Roommates & Soulmates

Ch203: Jace's Joy

Jace was almost awake, but he was having such a pleasant dream he didn't really want to be awake. In his dream he felt warm and loved; it would be such a shame to wake up to his cold lonely bed. He wanted to keep dreaming, but despite his best efforts to hold onto it, the dream was fading quickly.

Jace woke a bit confused. Was he still dreaming? This wasn't his ceiling. He could feel the warmth of body heat beside him and suddenly it all came flooding back. He wasn't at home in his cold lonely bed. He was in Clary's bed and suddenly awake seemed even better than his dream.

Turning over slowly so as not to wake her, Jace gazed at his Clary fast asleep next to him. The thought made him smile. His. She was his and he was hers again. It still felt a bit like a dream.

He couldn't help but admire her bright red hair lying against the white pillowcase. The contrast was quite bold. Jace had almost forgotten how peaceful it was to wake up beside her like this, but it was all coming back to him now. It felt almost like everything since she'd got on that plane to Paris hadn't happened. There was no scar where the pain had been. His heart was mended as if it had never been broken.

Her eyes were closed but he knew once they opened she'd look up at him with those beautiful green eyes of hers. It had been a while since Jace had had the freedom to stare at her for so long. Her freckles were the same, just a sprinkling across her nose and upper cheeks. He so wanted to reach out and stroke her face, but he restrained himself rather than wake her up. There would be plenty of time for everything now. No need to rush.

Jace leaned back down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. He couldn't remember when he'd last been this happy. It wasn't a 'laugh out loud' or 'sing and shout' kinda happy. The emotion was more a deep contented joy and unlike simple happiness, this felt permanent.

"Morning," came a sleepy voice from his left. Jace turned, a huge smile on his face.

"Good morning!" Jace chimed gleefully.

"Not so loud," Clary whined. "Sleepy."

Jace couldn't help but chuckle a little at the adorable look on her face. Then a second later a thought occurred to him that deflated his smile.

"Did you sleep badly because I was here?" Jace asked. Clary was shaking her head before Jace had a change to really worry about the answer.

"I'm sleepy because those ridiculous cats who for some reason I can't say no to tried to sleep on every inch of me last night," Clary whined. Then she added with a sigh. "I think they are used to having your side of the bed to themselves."

"Aww," Jace said. "Does that mean it's my side of the bed even when I wasn't in it?"

"Of course, you would take that from what I said," Clary grumbled before turning over and getting comfortable again.

Once again failing to keep a smile off his face, Jace leaned over to kiss her cheek and stroke her face before gently getting out of bed and looking around for his clothes.

"Go back to sleep then love," Jace told her. "I'll keep the mean cats at bay."

"Thanks," Clary mumbled, clearly to groggy to get the joke.

Jace was starting to notice a theme when he once again couldn't help but grin. When had he last smiled this much he almost couldn't remember, but of course, he knew. It had been the last time he and Clary were together. Jace had managed a certain level of contentment without her, but with her it felt like joy was coming off him in waves. Spotting his missing sock in the corner Jace put it on and was now back in the clothes, he'd arrived in last night. Slowly so as not to wake the sleeping angel, Jace moved out of the room and closed the door behind him.