Disclaimer: I still don't own any Cassandra Clare's characters.

Chapter 6

CPOV

Jace's new job as the department manager gave me more stress than I had had in a long time. The two weeks after Jace had said yes to his boss were terrible. Obviously there was a house ready for us in Miami, of course without any furnitures, at least that's what Mr. Starkweather told us. We had to pay half of the house, the other half was paid by the company. So one less problem.

But since Val had the flu, Jennifer and Alexandra got it next. Jennifer had the same flu as Valerie, in other words high fever for couple of days. But just when Jace and I thought it was finally over, Alexandra got the flu. Why couldn't they just be sick at the same time. It was all the time one of them off the game. When they finally were all healthy, we started to pack their things.

The girls had enormous amounts of toys and clothes and I helped them packing all the things they wanted to keep and rest of them we gave away.

"Do you want to keep this? Or is this going to other children?" I asked holding one of Alexandra's stuffed animals.

"No, someone else can get it." She said and put it into a massive plastic bag.

Two hours later all her toys were sorted out. Only Valerie was left. Yay. Isabelle was helping Jennifer, and I was so grateful for her for that. Speaking of Isabelle. As you probably guessed, she made a scene when I told her we were moving.

"What? You can't just move!" She screamed. I sighed as I said:

"Jace got a new job as a department manager in Miami."

"But what about me? You can't just leave me here, in this stupid little town!" She stamped her foot. She actually stamped her foot. Wow.

"I'm sorry Iz. But you can come and visit us sometimes! And who knows if I move back here when Jace doesn't need my help anymore." I tried. No use.

"It's not the same!" She was like a 3-year-old when she folded her arms and pouted.

"Jeez Izzy! I'm not dying or anything, just moving to Florida! If I could take you with me, I would! But I can't!" I said. Suddenly her head bounced up and she narrowed her eyes.

"I'll call you later!" She shouted as she ran out of the café.

"Right." I murmured.

It was two hours later when my phone rang. I was packing the plates and glasses in the kitchen.

"Hey Iz. What's up?"

"I'm moving with you guys!" She screamed through the phone. WHAT?

"You're what?" I asked, my mouth hanging on the floor.

"Moving to Miami with you." She said as if it was obvious.

"What? How?" I stuttered.

"My parents have a small apartment there and I need to get out of thsi crappy town anyway so why not now?" She said happily. Wow that girl really could make things work like she wanted.

"Wow. Just wow. When are you going to move?" I asked.

"Two weeks after you! I have still two and half weeks to get my stuff packed and sent them to my new home!"

"Okay that's great but I have to go now. Talk to you later, ok? Bye Iz!" I said.

"OK, bye!" She said and hung up.

So yeah. She was moving to Miami too. Valerie had already sorted out her toys so all I had to do was stuff them into boxes. Half an hour later they were all in boxes and plastic bags. Jace knocked on the door frame and leaned against it. He was wearing black sweatpants that were tighter on calves and ankles and a little bit looser on the thighs. They fit him perfectly and I couldn't help but stare at his butt.

"Jen and Lexie went to visit miss Lucy. You want to go?" He asked looking at his daughter.

"YES!" She yelled and ran out of her room and down the stairs. Jace laughed and followed her, telling me he'd be right back. Smiling I looked around in Valerie's room. There were boxes everywhere, piled on each other and her clothes packed into suitcases. Alone Valerie had 5 suitcases. We'd decided to put 4 suitcases with the boxes in the moving van, only one would be coming with us. The furniture would be leaving the next day so they're in Miami when we arrive too. But how on earth would all of these girls' things fit anywhere? I had no idea.

"Clary?" Jace shouted from downstairs. "Could you come and help me packing all these things here?"

"Of course." I got up from the floor and rubbed my temples. I had a terrible headache and mt back ached. I went to get a hoodie from my room before walking into living room and noticed him sitting on the floor, flipping through some photo albums.

"What are you looking at?" I asked quietly as I sat down beside him.

"These are photos of girls when they were babies." He said softly and had smile on his face.

"Can I look too?" He nodded and moved a little bit closer.

