Ayyy guess who's back! Wow, it has truly been a while and so much has happened since the last time I updated. I want to begin by thanking all of you for being so patient. With my final exams and moving out of my flat for good (sad times), these past fews months have been ridiculously stressful, but it was all worth it in the end. Despite spending the majority of the past three years drowning in all the maths, attending a ridiculous amount of gigs and writing two large novel-length fics, I managed to get my degree and I graduated from university a couple of weeks ago. You may now call me Smim BSc Hons aha :P It's been a rollercoaster since then and I'm still in the middle of the job hunt, but it's been such a relief to have time to write again.
Also, for those of you who have read Battle of the Bands, I just thought I'd let you know that it surpassed 3,000 reviews recently, which is not only a huge milestone for me but it's only the second story in the TMI fandom to have done that (the first t-rated one). So I just wanted to say thank you, thank you and thank you again because a lot of you guys helped me get there and I'm still processing it. So thank you.
I have some more exciting things to tell you, but I've kept you waiting long enough. So here it is, the second part to the first epilogue. Hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I do not own TMI, TID or its characters, but I'm still trying to make 'bewormed' a word.
A Tale Of Two…
Epilogues: Cities [Part Two]
27th April
Clary had never been particularly religious.
She'd attended church a few times at her grandmother's request before Seraphina Morgenstern passed away and she certainly liked to believe that there was something out there, more powerful than her mind could fathom; but aside from whispering a short prayer the first time she'd sat in a car with Jonathan at the wheel or a similarly perilous experience, she'd never put her faith entirely with any celestial beings.
At least, not until now.
Sat at the Herondales' gargantuan dining table with Imogen at the head and Edmund and Linette on the other end, she suddenly felt as if nothing but divine intervention could prevent the shitstorm she was sure would descend before the end of the evening. They were trying their best. She could see that. Tessa had attempted to diffuse the situation as much as possible and Clary's own hand was placed firmly over her boyfriend's, but even with the Herondale brothers sat at the opposite side from Gabriel Lightwood, she couldn't help but imagine someone's insides being strewn across the table, instead of the sausages that their maid was currently laying out before them.
"Thank you, Bridget," Imogen said, dismissing the redhead as the final dishes were uncovered. Bridget nodded once and left the room, allowing the silence to fall heavier than before.
It had been tolerable in the beginning. As soon as the group had finally entered the house, they were overwhelmed with introductions and keeping up appearances in front of the matriarch of the family was the boys' priority, despite how much they wanted to attack Gabriel instead. Clary had been just as preoccupied with trying to make a stellar first impression and was sure she'd managed it, but now that the initial commotion had died down, she could feel the tensions creeping back in. Will and Jace had impressed their grandmother enough for her to have returned their trust funds just a few months ago, but their relationship was still fragile and the smallest altercation could ruin everything. Of course, she couldn't do much about their money now. As soon as they had regained access, the brothers had transferred the majority of the cash into separate accounts so she couldn't hold it over them again. But Imogen was shrewd and resourceful and moreover, she was a Herondale, so Clary didn't doubt that she'd find some other way to punish them.
With that in mind, she closed her eyes and whispered a short plea to whomever would listen.
Just let us get through this dinner, she prayed. Let us eat our food and make polite conversation and then leave before anyone gets killed.
Clary pursed her lips, unsure as to how to finish.
And if it goes without a hitch, I promise to…be more tidy?
Cleanliness is next to godliness. Isn't that what her father said to her once? She hoped it would be enough to appease the powers that be. After all, it wasn't like she was asking for a Lamborghini or a field of ponies. Making her bed every morning and promising to vacuum regularly seemed like a fair deal for a nice, simple dinner. Clary nodded once to herself, pleased with her bargaining, and reopened her eyes. Tessa was looking at her questioningly from across the table, so Clary flashed her an angelic smile and ignored the way her eyes narrowed.
This had to work.
