One Hundred and Thirty Two Story:

Manny

Jace POV:

I was so desperate that I was actually thinking about becoming a stripper. I had no idea why I wasn't getting any jobs that I was applying for. It made no sense, but every time I got rejected, or didn't get a call back, I knew I just had to keep applying and something would fall into my lap.

I was trolling the internet again looking for anything that I was qualified for, and just applying for everything I found. There had to be a job out there for me, I just knew it. I was about to log off from the computer, considering the library was closing soon when I saw an ad for a nanny position. It's been a long time since I've watched a child, but I had my certifications, I was CPR certified, and the woman who posted the ad didn't have a preference for who she wanted. It just said she needed a nanny, and as quickly as possible. So I applied. As I gathered my things up, I got an email back, and I was shocked.

Dear Jonathan,

Please meet me at my house in the Upper East Side, 134 Alicante Ave, tomorrow at 7:30 am. Don't be late. I have other things to do than wait for you.

Clarissa.

To say I was completely surprised would be an understatement. This woman took 3 minutest to reply to me, but it didn't seem like she was all warm and fuzzy. Although, maybe she was just in a rush and in work mode. Nonetheless, I was excited to finally have a job. Potentially.

Time Jump – Tomorrow Morning

Jace POV:

I made sure that I wasn't even 5 seconds late to my appointment today. I got to the house, and I was floored. This place was a mansion. Which I didn't even think existed in New York anymore, but hey, I guess they do. I rang the door bell, and when it opened, there stood a teenage boy.

"You Jonathan?" He asked.

"I am." I said.

"Follow me." He said and I walked into the house and followed him. We got to a huge door and he turned back towards me. "She's in there. Knock first." He said before walking away. I did as told, and knocked on the door.

"Come in." I faintly heard, so I opened the door, and I was greeted with a redheaded woman who seemed like she had a plan, and wasn't afraid to make people made when going after she wanted. "Jonathan Herondale?" She questioned.

"Yes, but I prefer to be called Jace." I said.

"I don't waste time with nicknames." She informed me. "Take a seat. I only have about 5 minutes before I need to leave." She said and I nodded. "I'm at the end of my rope, so this job is yours if you want it. I really don't have any more time to be meeting with other nannies." She said and I nodded. This woman was intense. "I have three kids: Sebastian Maximus Verlac Jr. Seraphina Nicolette Verlac, and Augustus Desmond Verlac." She said. "Basically what I need you to do is be with them all hours of the day. I work nearly 15 hours every day, with some days elongated depending on what I need to get done."

"What about their father?" I asked, although I was slightly intimidated by her.

"Pathetic excuse for a man. He gets them two weeks out of the year, so you don't have to worry about him until the summer time." She informed me, and I can't imagine a father not wanting to be with his kids. "You can live here right? I don't think I mentioned that on the ad."

"I can." I said because as of right now I was living out of my best friends basement.

"Good. Cause you start today. The kids know their schedules so there is no need to tell you. Just make sure you stick to them, and do your job." She said. "We clear?"

"Yes." I said shortly.

"By the end of the day I'll have the contract and all the details of your job outlined, but I'm late to work, so I need to go." She informed me as she stood, and I followed suit. "Keys to the car you'll get are on the hook, and Sebastian Jr. will show you to your room." As we reached the hallway, she grabbed her coat, her bag and she was gone without even a goodbye to her kids. I couldn't believe it.

"You the new nanny?" I heard from behind me and when I turned around there stood all three kids.

"I am. My name is Jace." I said.

"I'm Sebastian Jr. this is my sister Seraphina, and my brother Augustus." The oldest one said.

"I'm assuming you all go by your formal names?" I asked a little worried that they were all like their mother.

"No." Sebastian Jr. said. "We actually all hate our first names."

"I'm right there with you." I laughed. "Why don't we have a seat in the living room, and get to know each other." I said and they nodded. We made our way into the living room and took a seat. "Okay, tell me about yourselves." I said.

"I'm Sebastian Jr. but all my friends call me Junior. I like it a lot more." He explained. "I'm 13, and I'm in a travel hockey league all year long."

"That's awesome. You any good?" I asked.

"I'm pretty good." He smiled. "I had a great coach."

"Who was it?" I asked curiously.

"Wayne Gretzky." He said and my mouth practically hit the floor.

"You're serious?" I asked and he smiled.

"My father knows him. He pulled a couple strings and got him to coach me." He explained.

"That's amazing, and I'm kinda jealous of you." I said and he laughed. "And what about you?" I asked the girl.

