By the Angel

Chapter 13

Jace Pov

I lock the door behind me as I let myself into the house, I bring my fingers to my lips and can't help but smile at the memory of her. Her kiss is like an imprint seared into my brain and I never want it diminished.

Before I can get three steps into the living room I'm greeted by Alec, Magnus and Izzy, well greeted is putting it lightly its more like a swarm of worried individuals who should really be minding their own business.

"How was your date?" Izzy asks excitedly almost bouncing with anticipation.

"Yes, Jace do tell us all about your date with the enemy," Alec says gruffly, obviously not over his little temper tantrum, I honestly can't be bothered to care.  I'm just so happy, I don't think anything can make this feeling disappear. I never thought I could feel like this or would even want to. If I hadn't fallen for her before our date I sure as hell have now. She's perfect to me and for me. Everything I have ever needed in one fiery feisty beautiful bundle of kindling.

"Hey?" Magnus chides, "if you keep insulting my sister Alexander I'm going home, so you can think about your actions."

"Yeah," I say, "don't insult my girlfriend Alec, not cool, I put up with Magnus."  As soon as I say it everyone bulks at me and no one looks happy. Including Izzy, which baffles me I thought she would be ecstatic. She's been practically groveling for me to get a serious girlfriend for years so she could have a friend.  She glances apprehensively at Alec, her reaction now making perfect sense.

"Your what?' Alec fumes, "since when?" Okay now I'm getting pissed. Like it's any of their business who I'm dating, I only told them, so they would stop insulting her. Because If I have to hear one more dig at her expense, I'll lose my ever-loving mind. "I can't believe you would do this, you would risk Legends of the fall for this girl? For this fling? What are you going to do about the fight Jace?"

I was afraid he was going to ask that, that's the one thing I don't have figured out. I've been trying to ignore that fact rather than solve it, but it needs to be dealt with. "I don't know Alec, I'll figure something out and Clary isn't just some girl and she sure as hell isn't a fling. She's the real deal and I'm not giving her up over some fight!"

"Some fight? Is that the term you use to describe the most important fight of the entire year? What are we going to do for money if you lose? Have you even considered the repercussions of your actions?"

"I don't know Alec," I snap, "get a job? Or I don't know maybe beat me in a fight for once, so the burden wouldn't always land on me." I feel a little guilty as I say it, it's not a burden to help my family but I'm so angry right now, my vision is turning hazy. "There are no consequences to dating Clary." I end my rant with a growl.

"End it Jace or promise me right now you will win the fight," Alec says defiantly. "Don't let her win because you have a thing for her."

"No to both. I'm done talking about this, Clary makes me happy, do you get that? For the first time in my entire life I feel an emotion other than indifference. She makes me feel alive Alec and I'm not going back to being dead inside, not for you or anyone else."

"Oh, Jace," Izzy says as she wraps her arms around my shoulders, "I just want you to be happy. I'll support you no matter what."

"So, will I," Magnus surprises me by speaking up on my behalf. Alec looks even more furious than before if that were possible.  He glowers at Magnus, like he's just betrayed him.

"Don't look at me like that Alexander, I love you but you're wrong. I'm sorry but Jace is your brother you should put his happiness above your financial status."

"Yeah back off!" Izzy says fiercely. Well at least I have two out of the three on my side.

"Just wait until I tell mom."

"Oh, " I say, " what are you like five? Go ahead and tattle I don't care. I'm with Clary, get over it."

Alec storms off with Magnus trailing after him hopefully trying to knock some sense into him.  How can he not see how unfair it is to ask me to give up the one thing, the one person I've been waiting on my whole life.

"He'll come around," Izzy says patting me on the back.

"I'm not so sure he will," I say heading back to my room. For as long as we have been brothers I've never seen him this angry and every other instance I deserved it. But I'm supposed to what? Apologize for falling for Clary? They should be glad, everybody thought I was broken until now, it was a running joke that I would never marry, never even be with someone long enough to get to the second date. I doubt they take me serious even now, I can't wait to prove them wrong. 

I lock the door behind me and sit on my bed running my fingers over the cool metal of my ring. Yeah, I don't know what I'm going to do about the fight, I have no fucking idea, I can't exactly hit my girlfriend and I don't want to. Even if we weren't dating I wouldn't fight her. I'll find a way to get out of this, somehow and if I don't, I'll let her win.

But I can't think about that now, I have much more pressing matters to worry about right now like who the hell is after my girl. I might not know how to solve that problem either but I know where to start.