Between Tessa's diplomacy, Ella's assertiveness, Imogen's presence and now, -thanks to Clary - God, she was pretty sure they had it covered. Two hours. That's all they had to survive. There was also the question of where everyone would be sleeping, but they would cross that bridge later. As everyone began to pile food onto his or her plate, Clary's confidence increased. It was harder to have an intense conversation whilst eating, so they had at least a good half hour of near silence to work with.
Unfortunately that confidence lasted all of two minutes, because precisely two minutes into the plate-loading process, Will decided to speak up.
Six words threatened to topple the careful cosmic balance that Clary had tried to create, and those six words were: "I think we should say grace."
Tessa's mouth fell open and even Imogen raised her eyebrows. "Grace, William? We haven't said grace since you were a boy."
"That's true," he said, his expression as innocent as the one Clary had worn just moments earlier. And when it came to William Herondale, that meant trouble of cataclysmic proportions. "Which is exactly why we should. I think it's long overdue."
Of course, Clary could have listened to the optimistic side of her that wanted to believe Will's sudden turn to religion was for the same reason as her. Instead, she told that side to shut up. Who was she fooling here?
She began to panic as Will laid his hands out and encouraged Tessa and his grandmother on either side of him to hold them. The panic heightened when she noticed Jace catch his brother's eye and his lips curved into a mischievous smile. Was he in on this? Her boyfriend brought their already entwined hands out from under the table and Clary reluctantly took a nervous Ragnor's hand in her left. She wasn't sure how many Herondale dinners Ella's husband had endured, but the fear in his green eyes told her it was one too many.
Clary also worried about how this might affect her divine bargain. If Will asked for Gabriel's head on a plate, would that override her request for a peaceful murder-free dinner? The more probable answer was that God was laughing away at these ridiculous kids who didn't know the first thing about piety and none of it would come to pass, but it didn't hurt to be prepared. She just had to hope she held more favour with Heaven than Will. After all, she hadn't illegally watched a single film this month since Jace had signed her up to Netflix.
"Let us bow our heads," Will declared.
"And raise our thumbs," Jace whispered, before Clary kicked him under the table. She sighed and lowered her head, keeping her eyes partially open in case the boys were planning on doing something ungodly.
"For what we are about to receive," Will began, his tone serene. "Lovingly prepared by the good folk at Marks and Spencers, we give thanks unto thee."
Linette coughed under her breath and Will amended his statement.
"For what we are about to receive, that was lovingly prepared by my mother but thou knowest the truth, we give thanks. We pray that the food isn't bewormed, for even the mightiest structures will bend to the will of those slimy, treacherous invertebrates, who might enter the pantries in the guise of more innocent creatures, and yet take a bite out of your most vulnerable apples when your back is turned."
Clary held back a groan. The trouble had begun and it also sounded like Will had been spending too much time with Valentine.
"We pray that you will bless this household and our beloved guests, and bestow upon them the wisdom that some of them may lack. We also pray that you would instil such virtues unto them as patience, restraint and above all, chastity. At least, for those who are below the age of nineteen."
"For God's sake, Will!" Cecily grumbled.
"Yes," Will said sagely. "For Your sake, lest you exact your vengeance upon them and smite them down where they sit, in a fork-related fashion."
"William," Edmund warned. What was it with this family and their infamous fork fights?
"Peace," Jace added quickly. "We pray that you give us the strength to be peaceful and understanding."
"Because we truly need such strength," Will continued. "Though we have plenty of strength in other matters and would be quite happy to convey your wrath, should certain members of the household or its guests choose to act in an unholy way."
"Okay, that's enou-"
"Amen," Will said, before his older sister could finish.
The rest of the table mumbled the same and when Clary raised her head, she noticed that Gabriel's face had blanched. Will and Jace, on the other hand, looked elated.
Imogen wasn't quite as impressed.
"I've never heard grace like that before, Will," she said, a dangerous edge to her voice.
"Thanks, Gran. I like to keep things fresh," he shrugged. Then he let his gaze slide past Tessa and Ella, to Gabriel. "Fresh and raw. Now let's tuck in."