"I'm Seraphina, but everyone I know calls me Angie. I'm 8 years old." She said.

"You're going to have to walk me through that one. Junior I get, Angie, not so much." I said and she laughed.

"Well, Junior hates the name Seraphina, and I can't say I blame him, I hate it too." She began to explain. "But the meaning of my name is 'Angel' so he started calling me that right from the beginning. When Auggie was little, he couldn't say Angel, so he shortened it to Angie, and I've been that ever since."

"Don't people get confused?" I asked and she smiled.

"All the time, but I just don't answer to Seraphina unless it's my mother or father." She said and I nodded. "I dance. If I didn't have to go to school, I wouldn't. I would just stay in the dance studio all the time." She said and I laughed.

"I can't wait to watch you perform." I said and she smiled, than I turned my attention to the youngest. "Which makes you Augustus, but judging by what Angie just called you, it's Auggie." I said and he smiled.

"Yup!" She said gleefully. "I do karate." He said. "I'm really good."

"Can't wait to see you in action." I said and he nodded. "How old are you?" I asked.

"I just turned 5." He said has he held up a whole hand.

"Happy belated birthday." I said. "What did you do?" I asked.

"Nothing." He said sadly. "Junior and Angie sang to me but that was it."

"Oh." I said because I just couldn't believe it. "Okay. Well, your mother said you would give me your schedules, so just tell me what I need to do."

"It's Saturday, so I have private lessons at the rink at 11 am, Angie has dance at 9, and Auggie has karate at 1." Junior explained.

"Okay, did you all eat breakfast yet?" I asked.

"The chef doesn't get here until 8 usually." Junior said and I looked at my watch. That was still nearly 20 minutes away.

"I can cook." I said. "Come on." I stood up and made my way to the kitchen, after opening a few wrong doors on the way. "What would you like?"

"Pancakes!" Auggie cheered.

"It's Saturday Auggie, the chef normally makes us scrambled eggs." Angie chimed in.

"I'm sick of scrambled eggs." Auggie pouted as he sat back on the chair.

"What the chef doesn't know won't hurt her." I said. "I'll make pancakes."

"Yes!" Auggie cheered. "Can you put blueberries in them? Mother never lets us have blueberries in our pancakes."

"Of course. One order of blueberry pancakes coming up." I said as I got to work. I couldn't imagine growing up like this. They call their parents mother and father, and they don't seem like they get nearly enough attention. I was incredibly thankful I was put in their lives, because I want to show them how awesome it is to be a child, and to just let loose and have fun. And I planned on doing that for them.

Time Jump – One Month Later

Jace POV:

Today was Angie's first dance practice with a prima ballerina, and to tell you the truth, even I was freaking out a little. I mean, to get private classes with a prima ballerina is insane, and I could only imagine how nervous and excited Angie must be.

Normally Angie was jumping down the stairs for ballet, but she wasn't, so I decided to go upstairs to see what was taking you so long. I knocked on her door, but nobody answered, so I went in anyway, and Angie wasn't in there. I was about to leave when I heard something from the bathroom. I walked over and knocked.

"Angie, are you okay?" I asked, and than I heard the sound of someone throwing up. I opened the door, and there was Angie, hunched over the toilet, puking her guts up. "Angie, what's wrong?" I asked as I kneeled next to her and held her hair.

"What if she thinks I'm terrible?" Angie chokes out after she's done puking.

"She won't Angie. You're a beautiful dancer." I reassured her.

"But she's a prima ballerina. She's amazing, and I'm not." She flushed the toilet, and sat back against the bathtub.

"Well, you want to get to that point as well, right?" I asked.

"Yes." She responded.

"So, getting lessons from her will get you to that point. She'll help you in areas that might need improving, and what better person to learn that from than a prima ballerina?" I offered.

"But what if she tells me I'm not good enough to make it to being a prima ballerina?" Angie asked.

"Than you can prove her wrong." I said and she smiled a little. "Come on kiddo, I doubt the prima ballerina wants you to be tardy." He said and she nodded.

"Thanks Jace." She said as she gave me a hug and we walked out of the bathroom. We got in the car and I took her to her private lesson and I could tell she was still nervous, but I knew she was going to be great. She was an amazing dancer, and I could only imagine how much better she's going to be in the future.

Time Jump – Junior's First Playoff Hockey Game

Jace POV:

Junior's team made it to the playoffs, and I was sitting in the stands with Angie and Auggie, and my leg wouldn't stop bouncing. Last year they got out in the first round, and I really didn't want a repeat. They were so good, and so in tune with each other, and they deserved to win.

