Seventy Second One Shot:
Dead or...?
Jace POV:
"We have a homicide." Alec said as he approached my desk.
"Where?" I asked as I grabbed my gun and badge.
"Brooklyn." He said and I nodded and followed him out to the car. We got in and Alec drove us to the crime scene. It was already taped off, and officers were posted outside. Alec and I ducked under the police tape and made our way upstairs to the apartment. When we walked in there was a giant pool of blood on the ground, but no body.
"Where is the victim?" I asked the officers that were already in the room.
"We don't know." Santiago said. "We got a call that there was a domestic disturbance going on. When we got here we found this."
"So how can you definitively say this is a homicide without a body?" I asked.
"Have you ever seen someone lose this much blood and survive?" He asked and I looked at the pool of blood again, and shook my head. "The neighbor knows the girl who lives here pretty well." He said and I nodded before walking out of the apartment. I went to the neighbor's door and knocked. A moment later it opened.
"I'm Detective Herondale." I said as I showed her my badge. "I'd like to ask you a few questions about your neighbor."
"Such a sad outcome." She said as she welcomed me into her home. "She was a lovely girl, but caught up with the wrong people." She said as we took a seat in her living room.
"How well did you know her?" I asked.
"Clary moved in here about 6 years ago." She said. "Right out of college, and full of dreams. "
"What did she do for work?" I asked.
"She restored paintings." She said. "She was so talented. It's a shame that her boyfriend didn't care about her talent at all."
"Boyfriend?" I asked and she nodded. "Do you know his name?"
"I couldn't forget it if I wanted too." She said. "These walls are incredibly thin, and their fights got loud." She said and I nodded. "His name is Sebastian Verlac."
"What did they fight about?" I asked.
"Everything." She said. "He disapproved of her job. He hated that she lived here. He accused her of cheating all the time. Threats came every day, and I could hear her crying all the time. It was a toxic relationship. Anyone could see and hear that."
"Do you know why she never left him?" I asked.
"I didn't pry in her relationship. It wasn't my place." She said and I nodded.
"Was Sebastian here today?" I asked.
"They were fighting about an hour ago." She explained.
"Do you know what about?" I asked.
"He wanted to start a family, and she wasn't ready." She said and I wrote it down. "He said some horrible things to her."
"Like what?" I asked.
"He called her a whore, and that she didn't deserve the kindness he was giving to her." She said. "He told her that she would be dead without him, and that she was never going to find anyone who would treat her any better." She said as she shuddered. "There was a horrific scream. It sounded like she was screaming for her life. The next thing I heard was the door slamming and someone running away."
"Thank you for talking with me. You helped a lot." I said as I stood up.
"I hope you catch that bastard." She said as she opened her apartment door.
"I'll do everything I can to catch the person responsible." I said and she nodded. I made my way back over to the apartment where the crime was committed. "What do we have so far?" I asked.
"The blood all came from one person." Alec said. "We have a partial footprint, but that's about it." He said and I nodded. "You find anything out from the neighbor?"
"The victim's name is Clary, and her boyfriend is Sebastian Verlac." I said. "She said she heard fighting about an hour ago, than a blood curdling scream, the door slamming and the sound of running." I explained. "We have to go check him out."
"I'll take Santiago, you stay here." Alec said and I nodded. They left, and suddenly I was all-alone in a women's apartment. I wanted to get a feel of what this girl was like, so I started looking around. This girl obviously liked to read with how many books were left lying around. Thankfully the whole room was photographed so I didn't have to worry about disturbing the evidence. There were a couple balled up pieces of paper on the floor. I reached down and picked them up and when I opened them I was blown away. This girl had a natural talent, and she deserved to be doing more than just restoring paintings. In the bottom right hand corner there was a signature, Clary Fray, it said, and now I know the name of out victim.
I continued to look throughout the apartment. For as long as this girl lived here, she barely had any personal details in this place. Not one family photo, no pet, hell, she didn't even have a plant. It's like she didn't want to personalize it at all. I walked into her bedroom and it was a complete mess. Books scattered around the room, art supplies laid out all over the floor and desk, and her bed wasn't even made. I walked over to the desk to look at the single picture she had in this whole apartment. It was a picture of her and a boy, they looked like they were 7 or 8 years old. By the look on her face, he meant a lot to her. I can't imagine being the officer in charge of telling her family what happened.
I walked back out into the living room and the Crime Scene clean up crew was there mopping up the blood. Not that blood grossed me out or anything, but knowing that we didn't have a victim in view was freaking me out a little, I mean, we've had crimes that have only had partial bodies, but a crime that had no body at all? That was just uncharted territory for me, and I didn't like it because it made the case feel incomplete. I took one last look around the place before I made my way out to my car. When I got in my phone started ringing, I looked to see who was calling and answered.
"Find the boyfriend Alec?" I asked.
"Yea. We found him alright." Alec said and that didn't sound good.
"What's that mean?" I asked.
"We found him at his place, syringe in arm." Alec said and I cursed. "He's been dead for about 30 minutes."
"He was our only lead." I said and I heard Alec sigh.
"I know. I think this case might end up a cold case with him dead, and no body." Alec said.
"Doesn't seem fair." I said. "This girl deserves justice and to be laid to rest."
"I know that, but you know how these cases work." Alec said, and I hated how right he was. "Maybe something will happen, and we'll get another lead, but we have other cases that need our attention."
"I'll meet you back at the precinct." I said and Alec said goodbye and I hung up and started driving towards the station. I didn't know why this case was bothering me the way it was. This wasn't my first homicide case, far from it actually, so why was this girl's murder different from the others?
