Clary pulled her final suitcase out of her room and into the hall. After a few weeks of apartment hunting, she had finally just settled for her old apartment, which had somehow remained available. It wasn't necessarily her first choice, but everything had seemed way too expensive for a place she would only be spending a few days a week in. Jace hadn't been happy about it, saying he could help pay for a nicer and safer aoartment, but she had argued with him saying that she needed to do it on her own. It was her idea, and she was going to see it through.
She wheeled the suitcase down the hall and stopped short when she saw Jace and CeeCee sitting in the living room watching something on the television. They weren't supposed to be there. Jace was supposed to be with CeeCee at the park. She had been trying to leave for her first weekend away before they got back.
Things had been more than a little tense between Jace and Clary since their fight. While she had forgiven him for his rash decision making, she had not come anywhere close to forgiving him for what he said. The fact had become glaringly obvious to him, and he continuously tried to apologize. He had gone on and on about how CeeCee was the most important thing in the world to him, and he didn't exactly think clearly when it came to her. He had been angry at Kaelie for what happened and angry with himself for not being around when it did happen, and he had taken that out on Clary. He swore he didn't mean what he said and that he wished he could take it back, but Clary told him that didn't matter. He had used one of her most personal and harrowing experiences, which she hadn't told anybody about except him, and he used it against her.
Jace noticed her standing there and stood to greet her. "Hey, baby," he said.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to keep any accusation out of her voice.
He smiled at her, holding his hands behind his back. "I wanted to give you something before you left for the weekend," he said. "Part housewarming gift, part apology for everything."
He brought his hands out, holding a nondescript red box with a white bow around it. He moved towards her, handing her the gift. She hesitantly took it from him, afraid of what would be inside. Was she going to have to spell out the fact she didn't want him trying to buy her forgiveness again and again?
Removing the ribbon and lid, she saw a Subaru key nestled in a bed of silver wrapping paper. She looked up at him, eyes wide. He just beamed back at her, thinking the surprise on her face was joyous. Forcing a smile, she turned to the little girl on the couch.
"CeeCee, sweetheart, why don't you go and play in your room for a little bit?" she suggested, wanting her out of the room before she lost it on her father.
Thankfully, the young girl obliged, happily nodding her head before jumping off the couch and skipping to her room. Clary waited until she heard the door click shut and a couple of seconds passed. Then, she thrust the box back at Jace, whose smile had completely disappeared.
"I don't want it," she said.
He frowned, brow furrowing. "What?"
"I don't want it. Take it back, sell it, demolish, I don't care. I just don't want it."
He looked down at the box in his hands. "I don't understand."
She sighed, running a hand through her curls. "I don't want you trying to buy my forgiveness. Stop giving me things as a way of apologizing. I don't want it."
He looked back up at her, the frown still etched on his face. "What do you want, then?"
She reached out, gently placing a hand against his chest, right over his heart. "I want you to do better," she said. "Buying me things and saying sorry doesn't mean anything if you continue to do the same shit over and over again." She took a shaky breath, not liking what she was about to say next, but she needed to get her point across. "You—You're doing what Raphael used to do in the beginning. Every time he, you know, he would buy me flowers or take me out to dinner or give me some little gift in apology. But he never changed, Jace."
He removed her hand from his chest and took a step back. "I am not like him," he almost growled out.
She closed her eyes for a moment, choosing her next words carefully. "I know you aren't. But words and actions hurt, too. I can't keep playing this game with you where you say whatever you want to me and then think you can buy your way to me forgiving you only just to repeat the cycle all over again."
"I had no idea you felt that way," he said quietly.
She shrugged, toeing at the ground. "I've never been the best at communicating. It's something we both need to work on."
He nodded, staring off into space for a moment.
"How about a compromise?" he finally said. "This key is no longer me trying to apologize. It's me showing that I trust you."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "How?"
He took the box and placed it back in her hand. "The car is yours, no strings attached. Drive it whenever you're on your weekends at your own place. Go wherever you want whenever you want." He took a deep breath. "Jordan doesn't have to be with you or even around you. You can go off your own."
"Are you serious?"
He nodded. "Nothing weird has happened for a while, and I trust you to let me know if something does happen. Any sort of interaction or run in with Raphael included." He gave her a pointed look.
"And you're not going to have someone secretly follow me around?" she probed.
