Waking up on Christmas morning, Clary reached over and felt Jace laying beside her. She rolled over to face him. The sun was shining in through the windows lighting up his face. Jace wasn't snoring, but his eyes were closed, and he was breathing so evenly she knew he was still asleep. Gently sweeping the rebellious lock of golden hair back that had fallen in his eyes, Clary smiled. Since they'd managed to talk about her insecurities, Jace had been making a point to be overly careful. Every now and then she'd caught him literally looking down at his hands rather than at their waitress, even if he was speaking to her. This always made her smile, though she knew she should tell him he was taking it too far, and she would eventually. Clary knew she'd never get tired of hearing him say 'I love you' to her every chance he got. However, at this point, she was sure Magnus and Alec were sick of over hearing it. Since she'd had to put up with all Malec's cushy adorableness before, she decided it was fair.
It was a wonderful feeling just laying in bed next to Jace. No matter where she was, or what was happening around her, Clary couldn't help feeling safe when Jace was near.
"Urg bright," Jace mumbled as his hands went up to cover his eyes.
"Good morning sleepy," Clary smiled. He smile though his eyes were still covered by his hand. Clary felt Jace's other hand wrap around her, squeezing her gently in a hug. Then his hand moved away from his face, and both his arms encircled her before he kissed her gently.
"Morning," Jace whispered. Feeling his usual morning situation press up against her leg, Clary moved her hands down to encourage it, but to her surprise, Jace froze.
"You okay?" Clary asked.
"I just-" Jace started. Then he blushed. It was quite something to see actually, since she rarely knew him to blush for anything.
"Your parents," Jace whispered, and Clary couldn't help it. She laughed. Then she rolled on top of her boyfriend and kiss him. She could feel Jace melting a little, his arms around her. Thinking she'd won, Clary started gently moving her hips with his, but again, Jace stopped her. He sat up, kissing her gently before speaking.
"Parents," Jace said firmly. Clary couldn't help, but shake her head at him. "In the house."
"Did someone intimidate you yesterday?" Clary asked.
"No," Jace said too quickly.
"Who?" Clary asked. "I will have words with them."
"It's fine," Jace mumbled, before kissing her again. Clary made a mental note to interrogate her family later, since it seemed it was their fault she wasn't getting a morning orgasm. She teased him a little more, then got up out of bed. Jace didn't look like he was about to get out of bed anytime soon.
"I am just gonna stay here for a few minutes okay?" Jace said, still obviously uncomfortable.
"I could fix that for you, you know," Clary laughed at her silly boyfriend. He hadn't had so many reservations when they'd spent the summer at his mother's house, though in his defense, he'd been tired from working long hours.
Jace shook his head. "Suit yourself," Clary replied, as she turned to leave. "Mom is probably making breakfast."
"Aren't you changing first?" Jace asked, indicating her nighty.
"No…" Clary said slowly. "It's Christmas morning. Like the one day a year you are supposed to wear your pjs to breakfast." He still looked a little weary so with a sigh, Clary went to sit on the bed next to him.
"Relax," Clary told him firmly. "We are adults. This is Canada. Dad doesn't have a gun. He won't shoot you in the barn for deflowering me. Mom and dad like you, promise. Even Jon."
"I love you," Jace told her, but she was glad to see the tight muscles in his shoulders slacken. He wasn't still nervous for no reason, but at least he wasn't as tense.
"Love you too," Clary replied easily, kissing him again before turning and leaving the room. "See you downstairs."
When Clary reached the bottom of the stairs she heard her name. Her mom and dad were in the kitchen talking. She was about to move those few steps closer so they'd see her, but then she heard Jace's name too and stopped to listen, rather than announce herself.
"Yes I know," Jocelyn was saying. "But despite all that, I really think he's serious."
"It's just hard to believe a person can change that much," Luke replied.
"Talk to him yourself if you aren't sure," Jocelyn said. "But I saw it in his eyes. Jace really loves her. I don't think he'd hurt her."
Clary smiled as she realized what happened. Jace had talked to her mother yesterday, but the conversation that had freaked Jace out had actually made her mother an advocate for her relationship. The whole thing made Clary was to jump for joy.
"Morning," Clary said as she skipped forward announcing her presence. "What's for breakfast?"
"German apple pancakes," Jocelyn said. "They are in the oven now."
"Yum!" Clary said grinning. She sat down at the table to wait patiently. Sure, presents were great and all, but it wasn't Christmas without her mother's oven baked pancakes covered in applesauce.
"And where is that blonde trouble maker of yours?" Jocelyn asked, but she was smiling.
"In bed," Clary giggled. "It seems someone made him nervous yesterday."
"I did no such thing," her mother defended. "Just a simple question."
"Follow up by intense study I'm sure," Clary laughed.
"Do you want pancakes or not?" Jocelyn grumbled, but Clary knew her mother wasn't upset, just teasing.
"I always want pancakes," Clary added. She watched her mother tidy and cook for a while, then the timer went off, and the room was filled with the rich smell of freshly baked pancakes. Jocelyn placed them on the stove, then went to get plate down from the cupboard.
"The boys will miss all the food if they don't come downstairs," Luke observed as his wife finished cutting and serving breakfast.
"You snooze, you lose," Clary said, reaching forward and collected her portion.
"You'd think after all that time running around Europe, Jon would have a little more appreciation for my home cooking," Jocelyn sighed. She and Luke were also sitting down to eat now, two portions left unclaimed.
"Jon wasn't meant for the picket fence life," Clary told her mother. "He is too much of an adventurer."