Time Jump – One Week Later
Jace POV:
The bodiless homicide had been moved to the back burner as other cases swamped the precinct but that didn't mean I hadn't stopped thinking about it. I didn't understand why it was bothering me so much, but it was a rather slow afternoon, so I decided to go down to the evidence locker and look over the stuff that was collected from her place. I opened the one box and found a journal that looked rather full. I pulled it out, signed it out, and went back to my desk. I didn't know if this would tell me anything, but it was worth a shot. I opened it up to the first page and began to read.
September 16th, 2008
Dear Diary,
I don't understand why my parents don't get a divorce. They are constantly fighting, and they practically hate each others guts. I don't even understand why they got married in the first place. It sure as hell wasn't love. I can't wait to get out and never have to see them again.
The passage was short but it gave me a lot of information about her home life nearly 10 years ago. She wasn't from a happy and thriving house. She was surrounded by fighting her whole entire life, and it made sense that she entered a relationship that was a mirror image of her parents. It didn't make it right, but I understand why she was with a jackass like Verlac now. I flipped a couple pages and continued reading.
March 30th, 2009
Dear Diary,
I never understood why things happen. Disease, genocide, famine. None of them ever made any sense to me. I feel like I should be upset. I should be crying and mourning, but I feel incredibly numb, and void of all emotion. I guess that's a valid way to experience grief as well. The priest told me the grief wouldn't hit me all at once. It might come in stages, or it could hit me like a ton of bricks years down the line. My parents died yesterday, and I sit here panning their funeral without a tear in my eye, or any type of emotion. Maybe that makes me a terrible daughter, or maybe it shows how terrible they were as parents. Either way, I had no family left, and I had to deal with that.
There are so many things that shouldn't happen to people, and losing your parents is one of them. When I lost both my parents I was devastated, but I also had such a great relationship with them, that losing them was one of the worst things that ever happened to me, and I lost it. I can't imagine what she went through, or how awful her parents really were for her to not feel anything in their deaths, but I couldn't judge her for the way she grieved. I took a deep breath and turned a couple more pages and continued reading.
October 28th, 2010
Dear Diary,
I met this guy today, and he was really sweet, and hot. His name is Sebastian and I have a date with him tomorrow night. I haven't had a real serious boyfriend since high school, so this was new to me, but I was excited. I don't know if this will blossom into any type of relationship, but I couldn't wait to see where it went, or just have someone there for me. It's been a while since I've had anyone, and I could really use that again.
Damn, she and Sebastian went farther back than I thought, and now I understood extremely well why they were still together. I couldn't help but start to wonder who she was as a person. What she was interested in, what she laughed at, and what music she liked. I mean, she was dead, and I was completely captivated by her on so many levels. It was weird to be falling for a dead girl, but that's what I felt like was happening. I was falling for her words, and her artwork, and that simple picture of when she was a kid. I turned a couple more pages and continued reading.
April 4th, 2012
Dear Diary,
Sebastian has been really distant lately. I don't know what's going on with him but whenever I confront him about it he just gets pissed, and starts yelling. I was lucky that the plate he threw at me last night missed my head. I don't know how I would tell people about that, so I was thankful that he missed. I wanted to talk to him but I didn't want him to be angry, so I'll just wait until he's a little drunk so that he's easier to talk to. I guess I'll just have to accept the distance until he's ready to talk.
It pissed me off that she thought this was a relationship that she thought she wanted to be in. I didn't even know her, and even I knew that she deserved better, and to think that he could be the reason she's dead, really pissed me off. I hated that these things happened. People deserved more, she deserved more, and I wish she had the opportunity to know that. I turned more pages and continued reading.
July 15th, 2014
Dear Diary,
I think Sebastian has been cheating on me. I found a pair of panties in between his couch last night, and when I asked about it he hit me. I didn't know what else to do so I left, and he showed up at my place at 3 this morning, drunk out of his mind. He kept apologizing to me, and saying that she meant nothing to him, and when I went to close the door he got angry. He forced me into my room and….well it doesn't really matter what happened after that. I can't be with him like this. This isn't the man that I fell in love with. He's different, and I'm afraid that if I try and leave he'll kill me.
It took everything in me not to punch a whole in the wall. This jackass took advantage of her, and the worst part is that she knew that she would be hurt, or killed if she tried to leave. What kind of asshole does that to a woman? I didn't want to hear anything else that he did to her, but I couldn't stop reading either. I took a deep calming breath before flipping the pages and reading.
November 18th, 2016
Dear Diary,
I want to leave. I want to leave and never come back. Sebastian is a nightmare, but I can't leave. He's so demanding. I caught him trying to install security cameras in my apartment yesterday. He thinks that I'm going to leave, and he wants to make sure he can watch me 24/7. I can't say I blame him for thinking that I'm going to leave, because I want to. I think about it everyday, but he is so violent that I think that leaving would be worse than staying.
This literally just happened. Not even 2 months ago, this girl feared for her life and thought that staying with that asshole was better than leaving. She was trapped, and alone, and probably scared out of her mind, and now she's dead. This all could have been avoided if she just reported that son of a bitch. She could be moving on, instead we are trying to solve her murder case without a body. I closed the book because I just couldn't read anymore. She was scared, and had nobody there for her.
"Jace, we got a homicide." Alec said as he made his way over to my cubical.
"Where?" I asked as I grabbed my gun and badge.
"Central Park." He said and I nodded. We made our way out to my car and started towards the park. The area was already secured and pictures were already being taken. Alec and I approached the closest officer once we got out of the car.
