Jace's POV
"I didn't realise milkshake bars were your style." Jon commented as I entered the room. I shrugged.
"What can I say, I aim to please." I laughed, Jon didn't return it.
"Remember who it is you're 'pleasing' Jace. Clary's my sister at the end of the day." I laughed at him.
"Jon. We went for a milkshake because she was hungry. That's it. Hand on my heart. It's not at all like what you're thinking." Jon finally cracked a smile.
"There's no harm in asking." Jon shrugged, hopping from his seat. He clasped my shoulder as he headed into the fridge, pulling out a bottle of water. "Where is she anyway? I need to get her to sign this card mum sent me for."
"She's with Isabelle I think." I followed Jon from the room into the living room. Only Isabelle and Simon were inside.
"Where's Clary?" Jon asked as we entered the room.Isabelle looked at me confused.
"She thought she'd left something in the car but that was like five minutes ago. Is she not upstairs?"
"She didn't come and ask me for the keys. Did you hear her come back in?" I asked, Isabelle looked at Simon.
"I-I wasn't really paying attention." Simon said, smiling coyly.
"You go have a look upstairs, I'll have a look outside." Jon didn't need to say it twice. I made quick work of the stairs, peaking my head in every door upstairs. There was no sign of her. Jon was waiting in the doorway when I got back downstairs, Simon and Isabelle in the hallway. "Any sign?" He asked me. I shook my head.
"You?"
"Nah, she's not there. What happened before she left?" Jon rounded on Simon and Isabelle.
"Well, I showed her this but that was pretty much it." Isabelle indicated to the piece of paper in her hand. Jon nodded his head in understanding. What was with the paper?
"What is it?" I asked, Isabelle's cheeks immediately flushed before she handed me it. It was a sketch of Isabelle and Simon, I could understand why Isabelle had been nervous about showing me this. It definitely made it seem like there was something between her and that Simon kid, moreso than I had originally thought. But why had Clary left? I scanned the picture over and over trying to get some information from it. It was only as I was handing it back that my eyes fell upon the signature at the bottom S. Verlac. Could that be Sebastian? Clary had said that he was in New York and that he was an artist. It all seemed to fit.
"Where did you get this from?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"Just off of main-street." Isabelle said but Jon cut over her.
"That doesn't matter, we need to find Clary. If Jace and I take our cars, and you and Simon go out on foot we should be able to find her. She's not superhuman, she can't have gotten far." Jon said to Isabelle.
"Maybe she's just popped out to get something, she'll probably be back soon. I don't think it'll help sending the cavalry after her." Simon spoke up, thankfully Jon responded before I had a chance too.
"She doesn't know New York that well Simon. Especially not at night, if anything happened to her, would you be able to forgive yourself?" That was enough to sway Simon. We quickly organised where we would look before setting off in our search. Regardless of where I had been given, I knew where I was headed first – main-street.
Clary's POV
I'd ran as far as my body could physically take me, sitting myself down on a park bench. I wasn't sure where I was, I'd been running blindly. The idea that Simon and Sebastian had shared the same space, probably laughed together, made me numb to my core. The threat was real now. He was here, he was close. Jace was right in everything he said. I was terrified. I didn't even know how to cope with how I felt. It was why I had ran. I didn't want to face the awkward questions from Simon and Isabelle. I didn't want to have to explain it to Jon. They couldn't know. It was bad enough that Jace knew. Every person who walked past me as I sat on the bench, heightened my anxiety. My mind was chaotic, my choices reflective of it. I hurried out of the park, completely unsure of where I was headed.
"Clary!" I was sure I heard someone shouting behind me, so although my body wasn't ready for it, I took off at a run. Running further into unknown territory. Once I thought I'd ran far enough, I turned around to see nobody there. Had I imagined it or was someone really shouting? Was I losing my mind? Edging out of the alleyway I'd hidden in, I continued to walk down the street I was now on. Finally, somewhere I knew. Main-street. I walked down the street, keeping close to the shops. It was busy at this time of day. People commuting, peddlers packing up their wares for the day. I kept my head down. I'd become a prisoner in my own home city. It was like a tug of war in my mind. Every time I told myself that I was terrified, another part of my brain was telling me that I could work this all out if I saw him. That I could convince him to leave me alone. Had I subconsciously came to main-street because that's where I thought he would be selling his portraits? I was getting frustrated with myself. I didn't know what I was doing. Every time I thought I was running away from him, I seemed to be running too him. As I was heading up the street, I saw a familiar car pull in, so I turned in the opposite direction.
