Jace had refused to see Sebastian, and he was barely speaking to his mother. If it wasn't for Jon, Jace really wasn't sure how he'd have gotten through the end of the holiday. Between the silence with his mother, and thinking of how she'd kept it from him these last few years, the days had dragged by like weeks. But now New Years was over, and Jace was going home. It was strange to think that this had once been his home. He could remember as if it were yesterday that feeling when he'd first entered his dorm room. He'd been nostalgic then about missing out on his mom's cooking. The thought made him smile despite himself. When had everything changed? It felt like it had happened all at once, but rationally he knew it had taken years. Time and life slowly moved forward to shape his world from one thing to another. So much had changed that his old world felt unrecognizable to him now. Then again, it wasn't the world that had changed, but rather him. The person he'd been was dead, replaced with the person he was now. The whole thing felt rather unreal to him, and Jace decided he'd rather not think about it.

With a sigh, he checked the clock. He still had a few hours left until it was reasonable to head towards the bus terminal. Being early was always a good idea, but being insanely early was not. He already had everything packed. There was quite literally nothing left to do but stare at the clock. Refusing to do so, Jace got up and went in search of Jon. He found his friend in the spare room finishing putting his suitcase together.

"Hey," Jace greeted him. Jon looking up and replied in kind. "Not done packing yet?"

"I'm not much for doing things when I'm suppose to," Jon laughed. "Just ask my mother."

"Procrastinations not a crime," Jace laughed. "I'm not usually so organized myself."

"Can't wait to get out of here, huh?" Jon asked in a whisper, which Jace appreciated. He didn't want his mom overhearing them, not that he actually expected her to be listening at the keyhole or anything, but still.

"What gave me away?" Jace chuckled.

"That speedy packing," Jon counted.

"Right," Jace sighed, moving to sit on the bed while Jon packed.

His mind wondered as he watched clothes and other objects being placed and positioned until it all fit, a shirt set aside for a moment while a cord was put underneath it. Jace followed the movements with his eyes, trying to keep his mind blank.

He failed. Being busy was an excellent cure for troubled thoughts, but alas there was really nothing left to do right now. His masochistic mind landed on his girlfriend far sooner than he would have liked. Then again, she hardly felt like his girlfriend these days. He couldn't quite remember what it felt like to touch her, though he did recall every inch of her in a more visual way, the feeling of her touch seemed to be fading. Missing her was like this constant ache in his chest. He'd grown used to it as the months had gone by, but now he had new worries. After so long apart, and with Clary having experienced so many new and exciting things while he'd been living the same old life, would they still know each other? Would she still be his Clary, or a new person out of his reach?

"It isn't that long left till June now," Jon tired to console him.

"Huh, what?" Jace asked, snapping out of it.

"Clary," Jon explained. "Won't be long now."

"Five months and three days," Jace stated.

"Damn," Jon replied, taken aback.

"But wait, how did you know that's what I was thinking about?" Jace asked.

"You get this look on your face when you think about her," Jon explained. "It's a far off nostalgic, slightly lonely look."

"Oh great," Jace whined. "So basically you can read me like a book then?"

"Basically," Jon chuckled.

"Urg," Jace groaned. "I know I'm pathetic."

"You'll get no judgement from me," Jon explained. "I get it." He paused for a moment then added, "You know about my ex, right?" Jace shook his head. "Well, let's just say I know what feeling pathetic is like."

"I'd say we could be pathetic together," Jace continued. "But, I don't know when I'll see you again after today."

"I've been thinking about that actually," Jon replied.

"Oh?" Jace asked.

"I was wondering if you wouldn't mind if I tagged along?"

"Tagged along? Tagged along where?" Jace asked, totally confused.

"Back to school with you," Jon said, then added quickly. "I mean I can't sign up for classes this late, but when I dropped out of University, I had all these epic plans, you know. And now that I've learned the hard way that epic plans usually fall short of the epicness you imagined, I thought maybe I'd pick up where I left off, and it would be great to already know someone at the school and have a place to crash while I look for an apartment."

