Songbird

Chapter 12 ~ Choices

Jace paused outside the apartment door. His heart was beating faster than it had been last night during his fights. This next conversation could make or break his relationship with Felicity...

He knocked, and Wesley answered after a brief pause. Jace's eyes immediately found City's where she sat at the dining table across the apartment.

Wesley let Jace in and then shut the door behind him. "I'll be in my room," he mumbled. With a final glance from Jace to City, he retreated to his room down the hall.

Jace walked toward City slowly. He was nervous, running his hand several times through his dark hair that was wet with snow.

"Felicity, I'm sorry, truly. I—"

Before he could finish, City had leaped into his arms. She tightened her hold on Jace as if it was the last thing she had in the world. Jace, startled at first by the sudden motion, quickly caught on and wrapped his arms around her in return. He buried his head in her hair, his eyes shut.

They stayed in that silent, tight embrace for a while, each clinging to each other in a desperate way to express everything they've felt in the past week. In that moment, Jace vowed never to be so stupid and let her slip away again.

Finally, they broke away, Jace continuing to lay his hands around City's waist, her arms draped around his neck. They stared at each other, both wanting to say a million things.

"I'm sorry." It was City who spoke this time. "I shouldn't have left with Shane after seeing you there. I should have stayed and talked."

"You don't have anything to apologize for," said Jace. "I should've told you about what I do a long time ago... I was afraid."

"Of what?"

Her eyes knew exactly how to pull Jace in, put him under their spell. She was intoxicating, and being away from her for even a week made Jace realize just how much he needed her.

"Of you hating me for it, or getting hurt because of me," said Jace slowly. "I didn't want to lose you, but by not telling you, I realized I did..."

"You didn't lose me, not ever," said City, the sternness in her voice catching Jace off guard. "I told you to tell me when you were ready, and then I rushed you. I should've let you tell me."

Jace shook his head. "No, you did the right thing. It made me realize I'd rather have you than the illegal fighting," reassured Jace.

City's eyes filled with gratitude, softening in the corners as she smiled warmly. "I'm glad you told me, you know."

"I'm sorry I didn't sooner."

"It's okay. I'm here for you now and I'm not leaving; that's what matters."

Jace pulled her into another hug, running a hand through her wavy hair. This was better than fighting, he thought. This was real. She was real. And gentle, and beautiful, and forgiving. How'd I get so lucky, he thought.

They sat down at the dining table, their hands stretched across and holding one another's. Jace was running his thumb across the back of City's hand almost absentmindedly as he began to speak.

"As you know, Tim took me in when I had run away," said Jace slowly, choosing every word carefully. "But what I didn't say was I started fighting as a way to make money. Tim taught me basics, but I took it a step further and joined the underground fight clubs. I was under a contract for two years with someone who trained fighters to earn a profit."

"What did Tim think of you illegally fighting?" City asked.

"Well, he was very against it at first. Then we both concluded that it would be safer for me to stick with the training than try to run away from my contract," explained Jace. "Tim came to the Pit with me, helped me train, helped me mend wounds, all that fun stuff."