CHAPTER 5

The Countdown (Jaces POV)

December 31st

7:04pm

London's underground is bustling with activity. Jace Lightwood cooly slips through the crowd, music pumping through his headphones as he towers over the breathless crowd. His blonde hair catches the light and he makes his way to Platform 14, the last train of the night sits impatiently awaiting the last few passengers, the agile soccer player jogging slowly down the carriages to find his assigned seat. At almost the last second, Jace swings up into the train, past the shutting doors and into the cabin. He pulls off his duffel bag and places it in the overhead compartment, shirt riding up slightly. He then swings into his seat, pulling his phone out, and scrolling through countless playlists to a favourite. He presses play and sinks back into his seat, breathing more calmly and steadily as Nocturne 2 by Chopin starts its first phrases… He opens his eyes again as the train eases out of the station and into the white countryside. Jace Lightwood thinks back on the past three days, trying out for countless university teams and handing out his coaching resume. he smiles to himself as he remembers Max texting him countless times about scholarships and making it back in time for the fireworks and to meet Jonathon. Jace felt sorry for the guy after overhearing hushed conversations between Mayrse and Robert. In a way, Jace was reminded of himself when he thought of the boy. He wondered if their parents knew each other. He remembers hearing about how Jonathon's mother slit her wrists while he went to a birthday party, and tried to jump out of the hospital window, and how his father had gone missing, or been kidnapped. Jace shivered at the things the poor boy has had to go through, and looked out the window at the white city.

The train ride was rather dull, in his peripheral vision he could see two girls that had gone to his high school and Jace snorted as they giggled and chattered, trying to work up the courage to introduce themselves. Jace was bored of this child like situation so he went for a walk. He walked up and down the next two cars before ducking off to the toilet.

Soon enough the train neared Idris and Jace picked up his things to leave and walked towards the exit.

As he pushed through the station doors a gust of wind hits Jace and he grins. Ahhh Idris he thinks to himself, smiling as he feels his cheeks go numb in the cold. He walks to his car and slides in, pulling out of the train station carpark and towards Idris Manor, and Isabelle's famed New Years Eve party. He pulls through familiar gates and winds down his window as Alec crunches through fresh snow towards the car. The brothers grin at each other and Jace ruffles Alec's hair through the window, laughing as he pulls away and parks next to the many, many cars. He gets out and crunches towards the door, instantly spotting Izzy, talking to some nerdy looking guy leaning against the doorframe. Isabelle spots Jace and squeals. "Jace! Welcome home! Please be safe, have fun, go have a drink…" She giggles again and Jace notices the arm lazily wrapped around her. He growls under his breath and replies. "Isabelle, enchanted to see you again. Have fun, be safe, don't drink anything else or you'll be very sorry in the morning.." Jace didn't know why he was so aggressive tonight, he was trying to be funny, but his tone was a tad harsh. He looks back at his sister to apologise, but she is snogging the nerd. gross

Jace walks briskly to the main room, the bar on the side instantly grabbing his attention, he sees Magnus talking to a scantily clad, very beautiful redhead. He lets his eyes take in her full body when he sees Magnus raising his eyebrows slightly in a "come over and talk to her, don't just eye rape her" kind of look. Jace is about to walk over and talk to the mystery girl when a cup is thrust into his hand and Kaelie grinds into him. Jace groans as his on-off fuck buddy decides to thrust her tongue into his mouth. He wasn't particularly in the mood for sex tonight, but he figures it'd be a good way to end and start a year. Jace is about to leave the dance floor when his eyes are caught by a flash of red. Jace stares across the room at the girl as she hugs Isabelle and kisses The Nerd on the cheek, Jace feels a flare of jealousy, and intrigue. He starts towards her as Magnus draws her attention to someone in the crowd just behind him. She stares through his head for a second and then her gaze shifts to his. Their eyes meet and Jace inhales sharply, she's beautiful, who is she? he thinks to himself, still staring into her emerald green eyes, watching as she licks her lips in the sexiest way possible and grabs another drink from the bar, turning to The Nerd as he hands it to her, watching her warily. Jace was really starting to hate that guy, not only was he all over his sister, but then he had the gall to look at the redhead in such an intimate way. Jace starts towards the red head again when he is pulled into the hallway by Kaelie, who promptly slaps him.