"You won't have to look for an apartment," Jace stated, after a moments silence.

"Really?" Jon asked. "Cause, I thought they were pretty hard to come by."

"Oh they are," Jace explained. "But you are definitely staying with me and Jordan." He stopped then added with a chuckle. "Even if I have to sleep on the couch."

"You're crazy," Jon laughed. "Why would you do that?"

"I like having you around," Jace shrugged. He was trying to play it cool, while inside Jace wanted to jump for joy. He wasn't sure why Jon becoming part of his everyday life felt so welcome to him, and Jace wasn't going to analyze it. He was just glad for the opportunity to spend more time with his friend.

"Well thanks," Jon smiled.

"No problem, buddy," Jace replied also smiling.

"So glad my sister made an honest man out of you," Jon chuckled.

"Oh hush," Jace laughed.

"Alright then," Jon said a moment later, stepping back from his suitcase. "I think I'm packed."

"Excellent," Jace smiled. "Then how about a little tv before we head to the bus? I'd say we should play mario kart, but I already packed the games."

"Probably a good thing too," Jon laughed. "Not sure how many times I can wipe the floor with you without it ruining our friendship."

"I'm gonna start practicing when I get home," Jace said with determination. "And one day I will beat you."

"Ha! As if," Jon scoffed.

"Don't crush my dreams," Jace whined, but Jon just laughed.

"What are friends for, if not for crushing your dreams," Jon said with a shrug as they walked down the hall and into the living room.

"I think you have friendship backwards," Jace said seriously, following behind.

The conversation ended as they sat down and both reached for the remote at the same time. Jace gave in as he really didn't care what they watched, and as it turned out, neither did Jon. They didn't really have enough time to watch something all the way through, and so just ended up flipping through his mothers cable tv channels. Jace often forgot cable even existed when he wasn't at his mom's house. In his world, cable tv was only for her. He knew this to not be the case, even if she was the only one he knew who still bothered paying for it. This got his mind on a bad topic as he remembered that if things with his mom were normal he'd have probably teased her about it right now. Maybe calling from the living room across the house to put her on the spot about wasting money on channels that still had commercials. He often liked to remind her that netflix didn't have ads, but as things were now, teasing her would have felt very forced. Jace wasn't sure how long it would be until this changed. He almost didn't want to think about it. After all, he only saw his mother once a year as it was. Maybe that was why she did it. What had his Phycology teacher call it? Empty nest syndrome.

"Alright, I think we should probably go," Jon said as he turned off the tv, silencing the strange chinese program he'd found.

"Yeah," Jace agreed checking the clock.

"You gonna say goodbye to your mom before we go?" Jon asked in a whisper.

For only a moment he considered sneaking out the back, but Jace knew he could never do that. Getting up he went to find her. As usual, Celine was in the kitchen.

"Hey," Jace said by way of announcing his presence.

"Hello," his mother smiled at him. He knew there was no resentment on her side, and if he so chose, they could be fine in an instant.

"We're heading out," Jace told her.

"Oh, I baked you some cheese scones for the trip," Celine said, quickly moving to collect them. She held the tin of scones out for him to take.

"Thanks," Jace said accepting them.

"Have a safe trip," Celine continued. "And please text me when you get there."

"I will," Jace replied. He hesitated for a moment, then moved forward to hug her. She squeezed him back tighter than usual, as if she hadn't been sure he'd hug her at all. And just like that, Jace was glad he had.

With a smile he turned to rejoin Jon, and collected his suitcase before making their way to the bus. Jon didn't say a word till they were a half block away from his house.

"How did that go?" Jon asked.

"Okay," Jace replied.

"Just so you know," Jon said. "I did text Clary a little to figure out what she thought of all this. So she knows."

"Probably a good thing," Jace shrugged. "I would have told her myself if she'd called me."

"You could text her, you know," Jon explained. "She does reply to those sometimes."

