AM. BACK! And I'm alive! I love you guys, and I'm so sorry, but life got in the way and yeah. I'll try to keep this short. I'll update whenever I get the chance, but there might be gaps, just as a warning. Thank all of you for being so supportive throughout this and I added an extra long chapter with a couple goodies to make up for my absence.
Disclaimer: Cassandra Clare owns most of the stuff. The Bachelor on ABC owns a little. And I own the plot. Yup.
Previously:
"Well, look who sobered up." Jace smirked.
"Shit..." I muttered. Things just got a hell of a lot more interesting.
I gulped, suddenly speechless. My mouth bobbed open and closed as I tried to form words, the corner of Jace's mouth drawing farther and farther up.
"Whatdidwedo?" The word tumbled out of my mouth in a rush. Luckily, Jace had known me all of my life, so it wasn't hard for him to decipher my message.
"What did you guys do," Jace motioned to everyone on the ground, "or what did we do?" He pointed his finger to me, then himself.
"What do you mean?!" My voice came out in a shrill whisper, "We did something?"
"Well..." Jace trailed off suggestively, and my mouth formed a perfect 'o'.
For a second, the two of us were absolutely still, the room so silent, you could hear a pen drop. Suddenly, I snapped out of my stupor and lifted the sheets, looking down at my body to see Jace's t-shirt wrapping around me. Only Jace's t-shirt. In a moment of total shock and stupidity, I shoved back, attempting to get off the bed, but Jace's strong arms wrapped around my waist, and pulled me to his chest.
"Let... Me... Go..." I struggled against his hold until I tired out, finally looking up and meeting his golden eyes and triumphant smile.
"Calm down." He freed one arm and used that hand to ruffle my hair, then smooth it back down before I killed him.
"We didn't do anything." He continued.
"Thank God!" I breathed, relaxing immediately.
"Am I really that bad?" Jace laughed, but I could see the tiniest bit of hurt in his eyes.
"No, you're not!" I denied, "But... I just... I don't... I wouldn't..." I didn't know how to resolve the situation. "Gah!" I gave up, "I would not be absolutely completely repulsed by... Ugh! If we were the last people on Earth, I wouldn't be completely turned off by-" Jace's free hand came to cover my mouth.
"Clare," he chuckled, and I was happy to see the hurt absent from his gaze, "calm down, I get it. Now do you want to know what happened last night, or not?" I nodded, but he still didn't remove his hand.
Fed up, I glared at him, but when all he did was give me a cheeky smile in return, I flicked my tongue out, licking his hand.
"Kinky," Jace wiggled his eyebrows, and I settled him with yet another glare. "Fine," He sighed dramatically, finally releasing my face. I took in a deep breath, smiling happily.
"So," he started, "basically, I found you guys drunk as hell in the garden. I didn't know where to put you guys, so I just walked back here and you guys followed me. You couldn't walk straight, so I picked you up. Izzy and Magnus started doing that thing where they whisper, look at us, then whisper again. I ignored them, we got back here, and they all kind of crashed. You, however, were a different story. I tried to keep you from taking off your clothes, but you wouldn't listen, saying something about the "damn things being too tight". Yes, I turned around, and I just tossed you my shirt without thinking. I got you into the bed, but you wouldn't let go of my arm. You asked me to, and I quote, "cuddle with you like a teddy bear", so I did."
"And that was all?" I confirmed a few seconds after he'd stopped speaking.
"Yup, that's it." I met his golden gaze, and he held it, but I'd known him long enough to tell that he was lying, despite the fact that he wasn't flinching. I narrowed my eyes.
"What aren't you telling me, Jace?" I asked, and the surprise in his eyes was his tell all. He was keeping something from me, and he knew that I knew.
"What aren't you telling me?" He shot back, and I furrowed my eyebrows.
"What do you mean?" I asked, since, as far as I knew, there was nothing I hadn't told him. Nothing except... He couldn't know. The smug bastard smirked at me, knowing he had me cornered.
"You know exactly what I mean," his golden eyes sparkled, "and I will find out exactly what that thing you've been keeping from me since this show started is."
Like hell you will, I thought to myself.
Suddenly, a groan sounded from the floor, and Jace and I both turned to see who it had been. Isabelle had shifted, just waking up, and it seemed to have started a ripple effect, because everyone in the room started moving around. For a second, Jace and I watched them in silence, then, the realization that the only thing I had on was his shirt, and the fact that he had no shirt on, came over both of us simultaneously. I stared into his panicked golden eyes, somehow coming to the conclusion that rolling over to the other side of him and shoving him off the bed was the answer. He let out a startled grunt as he hit the floor, staring at me with a what the hell look. I flailed my arms in a manner that I hope conveyed I don't freaking know.
