I have a late start tomorrow so I stayed up to write this. (:
I obviously don't own the Mortal Instruments. All characters and references belong to Cassandra Clare.
Two weeks. It had been two weeks since the doctor's appointment that turned her world upside-down. Two weeks since that word had entered her mind and never left. Miscarriage.
The word had sent her spiraling into numbness. She didn't laugh. She didn't cry. She didn't yell. She continued her life as usual. She would go to work with a fake smile plastered on her face. Nobody had known she was pregnant, and they sure as hell weren't going to know about her miscarriage.
Magnus and Alec knew, though. Magnus had found her wondering around the hospital in a zombie-like state after she got the news. He, of course, told Alec. Whenever she saw one of them, they would give her sympathetic looks. But she didn't want their sympathy or empty I'm sorry's. She wanted her baby back.
The worst of it all was having to sleep next to the monster that killed her child every night. He seemed happy that the baby was gone and Clary couldn't look him in the eyes anymore and tried to avoid him as much as she could. She had gone from loving him with all her heart to hating him with every fiber in her body. She wanted to leave, but knew she couldn't. He would probably kill her too if she tried to leave.
The numbness had slowly begun fading over the past twenty-four hours and she started to feel the heart wrenching pain in her chest. That's how she found herself sitting alone at a bar with a half empty bottle of vodka in her hand, drowning her sorrows. Clary looked around at the other people in the club. They were so care free and happy, having the time of their lives and it made her jealous. She took another swig of the clear liquid, welcoming the burn. She was trying to make the pain and sadness go away. Trying to forgot about all her problems. Just for one night.
Her phone buzzed next to her on the counter top and she ignored it. It was just Sebastian again. She had been ignoring his calls all night. Sure, there'd be hell to pay when she got home, but she deserved. She deserved it for not being able to protect her child. Her phone buzzed again, but this time it wasn't Sebastian. It was Jace.
She picked it up. "Hello?" she shouted over the loud music in the club.
"Clary? Where are you? Sebastian called me and said you hadn't come home yet and weren't answering your phone." Worry was evident in his voice.
Clary giggled into the phone. "I'm hiding."
She could hear Jace sigh on the other end. "You're obviously in a club somewhere. And drunk. Tell me where you are."
"If I do, are you going to tell Seb?"
There was a pause. "No. I promise I won't."
She giggled again. "I'm at Pandemonium."
"Stay there, Clare. I'm coming to get you."
He shoved his way through the mesh of dancing bodies toward the bar. Music blared from overhead speakers and lights flashed across the room. His eyes immediately fell on the short red-head sitting by herself at the bar.
He sat down on the stool next to her and she turned to face him, an almost empty bottle of vodka in her hands.
"Shit, Clary. How much have you had to drink?" he asked.
She looked at him with lifeless green eyes. "Not enough."
She went to take another drink, but he yanked the bottle from her hand. "What's bothering you, Clare?" he questioned, knowing something was up. Her eyes had lost the life they used to hold and dark circles surrounded them. She looked like she had lost weight. All her smiles seemed forced or strained.
"I don't wanna talk about it," she slurred.
He looked at her, saw the sadness in her eyes, and didn't push the subject. "Come on, let's get you home."
A look of fear crossed her face, but disappeared as quickly as it came. "Don't take me home!" she exclaimed.
He cocked his head to the side. Why didn't she want to go home? "You can come to my house," he said without a second thought.
Jace drove her to his small apartment and helped her up the stairs. "I'll take the couch. You can have the bed," he said once they walked inside.
Even in her drunk state Clary could tell how clean his apartment was. The walls were white with only a few pictures here and there. The couches and furniture were all a soft brown. There was a serious lack of color anywhere.
He led her to his bedroom and tucked her in. When he turned to leave, she grabbed his hand.
"Jace?" she said, sitting up.
He turned to her. "Hmm?"
"You're so good. Did you know that?"
"What do you mean?"
She spoke without a filter between her thoughts and her mouth. "You're generous and sweet and kind and sometimes an ass. But you know what? That just makes you even better. I wish Sebastian was more like you."
He stared at her, shocked into silence. Clary got on her knees and took his face between her hands. Before he could say anything, she crushed her lips to his. She wanted to forget. Maybe Jace could help her.
She was kissing him. Clary was kissing him. He wanted to pull away. To stop it. She was engaged for God's sake. But he didn't. In fact, he kissed her back. There was some kind of desperation in the kiss. Like she needed him, and he wanted to be needed by her.
There was something about her that drew him in. Whether it was her hair, her eyes, or her feisty personality, he didn't know. All he knew was that he wanted her whether she was engaged to that ass hole Verlac or not.
Before he knew what was happening, he crawled into the bed with her and their clothes were being thrown across the room.
She woke up groggily with a pounding headache. Her eyes opened and she noticed the unfamiliar room. Where was she? She turned her head to the side and held back a scream.
There, lying next to her, was Jace. Naked. She looked down and noticed she had the same lack of clothing. The previous night's events came crashing down on her. She had slept with Jace. She felt guilty and dirty. However, a part of her was glad. It was getting even in a way for all the times Sebastian cheated on her.
Sebastian. She glanced at the clock and saw it was well past noon. She mentally cursed at herself and slipped out of the bed, careful not to wake Jace. She found her clothes in a pile on the floor and quickly pulled them on.
She walked silently out of the apartment, wincing at the throbbing pain in her head. Hailing a cab, she made her way home.
Sebastian was pacing the penthouse angrily. His head snapped up when she entered, fire burning in his black eyes.
"Where the fuck have you been!?" he yelled.
She winced again at the loud noise. "I was out at Pandemonium and drank too much. Sorry."
"Then why the fuck didn't you come home last night?"
"I crashed at a hotel next to the club," she lied smoothly.
He didn't look like he believed her and he struck her. Her head rocked back and she lightly touched her cheek.
"You should have picked up your goddamned phone or called me!"
"I'm sorry! I-"
He slapped her again. "Get out of my sight."
She scurried to their bedroom, glad to not be in his presence anymore. Just looking at him killed her a little inside thinking of their baby. Now that the alcohol had worn off, all the sorrow she tried to suppress came rushing back to her. She collapsed onto the bed, relishing in the memory of last night, wishing she was with someone like Jace. Not Sebastian.
He sat in a chair in Alec's office with Alec, Magnus, Izzy, and Simon. His mind was still on Clary. He had woken up and she was gone. He hoped she hadn't regretted last night.
Something was wrong with her though, and he wanted to know what. Why was she acting so strange lately? What was she out getting drunk? Why did she have sex with him?
Jace looked around at the group of people seated with him. Maybe one of them know.
"Does anybody know what's up with Clary?" he asked.
"What are you talking about?" Izzy asked in reply.
He rolled his eyes. "Not that you would know, but she's been acting strange these past few weeks. I found her drunk out of her mind at Pandemonium last night."
He noticed Alec and Magnus share a look.
"What was that look?" he directed toward them.
They looked at each other again, appearing to be having a silent conversation. Finally, Magnus sighed.
"I- Actually, we should have told someone earlier, but we know what's wrong with her."
"Are you going to elaborate or..?"
Magnus and Alec glanced at each other before spilling everything they knew.
Reviews are lovely.