In one photo was Jace with them at the hospital. He was a little leaner and had longer hair, I could easily imagine how his ex-fiancee had fell for his looks. Alexandra, Jennifer and Valerie were really small, sleeping in their father's arms.

"That was the best day of my life." he whispered and touched the photo with his fingertips.

Then there was Jace with a woman with a huge stomach. They were hugging, Jace behind the woman, hands on her belly and smiling happily.

"That's Melissa." He said bitterly. "Just before Lexi, Val and Jennifer were born."

I looked at the next photo. There were Jace, the girls and Melissa.

"Can I ask what happened with Melissa? You don't have to tell me if you don't want." I asked warily. He sighed but told me anyways.

"I caught her in our bed with another man. She packed her things and left us. She said she was too young for a parent and couldn't take care of our daughters." Jace said.

"Oh." I said "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, because of her I have the girls."

I didn't have anything to say so I just nodded. After a while Jace closed the album and put it into a huge box.

"Let's pack. We'll have to be ready by Wednesday and it's already Monday."

I nodded again and took an album with a label on it that said "Jace, Isabelle and Alec 1990-1996"

"Aww, is this you, Isabelle and obviously your brother as little kids?" I said grinning and showed it to Jace.

"Oh my gosh, I thought Maryse had that one." He said rubbing his neck.

"Maryse?"

"Yeah, she's my adoptive mother and Izzy and Alec's mom." He explained.

"Oh, okay." I said and opened the album. There was a little boy with blond curly hair whose smile was from ear to ear, one tooth missing. He was wearing just bright blue swimming trunks with white stripes and had a water gun in his hands. Beside him was a tall and lean boy with black hair and blue eyes who smiled at someone behind the camera innocently, his hands behind his back. And behind them was a slim girl with black long hair in pink swimming suit, screaming angrily at the boys who were grinning at the camera. The girl was wet from head to toe, possibly because of the blond boy with a water gun.

"Is that you?!" I asked between laughs. "And is that Isabelle?!"

"Hey, don't laugh! This picture was taken in the 90s!" He defended himself.

"I totally get it, I have a picture of me where I'm wearing pants with braces with an orange t-shirt underneath it them and I colorful cap. My hair was way more curly back then and I had freckles all over my face. And as you can see, fortunately, now I only have them across my nose. So don't be embarrassed, that's a good picture compared with mine." I laughed, still looking at the picture. I looked up at Jace and he was staring at me. I could feel myself blushing and looked back down. I felt his golden eyes still on me and looked carefully at him. He was smiling to me and reached his hand to put a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"I can imagine a little Clary with those cute freckles on her face." He said softly and stroked my cheek with his thumb. I closed my eyes and sighed. His hand was cool against my skin and it felt good. Suddenly his lips were on mine and my eyes opened very quickly and I took a quick, surprised breath in. I felt him smiling against my lips as I buried my hands into his hair. He lifted me up and onto his lap. My knees were on both sides of him, his hands on my back, rubbing it softly. He got up and carried me onto the couch. I pulled back from his delicious lips to breathe again.

"About the kiss two weeks ago." I began but Jace put his finger on my lips.

"Shh. Don't talk." He smiled and brought my lips back to his.

Suddenly the front door opened with a loud bang and the girls came in laughing and chatting with each other. I jumped off from Jace's lap and smoothed my hoodie and hair. Jace wiped him lips to get off my lipstick and cleared his throat.

The girls came into living room, jumping onto the couch and began to describe their day at Miss Lucy's. I blushed as I looked at Jace who was listening his girls while trying to hide his smile. I tried to cool down my flaming cheeks by putting my cold hands on them but it was no use.

"Why are you smiling daddy?" Asked Alexandra, pausing her sister as she was telling us how they made the world's best cookies with Miss Lucy.

"Me? I umm.. I just remembered a funny joke." Jace said.

"Well, tell us!" Lexie demanded.

"What comes after 69?" he asked and the girls shrugged "Mouthwash."

The girls were quiet while I bursted out laughing. Jace turned red as he realised what he had said to his daughters.

"Daddy I didn't get that." Jennifer said and the other girls just nodded.

