Clary's POV
I stormed back into the cottage agitated. I shouldn't have gone back inside alone, but it wasn't like anybody tried to stop me or come with me. I didn't particularly like the idea of them smoking, but what made things worse was I had enough of their bantering. Sebastian was making jokes that he could tell Jace really wanted to smoke, and if Jace didn't smoke it was because he was completely whipped and he was done for. Jace was countering that nobody could ever have him whipped and he could do whatever the hell he wanted and he was going to prove it, starting with smoking. By the time Jace had finished his swisher sweet, had smoked a cigarette, and said he needed to get another beer before he smoked anything else, I had had enough. I commented to him I thought he was done drinking, and pointed out, like it was clear evidence, that he didn't have a beer in his hand. He smirked as he picked up a beer bottle off the ground, the one I had knocked out of his hand early, and proceeded to wipe the sand off of it and finish the rest of the beer. The guys all seemed to think that was pretty funny. Somebody I don't even know let out with you showed her. That was it, last straw. I went back inside to cool off. I had to use the bathroom anyway.
Just the walk up the stairs and back down had me wishing Jace was with me. I really didn't like these guys cat calling me and touching me as I walked by. About ten minutes later I was telling myself to just suck it up, Jace and the guys were drunk, they were just having a little too much fun, and I should just talk to Jace tomorrow when he was sober. I walked back outside. Alec, Jace, Magnus, and Sebastian were all outside with Meliorn and his two buddies from earlier. Everybody was drinking beer out of plastic cups and laughing. There were several of them slurring their speech, including Jace. Jace and Meliorn seemed to be passing something between them to smoke, but I had no idea what it was. Jace was completely sloppy drunk. I told Jace I thought we should leave, suggested heading out, but all the guys started getting on his case about it and he said he wanted to stay at the party. I tried to quietly persuade him to leave, told him I really wanted to go, but the guys just gave Jace an even harder time about me nagging him so much. Alec and Magnus were getting in on it too by tormenting Jace that he should leave the party, go back to the cottage with me now, and get use to saying yes dear to everything and forget what freedom tasted like. Sebastian was the only one out of the bunch that didn't act completely loaded. Though, he was still being an ass and baiting Jace. Sebastian made a comment at one point that the only reason he wasn't having more fun was that he planned to drive himself home later, so he couldn't get bombed. I couldn't believe how obnoxious they were all being. I couldn't take anymore of this, I don't know what to call it, male bonding. I decided I'd just go in the cottage and find a quiet corner to wait out the madness.
I was quickly thinking this party was losing all its allure as everybody got completely shit faced and I remained sober. This wasn't how I planned the evening, which I'm sure was part of what was upsetting me. I planned for a romantic night together and I knew that was seriously not going to happen now. The way Jace was acting, I was surprised he was still standing, he'd pass out the second his head hit the pillow, if not before. Not to mention, if he was anything like Izzy, a couple cigarettes with a night of drinking and he was liable to be vomiting in the bathroom later. Though maybe she had a cigar that night, whatever it was, it wasn't pretty. Even if he didn't, this wasn't what I wanted my first time to be like. I wasn't having sex with Jace tonight.
I was sick of being aggravated and I wanted to relax. I was determined to not let the crappy last fifteen minutes or so ruin the rest of what was a really nice evening. Jace and I had really been having a good time together up until that point. He seemed to be still having plenty of fun. It had been my idea to come to this stupid party, I should be having fun too. It had been hours since I had that one margarita, I was frustrated and disappointed, so I figured I could indulge in another drink. It didn't look like we were leaving any time soon. I went over to the bar and had them pour me a shot of tequila. I also asked for a coke, though I rarely ever drink soda, and I never have caffeine this late. I sat there sipping on my soda and staring at the shot of tequila. I was wondering if I should really drink it or not. Jace could come over any minute and decide he changed his mind and was ready to leave. I'm not a big person and I knew a shot would put me here roughly another hour, especially seeing I wasn't eating anything with it.
I had been staring at that shot of tequila and sipping on coke for about 5 minutes when Nate showed up, which brought a smile to my lips, only because he started the conversation with, I heard you got married. I swear I heard Will's laughter somewhere nearby, but when I looked around I never saw him. I couldn't believe Will!
