Six Years Later
Jon knew as the best man he was supposed to be paying attention to the ceremony, but it was rather hard to focus with his infant daughter strapped to his chest. These idiots had taken so long to finally get married, why couldn't they have waited until she could walk or at least until she didn't think it was funny to kick him in the ribs.
The officiant, Will, was talking but Jon wasn't really listening. Instead he was cooing to his little girl trying to get her to settle. Reaching into his pocket he found a binky and offered it to her. She took it and calmed down. Crisis averted. This wasn't his first rodeo. He was able to tune back into the ceremony just in time to hear the vows.
"Clary," Jace began. "You are quite simplifying the single best thing that ever happened to me. Without you my life I feel certain I would have remained an empty shell till my dying day. I owe you everything and today I vow to spend the rest of my life giving you everything in return. My better half, my soulmate, I vow to be your devoted husband for as long as I live."
"Jace," Clary said. "You owe me nothing. For it is in fact I who owe you everything. You showed me the true meaning of unconditional real love and I vow to spend the rest of my life giving you everything in return. My better half, my soulmate, I vow to be your devoted wife for as long as I live."
"Do you, Jace Christopher Herondale," Will began. "Take Clarrisa Adele Fairchild, to be your wife, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part."
"I do," Jace said.
"And do you Clarrisa Adele Fairchild, take Jace Christopher Herondale, to be your husband, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part."
"I do," Clary said.
"The rings please Felix," Will addressed the ring bearer. Felix looked so chuffed about being given such an important task for his father's wedding. The adorable five year old was grinning like a fool as he held up the little box.
"Thank you," Will told him, accepting the box. Felix giggled until his mother reminded him to come back and sit down.
"I did it mama!" Felix's voice could be heard.
"Yes you did," Annika replied, pulling her son into her arms. "Good job, but now we have to listen."
"With this ring I thee wed," Jace said as he slipped it onto Clary's finger. "As this ring has no end, neither shall my love for you."
"With this ring I thee wed," Clary repeated as he too put the other ring on Jace's finger. "As this ring has no end, neither shall my love for you."
"Now by the power vested in me by the province of Ontario and the internet," Will announced smiling. "I pronounce you husband and wife. You may seal your vows with a kiss."
Jon watched as one of his closest friends made out with his sister. Usually Jon preferred their displays of affection to be more private, but on their wedding day he'd make an exception. Jon joined in the crowd as they cheered. Clary and Jace were finally married. He heard a couple calls from the crowd that sounded like 'about damn time' and Jon couldn't agree more.
His gaze moved from the newlyweds to his own wife. As the maid of honour, Paige was standing across from him. The flower girl Lucie was standing with her empty flower basket beside Paige looking up at her dad with pride. Jon couldn't help but think about how one day the little baby currently strapped to his chest would be as big and strong as Lucie. It was so hard to imagine and yet he knew they grew up so fast. Too fast.
Turning to look away from his wife, it was only then that Jon noticed the newlyweds were still making out. It seemed they'd moved on from the lips and Jace was now kissing his wife's neck. Clary was starting to sound less than appropriate for a public setting. Jon would have intervened himself if Will hadn't taken matters in hand.
"Ahem," Will's voice interrupted the smooching couple. "You aren't on your honeymoon yet."
They separated. Clary was blushing very brightly while Jace just had a huge dorky grin on his face.
"Everyone follow us to the reception!" Jace called out before scooping his bride into his arms and running back down the aisle with her. Clary's happy laugh faded as she was whisked off by her new husband. It was so wonderful to see his sister so happy. It was all Jon had ever wanted for her.
Rather than join the audience as they followed the bride and groom, Jon turned towards his wife on the other side of the arch.
"Where is my little boo boo," Paige said, moving forward to coo at little baby Alice. She didn't even look at him, but rather saved all her attention for their daughter. Jon had expected nothing less. From the moment their first child had been born, Jon had been in awe of his wife's motherly love. She'd taken to motherhood like a fish to water and Jon couldn't be more proud of her.
Alice made some excited babbling noises when she saw her mom.
