I Can't Stay

Chapter 6: Love me

Jace's jaw dropped. He had done it. He found her. He took her in. From her crazy red hair to her tank top and sweatpants. Yup, same Clary.

He wanted to hold her. Wanted to crush her body into his. To feel her against him again but something held him back or should he say someone. Sitting on Clary's hip was a baby. Not a baby baby but a small child. With smooth strawberry blonde curls and stunning green eyes that were staring right at Jace. He was confused at first but came to the conclusion that she must be babysitting for money now.

Clary felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She couldn't speak she couldn't even think. So she stepped aside and motioned for him to come in. "Ugh, that was stupid" she thought silently.

They walked into the living room and Clary asked if he wanted anything to drink. When he said no they both sat down and Clary let MacKenzie onto the floor where she toddled over to her toy box.

"So you babysit now?" Jace asked watching the little girl play with her toys she seemed so small but could do so much. "She must be two or three" he thought

"What?" Clary asked confused then realized he meant Max. "oh, um, sort of. I guess" Jace just kind of nodded at that.

Some agonizingly slow seconds ticked on when Clary glanced at the clock it was Mack's naptime. She stood up and went over to the little girl and picked her up tickling her and smiling which made Jace smile. She excused herself and went up the small set of stairs.

She sat in the rocking chair beside MacKenzie's crib and sang a lullaby to the sleepy one year old. When the song came to an end her eyes were closed so Clary placed a kiss on her head and tip toed out of the room.

Jace had been secretly watching from the doorway. To see clary being so gentle and caring it warmed his heart and made him smile like an idiot. Clary was always gentle and caring but with Mack it was a whole different kind of care. Way more intense and Jace loved it. He loved being able to see her at all and this time the need to hold her was too intense. When clary came around the corner he grabbed her and held her close hoping she wouldn't pull away.