"Umm.. Your daddy didn't remember the funny part of it. What if you guys watch some cartoons and daddy and I went to make some fruit salad?" I asked as I nudged Jace's arm.

"Yes!" The girls yelled and I put on the TV before pulling Jace with me to the kitchen.

"Jace! You can't tell that kind of joke to your 6 years old daughters!" I laughed.

"Oh god." He put a hand over his face.

"You should be glad they didn't get that." I said giggling. What was wrong with me, I never giggled. I took a deep breath in to calm down and began to chop the fruits. Jace put his hands on my hips and his face into my neck.

"But you did get the joke." He whispered into my ear. I shivered and put down the knife.

"I did." I said shakily.

"Daddy! Is the fruit salad ready!" Valerie yelled from the living room. Jace sighed and stepped back. Taking three bowls he walked into the living room and gave them to the girls. I sat down on the bar stool and rubbed my temple again. The headache was back and my bones were aching too.

"Clary? What's wrong?" Jace asked sitting next to me. He put his hand on my hand on the table and rubbed it softly.

"Nothing. I'm fine. Just a massive head ache." I said closing my eyes.

"I'll put the girls into beds and then I'll give you a massage, okay?" He asked.

I nodded and he went into living room. A few minutes later I heard them walking up the stairs and I moved myself into the living room to lay down on the couch. I didn't have very often migraines like that but once it comes, it won't leave anytime soon. So great timing, again. Last time I had a huge migraine during my finals in high school. I closed my eyes and rubbed my aching temples.

"Clary?" Jace whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Are you awake?" He asked before continuing. "Okay that was a stupid question." He chuckled.

I smiled and opened my eyes. He was standing at the door with a glass of water.

"I feel like I have the most terrible hangover ever." I said closing my eyes again. Jace laughed and I heard him walking across the room.

"Lift your head a bit." He said. I did as I was told, he sat down and I put my head onto his lap. He put his hands on my forehead and hair, rubbing gently.

"Clary, your head's really hot. I mean literally hot, it's like you have a fever." I just shrugged "Wait a second, I'll get the thermometer." He got up again, walked upstairs to get it. Great, just what I needed, I thought. Every time I got a cold it lasted at least a week, so great timing. Again.

Jace came back with my duvet and the thermometer and put it into my mouth.

"It's just a little flu. But I'm ok!" I said with the stick in my mouth.

"Shh, don't talk." Jace said and wrapped me into the duvet before sitting again under my head. I rolled my eyes but didn't talk anymore. Soon the thermometer beeped in my mouth and Jace took it before I could even move my hands to take it away. So there goes the last chance to claim I'm not that sick. I knew for sure he would go crazy because of the numbers on the little screen. If I had fever, I always had a high one. Aaand I was right.

"102.2 degrees!" He said shocked. "And you didn't say anything!"

"I'm fine, just give me some painkillers and this'll be over by tomorrow morning. We're not done with the packing. And I have to-" I said, trying to get up but Jace held me down.

"Shut up, you're not leaving this couch or your bed before we all leave this house. You're sick and now it's our turn to take care of you, end of story." He said changing his position so that he was leaning his head against the armrest and I was laying between his legs, back of my head on his stomach. He buried his fingers in my hair and massaged gently. I sighed and my eyes closed themselves against my will.

Jace POV

I watched as Clary's eyes slowly closed and her long but almost blond lashes touched her cheeks. Eventually her breathing slowed down as she fell asleep. Her normally pale cheeks were now flushed because of the fever and she was shaking under the thick duvet. Poor little girl. Though she was definitely not a girl. She was amazing grown up woman who stood behind everything she said. I'd known her less that three months, so shouldn't feel like this, like losing her would break my whole world again.

What happened to that young and stupid guy who enjoyed breaking girls' hearts? I used to ask myself. Now I knew the answer. He grew up and became a father of three beautiful girl. I knew what it was like to be in love, I just didn't remember it. I was madly in love with Melissa after our girls were born. But she broke my heart. She broke me. After she left, the only thing that kept me sane, were my daughters.

