"Oh that reminds me, Jace was still sleeping earlier. I'll put it at the door."
"Good, thanks again." Clary said, giving Alec a quick hug and hurrying to the kitchen to see Isabelle.
"Hi there!" Greeted Isabelle, waving to her with a spatula in her hand."
"Hi! What are you cooking?" Clary asked, sniffing the air curiously.
"Pancakes, for lunch!" Izzy replied cheerfully.
"It's Jace's favourite, thought he'd be happy with it when he woke up. He was up most night, I heard him walking around. Glad he's asleep now though."
"Again?" Clary sighed, filling a glass of water at the sink. "Why didn't he call me though? I would have come over. Been up myself most of the night too."
"Maybe you should have called then." Izzy grinned. "What is it with the two of you anyway? Are you dating Jace now?"
"No!" Clary gasped around a gulp of water. "No, we're not dating."
"No, you just sleep together, that's all." Isabelle joked.
"Yes, we do sleep together, simply because we both sleep better when the other one is around."
"Then why not go the extra step and just start dating?"
"I don't know, we never really discussed it, you know."
"You guys are strange." Isabelle said, rolling her eyes at Clary.
"I hope you're not talking about me." Came a voice from behind them, and both Clary and Isabelle jumped.
"Jace!" Isabelle said scornfully. "Don't sneak up on people like that!"
"Sorry sis." He said playfully and gave her a hug.
"Hey." He turned to Clary and gave her a kiss. "How're you?"
"I'm alright." Clary replied. "How about you? Izzy told me you were awake a lot last night."
"Yeah, couldn't sleep, but I'm ok now. Fell asleep around four I think."
"Good you got some sleep after all."
Clary's phone rang and she grabbed it off the table.
"Hey Simon!"
"Clary! Hi! You're not busy are you?"
"No, not at all. I just arrived at Izzy's. How are you? Do you know when you'll be here?"
"Yeah, that's why so called. I'll be arriving at four pm tomorrow. Could someone pick me up?"
By now Isabelle was standing on tiptoe to hear what Simon was saying, obviously excited that he was coming.
"I guess so. Hang on." Clary said, and pulled the phone away from her face.
"Izzy, can you pick up Simon at the airport tomorrow at four? You can use my car if you want to."
"Of course!" Isabelle replied, a huge grin spreading across her face.
"Izzy will pick you up Simon." Clary said, back at the phone.
"Awesome!" Simon said. "I'll see you guys tomorrow then! Got to go now, have to finish some last minute packing. Talk soon!"
And withe that the phone disconnected.
"Happy?" Clary asked Isabelle as she turned to the mountain of pancakes on the counter.
"Yes," Izzy smiled, "very happy. It's been too long since I saw Simon. I've missed him."
"I'm sure you have. I'm glad to see that you two survived the time apart."
"Me too." she said and put the food on the table.
"Mhhh, pancakes!" Jace said happily. "Thanks Izzy."
He fell on the pile like a ravenous bear.
"Hungry much?" Clary chuckled as she turned to the door. Jace just nodded, Not taking his eyes off his plate.
"Alec! Magnus! Food is ready!" Clary called through the hallway.
"Coming!" Came Magnus's muffled voice from upstairs.
She snickered a little and took a seat at the kitchen table.
A few minutes later Magnus walked into the kitchen, combing through his hair with his hands, trying to make it behave.
He was followed by Alec, who was surreptitiously trying to straighten his shirt.
Jace looked up, his eyebrows shooting up, and he quickly looked away. His eyes met Clary's and both of them hid behind they cups of coffee, trying very hard not turned burst out laughing.
Despite the fact that Alex had come clean to his family about him dating Magnus, it was obvious that neither of them was particularly inclined to actually let them know exactly what they were doing.
Only problem was that they weren't all that good in hiding the evidence, which made for rather hilarious situation from time to time.
"Guys," Jace said, unable to resist the temptation of hounding his older brother. "If you want to fondle each other and not have us know about it, pass by a mirror before you come downstairs next time."
Magnus just looked down at Jace, but Alec turned a shade of bright brilliant red and nearly choked on his first bite of pancake.
