Authors Note:

Happy Late Thanksgiving to everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful day, and ate until you could barely keep your eyes open! I know I did! :) Let me know what you think, and leave a review!

Chapter Twenty Five

Time Jump – Two Months Later

Clary POV:

Jace and I were in the kitchen cooking dinner when Jacqueline walked in and sat down at the island and put her head on the counter. I looked at Jace and he just shrugged and we went back to making dinner. 15 minutes had passed and Jacqueline hadn't said a single thing. I was worried, she didn't share a lot with me, which sucked, but when she was really upset I could always tell, and she seemed pretty out of it. Finally, I heard her clear her throat and Jace and I looked at her.

"How did you two do it?" She asked. "The distance." I knew this was hard for her, I totally got it, and I hated seeing her go through it.

"I'm not going to lie. Those 4 years were some of the hardest I've ever had to experience." Jace said and I smiled at him.

"What got you through it?" She asked.

"I think what really helped was that we weren't together." Jace said and Jacqueline looked at him with a confused expression. "I mean, we had feelings for each other, but we weren't in a relationship so what we did didn't matter…" He continued and Jacqueline was still confused. "I'm not saying this right, I sound like a dick." He said and Jacqueline laughed. I decided to step in and save him.

"What your father is trying, and failing to say is that we weren't obligated to each other, well not officially." I said and she nodded. "I didn't see anyone in those four years, and I don't think your dad did." I said and he smiled and shook his head. "But if something happened, like I made out with a random dude, or your father went to a party and started dancing with a girl, it wasn't cheating because we weren't together." I said and she nodded. "Being committed to someone that far away is tough, but I think your dad and I got through it because we didn't have a label. We talked every day, and I stayed faithful even though he wasn't my boyfriend but I also didn't have a line of guys trying to date me." I said and she laughed.

"And I knew that I wanted your mom more than I had ever wanted any other girl before and whenever I saw a girl, or one would try to throw themselves at me I just didn't feel anything because they weren't your mom." Jace said as he pulled me into his side. "It's hard, but if it's right, it's worth it." Jace said and Jacqueline nodded. It was silent for a minute before something popped into my head.

"Oh, do you have any idea why James didn't sign up for the winter session? I went through all the applicants yesterday and he wasn't on there." I asked.

"That would be because Ian and I broke up." She said.

"Oh baby." Jace said and she just shrugged. "What happened?"

"He said the distance was too much. We barely talked because out schedules were so conflicting and he didn't want to be put in the type of situation where he could have cheated on me." She explained.

"When did it happen?" I asked.

"Like a month ago." She said.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Jace asked.

"I didn't want to admit to failure I guess. You two made it work, and Ian and I couldn't. I felt like we just failed. It sucked. I really liked him." She said and I walked over and gave her a hug.

"If it didn't work out, than it wasn't meant to be babe." I said and she nodded. "Jace you might want to leave the room for this part." I said and he looked at me.

"I'm not leaving my baby girl while she's upset." Jace said and I laughed.

"Alright, but you asked for it." I said and I looked back at Jacqueline. "What did it feel like when you kissed him?"

"Okay, I'm out. I'm going to go hang with my other baby who doesn't like boys, and thinks I'm the most handsome guy in the world." He said and I laughed.

"She's right about one thing, you are incredibly handsome." I said and he winked before walking up the stairs. "Now that he's gone, answer my question." I said and she laughed.

"It felt like any other kiss." She said and I smiled.

"It's not supposed to feel like a normal kiss. It's supposed to knock your freaking socks off." I said and she laughed.

"How will I know?" She asked.

"The first time I kissed your father, I felt like I was experiencing the world in a whole new light." I said and she smiled. "I didn't date a lot because I was so focused on my dream, and that's all that mattered, but you know when you're young and you have your first kiss, its awkward, and everything. Well, it was just a normal kiss. And than I kissed someone else in high school and it was just really bland. Nothing really happened. But the minute your dad's lips touch mine, man did I feel like I was addicted." She was silent for a moment, and I could tell she was hesitant to say whatever was on her mind.

"Did you lose your virginity to dad?" She asked after a moment and it caught me off guard, but I'm glad she felt comfortable enough to talk to me about this.

"I did. It was after we both won our gold medals. I can't believe I'm going to tell you this, but you are 18, so you're old enough. It was at that picnic we had in the gazebo."