Thankfully, no one had anything else to offer so the meal finally began. Clary found that she'd lost some of her appetite, but since the longer dinner dragged on the less time there'd be for a talk afterwards, she forced herself to take seconds and even thirds when there was a danger of the table being cleared. Jace regarded her with some amusement as she scarfed down her third sausage, but she simply shrugged and carried on eating.
Some conversation was to be expected, however, and Tessa did her best to steer it towards safer topics whenever she felt Will was about to put his foot in it. Mostly, their parents and Imogen wanted to know what the girls' plans were and Linette gushed about the change she'd seen in her sons.
"I almost fainted," she was saying, talking about the day she'd found out about Jace's artwork being celebrated. "Malcolm spoke of him with such high regard and I thought what a terrible mother I must have been to not have seen his talent."
"It's better that you didn't see it," Will mumbled and Clary had to hold back a smile.
"I didn't even know he could draw anything other than a stick man!" She went on, laughing to herself. They all laughed with her, for reasons of their own.
"I'm hurt, mother," Jace pouted, popping another carrot into his mouth. Then he leaned towards Clary and whispered, "I can draw stick women. And sheep actually, I'm really good at sheep."
"You should have used that for your final project, then," she replied, grinning.
"I should have. Malcolm probably would have interpreted it as some deep reference to my Welsh heritage and the struggles of growing up in the countryside."
"Unfortunately, I think you're right." The thought of their eccentric professor and his ability to spin Jace's bullshit into gold sent a pang of nostalgia through them both. Clary thought of how far the two of them had come since that first lecture together and even before that, the night she'd met him. She remembered how furious she'd been when she found out Jonathan was moving in below her and the embarrassment she'd felt at having to ask him for help after the power cut.
Of course, Jonathan hadn't opened the door that night. It had been Jace in all his tanned, topless glory and some part of her had fallen madly in love with him at once. She could probably guess what that part was, but over the next few weeks, he'd slowly but surely worked the rest of his way into her heart, much like the woodworm that had destroyed Will and Gabriel's apartment. She hoped he wouldn't leave quite the same mess in the end, but she knew he'd be even harder to get rid of.
It was a good thing that was something she never planned on doing.
Despite all his flaws and the intentions that he'd met her with, Jace was the best thing that had ever happened to her, second only to Deal Or No Deal. And she loved them both with everything she had.
"Hey," Jace said, waving his hand in front of her face. "Where did you go off to?"
Clary snapped back to the present and shook her head, smiling ruefully. "Deal Or No Deal."
"Of course you did." He rolled his eyes and nudged her playfully. "Don't worry, I set the episode to record."
"I love you," Clary said.
"You better, because between your episodes of that and Jon's recordings of 60-Minute Makeover, the two of you have used up all the memory in my Sky Box. It was at ninety-eight percent yesterday and I had to delete Top Gear."
"I really, truly love you," she said, offering him the rest of her cake. "Jon and I both."
When she'd imagined what it would be like to live with a boyfriend, Clary had never factored her older brother into the equation, but Jonathan was as permanent a fixture in their flat as that tatty, now-only-vaguely-blue sofa. As much as they'd initially hinted at him finding a place of his own, Jonathan didn't seem to want to go anywhere and after a while, Clary and Jace realised that it wouldn't be the same without him. It wasn't a long-term solution, but they decided they could handle him for now. Will joked that they'd be surrounded by grandkids before Jonathan finally flew the nest, but when her brother began camping in Tessa's spare room – Clary's old bedroom – from time to time, the joking ceased. He still lived in Flat Three, but Clary was secretly relieved that he'd seen the advantage of not having to spend the night in the same place as his little sister, her boyfriend and their paper-thin walls. When it came to a choice between those two or Tessa and Will, the latter was definitely the safer option for his sanity.
Between that and the fact that all five of them – seven, when Magnus and Alec were feeling sociable– were constantly flitting in and out of each other's flats, the building was beginning to feel more like a home. Tessa would occasionally dump Will on Jace and Jonathan so that the girls could have their movie nights and her living room had become the designated meeting area for all big events. Clary had to mentally amend that to just 'events,' because really, they were inventing reasons to spend almost every evening together. Jace's main excuse was that Tessa and Will's kitchen was better equipped than theirs, so it was in the interest of nutrition that they should cook there as often as possible. Clary suspected it was just because he was missing his brother, but she would never pass up on the chance to eat some of her best friend's food.