Now I had many things that kept me sane. Things like Clary, my new job, Isabelle. Yes, Iz was again part of my life, thanks to Clary who became friends with her and brought her back to my and her nieces lives. While Clary was on date with some, in my opinion, asshole, I had a nice chat with Isabelle. We talked about our lives and what happened between us after high school. Isabelle had never liked Melissa, she was her enemy and I, her brother, had begun dating the enemy. The final nail in the coffin was when I announced that Melissa was pregnant. Isabelle was so mad at me and she stopped talking with me, didn't answer my calls or texts and eventually I just gave up on trying. But when Clary came to live with us and met my sister, I realised how much I'd missed Isabelle. We sorted things out and agreed that we'd never shut the other out of our lives.

I felt Clary move under my hands and lifted them up so I wouldn't wake her up by getting my hands stuck in her hair. She turned around and moved up on me so her cheek rested on my chest, her right hand gripped lightly my grey t-shirt and the other hand she kept on her side, fingers brushing my lower stomach. Her stomach was against my groin. Yes, she was laying against my groin. Don't you dare... I said mentally to my little friend down there. I gently moved Clary to a little safer place.

She looked so peaceful and stressless in her sleep so I didn't want to wake her up by carrying her to her bed. I closed my eyes and let my head fall back against the armrest. I listened Clary's breathing and slowly it lulled me into sleep.

"Daddy! Daddy wake up!" My girls shook me and I bolted up. My neck was really rigid from sleeping on the couch. I looked around for Clary and noticed her on the other end of the couch curled into a ball, duvet tightly around her small body. Maybe that's a good thing I thought trying to push the feeling of disappointment away. I rolled my head and groaned as a pain shot through me, well that's what you get for sleeping on the couch. Last time I slept the night on the couch was when I came drunk home after a huge fight Melissa and I had about two years ago.

"Daddy we're hungry!" Jen whined. "And why are you sleeping on the couch with Clary?"

"Clary's sick and I didn't want to leave her alone so I slept here with her. And come on, let's get you guys something to eat." I said and took her hand, the other two following us into kitchen.

Clary had been very productive during last two weeks; all our plates and mugs were packed with care into their own marked boxes. I took out four plates and made us sandwiches with grilled cheese, the girls' favorite. We sat on the bar stools and ate while discussing what we had to do that day.

"Are you excited? Tomorrow we'll be leaving early in the morning!" I smiled to my girls.

"Yes!" They said in union. "How big is the new house?"

"It's a little bigger than this one. You all still have your own rooms." I told them. "You know what's on our schedule today, right?"

They all nodded. "Good." I said and ruffled their hair as I walked by. I washed our dishes and sent girls' to pick out their clothes for the day. I shook my head as I heard them arguing what they should wear. I went to check Clary. She was still sleeping, which was a miracle 'cause the girls were so loud upstairs. Finally they came back down, Valerie in her jeans and sweater that had two cats on the front side, Jen dressed in a dress that flowed as she spun around and lastly Alexandra wearing a dress too. I should've known they put on dresses. Valerie wasn't so fancy about dresses, she prefered pants and shorts.

"Jen and Lex, it's too cold outside to walk in dresses, could you please change? You've been sick just few days ago"

Alexandra crossed her arms and pouted. "No."

"I'll go change." Muttered Jennifer but Alexandra didn't move.

"Lexie sweety, you were sick few days ago. Now go change please." I asked quietly since we were still in the living room where Clary was sleeping.

"No."

"Alexandra Marie Herondale I've asked you nicely two times now I'm done. Now go change." I said firmly. She stared at me with Melissa's eyes angrily for a moment before stomping away.

Clary's eyes opened and she sat up, still rubbing her temples.

"Jace?" She asked with sleepy voice. "What's going on?"

"Everything's fine, Alexandra got a little mad at me." I explained. She nodded and squeezed her eyes shut again.

I walked into the hallway to wait Alexandra and Jennifer with Valerie. I had to take few papers to the office and collect my things there. Finally they came down, this time in jeans and long sleeved t-shirts. I gave them their light jackets and converses before taking my own coat. We drove to my workplace and ran in, out of the rain.

"Jace!" I heard a voice calling. I didn't have to turn around to know who it was. Aline.