"Yeah, I suppose," Jace sighed. "It's just… like I send a long text, and I get a two word answer after waiting hours for the reply. At some point the disappointment gets to be too much, you know."

"Must feel different for you," Jon offered. "I just kinda send the message and forget about it, then whenever I get an answer, I get an answer." He shrugged. "I don't stress about it or anything."

"See, I send the message," Jace explained. "Then check my phone every few minutes for hours to see if she replied. I get excited everytime my phone goes off, then am instantly disappointed when it's someone else. Then when she does eventually reply, I text back right away and the whole thing starts over again."

"Wow," Jon said slowly. "Sucks. Maybe I should give her heck for you."

"Please don't," Jace sighed. "I know she's just busy."

"Still, she should know that's how you feel about it," Jon explained. "Cause at the moment, I really don't think she has a clue."

"I'm a big boy," Jace explained. "I can deal with my own disappointment. Rationally, I know she's just busy. I guess I just wish it didn't feel like everyone else was way busier than me."

"I know exactly what you mean," Jon sighed.

"Here to being boring and alone together," Jace said as they reached the bus stop.

"Sign me up," Jon agreed as they pretended to clink invisible glasses together.

About ten minutes later, the bus arrived. Their luggage secure in the hold on the side, they both got in and picked seats together.

"I'm so glad you're here," Jace said, as the bus began to move. "A long bus ride alone is just the worst."

"Don't you bring music?" Jon asked.

"Yeah and books sometimes, but it doesn't pass the time as well as conversation."

"True," Jon said.

And indeed it was a much more pleasant ride than the one that had brought him here at the start of the holidays. By the time Jace got off the bus he was stiff from sitting for so long, and wanted to hit the gym right away. He did dump his suitcase at home first, but he didn't even see his roommate before heading out again. Jon wanted to join in, and so Jace snuck him into the gym like a student. Sure, it only saved them about ten dollars, but they felt like rebels just the same.

Sitting at the machine lifting the weights up and down, Jace was starting to actually relax. He was away from his mother and thoughts of Sebastian, and it was making all the difference. He would have been worried about his mom except for the fact that she'd been doing this over two years without a problem. It seemed as if Sebastian wasn't actually going to hurt her, and after all, it was his mother's choice to try and help him. She knew everything and she was an adult, entitled to her own decisions. Even if Jace hated them.

Now all he had to do was survive school until June. Just had to push through till the light at the end of the tunnel. Nothing else for it. He could do this. Lift and release, lift and release. The repetitive action of the exercise was already making him feel more hopeful.

"Hey Jace," Jon whispered his left. "That girl in the corner is staring at you."

Jace turned to glance, then returned to looking forward and continue his work out. "That's the 'you live here' girl," Jace explained.

"Okay, what?" Jon laughed.

"She asked me once if I lived at the gym," Jace shrugged. He thought for a moment then added, "And I think she said something about how I wasn't allowed to be hot and shy, or something. Didn't make a whole lot of sense, and I never got her name."

"Ummm buddy," Jon said consolingly. "I hate to break this to you, but I think she was hitting on you."

Jace just waved his hand dismissively. "Oh come on, that was literally months ago."

"How many months?"

"I don't know," Jace groaned. "A few."

"Oh, wow you're clueless," Jon laughed. "I can't believe my sister did this to you. Even I knew your rep in high school." He shook his head almost sadly.

"Shut up!" Jace whined.

"So you've gotten like nothing since she left then?" Jon asked softly.

"Do you really want to talk about this - and here - of all places?" Jace whined. He was almost rethinking this whole Jon coming to stay thing. Luckily, they were in a rather removed part of the gym so the few people they could see were out of earshot.

"Sorry," Jon replied. "I just mean… like that's dedication."

"Not really," Jace sighed, giving in to the topic. "I mean I miss sex, but I can't really disconnect you know."

"Nope, not sure I get it, but I'll take your word for it."

"Well, I can't explain it any better, so yeah," Jace mumbled, finishing rather awkwardly.