"What happened here?" I asked.
"Gun shot to the head." The officer said. "He died instantly."
"At least it was quick." Alec said and I nodded. Alec and I made our way over to the body. "Do we have an ID?" Alec asked as we looked at the man.
"Mark Blackthorn." The officer said. "He's known to affiliate with a local gang."
"Which gang?" I asked.
"The Seelie Court." The officer said.
"Still think it's a stupid name for a gang." I said and everyone laughed.
"Yea, well, this is probably a normal gang murder." The officer said.
"Our job is to find the truth, not assume Officer Santiago." I said and he nodded. "Get his body back to the autopsy." I said and the men nodded. Alec and I started walking away when someone called us.
"Excuse me!" We heard and we turned around to see someone running towards us.
"What can we help you with today ma'am?" I asked.
"You're the officers that worked that case with the murder of that girl last week without the body." She said and Alec and I looked at each other.
"How do you know about that?" I asked.
"I live in the apartment below her, and I swore I heard footsteps last night." She said.
"Are you sure?" Alec asked.
"Yea. They sounded frantic. Like they were looking for something, but couldn't find it." She said.
"How long did they spend up there?" I asked.
"Like 15 minutes." She said.
"Thank you for letting us know." Alec said and she nodded before walking away.
"Think it could be the real killer?" I asked after she was gone.
"I have no idea." Alec said honestly. "That whole case is so out of the ordinary."
"I'll set up some camera in case it happens again." I said and Alec nodded. "I'll meet you back at the precinct."
"Be careful." Alec said before I started walking the direction of the apartment building. I made my way up to the apartment and sure enough the police tape was broken. I drew my gun and opened the door. When I walked inside things were definitely out of place. I made my way through the apartment looking around every corner making sure I was the only one there. When I made it to her bedroom, it was even more thrown apart than it was the day I was here. Drawers were out of the dresser, and the end tables. The closet doors were opened, and the desk was practically cleared off. I made my way back out to the living room and pulled out my phone.
"Detective Herondale, what do I owe the pleasure?" Hodge said.
"I need security cameras." I said. "Someone broke into a crime scene looking for something."
"When would you like them by?" He asked.
"I want them at the crime scene in 1 hour." I said.
"Your wish is my command." He said and I hung up. I put my gun back into the holster and started to actually look around and see if anything was missing. I went back into her room and noticed that the picture of her and that boy was missing, but nothing else that I could definitively pick out that was missing.
Hodge showed up an hour later and installed all the cameras. After he left to go wait in the car for me, I just looked around at the place. I had no idea who would break into this house and steal that picture. Maybe it was the boy in that photo, because lets be real, who else would want that picture? I took a deep breath and walked out of the apartment. I sealed it off, and made my way downstairs where Hodge was waiting and got into the car. This whole case made no sense, and I was determined to solve this.
Time Jump – One Week Later
Jace POV:
Nothing has happened in the apartment since the cameras installed and I was getting frustrated. Something wasn't adding up. This case was more puzzling than any other case that I've ever heard before, and it was driving me crazy. Of course this case was put on the back burner again because we had other cases that needed out attention first, but I wanted to solve this case more than anything. I keep looking at the pictures of her apartment to find out if anything else was taken, and I just kept stopping at the picture that was taken from her desk. I could only imagine what she looked like before she died. She was a very cute kid. The most vibrant red hair I've ever seen, and piercing green eyes. I tried to picture here a million times in my mind, but I just didn't think I'd ever do her justice.
"I'm meeting Izzy for lunch. She wants me to meet her new boyfriend. You wanna come?" Alec asked.
"Sure." I said and I got up and we made it to the restaurant. Izzy was never on time so Alec and I both weren't surprised that she was 15 minutes late. When she walked in the guy behind her looked incredibly familiar but I didn't know why.
"Alec, Jace. It's so good to see you again!" Izzy said as she hugged us both.
"You two Iz." Alec said. "Who is this?" Alec gestured to the guy.
"This is my boyfriend. Simon." Izzy said. "These are my brothers." Izzy said. "Alec is my actual brother, and Jace is my adoptive brother."
"It's nice to meet you." Simon said and I just couldn't stop staring at him.
"Have we met before?" I asked as we all took our seats.
"I don't think so. I don't live in New York anymore." Simon said.
"You look so familiar." I said and he just shrugged.
"Don't freak him out Jace." Izzy said.
"No, I'm serious. He looks really familiar." I said as I searched my pocket for the picture. I opened it up and looked at it and than at him. I turned it around and his eyes widened. "Is that you?"
"Where did you get this from?" He asked.
"I think the more important question is why were you carrying that picture around in your pocket." Alec said and Izzy laughed.
"That's not important." I said.
"But oh so interesting." Alec said ad I rolled my eyes and looked back to Simon.
"It's evidence in an on going homicide case." I said.
"Clary's dead?" He asked.
"Who is Clary?" Izzy asked looking a little hurt.
"We were best friends when we were little. I moved away before high school, and we tried to stay in touch as best we could, but distance got in the way, and than she got that awful boyfriend." Simon said. "I can't believe she's dead."
"That picture was stolen out of her apartment last week." I said. "Do you know who would want it?"
"I can't imagine anyone but Clary and I would want a picture of us in it." Simon said. "I can't believe she's dead."
"We don't have a body." Alec said. "When we got to her apartment there was a huge pool of blood but no body."
"Did that asshole kill her?" Simon asked.
"I wish we knew. He OD'd the same day." I said and he nodded.