Jace's POV
It didn't take me long at all to reach main-street. Once I had, I pulled the car over, climbing out. I sprinted across the road, heading down the street. Every peddler I saw, I gave a once over, the only thing I had to go on was the fact he had dark features. It wasn't the most specific piece of information but surely I would recognise him by his portraiture. You can imagine my surprise when I saw Clary running off up the street. She was the last person I'd expected to find here. Had she come here deliberately to find Sebastian? After she promised me that she wouldn't go anywhere near him? Did she have a death wish? I kept my pace up after her as she weaved amongst the crowd. She didn't look back once. My mind was completely torn away from finding that Sebastian kid, as I followed Clary down an alleyway.
Clary's POV
I nearly dived out of my skin when I felt someone pulling me back. I didn't turn around right away, unsure of who it would even be. It was Jace. This wasn't good. The anger in his face was apparent, his cheekbones looking as though they were going to burst from his skin.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, the first words that came to me.
"What am I doing here? What – am – I?" Jace stuttered in disbelief. "Clary! What are you doing here?!"
"I needed to get out of the house, because of the picture." I didn't even know if he'd know what I meant but it was the only excuse I had.
"So you decided to run from the picture, a piece of paper, into a potentially very real threat?" Jace questioned, his hand running through his hair in agitation.
"I didn't kno-"I started but he was quick to cut over me.
"Don't get cute with me Clary. Be honest. Why did you promise me that you wouldn't do this?"
"I didn't mean to come here, it was an accident." It sounded so stupid, it was no wonder he looked at me in disbelief.
"Do you really expect me to believe that?" Jace asked, his hands holding my shoulders. I was panicking. My chest was tight and getting tighter. This situation was oh too familiar. Sebastian never believed anything I said. Questioned my every action three times over. Mustering all of the energy I could manage, I pushed Jace off.
"You're acting just like him." I shouted, the tears pouring down my cheeks. I skirted under his arm, out of the alley and ran as fast as I could towards the park. It didn't take him long to catch up to me, he was a football player after all. I threw myself down on a park bench, looking at my knees.
"Clary, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get angry with you. I just don't want you getting hurt, can you understand that? I'd never be able to forgive myself if he hurt you." Jace sat himself down next to me. For the second time today, I let myself cry. "Don't cry Clary, please." Jace reached out, rubbing the top of my back.
"I can't live like this." I muttered. Jace pulled me towards him, draping his arms around me.
"How long does a portrait take?" Jace asked five minutes later and I furrowed my brow, pulling back from him.
"It's subjective. Twenty minutes at least." I shrugged, wiping my eyes.
"I'm going to propose something because as you've said, you can't live like this. Tomorrow, we will come to main-street and see if we can see Sebastian. Don't text him, don't call him, and don't tell him that you're coming because then he'll wonder how you know he's doing it. The less he knows about your life here the better. I will wait in the car. If you need me, text me and I'll come right over. Let him draw your picture, and that's how much time he has to talk with you."
"You'll be in the car? Right there?"
"Yes. I'll be in the car, a text away."
"Are you sure?"
"I think you need to answer that question Clary. If you feel comfortable doing it, then I feel obligated to help you. You know my feelings on the matter, but if seeing the guy is going to stop you from living your life in fear then I can't really see any other option." I wrapped my arms around him tightly, my head on his shoulder.
"How can I thank you?" I asked, clinging on tightly.
"You don't need to thank me Clary, just don't do anything like this again. Sebastian isn't the only danger in New York on a night time. You don't know who's about on a night time." Jace held me just as tight, patting my back. "I should probably text your brother and let him know I've found you alright. You're going to need a pretty good excuse, I don't have to tell you what Jon's like." Jace pulled out his phone, pulling up Jon's number and quickly messaging him.
"I don't know what to tell him." I shrugged as we walked back to the car. Jace gave me a reassuring squeeze.
"I'll think of something okay. You just get yourself prepared for tomorrow. I don't think it's going to be easy." He was right, it wasn't going to be easy. But it would be a lot easier knowing that Jace would be a text message away.
"What are you going to say to Jon?" Jace opened the car door for me, before letting himself in on the other side.
"I'll tell him that you've been thinking about your break up. I won't mention anything specific. I'll just embellish on what he already knows."
