Chapter 24: Jace, Jonathan, and Clary. Angst.
POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNING: mentions of non-con (Rated M).
I do not own any of the characters, only the illustrious Cassandra Clare owns them. I do, however, own this particular story, so please don't be lame and copy/paste it elsewhere.
Previously: I don't want to be protected from the truth! I was lied to my whole life by the people I trusted the most– my own parents…to fucking "protect me".
Clary walked into the lobby of the police precinct and quickly made her way to the elevator when her phone buzzed. She pushed the Up button and looked at her phone to see a text from Simon. "You got this, Fray. I'm here if you need me afterwards. Love you." She smiled and sent him a heart emoji. She had told Izzy and Simon everything that had happened between her and Jace. Simon was predictably angry at Jace for keeping such things from her and encouraged her to "dump his poser, surfer, boyband looking wanna-be ass…" Izzy, surprisingly, told her not to make any rash decisions. That she "knows how much Jace loves you and his intentions were honorable, even if his methods sucked." Clary shook her head. She was not looking forward to seeing Starkweather again; especially to discuss what was found at Sebastian Verlac's apartment. How many of them have seen the videos and pictures? Fuck. Keep your head held high. You are Chief Luke Garroway's daughter.
The elevator opened and she stepped in and pressed the button to head up to Starkweather's office. I hope Jace isn't there. I don't think I'm ready to see him. She checked her reflection on the elevator door. She made sure she looked fierce (as Magnus would say) today. Under her long red wool coat, she wore a V-neck, knee-length charcoal long sleeve dress that hugged her curves, with minimal cleavage. On her feet she wore black suede ankle boots that accentuated her black nylon clad legs. She wore her hair down in soft waves, down her back. Just as he likes it. Stop it. Be strong. It's only been two days. She pulled her gloss out and touched up her red lips. Game face, Fray. Channel Jocelyn.
Jace sat at his desk with his hand over his mouth, watching the elevators. Clary was coming to meet with Starkweather and that douche Michael Wayland for her debriefing about the Verlac case. He hadn't seen her or talked to her in two days. Two fucking days. He had texted her a few times without a response. I miss her. We have to end this distance. I can't lose her. Alec cleared his throat, making Jace jump. "Hey man. You've got to chill. You aren't going to make her magically appear by staring at the elevators. She'll be here, okay? Anyway…you're supposed to be giving her space. Magnus said you had to cool it." Jace sat back in his chair and sipped his coffee. "I know that Alec. I just can't stand it when she's pissed at me, man. You should have seen her face. She was so hurt…I contributed to that. Shit…" Jace looked up to see Starkweather and Wayland walking towards his desk. "Morning Chief. Wayland." Jace said, taking another sip of his coffee, he flicked his eyes between the two men.
Starkweather tossed a folder on Jace's desk. "Here's the copy of the casework that I'll be discussing with Clary, Herondale. You and Alec can look over it while Michael and I meet with her privately." Jace looked quickly up at the Chief who stared back at him sternly. "Yep. That's right, Herondale you stay out of my office while she's in there. I don't want Miss Fray to be any more flustered than she probably already is. She's asked that you not be present. Got it? That girl has been through enough."
Starkweather walked away to his office, but Wayland took a seat next to Jace's desk. He took a deep breath through his nose and ran a hand through his brown curls, before smirking at Jace. "Sorry you got booted, Herondale. But, I'll handle everything for you. I've always thought Clary was quite a catch, you know. Man…gotta say it was really tough going through all of that hot and heavy evidence over the weekend. I had to really take my time…and a few breaks to rub one, or two, out. Those tits and her moans, damn… how can you even let her out of your sight? I'd have my dick in her 24-7, man—" Wayland was cut-off by Jace diving across his desk, knocking him out of his chair. Prick.