"She might not be dead." Simon said. "You have no body."
"There was a lot of blood Simon." Alec said. "And we don't have a body, and she hasn't come to turn herself in or anything like that. What else are we supposed to think?"
"Clary had a terrible life." Simon said. "She had to learn how to survive in terrible ways, and I honestly wouldn't put it past her to do something drastic like faking her own death."
"She'd really do that?" I asked.
"I put nothing past her." Simon said. "She's done a lot of things in her life that aren't exactly law abiding, but she also wasn't a quitter. If someone was going to kill her, she'd go down with one hell of a fight."
"Sebastian could have stashed her body. The neighbor told me that was a piercing scream, the door slamming and the sound of someone running away. Before he died he could have dumped the body somewhere." I explained.
"All I'm saying is that you shouldn't underestimate Clary." Simon said and I nodded. "Can I keep this?" He asked as he held up the picture.
"Sure." I said and he smiled.
"Thank you." He said and I nodded.
Lunch went by well, and Simon seemed like a cool guy but I couldn't get over the fact that he was the boy in the picture. I wanted to solve this case, because now with the information that he provided, I wanted to find this girl if she did fake her own death. I wanted her to be alive, because I wanted to get to know her. I wanted her to know what it felt like to live in a world where she didn't have to be scared anymore. I wanted it since the case presented itself to me, and now I was more determined than ever.
Time Jump – One Week Later
Jace POV:
"Detective Herondale?" I said as I picked up the phone.
"Hello Detective, we talked briefly when you were investigating my neighbors murder." The woman said.
"Yes. How can I help you?" I asked.
"I thought I heard something coming from the apartment last night, and I didn't see any officers and thought you'd like to know." She said.
"Thank you for letting me know." I said and we hung up. I made my way to the room where the cameras were streaming. I took a look at the surveillance from last night and I saw the front door open, but the person was hooded, and I saw no face. "Damn it." I said and I stood up. I made my way back to my desk where I grabbed my gun and badge.
"Where are you going?" Alec asked.
"Someone broke into the apartment again. I'm going to go on a stake out, but in the apartment that way I can arrest them." I said and he nodded. I made my way to the apartment and the seal was broken yet again. I walked in and took a deep breath. This trespasser wasn't getting away this time, I was going to make sure of it.
Time Jump –A Couple Hours Later
Jace POV:
My OCD was getting out of control the more time I spent in this place so I just decided to clean up the mess the trespasser left. I felt so much better once everything was in a certain place and I felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest. I couldn't really do much, so I grabbed a book, and started reading. I had no idea if this person was going to come back, but I was going to be ready if they did.
I was half way through the book when I heard the door open. I put it down and drew my gun. The door closed quietly, and I got in my stance and waited for the intruder to present themselves. When I finally saw the person, I knew I had them.
"Freeze." I said and they froze. "Put your hands where I can see them." They raised their hands and showed nothing in them. "Turn around." I said and they slowly turned around. "Put your hood down." I said and the person slowly grabbed the hood and lowered it to reveal the girl that I had been thinking about for weeks. She was alive, and standing right in front of me. "Clary."
"How do you know my name?" She asked.
"I'm the detective assigned to your homicide case." I said as I put my gun away.
"So people believe I'm dead?" She asked with joy in her voice.
"Yes." I said and she let out a sigh.
"Good." She said and I looked at her with confusion. "Is there any way you let me go and keep pretending I'm dead? Mark my case as cold, and forget about me."
"You don't have to worry anymore." I said.
"He'll find me. He'll find me, and he'll kill me." She said frantically. "I messed up, and he is pissed."
"Clary, I need you to calm down." I said as I slowly approached her. "No body is going to hurt you anymore."
"You don't know what he's like." She said as tears spilled out of her eyes.
"He's dead Clary." I said and her eyes widened.
"He's what?" She asked. I guided her to her couch and sat her down.
"He OD'd the day we got the call and found blood in this place." I explained. "I talked to your neighbor who informed me of who he was. When my partner went to question him, he was dead with a syringe still in his arm."
"Oh thank god." She said as her head fell in to her hands. "You know how horrible it is to live on the streets?" She asked.
"Vaguely." I admitted honestly, and she looked at me. "Look, come to the precinct, and we'll close your case, and end this running game you're playing." I said and she took a deep breath and nodded. We stood up and she looked around her apartment.
"You cleaned it." She said and I laughed.
"OCD is a killer when it comes to messy places." I said and she laughed. We made our way out to my car and I immediately went to the precinct. I walked her in, and over to my desk where she took a seat. "Would you like anything to drink?" I asked and she smiled.
"Coffee would be great." She said.
"Cream or sugar?" I asked.
"Just black." She said and I nodded. I made my way over to the coffee pot and poured her a cup. When I got back I handed it to her and she smiled. "Thank you." She said and I took a seat.
"Can you tell me why you faked your own death?" I asked her after I got her coffee.
"I miscarried." She said after she took a seat. "It was after he…"
"He raped you didn't he?" I asked and she didn't make eye contact, but she nodded.
"He was so angry that I lost our baby." She said. "I knew that he was going to do something horrible. I needed to do something huge. Something that he would believe." She said. "I might regret telling you this, but I stole enough blood that would look like someone couldn't survive, and after our fight, I screamed bloody murder, slammed my front door and made it sound like someone was running. After that I ran."
"Were you ever planning on starting over?" I asked.
"Maybe. I would have to get enough money to leave the state, and start living as someone else. And not having a home made that pretty hard." She said and I nodded.
