Chapter Eight
Time Jump-One Month Later
Clary POV:
The Lightwoods had settled in nicely and for the first time I actually loved being in this house. They made it homey, and every single day I'd wake up next to Jace and when we got downstairs I could hear the laughter echo through the house. I never thought that would ever happen.
One day I woke up and Jace wasn't there. I looked around but realized that he wasn't in my room at all. I walked downstairs and before I made it around the corner I could hear Mrs. Lightwood talking.
"Alright kids, I called this family meeting because we need to have a serious talk." She sounded really serious and clearly I wasn't invited because I'm not part of the family but I couldn't find it in me to stop listening. "As you all know, money has been really tight lately which is why we're living in the governors house for the time being but I feel it's necessary to do this."
"Do what mom? We have no idea what you're even talking about." I heard Izzy says and I had to silence my laugh.
"Jace told me that Clary's birthday is in August, and I want to give her the best birthday gift ever." My jaw dropped and I couldn't believe that this whole family meeting was about me. "Now Jace told me that Clary has never celebrated a birthday, and sure she'll be 19 so it isn't a very exciting birthday, but everyone should experience what it feels like to celebrate a birthday."
"I completely agree mom. That poor girl has been through so much shit she deserves this."
"Come on, she has me, that's gift enough." I heard Jace say and I could just hear the smirk in his voice. "Ow. Izzy."
"Don't be an asshole. She deserves this, she has to deal with her past, her parents, and you. That girl deserves a freaking medal for all that."
"What are you talking about Isabelle?" He mom asks and I knew she just opened the can of worms I was hoping would stay closed for the rest of my life.
"Well, I mean, I was just saying, um…" Izzy was searching for the right words to say and I knew that it wasn't going to go away. I sighed and made my way into the kitchen.
"I think I can explain what she means." I say and everyone looks at me. I give them a small smile and Jace gets up and makes his way over to me.
"You don't have to tell them. It's completely up to you." He says as he grabs at a stray hair and places it behind my ear.
"It certainly can't go away can it? Izzy already said something." I looked over at the table and I could see the curiosity on everyone's face. "But I don't want Max to hear it. He doesn't need to hear something like that."
"Alright. Hey Iz, can you take Max out for an hour? Clary wants to talk to everyone."
"Of course." She stands up and grabs Max's hand and walks towards us. "I'm really sorry Clary. I wasn't thinking."
"I know. It's alright." I make my way over to the table and take a seat. I look at Mr. and Mrs. Lightwood and Alec and I take a deep breath and grab Jace's hand. "Well, it started when I was 6…"
It took awhile but after 45 minutes I was done telling them my story. I got through it without crying for the first time. I was still holding onto Jace's hand, and he was rubbing calming circles on my back. After about 5 minutes of silence Mrs. Lightwood begins to speak.
"Clary, we're so sorry. No child should ever have to go through that." Mrs. Lightwood said as she reached her hand across the table and grabbed my free hand.
"And that's what prompted the suicide, well that and the constant neglect that I got from my parents. I'm sure you all read about in the paper. Well, at least the details that my father allowed out to the press."
"We read about it, but there wasn't much to go on. I figured your father didn't want anyone prying into your life, but I thought it was because he wanted to help you heal, I didn't realize he did it to protect his own ass."
"Everything my parents have done is to protect their own ass. My father can't be involved in a scandal without it potentially ruining his chances of reelection, and a suicide attempt is definitely categorized as that. So he kept everything quiet until I told one of my teachers a bullshit story and than that was what was circulating so it got my father off, and that was all he cared about. They grounded me for a month, I wasn't allowed to leave the house, and when I was allowed to leave the house I was old news and nobody cared."
"I'm so sorry Clary, I couldn't even imagine living that way. It must have been so hard not having anyone."
"It sucked, but I had Jace." I looked over and smiled at him and he smiled back. "He found me in the woods one day and he was surprisingly easy to talk too. He helped me in a lot of ways. He was the first person I opened up too, and to my surprise he stuck around." I felt him squeezed me hand and I couldn't help but smile even more. "He saved my life, as cliché as that sounds. He really did."
"How did you parents react to Jace?" Alec asked.