In every sense of the word, Hodge's tenants had become a family.
That was only being reinforced by their dinner tonight. Much like Will, Jace didn't like to think too far ahead, but Clary knew this would be the first of many Herondale dinners that her and Tessa would be sat at. And in the interest of that future, she needed to step in again to ensure they didn't kick things off with a homicide.
The rest of the dinner had gone by as smoothly as it could have done – to which Clary looked skyward in gratitude – but the bridge she'd avoided at the beginning had finally swung up and the waters were looking choppy.
"Oh no," Will was saying, shaking his head back and forth. "He's sleeping with me."
"Will, don't be ridiculous," Linette said. Dinner was finally over and after a brief but tense serving of tea, Imogen had finally allowed them all to retire to their bedrooms; tense, because Gabriel's hands were shaking so much that he'd managed to spill tea not only all over himself, but poor Ragnor as well, hence also the brief. Ella had sent her husband upstairs to clean himself up and the rest of them had been left to hover by the staircase as plans for the night were laid out. Unsurprisingly, Will had problems with those plans.
"I've set up the guest room for Gabriel," his mother went on. "You've no need to make this harder than it already is."
"Exactly," Cecily nodded. "We're not sharing."
"I still want him with me," Will insisted. "We've got a lot of catching up to do, haven't we Gabe?"
Gabriel just gulped audibly, his hand twitching.
"And what about me?" Tessa piped up, hands on her hips. "Where will I sleep? Between the two of you?"
"Of course not! You can have the spare room instead, or you can sleep with Cecily. Whichever you prefer."
"I'd prefer to be with you and for Gabriel to take the spare."
"I know, my love," he said, holding his hands out as if he had no choice. "But I've missed Gabriel. I feel like I've been neglecting him since I moved out and we should spend some quality time together."
Tessa rolled her eyes and Clary suspected she was thinking the same as her.
What a load of crap.
"William," Linette sighed. "Must you be so difficult? You're lucky your grandmother let so many things slide tonight, but Gabriel is our guest, and if anything happens to him…"
"Relax, mother." Will slung an arm over his best friend's shoulder and Gabriel stiffened in response. "I won't touch a hair on his scheming little head. I just feel as if I would be more at peace knowing where he is at every moment of the night."
Linette pursed her lips, considering, then nodded once. Clary doubted Gabriel would have tried to make a move on Cecily after the events of the evening and with her brothers in such close proximity, but the same couldn't be said for the youngest Herondale, and Linette probably saw the advantage of having Will as a very large and very real obstacle. She seemed to be fine with the others sharing with their respective partners, but regardless of how old Cecily was, they were always going to see her as the baby of the family.
"Mum, you can't be serious!?" Cecily gasped, her blue eyes widening in outrage. "Will's intentions are far less honourable."
"On the contrary, I can see where your brother is coming from. Perhaps it would be best for him to spend some time with Gabriel. I can see they've got a lot to talk about."
"Lots," Will said, a triumphant grin breaking out across his face. Gabriel looked as if he might faint.
"But talking is all you'll be doing," she warned. "I'll have Bridget set up the spare bed in your room and if I hear any screams or yelps or anything that indicates you're trying to throw him out of your window, you'll be switching places with Cecily."
"What?" Will's face fell.
"You heard me. This isn't a question of age so much as it is maturity, and if you can't prove yourself to be more mature than your little sister, then there's no reason she should be denied of the same privileges as you."
Cecily smiled, crossing her arms over her chest.
"He'll be fine," Jace said, prising Gabriel out from under Will. "He'll behave."
"I'll behave," Will repeated, after some effort.