"Well, while this has been delightfully entertaining, I feel inclined to help." I jumped at the sound of Magnus's whisper, my head snapping over to find his catlike eyes glittering with amusement as he watched us, "Jace, why don't you take my shirt. It will look a lot less... incriminating if I am seen as the one that was half-dressed. I can say it was simply an act of charity after a dare that left me inclined to give our dear sweet Clary some cover." I tilted my head, looking at Jace out of the corner of my eye, and saw him shrug. In one swift movement, Magnus tugged his shirt over his head, tossing it to Jace.
The blonde boy put it on in the nick of time, because, not a second later, a groan sounded from Aline, who began to stretch her arms and sit up.
"What the hell happened last night?" Aline asked, voice gravelly from sleep. The girl winced, grabbing her head and lying back down.
"On second thought, don't tell me," she mumbled, "talking makes too much noise." I couldn't control my laughter at that point, and Aline simply raised a middle finger at me. But I guess we weren't talking as softly as we meant to, because Alec stirred yawning as he began to sit up, followed by Isabelle, then Simon, then Helen, then Jordan. The last to wake up was Maia, who, courtesy of Jordan, was pushed off the chair. I was almost crying as Maia glared at her sheepish boyfriend through wild hair.
"Sorry," Jordan offered, shrugging innocently. I heard the string of cuss words that Maia mumbled under her breath and bit my lip so hard it hurt just to keep from dying.
"Okay!" I announced loudly, causing most of the others in the room to flinch, "Why don't you all go back to your rooms and take some warm showers and drink coffee or something." Magnus, Alec, Izzy, Simon, Jordan, and Maia all mumbled their agreements. Aline and Helen just sat staring at me, dumbfounded.
"How do you not have a brutal hangover?" Helen finally asked, and I laughed.
"Let's just say that my brother groomed me well in the ways of drinking." I answered cryptically. It was true. Since I got into high school, Jonathan had coached me on my drinking and built up my tolerance in a certain way (I have no idea how) so that I could get drunk without having a hangover. Yes, what a responsible brother I have. I have to admit that I still love the idiot. Luckily, as the rest stood up and filed out, they were all too drunk to realize that Jace had, in fact, not been there before.
He closed the door behind Isabelle, who was the last one, right after she tossed me a very obvious wink. I stuck my tongue out at the shut door and Jace snorted. He walked over, collapsing on top of the bed, and on top of me.
"Get... Off me... You whale." I managed, but he simply laughed. Suddenly, he was straddling my waist.
"You really don't think you can get away with calling me that, right?" He held up his hands, wiggling his fingers menacingly.
"No!" My eyes grew wide, "Don't you-" My words were cut off as Jace's hands attacked my sides, and I squealed. It was actually funny that both of us conveniently forgot that I was only in a shirt and underwear.
"Okay." Aline plopped down next to Helen and me, obviously recovered, "This is the second meeting in the same week, what could they be doing now?" I shrugged, truly at a loss. Jace hadn't told me that anything big was going on today.
"Maybe an activity with the entire group?" Helen said, a questioning note to her tone.
"Girls!" Jace called, and the girls quieted down, turning their attention to him, "I know, it's another meeting, but I promise nothing's wrong. I just wanted to announce that each of you are getting individual time with my... family. No cameras, no mics, no me. Just you guys and them. I'm sorry." Isabelle smacked Jace's arm, and Maia stuck her tongue out at him. The two girls then stepped up.
"Well," Isabelle spoke, "we will be calling you guys throughout the week, and... Yeah, that's pretty much it. Our first victim will be..." Izzy motioned to Maia, who stepped up, scanning the crowd.
"You." She pointed to Seelie, who rose from her seat with a smug smile. The blonde followed my friends into the hall. I smirked, actually feeling a little bad for her. The poor girl had no idea what she was in for.
It was the rose ceremony in two hours. And I still hadn't been called in for my "interrogation". I know it was stupid, but I was nervous. I mean, I was a bachelorette, and... Gah I kind of hated Jace for making me feel this way. Of course, the one and only Kailie Blue decided that was a great moment to make an appearance.
"Poor carrot top," the blonde fake pouted, "hasn't been called yet. Maybe he already knows your going home and just wanted to save his family's valuable time. Not waste it on you."