He laughed but shook his head. "Nope. Although, that does sound like something I'd do, I guess."
She chewed the inside of her cheek, the word compromise ringing in her head. "Alright," she said, clutching the key in her hand.
"Really? Just like that? Because I have even more prepared in case you wanted to argue more."
She shrugged, giving him a small smile. "Trust is a two-way street. If you're going to trust me with this, then I'm gonna trust you to keep your word."
He reached out and pulled her against his body, gently tucking her head under his chin. "Thank you," he said, pressing a kiss on the crown of her head.
She wrapped her arms around him, squeezing lightly and taking comfort in the feel and smell of him. They stood like that in silence for a few moments before she pulled away. She took a few steps back from him and grabbed her abandoned suitcase.
"I should get going," she said.
"You don't have to, you know. We can slow down in other ways."
One corner of her mouth lifted up. "We're supposed to be slowing down, and you just bought me a car, Jace. I think the small distance will help, and it's not going to kill you. Distance makes the heart grow fonder and all that."
He gave out a dramatic sigh and shot his eyes toward the ceiling. "I guess," he groaned, dragging out the word. She could tell he was trying to hold back a smile at his own behavior. "At least I have Paris to look forward to. Only a little over a week."
Clary anxiously glanced down the hall, making sure CeeCee's door was still closed. "Are we taking CeeCee with us now?" she asked, keeping her voice down.
After the incident, Jace had taken away Kaelie's weekends with their daughter. He had been livid about her leaving their daughter all alone at night. Kaelie hadn't been happy with his decision, but Jace had threatened to get the courts involved, and she was at least smart enough to know she would have lost after what happened.
He also quickly looked down the hallway before responding. "She'll be spending the week with Kaelie's parents. Kaelie's welcome to join, but I made it clear that under no circumstances is she allowed to be around without her parents present. I just—I can't trust her after what happened. I feel like I'm being harsh, CeeCee is her daughter afterall, but if anything had happened to my little girl in that time she was alone, I have no idea what I would have done."
She pressed a finger against his cheek and gently moved his head so he was looking at her. "Hey, you have no reason to feel guilty or like you're being harsh. What Kaelie did was terrible and unforgivable. Making sure someone responsible is with her is a good plan until she shows that you can trust her with CeeCee again."
He leaned down, pressing a quick kiss against her lips. "What did I do to deserve you," he murmured.
She shrugged, a smile playing at her lips. "I don't know, but it must have been something pretty great."
That night, she left work and went home to an empty, quiet apartment for the first time in months. Was it really home, though? The apartment had once been her home, when she was on her own just trying to survive and make it through life. The four walls around her held memories, but they no longer held any meaning. They provided shelter and a place to sleep, but they were nowhere near home.
She pushed the thoughts out of her mind as she made her way to the bedroom, where she stripped out of her uniform and replaced it with a comfy set of pajamas. It had been her idea to spend a few nights a week apart, and she was going to stick with it. They hadn't even known each other a year, and she was already reluctant to spend a night away from Jace. That in itself was telling her that they had gotten too attached too fast. Her life wasn't some Harlequin romance novel, and she had to be realistic about her relationship with Jace.
Yet, as she laid down in bed for the night, she found herself unable to fall asleep. She had spent so much time reassuring Jace that the time apart would be good for them that she hadn't even considered the fact that it might bother her. She tossed and turned under her blanket, her apartment too empty for comfort.
An hour later, she rolled over, grabbing her phone off the nightstand. She typed out three simple words to Jace and hit send. I miss you. Being the middle of the night, she wasn't expecting him to be awake or respond. It took her by surprise when, not even thirty seconds later, her phone began ringing, Jace's face lighting up the screen.
She immediately answered the call, bringing the phone to her ear.
"You could always use that car to come back. Or I could come there," Jace said the moment she accepted the call.
"Shouldn't you be asleep?" she asked, ignoring his suggestions.
"Shouldn't you?" he countered without missing a beat.
She shrugged before realizing he couldn't see her. "I can't sleep," she said.
"Me either," he replied, his voice soft and quiet. "Just come back here."
"The fact that we can't spend a night apart is ridiculous," she stated. "And I don't get it. We never had a problem when you went on a trip. Why now?"