"Do you have anyone you could stay with?" I asked.
"No. I don't have any family left." She said and I nodded.
"Okay." I said. "We'll figure something out." I said and she nodded. I pulled out my phone and texted Izzy and told her to bring Simon to the precinct. "Just wait right here. I'll be back." I said and she nodded. I made my way over to Alec's desk and he was so engrossed in his work that I had to slam my hands on his desk to grab his attention.
"Fucking hell Jace." He said. "What do you want?"
"Clary is alive." I said and his eyes widened.
"How do you know?" He asked.
"She's currently sitting at my desk." I said and he looked over and saw the redhead sitting there drinking her coffee.
"Holy shit." He said. "So she faked her own death?"
"Yea. She was afraid Sebastian was going to kill her and she needed to get away." I said and he nodded.
"Simon!" We heard a high pitched voice and when we turned around Clary ran into his arms and he scooped her into a hug.
"Oh my god Clary. You're completely insane." He said and she laughed. Alec and I made our way over to the group.
"It was the only thing I could think of." She said ad Simon nodded.
"I asked you here because Clary needs a place to stay, and since you two are old friends, I thought you'd be the best bet." I said and Simon nodded.
"I would love too, but I'm leaving for a couple months to work in our abroad companies." Simon said. "I would love to help you out, but I sold my apartment because I didn't want to have to pay rent in two different places."
"It's okay." Clary said. "I can find somewhere to stay."
"Why don't you help her out Jace?" Izzy said. "You have enough guest rooms, and absolutely no friends."
"I have friends." I said and she laughed.
"Not good ones." Izzy said.
"So Alec isn't good enough?" I asked and she rolled her eyes.
"He's your brother, he doesn't count." Izzy said. "It was just a suggestion."
"I don't mind if you don't." I said towards Clary.
"Okay." Clary said and I nodded.
"Do you want to get some stuff from your place?" I asked and Clary nodded. "Okay, I'll take you back and we'll grab some things." She nodded again. "Mind telling the chief what's going on?" I asked Alec.
"Not at all." Alec said.
"Cool." I said. "Let's go." I said and Clary nodded. We got back into my car and went to her apartment again. When we got there, she started searching for everything that she needed. She grabbed some books, a lot of art supplies, clothes, and a few miscellaneous things before taking one last look at her place. "You ready?" I asked and she nodded.
We packed all her stuff in my car and we made it to my house in minutes. I grabbed half of her things, and she grabbed the other half, and I directed her into my house and to the room that she would be occupying. When I opened the door and put her stuff down I noticed that she was walking considerably slowly than a normal person.
"You okay?" I asked and her eyes made it back to mine.
"This house is beautiful." She said and I smiled.
"It's pretty nice." I said and she laughed.
"I would kill to live in a place like this." She said and I laughed.
"Well, you do now, so please don't kill anyone. I'd hate to arrest you." I said and she laughed. It was a beautiful laugh.
"It could use some color though." She said has she walked towards her new room.
"I'll tell you what, you pick the colors, I'll buy the paint, and you can go to town." I offered, which was so out of character for me, but I couldn't help myself but offer her that.
"You're seriously going to let me paint your house?" She asked.
"Why not. You want too, and I don't have anything against it." I said. "You're going to need something to do to occupy your time."
"Wow." She said and I laughed. "Okay, thanks. But are there any colors you don't like?" She asked.
"Nothing yellow." I said. "It reminds me of ducks, and I hate ducks." I said and she started laughing again. "It's not funny, they are blood thirsty beasts."
"I would have never pegged a macho detective to be afraid of furry little animals." She said once her laughter died down.
"Don't underestimate them because they look cute and cuddly." I said and she nodded.
"I'll take your word for it." She said and I smiled.
"I'll let you get settle." I said as I made my way out of her room. "Anything in particular you'd like for dinner?" I asked.
"Honestly, it's been weeks since I've had a decent meal." She said. "I'll eat anything." She said and I nodded and went to leave. "Accept eggs!" She called out and I turned to look at her. "I don't like eggs one bit."
"Noted." I said and I made my way into the kitchen. It was going to take me some time to get used to living with someone, but I could already tell that living with Clary was going to be easy and a lot of fun, and I couldn't wait to see if I was right.
Time Jump – One Month Later
Clary POV:
I had been spending the last month painting Jace's house and I was in my own little world every time I smelled the paint fumes. For the first time in years I didn't have to look over my shoulder. I was finally at peace and I just couldn't believe that I was actually living life without fear. It was nice, and I was thankful that everything turned out like this because I don't know how much longer I could live on the streets.
"Clary, I'm home." I heard Jace yelled as the door opened and I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. Living with Jace was so natural.
"I'm in the living room!" I called back and I heard his footprints.
"Wow. It looks great." He said and I turned and looked at him and he started laughing.
"What?" I asked and he made his way over to me.
"You have paint on your forehead." He said as he ran a finger over the paint and I shivered.
"I get lost in my head when I paint." I said and he laughed. "How was work?" I asked after a moment.
"It was alright. We are up to our necks in the latest case, and everyone is frustrated, and pissy." He said and I nodded. "I'm lucky I got some time to take a break other wise I wouldn't be responsible for the damage that was caused to some of my colleagues." He said and I laughed.
"Want me to make you some dinner?" I asked as I put the paintbrush down. "This coat needs to dry."
"Why don't we go out?" He asked. "You've been painting all day, and I've been working. We could both use a break."