I hadn't seen Nate in three years, but it had been much longer since I had actually talked to him. I was fifteen when I moved away and switched schools, but I was probably in seventh grade the last time I actually talked to him, however brief that was. I was in second grade the last time I would actually call him my friend. I wouldn't have ever recognized him. I hadn't looked that closely at him in many years, and he doesn't at all resemble the little boy I once road bikes with and who taught me how to make a snow ball. Though his hair was a similar shade of brown and curled like Tessa's, he had no other resemblance to her. His hair was cut very short, he had a thin build, closer to Simon than any of the other guys, and his eyes were dark brown, nowhere near the soft blue gray of Tessa's. Though, I wouldn't have ever recognized Nate, he recognized me. Apparently Will showed him and Tessa some pictures of me on his cell phone.
My mind quickly ran through the memories of two little kids playing, and the crush of a little girl, as well as the faint sting of the memory in the very back of my mind of Kay dating Nate in seventh grade. I never fought for him. I liked him and she knew it and when she decided she wanted to date him, I never tried to stop her. I gave up is what I did. I was afraid to stand up for what I wanted, stand up to her really. He was the first. The first of a long line of boys I wouldn't fight for. I was different now. I was older. I wasn't going to let Kay get to me. I wasn't going to let her get to Jace. Jace was mine, as much as a person can really belong to another person that is, and I wouldn't let her steal him away. I absentmindedly thought about how I hadn't run into her all evening. I wondered if that was pure coincidence or strategic planning on her part.
After I had clarified to Nate that I wasn't married, Nate had informed me that Will was telling everybody at the party that I was. I laughed as I quickly started missing my husband, my Jace, that much more, and I found myself rambling on and on about him. Nate questioned why the guy I seem to speak so much about, and so fondly of, wasn't with me, and I began venting about the circumstances outside and what had led me here, to the bar, to have a drink. Seeing as I had been sitting in front of the same shot of tequila for the last fifteen minutes while I talked to Nate, he convinced me to have a shot with him, which I ultimately did.
When I was done with my ranting, Nate proceeded to comfort me and inform me that though guys may get carried away at times, such as when they drink, it doesn't mean that Jace believes any of the crap being said, and it doesn't mean he loves me any less. He added that sometimes guys just need to pound their chest, whether figuratively or literally, and act like alpha males. It's an instinct as far back to the caveman he told me, and I somehow couldn't argue with that. He suggested I let the guys have their fun, and not take it too seriously. Odds are tomorrow they'll either forget or be sorry, and right now it wasn't worth my time to fret or try to stand up to all that testosterone. He concluded that the only certain thing was that they obviously weren't thinking clearly if they had upset me and let me go off alone into this wild crowd.
Nate was actually really good at making me feel better. A dream of a memory dimly played in the back of my mind of a little boy that once helped me up off the ground when I fell off my bike and distracted me from the pain with jokes and stories while his mother cleaned the blood off my knee and put a bandage on. I ended up talking to Nate for a while, maybe a half hour total. I had figured sticking by the bar closest to the door, would lead to Jace or one of the other guys running into me when they ventured to get a drink, but nobody came. I was missing Jace, and though it was nice catching up with Nate, I decided I wanted to go back outside; I wanted to find my big caveman. I took a quick trip to the bathroom, then headed for the bonfire. Unfortunately the guys were no longer there.
Sebastian was outside by the bonfire by himself talking on his cell when I got there. When he got off the phone he told me the guys went inside about ten minutes ago. I asked to use his phone to call Jace, but he said he had Aline's cell number, and he might have Izzy's somewhere in his phone history, but he didn't have anybody else's, so that wasn't going to help. I knew Izzy didn't have her phone on her anyway, and though I know I shouldn't depend on my contact list in my cell, I completely do. I know my parent's old home number, Simon's number from when he was growing up, I also know my personal cell number, and my apartment number, but that's it, and none of those would help me right now. I made a mental note to learn Jace's cell number by heart. If I really thought it was necessary I could go upstairs and find my cell, but it had only been about a half hour since I saw Jace, and Sebastian had just seen him 10 minutes ago. Also, I had lost Jace for over an hour-and-a-half earlier in the night and he didn't even seem fazed at all about that. I told myself I wouldn't let this bother me.