"They always save the best for last." I retorted, "And you sure pay a lot of attention to me for 'hating' me." She opened her mouth to fire back a remark, but at that moment, I heard my name. I turned to find Isabelle half-leaning out the door, motioning me to follow her.
"Oh," I couldn't resist the jab at Kailie, "looks like I have to go." I waved at her mockingly, swaying my hips as I walked away.
"How long were you standing there and waiting?" I mumbled as I met Izzy in the doorway.
"Just since that bimbo walked up." she shrugged, "I wanted to give you the perfect exit."
"This is why I love you." I threw my arms around her, and she laughed.
"Now hurry up shorty." Iz teased, grabbing my arm and jogging down the hall, "Everyone wants to see you." She stopped at a blank door, pulling a key from her pocket and turning it in the lock. She opened the door, and we both walked in, but the others were too engaged in their conversations to notice us. Izzy's mouth tipped down at the corners, and she released me. I could tell she made a point to slam the door, as it was what startled everyone into looking at us.
For a minute, everything was completely silent. Finally, Simon yelled out my name, launching up and barreling into me and wrapping his arms around me. The others quickly joined in the hug as we exchanged happy greetings, then sat down in a circle.
"So..." I smiled, glad to get a moment with the friends I had missed, "How are you guys?!"
"Normal," Alec answered, "a little exhausted from the-"
"Normal?" Magnus exclaimed, cutting off his boyfriend, "How can you call this NORMAL?! I am forced to wear these... these RAGS for the mere entertainment of a silly game. My hair is flat, Clary. FLAT! And I have NO GLITTER! Do you know what dreadful torture that is?! Do you?!" By then, I was rolling on the floor, almost in tears as Magnus narrowed his catlike eyes at me.
"I'm sorry," I rose my hands in surrender when I finally regained control, "it must be terrible." Magnus nodded, not exactly catching my half-sarcasm.
"So, how are you-u" Maia sang, wiggling her eyebrows. I could feel my forehead crinkle in confusion.
"She meant how are you doing with Jace." Jordan attempted to clarify, "Have you guys.. done anything?" He joined in on the eyebrow wiggle.
"No!" I exclaimed when I realized what they were trying to not-so-subtly hint at, "NO! I mean... Why would I... But it's Jace... And he... And I..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say. Unfortunately, Alec did.
"A little birdie told us you have a little cru-ush on him." He sang, smirking as a blush rose to my cheeks. I whipped to face Isabelle and Simon.
"Which one of you spilled?" I demanded, and they refused to meet my eyes.
"Are you kidding?" I yelled, "Both of you?"
"Hehe..." Simon laughed awkwardly, "Surprise?" I sighed in defeat, burying my face in my hands.
"I might have a teeny, tiny little crush on Jace." I admitted, and the group cheered.
"SHE'S IN LOVE" Magnus yelled.
"I CALL MAID OF HONOR!" Isabelle chimed in.
"HELL NO I CALLED THAT A LOOOONG TIME AGO!" Simon joked, and I kind of wish the floor could swallow me.
"Okay, okay." Iz relented, "Let's stop teasing our poor Clary."
"Thank the Lord!" I sighed in relief.
"And I also guess we owe you a little something," Isabelle continued, "so we're gonna make you look b-e-a-utiful for tonight."
"Wait what?" I stood up in alarm, slowly backing to the door, "I never agreed to a makeover!"
"Well isn't that too bad." Was the last thing Isabelle said before tackling me to the ground as I tried to escape.
They took an hour. They plucked and poked and combed until I was ready to slap them, then finally deemed me ready to see my self. I got up, unsteady in the six inch heels Isabelle had shoved my feet into. I stumbled ungracefully to the full body mirror, where I couldn't believe my reflection. The girl that stared back at me had to be someone else.
She had emerald eyes, accented by a tight, green, halter neck top that, while not slutty, admittedly showed her... assets off a little bit. This girl had fiery hair pinned up in an intricate hairdo, smoky eyelids with longs lashes, high cheekbones, and full, red lips. She wore a simple pair of ripped skinny jeans and black stiletto booties on the bottom. The girl staring back at me could not be Clary Fray, but she was. The group walked up behind me, admiring their work.
"Now was that so bad?" Magnus teased, and I stuck my tongue out at him in the mirror, afraid that if I took my eyes off myself, everything would disappear. Like Cinderella at midnight.