"I don't know sweetheart. I mean, you usually had CeeCee those times. And right now I know that you're only a fifteen minute drive away and that you could be here next to me."
"We're like lovesick teenagers or something," she said, forcing a laugh.
"Were you ever a lovesick teenager?"
She scoffed. "God, no."
He chuckled down the line. "What were you like as a teenager?"
"Are we seriously having this conversation right now? A little late for the get-to-know-you phase, don't you think?"
He must have moved around because she could hear sheets rustling in the background. "I could spend the rest of my life getting to know you, Clare. I want to know every single detail of your life before we met."
Her heart swelled at his words, and she told him stories about her life during high school. She told him all about how she was always kind of a loner and spent most of her free time by herself drawing and painting. She told him about how she never went through a rebellious phase because Jocelyn never really gave her a reason to want to rebel. She even told her about the one or two romantic interactions she had, which were huge disappointments. She had never been a romantic at heart, but she still had expected more.
When she was done, he started in on his own life. His stories were very different from hers, not that she was surprised. He had been very popular and well-liked—always surrounded by other people. He did all the typical high school things: going to football games, attending all the dances, being involved in student government, etc.
She wasn't sure which one of them fell asleep first, but the next morning she woke up with her phone on the pillow next to her and the line still connected.
She spent the rest of that weekend and half of the next at her apartment. She and Jace had talked on the phone every night she was away until they fell asleep. Jace used this to argue that she might as well just stay at the penthouse anyway, then. She had argued back saying they never talked that much when she was there, always seeming to get distracted by the physical side of things. They were learning a lot about each other during their late-night talks, and she thought that was important and an improvement.
It was a Saturday night, but this time she found herself spending it at the penthouse. She and Jace were leaving for Paris the next morning, and CeeCee wanted to spend more time with her before she went off to her grandparents'. While Clary could easily say no to Jace, his daughter was a whole other story. She tended to cave at the first sign of the little girl's perfected puppy dog pout.
Clary sat on the couch with the little girl cuddled against her and Frozen playing on the television screen. CeeCee happily sang along with the movie even though Clary was at the point of wanting to gauge her own eardrums out. Jace was off in his office finishing some last-minute business things before their departure. He had to make sure everything was ready for the meetings he had waiting for him in Paris.
As the credits began to roll, CeeCee turned to Clary, eyes sparkling. "Will I ever get a sister, Miss Clary?" she asked.
Clary half-choked on the saliva in her mouth, completely taken off guard by the question. Her mind went a mile a minute as she tried to figure out an appropriate response. She didn't really think it was her place to be telling the child about the miracle of life. CeeCee just continued to stare at her innocently.
"I, um," she finally managed to choke out, "think that's a question for your dad."
"Why?" she asked, her eyes boring into Clary's.
"Because mommies and daddies have to decide to have babies," she explained, not really sure how much she should be telling the little girl. "And even then, you might end up with a baby brother instead of a sister."
CeeCee's little nose scrunched up. "I don't want a brother." She then gasped, her eyes going wide. "Do you think I could ask Daddy for a sister for Christmas?"
Clary coughed to hide the laugh that escaped her. "I mean, sure, you could do that."
"How long does it take for a baby to get here?" CeeCee asked, her face very serious. "Christmas is less than a year away."
"Again, that's a question for your dad," she said, ruffling her hair. "Now, it's way past your bedtime. Go get ready for bed."
CeeCee let out a whine but threw herself off the couch before trudging down the hall to her room. Clary quickly picked up the small mess they had made during movie night while listening out to make sure CeeCee was brushing her teeth and washing her hands. After everything was tidied up, Clary went to read her a story and tuck her in.
Clary found CeeCee already in bed, sitting against the headboard with the comforter pulled over her lap. She was prepared with a book already clutched in her little hands. Clary sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she took the book. CeeCee snuggled further under her blanket.
CeeCee followed along with her eyes as Clary read Where the Wild Things Are out loud. It was definitely one of the little girl's favorites and had been read by Clary multiple times. As Clary got toward the last few pages, CeeCee's eyes began to droop, and by the time she finished CeeCee was half-asleep.
Clary carefully removed her arm from around her and set the book on the bedside table. She adjusted CeeCee so that she was fully lying down and pulled the blanket up to her chin. She was about to stand when CeeCee's voice stopped her.