"Sounds good. Let me just go get changed." I said and he nodded. I went into my room and changed my clothes. When I was finally dressed I walked back out and Jace was leaning against the counter looking at something, and damn did he look good. For the past month I couldn't help but admire him whenever we were in the same room. He was handsome, and funny, and sarcastic, and smart, and sweet. He was everything you'd ever hope to find in a man, and I couldn't help but be attracted to that. "You ready?" I said and he stood up and smiled.
"Of course." He said and we made our way out of the house and into his car. We went to our favorite diner, and took our normal seat in our normal booth. Since living with Jace, this had been our favorite go to spot.
"Well if it isn't my favorite couple." The waitress said as she came over to us, which of course made me blush like an idiot. "It's been awhile since you two have been here." She said.
"I've been caught up in work, and Clary is painting the house." Jace said. "We've been pretty busy." He said and she nodded.
"You two want your usual?" She asked and we both nodded and she walked away.
"Why didn't you correct her?" I asked after she was gone.
"I didn't think you would mind." He said. "Do you want me to specify that we aren't together?" Jace said and I took a second to think about it.
"I don't mind." I finally said. "I was just curious." I said and he nodded.
She came back with our usual and Jace and I ate and talked like we always do. Our conversations were always really light and friendly, but I couldn't get the fact that people thought we were a couple, but I guess I couldn't blame them. We were always together when we're out in public, and everything, but it bothered me that we weren't together, but I don't really blame him. We've only known each other for a month, and he probably just thought of me as a wounded little animal. I mean, he investigated my life, so he knows how much of a basket case I am, who would want to deal with that? When we got back to the house, I hadn't spoken a word since we left and I think he noticed something was wrong.
"Are you okay?" He asked and I shrugged. "What's wrong?"
"I just can't stop thinking about what the waitress said." I admitted.
"About us being a couple?" He asked and I nodded. "Why is that bothering you so much?"
"I don't know." I said and I took a seat on the couch.
"I know when you're lying Clare." He said as he took a seat down next to me. "Why is her thinking we're a couple bothering you so much?" He asked again.
"I guess…..I don't know." I said. "It's stupid really."
"Nothing you think is stupid Clary." He said. "What's on your mind?"
"I've been living here for a month." I said and he nodded. "How come you haven't asked me to move out yet?" I asked.
"I like having you here." He said honestly.
"Why?" I asked.
"I never knew what I was missing by living alone until you showed up." He said. "It's nice to come home to someone at the end of the day."
"So get a girlfriend." I said. "We can still be friends if I moved out. I doubt we would never see each other again with Simon and Izzy dating. I mean, you could actually share this home with someone you like romantically."
"Isn't that what I'm already doing?" He said and my jaw dropped.
"W-what?" I asked and he laughed.
"I rarely open myself up to anyone because it's easier to remove emotions from the mix. It's a fool proof way of never getting hurt." He explained. "But with you, I don't feel like I need to hide behind the cold exterior. I can express myself with whatever emotion that I'm feeling because I know you won't judge me." He said and I nodded. "I never told you this, but I read through you're diary when I was investigating your case."
"Oh my god." I said and buried my head in my hands.
"Are you mad?" He asked and I shook my head.
"Just super embarrassed." I said and he laughed.
"Don't be." He said. "I was reading through some of the entries and there was just this incredibly pull I had towards you. I could tell how much you were suffering and how much you wanted to get away, but you were so trapped. I wanted to come sweep you off your feet and take you away and show you what it was like to be treated." He said and my eyes fill with tears. "It sucked because I was falling for a dead girl." He said and my jaw dropped. "Well, I was falling for what I thought was a dead girl. And than Simon told us he wouldn't be surprised if you faked your own death, and I got hope, and than you showed up." He said with a laugh. "It was like despite how awful the situation was, we were both getting a second chance at something."
"Oh." I said and the tears finally spilled.
"Please don't cry." He said and I wiped them away.
"They aren't bad tears." I said and he nodded. "I just can't believe you feel that way towards me."
"Why not?" He asked. "You're a beautiful woman."
"I'm a basket case Jace." I finally said. "I've never been loved a day in my life. My parents were jerks who didn't even want me half the time, than I entered a relationship that was purely physical for him." I said. "Simon was the only person in my life who actually wanted me around for who I was. And after all of that you still think I'm worthy of being loved? Hell even worthy of being liked? I think I was destined to be alone, or abused."
"Cut the shit Clary." He said and it caught me off guard. "What your parents did was horrible, and if Sebastian wasn't dead, I would kill him myself because you deserve so much more than what you were dealt." He said and although is words were laced with anger, his face was soft. "You have been through something nobody should ever have to deal with. I mean, you faked your own death just to get away from someone who earned your trust, and took advantage of that." He said and I lowered my head. "If you don't feel the same way about me as I do about you, I can live with that." He said and I looked into his beautiful gold eyes. "But I'll be damned if I ever let you get involved with someone who isn't worthy of all you have to offer."
"Jace." I whispered because I was still processing everything he said to me. "I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything Clary." He said. "Look, you are more than welcome to stay here as long as you like. I won't stop you from moving out, or staying. I like having you here, and even if you decide to move out, my door is always opened for you." He said as he got off the couch and began to walk away.
"I do." I said and that stopped him in his tracks, and he turned to face me. "I do like you."
"You don't have to say it just because I did Clary." He said.
"I'm not." I said. "I've loved living here, but the majority of the reason for that is because you're the first person to ever extend such kindness towards me. I love waking up in the morning and having coffee together. I love cooking for you when you get done work, and I love that earlier today you referred to this house as ours instead of just yours." I said and he smiled at me. "Being with you is one of the most natural thing in the world, and for the first time, I know what it feels like to truly be taken care of."
