Chapter 24: Back Into It
Hello everyone! I hope you're all safe and healthy. Sorry this chapter is a bit shorter, I've just got my exams coming up so I've been a bit busy, but when they're all finished, I'll be able to go back to two chapters a week for a while, so that'll be nice! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Ever since Clary and Jace went on their date, things seemed to ease up a little. They were more confident about leaving the house, and they knew that if they really needed a break, there were other people who were more than happy to help.
Magnus and Alec were keen to get in as much practise before they adopted their first baby, so they would come over all the time, which gave Clary and Jace a good break. Clary had even decided that she might be ready to get back into work.
They had also started a new tradition. Every Friday night, whoever was in L.A. would come over to Clary and Jace's house for, what they liked to call, family dinner. Everyone was currently sitting around the table, marvelling at how much they'd grown up - Kit had even shown up on time tonight, although Clary assumed that was largely due to Livvy's influence.
"Who would have thought that nine short years after signing that fateful contract that we'd still be sitting here; not in a band anymore but just as close," Simon says.
"And that three out of four of us would be married," Alec says, "and Simon to my sister," he adds, as if that is the most surprising part.
"And there would be two babies - and plans of more," Clary says, smiling at Alec and Magnus.
"And that I would have committed to a relationship!" Kit says, clearly excited that his and Livvy's three month anniversary was coming up. Before now, the longest relationship he'd been in was pretending to date Clary.
"I can confidently say you're all adults now," Magnus says proudly, "yes, even you Kit."
"And I just want to say thank you," Jace says, bouncing Ella on his knee, "for letting me join you guys. For taking me in and letting me be a part of this family."
"Look, we probably wouldn't have if Clary didn't make us," Simon says, shrugging. It was true that Simon had a lot of reservations towards Jace in the beginning, but they were actually quite close now.
They kept on talking, thinking about how much they'd grown up, and reminiscing on stories from their past. Like how Kit didn't approve of Clary until he heard her play the drums, or how they'd once stayed up for forty hours straight to finish an album and do two concerts.
When everyone was getting ready, Clary pulled Magnus to the side. "Hey, I know this really isn't the time to talk business, but I was thinking…"
"About what?" Magnus asks.
"That maybe it would be good to be in another movie again. It's less of a commitment than touring, but it'll have more of a schedule than writing. And I think I'm ready to start working again," Clary explains.
"What kind of movie?" Magnus asks, sounding intrigued. He'd thought of a few things she might want to ask him, but he didn't think it would go here.
"One that's in L.A. definitely, and I was thinking maybe something that's family friendly, so if I really needed to I could bring Ella and Teddy to work," Clary says, looking behind Magnus every few seconds at everyone else.
"Okay, I'll see what I can find," Magnus says.
"And could we keep this between us - I haven't told Jace yet, but I just wanted to see if there was anything to tell first." Clary adds quickly, and then smiles at Jace across the room.
"Of course," Magnus says, "I'll let you know what I find in a few days, yeah?"
"Thank you!" Clary says, squeezing his hand quickly.
"Can I just ask, not to pressure you or anything… more out of curiosity. When's the next album?" Magnus asks.
"I don't know. I couldn't imagine leaving Ella and Teddy, but I also know I don't want to tour with two babies. A couple years, at least. Probably - who really knows," Clary says. The truth is, she hadn't felt that pull towards music like she normally did. Sure she loved singing a lullaby to the twins, and she'd sing along to the radio and in the shower, but she hadn't written anything in months. She'd actually gotten right back into her art, and was beginning to dance a bit again.
"Right, well I'll let you know about any roles shortly," Magnus says, and then goes back over to Alec who is saying goodbye to the babies.
"Okay, don't be angry," Jace says to Clary a few days later.
"What would I be angry about?" Clary asks, quickly running through a list of what he may have done in her head.
"I've got an audition tomorrow - it's for a movie in L.A., and it's just the audition. You know Izzy's been sending me scripts and I really like this one. But it's just the audition, and then if I get the part we can really talk about me accepting the role," Jace says, obviously feeling the need to explain himself.
"I'm not angry," Clary says, smiling at him.
"You're not?" Jace says, sounding surprised.
"No, Jace," Clary says, "I get it - the twins are a few months old now, and you've been so good. I get you wanting to go back to work. And it's in L.A. and we'll be able to sort everything out."