Alec leapt over his desk, pulling Jace off of Wayland, with the help of a nearby detective. "Not now, Jace. You don't want Clary to see this, okay. Come on, man." Wayland stood up, laughing, straightening his shirt and smoothing his hair back down. "Woo…I'll say hi to Miss Fray for you, Herondale." He popped a breath mint in his mouth, turned and walked to the Chief's office. Jace slammed himself back into his chair, smoothed his hair, straightened his clothes, and growled. "Fucking dick. He better not touch her." Michael Wayland was an asshole…and thought he was god's gift to women, perfectly suited to be Starkweather's lapdog. Chief Garroway hadn't liked him much either. He looked up sharply when he heard the elevator ding and the doors opened, revealing the love of his life. And she looked breathtaking. She wearing that red coat. Damn.
She stepped into the busy work room and it suddenly got quiet. Jace heard a low whistle near the back of the room and clenched his jaw. How many of his dickhead coworkers had seen the videos? Fucking Wayland slithered out of Starkweather's office and greeted her. Jace clenched his jaw. Clary smiled politely and shook his hand, turning her back to Jace and the rest of the room. She knows where I sit and won't look at me. Then the motherfucker helped her take off her coat and hung it on the hook outside of the office. Clary tossed her hair over her shoulder with one hand and fake-laughed at some stupid thing Wayland probably said. Jace heard someone mumble, "Damn hot." behind him. She looked fucking beautiful in a tight gray dress, black tights and little black high heeled boots, her red hair swinging around her. Wayland led her into the office, turned, winked at Jace and closed the door behind them. Dick. Jace ran his hands through his hair and sighed heavily.
Jonathan walked into his apartment, feeling refreshed and still out of breath from his run. He liked New York City enough, but couldn't wait to return to Idris and run the trails through Brocelind Forest…with Clarissa. He had been happy to learn that Clarissa was an avid runner. He pulled a bottle of water from his refrigerator and took a long drink. He left his kitchen and walked into his en suite, turning on the shower. He pulled off his sweaty workout clothes, looked in the mirror, and leaned in to examine the barely perceptible faded scratches along the left side of his neck. He smirked at his reflection, turned and got in the shower. He stood under the hot streams of water, lathering himself thoroughly. Friday, New Year's Eve, was one of the best nights of his life. He hadn't seen her in two full days. I miss my little doll.
Clarissa had been stunning in her golden gown, her crimson silken curls, her musical laugh, her flashing emerald eyes, how she danced, how she felt in his arms…how she tasted. She made him feel joy. No one had ever done that before and he wanted to feel it every day. It's as if she were made just for him. The fact that she wore gold on their date was not lost on Jonathan. He had worn black. Gold for a bride in her wedding gown…Black for hunting through the night. They were meant to be.
Jonathan felt his dick harden. He had never wanted a woman so badly in his life. She was it. The only one for him. He remembered their kiss at midnight.…how for a short time she had kissed him back...then pulled his hair…scratched his neck, trying to pull his mouth off of her hot little pussy…as he had forced her to cum on his fingers. How she had told him to stop. Slapped him…so hot. He had no idea she would respond so well to his new drug, Faerie Nectar. I need to get it to market. It will sell so well.
He couldn't wait to get her away from her circle of idiotic friends. From her douchebag detective. She called me Sebastian. He shivered. Jonathan took his aching erection in his fist and began to relieve his frustrations by remembering Clarissa's naked breasts in his hands. When he was finished, he stepped out of the shower and began to dry himself when his phone buzzed. The text was from Isabelle Lightwood. "Drinks & dancing Pandemonium tomorrow at 8pm for Clary. Going away celebration for Idris trip. It's a surprise! Coming?" Jonathan smiled. Making friends with Isabelle was paying off. He quickly responded. "Yes! Can't wait!". She responded with a thumbs-up. Jonathan smiled and gave his reflection a thumbs up. He needed to finish getting ready for his lunch date with Clarissa. She had to meet that dumbass Starkweather, then he'd pick her up at the police station.
