A/N: Hey All!
So, their back together, but will they remain together?
*Shrugs* ;)
Only four chapters to go plus the Epilogue *tear*
Thank you Icaughtkira once again for being my Beta in this!
Here we go!
R&R
Xoxo
CLARY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF THE VELVET CLAD BOX THAT WAS HANDED TO HER, CONTAINING A BEAUTIFUL RING. All she knew was it must have cost him a fortune.
"Do you like it, querido?" Raphael asked, his Spanish coming out smoothly and eloquently.
"I..." Of course she liked it, but a gift so expensive to celebrate their one month anniversary—since she took him back—Clary didn't think she would be comfortable wearing it.
The ring was a golden heart with a diamond in the middle and could open into a kind of locket. It was intended for her index finger, much to her relief.
Raphael was taking her out to dinner tonight. This time she wasn't going to feign illness; she was going to see it through as she was still having her doubts about a relationship with Jace. Sure, they had made love for the first time—among other things, and she loved him but she couldn't help but question her emotions and her judgment whenever he wasn't around. Jace was someone she wanted to be with, but she couldn't be with. Raphael was someone she could be with, and could probably be fairly happy. But her heart would always ache for another.
"I love it," She said resignedly, smiling while looping her arm through his.
He smiled and led her to the elevator of my building and down to his car. He, being a hotel manager, was very well off with his Mercedes and his expensive black tie suit, and he had bought her outfit for tonight as one of 'many gifts he would bestow on her,' at least that's what he told her.
Clary had her hair up in a twisted bun and her bangs sweeping her left eye. She was wearing a green, satin dress that had a twisted bodice and reached to an inch or two above her knees, on her feet she wore jewelled platform silver heels that gave her enough height that she wouldn't have to stand on her tip toes to kiss him, or anyone else.
Raphael was dressed formally also in a simple black suit. His shirt was white and fitted his lean muscles in a perfect way. His snazzy dress shoes looked freshly polished.
As he drove, she thought. She wondered what Jace was doing and how he would feel if he knew that she was re-dating Raphael, since she didn't have a chance to tell him.
It had been a week since Valentine's Day, and the sexual tension between her and Jace was so obvious that she was worried some of the students knew. They stole kisses every chance they got, and though Clary always questioned herself, when he they were together she knew she would never want anyone else.
"You're quiet tonight," Raphael noted as he looked at the white menu with gold writing. It was true. Normally they could talk all night long, but her thoughts had strayed to a certain golden haired angel that, no matter how hard she tried, held a place within her that nobody could ever reach.
She smiled and looked at her menu, trying to decipher the fancy names for food she didn't much feel like eating anymore.
She finally decided on the 'Poulet à la sauce moutarde au miel servi sur un lit de riz avec une salade verte' which she discovered after asking the waiter was, was a Chicken with honey mustard sauce served on a bed of rice with green salad.
"So, how's work?" Raphael asked this is how their conversations always started.
"Work..." How was work? Fine, besides fourth hour when Jace was in the room. "It's good, really good." She smiled to hide the real answer. It sucks, because she would never be able to move on from him.
"Hmmm," Raphael rubbed his chin in thought. "I have some partially good news."
"Partially good, how so?"
"It depends on how you react to it of course."
"Okay, what is it?" She asked.
He drew in a deep breath before responding. "I have been asked to manage a hotel in New York and when I looked into it, it sounded really promising so I..." This was it, the break-up. "And I found that there was a teaching job available there also, and I know we have only been together for a month but we have known each other for longer and I was hoping, if you see this going somewhere, that you would come with me?" He asked that last part in a questioning and hesitated tone.
Move to New York, with him? No she couldn't- could she? It was a huge commitment, then again, it would get her away from Jace, not to mention her mother and Luke lived there and Simon would always visit her.
"I'll have to think about it, it's a big decision, I know I don't want us to break-up." That was true, she didn't want them to, if they did she would never move on. "But, I need to think this through."
Then their food arrived.
###
Jace sat back in his car, his heart breaking as he watched Clary get into the black Mercedes with him.
He hadn't meant to see her there, obviously she hadn't thought he would see her there either, but his grandmother had sent him to the shop and on the drive back he saw the familiar fiery hair and stopped, thinking she was with Simon, but seeing her lip locked with her ex, or who he thought was her ex though they were doing some very un-ex like behaviour.
"Stupid," He chastised himself, but as he watched the sleek car move away he began to follow.
He realised he was acting like a creepy stalker, but he had hope that Clary only went out with him to tell him she was involved.
He followed until they pulled up outside Clary's building and both of them got out of the car. Clary turned a bright smile on her face and pecked Raphael lightly before walking in. Raphael had a smug air about him as he walked back to his car and it sickened Jace. Clary and he were together again and that was how it would stay, this guy had to go.
His phone vibrated in his pocket and Jace looked to see a text from Clary.
Come up if you want ~ C
She had seen him, which mean she knows that Jace had seen her 'date'. He didn't know how he felt about that.
Jace got out of his car once Raphael left and made his way to Clary and Simon's apartment.
She was waiting for him outside the door.
"What were you doing Jace? Spying on me?" She asked as they entered the apartment, he gathered that Simon wasn't home.
"No," He answered and not expanding on that.
"Then explain why you followed me home?"
"My house was along the way."