"But it was snowing. And freezing." Jacqueline said and I laughed.

"We were under like 6 blankets that he brought, and sex isn't a very cold activity. It gets pretty steamy." I said and she gagged.

"Gross. I don't want to think about you and dad having sex." She said and I laughed.

"I'm just saying, it was perfect, and even though I had no idea what I was doing, everything felt right because it was with him. Relationships don't have to be complicated. When it's with the right person, everything just works out." I said and she nodded.

"But how do you know it's the right person?" She asked.

"You know because being with them isn't hard. It might get hard, but the good parts are awesome. You laugh together, joke around, make fun of each other." I said and she smiled. "You have inside jokes, and you love being around them even if you're doing absolutely nothing."

"Don't forget the kiss." She said and I laughed.

"And the kiss knocks your socks off." I said and she laughed. It was quiet before I asked a question I didn't know if I wanted the answer too. "Did you ever have sex with Ian?"

"No. Sammi was right in saying I was a prude." She said and I smiled. "We haven't really spent a lot of time in the same country, and when we were together, it just didn't feel right."

"When its right baby, you just know it." I said and she nodded. "I'm not saying to go and lose your virginity….."

"Ahhhhhhh!" I heard and Jacqueline and I turned around and saw Patrick standing there. "Be thankful it was me and not dad." He said and we both laughed. I turned back to Jacqueline and smiled.

"You'll know Jacqueline, I promise." I said and she smiled. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and she stood up.

"Jack, Sammi really wants to talk to you." Patrick said and Jacqueline sighed. "Please Jack. You two being at odds is killing me." He said.

"Well, if you were loyal to your twin it wouldn't be so hard." Jacqueline said.

"She's my girlfriend Jack, and she's carrying my baby. I'm sorry, but that's my family." He said and I knew Jacqueline was holding a grudge but she would also get over it in her own time, we couldn't push.

"Fine." Jacqueline said as she made her way upstairs. When she was gone I looked at Patrick.

"Give her some time hun. She'll get over it." I said and he sighed.

"It's been two months mom. She's had time." Patrick said and I walked over and gave him a hug.

"You know her, when she's ready, she'll come around." I said and he smiled and nodded. Those two being on different sides was hard. They had always been so close, and these past two months have been weird, and I hoped they got past it.

Jacqueline POV:

I walked upstairs and was dreading talking to Sammi. After our fight we just avoided each other like the plague. When I got to Pat's room I just stood there for a moment collecting my thoughts, and when I was finally ready I opened the door. Sammi was sitting on the bed and when she looked at me she gave me a sad smile. I walked in and sat down on the bottom of the bed and waited for her to speak.

"I hate this Jack." She finally said. "I miss my best friend."

"I stand by what I said." I told her. "Well, not the whore or bitch part, but the selfish part."

"I understand." She said.

"You really hurt him Sammi." I said and she started fidgeting with her fingers.

"I know I did. And we talked when he got back. He explained that he still wanted me to achieve my dream. He said he would do anything to help me get to the Olympics."

"Did you really expect anything less from him? The kids in love with you. He would burn down the whole world to make you happy." I said and she smiled.

"I know that. I was just terrified." She explained.

"It's understandable. Having a baby is scary, but the fact that you thought Patrick wouldn't let you still try and make it to the Olympics is absurd." I said and she laughed.

"I said what I said in the heat of the moment. Now that I'm nearly 5 months pregnant, I couldn't give my baby to someone else. I love him or her too much to ever do that. I want to hold my baby, and play with them, and make them laugh. I want this family, and I can't even believe I thought I didn't." She said and I couldn't be happier for her.

"I'm sorry I avoided you for two months." I said and she smiled at me.

"I understand why you did. I was horrible, and you had ever right to be mad at me." She said. "I really missed you Jack."

"I missed you too Sammi." I said and I got up and gave her a hug. While we were embracing a felt a little tiny kick come from her belly and I squealed. "Oh my god, was that my niece or nephew?!"

"Yea, I guess he or she missed you too." She said and I laughed. As much as I hated how much pain she put my brother through, I was happy that her and Patrick were happy, and ready to become parents. She was still my best friend, and she always will be, and I can't wait for her to become part of this family so we can create so many memories with the newest addition of the Herondale family.