"Will you miss me while you're gone?" she asked quietly.
Clary frowned, reaching out and tucking her blonde hair behind her ear. "Of course, CeeCee. I'll miss you so much, and so will your daddy."
CeeCee pouted at her, her blue eyes watering slightly. "I wish I was going with you."
Clary felt that twinge in her heart that made her want to change all of their plans and bring CeeCee along with them. She knew that CeeCee needed to spend time with her other family, though. Jace and Clary also needed the time alone that they were about to have.
"That would be nice, but you're going to have loads of fun with your mommy and grandparents. I'm sure they have a lot of fun stuff planned for you. Plus, I promise to FaceTime or call every night before you go to bed, okay?"
She sniffled but nodded. "Can you do that when you have your alone sleepovers, too?"
Clary's heart cracked at the sadness in her voice. She had thought CeeCee would be fine with her weekends away since she had spent weekends at her mother's before and she had Jace with her. She hadn't realized the little girl was actually upset about it. "Whatever you want, sweetheart. Try to get some sleep. You have a big week ahead of you," she said, standing and bending over to place a kiss on her forehead.
She quietly walked to the door and was just about to leave when CeeCee called out to her again. "I love you, Miss Clary," she mumbled slightly, her eyes closing.
"I love you, too, sweet girl," Clary responded as she flicked off the lights, her heart so full she thought it might burst.
She went into her own room and showered and got ready for bed before padding up to Jace's bedroom. He was already in the bed, stripped down to just a pair of pajama pants and his laptop sitting on his thighs. He looked up and smiled at her as she crawled in next to him, resting her head against his shoulder.
"So, I had a very interesting talk with CeeCee earlier," she said after a few moments of watching him type.
He paused his typing, quirking an eyebrow. "Oh? About what?" he asked as he set his hand against her bare thigh.
One side of Clary's mouth rose up. "She wanted to know if she's ever going to get a sister."
Jace began to draw lazy circles on her thigh. "And what'd you say?"
Clary shrugged, a smile tugging at her lips. "To ask you," she said simply before biting the inside of her cheek for a moment. "Do you want more kids?"
He used his other hand to shut his laptop and place it on the nightstand before rolling on his side to face her. "One day, yeah. But I'd like to do it right this time, you know? Get married first, actually plan for it." He looked at her with a cheeky grin. "For right now, though, I'm completely fine with practicing," he said, his handing moving farther up her exposed thigh.
Clary stared at the lights twinkling on the Eiffel Tower, a small smile gracing her face. It was their last night in Paris, and Jace had taken her out to dinner at a restaurant with a beautiful outdoor seating area. They unfortunately hadn't managed to actually spend that much time together throughout the week, as work had kept Jace busier than he had anticipated. Clary managed to fill the time, though.
She had spent her days walking around, window shopping, and visiting museums. As had been expected, the Louvre was definitely the highlight of her trip. At night, she and Jace usually ordered room service and spent the time tangled up in the sheets enjoying each other or watching movies until they fell asleep.
He had been amazing the entire trip, even from the beginning. He'd distracted and calmed her down during the plane ride. She'd never been on a plane before and had panicked during takeoff. He had given her brochures and recommendations for things he thought she would enjoy while he was taking care of work-related business. When they spent their nights together tucked away in their hotel room, he made an effort to have more talks like the ones they had during their phone calls.
"I don't think I've ever seen you this happy or at ease," Jace said from across from her, drawing her out of her thoughts. He set his champagne down, and the corners of his mouth lifted up. "I like it."
She shrugged, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "I've never experienced anything quite like this past week," she said, reaching across the table and taking his hand. "Thank you for this, really."
He squeezed her hand in return. "Of course," he said softly. "I, uh, have something else for you."
With his other hand, he reached into the pocket of his dress pants, pulling out a small black, velvet box. He slid across the table to her, and she felt her heart hammering in her chest, hoping it was just a pair of earrings. Her hopes were quickly dashed, though, as she popped open the lid to reveal a ring with a silver band and small diamond nestled in the white satin cushion.
The air left her lungs, and the color drained from her face as her eyes focused on the piece of jewelry. He could not be doing this right now. Sure, he had talked about spending his life with her, but they had never actually discussed this.
"Shit," she heard Jace mutter across the table. "It's not that Clary."
