A/N Thanks to everyone who reviewed/favorited/followed - I seriously appreciate you guys all so much
My apologies for the wait, I hope you enjoy x
Previosuly: Clary flipped her head around. "No, you began walking straight to –"she was cut off though, as a wave plummeted down on her, completely drenching her shorts and the bottom half of her tee-shirt. Though, as she was caught off guard, she slipped and fell head first into the rocky water below them.
"Clary!" Jace stepped down into the water which came up to just above his waist. He located Clary's fiery red curls beneath the stormy surface of the water, relieved when he saw Clary moving toward the surface. He reached down and gently pulled her up as she gasped for air. A quick examination showed that she had a small gash on her forehead, but there didn't appear to be much else.
"Clary are you alright! Can you see me? How many fingers am I holding up!?" He frantically continued his search across her face to ensure its safety.
"Jace you have to actually hold up fingers for that to work."
"What – oh. Yeah, right. Seriously, how are you? Are you hurt anywhere other than your forehead?"
"No, I'm fine. I have a slight headache but it's nothing."
"Clary you could have concussion. Let's get you to the hospital."
"Jace, no. It's not worth it. You know that could be a way to track me down."
"And enrolling in school isn't?"
"It's different. No public school has decently kept records. Seriously, we can just go home and I can talk to my mum. If she thinks it's bad, then I'll go." Clary clasped onto his shirt as another wave crashed down against her back.
"Clary she could be gone for the day!"
"Then we'll go to your mum. Jace, its fine."
"You promise you'll go if we talk to someone and they think you should?"
"Yes, yes of course. Now I hadn't actually planned on swimming, so maybe we could move out of the freezing water?"
Jace nodded reluctantly and lifted her into his arms, holding her to his chest as they made their way toward the shore.
"Jace I can walk."
"And I can carry you. Please Clary, it's killing me that I've seriously hurt you and I can't help you."
"It wasn't your fault, seriously. Chill out."
"Never," Jace said earnestly, looking into Clary's eyes. Clary blinked and looked away until she no longer felt water at her feet and Jace carefully let her down.
"Do you still want coffee?"
"Is that even a question, come on."
"I really think we should-"
"Fine, we can get drive through coffee on the way home, and well go straight to a parent. Deal?"
Jace nodded and helped her into the car; much to her protest. Slamming his own door, they started the drive back to Clary's house.
"Do you feel tired at all dear?" Mayrse asked kindly.
"A little bit, yeah," Clary admitted biting her lip. Mayrse frowned. "I believe you have just a mild concussion. But Clary, I would feel better…"
"Mayrse, no. Please, I trust your judgement, and you know the risks that going to the hospital bring."
"Clary, no-one," she swallowed heavily, "would be able to track you based on a small checkup."
"Please, I'm fine. After I have some food and rest I'll be back to normal."
Mayrse conceded. "Fine, but if you feel any pain over the next week or any severe headaches you need to let me know immediately and do whatever I ask. Deal?"
Clary nodded. "I do. Thank you for this Mayrse."
Mayrse nodded. "Of course honey. Now, I believe Jace found some clothes for you, I will be making lunch and you will be resting the rest of the afternoon. But please don't fall asleep, just to ensure there be no lasting effects from your tumble."
"Thankyou for everything, I'm sorry for being a nuisance."
"It was no problem at all Clary. Will you want to go home before we go over tonight?"
"Tonight?"
"Oh, sorry Clary. Your mother invited us over for dinner tonight."
Clary smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Oh that's great!" she bit her lip, "Mayrse I'm sorry but I – I haven't had the chance to talk to mum yet."
Mayrse raised her eyebrows. "Clary, I won't keep this a secret from her."
"Yes I know, but please just give me a little longer."
"Clary you need to tell her. She deserves to know."
"Mum, it's her decision." Jace commented as he entered the spare room carrying a bundle of clothes.
"Honey I know that, but I don't feel comfortable withholding this from Jocelyn. She needs to know."
"Yeah, she probably should but that Clarys' choice about when and how."
"Jace –"
"Mum, it's a big adjustment for the both of us already, it's already changing things so much and we would have kept it secret longer if you hadn't caught us when you did. Please don't make her do this."
"Jace I'll think about it, and I will leave it alone for now but I won't forget about it entirely," she warned. She stood up and smoothed out her skirt "Lunch will be ready in twenty minutes."
As the door closed behind her; which Mayrse was careful to ensure there was a gap left open, Jace moved to sit beside clary on the bed and handed her the clothes he had been carrying.