"Yea, how did your parents react to me? You never told me." Jace chimed in and I laughed.
"They weren't happy. Before Jace and I were together they were constantly trying to set me up with their friends kids, but I would go out on one date with them and I would never see them again, they were awful. They were just like my father. They were less than pleased that Jace didn't have any status, or money, or anything that they value." I looked at Jace and I could see the sadness in his eyes even if he wasn't showing it to anyone else. "I told them that none of that mattered to me. I was with Jace because he made me happy, and he made me feel safe and that he helped me. They haven't said anything since than. But as long as I'm not disappointing them or causing disgrace to the family name I don't think they really care."
"Wow. That's" Alec paused to find the right word "Intense."
"That's my life." There was a pause in the conversation until we heard the front door open. Nobody thought anything of it because we all thought it would be Izzy and Max but when I heard deep voices I got up and went to the living room and I was shocked when Jonathan stood there with 5 of his teammates. "Jonathan, what the hell are you doing here? And who are these guys?"
"Jon, you never said your sister was hot." The one said from the back and winked at me, and he gave me the creeps.
"Chill man, she's my sister, and she isn't single. At least, I don't think she is. Last time we talked she had a boyfriend."
"I'm right here. You could ask. And I do still have my boyfriend, his family is currently staying here for the summer with me."
"Why?"
"Mom and dad didn't trust me alone and it just so happens that they were having some trouble, and mom and dad are gone and they told me you wouldn't be here." By this time the whole Lightwood family was with me and Jace put his arm around my waist. "And I'll ask again, what are you doing here?"
"Chill sis. I came home because I felt bad that you were going to be here all alone, and I know we aren't close, and we really didn't grow up together, but it felt wrong to leave you in this house by yourself, but now that I know you aren't we'll only be staying for a couple days and then we'll be out of your hair."
"You really came back for me Jon?" I asked in a small voice not knowing whether to believe him or not.
"Of course Clare. Look I know we aren't close like other siblings. I know I'm 10 years older than you so we never really hung out while we were growing up, and football kept me extra busy but that doesn't mean I don't love you." He said and that's what pushed me over the edge, and I started crying. "What's wrong?" He asked and I took a deep breath.
"I didn't know you felt that way."
"Of course I do Clary, you're still my baby sister, and you still mean a lot to me. I regret not knowing you. I feel like we're practically strangers, and I shouldn't feel that way about my sister." He took a step closer to me. "I focused so much on football because it gave me a reason to be away from mom and dad but it also took me away from you, and it's one of my biggest regrets."
"Really? I thought you loved football. I know dad loved that you played."
"I learned to love it. When I was a junior in high school I actually fell in love with the sport and I just got that much better. But when I was little it just gave me a reason to hang out with friends, to go out to dinner after practice with their families, or to spend the weekend with them when we had a game. I was selfish, and I did what I had to do to get through."
"I didn't know you felt that way about mom and dad."
"It might have seemed that way, but they were only supportive because everyone praised them for having such a talented son. It was all about their image. It always has been." He took another step closer to me and I felt Jace's grip on my hip tighten a little bit. "When I heard about what happened to you I almost got on the next flight home, but mom and dad told me you were fine and they'd be disappointed if I missed the game that weekend. Clary, I had no idea you were that depressed."
"There is a lot you don't know about me Jon." I said and leaned into Jace.
"I know, and I regret that, but I was hoping that could change."
"How? You live in Texas and I go to school here. We'll never see each other."
"I'm actually in the middle of being traded to the Giants. I want to be your big brother Clary, and I want to know that you can talk to me about anything. I never want to hear that my baby sister almost committed suicide." I could hear the collective gasp from his teammates. "I was so devastated. My coaches actually stopped playing me that game because I was so out of it." He took a deep breath. "So what do you say Clare-Bear? Can we start over?" I smiled at the use of his nickname he gave me when I was young. I looked up at Jace and he smiled down at me and kissed the top of my head.
"I'd really love that Jon." I said as I walked over to him and flung my arms around his neck. Being over six foot tall he leaned down and picked me up and bear hugged me. It felt really nice to know that I was going to have an actual relationship with my brother. Despite the last 18 years, knowing that he actually cared about me and loved me made me really hopeful for our future relationship.