"What, have you been thinking about getting back into work as well?" Jace asks, curious.
"Sort of," Clary admits, "but not an album or anything. What role is it for anyway?"
"Oh, it's for Hercules in the new Disney live action remake. The script looks really good, and I think they said Danny DeVito has already signed on. I just thought it would be good to be in a movie that my kids could watch, you know… when they're still kids."
"You were in Peter Pan," Clary says. She's never told him, but she had a massive crush on him in that movie when she was younger.
"You liked that one, did you?" Jace says, noticing the slight blush on her cheeks, which became much redder at that statement.
"It was alright," Clary says, fighting to keep her voice even.
Clary phone rings, and she sees a very sparkly picture of Magnus grace her screen, "hold that thought for a moment - it's Magnus," Clary says to Jace, who had wrapped his arms around her waist.
She goes out to the back deck, and looks back at Jace once, who is still watching her every move, before answering the phone. "Hey Mags."
"Biscuit," he says, "I've found a few roles I think you would be great in - my personal pick is Megara in the new Hercules, but there are a few others that look good. I'm getting the scripts sent over to you later today, and after you've decided which one's you like I'll set up some auditions."
"Hercules?" Clary says. She hadn't thought about being in another movie with Jace, but it might actually be perfect. "Would you be able to set up an audition for that? Not tomorrow… but any other time."
"Oh yeah, sure. Have you heard about that already?" Magnus asks.
"Oh, here and there," Clary says.
"Okay," Magnus says, "I'll set it up and send over the details."
"Thank you Mags," Clary says. The moment she hangs up the phone, she feels Jace wrap his arms around her waist again.
"What did he need?" he asks, whispering in her ear.
"Nothing too important," Clary answers, turning around in Jace arms.
A few days later, both Clary and Jace had gone to their auditions. Jace had come home feeling very confident, and they both agreed that if he got the role, then he should definitely do the movie. He got the call the next day telling him he'd gotten the role. She'd still hadn't told him that she'd gone for an audition. She'd lightly brought up the idea that she might want to be in another movie, and he'd agreed it would be a great idea, but she hadn't mentioned it again.
She'd gotten the call that morning telling her the role was hers if she wanted it, but she knew she'd have to talk to Jace before making any decisions.
"So I just got off the phone with one Isabelle Lewis," Jace tells Clary, sitting down on the couch next to her. "And she told me that they've already chosen who will be playing Meg for the movie."
Clary's heart started beating faster. Did he already know it was her? Was he going to be angry that she didn't tell him about the audition before now.
"Which is weird," Jace continues, "because usually they'd run a couple chemistry tests at least. Which made me think that maybe I've worked with her before, so they already know we work well together."
"You know, don't you?" Clary asks.
"Know what?" Jace asks. Clary assumes he's feigning ignorance so that she has to tell him.
"That's it's me," Clary says, sighing. She was hoping she'd be able to tell him - she thought it might be better that way.
"It's you?" Jace asks confused. And then it seems to click that it's Clary who's playing the role. "It's you!" he says much more excited this time.
"You're not angry - I haven't accepted anything, I can still turn it down if you want," Clary says.
"Turn it down… why do you think I wouldn't want to work with you?" Jace asks. "Do you not want to work with me?"
"No I do!" Clary says, "that's the main reason I auditioned. I just… get it if you want this to be about you."
"No Clary, I know I've said shitty things before, but I would love to be in another movie with you," Jace says.
"Okay," Clary says, excited, "well, I'll tell Magnus!"
"Why didn't you tell me before now… I could've suggested you or something," Jace asks.
"That pretty much why. While I did want to be in a movie with you, I wanted to get the role based on my own merit… not because you told them to give it to me."
"I get that," Jace says, running his finger through her hair. "Now go tell Magnus that we're going to be in another movie together!"
But when Clary called Magnus, she didn't get an opportunity to tell him about accepting the role, because they'd just found out that they were getting a baby.
He very quickly, and very excitedly explained that someone had chosen them. She was three months pregnant, and couldn't keep the baby. That they were finally going to be parents!
Clary quickly called Jace over, and together they all celebrated over the phone. Needless to say, that Friday when everyone came over there was a lot of celebrating and talking about their baby. Everyone was so excited, they didn't even notice that Clary wasn't drinking.
Please review! And please stay safe! I hope you liked that chapter, and I'll see you next week :)