"I'm sorry about that, I'll try to convince her to leave it alone for a while."
Clary shook her head, "No it's fine. Thank you, but I don't want you guys getting into a fight over this, I will talk to her soon."
She didn't even know why she didn't want her mum to know. Clary knew she would find out eventually and there really was no downside to her mother coming into knowledge of this. She supposed she just didn't want to share Jace just yet.
Clary was dropped home a while after lunch, to give her time to shower and get properly ready for the evening. Her mother was cooking up a storm, eager to make a good impression.
"Mum what's for dinner?" Clary asked as she walked through the door.
"Steak with potatoes and roast veggies."
"You do know the Lightwoods are vegetarian right?"
Jocelyn just about dropped the pan she had been putting into the oven. "No!? I didn't, when were you going to tell me this? Oh no, what will I do?" She flung her apron off and looked around anxiously for her keys.
"Wow, mum chill. I was kidding. None of them are."
Jocelyn visibly deflated. "You, my child, are going to regret that."
Clary grinned and helped herself to an apple from the fruit bowl, sitting down on one of the stools. Jocelyn pulled some cream out of the fridge to begin on the sauce.
"How was the beach?"
Clary chewed the apple around in her mouth for moment, contemplating how to answer. "It was nice."
"That's good sweetheart. And how's Jace?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"He's good."
"You guys became friends quickly." She quirked an eyebrow, fishing for more information.
"I suppose we did. He was friends with Jon more at the start, we just connect well."
"Is that so." Jocelyn looked at her pointedly.
"Mu-um. It's nothing like that! We're just friends."
"Well if you're certain," she winked. "I must say though, you've been a lot happier recently, it's nice to see you smiling properly." She added sincerely, looking at Clary warmly. "Just be careful though sweetheart, wait before you tell him about…" she trailed off with a frown.
Clary just sighed at the comment, opting to not comment. "It'll be fine. I'm going to shower."
"Clary, I'll swap you Piccadilly for Mayfair." Jon looked at clary hopefully.
"No."
"Clary, please? This is a great deal for you; you get another monopoly! And you've practically won, I mean everyone knows that orange and light blue monopoly's are the best ones."
Clary glanced down at the board and back to her properties. "Well maybe…"
Jace snatched up the card clary was toying with in her hand. "Jon, our answer is no. Roll the dice."
Jon scowled, "Screw this, if you guys hadn't teamed up I would be winning; Clary is so easy to get property out of."
"Sucks for you then Jon, I know how to play."
"Hey, so do I!" Clary exclaimed. "I wouldn't have given it to him."
Izzy raised an eyebrow. "Clary, you would have given him the property and all of your money without realizing the risk."
Clary rolled her eyes and sat back, gesturing to her cards and money. "Fine then Jace, if you're so good at it how about you take my spot."
"Nah Clare, we need to stick together," he said with a wink, "always." Clary smiled knowing exactly what he was referencing.
Flashback
"Jonathon, how do you think we could escape?" Clarissa asked as she clumsily wound the bandage around Jonathon's calf.
He frowned in response. "I'm not sure. We could probably jump out of the window."
"But it's so tall! I'd die!"
Jonathon frowned. "You could crawl through one of those holes in the wall?"
Clarissa shuddered. "There would be spiders in those! No, I would dig my way out."
Jonathon scoffed. "Out of where, the floor is like rock! It would take you one hundred years!"
"Like it wouldn't take you that long to find a window!" Clarissa bit back angrily.
"Please, there's windows here."
"Where? I haven't seen any."
Jonathon rolled his pant leg down to cover the bandage and lay down on the bed. "Maybe it would be better if we stuck together?"
Clarissa huffed. "Fine, we can stick together." She lay down beside him and rested her head next to his, their small hands barely touching under the thin blanket.
"We need to stick together, always." Jonathon whispered into the dark as he held her hand properly and squeezed. Clarissa gave a small smile for what felt like the first time in forever. As long as Jonathon was here, survival seemed like a possibility.
End Flashback
Jace gave Clary's hand a small squeeze as she moved to lean against his side.
"Dammit!" The pair looked up at Jon in surprise after being in their own world and laughed as he handed over all his money to Izzy and mortgaged half of his properties. She laughed maliciously and counted the money as it came, snatching money from Max as well as he frantically fulfilled his job as banker.
"Take that Jon!"
Jon scowled and glared at the board game. "I freaking hate this game. Stupid piece of shit."
"Jon! Language!" Clary scolded him.
Jon glanced guiltily at Max who was watching the teenagers with curiosity.
