The Hourglass (UNEDITED)

Chapter 20

Jace opened the door to his hotel room and went bout searching, then his eyes found it. The hourglass sat on his bed stand and the on half that had been smaller was back on top, the same way it had been before he turn it upside down again. True to the words of the old man, he couldn't buy more time with the hourglass as he had thought. He took it and went out the door.

He drove and arrived where he needed to be, where he had desired to be. He got out of his car and entered the building. When he arrived at his and Katherine's apartment, he waited, took a deep breath and knocked. He didn't have to wait long for her to answer the door. He smiled upon seeing her face even if she showed disappointment in seeing his.

"Hi Katherine," he said.

"Hello Jace," she said neutrally. His eyes passed her and he looked around the apartment. It was clean, but nothing really changed, it looked the same.

"May I come in?" he asked softly, his eyes pleading with her.

"Jace it's late and I would really like for you to stop coming unannounced."

"I would announce very easily if you would just answer my calls. 'Hey Katherine, I'm coming over'," Jace smiled. His smile vanished when he saw she was unamused.

"How about I leave you to joke all you want while I go about my business."

"Katherine, come on. I brought something." He lifted his other hand to show her a box. Katherine looked at it then looked at him neutrally.

"It's for you," he said. Katherine opened her mouth, like she was about to decline, but left it open as if words failed to form in her mouth.

"Here, take it," Jace placed the box in her hands.

"What is this?"

"Open it and you'll find out." Katherine shook her head and gave the box to him, but Jace refused and pushed the box back into her hands.

"It's not like you have anything else to lose if you just open the box Katherine." At those words, Katherine held on to the box, seemingly not knowing what to do. After some moment's hesitation, she backed away from the door and walked over to the living. Aware that she hadn't invited him in, Jace slowly stepped into the apartment at the same time testing if she was aware that he was coming in and if she wanted to prevent that. When it didn't happened, Jace stopped inside their apartment and closed the door before locking it.

Katherine placed the box on the coffee table and began unwrapping it. It sounded as though her breath was getting shorter with each piece she unwrapped. Jace watched her closely and moved closer when she gasped at the sight of the hourglass. Her mouth was covered with her hands.

"I looked all over for this," she said.

"You did?"

"Yes. I looked all over for it and I thought of asking you if you took it, but I didn't want to know the answer." Jace moved closer to her.

"I had it the entire time. This is really precious to me?" Katherine twirl around and looked at him with confusion. It was as if what he said was an anomaly. Well, she didn't know the half of it.

"You don't realize what a precious gift you have given me."

"I don't understand," Katherine replied, frustrated. Jace didn't his eyes off of her. He moved closer to her until he stood right in front of her.

"It's funny how the universe has something in store for you, you know? Like, when you first gave this to me, it was something that would come in handy for a lack of a better phrase," Jace chuckled humorlessly. He was surprised to find a tear falling on his right cheek.