"Don't I know it," Jocelyn grumbled. "I just hope he doesn't end up being a cop like Valentine. I don't think I could survive attending that funeral." She turned to her husband. "And you are gonna stay a bookstore owner ya hear. I am not being married to a cop again."
"Yes ma'am," Luke replied, like usual. This happened a lot at Christmas, and Clary knew exactly why. It had been during the holidays that Jocelyn had learned of her husband dying in the line of duty, the same day she'd learned they were going to have a second child. Which meant Clary's father hadn't even know she'd existed, or rather was going to exist before he died.
"The party can start. I have arrived."
They all turned to see Jon coming down the stairs in the most ridiculous pajamas ever. They were the very definition of ugly Christmas sweater, with a goofy reindeer on his shoulder, and light that actually lit up. Clary burst out laughing the moment she saw him.
"Sit down and eat kid," Luke sniggered.
"Excuse you," Jon replied. "I am a grown up."
"Not in that sweater you ain't," Luke said over the girls continued laughter.
"I will have you know, this is holiday appropriate attire," Jon said cooly.
"Doesn't mean we aren't going to tease you about it," Luke added. It was at this moment that Clary heard the slight creak of the stairs, before turning to see her nervous boyfriend standing there fully dressed.
"Come eat," Clary called to him. "Before it's all gone cold." Jace came over and sat beside her, collected his breakfast and started eating along with the rest.
"This is really good," Jace enthused.
"Thanks," Jocelyn said. "Family recipe."
"My mom cooks a lot, but I've never seen her put a pancake in the oven before," Jace said.
Clary couldn't remember the last time she'd had such a wonderful Christmas. Jace started to relax as the day wore on, helped along by all the delicious food. Clary cracked a joke about the fastest way to a man's heart is through his stomach. It was so rare that her whole family spent an entire day in each other's company, that even though all they did was talk, eat, and open gifts, it was bliss.
They stayed up late, the five of them, sitting around a fireplace that was actually a plasma tv. Clary was laying with her head in Jace's lap. Her parents sat together on the opposite end of the couch, and Jon had called the biggest arm chair. Cassie had other commitments with her family, but Jon said she'd pop in tomorrow for boxing day also known as December 26th.
The fire didn't created any heat, but it sounded wonderful. Clary couldn't remember being more comfortable in her life than in this moment, with the cracking noises in the background, and her head against Jace's chest. She could hear his even breathing, his heart beat. It wasn't until her dad started snoring that everyone decided it was time for bed. Clary dragged her feet up the stairs, feeling beautifully happy despite her tiredness. She and Jace collapsed together onto the bed and quickly fell asleep, his arm around her.
Clary woke once again to her blonde angel, though this time he was awake before her. He'd been sitting up in bed looking down at her.
"Watching me sleep huh?" she grumbled.
"Hey you started it," Jace laughed. Clary smiled in returned, reaching forward to kiss him. When they broke apart, Jace whispered, "I love you."
"I love you too," Clary replied. "But you really don't have to keep doing this."
"Doing what?"
"Over compensating," Clary explained. "And I know I was weirdly jealous before, but you can look at waitresses when they take your order." She smiled at him, trying to communicate she wasn't mad or upset at all.
Jace sighed, leaning back down on the bed. Clary turned, resting her chin on his chest so she could see his face.
"I really suck at this boyfriend thing huh?" Jace asked.
"No, you don't," Clary told him softly. "You just need practice." He smiled, kissing her again.
Today they both got dressed before going downstairs. Jocelyn's breakfast today was as amazing as yesterday, but Clary loved it just the same. Her mom's cooking no matter how elaborate, was far superior to the school cafeteria food.
Just as they were finished eating, Jon kidnapped Jace to play a little one on one in the back yard, leaving Clary and Luke to clean up. Jocelyn had gone to pick up Cassie from the airport.
"Don't you feel like they all just didn't want to clean?" Clary laughed as she dried the dishes while Luke washed.
"Maybe," Luke said. "Listen Clary, since this has been our only moment alone together, I wanted to-"
"I overheard you with mom," Clary interrupted him, grinning. "And trust me, people can change."
"Really?" Luke inquired. "I mean that much. They don't say 'once a player, always a player' for nothing."
"That's a stereotype, dad," Clary sighed. "People are more complex than that."
"I suppose," Luke sighed. "But still I don't understand what you see in him."
"It's hard to explain," Clary began. "Since I first saw him I was drawn him. I am aware of his presence, you know... like if he's in the room, I can always say where. I miss him when he isn't around, and the way he looks at me…" She didn't know how to explain in words the feeling she got when Jace really focused on her. Even when she'd been insecure about how he felt, his gaze could always get her heart racing. "Jace doesn't have what you'd call boyfriend skills, but he's really trying, and even getting better. But he needs cooking lessons." She laughed, thinking of the way his rice had somehow formed a puke at the bottom of the pan.
"As long as you're happy," Luke said gently.
"I am," Clary replied.
This chapter might be one of my shortest ever... why is writing filler more work than writing plot? sigh.
Sneak Peek Chapter 71
"It's annoying isn't it," Izzy said. "All gooey and romantic all the time."
"I thought you didn't like Magnus?" Alec asked turned to his sister.
"He might be growing on me," Izzy said cooly. "Now that he isn't making you miserable."
Alec playfully swatted his sister on the back of her head before he said, "Magnus has never made me miserable you goof."
"But before-" Izzy started.
"Fall in love," Alec interrupted her. "Then we will talk."
"What does that mean?" Izzy asked.
"It means you have no clue what you are talking about," Alec answered.