"Oh don't worry about me, you should hear Jace when he's angry!" Max chirped happily. Jon laughed nervously and glanced at Jace who shrugged.
"Eh, it's true. Helping him build character," he roughed Max's hair despite his protests.
Clary snatched up the dice and rolled, landing on 'Go to jail'. She glanced at Jace.
"My apologies."
"All good, now we get to watch Izzy and Jo land on all of our properties."
Izzy had her turn and landed on 'Go' before it went back to Jon who rolled and landed on 'The Strand'.
"That will be one thousand and fifty six dollars thanks." Clary requested smugly.
Jon flipped the board, sending hotels, cards and money flying and flopped onto the nearby couch.
"I didn't even want to play."
His claims fell on deaf ears as the rest of the group laughed at his theatrics.
"I finally bet you Jon!" Clary yelled and pointed gloatingly. Jace raised an eyebrow. "You finally beat him? Clary it was a team effort."
"Nah, I could have done it without you."
Jon let out a bark of laughter.
"Shut up Jon," she flung a pillow at her brother who caught it with a laugh.
"I really don't think you could have Clare-bear."
"I so could've!"
"Somehow, I don't believe you." Jace smirked at her and then launched across the pin her to the ground where he proceeded to tickle Clary until she laughed so hard she was crying.
"Noooo! Jace stooopp!"
Jace persisted further, and gestured for Jon to join in and zap her when she finally managed to sit up. Clary let out a quick scream and flipped around in shock, being caught unaware at the shock from behind. She took a deep breath and focused on Jace in front of her who grabbed her wrist and was rubbing soothing circles into it.
"I'm sorry for attacking you clary, can you forgive me?" he covered up her uneasiness with the question which she was grateful for. She hated that the smallest thing had made her jump but she loved how he could read her so easily. She took a few dep breaths to calm her racing heart.
Clary gave a weak smile and collapsed on the floor beside Jace and near Jon. Jon shot her a look, one she knew meant 'I'm sorry'. She gave him a real smile and relaxed into the plush carpet, pulling Jace down beside her too, their hands clasped between them.
"Well apparently I'm missing out on something," Isabelle declared and scooted her way to join them on the floor. Alec sprawled out on the couch and looked down at the group.
"Why on earth are you all lying on the floor?"
"We could ask you the same thing."
"Except I'm not on the floor, I'm on the couch, like what normal people do?"
"Alec I think you pronounced boring wrong."
"Oh you're such a comedian Jace, when is your next show?" Alec retorted dryly.
"Well everybody look out, somebody borrowed Magnus' sass pants."
Alec proceeded to choke on his own spit. "Uhhh what? I haven't borrowed, I haven't even…why would i-"
Jace chuckled at Alec's awkwardness.
"Jace leave him alone," Izzy ordered sternly with a glare, which only cause Jace to laugh.
"Alright kids, I was worried about Max crashing but it looks like it's the older kids tonight, Time to head off guys." The group peeled themselves off of the floor and stood up stretching, stifling yawns as they headed back into the foyer area.
Jocelyn greeted them. "Who won the game?"
"Well mum, no one won per say; as Jon saw fit to flip the board before Jace and I could bankrupt him."
Jocelyn rolled her eyes, "Somethings will never change." She turned to Mayrse and Robert. "Thank you so much for coming, it was wonderful to meet you. We'll have to organise to catch up again."
"Of course, you'll have to come to our house for dinner some time" Mayrse exclaimed, "Thank you so much for having us, it was a wonderful evening."
"My pleasure," Jocelyn commented with a smile. Hugs were exchanged, and with a small hand squeeze from Jace, Clary watched the Lightwoods exit into the night.
"Night mum, dad. Love you." She gave them both a kiss on the cheek and she left to go to bed.
"Love you mum and dad," Jon said smiling sweetly at them.
"Nice try kid, get your butt back up there and clean up the game." Jocelyn sternly ordered. Jon grumbled under his breath and disappeared into the games room. "Honestly, eighteen years old and he still flips that damn board," Jocelyn muttered to herself.
A/N
Like always thank you for your continued support, its the random reviews, favourites and follows that encourage me to write. I am honestly so sorry I haven't updated, I just haven't had inspiration or motivation (and school is slightly kicking my ass). I intend to have the plot line pick up a bit in the coming chapters BUT I don't know when I'll have them written so please bare with me. I love suggestions, and I love hearing your thoughts and ideas on the chapter so please review (reviews are better than Nate Archibald). Thanks for reading!
- Demonpoxjohnnyboy x
(I'm only kidding, nothing is better then Nate Archibald)