Clary's POV
Jace goes back to L.A. tonight, and Izzy leaves in a couple of days as well. I'm walking in the supermarket trying to decide if I should agree to go to L.A. Gray stayed home with Jace, who wants to spend as much time as possible with him. I really don't have a lot to buy, but I wanted to give the boys some time alone.
I stand in line waiting to pay when I notice one of the magazines.
"Rogue Kingdom gone Rogue" is one of the headline and it's a pictur of the band partying in New York after their concert. I shake my head, at least he didn't have some young girl clinging to him. Then I look at another one that has a picture of the band arriving to LAX, but Jace is not there. "A Kingless Kingdom...Where's Jace?" is what the headline says. If I go to L.A., the paparazzi will probably crowd Jace with questions. I really don't want Gray in the middle of that. I try not to look at the magazines as I finish paying and head back home.
Later that day, Jace comes over to say goodbye.
"Are you coming back?" Gray asks holding on to Jace.
"Do you want me to come back?" Jace smirks and Gray nods smiling, "Then I'll be back as soon as possible". Grays hugs him tightly and Jace takes in a deep breath before putting him down. Gray runs back into the house and I stay there trying to figure out how to tell him.
"Did you think about it?" Jace asks me.
"I did" I admit, "but I can't go".
"Why not?" He sounds mad and disappointed at the same time.
"I'm not ready to deal with all the media and the paparazzi" my voice rises a little, "are you ready to be swamped with questions about me and Gray?"
"He's my son too, Clary" he starts getting defensive, "I have the right to have hi home with me".
"Oh really?" I fight back, "the same home where you sleep with a different girl every night?". He knows I'm right, but he won't admit it. "I don't want Gray in that environment".
"You can't keep him from me" he steps forwards and I take a step back.
"I'm not" I try explaining but he's too riled up to listen.
"I'll file for custody" he yells and I shake my head. There's no way I'm dealing with him like this.
"Goodbye Jace" I sigh holding back tears before going into the house and closing the door.
I let Gray sleep in my bed that night, and I hold him closer that ever.
Izzy's POV
I walk into Laser Records and storm into the lounge where Rogue Kingdom usually hangs. I got back to L.A yesterday p, only a couple of days after Jace. I look around the room, but Jace isn't here.
"Hey little sis!" Alec gets up and comes greet me.
"Izzy!" The rest of the band say at the same time.
"Hey Alec" I give him a kiss on the cheek, "where's Jace?"
"I think he's somewhere up in the studio" he frowns and I leave the room.
Alec was right. Jace is sitting in the studio playing guitar. I can see him through the glass door. He's not just playing, he's writing some lyrics as well. He must be composing something new. I open the door and walk into the room confidently.
"What the hells wrong with you?" I ask startling him.
"Nice to see you too, Izzy" he says completely ignoring me.
"She's been moping around for the last few days that they're going to take Gray away because of you" I walk a little closer to him. "Do you know how much she's been through while you were here loving the good life?" I cross my arms and he realizes what I'm talking about.
"He's my son too Isabelle" he puts the guitar down and stands up.
"She wants you to be a part of his life, Jace" I explain, "you don't have to threaten her"
"If she wanted me to be part of his life she would have told me about him earlier" he turns around and knocks a cymbal down.
"She tried to tell you she was pregnant, but they didn't let her" I burst out without realizing it.
"What?!" He turns to look at me again.
"Umm..," I shouldn't have said that. "Nothing Jace"
"No, Izzy" he steps forwards, towering over me, "you said she tried to tell me, but they wouldn't let her". He waits for me to say something, but I can't. "When did she try to tell me?"
"When she was pregnant" I guess there's no getting out of this now.
"Who didn't let her?" He keeps walking closer and closer to me, "who Izzy?"
"Doug" I finally say, "Doug convinced her that you didn't want anything to do with her and offered to pay for her medical bills".
There's a moment of silence where I can see his body slowly tensing up. I step back, scared of how he might react.
"That son of a bitch!" He yells and runs out of the room.