I talked to Sebastian very briefly, but when he commented it was a little cool outside and I must be cold, then proceeded to put his hands on my upper arms and start to rub his hands up and down from my elbow to my shoulder, I quickly felt uncomfortable and took a step back, affectively stepping out of his reach. I told him that I was with Jace now and he had to stop doing things like that, but he quickly stated that he was only trying to warm me up, and didn't see what the big deal was.
I started to register just how dark it was outside. The bonfire was just a small glow, more like red coals than actual fire, so it really didn't light up the night like it once did. Whether it was from the haze of the fireworks or clouds in the sky, there were no stars visible and the moon was dull. I was also realizing I didn't see anybody else left outside. I told Sebastian I was cold and I wanted to find the others, so I was going back inside.
As I hastily walked back towards the cottage, Sebastian kept pace with me. He put a hand lightly on my lower back and said he could stay with me until I found the others if I wanted company. Of course that hand on my lower back really reinforced that he hadn't listened to what I just told him. After the number of guys that hit on me and touched me already tonight, I didn't really want to be alone, but I was really feeling uncomfortable with Sebastian at this point as well, so I waved off his offer and told him I was fine and I was just heading to the bathroom anyway. Fortunately we went our separate ways at the stairs, not that I had to go to the bathroom again, I just hide in there for like five minutes and waited. Luckily I didn't see him anywhere when I came out.
Clary's POV
I had been leaning up against this far wall with my arms crossed for what felt like forever, but in actuality it was about 45 minutes. The cottage was still packed with people more making out than dancing it seemed. I had no idea where anybody was, not Jace, Alec, Magnus, Simon, Izzy, Maia, Jordan, Will, Jem, Tessa, Seelie, nor Sebastian. Not that I was too eager to see Sebastian right now. Jace had told me earlier that he saw Aline and Ray leave, so I knew they weren't here anymore. Everybody else I assumed was here somewhere. I had been hit-on and pawed at by way too many drunk guys for one night, probably enough for one life. Last I asked somebody, a few minutes ago it felt like, it was 2:10 and I was past ready to leave. I was sick of all these drunk people. The bathroom upstairs smelled like vomit, and so did a couple people that tried to hit on me. I was really wishing I had somebody else with me to talk with. It had been about 45 minutes since I saw Sebastian and almost an hour-and-a-half since I ran into anybody else. Anybody would due about now, but who I really wanted with me was Jace. I had left him out by the bonfire smoking and drinking just about 12:45 and when I went back to look for him thirty minutes later he was gone. Now I was just leaning against the wall agitated, wanting to leave, hoping to see somebody, and expecting the party had to die down at some point. Of course this wasn't a bar, it's not like they had last call and closed the place down at 2:00.
I felt a warm masculine hand on my shoulder. I reached around knocking it away.
"Get your fu-" I stopped when I saw Will. His eyes were bloodshot, his cheeks were rosy, and his eyebrows furrowed. I rolled my eyes.
"It's just you." He chuckled.
"You're always so happy to see me Clary." I took an exasperated breath.
"You have no idea how many guys have grabbed or smacked my ass, not to mention I think everybody here has touched me either accidentally or on purpose at some point. One guy that bumped into me blatantly coped a feel. I've been manhandled enough for one night." Will snickered and I huffed. He seemed to be a little unsteady and he leaned into the wall besides me.
"Where's your hubby?" I laughed uncomfortably.
"No idea. Lost track of him about an hour-and-a-half ago. He was smoking outside with Sebastian, Alec, and Magnus. I wasn't too thrilled. When I went back outside to look for him later he was gone. I'm sure he's lost in the crowd somewhere." I was shaking my head. Will was dazedly looking off into the crowd.
"He smokes?" He asked.
"Apparently if he drinks enough." I shook my head again.
"Anyway. I lost everybody I was here with so I've just decided to stay put until somebody finds me." He laughed.