"I'll always take care of you Clary." Jace said and I stood up and walked over to where he was standing.
"I know you will." I said as I got closer. "You're the first person I have ever been able to trust with my whole heart." I said and he pushed a curl out of my face and tucked it behind my ear.
"I will never force you into anything you don't want to do." Jace said in a low tone.
"I know that." I said as I pushed myself up on my tippy toes. Our noses touched but our lips were still entirely too far apart. Our eyes locked and I thought he was going to pull away, but to my surprise he leaned forward and pressed our lips together, and I felt like I had finally come home. I don't know how long we stood there kissing, but I knew that I never wanted it to end. When we did finally pull apart I couldn't get the smile off my face.
"I've been imagining what kissing you would feel like since I started investigating your case." Jace said and I laughed.
"Did I live up to your expectations?" I asked and he shook his head.
"No." He said. "You exceeded them." He said and I smiled. He leaned forwards and simply pecked my lips with his, but it didn't matter because even a simple little peck was filled with more chemistry than anything I've ever felt before. Jace pulled me into a hug, and I melted into his embrace. For the first time in my life, everything seemed like it was going to be okay.
Time Jump – One Year Later
Jace POV:
"Jace, come on. We're going to be late!" I heard Clary yell from downstairs.
"I'm coming!" I yelled back, I looked in the mirror one last time and smiled. "This is the day." I said to myself. I grabbed my jacket off the chair in our room and ran down the stairs. Clary was standing in front of the mirror in the hallway and I couldn't stop the smile on my face.
"Aren't women supposed to take forever to get ready?" Clary asked as she turned towards me and I smiled.
"I know I'm stunningly attractive, but that doesn't mean I roll out of bed looking that way." I said as I pulled her into me.
"I can attest to the fact that you do roll out of bed looking stunningly attractive." She said and I gave her a quick kiss. "Izzy will have our heads if we are late to her wedding." She said and I laughed.
When we got to the venue, it was set up beautifully, but I expected nothing less from Izzy. She had been planning this day for a year now, and everything was done perfectly, thanks in large part to Alec's boyfriend Magnus. They are the most fashionably up to date people in the world, and this wedding was something that I've never seen before. Clary and I made our way over to the bride's side, and took a seat with the rest of my family and waited for the ceremony to start.
Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later
Clary POV:
The wedding was beautiful and the reception was just a huge party that everyone was enjoying. Jace was currently talking to Alec, most likely about a case that they were in the middle of because god forbid those two stop talking about work for a day and actually enjoy normal conversation. I was siting at the table when Izzy made her way over to me.
"Why are you all alone?" She asked as she took a seat.
"Jace is currently discussing work with Alec, and my feet are killing me." I said and she laughed.
"I swear, it's like you can't take them anywhere without hearing about dead bodies, robberies and child prostitution." Izzy said and I laughed.
"You are so right." I said. "I've actually had to ban those topics form the dinner table. I can't tell you how many times I've lost my appetite when I ask about his day at work." I said and Izzy laughed.
"So everything between you two is good?" She asked and I looked over at Jace and smiled.
"Yea. Everything is perfect." I said and she smiled.
"Good. I'm about to throw my bouquet, come try and catch it!" Izzy said and she grabbed my hand and pulled them up.
"Isn't that only for single people?" I asked and she laughed.
"It's for anyone who isn't married." She said and I nodded. She grabbed the microphone and cleared her throat. "Can I have your attention, any single ladies, or not yet married ladies place swarm the dance floor, I'm about to throw my bouquet." The stampede of women that flooded the dance floor was outrageous, and I felt like a small little speak of lint floating through the air next to all of them. Izzy turned around and was about to throw it when the bouquet didn't leave her hands. She turned around and started walking to the crowed of us. She got to me and she handed me the bouquet and smiled.
"What are you doing?" I asked her and she had the biggest smile on her face. She turned me around and behind me, Jace was down on one knee and holding open a box with the most beautiful ring inside. My free hand immediately went over my mouth and my eyes began to pool.
"I love you more than I ever thought possible Clary." He said. "I don't want to spend another day without you being my wife." He said and the tears spilled over. "Would you make me the happiest man on the planet, and becoming my wife?" He asked and I let out a chocked sob.
"Yes." I managed to say, but I'm not quite sure how. He took the ring out and slid it onto my finger before scooping me up into his arms. I never thought that I would ever be in this position. I never though I would have the opportunity to marry that man of my dreams, but ever since I met Jace, he constantly surprises me more than I thought was possible, and I couldn't wait to spend the rest of my life with him.
Time Jump - Four Years Later
Jace POV:
I was woken up from my sleep when I felt someone jumping on my bed. I opened my eyes to see my sweet little 3 year old daughter jumping up and down with the biggest smile on her face. I looked over and noticed that Clary wasn't in bed with me.
"Good morning daddy!" She said and I couldn't help but smile.
"Good morning princess. Where is mommy?" I asked as I scooped her into my arms.
"She's downstairs. She told me to come wake you up!" She said and I nodded.
"Well, you did a very good job!" I said and she giggled. I got out of bed and picked her up into my arms and made my way downstairs. Clary was currently in the kitchen making breakfast, and feeding out 8 month old son.
"Mommy, I got him up!" Gwyn said and Clary smiled.
"That you did baby." Clary said and she smiled. I put her next to Blake and he smiled at his sister.
"What is all this for?" I asked as I kissed Blake and than kissed Clary.
