predestined | jace herondale

30

I held my breath, underwater at Lake Lyn. My lungs felt tight due to the lack of oxygen that was going to them, my eyes burning as I kept them forced open, looking around in the water.

My hair was all over the place, but that was something I couldn't focus on right now.

Memories of Jace saving me flashed my mind, but this time I was alone.

There was no Jace to save me from drowning.

My arms and legs moved around quickly as I tried to swim upward but I only made myself go deeper with every attempt.

I coughed when the lake water poured into my body when I couldn't hold my breath anymore, as I tried harder to get to the surface, "No- no- no!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Jace's voice snaps me into reality, pulling me away from the nightmare I was having, "Wake up- it's okay."

I jolt up, tearing my blanket off my body, revealing the sweats and t shirt crop top I wore, a sheet of sweat on my body, my eyes wide in alert, my breathing heavy.

"Hey- hey-" Jace's hands were on my arms, my eyes finally shifting to him, "It was just a bad dream."

He stood at the side of my bed, leaning to hold my arms to get my attention, his hair a mess, shirtless and barefoot.

"Jace-" My breathing calmed, my heart rate accelerating, "What- what are you doing here?"

"I, uh, heard you screaming." Jace lets go of my arms and stands straight, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah." I force myself with all the strength I had to not look at his shirtless body, looking down at my hands, "I, uh- I was back at Lake Lyn- underwater. I was drowning."

Jace's eyes linger with mine, as he grabbed my hand, squeezing it in comfort, "Well, you're all right now."

I sigh, looking down at our hands, "Everything that happened back at the lake, I- I can't get it out of my head."

Jace exhales deeply, shrugging, "It's not exactly top on my vacation list, either."

"My brother's alive." I used our linked hands to pull him onto my bed so he was sitting in front of me, "Somewhere out there, Jonathan exists."

"I know." Jace's thumb caressed my hand, "It's a lot to process."

"Jace." I sigh deeply, "He was a child."

"With demon blood." Jace adds in, "Don't forget that."

"And no one but Valentine to teach him the difference between right and wrong." My eyes were locked with his, "If it would've been Jocelyn or even my mother, maybe he would've turned out different. If he's out there, I want to find him."

Jace gives me a reassuring nod, "We will."

"Hey- will you stay with me for the rest of the night?" I asked, holding his hand between both of mine, "I don't think I can fall back asleep after that."

"Yeah- yeah, of course." Jace nods slowly, as I scoot over as he got up, pulling the blanket up so he can slip in.

He does so, pulling me into him, my head leaning on his chest, his arms wrapped around me.

Silence fell between us, as I held onto him tighter, fading away into thought.

"Wait, Jace-" I looked at him, slowly sitting up, "Maybe we can track him."

Jace's eyebrows furrow, "What?"

"I'll be right back." I slip out of bed and practically run out of my room.