"You're kind of short to expect somebody to find you." I glared at him sideways.
"You found me." I snapped.
"I guess that means I win. Who should we pick to be the next Waldo?" I rolled my eyes.
"Where's Tessa, I thought you guys were hitting it off?" He shrugged.
"Don't know. Lost in the crowd." I nodded.
"It happens." He laughed. I hadn't heard Will's phone ring over the noise, but he pulled it out of his pocket. He must have had it set to vibrate. He put his finger in one ear while he talked. I was idly thinking I should ask Will if he has Jace's number in his phone, he probably does. I should call Jace, even if he's still not ready to leave, it's been a while since I saw him, and I really should give him a call. If Will doesn't have his number in his phone, I should go upstairs and get my phone. Will's right, I'm not exactly a giant and Jace could be looking for me and might not see me. Will really wasn't saying much, just a word here or there, but I kept glancing at him sideways and his face had slowly looked more and more unreadable while he spoke. Though he still looked confused, there was something different. Something was going on.
"Yes…Yes…Ok" Will held his cell, slowly lowering his hand from his ear. His eyes looked blank and lost. I turned towards him and put my hand on his shoulder gently. His hand released his phone and it fell to the floor breaking in three pieces, the front, the back, and the battery. I dived to the ground and managed to retrieve the battery, but before I could grab the other two pieces they were kicked away into the crowd of bodies in two different directions. The phone could have easily been put back together, if I had all the pieces. I went to hand Will the battery and he took it absentmindedly. As I started to scramble in the direction the cover was kicked in, Will grabbed my arm. I heard his stern voice.
"Just leave it." He dropped his hand and I righted myself and turned back around as I saw Will taking a few slow staggered steps away. I covered the short distance between us and reached out and grabbed his arm.
"Will, what's wrong?" I said in a very gentle voice. He shook his head slightly.
"There was an accident. I have to go." His voice broke and he swallowed hard. His eyes looked glossy, but no tears fell. I couldn't tell if he was just that drunk or if he was that upset. He wasn't really saying much. He was in no condition to drive. That was clear. Besides the amount of alcohol he had already drunk, he looked dazed and confused. My first thought went to Jem. He had called earlier to say he was coming late, but so much time seemed to have passed since then and I never saw Jem. Will had text Jace some time ago to say he text Jem again, but I never heard anything after that.
"Jem?" I asked as gently as I could. Will finally turned his face to mine. The blank expression turned to one of anguish and he nodded.
"They don't know if-" He broke off with a staggered intake of air.
"I have to go." He turned again to leave, but I still had hold of his arm and I wasn't letting go.
"You drove here?" He nodded.
"Yeah." I guess I just assumed he came with somebody else.
"You can't drive Will. You can barely walk. Let me bring you. Where are we going? The hospital?" It was the most sensible answer. He nodded again.
"Is Jessie here?" As soon as the words came out of my mouth I remembered Will telling Jace earlier that Jessie was coming with Jem. My heart sank as I registered the look on Will's face. He was probably thinking the same thing as I was.
"She was supposed to come with Jem?" I asked hesitantly. He nodded with wide eyes.
Seeing I had only had two drinks, the first one over five hours ago and the shot over an hour ago, and I felt fine; I knew I was alright to drive. I didn't hesitate as I grabbed Will's arm and ushered him to the stairs. I just needed to find my purse. I didn't have anything with me, no phone, no money, and no keys. I couldn't go anywhere without my keys.
"I need to get my purse." Will nodded reluctantly. I didn't want to leave him. I was afraid I would lose him in the crowd like I had Jace. I needed to let somebody know where I was going as well. I laced my fingers into Will's and dragged him stumbling and dazed up the staircase of bodies. It was madness, people going up, people going down, and people making out on the steps I had to walk around. Once we got to the top of the stairs there were just more people in the hallway. When I ran into Maia earlier she told me my purse would be on the bed in the spare bedroom with all the coats. The cottage was pretty big and I didn't think to ask which bedroom that was.