Only a few seconds later, Alec and Gage run into the studio. Their eyes are wide and their faces are full of surprise.
"What the hell happened to Jace?" Gage asks pointing to the hallways.
"I have a feeling you might be getting a new manager" I purse my lips before explaining what happened.
"What!?" They both say before running after Jace.
Alec's POV
We all stand in Hodge's office as Jace deals with this situation. He really shouldn't be doing this right now, but no one could stop him.
"I refuse to work with him" Jace yells at Hodge, the boss at Laser Records, and points at Doug.
"Jace, my man" Doug begins, but Jace isn't amused.
"Don't my man me" he growls and Doug steps back.
"All I ever did was in your best interest" Doug insists, but wee all known that's not true.
"It's either me or him" he turns back to Hodge, "you choose"
"You're not irreplaceable Jace" Hodge points out before turning to the rest of us, "what do you guys think?"
They all remain silent for a few seconds before I step up. "If Jace walks, I walk"
"Me too" Eric steps up too before the other two join us.
"Well then" Hodge nods, "I guess I have no choice. Doug, you're fired". Doug gasps and walks out of the room. "Maia" he says to the girl who used to be Dougs assistant, "you're the new manager for Rogue Kingdom"
"Me?" She says and I think it's the first time I have ever heard her speak
"No one knows the band better than you" he explains, "and I think you're ready for this promotion"
"Thank you sir" she smiles before we all walk out of his office.
"And Jace" Hodge finishes, "I just wanted to tell you I didn't know anything about that".
"So guys remember you have next week packed with press" she reminds us, "so get your rest this week".
Jace runs off and I catch his arm, "Are you okay man?"
"Yeah" he answers, but I know it's not true, "I just have to go see Clary".
Clary's POV
I drop off Gray to spend the night at Simon's after he suggested I needed some time alone. Then I head home to take a bath and watch some movies while having some wine. I open the door into the dark condo and hang up my jacket.
"Hey Clary" I hear a voice come from the living room and I jump startled before realizing its Jace.
"Jace" I tirn on the light and there he is standing, "what are you doing here? And how'd you get in?"
"I took the key you gave Izzy" he shows me the key. We both stand there looking at each other for a few seconds. "Look" he starts, "I'm sorry".
"You don't need to apologize for wanting to see Gray" I shake my head.
"That's not what I mean" he closes his eyes, "I'm sorry for not being there for you these last few years. I'm sorry for not coming to look for you like you did for me. I'm sorry for being such a douche that I actually made you think I was over you". At first I had no idea what he was talking about, but now I get it.
"Izzy told you didn't she" I want to be mad at her, but I can't.
"We fired Doug" he says. I don't know how to answer to that. "You know it wasn't true right? What he said" he starts walking closer to me slowly, "about how I was over you. How you would have just ruined my career." He waits for me to answer again, but I have nothing. "I never stopped loving you" I can't look him in the eye as he talks.
"What about all those other girls?" I ask still unable to look at him.
"Those girls, Clary, meant nothing. I might have been with them when I couldn't be with you, but you're the only girl I ever loved" he's getting really close. "You're the only girl I love". His hands go up to hold my face and he leans down. "And you're the only girl I will ever love".
He slams his lips into mine, fiercely, and this time I don't hold back. I slam my lips into his just as fiercely and curve my body up to fit with his. His lips are soft and agile as we walk back and lean against the back of the couch. He picks me up and sits me on the rim of the couch so he doesn't have to lean so far down. My hands find their way to the back of his neck and my fingers tangle in his hair. His tongue traces my lips for entrance and I don't think twice about granting it. His hand goes down to the crease of my back and he presses tightly against me. I unconsciously reach below his shirt and run one of my hands down his tones chest.
"Are you sure about this?" He asks pulling away slightly.
"Yes" I bite my bottom lip looking up at him before reaching up to continue. He picks me up and I wrap my legs around him. without separating our lips, he starts walking to my bedroom. Before we even realize it, we lose ourselves in each other.