Sebastian and Clarissa should be here, and Clarissa said she was coming, but I haven't seen her yet. Junior deserved more than that, and if I wasn't scared of getting fired, I would totally bring it up to her, whenever I actually did see her around.

I caught a glimpse of red, and when I looked towards the end of the rink I saw Clarissa standing there. She was on her phone, so she wasn't even paying attention. I expected her to come join us, but when the game started, she just stayed there. Putting her out of my mind, I focused back on the game, because that's what Junior deserved.

"Come on Junior!" Angie yelled as he skated down the ice. Things looked good for them this year, and I hoped everything went in his favor.

Time Jump – End of First Period

The first period ended and Juniors team was winning, 2-1. They were looking solid, and I had a great feeling they were going to win. I looked over to see if Clarissa was standing there and she was, but she took one look at her phone and left the building. I couldn't believe that she would fucking leave. Her son was having probably the best game of the season, and she walked out? I wanted to go track her down and tell her how horrible of a parent she was, but the second period started, and Junior looked up at us, and waved. I was here for him, and he deserved us in the stands cheering him on. No matter how much I wanted to bitch his mother out.

The game ended and they won 3-1. They were headed into the second round, and I knew that meant a lot to him. We were waiting outside the locker room for Junior to come out, and when he did, I could tell he wasn't surprised when he didn't see either of his parents here.

"Good game Junior!" Angie cheered as she hugged him.

"Thanks Angie." Junior said.

"How about a celebratory milkshake?" I offered and they all smiled.

"Yes!" Auggie cheered and Junior and Angie nodded.

"Let's go than." I said and they all started making their way out to the car, but Junior hung back so I did as well. "Great game kid."

"Thanks Jace." He smiled.

"Your mom was here." I told him. "For the first period."

"I'm not surprised she didn't stay." Junior said nonchalantly.

"Let's not dwell on that. You just won, and had a goal." I said. "That's what matters tonight." He nodded and we loaded the car, and made our way to the ice cream place. I didn't care how useless Clarissa and Sebastian were, tonight we celebrate Junior.

Time Jump – Auggie's Black Belt

Jace POV:

AUGGIE FINALLY GOT HIS BLACK BELT AND THERE WAS A CEREMONY BEING HELD BUT NEITHER SEBASTIAN OR CLARISSA COULD BOTHER TO SHOW UP. IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY AND GOD FORBID THEY MISS AN HOUR OD WORK TO SEE THIS ACCOMPLISHMENT.

"I can't believe they would miss this." I said as we sat for Auggie's Black Belt ceremony.

"Don't you get it, they don't care." Junior said as we took a seat.

"It's an hour of their day." I said. "And they don't even have to stay for the whole thing, just for Auggie to get his belt."

"My mother and father are pretty heartless." Junior said. "But this day is about Auggie, so I think we should just forget about them."

"You are so right." I said and that's when the karate instructor began to speak.

Most of what he was saying was lost to me, because I only saw Auggie nearly jumping out of his seat with his excitement. I knew this meant the world to him, and I couldn't be any prouder of this accomplishment, and I was really proud of him being recognized. Every name was lost on me until I heard his.

"Augustus Verlac." The instructor said and Auggie jumped off his seat and ran to his instructor, and I couldn't help but laugh. He was awarded his belt, and than his picture was taken and we all started clapping. Auggie bowed and retook his seat and than the ceremony was over. He ran down to us and hugged all of us.

"I'm so proud of you Auggie." I said.

"Thanks Jace." He smiled up at me.

"Milkshakes?" I offered and they laughed.

"Why do we always get milkshakes after things?" Angie asked as we went to the car.

"Because they're delicious." I said and they laughed. We headed back to our favorite ice cream place as Auggie gushed about his black belt. He claims he's never going to take it off, and I really don't blame him

Time Jump – Junior's First Day of High School

Jace POV:

I woke up this morning, and I nearly jumped out of bed. Junior was starting high school today, and I couldn't believe he was already 15. The last two years have flown by, and the fact that he was now a high school student.

I got downstairs first, and the chef was just done with breakfast, which confused me. She normally didn't come in until 7, so at 6:45, when she was cleaning up, I was slightly confused.

"Why are you here so early?" I asked.

"Miss. Morgenstern called me last night and asked if I would be here by 6." She said.

"She's not here?" I asked.

"No. She left about 15 minutes ago." She said. I took a deep breath and nodded.

"Okay. Junior should be down soon, do you think you could make him pancakes? He loves them." I asked her.

"Of course." She said and she got back to work. I couldn't believe that Clarissa would miss Juniors first day of high school. When I was a freshman, my mother took almost 100 pictures of me. For Clarissa to leave before he even woke up was rotten thing to do.