"Are you fucking kidding me Jace?" Kaelie spits out in a thick Manchester accent. "Not only did I take a three hour train here, you turn up late, then proceed to eye up another girl, what's wrong with you?" Jace looks down at the girl shouting at him with a look of absolute apathy. He is so intent on leaving the brunette's side that he decides to retaliate. "Kaelie, we all know what you're here for, so take it already, just not from me, its over between us, whatever we had, which was non-existent to start with, and go fuck someone else.." Jace spits out. He feels no remorse, this little relationship was boring him, and he had to find that redhead. Jace turns away and walks back into the dance floor.

Jace spends an hour or so searching for the mystery woman, and has given up. He heads to the bar, and talks to Isabelle. "Have you met Clary yet?" She shouts over the loud music, "Who's Clary?!" Jace shouts back. "Jonathon's older sister you dingus!" Isabelle is definitely tipsy.. Jace thinks to himself, remembering countless conversations about the family friend coming to stay.. Grabbing a cup and downing it in one, he grabs another, and another. Isabelle cheers, and The Nerd looks on, serving other people. "Where's he from?" Jace asks Isabelle, motioning at the boy. "Berlin! I KNow how exotic!" Isabelle cries back, beaming. She opens her mouth to say more but is interrupted by an obviously underage girl calling "SHHHHOTSSS!" and pointing at Jace. Isabelle jeers and starts pouring into small plastic cups, and placing them all before Jace. She then pointedly looks at the girl with disgust and beckons for her to come closer. Jace strains his ears to hear the famous phrase uttered in a sickly sweet squeal, "Please leave, or I'll rat you out to your ma and da and you'll be grounded for a century…" He laughs and points to the door sheepishly. The girl and a friend of hers walk out of the room and Jace can't help but feel bad for them, but in the interests of safety and the party rules set out by the Lightwoods, any underage drinkers are booted out on their asses. Jace turns back to the table in front of him and begins to down the small plastic cups. His throat burns and stings but he welcomes the pain, feeling alive. He finishes the shots and looks back at Isabelle. He decides to leave her, and find someone to dance with.

This time when Kaelie finds Jace he doesn't push her away. It is most definitely the alcohol coursing through his veins that makes him agree to "one last time" and he and the brunette stagger up to his bedroom. He feels empty as he slips off his tee shirt and starts undoing his shoelaces. He growls as Kaelie strips to her thong and tackles her onto the bed. Jace is obviously inhibited by the alcohol, his reflexes dulled and his vision blurry. So when light floods the room, all he can think is what the fuck? Suddenly he sees the outline of a girl who seems to be blabbering about this being her room and Kaelie retreats to from under him. Jace turns over and sits up on his elbows and out of his mouth tumbles the most obnoxious sentence he could come up with, "Now, Listen here Red. She was a great fuck if you don't mind, AND, this is my room." As soon as he says this he regrets it, this "Red" was the same red he's been ogling all night, good one lightwood, how charming. Jace cringes at his harsh words and avoids eye contact, instead he looks around his room for the first time since he arrived back home, noticing the half unpacked suitcase, and easel set up by the window. The girl speaks again and Jace admires her accented English. She sounded german..? What was she saying? his ears begin to work again and Jace catches the end of her sentence. "…and this is my room. Mayrse said so, third on the left." She isn't looking at him either, and Jace is grateful, if he looked into her eyes again, he wouldn't be able to hold a very decent conversation. He goes for the cool approach, choosing a light chuckle to accompany his words. "Well, Red, I hate to break it to you but this is the right side of the corridor." Jace mentally high fives himself, he sounded cool, not too drunk at least. The mysterious redhead then flushes almost a purple shade and Jace cant help but think how cute she looks, noticeng that her hair is wet and she isn't wearing make-up anymore. He wonders what she's doing going to bed so early and realises he'll never find out if he doesn't stop her walking out the door as she is doing right now.

"Wait! Well, I know this isn't the best circumstances, but I saw you at the party right? Are you a friend of Isabelle's?" Jace asks, hoping he doesn't sound too jealous. The girl pulls herself back into the room and sits gingerly on the edge of the bed, Jace pulls the covers up around him as he moves to cross his legs. He makes sure to show her his abs, watching her eyes flicker down to them and grinning to himself. "Well, I am Isabelle's friend, Clary, I'm from Berlin and I'm staying the year with my little brother Jonathon so we could see the Lightwoods again. It's been years." The grin drops and is replaced with a soft smile, he remembers the countless conversations he's had with Isabelle about how to breach the subject and the subject of her family itself. He tries to make Clary feel as comfortable as possible, and decides talking about his family will help. Well, I'm Jace Lightwood. I have heard a lot about you, Clary," Jace shivers when he says her name, it feels so nice to say. "I am not a Lightwood biologically, I am sure you know, or have guessed… My parents are dead and Mayrse adopted me. I'm eighteen, but I still live at home, I feel like I'll just catching up on family time this coming year, I've finished school…" Jace keeps talking and he watches Clary relax, she starts leaning towards him and for a split second he thinks she's going to kiss him, realising she's just slumping forwards. He chuckles to himself, "Was it Magnus mixing drinks tonight?" Clary nods and yawns, mumbling something about being exhausted. Jace watches as Clary slowly slumps forwards this time and lands in his lap, he sucks in a breath as she snuggles into the crook of one knee. She falls asleep and dozes for a minute or two, Jace shifts slightly, and her eyes fly open. She just about bolts from his room and Jace is left sitting there dumbfounded.