Izzy snorted and both Clary and Jace burst out laughing.
"Jace? What are you thinking about?"
Clary and Jace were outside in the garden, enjoying the afternoon sun. Isabelle had left shortly before to go pick up Simon from the airport, so everything was nice and quiet for a while.
Jace sat with his back against a willow tree and Clary was lying with her head in his lap.
"Nothing in particular." Jace replied, looking down to meet the bright green eyes that were staring up at him.
"You seemed to be miles away."
"I was thinking about my mom. How we used to sit out in the garden, a blanket on the grass, and her reading stories to me. And we always had homemade lemonade and biscuits with just never seemed to be anything to be worried about. Dad wasn't home that often, but when he was, we would make a treehouse or go out hiking…" His voice trailed off a bit and Clary put her hand on his, squeezing it a little.
"I often wonder how my life would have been if my father hadn't died, or my mother hadn't disappeared. When at least one of them would have been around. I miss them Clary. They weren't there at the graduation, they will never know that I'm going to college, going to law school, hopefully graduating there. They won't be there if I ever get married or have children."
He laid his head back against the tree and closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Jace." Clary said, and she sat up, putting her arm around his shoulders.
"Thanks. I know I can't really complain. I was taken in by a wonderful family, they never mistreated me and I have always been one of them. But it doesn't really take away the pain."
"Of course it doesn't. They were your parents, Jace. I think it's only normal for you to miss them, and to wish they were here with you now. A lot is going on, and no matter how hard you try to deny it, to look tough and keep going, you are hurting, badly. And I think that's the main reason why it's so hard on you now, isn't it?"
"Probably, yes."
"Still can't talk about it?" Clary tried, tentatively.
"No, not yet." came the answer she had expected.
Clary closed her eyes, not out of desperation, but rather to keep Jace from seeing the hurt she felt for him in them.
"Are you alright?" Jace asked, stroking her hair. "You were restless last night."
"I had a nightmare, I'm sorry I woke you though."
"You didn't, I noticed because I had been lying awake for a while already. Was it the same nightmare?"
"Yes, the same as before. The one where you don't get to me in time. But it's alright,you did get there in time after all, didn't you? That's what matters. Sadly my brain doesn't seem to agree and thinks it's a good idea to feed me horror ideas of what might have happened instead." Clary sighed.
"I know, and I'm sorry for it. It'll get better though."
"Don't be sorry, it isn't your fault, Jace. And yes, I do hope it'll get better in time. Did it, for you?"
"Did it what?" Jace asked.
"Get better, the nightmares and stuff."
"Some things got better, yes. Maybe not all of them, but a lot did. And if it gets too bad, I read, or play the piano."
"I didn't know you played!" Clary exclaimed. "I never thought to ask who used that piano in the living room. Would you play something for me?"
"Sure, if you want me to." He smiled at her, a bright, warm and loving smile that made his eyes sparkle and his face shine.
"I would love to see, and hear, you play. Who taught you?"
"My father first. After he died my mother let me take lessons at a friend. Now I just do it on my own."
He got up and took her by the hand. Together they walked into the living room where Jace took a seat on the piano bench and opened the lid.
The black and white keys shone in the sunlight that filtered through the window. Clary settled herself in the armchair, facing the piano. She saw how Jace flexed his fingers, and suddenly the room was filled with music. In awe she looked at the boy, young man really, as his fingers moved effortlessly over the keys, making the nose beautiful sound she had heard in a long time.
When Jace stopped, Clary just sat and stared at him.
They were both brought out of their reverie by applause that came from the door.
"That was an amazing performance!" said Simon. He and Isabelle had apparently come back home and neither Clary nor Jace had noticed, their attention captured by the music.
Jace smiled, genuinely, but a little embarrassed.
"I'm ok, but I'm not particularly good or anything." He said modestly.
"Yes you are." Isabelle said. "You just don't want to admit it. I'm happy to hear you play though, it's been a while."
"I know, haven't had a lot of energy or inspiration to play lately. Clary asked me to play, so I did her a favour."