Clary took a deep breath and plastered on a tight smile as Hodge Starkweather yammered away about the evidence recovered from the crime scene at Sebastian Verlac's apartment. I fucking hate this douche. She ran her eyes around her father's old office. Every single bit of him had been removed and replaced with Starkweather's bullshit. She couldn't help but think back to their last meeting, when he closed her parent's case. Do not punch this man in the dick. He and Detective Michael Wayland, who was sitting too close to her, by the way, weren't telling her anything new. At least Jace has finally told me everything. I need to talk to him soon. I just don't know how to forgive him yet. Clary couldn't even look over at his desk when she got off the elevator. She was so nervous to be near him…alone with him. I miss him– Clary was brought back to the present when Detective Wayland leaned close to her, pointing out a few lines in the report. His hand brushed her knee under the folder and his eyes flitted to her cleavage, as he mansplained something obvious. She was pretty sure he smelled her hair. Ew. Dick. Clary rolled her eyes and moved further away from him in her seat and turned her attention back to Starkweather. He sat on the edge of his desk, looking down at her…and probably my dress. "So Clarissa, that's all we have. We feel it's prudent to close the assault case and focus on the homicide. Sebastian Verlac is dead and will not be bothering you anymore–"
Clary held a hand up, cutting him off and he narrowed his eyes. "About that, Hodge. Have you ordered the DNA from the mask that I ripped off of my attacker's face to be compared against Sebastian Verlac's? I agree that, based on the evidence found at his apartment, he most likely is the same Sebastian that attacked me. But, are you going to make sure by analyzing the DNA?" Hodge's jaw ticked and he smiled tightly. "Our investigators haven't seen a reason to do that because of the evidence that we just went over at this meeting." He stood up and walked back around his desk and sat in his chair. My father's chair. Clary felt her heart rate increase and took a deep breath.
Clary stood up and Detective Wayland joined her, his eyes widening. Clary slapped her hands on the desk and leaned over it, looking Starkweather in the eyes. "Look Hodge. I was drugged, bitten, assaulted, choked…nearly raped and kidnapped! Somehow, during my struggles I ripped that psycho's mask off. I gave you undeniable evidence of who attacked me. And now you're telling me you won't use it based on a bunch of fucking circumstantial evidence and a common name? You need to analyze the DNA."
"Look Clary. I understand your stress about all of this. You've been through so much this past year. The sexual assault case is closed. Done. We don't need to look at the DNA. It was him. That's it." Hodge closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.
Clary clenched her jaw and shook her head, gathering her purse in her hand, she walked to the door as Detective Wayland ran over and opened it for her. She locked eyes with Jace through the door and spun back around to face Hodge. She could hear the bustle of the busy office behind her go quiet. Deja vu. Starkweather looked at her, a smile erupting across his face. "Good! I see you're finally listening to reason. Unlike our last meeting." Clary felt rage bubble up from deep inside of her. What the fuck did he just say?
She grabbed the assault report out of Wayland's hand, threw it at Hodge across his office and yelled. "I don't know what it is about you, Starkweather, but something doesn't fucking add up. You completely failed my parents with your shitty handling of their arson case, ignoring the security evidence…that somehow disappeared and quickly closed the case when you got your hands on it. Now, you are refusing to follow through on key evidence that can prove or disprove that a homicide victim may or may not have tried to rape and kidnap me. DNA evidence for Christ's sake. It's as if you don't want that DNA analyzed. Why? What do you have to gain or lose, you fucking coward! Is someone paying you–" Hodge's face was turning red and his eyes bugged out of his head. "Get her out of here, Wayland." He seethed.
Wayland snaked an arm around Clary's shoulders pulling her tight against him, his hand brushed her breast. "Okay, Miss Fray. I think this meeting is over. I can walk you out, maybe we can have some lunch and discuss things further." He smirked down at her, his hand dropping to her waist as he pulled her out of the office. What the absolute fuck? "Remove your hands from me, detective. Now." She warned. Wayland chuckled and grabbed Clary's coat, ushering her towards the elevator. He slid his hand lower, brushing the top of her ass and leaned in close to her ear. "I don't think so. Let's go somewhere quieter. I have some more questions about those videos. So—" Wayland cried out in pain as he crashed to his knees.
Jace had looked up as the Chief's office door opened. Clary looked at him before whirling around screaming at Hodge, basically accusing him of being a dirty cop and botching her parent's case and not following through on her assault case. Oh shit. Not again. Jace stood up to walk over and take her home, when he saw Michael Wayland grab her. What the fuck. He pulled her out of the office, slid his slimy hand down her side and touched her ass. Someone said "oh shit" behind him as he saw red and started bounding across the now silent room. I'm gonna kill him.