After a minute or two Jace resolves to go to bed early, he sits back in bed and looks over at Clary's easel and suitcase. He sees a pair of pyjamas on top of the pile of clothes heaped on the suitcase and decides to take them to Clary's room, incase she needs them tonight. A good enough excuse to see her I guess…. Jace picks up her painting things and takes them across the hallway, knocking on the door and opening it after a second or two. He puts her easel down and Clary smiles gratefully. He goes back to his room for the last things and sets them down on the floor next to her desk. Jace looks around the room for the first time and cant help smile to himself at the riot of colour and love he can see in the room, from the mural of two deer grazing, to the tie die curtains, to the psychedelic bed linen, everything screams the opposite to his restrained "minimalist" room. Jace is snapped out of his thoughts by a small "Thank you." He grins from ear to ear and replies, "Anytime!" Just about to walk out the door, Jace catches himself, "Clary, Why did you run out of my room like that?" He sits down on the edge of her bed and reaches out to her foot almost instinctively, tracing patterns onto her foot's arch. Jace feels a small shock when he first touches her. Clary seems to shiver and draws the closest blanket over her chest. Why do I want to touch her? You're getting clingy Lightwood…Jace thinks to himself, admiring Clary as she looks at his body smiling to herself, Jace didn't mind at all. All to suddenly the moment is lost when Clary speaks, stuttering out something about her head being in Jace's lap, dangerously close to your dick Lightwood Jace finishes the sentence for himself. Play it cool, laugh, just laugh it off…

Jace sees his opportunity and goes in for the compliment, earnestly meaning it, "I always wondered who did this.." He says motioning to the tie-die curtains and mural covering two walls. Clary's face turns pink and she points to herself. "Twelve year old me….. Beautiful isn't it?" Jace nods slowly, "You're a very talented artist." He does mean it.

Jace could sit their for hours in that comfortable silence, but it is interrupted by a loud raucous counting. He knows the tradition, and for the first time in all eighteen years of his life he feels nervous about who he will kiss on New Years. The numbers are getting smaller and smaller and he looks at Clary's lips.. Jace shivers. "Clary, do you want to…?" Clary seems to shiver as well, she nods, leaning into him. Jace scoots closer to the redhead, not believing his luck he groans. He waits for the last number to be called and then crashes his lips into Clary's. Jace sees stars, this is a kiss like no other he's ever had. Clary leans into him and he licks her lip for entry, testing his boundaries. Clary moans and opens her mouth. The kiss is the sloppiest Jace has ever had, but also the hottest. He feels her hands in his hair and groans as she pulls his curls at he nape of his neck, it feels delicious. They fall back into bed and he deepens the kiss even more and feels as Clary's hands roam all over his body, he pulls her tighter, just wanting to hold her and feel her up against him. Jace can barely hold himself back and slides one side of Clary's dress off her shoulder. BANG! fucking perfect timing Max Jace thinks. He smiles and pulls Clary up, FLASH they scramble to the window and Jace pulls back the curtains to reveal a sky of stars, shimmering and flashing and swirling stars. He pulls clary closer and cheers, his face alight in pure joy. By far, this is one of the best new years…. Jace watches the fireworks in amazement, and glances at Clary. She is beautiful, Jace don't ruin this! Take it slow, be a gentleman… He looks at Clary again and she looks back at him this time. She gingerly reaches for his face, and pulls it down to her own. The two teenagers lock lips again, Jace makes sure to be gentle, caressing Clary's cold shoulder, and guiding her back to the bed. Now lying down he stops the kiss, and looks at the red head above him. He tries to take as much of her in before the inevitable. He looks at her as she takes her arms out of the dress, and pulls it off over her head. She leans down and whispers into Jace's ear, "Happy New Year…" and he grins, absolutely over the moon.