"She missed you," Lucie stated, as if translating for the infant.
"Yeah but she likes hanging out with daddy too," Paige told Lucie.
"I get that," Lucie said. "Daddies are the best." Just then Will motioned for his daughter to come join him and Lucie waved goodbye before running off to join her daddy.
Jon held out his arm to his wife with a huge grin on his face. "May I accompany you to the reception, my lady?"
She giggled at him, before interlacing her arm with his and together they followed the rest of the wedding to the reception hall.
It wasn't a large wedding. In fact most of the guests made up the wedding party. The maid of honour was, of course, his gorgeous wife Paige. Magnus, Izzy and Maia were bridesmaids while Jordan, Simon, and Alec were groomsmen. To get the best man title from Alec, had been no easy feat. Jon had had to play the brother-in-law card, and even then Alec had given in reluctantly.
The guest list was everyone else. Parents the wedding party mostly as well as Tessa, and Jem. Lucie had been the flower girl and Jimmy had spent the entire ceremony in his mother's lap. Both Celine and Jocelyn had been on childminding duty but not even that had kept their eyes dry by the end of the vows. Luke hadn't let his tears fall, but you could tell he was close.
The reception was just down the street and everyone walked in rather unorganised clumps. It was a lovely day. The sky was blue and the sun was shining down like it wanted to cook them all. Jon envied Paige for her wavy dress while he was stuck in his suit. He planned to take off the jacket at least once they reached the reception and he could remove the baby harness as well.
All of a sudden Jon felt the familiar thud of a small human ram into his knees.
"Daddy daddy!" Ryan called out.
"How did you escape from grandma?" Paige asked, leaning down to speak to their first born at his level.
"Grandma looked away for just a second!" Ryan exclaimed in triumph.
"Well we can't have that now can we," Paige said. "Best you and I find grandma or she will be worried about you." Standing up, she turned to Jon and told him where they'd meet up before taking their son's hand and walking off towards the clump of people that most likely included Jocelyn.
Jon looked down at Alice. "That big brother of yours just loves to cause trouble doesn't he?" She made some adorable noises and he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. Not an easy feat with her strapped into the baby carrier, but totally worth it.
Jon loved being a dad. He hadn't taken to the role quite so naturally as his wife but over the years he'd grown more and more comfortable with it. He hadn't even baulked last week when Paige admitted to him that she wanted a third. He did however tell her they had to wait until she was at least a year postpartum and fully healed. Paige had agreed in a practical kind way but sometimes Jon wondered how many kids she'd want if you could just order them by stork. Thank goodness she had to be pregnant each time or there would be nothing slowing her down.
Jon met up with his family at their assigned table. With such a small wedding, Jace and Clary hadn't bothered with a large wedding party table. Instead people could sit with their families as they watched the slide show and waited for dinner.
Of course, no one stayed in their chairs. No sooner had people found their name tags than they were getting up and mingling. Ryan had dragged grandma off once more to show her some likely trivial thing he'd discovered, but Jon knew his mother didn't mind. She treasured every minute she got to spend with her grandkids and when she'd had enough she always returned them promptly. Paige's parents were involved as well but unlike Jocelyn and Luke that hadn't insisted on moving closer to spend more time with their grandkids. Even so Ryan did love it when his other grandparents came to visit and once she was older, Jon knew Alice would as well.
By the time Jon had his jacket and baby harness off and was just carrying his daughter in his arms, Paige ended up mingling at the newlywed table. While her mother chatted, Alice's head was on a swivel. She was clearly trying to look at everything at once, with her binky in her mouth. It was very convenient that Alice would suck on her soother. Ryan hadn't liked them from day one and never used them. Only in the last few months had Jon realized how useful those things really were!
Just then Jace left the table, chasing after his son with his new bride chuckling at how adept the same child was at making a fool of his father. Jon knew that all too well. He was sure grandma was having a similar issue with Ryan epic energy levels at this very moment.
Jace's absence in no way slowed down the flow of conversation. Paige had somehow managed to get Annika onto the subject of pregnancy and birth stories.