"So what, do you just masterbate more then?" Jon chuckled quietly.

"Pretty much," Jace replied.

"As I said, dedication," Jon stated.

"Just think for a moment what we are talking about," Jace reminded him. "We are talking about me and your baby sister's sex life, and/or lack of one."

Jon shook his head as if trying to wipe it clean. "No," he said. "Nope. We are talking about my friends sex life."

"Way to disconnect," Jace laughed.

"Let me have my denial," Jon chuckled.

"You do you, my friend," Jace sniggered.

"That's better," Jon laughed.

They did a few more reps before calling it a day and headed home, where they were faced with a new problem: two bedrooms for three guys. As it hadn't been Jordan's idea to add to their little household, Jace wasn't about to make him give up his room. Jace could sleep on the couch like he'd threatened, or they could try and come up with something else.

"You know I could always sleep on the couch," Jon offered.

"I suppose," Jace sighed. "I mean that's what we did when Simon was here. He and Jordan took turns on the couch, and in what is now Jordan's room. But when Simon moved in with Izzy, we all got kinda spoiled with our own rooms."

"Have you thought of two twin beds?" Jon asked.

Jace blinked at him for a moment. The bed he had in his room was the double he'd shared with Clary while she'd been living here. If they got new beds, what would they do with that one?

"Forget it," Jon shrugged. "It's late. How about I sleep on the couch tonight and we figure this out in the morning."

"Deal," Jace said, failing to stifle a huge yawn. "Night."

As my beta says 'oh no not another Jace chapter. I'm so sick of him.' Lol. Sorry. Be happy to know I only included 1/3 of the original Jace goes home for the holidays plot that I'd planned. It was just too much Jace and I had no other pov to show the story through. Besides you all want Clary back. You don't want a major Jace plot without her, do you? So I thought it best to just get time moving along and get these characters to June sooner. :)

Annabel's Review:
I'm to lazy to sign in. Ok so I've been reading A LOT of fan fiction of late. After reading this I really appreciate the way you do smut. It's not overly detailed but not not detailed. Idk.
I love Izzy so much "a midnight orgasm is an upgrade" IDK why that was so funny to me. "or didn't you know your husband was hot"
Overall this chapter was very fun and I highly enjoyed it.

My Reply:
Too lazy to sign in is fine with me so long as you don't mind getting your reply in author's notes. :)
Awws wow thanks so much! Yeah I really dislike the way most smut is written. Adding too much detail to me takes all the romance and mystery out of it. People have imaginations for a reason right? And I dislike adding in very blunt words to describe what people already know is there. It's nice to hear someone agrees. I find readers rarely comment on my smut. ;)
Izzy is a hoot isn't she. I do quite enjoy giving her dialogue like that. ^_^
Thanks for the review!

Sneak Peek Chapter 146

"Good morning darling," Magnus smiled, handing over the other latte.

"Caffeine," Alec said eagerly, reaching for the drink.

"Good morning to you too Magnus," Magnus mocked his husband. "Thank you so much for the latte."

"Huh," Alec turned, his eyes clearly glazed over.

"Nevermind," Magnus laughed. "How's the homework coming?"

"It's not," Alec groaned, pushing away from the desk and standing up.

"I'd offer to help," Magnus replied. "But I didn't attend the classes. You wanna know about the Russian revolution, I'm your guy. Accounting is not my thing."

Alec looked tired, as if he hadn't been blinking enough while staring at his computer screen. He could see the shadow of dark circles forming under his eyes and couldn't help wondering if Alexander was getting enough sleep.

Then suddenly Alec's face seemed to lit up and he reached forward to hold Magnus's face, planting a deep kiss on his husband's lips. An involuntary contented noise escaped his throat as Magnus wrapped his arms around his husband and throw himself into the kiss.

"Thank you for the latte," Alec smiled at him as they broke apart.

"You are more than welcome, my love," Magnus replied, moving forward for one more chaise kiss before leaving his husband to his homework.