Jace stopped suddenly within feet of Clary when he saw her grab Wayland's wandering hand. She turned him around, twisted his wrist, jabbed the back of his knee with hers, and leaned over him as he cried out in pain and fell. She yelled through clenched teeth. "I told you to remove your fucking hands from me, Detective. I don't know how you can possibly think I would be attracted to some pervy little bitch who gets turned on by what that sick fuck did to me… Don't be fooled by my size and looks, dick. My father, Chief Luke Garroway, remember him? He taught me how to defend myself against handsy shitheads like you. I just never thought I'd have to do it here, with one of his own, where he used to— If you ever touch me like that again I will break your goddamn arm." She let go of him and tossed her hair back as she snatched her coat from his hands. She turned and walked to the elevators. Jace heard murmurs of "so hot" and "fuck yeah" behind him and a few whistles. Jace smiled and arched an eyebrow. That's right, she's fucking magnificent and all mine. Jace heard Hodge yell for Wayland to get his "stupid ass in my office now!" as he hurried to catch up with Clary.
Clary stepped onto the elevator, facing the back. Fucking Starkweather. She had a lunch date with Jonathan, to go over their Friday itinerary now. I have to chill. She took a deep, cleansing breath, unfolded her coat, swinging it behind her to put it on when it hit something…or someone. Clary spun around to see smoldering golden eyes staring into hers. He held her coat in his hands. "Hey, Red. Nice moves back there…I think you triggered an office wide bonerfest though...maybe even Alec. Tough girls are the hottest, you know." He smirked at her and pulled her coat, drawing her towards him. "Come here, pretty girl." He looked her up and down and licked his lips. "You look good today, baby."
Clary scoffed, let go of her coat, and he stumbled back into the elevator door. God. He looked so hot in his tight black tee, his muscled arms folding across his chest…those fucking tatted biceps. Stop it. "I'm not in the mood for this, Jace." She sighed and put her hand out. "Give me back my coat. I have an appointment." Jace's smirk faded and he pouted his lips, giving her puppy dog eyes. He opened her coat, offering to help her put it on. He's so cute. Stop it. Clary rolled her eyes and turned around, reaching behind her, as Jace slowly slid her coat up her arms. He then quickly wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, nuzzling his nose into her neck. Clary sighed heavily and relaxed back into his arms. Shit.
Jace inhaled deeply. Strawberries. She always smells so good. "Clary, baby. It's been two, long, tortuous days. I miss you, sweetheart. Can't we just get to the makeup sex now…I need you." He started kissing her neck and nipped her ear lobe. Come back to me baby. He felt her shiver then turn around in his arms to face him. She pulled back away from him, kept her green eyes locked with his, reached her finger to the wall panel, and pushed the lobby button. Cold. "I'm not ready Jace…I'm still processing everything. Now, I'm going to lunch with Jonathan to discuss the itinerary for Friday." Jace raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. Fucking Morgenstern… flying away with the love of my life for three months. I have to fix this before she leaves or I may lose her.
Clary cleared her throat and looked angry as she buttoned up her coat. "Yes, Jace. Remember that I fly to Idris for my mother's art project this Friday. Or were you too busy thinking about getting me naked so you can screw everything better between us...or let me guess, thinking about Jonathan trying to steal me from you or something… whatever. I have to go. I'm fine, by the way, after the meeting with Starkweather and that fucking perv Michael Wayland. Nothing like getting groped right outside of my father's old office by one of his own detectives. Highlight of my fucking day…but hey…makeup sex!" The elevator doors opened and she brushed past him into the lobby. Oh shit. I am such a dumbass. Jace sighed and leaned out the elevator to watch her leave, only to see Jonathan Morgenstern waiting for her by the doors with two cups of coffee from Java Jones. She took the cup, smiling as he held the door open for her, and walked out. Jonathan, turned and smirked at Jace, before following her out.