Junior came strutting down, and the chef put his plate of pancakes down in front of him. Auggie and Angie soon followed, but she gave them eggs.

"Why don't I get pancakes?" Auggie asked.

"Because it's Junior's first day of high school, so he gets pancakes." I said and he nodded and started eating his eggs.

Everyone was finished up and getting their backpacks and we headed towards the car. I couldn't help but look over in Juniors direction every now and again. He was so good at hiding how he felt when he was upset with his parents. He was always trying to be strong for Angie and Auggie, but I knew that it hurt him. It might seem like little things to others, but for so much little stuff to build up, it can become overwhelming, and I knew it was eating away at him.

We pulled up to Angie and Auggie's school, and they both hoped out. I continued down the road to where Junior went to school, and when I pulled up he took a deep breath before unbuckling his seat belt.

"Thanks Jace." He said.

"Hey, have a great day Junior." I said and he smiled.

"I'll try." He laughed.

"Just remember, high school isn't everything." I reminded him. "Don't stress too hard, because you'll make yourself miserable."

"I'll try not too." He said and I smiled.

"See you after school." I said and he got out of the car, met up with some friends and off he went. I waited for a moment before I made my way to the grocery store for the weekly run. Another year, another moment I noticed the disappointment these kids face very time their parents disappoints them. But the attitudes these kids face the world with is truly admirable and I was more proud of them as each day passes.

Time Jump – Auggie's Championship Karate Match

Jace POV:

Auggie was just about to make his way onto the mat and I was freaking out. This kid has put so much time and effort into this sport, and he's dedicated himself to school work, and trying to prove that he can compete competitively and maintain his grades. It's been a hard year for him, but this was what he wanted to achieve, and no matter the results, I was super proud of him.

Angie and Junior looked like they were just as nervous as I was. They both understood the type of dedication Auggie put into this. They both did it with ballet and hockey. They knew this meant the world to him, and they were so proud of how far he's come.

Of course Sebastian and Clarissa didn't show. I'm surprised they remember they even have kids at this rate. If they show up at all, it's never for the whole event. They either get a call, or schedule a meeting, or Sebastian's personal favorite, they simply sneak out when nobody is watching. Or so they think. I'm always watching. I'm always watching them abandon their kids. I never understood why people like this have kids in the first place. If you don't have time for them, don't have them. It's not fair to the kids who feel neglected and unwanted.

It was about halfway through the match when Auggie went down hard, but this time he didn't get up. I wanted to run over to him, but his coach and the medics were already there, and I wasn't going to crowd their territory. They knew what was going on more than me, and I trusted them to do their job. When his coach looked at me, I made my way over to him.

"I think he broke his arm. We're going to get him to a hospital." He said and I nodded. When the ambulance showed up, they loaded Auggie in, and Junior went with them while Angie and I followed behind in the car. I was worried about Auggie, but he was a tough kid. I knew he would power through.

When we got to the hospital, Junior was sitting in the waiting room. He explained that they needed to get some X-Rays of his arms, and we would be called back when he was in his room. They didn't sound frantic about the situation, and that definitely calmed my nerves.

"Did you call your mom?" I asked Junior.

"What do you think?" He asked. And I knew that meant no. "The doctor already tried. She's busy and can't be reached at this current moment." He said, and it was truly a shame how used to they were with not having their parents around. It was no way a child should live.

Time Jump – Hours Later

Jace POV:

After Auggie finally got his cast on, we headed home. It was a long and emotional day, and I knew the kids were tired, and frankly I was tired too. Hospitals had a way of making a couple hours feel like a couple days, and when we were finally discharged, I felt free.

The minute we walked into the house, Junior and Auggie went upstairs, and Angie went to grab a snack from the kitchen. It wasn't very late, so I decided to just chill on the couch until dinner was ready, but when I went into the living room, I was shocked to see Clarissa there.

"Where the hell have you been!" She yelled at me, and I have to admit, this was the first time in the two years I've worked here that I ever saw such raw emotions.

"The Emergency Room. Augustus broke his arm during his karate match today." I informed her.

"And how come I wasn't informed of this?" She yelled.

"You were contacted. According to the doctor, you couldn't be reached." I told her calmly.

"That's no excuse. I'm his mother!" She yelled, and that's when I had enough.

"Than start acting like it!" I yelled back, and that seemed to catch her off guard.

"You will not raise your voice to me in my own home." She said venomously. "I'll kick you out on your ass before you can even blink." She threatened.