She lifted her eyes from the ring to look at him, silently asking him to explain.
He ran a hand through his hair and let out a large breath. "This might sound kind of stupid now that I think about it, but, um, it's a promise ring."
Her brow furrowed. "Promise ring?"
She saw his cheeks tinge slightly pink. Jace Herondale did not blush. "I know it's kind of juvenile, but I was thinking since neither of us ever had that love-sick high school experience, this could be like that? It's a promise for the future, our future. A promise that someday we'll take that next step. Because I'm in this for long haul, Clary, and I'm hoping you are, too."
Tears slipped from her eyes as she slid the ring on to her right ring finger—the left would feel too much like an engagement ring. "It's perfect, Jace," she whispered, leaning across the table to press a chaste on his lips. "I'm in it for the long haul, too." She closed her eyes and rested her forehead on his, her hands on either side of his face, just absorbing his presence.
They stayed like that, lost in their own little bubble, until someone clearing their throat startled them apart. They both turned their heads to see the waiter standing there, their bill in his hands. He exchanged a few words with Jace in French as Jace handed him a credit card. The waiter walked away, and Clary felt the heat rise in her cheeks.
"Well, that was awkward," she muttered as she sat back down in her seat.
He chuckled, reaching across the table to grab her right hand. His thumb ran back and forth over the ring. "We're in the city of love, babe. He's used to it."
The waiter quickly returned, giving Jace back his credit card along with a receipt. They exchanged a few more words before Jace pushed back his chair and stood, offering his hand to Clary. She gingerly took it, and he helped her stand. As soon as she was up, he moved to wrap an arm around her waist, and they started their walk back to the hotel.
"Have I told you how absolutely fucking amazing you look tonight?" he murmured into her ear as they made their way down the street.
She rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips. "You might have mentioned it once or twice."
Earlier in the day, she had splurged on what she thought was the definition of a little black dress to wear. It adhered perfectly to her body and hugged her curves in the exact right places while showing off her legs and cleavage. Multiple times throughout the night Jace had commented on it, letting her know just how much he appreciated the new article of clothing.
"Is there anything special you wanted to do for our last night here?" he asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.
"Tonight has been special enough," she said, placing her head on his shoulder. "And honestly, Mr. Herondale, I just want to get you into bed at this point."
He squeezed her closer to his side. "I believe I can have that arranged, Miss Fray," he said as he picked up their pace.
The practically ran back to their hotel, and once they were in the privacy of their own suite, they wasted no time in removing each other's clothes. Within a minute, Jace had Clary bare and sprawled out on the plush bed. She felt excitement coil in her stomach as he stalked toward her, as naked as she was with his arousal on full display.
"God, I love you," he whispered as he reached her. He climbed on to the bed, his body hovering over hers and their faces level. "I love your hair." He ran his hand through her red curls. "I love your eyes. I love your mouth." He stroked his hand down her face, stopping only to gently push his thumb between her slightly parted lips.
She sucked his thumb into her mouth, not breaking eye contact. She reveled in the groan that vibrated at the back of his throat as she swirled her tongue around the tip. He removed his thumb after only a few short seconds, dragging his hand farther down. He stopped once more, this time with his hand resting on the left side of her chest.
"I love how kind and big your heart is," he murmured before removing his hand and placing a kiss in the spot it had previously occupied.
His other hand joined the first as he moved it down to grasp her breasts. "I love your body."
Her breathing was beginning to come in shorter pants, and his hands gently massaged her flesh. He brushed his thumbs over her pebbled peaks, causing her to arch into his touch with a soft moan. His lips formed a sexy smirk as he skimmed his hands down her sides.
"I love your curves."
He started to run his nose softly down her body. Her stomach clenched as his face moved between the valley of her breasts and down her abdomen, lower and lower. She was a quivering mess before even dipped one of his fingers into her arousal.
"I love how you always seem to be so ready for me," he breathed, a soft gust of air caressing her most sensitive spot. He withdrew his fingers and quickly replaced them with his tongue, taking a long, languid lick. "I love how you taste."
She let out a whimper, his words and the sight of him between her thighs increasing the desire and arousal she felt. He continued to take his time teasing her, his tongue making slow and deliberate movements as she writhed beneath him.