"Then you're all free to go. Goodnight." Linette waved them forward and didn't leave until everyone had climbed to the top of the stairs. Ella and Cecily headed towards their own rooms immediately, no doubt grateful to finally be rid of their brothers for the night and Will showed Tessa to the guest room before he ushered Gabriel into his own.
"It's not too late to change your mind," Tessa had said, hovering by the door. Jace and Clary watched from the end of the hallway. "This is ridiculous, Will."
"It's fine, Tess," he replied, placing his hands on her shoulders. "All I'm going to do is talk to him. There's no way I'm giving Cecy the chance to stay in the same room as him, so really, I have no choice but to keep him alive."
"Will…"
"I'll see you in the morning," he said, leaning forward to peck her on the cheek. "We'll both see you in the morning."
She sighed and disappeared into the room, as Will finally spotted his brother and Clary.
"Are you two worried for Lightwood's safety too?"
"Nope," Jace said, grinning. "Just thought I'd remind you that all you have to do is stay quiet."
"True."
"Jace!" Clary smacked him across the arm. "It's about time you both grew up. If I get the feeling you've planned anything at all, then I will be staying in there with Gabriel, not you. You've put the poor boy through enough."
"He spilled that tea all by himself."
"And don't think I missed you texting him under the table. I don't know what you said, but you succeeded in shaking him up so move on."
"Chill, Clary. He's not going to…" Jace began, but she cut him off.
"I mean it, Jace. One move and you won't see me within a foot of your bedroom."
"Okay, fine." Jace sighed and looked over at Will. "Forget part two."
"Part two!?"
"But part two is my favourite of all the parts," Will moaned.
"How many parts are there?" Clary was aghast. When did they even get the time to plan this? She'd been at Jace's side all evening.
"…two?"
"That's it." Clary strode up to Will and pushed past him. "I'm staying with Gabriel."
"Clary!" Jace called, running up behind her. Gabriel was perched on the windowsill at the other end of the room, crouched as if he were ready to make a break for it at any moment. "Clary, wait."
The brothers stood at the door to Will's room as Clary took her place in front of Gabriel. She scowled at her boyfriend and placed her hands on her hips.
"Fine," Jace said, running a hand over his face. "We'll cancel all the parts. There are no more parts. Tell her, Will."
Will glowered at the two of them and then let his gaze rest on Gabriel. He breathed deeply and then his features softened. "I'm not going to hurt you, you idiot. I really do just want to talk."
"Promise?" Gabriel's voice wavered, but he let go of the windowpane.
"Yes," Will huffed. "We were just messing with you to see how seriously you took our threats and we're satisfied with the results. Now it's time to clear things up."
"So you're not still mad at me?" The brunette lowered himself into a sitting position.
"I'm mad that you chose to keep it from me for so long, but no, I'm not mad that you're with my sister."
"But that is subject to terms and conditions," Jace said, and Will nodded.
"That's why we need to talk. I want to iron out all the details with you."
"Peacefully."
"Peacefully," Will agreed. Then he looked over at Clary. "What do you say, Fray? Can we have some privacy?"
Clary turned to Gabriel and he gave her a tentative smile.
"Alright," she finally said. "But if I hear one peep…"
"You can throw me out the window yourself," Will finished, then grinned. "With a little help, perhaps."
She ignored his insult and let Jace lead her down the corridor, stopping outside the door to his room. She wasn't convinced that Will would let everything slide so easily, but Gabriel was a big boy and she had to trust that he could take care of himself. Besides, Jace had taken her threat seriously enough. Despite the fact they now lived together, he'd definitely been very eager for her to stay in his old bedroom and she hoped that would be enough to keep him at bay.
With that thought, she realised this would be the first time she'd be seeing something of Jace's life before her. He'd obviously spent time in the rest of the house, but his bedroom was a place entirely of his own and without Hodge's restrictions on decorating.
Jace flipped a switch and the room flooded with light, revealing something that looked, well, exactly like his place in Flat Three, just without Clary's newest additions. The walls were a neutral beige and his bed sheets were black and white, with the rest of the furniture just as clinical. There were no posters on the wall and no trophies on the shelves. The only thing that looked vaguely out of place was his mirror, and that's because it took up about half of one wall. Clary couldn't help it. She burst out laughing.