I opened the first door. Two partially dressed bodies turned to me and screamed to shut the door, I quickly obliged. I received a similar reaction with the next two rooms. Can't people use locks! Will still just had a very blank expression. The bathroom was next, so as opposed to dragging him the rest of the way down the hall I brought Will over by the bathroom, an easy place to find again, and asked him to wait for me. No need for both of us to suffer, there had to be another four rooms to check. The next door I opened the people were definitely in the middle of having sex, they didn't even acknowledge me. I hesitantly opened door after door with similar outcomes. I stopped after I shut the door to the last room. I was flustered and I just stood there for a moment and rubbed my hands over my face, with a heavy focus on my eyes. I needed my purse, I needed my keys, I needed my phone, I needed to know where everybody was, and I really needed get Will to the hospital. This cottage was too damn big and there were too many damn people here. I felt a warm masculine hand on my shoulder and opened my eyes, hands still over my face, peeking out through parted fingers. Will was looking at me. He seemed to be finding some of his concentration, he appeared to be attempting an encouraging look, but was failing miserably. His eyes were still very glossy and noticeably bloodshot, but that could have just as easily been from drinking. His gaze was off, so he wasn't exactly looking into my eyes, and he also seemed to sway slightly.
"Can you get your purse tomorrow? Ask Jace to grab it for you?" As I pulled my hands away from my face, and looked down at dark fingers, I was sure I had smeared Izzy's make-up badly.
"I don't have my car keys." The keys were the big thing. I could drive without a license. If we got pulled over at least we had a pretty good story. I couldn't drive without keys. He nodded and took his hand off of my shoulder, and fished it into his pocket pulling out keys and holding them out in front of him.
"Can you drive a stick?" I nodded as I grabbed the keys, though Will continued to hold on to them as well. I was happy for a second right now as I thought of Luke teaching me how to drive a standard. He said it was something everybody should know, but I just thought at the time he wanted to torture me.
"I love my Mustang. I've never let anybody except Jem drive Shelby. Do not hurt my baby." I heard Will's voice hitch slightly when he said Jem's name. A slight hysterical laugh escaped my lips. In the seriousness of everything going on, Will was lecturing me about not hurting his car. I didn't even focus on the fact he had named his car. I nodded affirmatively and he released hold of his keys, slightly wobbling backwards in the process. I reached out and grabbed his arm helping to steady him. I laced my fingers into his and turned back around as I began towing him toward the stairs.
I hadn't noticed when we came upstairs that there was a room immediately to the right at the top of the staircase. There were several people coming up and down the stairs and they seemed to be blocking the door. I quickly rushed over and opened the door. I found a very passed out, partially undressed Izzy and Simon lying on the bed. A little ray of sunshine! Simon was laying on his back, he was shirtless, but still had on cargo shorts, Izzy was lying on her stomach, partially laying across Simon, her dress was up around her waist exposing her ass and her thongs. I tried to pull Izzy's dress down, but couldn't get it over her ass the way it was stuck underneath her. I quickly tried to shake them awake and barely got a sound out of Izzy. I was able to wake Simon to a half conscious state. I told him what was going on quickly. I told him I couldn't find my purse, neither I nor Will had cell's, and we were heading to the hospital. Unfortunately Simon's lack of concern, and quick return to his slumber, seemed to highlight his drunken state. I happened to see Simon's shirt on the ground in front of the night stand and threw it over Izzy's ass, I know I wouldn't want to be left that way if Izzy had found me passed out. I rummaged through the nightstand and found a pad of paper and a pen. I quickly jotted down a note and asked Will to shove it into Simon's pocket. Jackpot! Will found Simon's cell in his pocket.
"Take it. I need a phone." I hastily rattled off. Will pocketed Simon's cell and I laced my hand with Will's and dragged him out of the room, shutting the door behind us.