"It's your birthday." She said and I laughed. I never really was one for celebrating, and even though we'd been together for 5 years, celebrating was still foreign to me. "You better get used to this babe. It's been 5 years, and we're always going to celebrate your birthday." Clary said and I smiled.
"I know." I said and Blake started to laugh. I looked over at him and he was hitting his hands on his highchair table with the biggest grin on his face.
"Mommy, can I have juice?" Gwyn asked and Clary laughed.
"Of course baby." Clary said. "Jace, her sippy cup is in the fridge, can you grab it?" She asked and I nodded. I grabbed the cup and handed it to Gwyn.
"Thanks daddy." Gwyn said and I kissed her head. I still couldn't believe that this was my life. My phone started ringing and I looked at it and it was Alec.
"I have to go babe." I said to Clary. "Huge break through in the case, and they need all hands on deck."
"Okay. We'll celebrate another time." Clary said and I smiled and kissed her before kissing Gwyn and Blake.
"I love you." I said and she smiled.
"I love you too." She said.
"I love you too daddy." Gwyn said and I smiled.
"I love you too baby." I said and I kissed her than kissed Blake. "I love you too little man." I said and even though he barely knew what was going on, I still couldn't stop telling him whenever I got the chance.
Time Jump – A Couple Hours Later
Clary POV:
The case that Jace was working on was getting a lot of media attention, and I was nervous for him. I knew his line of work was dangerous and knowing that he puts his life on the line day after day was terrifying, but seeing this raid take place on the TV was worse than just knowing what he did, actually seeing it was horrible.
I was sitting in my room watching the TV when my door opened, and in walked Gwyn. She looked tired, but she also looked scared. I motioned for her to come and she ran to the bed and I picked her up.
"What's wrong baby?" I asked.
"I had a bad dream." She said and I nodded.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Daddy got hurt, and he didn't come home." She said and I pulled her into me.
"Daddy will always come home to us sweetheart." I said. "You know he promised us that he would always come home to us."
"I know, but he isn't back yet." She said and I kissed her head. She was such a brilliant 3 year old, and she knew the risks of Jace's job.
"He'll be back soon." I said and she nodded. "Would you like to sleep in here tonight?"
"Yes please." She said and I tucked her in. the TV was muted at this point but I couldn't turn it off. Gwyn was asleep super fast, and I was glad. She didn't need to worry about Jace the way she was. It had been about two hours since Gwyn came into my room when Blake started to cry. I walked into his nursery, and picked him up out of the crib. He instantly calmed down and I tried to put him back in the crib but he started crying again, so I just brought him into my room as well. I put him next to Gwyn and he fell asleep instantly. I continued to watch the news and hope that Jace made it back safely.
Time Jump – Hours Later
Jace POV:
"That was insane." Alec said as we exited the raid.
"Who knew he was going to barricade himself in there for the majority of the day." I said and Alec laughed.
"I'm glad he finally cracked." Alec said and I nodded. "You good?"
"Just exhausted. Not really the way I wanted to celebrate my birthday." I said and he laughed.
"We can go out and catch a bite to eat, and celebrate." Alec said and I smiled.
"Thanks for the offer, but I really just want to get home to my kids." I said and Alec laughed.
"Another time than." Alec said and I nodded.
I got into my car and made my way home. Today was a super long and exhausting day, and I was glad to be coming home to see Clary and the kids. No matter what happened, they were always the best part of my day and I always smiled when I got to come home to those three wonderful people. I got home and I put my stuff down, and went into my office, and secured my gun in the safe before making my way up to my room. When I walked in Clary was still awake and reading something. I walked over and noticed that she wasn't the only one in our bed.
"What are they doing in here?" I asked in a low tone as I shut the bedroom door.
"Gwyn had a nightmare that you didn't come home, and Blake was crying, and wouldn't stop unless I was near him." She said and I nodded. I walked towards the bathroom and Clary followed. Once the door was closed I heard her take a deep breath.
"Are you okay?" I asked when I turned around to face her.
"Sometimes I hate your job." She said and I scooped her up into my arms.
"You know I'll always come home to you three." I said and I felt her nod.
"That doesn't mean I like it." She said as she pulled away. "I can't imagine life without you Jace."
"Clary, I don't care what happens out in the field, I will crawl through hell to get back to you three." I said and she nodded. "I'm going to take a shower, I'll be out soon." I said and she nodded. I kissed her before she left and I got into the shower. I didn't take a long shower, because I just wanted to be with my family. I got out of the shower and pulled on a pair of sweats and made my way over to the bed. I slipped into bed trying not to wake Gwyn, but I failed.
"Daddy?" She said and I smiled.
"Yes baby girl?" I said and she smiled.
"I love you." She said and I smiled. "And I'm glad you're home safely." She said and I kissed her cheek and she curled up on my chest and fell back asleep. I looked over at Clary and she just smiled.
"Told you she's a smart 3 year old." She said and I laughed. She curled under the blankets and rested her hand in Blake's little fingers, and I pulled the covers over Gwyn and I and I turned out the lights. Being here with my family was all I ever wanted, and I couldn't picture having a better life than that one I have right her with Clary. Being called in on the homicide was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I was thankful for it every single day.
Authors Note:
I have no idea who suggested this one, but whoever you are, I hope that you enjoyed it because I think it's a really sweet story! Let me know what you all think and let me know what you think! I don't know when the next one will be done, but I already know what suggestion I'm going to go with but I don't really have the plot down right now, but stay tuned! Thank you for all the encouraging words, and keep them coming if you like! :)