"Hey," Jace frowned, yanking her past the threshold. He kicked the door shut behind them. "What's so funny?"
"You didn't tell me you were a fifty-year old accountant before you met me."
"My room is clean," he said, rolling his eyes. "There's nothing boring about that. You know I like things neat and tidy."
"Then why are you going out with me? You must freak out every time I leave something out of place."
"I do freak out," he grinned, dragging her further into the room. He stopped at his bed and spun them around. "But you do a good job of distracting me."
Then Jace clicked his fingers, plunging the room into darkness. Clary felt the back of her legs hit his bed and let him guide her down onto the mattress, Jace stopping to hover above her.
"That was a fancy trick," she whispered, pulling him down until they were just breaths apart.
"Being a fifty-year old accountant has its benefits," he murmured, dipping his head just enough to brush his lips lightly over hers. Even now, months into their relationship, electricity buzzed through her at his touch and she arched her neck to bring him closer. Jace obliged, beginning to pull her shirt up as he kissed her again. Their lips moved in a rhythm that had become as familiar to her as her own heartbeat and she breathed him in, that heady scent that she'd come to see as home.
"Wait," Clary said, breaking away from him. "Do you really think we should be doing this?"
"Is that a trick question?"
"Jace, your parents live here."
"Well, obviously."
"Isn't that wrong? What if they hear us?"
"The walls here are far thicker than the ones at home. No one will hear a thing." He leaned in again but she placed a hand against his chest, keeping him from closing the distance.
"It still feels wrong."
"Clary, I have fantasised about this moment for the entirety of my teenage years. Me, the girl I love, in this bed. Please don't crush my dreams." He batted her hand away and kissed her again. She melted into him, feeling the urgency with which he wanted her and her resistance evaporated. She couldn't deny that had their places been reversed, she'd want the same thing; a naked Jace in her old bedroom, his blonde hair glinting under the glow of her fairy lights. He'd be everything that her younger self would have dreamed of and yet unable to picture. Never in a million years would she have believed that she could get so lucky and she was going to have to spend the rest of her life convincing herself he was hers.
Of course, him lying topless above her was very convincing indeed.
Jace unzipped her jeans and pulled them off in one practiced sweep, before he descended on her again.
"Wait," she said, holding him back.
"What now?" He growled, his head buried in her neck.
"Did you lock the door?"
"No one's coming in."
"That's what you said last time."
He raised his head and glared at her. The memory sent a shudder through them both and Jace's face paled. He rolled off her and covered his face with his hands.
"Congratulations," he mumbled. "You've just discovered the world's most effective libido-killer."
"Sorry," she winced, trying to clear her own mind. "The situation was just far too similar."
"I don't see your father screaming the house down."
"Not yet," she admitted and the memory finally forced its way to the surface.
Her first time with Jace had been everything she'd expected and more. Unfortunately, the more in this respect wasn't necessarily good.
After believing that the universe had conspired to cockblock them multiple times – or a spirit that the girls' pact had conjured, according to Jordan the history buff – Jace and Clary didn't want to leave anything to chance. They let a couple of days go pass after Will and Tessa had reunited, using the time to fully mend their own relationship, and that was as far as their patience had stretched. Jace waited until Jonathan had left to scope out their new tattoo parlour one morning and then he'd knocked on Clary's door – she'd still been living with Tessa at the time-, scooped her up in his arms and carried her down to his flat, stopping only to drop her rather unceremoniously onto his bed. He'd asked her if she was ready and Clary barely had time to nod before she'd pulled him down on top of her. She hadn't realised how much she'd wanted him until they were both lying there, nothing between them. No invisible force had pushed him off her and the ceiling hadn't caved in, which she'd taken as a good sign.
Then Jace had kissed her deeply and she'd let him take her, mind, body and soul.
It was the part afterwards that wasn't quite as much fun. Feeling peckish, Jace had headed to the kitchen and Clary was contented to lie there and wait for him. That was, until she heard him scream.