"C'mon." Izzy grabbed my elbow, "We need to go make Jace faint." She held me steady until we reached the stairs, where she wiggled out from under my arm and motioned me to go on my own. I gave her a distinct evil eye as I began descending the spiraled steps. Finally, I reached the bottom, where the casual cocktail party was in full swing.
"Follow me." Iz once again grabbed my arm, dragging me away from other people, and it was then that I noticed that the others were not following anymore. Isabelle finally stopped after we had gone outside and had reached a beautiful, candlelit gazebo that I hadn't previously discovered.
"...have to be at the party." The annoyed voice reached my ears. My mouth dropped, and I turned, trying to walk away, but Izzy simply grabbed me and spun me around, holding me in place by my shoulders.
"Just follow us." I heard Jordan say, "Believe me, it'll be worth it."
"Hell yeah it will." Simon agreed, and the six came into view. Luckily, Jace was turned and talking to the rest, too engaged to notice me. That is until Isabelle decided to take matters into her own hands.
"SURPRISE!" she yelled as Jace hit the first step of the gazebo. His head snapped our way, and his mouth dropped. I blushed as his golden eyes seemed to blaze in the firelight, scanning me up and down.
"Oh, and we... uh... made sure there were no cameras here, just saying." Alec announced awkwardly, but Jace didn't look away from me, finally meeting my eyes.
"Wow." this time I definitely heard the word, and he approached me slowly, never pulling his eyes from mine. Suddenly, it felt like it was him and me. Just us. He didn't stop until his chest almost pressed against mine.
"Who tied you down-" He cleared his throat, obviously noticing the husky note to his voice (Yes, I shivered, okay, sue me!), "Who tied you down and did... that?" Suddenly, a wave of self consciousness washed over me.
"D-Do you not like it?" I mentally cursed myself for stuttering.
"Like it?" If it was possible, he moved a little closer, "I love it. But what did I tell you about your hair?" I stared up at him in confusion until, ever so slowly, his hand moved behind my head, undoing the clip and running his hair through my newly freed locks.
"Hey-!" The protest from Isabelle was barely noticeable, as it was quickly smothered by someone else. Suddenly, Arms by Christina Perri began to play softly.
"May I have this dance?" Jace asked, voice almost a whisper.
"Of course." I replied, without a second of hesitation. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me as close as humanly possible, and I rested mine around his neck. We slowly swayed back and forth to the music, and I wished I could tell him. I wished I could somehow convey everything I felt without words, but just as meaningful.
But somehow, the way he held me close made me forget about that. It made me forget about everything. All i could think about was his scent, how his eyes would be glowing if they were open, how tight he was holding me. All I could think about was the man I loved. There, with my head rested in the crook of his neck and my eyes closed, I could admit it.
I could admit to myself that I loved him with all my heart and soul, and there was no doubt about it. He was the one I lived for, and the one I would die for. In that moment, I didn't think about him not reciprocating my feelings. I just relished in the lightness of finally accepting what I had known for a long time, and accepting it fully and wholeheartedly.
The song faded to and end, and we stopped dancing, time having flown by way too fast for me. Neither of us moved our arms, but we stared into each other's eyes. Just his molten golden gaze made my heart swell in a way it never had before. Slowly, as if he would break me if he moved to fast, Jace tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. He trailed his hand along my face as he brought it to his side, where he pulled something out for his pocket.
A rose, I realized as he brought it up, tucking it behind my ear, and into my hair. No words were needed as I stood on my toes, brushing my lips against his cheek. When I looked at him again, he was staring at me, almost in shock, and my cheeks grew red. I started to pull away in embarrassment, but his arms tightened around me.
Suddenly, his lips were pressed against my cheek, but unlike mine, it wasn't quick. My eyes fluttered closed as I relished in the soft feel of them against my skin.
"Awww!" I heard Magnus coo.
"That's adorable." Simon, surprisingly, joined in.
"Shut UP!" Alec interrupted, "You guys are ruining the moment!"
But they didn't realize that absolutely nothing on Earth could ruin this moment for me.
SO? DID YA LIKE IT? It wasn't a kiss... quite, but all in time young padawans. I love you guys so much and this chapter's question is this: I'm getting a horse (EEEEEEK) and which nae do you guys like more? Castiel or Chasing Blue (Cas and Blue for shorts) He's a reddish chestnut thoroughbred (for those of you who know what that means) and any other name suggestions are welcome. I love you my faithfuls and I'm glad to be back! Until next time my faithful followers!
-Shadowhunter5801