Drapetomania | Shadowhunters [Jace Wayland]

19; Not Together

"Jace," the Lewis girl breathed out, pulling the blonde into a hug.

Immediately, he hugged her back, wrapping his arms around her small frame as her arms were around his torso. Jace took in a deep breath, inhaling the scent of her sweet perfume, and he remembered it, too. When she would walk past him, talk to him. . .

Tris pulled away and smiled at him. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Yeah," Jace smiled back. "Me too. And you? Are you doing okay?"

"Perfect. I'm sorry, but I need to go see Nick. He said he's found something."

Jace frowned but then smiled. "Sure."

The blonde watched the girl give him one last smile before leaving from Magnus' apartment, waving the warlock a goodbye before actually leaving. He still didn't look away and Magnus caught his eye on the door. When Jace glanced at the now smirking Magnus, he huffed in annoyance before turning away.

▪▪▪

"So what did you find?" Tris asked, standing beside Nick with her arms crossed, looking at his newspaper covered wall. He had called her, telling her that he figured everything and he needed to tell her.

"Well, for starters, I found out she did kill herself. She was with her best friend, too, that night. In my opinion, she had quite the life, so I wouldn't imagine why she would kill herself. . ."

Tris thought for a moment and asked the question, "What was this girl's name?"

"Cristina."

Tris froze in her place. "Cristina. . .?"

"Santiago."

"Oh, my God," Tris faced him. "You dated her, didn't you?"

"How. . ."

Hate filled her eyes towards the man in front of her. "You are the reason she's dead."

"No, I'm not," he exclaimed. 

"She was dating you and when she told her father about it, he beat her! Did she not tell you?!"

"What. . ."

"You are the mystery she always talked about. Oh, my God. And I'm dating you. . ." Tris ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "This is-This is wrong. I'm sorry, Nick, but this is wrong."

"No, Tris, wait--"

But she had already bolted out the door.

▪▪▪

"Wow," Elaine exclaimed as both her children hugged her. "Slow down, monkeys. Hey, when you called, I wasn't--"

"We're sorry we weren't at dinner last night," Tris immediately apologized as they pulled away. "We wanna move back home, Mom."

"I'm really bad at laundry," Simon said.

"And I can't either."

"Oh, thank God you know that about yourselves. Honey, this shirt smells like death," she said to Simon.

"We just-We just wanna tell you that we really appreciate you, Mom."

Elaine chuckled. "Okay. Come on. I made a roast. I know it's overkill, but when--"

"Okay, mom, listen. We know we're back, but we can't have you freak out if we're out all night or if I sleep all day. The band does a lot of late-night gigging. And Tris has so many trial surgeries."

"You guys don't have to explain yourself to me. I'm just glad you're home. Oh, and you know, I was thinking We should have Clary and her mother over for dinner. I haven't seen Jocelyn in ages."

"Yeah. I'll ask Clary," Simon uncomfortably said.

"Great."

▪▪▪

"Those remaining will take their place with the fallen. Those remaining will say the names of the fallen. Brother Micah."

"Pulvis et umbra sumus."

"Brother Jeremiah."

"For we are dust and shadows."

"Jocelyn. . .mom." 

"Jocelyn Fairchild."

"Ave atque vale. Hail and farewell."

▪▪▪