Safe Place | j.h

18: Go Back to Her

Emery shut the door behind her, looked up and saw a puffy eyed Clary. Clary was wrapped in a cardigan and looking at Emery. Emery scanned her face before speaking.

"He's not in the mood to talk." Emery's words came out more toxic than she intended. Clary flinched at her tone.

Clary had been up all night trying to sleep. But she found herself glaring at pictures of herself and Jace. She couldn't stop crying, but she was the one who broke up with him.

Clary sniffled, "Emery I have to talk to him." Her voice was small, defeated. Emery looked at her for second, trying to read her face and get any kind of indication of what had happened.

"Clary just wait a bit," Emery said, "I'm not sure how long but now isn't a good time."

"I can't wait." Clary's voice was still quiet, like a mouse trying to speak over an elephant. Emery's eyebrows drew together, confusion clear on her face. Suddenly she understood, Clary was only telling her this because Clary figures if anyone would understand it would be Emery.

Emery felt her chest tightened as she though of Jace sitting on the floor all night. Guilt spread threw her veins, was this what happened when she left? What had happened to Alec and Max when she left? Izzy?

Emery glanced back towards the door, still closed. "Come back in a few hours, I'll see if he's okay by then." Clary nodded, then watched closely as Emery ducked back into the light free room.

Emery found Jace standing with his back to her, looking out the window just askew from the balcony doors. He was shirtless now, she thought he looked god like. One arm resting on the window pain just above his head, his hip jetted to the side away from the window itself. Jace's shoulders were wide and his hips were slim, so he looked more filled on top than down below the waist.

She was surprised to see him up. He wasn't awake when she got up, still sound asleep on the floor covered in a throw blanket Emery had pulled from the back of the couch to place over him. Now he was awake, seeming almost alert, apart from not turning when she came in. Perhaps he just didn't care.

Emery crossed the room, stepping up onto the platform that one side of the room was on. She sat on the window sil, facing Jace. For the first time she saw his face. There were still tear stains on his face, the color difference obvious in the new morning light. His face was hard, jaw clenched so hard his muscles were proponent.

"Morning." Jace's voice hard, like he hadn't intended to speak. Emery's eyes wavered to look over the city. Jace who never sounded anything but confident sounded vulnerable, he sounded shaky and rattled.

"Morning." Emery responded, her eyes danced over his face. The light fell over his face beautifully, he looked like an angel, she supposed that made sense. He had angel blood coursing through his veins.

"Who was at the door?" Jace asked, his voice still estranged.

Emery swallowed, "Uh, Clary." Jace then took his hands together, tugging at his fingers and began to whistle, a nervous tick of his. He only ever whistled when he was nervous or uncomfortable. Emery hoped he wasn't uncomfortable. Then Jace stopped whistling, let out soft laugh. Emery gave him a sideways glance.

"Sorry," Jace cleared his throat, "I was just thinking about how messed up my life is." The estranged smirk that was on his face fell. He was scowling now, "You with my dad- and Valentine. You left, thinking I was related to Clary. Then there was the war-" Jace paused to let out a dark chuckle, "And now Clary's left me too."

Emery became confused. Clary wasn't leaving. There was no way she would leave, not with the set up she had here. She had Izzy and Alec, her friends. Then Simon her parabatai. And she had Jace, the loves of her life. Why would she leave.

"Jace-"

"She broke up with me." It was the first time he had said it out loud. It made his throat close up, like a viper closing around his throat, he was practically gasping for air. "She broke up with me and I don't even know why." Emery felt bad, she had come because she was worried about him. Because she's in love with him, but he loves Clary. She hated seeing Jace so broken.

"Jace, I'm sorry." Jace nodded, then moved to the bed. His head hung low as he tossed a huge shirt over his chiseled chest.

"Not your fault." He shrugged, Emery could visibly see him putting his walls back up. The walls that had been knocked down last night. The walls that kept him locked away from everyone. He was rebuilding them from the rubble.

"Come on Jace don't do that." His face was hard, no long vulnerable. His body also signaled that he was no longer willing to talk. He was being sheltered again.

Jace tossed something on his bed before letting out scuff. His face was dangerous now, "I'm not doing anything." Jace's words felt like venom, piercing Emery's ears.

Emery rolled her eyes, she got off the sil before standing behind Jace. His head was bent down below his shoulders. Emery placed a shaking hand on his shoulder. Jace leaned back into her hands, Emery let her arms fall around his waist. Jace took a deep breath, letting the air release slowly.

"You should talk to her." Emery mumbled slowly against his shoulder blade. Jace's burrowed his brow, confused as to why the girl who claimed to be in love with him would be sending him back to the girl who broke his heart.

Emery hated sweating Jace so broken and defensive. She knew that Clary made him happy, made him feel loved. He loved her. And as much as it killed her to say those words, Clary is who he needed now. Not her.

Jace broke away from her quickly. His hands creasing his forehead, rubbing his temples in confusion. Emery confused him. One day she was ignoring him, the next she was in love with him, then after that she was nearly dying, then comforting him. And lastly, sending him back to Clary.

"You're really confusing, you know?" Jace said with a laugh. Emery pressed her lips, looking at the ground. Jace turned to look at her. "I don't get why you're trying to get me to go-"

"Jace," Emery started, "I'm in love with you." Jace's mouth hung open slightly waiting for her to continue, "But you're in love with her. So as much as it hurts to say this," She swallowed, "go talk to her. If you can get her back, go. Because she makes you happy." There was a small pause, Jace could almost hear her heart breaking, "Like you make me happy."

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A/N
Word Count: 1176