"Thank you for that." Clary said smiling. "It was wonderful."
Jace looked back at her, his eyes filled with sunshine, happiness and something else Clary couldn't quite pinpoint.
Shortly after that, Alec and Magnus came home too, and Clary ducked into the kitchen together with Isabelle to get dinner ready.
There was a happy hubbub going on in the garden with all their friends being back together. Simon had a whole lot to tell them about life at home. He came from a busy household having two brothers and three sisters. So there were always stories to tell, like how his younger sister Becky had had her first boyfriend, who had cheated on her and whose nose Simon had nearly broken in the ensuing fight. Or how Aaron, his older brother, had gotten a full scholarship to one of the most prestigious universities through his amazing football career.
The latest news however was that his eldest sister, Hannah, was pregnant with her first baby. It was wonderful news, since the couple had been trying for a while now without success.
Dinner that night was chicken enchiladas. The boys had pulled the large table from the garden shed to the terras and they had all sat around it till late at night.
It was around eleven when Jace's phone buzzers on the table. He took it to read the message and Clary felt him stiffen next to her. Just a little bit, almost imperceptible,but she felt it nonetheless. Shortly after that he announced he was tired and wanted to go to bed. Clary got up too, holding his hand, and bade everyone good night.
When they arrived in the bedroom Clary took hold of Jace's elbow and turned him over so he was looking at her.
"Jace," she said softly, "What was that message about?"
"Nothing, why?"
"Because you tended all over read it, and you left straight after that. Something is bothering you about it. Tell me, please?"
"No, really, it's alright. I'll just have to go out for a few hours tomorrow. That's all, I promise."
He looked at Clary, his blue-brown eyes pleading with her to understand.
Clary sighed and pulled him closer to her.
"One day, I'll be able to help you." She said, and hugged him tightly.
Jace sat on the side of his bed. It was nearly time to leave, he knew, but he seemed unable to act upon that knowledge. Coming late wasn't a good idea he knew, but he wondered if it truly mattered. After what had happened last time, well, it couldn't be worse than that, could it?
Clary was out with Simon and Isabelle. Jace had suggested that eyes visit the city, since it were sales and Isabelle had been dying to take Clary shopping for ages.
As he had expected Isabelle had grabbed hold if the idea and had simply forced Clary and Simon along with her.
Jace had known that, if Clary had still been at the house she would have tried to stop him from leaving, and he would have gone all with it, only to pay for it later.
So he had made sure she wasn't around now, no matter how much he missed her.
When he arrived at the manor house the door was unlocked. He pushed it open and went upstairs to the library.
Valentine was waiting for him, which in itself was rather unusual. He normally came in only after Jace had seated himself at the desk.
"Sit." He said, gesturing to the chair.
Jace did as he was told, his stomach knotting with trepidation.
As usual, Valentine unbuttoned his shirt, throwing it carelessly aside.
"You know, Jace. I wonder if you have forgotten one of the first rules I ever laid out for you." Valentine spoke, his voice soft, but crystal clear in Jace's ear.
Jace frowned, wondering what he was talking about.
"I told you, didn't I, that you were never to tell anyone about us, about what happens inside these walls. Never should anyone get worried or suspicious of your appointments with me."
Valentine's fingers were digging deep and painfully in Jace's shoulders.
"And I wonder, if somehow, you might have forgotten about that."
Before Jace could brace himself, the fingers left his shoulders and the sound of a belt cracked through the air, landing heavily and excruciatingly on his back.
On his way home, Jace texted Clary, telling her he'd be home in about an hour.
The actual walk home would only take him about fifteen minutes, but it would give him time to shower and take care of himself before she arrived.
He suspected she was still down town with Simon and Izzy, so that ought to be fine.
However, Jace had only just finished his shower when he heard footsteps on the landing in front of his door, footsteps he would recognise anywhere. He hastily grabbed for his shirt wanting to pull it over his head before the door would open, but he was hopelessly too late.
The door swung inwards and there stood Clary, her hair disheveled as though she had been running.
"Hi Jace!" she said, and then she froze.
A/N I hope you liked it! Please review! Feedback is most welcome!