"You know what, I've been silent for too long." I told her. "I don't care if you reduce my pay, fire me, and tell every employer in the state of New York not to hire me, you need a reality check and fast otherwise you're going to mess your kids up." I told her honestly.

"I don't know why you think you can speak to me in this manner, but I assure you, you will never get another job in this state, hell, this country every again." She yelled. "You're just as bad as my pretentious ex-husband. You have entitlement that you didn't earn."

"Do you even hear yourself?" I laughed. "You just called your husband pretentious, but you're ten times worse than he is." I said. "At least he doesn't pretend to be what he's not. He gets them for two weeks in the summer, and than that's it. He never says he'll be somewhere he's not, he never promises to attend a function because he knows he's going to break it, and he never gives those kids false hope. They know he's an asshole, but at least he's an honest asshole. You're just a lousy parent who doesn't deserve those kids."

"How dare you!" She yelled.

"No, how dare you." I cut her off. "How dare you bring those three amazing kids into this world only to ignore their existence entirely." I said. "You created a family, only to neglect them. What kind of monster does that?" I asked and I saw something in her face shift. I couldn't tell what emotions she was feeling, but I knew I was getting to her. "For the last two years I've worked with you, I've never seen you be there on their first day of school, go to a school function, be at their recitals, their games, their competitions." I said a little quieter. "This family hasn't even been on a vacation together." I pointed out. "Auggie is 7 years old and you know what he asked me the other week?" I asked and she shook her head. "He asked me to come into school for career day because although my career isn't that fancy for his elite private school, he knew I would at least show up." I said. "Angie asked me to take her to the father/daughter dance her school was having because she knew her father wouldn't give a rats ass about a school dance." I added. "And Junior." I sighed. "Junior came to me about dating advice because he didn't know how to treat a girl the right way because he never had a good example." I looked up at Clarissa and she looked broken. For the first time since I've known her, I saw raw emotion from her. "You need to get your head out of your ass and start seeing how your workaholic ways, and your complete lack of interest in their lives is negatively impacting them, and if you don't start changing, you'll ruin them forever." I turned to leave because I said my piece. What she does with it is up to her.

"Jace." She said and I stopped dead in my tracks. I turned around and looked at her. "I'm sorry, the kids call you Jace, I figured I should start as well."

"I have no problem with you calling me Jace." I said honestly. "As long as you start calling the kids by the names they prefer." I said and she nodded, although I knew that might take some time.

"Have I really been that monstrous?" She asked honestly. For the first time she wasn't speaking in her harsh work tone, but in a softer tone, a tone I liked a lot more.

"Yes." I said straightforwardly. "You've been a nightmare, and those kids deserve better. I mean, I don't have a family. It's just me in this world, but if I had kids, there is nothing I wouldn't do for them. I mean, Angie used to crawl into bed with me during thunderstorms when I first got here. Don't you wish she found that comfort in you instead of a stranger?" I asked.

"I am the way that I am because I grew up this way. And so did Sebastian." She said to me. "We didn't know any better."

"And how did that make you feel?" I asked. "How did essentially growing up in a prison make you feel as a kid?"

"Trapped." She said. "Lonely. Miserable. Fake."

"And now you're forcing your kids to live the same miserable and unappealing life you did." I reminded her. "Money is great, and there is no doubt that these kids have benefitted from you being the CEO of Morgenstern Pharmaceuticals. I mean, who gets private hockey lessons from Wayne Gretzky, or gets to learn ballet from a prima ballerina, or learns from the most sought out karate master in the world?" I asked, still amazed at how lucky these kids are to be learning their passion from an expert. "I would have killed for that as a kid, but I also loved my parents. I loved how when I looked up in the stands at a game, I could always pick their faces out. I loved being their world." I said as I looked at her. "Don't you want your kids to feel that way with you? Don't you want Angie to grow up learning how to be a badass woman who can be in charge of shit, and not having to depend on a man for money, or happiness, or self worth like you? Or do you want her to learn to hate love, and hate the idea of family, and hate you." I took a deep breath. "Your kids are amazing, and if you spent just an afternoon with them, I guarantee you wouldn't be working as much. Because I absolutely love my job, and I don't feel like I work a damn day in my life because of how much I love it, and how rewarding it is to show your kids what life and love and happiness really looks like. But they shouldn't have to learn that from their nanny. They should learn that from you."

"How do I fix it?" She asked. "How do I fix 15 years of damage?"

"Talk to them." I said. "Kids can be resentful, but they are also willing to forgive. Like it or not, you're all connected for life. It would be a shame for you to wake up one day, and realize you lost too much time."