"Hey, Aline. These are my girls, Alexandra, Valerie and Jennifer. Girls this is my boss' assistant Aline." I introduced them. Girls just looked at me uncertainly and I cleared my throat.

"We were just bringing these papers to Mr. Starkweather and to get my things from my room. So.." I said to Aline, wanting to get rid of her already.

"Oh I can take them to him!"

"No it's okay, I need to talk to him anyways. Come on girls let's go." I took Lexi's hand and pulled her with me and the other two followed us.

"Jacey, I could take you and the girls to eat something!" She tried.

"No thank you, we're fine." I said and turned around a corner.

"Who was she?" Valerie asked looking behind.

"She was my co-worker."

"Oh okay, she was pretty." She said and continued "But Clary's prettier."

"Yeah, she is." I smiled.

Two long hours later we were sitting in the car again and driving home. Jennifer and Alexandra ran straight upstairs but Valerie came into living room with me to check if Clary was alright. She was sitting on the couch with a steaming mug in her hands.

"Are you okay?" Valerie asked and sat down next to Clary.

"Yeah, I'm just a little sick and my head's hurting." She said.

"Val, could you go check on your sisters and see what they're doing? I'll come up in a minute." I asked and Val nodded and went upstairs. I sat down next to Clary and put my hand on her forehead. It was still really hot.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked, getting a bit worried. She just nodded.

"I don't believe you." I said doubtfully.

"I'm okay, really." She whispered. I could hear the pain in her voice and my heart sunk.

"Is there anything I could do?" I asked, stroking her back.

"I have my migraine medicine in my room. In a white toilet bag in a black leather bag, the one where my bras and panties are. Could you get them, I don't think I could see where I'd be going. Have you ever had a migraine?" She asked. I shook my head.

"For me it's like some crazy zigzagging lines start near the center of my vision and then they spread out to the sides and go back to the center. It's hard to see anything clearly. And with that I have a huge head ache." She explained.

"Wow, I'll go get the meds." I said and got up.

I walked into her room and looked for a black bag. Great, they're all black bags. I opened the first bag; it was full of shoes. Obviously the wrong bag. There were left a suitcase and another black bag. I opened it and lifted up one piece of clothing to see if it was either bra or panties. Oh sweet baby Jesus. My heart skipped a beat. 'Clothing' was a wrong word for the ones I was holding. They were the sexiest thongs I've ever seen. They were tiny, red and lacy ones that couldn't cover much. I swallowed hard and took out matching bras, red and lacy with a small ribbon in the middle. I put them slowly back, and with shaking hands rummaged for the toilet bag. Finally I found it and opened it to find two different blister packs of pills and I had no idea which one was it. The other one was half used and the other was almost untouched.

So I took both to Clary and she finally opened her eyes to look at the pills in my hand. And she bursted out laughing.

"What?" I asked, trying to hide my smile. I loved her laughter.

She shook her head and took the bigger pills "Thank you Jace" she said.

"What are these?" I asked showing the other ones.

"Those are my birth-control pills." She said after staring at me funnily.

"Oh." I said and blushed. And I never blush. Like never. "Oh. Okay. I'll just go. To help the girls pack the necessity-things for tomorrow. Yeah.. Try to sleep, or something" I stuttered. Which I never do either.

"Ok, thanks again. What time do we have to leave tomorrow?" Clary asked as she lied down again.

"The flight's at 7 o'clock, so really early. Oh and you did know that the moving van will be here during this day to take all our furniture, right? We'll borrow some Miss Lucy's mattresses where we can sleep on one night." I made sure she knew what would happen today. She nodded and groaned, putting her arm over her eyes.

"I let you sleep, girls need my help with picking up only necessary things." I said and Clary smiled tiredly. I turned and went to the doorway and turned off the lights in the living room.

"Thank you." I heard a quiet whisper. When I reached top of the stairs I heard the girls arguing in Jen's room.

"What on Earth are you doing?!" I asked as I walked in, closing the door after me.

"Jennie said I get to take only one suitcase with me tomorrow!" Alexandra yelled and pointed at her sister.

"Lex honey, she's right. We can't take more than one each." I said kneeling down on the floor to look her in the eyes.