Just as she thought she was about to lose it if he didn't do more, he attached his lips to her little bundle of nerves and easily slipped two fingers into her. A guttural moan escaped her, and her hands fisted the down comforter. He paused his movements for a moment and pulled away slightly.
"I love the sounds you make when I touch you," he said softly before returning to his previous task.
It wasn't long before she came undone, his name falling from her mouth in the middle of a long string of curses. He slowly kissed his way back up her body as she came down from her orgasm. He brought his mouth to hers, his tongue gently probing exploring, allowing her to taste herself on him. He eventually pulled away, nuzzling his head in the crook of her neck.
"And I love the way you scream my name when you come," he spoke once more.
Clary pushed gently on his chest, just enough so that she could roll them over. She straddled his hips, his erection pressing into her thigh. She kissed him slowly, grinding slightly to provide some friction. She followed his earlier lead, kissing and touching her way down his body, telling him all the things she loved about him. His eyes. His smile. His touch. How full of love his heart is.
She took him in her mouth and brought him just to the edge before working her way back up his body to kiss him. Her mouth moved against his unhurriedly as they put every emotion they were feeling behind the kiss. Clary continued to kiss him as she adjusted herself and easily slid down his length, both of them groaning as his filled her.
Their mouths broke apart, but they kept their faces close. Their breath mixed together as they panted and moaned. Clary rolled her hips, and Jace thrusted upwards to meet her movements. She dropped her head, her forehead resting on his shoulder as she continued to move. She whispered "I love you" over and over again into his slightly damp skin before cresting for the second the time that night. Jace followed close behind, softly calling out her name as he came inside her.
He pulled her down so she was lying on top of him, their bodies still connected. They remained silent for a while, her tracing shapes on his chest and him running his fingers up and down her spine. Clary kept her eye on the ring on her right hand as her pointer finger moved over Jace's skin.
She hadn't been lying when she told him it was perfect, and she believed he was finally listening to her and catching on to what mattered to her. The ring was simple and definitely not as expensive as some of the gifts he had bought her in the past. Even the car, while originally given with the wrong intent, had been a Subaru and not some luxury car brand.
The word compromise came to mind again. She was going to have to learn how to do more of it. Jace had grown up with money. He was used to buying nice things and spoiling the people he cared about. It was his way of showing affection, and she had to get used to it. She had to learn to compromise and let him spoil her every now and again.
Plus, there was so much meaning behind the thin band and small diamond. He wasn't trying to buy her forgiveness or affection; he was showing her how much she meant to him. He was giving her a promise of an eventual forever. They weren't ready for it now, but she was glad to know that it was in their future.
She was suddenly overcome with even more emotion and felt tears sting at the backs of her eyes. After everything that had happened with Raphael, she had worried that'd she never find actual love. But then Jace stumbled into her life, and she was happier than she had ever been.
A few tears slipped from her eyes, spilling down her cheeks and onto Jace's chest. He stopped his movements, bringing a hand under her chin and tilting her head up. His eyes went back and forth between hers.
"What's wrong?" he asked, a frown etched on his face as he wiped away her tears.
She gave him a watery smile and shook her head. "Nothing," she said. "Things couldn't be better than they are right now."
His brow furrowed. "So why are you crying?"
She adjusted her body so she could press a quick kiss to his lips. "I just got emotional thinking about how happy I am and how glad I am that we found each other and how absolutely in love with you I am."
He chuckled as he played with a piece of her hair. "You're going to be a mess on our wedding day, aren't you?"
Her heart felt like it was stopping and picking up its pace at the same time at the mention of a wedding day. She lifted her right hand and wiggled her fingers in front of his face. "This is just a promise ring, Mr. Herondale. I haven't agreed to marry you yet," she teased.
"But you will, Clary. I know it," he said with a grin before flipping her onto her back.
They had been living in their own little world during their time in Paris, but reality hit them hard when they returned home. CeeCee had become clingy after spending the break away with her grandparents. She was never more than a few feet away from Clary or Jace at any given time except when sleeping. Clary had no idea why she was acting that way considering she had spent time away over Thanksgiving.
On top of that, the flu vaccine proved to not be very effective, and during the week following spring break, CeeCee caught the flu at school. She had then passed it along to Jace over the weekend when Clary was gone. That was how Clary found herself quarantining the two of them to Jace's room on Monday.