"I can't just shut off who I am." She admitted.

"I'm not asking you to change who you are Clarissa." I said. "I'm telling you that you need to revise who you are. Being you in the work field is great. Go out there command authority, put your foot down, and take no shit from anyone. But when you come home, leave the bitch at the office." I explained and she actually laughed.

"When I was little, I had a best friend." She said out of nowhere. "He always said I didn't look like a Clarissa, and he refused to call me that."

"So what did he call you?" I asked curiously.

"Clary." She said. "He called me Clary."

"Well Clary, why don't you leave Clarissa at the office, and when you get home, just be Clary." I said and she smiled.

"Thank you. For being upfront with me." She said.

"Some people just need an intervention." I smiled and so did she.

"I have some things I need to do, but I'll see you at dinner?" She asked.

"So I'm not fired?" I asked and she laughed again, and I had to admit, I liked making her laugh.

"Not fired at all." She said. "In fact, I'll give you a raise."

"Wow. You know, my mom always did say honestly was the best policy. I don't think I truly believed her until now." I said.

"Just keep being a great role model for my kids, and this job is yours until Auggie is out of high school." She told me and I was surprised she called Auggie by his nickname. When she disappeared upstairs, I took a seat on the couch. I felt insanely lighter after getting all that off my chest. I hope Clary was for real about this because those kids deserved it.

Clary POV:

I made my way up the stairs and I was a nervous wreck. It hit me that I had no idea how to talk to my own kids. What kind of mother am I? Actually, I know what kind of mother I am. I'm my own mother. The woman that I never wanted to be. It was scary how much we turned into our parents, and I never wanted that for my kids. I didn't want them to be like me, I wanted them to be better than me.

I heard voices coming from Augustus's room, and I figured all three of them would be in there together. Gathering up enough courage, I stood in front of his door, and knocked. It became quiet, and a moment later, the door opened.

"Can we help you?" Sebastian Jr. asked.

"I came to talk to you. All three of you." I admitted. "May I come in?"

"I don't know. Auggie, can she come in?' He asked his brother, and I saw him nod slightly. "Come in."

"Thank you." I said as I made my way into his room, and took a seat at his desk.

"What would you like to talk about?" Sebastian Jr. asked.

"Jace just unloaded a lot of information on me about my behavior, and I agree with him." I admitted.

"What behavior?" Sebastian Jr. asked.

"My parenting behavior." I expressed.

"You mean lack there of." He corrected.

"Yes. The lack of parenting I've been doing, and how it is negatively effecting you all." I said. "You know, when I was a kid, my parents were just like me, and your fathers parents, were just like him." I told them truthfully. "I used to be so happy, and than it all stopped.

"I just assumed you came out unhappy." Seraphina said, and I couldn't help but nod in agreement. I mean, I never gave them a reason to believe I was ever happy.

"I used to be a carefree, happy go lucky kid. But I was naive, and at some point I realized that my life wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and I let it mold me into the person I am today." I admitted. "And I hate that I let it get this far."

"So, what are you saying?" Sebastian Jr. asked.

"I'm saying I'm going to change." I divulged. "I'm not going to treat you all like my employees. You are my children, and it's time I start treating you as such."

"You aren't getting rid of Jace though right?" Augustus asked. "He's coming in for career day next week."

"No, I'm not getting rid of Jace." I said. "The truth is, my job is demanding. And I can cut some hours, but being a single parent, I'm still going to need help, and I can see how much Jace means to all of you, and I'd never get rid of that."

"So, besides cutting back hours at work, what else are you going to do?" Sebastian Jr. asked.

"Well, I know you all hate your names." I said and they all nodded. "And I'm sorry I never fought hard enough to keep pretentious and archaic names away from you."

"Yea, you really had to dig deep to find these dinosaur names." Sebastian Jr. laughed.

"You're all actually named after family members." I said truthfully. "At the time, it was easier than finding names your father and I agreed on."

"I wish you would have stood up for yourself mother." Junior said.

"Call me mom." I told them. "Mother sounds too formal. I'm ending the formalities now. This isn't a business, it's a family, and it's time I start treating you like one."

"As long as you call us the names we prefer." Junior said and I nodded.

"Yes, that was one of Jace's simple requests." I pointed out. "I might slip up every now and than, but I will try my best."

"Trying is all we've ever wanted from you." Junior said and I nodded.

"I'm sorry I've been so lousy." I said.

"Your lousiness brought Jace into our lives, and we're happy about that." Angie said, and I had to admit, I was going to have to get used to calling her that.