"Bullshit!" She yelled suddenly. "We both know that is not true."
"Well, can you blame me if I want to know what you're doing with another guy when you're supposed to be with me?"
Clary sighed, seeming defeated.
"Jace, I'm still with Raphael okay and the reason for that is-" She paused and looked to be deciding on what to say. "To stop him from spying on me the way you just did."
Had Jace never known her he would have believed Clary when she said that, but the anxious look in her eyes, the way she fidgeted and shifted her weight from one leg to another, told him that she was lying. Jace didn't know if he should question her about it and he decided that he wouldn't, Clary would tell him in time, he knew she was still nervous about their relationship, but he only had until September and he would no longer be her student but they would still have to keep it a secret for a little while longer. Jace couldn't wait for the day he could tell everyone he was in love, for Clary to let down her guard, to finally show everyone he cared about that he had found the girl of his dreams.
Jace sighed as he looked into Clary's green, knowing eyes.
"I love you, you know that right?" He asked.
She smiled and nodded. "I know and I have something for you." Clary walked to her room, emerging a few minutes later with a piece of A3 paper. "I drew this the day we met. I had been having dreams of this angel for a few days before I started working at the school. Here, it's for you." Jace took the paper from her and a small smile appeared on his lips as he looked at the drawing.
A beautifully detailed pencil sketch of an angel with large white wings with golden tips. The angel's hair was golden and wavy, and came to rest just above his shoulders. His muscles were defined as the angel was crouched down, wearing only blue cut off shorts, his eyes gold and calculating. On the bottom were finally scripted words 'I got my angel now,' Jace looked up to see Clary beckoning him towards a room in their apartment.
"When I was in New York for Christmas I recorded this song for you," She seemed sad as she handed the CD to him. Jace didn't know why she would be sad.
"It's a cover of Beyonce', I thought it described you—well us—perfectly." Then she paused to look at her watch, Jace noticed a heart ring on her index finger but didn't comment. "You should go, Simon will be back shortly." She smiled at him, sadly.
"Okay, I'll see you at school Monday?"
Clary nodded as she walked him to the door, her heels making her nearly as tall as himself.
Jace leaned in and kissed her, a light feather touch and then left. He didn't know what was wrong with her, maybe her mother was sick, he didn't know, but he would give her time to tell him herself.
Jace got into his Jeep, starting up the engine and putting the CD in.
The piano keys started and Clary's voice filled his car as he drove home.
Remember those walls I built
Well, baby they're tumbling down
And they didn't even put up a fight
They didn't even make up a sound
I found a way to let you in
But I never really had a doubt
Standing in the light of your halo
I got my angel now
It's like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
It's the risk that I'm takin'
I ain't never gonna shut you out
Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You're the only one that I want
Think I'm addicted to your light
I swore I'd never fall again
But this don't even feel like falling
Gravity can't forget
To pull me back to the ground again
Feels like I've been awakened
Every rule I had you breakin'
The risk that I'm takin'
I'm never gonna shut you out
Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
Halo, halo
Everywhere I'm looking now
I'm surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you're my saving grace
You're everything I need and more
It's written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won't fade away
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
Jace stopped and felt his hear thunder in his chest. Clary was right, this song did describe then, it was one of many songs that could be classified as theirs.
Raphael didn't stand a chance, what Clary and Jace shared was real, pure, unadulterated love. Nothing would change that. Jace knew he was young, but when you know that you love someone and always will you know and that was something Clary hadn't grasped when it came to him and his feelings for her.
He would love her as long as she let him and every moment after that.
###
Clary felt awful.
She was contemplating going with Raphael or staying for Jace. The former seemed less heart breaking than the latter.
She didn't know what to do. The rational part of her mind said to go with Raphael, even if things with him didn't work out, she would've moved on from Jace by then and then her heart was telling her to stay with Jace, he was who she really wanted and loved. She was weighing her options.
Raphael, safe. Jace, not safe. Raphael, her age. Jace, younger. Raphael, not a secret. Jace, a secret. Raphael, simple. Jace, complicated.
All great love stories were complicated. Romeo and Juliet, Sir Lancelot and Queen Guinevere, Tristan and Isolde, Paris and Helena, Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler, Elizabeth Bennett and Darcy, Pocahontas and John Smith and now Clary and Jace? Teacher and student? Older woman and younger man?
No, her and Jace's story was not an epic tale of heart's desire, of tragedy. It was reality, her love for Jace was something that would never go away, no matter how hard she wanted it too, it would always remain.
She knew now what she had to do. She had to talk to the one person that would make sense of all of this, the one person that would help her make the right decision, the one person who has had their own tragic love story.
Clary picked up the cordless phone and dialled the familiar number. After about five rings a voice on the other end answered.
"Hello?" The friendly voice answered.
"Hey Mum, it's me, I really need your help."
And that's the end of that chapter.
So the question is; What is Jocelyn's tragic love story? And who does it involve?
Let me now, and if you get it right you get an excerpt for chapter 17!
Only 17, 18, 19 and epilogue to go. Gotta tell you now, these (except the epilogue of course) will most likely ALL end in cliff hangers (Well 18 and 19 will, not sure about 17)
For those that are going to answer the question, remember Valentine is a teacher at the school and she is currently married to Luke (so you can rule those two out)
Review!
Xoxo