"I progressed so fast the doctors barely knew what to do with me," Annika was chucking.
"I hear you bit Jace," Paige chuckled.
"And he is still complaining about it," Annika groaned. "Big baby."
"Even so I'm jealous," Paige replied. "I was in labour for almost two days."
"Yeah but your kid is an angel," Annika commented gesturing to the baby attached to Jon's chest. "At that age Felix wouldn't sleep like ever. The doctor said his tummy was upset but honestly I just think he hated me."
Just then the child in question and his father reappeared. Jace had Felix up on his shoulders, secure and entertained. They had clearly overheard the conversation because at once Jace spoke up in favour of Felix.
"He never hated you," Jace disagreed. "He was just a bit surprised by the whole entering the world thing and it took him a while to adapt. Isn't that right buddy?" Jace addressed his last sentence at the child on his shoulders.
"I love mama!" Felix announced.
"There see," Jace concluded. Annika smiled up at her son and told him she loved him too. Then she turned back to Paige.
"I barely made it to thirty seven weeks," Annika added. "If he'd been so keen to stick around, why did he insist on leaving so early?"
"Don't look a gifted horse in the mouth," Paige chuckled. "Thirty seven weeks sounds like bliss to me. They let me go till I was forty two weeks before they'd induce me!"
"Forty two weeks," Annika groaned. "I can't even imagine."
"Trust me," Jon jumped into the conversation. "You don't want to. She was not happy."
"Forty two weeks is simply too pregnant," Paige stated. Annika laughed and agreed.
The only person at the table Jon didn't recognize was the man sitting beside Annika but even so he knew exactly who the man was. Jace had told him ages ago that Annika was bringing a date to his wedding. Though Jon didn't know the man's name he could easily see how comfortable and happy Annika was with him.
Just then Clary got up from the table in her beautiful white dress and went to address her husband or rather the small child on her husband's shoulders.
"Felix, can I have a turn with daddy please," Clary asked the child kindly.
"I suppose," Felix said with a deep sigh as if it was quite the burden for him to share. Jon couldn't help but laugh. It reminded him of how Ryan reacted when they told him playtime was over.
Jace put Felix down and at once he ran over to his mother and her date. The way Annika's date greeted her son, made Jon think the two of them were very serious indeed. He wouldn't be surprised if theirs was the next wedding he attended.
Clary dragged her husband off to the dancefloor leaving the rest of the group to themselves.
Jon turned to look at Paige and saw such delight in her expression. Paige was delighted to see all her friends so happy. His wife was the most empathetic person he'd ever met and he loved her all the more for how she cared.
Sometimes Jon looked at his life and was amazed at how lucky he was and knew without a doubt that none of it would be possible without the love of his life. He owed Paige everything. His wonderful children, his happy home and his career. If it wasn't for her, Jon wasn't sure if he'd have gotten up the guts to go back to school let alone pass his board exams and become a practising eye doctor. He'd know she was special from the day he met her, but it hadn't taken him long to know that she was more than merely special. She was his soulmate in every possible way.
Just because there are no more words to read doesn't mean it's over. The universe was here long before a single human existed to observe it and the universe will be here long after our eyelids are too heavy to lift. Life keeps going. So even as this story ends these characters's lives don't. Without the window into their lives, without the words, sentences, paragraphs and chapters to view them through, they will live out of sight but never out of mind.
This chapter is short but sweet. I hope these six epilogues were enough to make this story feel whole and tie up any loose ends for the readers. It feels like the end of an era but one I am very much ready for.
So far in this story every single wedding has been told from the point of view of a sibling of either the bride or groom so when it came time to write Jace/Clary's wedding I knew I had to keep the tradition going. The problem was that Jace has no siblings and Clary's only sibling was a pov character. I thought about doing this epilogue in Paige pov but in the end decided a new pov for the last two epilogues wouldn't be so confusing. ^_^ If you've managed to get through over 200 chapters of this story I figured you could handle just one more pov change. Tehe
The next chapter is just an author's note if you wanna read it.