It was only early afternoon, but both Jace and his daughter were asleep. Clary took this time to go through and clean the apartment. She worked on disinfecting every surface possible and washing contaminated clothes and bedding. After beginning one of the loads of laundry, she made her way into the kitchen to work on dinner. Usually Imogen would be around, but Clary had sent her home not wanting to risk her catching the flu also. Clary knew that at her age she had a better immune system than the older woman and was willing to take the risk.
As Clary stood at the stove stirring a pot of chicken noodle soup—the recipe for which she found online—a pair of arms wrapped around her waist. Jace bent to set his chin on her shoulder, and she cringed away from his touch.
"If you get me sick, I'm smothering you in your sleep," she said as she stepped out of his reach.
He pouted but kept his hands to himself. "But I miss you," he responded, his voice hoarse from all the coughing he had been doing recently. "Just one little kiss?"
"Nope," she said, lowering the stove heat to a simmer. "Think of it as an incentive for you to get better sooner." She moved around him to start pulling down bowls. "As a doctor, you would think you'd be better about not spreading germs and illnesses."
He leaned against the counter and shrugged. "All rational thought just leaves my mind when I'm around you," he said with a smirk.
She laughed and shook her head. "That would have been a lot smoother if you didn't sound like you had ten years' worth of mucus in your throat and nose."
The pout returned full-force, and Jace placed a hand over his heart. "That cut deep, Clary."
She just hummed in response and began to clean up the mess she made in the kitchen. She put all the left over ingredients in the cupboard and fridge before loading the dishwasher with the dirty dishes. She then began wiping down the counters and sinks.
"I love how good you look moving around my kitchen," Jace said.
Clary ignored his words. "You should go lie back down; you need your rest," she said as she wiped down the counter next to him. "I'll bring you and CeeCee dinner in a few.
He pushed himself off the counter and started to leave, but he paused in the archway to the kitchen. "You know, I think a sexy nurse costume would look very good on you."
She rolled her eyes. "Isn't that a bit of a cliché fantasy, Doctor?" After a short pause she added, "But we might be able to look into it once you're back to full health."
He flashed her a toothy grin before finally making his way back up the stairs and to his room. Clary quickly finished wiping down the kitchen and putting everything away. She turned off the stove and stirred the soup one last time before ladling it into two bowls.
She couldn't find any sort of tray, so she improvised and placed the bowls on a serving platter. After adding tea, honey, and some Saltines, she carefully walked up to Jace's room. She used her hip to nudge to door open and found CeeCee and Jace sitting up in bed watching some cartoon. She set their dinner down on the nightstand on Jace's side before walking around to CeeCee.
"How are you feeling, sweetie?" she asked, placing the back of her hand on her forehead. She noted that it didn't feel any warmer than it had earlier in the day.
"I hurt," she said, her voice small.
Clary offered her a comforting smile and brushed the hair back from her face. "I know, honey. But we're working on making you feel better, okay?"
She felt terrible about not being able to do more, but it wasn't time for her to give her another dose of children's Tylenol for the body aches yet. She went back to Jace's side and, with a teasing smile, went through the same process with him. He removed her hand from his face but interlocked his fingers with hers, squeezing gently.
"It's nice to be taken care of for a change," he said softly, his eyes boring into hers. "Thank you."
Clary was hit with a wave of emotion at his words. Jace had such a caring and nurturing nature, and she never thought about the fact that he hadn't had anyone to look after him for a while. Both his parents were gone, and Kaelie definitely wasn't the type to dote on someone else. He had spent the past five years looking after CeeCee, but nobody had been there to do the same for him. And she was more than happy to take on that role for him. In fact, she was proud to be that person for him.
She was also quickly realizing that taking care of CeeCee, and sometimes Jace, no longer felt like a job at all. It just felt like the next step in the progression of their relationship. Looking after them felt like what she should be doing, especially if Jace planned on making her a part of his little family one day.
As Jace let go of her hand and turned his attention to CeeCee and their dinner, Clary realized they were going to have to have a very serious conversation about her employment status. It no longer felt right for him to pay her for watching and spending time with the little girl who would one day become her daughter.
A/N: I feel really bad because I meant to update sooner but was pulling 50+ hour weeks between a job and internship. I'll try not to take as long between updates again, but I have a really busy semester ahead of me, so I can't promise anything.