She'd had the presence of mind to throw on his t-shirt before running out after him and it was lucky she had, for the sight that awaited her was the last thing she'd ever hoped to see. Jace's mouth was open in shock and he had grabbed a tea towel to cover himself, because across the room, with expressions frozen in varying degrees of outrage, stood her family.
Her mother looked embarrassed more than anything, while Jonathan looked as if he were about to vomit yet again. But it was Valentine she was most concerned with. He'd taken one look at Jace's state of undress and then his eyes had locked onto Clary.
"I can explain," she'd said, pulling the shirt down as far as it would go.
The silence that had followed seemed to last an age.
"Can you?" Her father finally replied, his voice unnervingly quiet.
"We were…painting."
"With what!?" He'd suddenly spluttered, at which point her mother had stepped forward and gripped his shoulder. Valentine had relaxed at her touch, but Clary could tell it was taking a lot of effort for him to compose himself.
"Clary," Jocelyn said, raising her eyebrows. "Perhaps you should put some more clothes on. You too."
Jace smiled nervously and Jocelyn averted her eyes as he shuffled sideways to his room. "Nice to meet you, Mrs Fray-Morgenstern."
"Likewise."
As it happened, that had been the easy part. The very awkward conversation that had followed was so traumatic that Clary had managed to wipe most of it from her mind, but she remembered vague flashes. Jocelyn seemed to be more at ease once Clary had explained that her and Jace were in a relationship, and that they loved each other very much, but the same couldn't be said of her father. Valentine's temper had been teetering off a precipice throughout and though he did a fairly good job of keeping it in check – her mother being the main reason for that – he blurted out a string of curses every five or so minutes. Most of them were inaudible, but Clary didn't miss the words, 'vagabond' and 'vagrant.' On a more positive note, Jonathan had managed to keep his breakfast down long enough to explain that he'd gotten a call from their parents halfway to the parlour and had turned his car around to pick them up from the station. He'd run straight to the bathroom after that, but Clary was proud of how long he'd lasted considering what he'd seen.
Needless to say, it would leave a lasting scar on Clary and Jace both and she thought that it was a miracle her parents hadn't ordered her home straight away. She suspected Jocelyn had a large part to play in that and Jonathan's continued presence in the flat was probably due to whatever deal they'd made, but Clary's insistence on locking every door since was not a habit that would die easily.
She sat up as Jace walked over to his bedroom door and turned the lock with an exaggerated sweep of his hand, but he was right. She'd killed the moment entirely and now she'd be spending the rest of the night trying to shake the memory from her thoughts.
"We're never going to catch a break, are we?"
"Doesn't seem like it," Jace sighed, lying down next to her. He made no more attempts at seducing her, but she threaded her fingers through his anyway and rested her head against his shoulder. "This isn't so bad though."
"No," she agreed, pulling the covers over them. Jace stretched out his arm and she snuggled against his side. "This isn't so bad."
It was the truth. Lying here, in the warmth of his arms, Clary knew that it had all been worth it. Their relationship hadn't been the smoothest and she was sure they'd find new obstacles to face eventually, but as long as he was with her and she was with him, they could make it through anything.
Lying here, in Jace Herondale's arms, Clary was finally home.
And even though the next sound she heard was a squeal from Will's room, followed by several thuds, Clary fell asleep smiling.
Poor Gabriel. Someone should have warned him not to fall in love with a Herondale.
So there we have it, the second to last update you'll ever have from me in this fic. We've got one more epilogue to go and I should hopefully have it ready for you next week, so you won't have to wait yonks for me again. I would have written it this week but I'm turning 21 on Thursday (WOOOOOP) and I'm having the world's coolest partay at the weekend (I hope you'll all attend in spirit) so I'm going to be very busy for the next few days. I also haven't forgotten about the t-shirt thing, so I'll have all the details for you in the next update/on facebook.
Thank you again if you've made it this far. I've enjoyed writing this story immensely and I hope you'll stick with me for what I've got planned next.
Till the next time...
smim xx