A New Generation, Chapter 5
Rocking Chair
I'm so sorry that I abandoned you all! Please forgive me!
"I'm worried about Simon," Clary said softly to Jace. "Since he and Izzy broke up, he's been really quiet and sad."
Jace snorted. "He's always sad. Pathetic vampire."
Clary slapped his arm. Sure, he and Simon were on better terms now, but Jace still didn't really trust the Daylighter. "Come on Jace, I'm serious," she complained, habitually stroking her slightly rounded stomach. She was three months along, and the Shadowhunter doctors said the baby was developing nicely.
Jace's smirk slipped. "Iz was really torn up over it too." Just then, Alec came rushing up to him, shouting something about a demon sighting on 5th Avenue. Jace ran off after him, giving Clary a quick wave over his shoulder before turning away. Clary smiled, and then went to see Izzy.
"Izzy," Clary said softly, rapping on Izzy's door. The other girl yanked it open, holding a book over her face. Clary frowned. Izzy was smart, but she didn't read much, especially not Melancholy German Poetry in Translation. What?
"Yes?" Huh. Her voice sounded funny, kind of strained. Oh no. Clary pulled the book away from her face, revealing a disheveled Izzy with her mascara running in long streaks under her eyes. Said eyes widened, and she backed away. "It's fine, Clary. I promise. It's nothing." She tried to shut the door, but Clary stepped in quickly.
"What's wrong with you and Simon?" The question hung in the air.
Then Izzy broke down, tears streaming over her face. "It's not him, it's me! It's just... I saw Alec and Magnus and Nyssa being all happy and I saw you and Jace with your baby and I saw Maia and-" She shuddered with another wave of sobs. "I want kids, and I want a family, but I don't want to settle down right now! I want to live while I'm still young! But I don't want to force anything on Simon, and I don't even know if he likes me that much!" She wiped her eyes. "I just don't know what I want, Clary. And perhaps Simon's not in to that."
Clary patted her friend's back, rubbing small circles into her shoulder blade. "It's alright," she said calmly. "I've known Simon forever, and I know from the way he looks at you. He'd die for you. No, even better, he'd live for you. And that's not easy to do. He loves you, Izzy. And I think you love him."
Izzy nodded. "I guess I do. but what am I supposed to say, Hey, I just broke up with you a week ago, but now I want to get back together and travel together and have all sorts of adventures and I want to get married and have kids, but we've been dating for, like, six months- oh. Oh. I know what I want to do! Thanks so much, Clary," she said, kissing her cheek. "I have to go talk to Simon!" With that, she left, leaving behind a rather flustered Clary.
"Well, okay," she said to herself. "You're welcome."