As I tugged Will down the stairs I glanced down into the living room and hesitated, my eyes quickly locking on the golden halo of Jace's hair across the room. The way the strobe lights were at that very moment, white was bouncing off his head making it look like his hair was glowing. He wasn't alone. I froze, my mouth gaped, I gasped, my heart tightened, and my hand dropped Will's. Jace was leaning his back up against the far wall, not that far from where I was earlier, and his arms were tightly wrapped around Seelie's body, her face pressed up against his. I took in the scene before me and quickly jerked back, slamming into a body. I looked over my shoulder and saw Will taking the scene in, distress on his face. Though whether he looked that way because of what he was looking at or because of Jem, I wasn't sure. I was in shock. I couldn't think about what I was looking at. If I did, I'd scream, and right now that wouldn't help anything. They were clear across the room, up against the far wall, they wouldn't even hear me. I had a long way to weave if I was going to try to make it over to them and they could be gone by the time I got there.
I glanced back. Seelie was standing away from Jace now. He stood with his hands on her shoulders talking to her it looked like. They were no longer kissing, but they were still standing there, together. I looked down for a second and took a deep breath to compose myself. Maybe they weren't kissing, maybe they had just been standing close and at this angle it looked like they were kissing. Maybe it wasn't what it looked like. Though part of me knew they were kissing, knew I clearly saw his arms around her, and knew I was just trying to convince myself that I didn't see what I did. I looked back in their direction and Jace's arms were around her tightly, Seelie leaning against his chest, they were in a tight embrace. I couldn't think about this right now. I would confront Jace later, but right now I needed to get Will to the hospital, to Jem. Jem was just in an accident, they didn't know if-, well Will didn't finish his sentence earlier, but I imagine he was going to say they didn't know if Jem was going to make it. Possibly dieing lifelong friend trumped possibly cheating boyfriend. My breath hitched. I felt my eyes prick. I couldn't think about this, not right now, I had to stay focused. I had to get Will to Jem. I had a phone, I could call somebody, I could call Izzy or Alec…And say what?…Jace is cheating on me, quick go stop him…
"Clary-" Will started with a shaky voice, but I quickly shook myself out of my torment and cut him off.
"Jem. We need to focus on Jem right now. I have to get you to the hospital. I can deal with this later." I laced my fingers into Will's again and tugged him the rest of the way down the stairs. As I approached the door to the cottage and walked outside, like a godsend, there was Sebastian smoking a cigarette. He jerked his chin at me as I dragged Will towards him.
"Sebastian. Thank God." He seemed to be taking in my and Will's present state. His eyebrows furrowed
"Everything alright?" He took a step towards me and put a hand on my shoulder. I took a deep breath. I had already wasted so much time looking for people and my purse, I didn't have time to explain this all again, plus I already wrote everything down in a note.
"I have to leave. No time to explain. Tell Alec I'll call later." I didn't want to call Jace. I would confront him in person. Simon didn't have a cell phone now, and I didn't really think Simon or Izzy would be up to taking calls anytime soon. Alec was my best bet, though he was pretty loaded last time I saw him and I hadn't seen him for some time…I didn't wait for a reply as I quickly dragged Will to his car, looked up the hospital in the GPS, and we took off. I glanced down at the clock, it was 2:35. Will still had Simon's cell, it was as good a time as any to try to call Alec. Hospitals usually have you turn off your cell phones when you get in the room, so I wasn't sure if I would be able to call anybody once we got to the hospital. Of course, that was assuming we wouldn't just be sitting in a waiting room, then we'd be able to use the cell. Luckily it was only going to be about a 15 minute drive.
"Can you look through Simon's phone for Alec's number and dial it for me, then give me the phone." Will had his head against the headrest, eyes closed. He looked like he was about to fall asleep, I was silently thanking myself for drinking that coke an hour ago, I was still wide awake.
"No. You can't drive and talk on a cell it's dangerous." I rolled my eyes, but this was an emergency it was different. Though, I was driving a standard, so that did complicate things.
"Fine. Then can you just hold it up to my ear." His head dropped forward.
"Fine." He drawled. He pulled out Simon's cell and hit a couple buttons.
"You don't happen to know his password do you?" Damn you Simon. Why do you have to have a fancy phone that requires a password?
"No." I whined. Will rested his hand with the cell phone still in it on his lap and let his head fall back to the headrest. He closed his eyes.
"I'll just have to find a payphone at the hospital or something. Have any change?" Will was shaking his head.
"I don't carry cash on me."
"Never mind. I'll worry about it later." I turned my attention to the road and tried not to think about anything but driving.