Conditional Love

Chapter 15

Everyone sits down for dinner, and as Alec and Clary are bringing everyone's dishes to the table, Alec hears Simon groan. Alec discreetly glances at Clary to see a small smirk forming on her lips, and he's biting his tongue not to laugh.

"Is there a problem, Lewis?" Clary asks in a sickly sweet voice.

"Pork Clary? Really?" Simon says with disdain.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Maybe if you kept in touch the last four years, I would have known you were coming over tonight." Clary says with a glare. Alec can sense the hostility coming off her in waves.

"Hey Simon, you might want to keep your mouth shut for a while, yeah? I haven't known Clary long, but I think she could kick your ass." Jace says looking a bit too smug. Simon just nods his head and accepts his meal.

"So Iz, Jace has been unusually tight lipped about what's been going on with you. Care to fill me in?" Alec says.

Izzy squeals which causes Clary to jump, and Jace to snicker. "Oh my god! I didn't want Jace telling you because I wanted to tell you myself. I got a job working as a designer for Calvin Klein! Simon also just had a job interview for Defiant Studios, so we're moving back to New York!" At this moment, Alec couldn't be more proud of his baby sister. Although, he wasn't aware that they weren't living here. He gets up and pulls her in a tight hug.

"I'm so proud of you Iz! When are you moving?" Alec asks.

"It won't be for another month. We leave to go back to LA in two days, but I can't leave my job at Ralph Lauren until the end of October. Simon is getting Elaine and Rebecca's help in finding an apartment for us in Manhattan," she says.

"Who's Elaine and Rebecca?" Alec asks.

"Oh Elaine is my mom, and Becca is my older sister." Simon says, only earning a scowl from Alec.

"Are you only looking for something in Manhattan, or were you looking into one of the other burrows?" Alec asks, looking back towards his sister.

"We would prefer to live in Manhattan, because that's where ours jobs will be, but Simon's family is here in Brooklyn." Izzy explains. "Also, it is more expensive to live in Manhattan, but with my salary alone, we should be able to make it work."

The rest of dinner consists of Izzy filling Alec in on what her life was like in California, what she does at her job, and what her aspirations are for when she gets experience under her belt. She also tells Alec all about meeting Simon, what they did on their first date, and how he proposed to her. Alec still doesn't like the guy, but he's happy for his sister.

~oOo~

After dinner, Jace suggests that everyone go back to the living room to continue the conversation. Clary agreed to clean the kitchen so Alec can have time with his siblings, and she swapped Jace's wine glass with a glass of water.

"Hey, what was that for?" Jace grumbles.

Clary sweetly smiles at him, "You my friend, are taking narcotics. You're not supposed to be drinking while you take them. I was being lenient on you about the two glasses you've already had, but it's water for the rest of the night." Then she walks over to the sink to start on the dishes, leaving a grumbling Jace behind with his boring water.

Alec leads everyone else into the living room. After helping Jace get comfortable on the loveseat, Alec takes the oversized chair, and Izzy and Simon take the couch. "So big brother, tell me what you've been doing for the last five years," Izzy says.

So Alec tells her about his two years in school, his ride along hours for his certification, and then he proceeds to tell her about his job and the promotion to senior paramedic. He also tells her about all of his friends, including Clary and Jon, but steers clear of Jocelyn and Valentine. He doesn't want to bring up his surrogate parents to his siblings.