"Now, let me help you pack what you really need, okay?" She nodded and I opened my arms "Come here. All of you."

My daughters hugged me and I wrapped my arms around them. "I love you girls so much, you know that right? Nothing's ever going to chance that. Ever."

"Love you too daddy." They said.

"Okay come on, Jen what do you want to pack?" I asked opening her suitcase.

An hour later their suitcases were packed and they were already whining for food. Sighing I took them downstairs and rummaged for a frying pan and made them omelette a'la Jace. I used Clary's apron to prevent my clothes from coming dirty and of course the doorbell had to ring right then and I forgot to take of the damn red apron. Behind the door were th moving men.

"You had some furniture that needed to be taken?" A slightly stout, old, grey haired man asked.

"Yeah, come in." I stepped aside and let them in.

"Which room?" He asked bored.

"Upstairs. Every room." I said pissed. This was his job, come on man. The man just grumbled something and stomped upstairs. Okaaay. And his age was? I thought dryly.

The old man and his five helpers carried all the furniture upstairs in two hours and then they moved to the living room's furniture. Clary was feeling a bit better so she came with us into the kitchen so she wasn't in the way. Finally three and half hours later our house was empty. It was weird. We had so much stuff and suddenly it was all gone. I saw drawings on the wall were the couch had been.

"Girls? Can you explain what these-" I pointed at the drawings "are?"

Girls looked at each other and turned to me all at the same time, smiling innocently.

"We have no idea where those have come from."

"Yeah, and my eyes aren't amber." I muttered. "Okay I'll go get the mattresses from Miss Lucy, I'll be right back."

I walked across our yards and knocked on her door.

"Oh hello dear! Come in!" She smiled at me friendly. I knew I would miss her and her cookies.

"I just came to get the mattresses, I'll have to get the girls to bed soon. We have very early flight tomorrow." I said apologizing.

"Oh that's fine, I totally understand you! Wait here I'll go get them."

Soon she came with four mattresses.

"I'm sorry I have just four. But I'm sure you'll figure something out." She winked at me.

"Oh that's, umm, fine. Yeah, we'll be.. Alright. Ok, I'll just.. Umm.. Go. Yeah, bye! And thanks!" I said as I backed away.

"Okay then, bye dear!" She smiled before closing the door.

It took both of us, Clary and I to get the girls to bed and fall asleep. Finally they were all under blankets we borrowed aswell from Miss Lucy. We had decided to put all the mattresses together so the 'bed' was as big as possible. Jennifer had fell asleep on the other side of the 'bed', next was Alexandra and then Valerie, leaving one and half mattresses to me and Clary. I took the spot between Clary and Valerie, sacrificing myself to Valerie's kicking. I was lying on my back, looking at the ceiling of our living room and I felt Clary's gaze on me. I turned my head to her and she smiled.

"What?" I asked.

"I didn't say anything." She smirked and I rolled my eyes. "I just love to watch you."

"What? What were those pills I gave you?" I asked trying to ignore my heart's fastened beating.

"I'm not high." She pushed my arm and laughed. "That much." She added smirking.

"I knew it. Is there any left? Or did you take them all? 'Cause I want some too." I winked.

"No, sorry I gave rest of them to your dog." She sighed.

"What dog? We don't have any dogs." I was confused.

"Exactly."

"Ha ha ha. That was a good one." I said sarcastically.

"I know right!" She was pleased with herself. I couldn't fight against my next yawn and Clary chuckled.

"We should probably start sleeping aswell." She whispered yawning too.

"Okay." I said turning onto my side, facing her.

"Good night Jace." She barely whispered.

"Good night Clary." I answered as quietly.

I was almost asleep when I felt a warm tiny hand linking our fingers. I smiled a bit before I fell asleep, feeling her warm hand in mine.

Phew... That was a long one... I hope you enjoyed it! Tell me what you're thinking, please!

Oh and have you seen The fault in our stars ? I saw it today and oh god.. I've never cried so much because of a movie. A book, yes? But not 'cause of a movie. I'd like to read the book too, although I know what will happen but books are always better than the movies, right?

Have a good day/night/evening/morning/whatever!

See you next time

/justbeautifulme33