"You guys really like him don't you?" I asked and they all smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

"He's great." Junior said.

"I'm glad you get along with him so well." I said honestly. "He'll be here until Auggie graduates high school."

"You called me Auggie." He said with surprise in his voice.

"I'm trying. I am so used to using your formal names, but I know you hate them, and I'm not going to call you something that you hate." I told them.

"We appreciate that." Junior said and at that moment, there was a knock on the door. "Come in." He called.

"Hey, everything okay?" Jace asked when he opened the door.

"Everything is good." I said and he nodded.

"I came to tell you the chef called in sick." Jace informed us. "I was just going to make dinner if that's okay with you."

"You don't have to do that." I said.

"He's a great cook mom." Angie said, and just hearing her call me mom so effortlessly made my heart happy.

"I don't doubt his abilities, but I was thinking maybe we could all go out to dinner tonight. As a sign of starting over?" I prompted.

"That's up to Auggie. Only if he's feeling good enough to go out." Junior said.

"I'm feeling great." He said happily.

"Great. Why don't you pick the place." I said to Auggie.

"Oh no." Junior, Angie, and Jace all said at the same time.

"What?" I asked confused. "What did I just do?"

"We're going to Taki's!" Auggie shouted as he practically jumped up and down on the bed.

"Don't you think Taki's is a little rambunctious for you right now Auggie? You broke your arm today." Jace said. It was weird seeing Jace interact with the kids. I mean, the day I first met him, I couldn't help but notice how attractive he was, I mean, how can you not honestly? But knowing there was this paternal side to him, something that I have completely overlooked along with my kids was eye opening. He was kind, and nurturing, and he wasn't afraid to put me in my place when I needed it. He has become a staple in this home, and if I'm being completely honest, he's become not only the father figure my kids need, but the mother figure as well. He's taken amazing care of my kids, how can a woman not be attracted to that?

"I want to go to Taki's." Auggie pouted, which brought me out of my thoughts. "I haven't been since my birthday." He said and I was confused. I didn't even know they went out to celebrate his birthday.

"Fine, we'll go." Junior ruffled his hair with a smile on his face.

"But no jungle gym." Jace said and Auggie sighed, but nodded nonetheless. "Alright, everyone get ready." Jace said before closing the door and leaving.

"Come get us when you're ready!" I said to the kids. They nodded and I ran to go catch up with Jace. "Hey Jace." I called after him as I ran down the steps.

"What's up?" He asked casually.

"I have been trying to think of a way to repay you for everything you've done for my family." I said.

"I think the paycheck is enough." He laughed a little.

"Well, yes, but you've gone above and beyond what I truly expected." I admitted. "Honestly I was ready to hire the next person who walked through my door, and it just so happened to be you."

"Way to make a guy feel special." He joked and I couldn't help but smile.

"What I'm trying to say is, paying you doesn't seem like enough to me." I said. "So I was thinking that maybe one night Junior can be in charge of his siblings and you and I could go out to dinner." I said nervously, and I had to admit, this doesn't happen to me often.

"Are you….asking me out?" He asked, sounding a little astonished himself.

"It doesn't have to be considered a date." I said hastily. "If you don't want it to be I mean. You can look at it like a business dinner." I added and I could see him thinking about it.

"I guess that really depends." He finally said.

"On what?" I asked curiously.

"On how my boss feels about dating her employees." He said and I had to laugh.

"I think she'd make an exception for you." I said with a huge smile on my face.

"So, when are you free?" He asked.

"Well, since I'm going to be cutting my hours back, I would say I would most likely be more free on weekends." I said.

"Okay, well since Auggie is no long in karate, and Angie isn't anywhere near a recital, the only person who is participating in competitions is Junior." He explained, and I knew I had a lot of work to do with memorizing their schedules. "He has a hockey game Friday night, so unless you don't mind catching a late dinner, we could go after. Or we could just do Saturday. Which ever you want to do."

"Let's do Saturday." I said after a moment. "I want Friday to be all about Junior."

"Sounds perfect to me." Jace said.

"We're ready!" Auggie cheered as he jumped off the steps.

"Seriously dude? You want two broken arms?" Jace said and Auggie just laughed.

We all grabbed out coats and headed out the door. We got in the car, and it was weird to have Jace drive. But as we made our way to the restaurant, and the kids were laughing, and Jace was humming softly to the radio, I had a feeling that the new life I was going to live was going to be pretty amazing. I just wish I got a chance to live it sooner, but I wasn't going to let a single day go. I had more of a purpose now, and I was going to take advantage of it.

Time Jump – Five Year Later

Clary POV:

"Hey mom." Junior said as he walked into the house.