"That sounds fair enough, thank you Jace."
"Don't worry about it, Red." He squeezed my shoulder from his seat, before focussing on the road. Jon wasn't home when we got back. Jace sent me straight up to bed, telling me that I needed my rest. Climbing into bed, I closed my eyes and sleep came quickly.
Jace's POV
Jon and the others arrived back, ten minutes after we did.
"Where is she?" Jon burst through the door, his worry written on his face.
"She's upstairs, asleep." I said, gesturing for Jon to follow me into the kitchen.
"Simon's going to walk me home Jace. I'll see you at home." Isabelle said, looking at Simon. He looked hesitant to leave but he followed after her.
"What's wrong with her? I'm assuming you know." Jon asked.
"It's what she told you the other day, about the whole break up. She's not dealing with it properly." Jon seemed to be relieved.
"At least it's something manageable." I tried to keep my face straight, manageable wasn't the first word that came to my head when I thought about it.
"She just needs support, I think."
"Thanks Jace. For helping her out. Here I was thinking I was the King of advice."
"What is it they say – the student surpasses the master?"
"Don't push it." Jon smirked, finally relaxing. "Are you staying tonight?"
"Nah, I'm going to go home tonight. They'll be forgetting what my face looks like. I'll catch you at some point tomorrow though."
Clary's POV
I sat glued to the spot, my arms held in front of me, bandaged up in plaster cast. I'd decided my project was going to focus around sculpture and the best way to achieve that was to use Modrock. Sebastian had helped me to bandage up my arms and hands. One arm was held out in front of me, pointing. The other was bent at the elbow, my hand at my hip. My legs were starting to go numb, so I hopped up from the chair, losing my balance slightly before pacing the room. Sebastian came back from the supply room, laughing at me as he walked through the door.
"You look absolutely ridiculous Clary." He smiled, walking over to the whiteboard in the corner of the room, crossing off body parts on the list.
"The things I do in the name of art." I huffed dramatically. Sebastian shook his head, tapping the plaster on my arm.
"It's dry. Time for it to come off. Stay still." He picked up a pair of scissors, cutting up the arms to release the plaster cast. Once he'd removed them, he fixed the incisions up with more plaster, stuffing the arms with newspaper to keep the shape.
"How much longer have we got?" I asked, not wanting to search for my phone, my hands still wet from the plaster.
"Uh – 30 minutes. Probably enough time to do something small. What have we got left to do…?" Sebastian approached the whiteboard, tapping the pen. "A hand or neck, your choice."
"Neck definitely. My hands are still a bit numb off the last hour. Will you tie my hair back for me, my hair tie is on top of my bag." Sebastian came up behind me, gathering my hair before tying it up in a bun on the top of my head. I wet my neck, getting ready for the plaster to be applied.
"Do you want me to do it for you?" He asked, grabbing a box of plaster.
"Please. It'll probably be quicker." I craned my neck. Sebastian approached me, wetting the plaster, smoothing it before placing it on my neck. It wasn't a sensation that you got used too quickly. Sebastian smoothed the plaster down on my neck, and I was glad my head was tilted back so that my blush might have just been confused with headrush.
"Put your head down a bit." Sebastian muttered as he put some plaster on the back of my neck. I visibly shuddered as he smoothed it down. He came back around to the front to get some more, his eyes locking with mine as he placed it on my neck. "You alright?" He asked. "I'm not doing it too tight am I?"
"It's fine, honestly." I smiled. He smoothed it down, his gaze still unfaltering. His hand was still smoothing down the plaster on my throat for what seemed longer than needs be. His hand moved around to the back of my neck, resting on top of the plaster, his thumb tracing up and down. I looked at him questionably but my questions were soon answered as his lips cascaded into my own. His free hand travelled up to my jaw, his lips pressed gently against my own. I could feel my skin burning, my stomach bubbling. He pulled back, surveying my reaction. I had just enough time to smile at him slightly before his lips were on mine once more. This time with more desperation, his hands on either side of my face, his lips parting mine. I kissed him back best I knew how, my hands resting on his abdomen. His lips were skilful, his hands even more so as they traced my skin as light as brushstrokes on a canvas. Was this what love felt like?
I awoke with a start, sickness building in my stomach. I only just made it to the bathroom.
Thank you all as always for taking the time to read and review. The reviews I have been receiving have warmed my heart so much and I'm grateful for each and every one. All my love, until next time! ~Sapph