"Hey, I thought you had class until 4." I said as he made his way into the living room.

"He cancelled it." Junior said. "He said he wanted to be home with his new born anyway."

"That was nice of him." I said and he nodded.

"Where is Jace?" He asked as he took a seat next to me.

"Auggie and Angie still had school today so he went to pick them up." I explained.

"Being in college really makes you forget the structure of a school." Junior said and I couldn't help but laugh, but it was soon cut off by cries.

"Nap time is over." I said as I got up and made my way up to the nursery where baby Celine was. I walked in and she was standing in her crib crying. "What's the matter baby girl?" I asked as I picked her up and she stopped. "You just want to join the fun don't you?" I said as I made my way back downstairs.

"God I missed that face." Junior said as I handed him his little sister.

"I can't believe she's almost 2." Junior said as he sat on the couch with Celine in his arms.

"Tell me about it." I said. "It makes me wish I was there for all of you when you were little."

"We all managed." Junior said. "Plus, you turned it around, and brought Jace into our lives. It was a rocky start, but turned out okay in the end."

"I know, but it still makes me sad that I lost all those years." I said as I played with Celine's hands as she giggled.

"Just soak it all in with this cutie." Junior said as he kissed her cheek.

"Junior!" Came a cheer from the hallway, and in ran Auggie. "I missed you."

"I missed you too dude." Junior said.

"You aren't supposed to be home." Jace said as he walked into the living room.

"I said the same thing." I smiled. "His last class got cancelled."

"That's nice." Jace said just as Celine reached for him. "My baby, how are you?" He asked as he took Celine in his arms.

"I'm fine, you?" I said sarcastically, and Jace laughed before bending down and kissing me.

"You know what I meant." Jace laughed.

"She's good as well, but she's probably hungry. Bottles are in the fridge." I said and he nodded before disappearing into the kitchen.

"Hey mom." Angie said as she walked into the room.

"What's with the somber tone?" I asked as she took a seat.

"Nothing." Angie said, but I could tell it was something.

"You know you can talk to me about anything, right?" I asked and she nodded.

"Well, I'm going to be 16 soon, and I was wondering if I could start dating a little sooner." She said but she refused to make eye contact.

"You are never dating." Junior said before I could answer.

"Did someone ask you out Angie?" I asked ignoring Juniors proclamation.

"Yea. His name is Robby, and he's in my biology class." Angie admitted. "He asked if we could go to the homecoming dance together. But he also asked if we could go out before hand, but I didn't know if I could say yes."

"I think we can lift the rule for this occasion." I said and she jumped up and hugged me.

"Thank you so much mom. I have to call Robby." She beamed before running upstairs.

"What did I miss?" Jace asked as he came back in feeding Celine.

"Mom is letting Angie out on a date." Junior said.

"But she's 15." Jace said.

"Yes, but he asked her to the homecoming dance, and that involves dinner before hand. She'll be 16 in a couple months. I think we can bend the rules this time." I admitted.

"Just as long as he's not a D-I-C-K." Jace spelled out.

"We can all spell Jace." Junior said.

"Celine doesn't need to be subjected to such inappropriate language at such a young age." Jace retorted.

"Who know he would be so over protective." Junior laughed.

"Every single person who has ever met him." I laughed.

"Junior, I want to show you my science fair project!" Auggie said and they both disappeared upstairs. Jace took a seat next to me with a half asleep Celine in his arms. That kid could sleep all day if we let her. I looked over at him and I couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you." I said and he looked at me.

"For what?" He asked with a laugh.

"For everything." I admitted. "Applying for the job, taking care of my kids, putting me in my place, accepting my date, proposing to me, marrying me, giving me her." I said as I looked at Celine. "You truly turned my world around."

"I knew there was more to you than your CEO façade you put up." Jace smiled. "And I'm glad you let me in enough to separate Clarissa and Clary."

"It wasn't hard once you showed me what true unconditional love was." I smiled and he pulled me into his side.

"You've given me a life I could only dream of before." Jace whispered into my ear. "I wasn't the only one who changed someone's world."

"I love you." I said and I felt him laugh.

"I love you more than anything Clary." He said as he pressed his lips to mine, right before Celine sneezed. "Okay, you might be a close second to her." He said and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Fair enough." I said as I curled back into his side. I thanked god every single day I hired Jace as my manny.

Authors Note:

So, I forced myself to finish this one shot, because I felt awful about leaving you high and dry for so long. I hope that it's good enough, because lately I've been second guessing everything I've been writing, so let me know how you feel and leave a review!