Paradise Regained

-7-

Clary was in an extreme hurry to get out of the apartment. The perspective of leaving it made her do everything so fast. It made her happy.

It took Clary and Jace around an hour to get everything she needed for her and the baby.

Now they were finally leaving.

"Jace, give me your stele." She pulled her hand out and eagerly grabbed it when he took it out of his pocket. A little smile entered her face. "It's been so long since I used one."

"I hope you didn't forget how to." Smirked Jace.

Clary laughed under her breath and started to draw her portal rune in the air. Although she hadn't been using a stele for almost a year, it worked the first time.

She pulled her daughter close to her chest and held her tightly.

Jace looked at her.

"The cabin in Idris?"

She just nodded. They grabbed their hands, and all three of them went through the portal.

They were in front of the cabin. A blow of the freezing-cold late autumn air hit their faces.

Jace looked around carefully, examining their surroundings. It was the middle of the night, but he still made sure they were alone.

Little Bella was crying loudly and fussing. Going through the portal was a big shock to her.

Clary looked with a worried expression at her daughter.

"Let's go inside, Jace. She's screaming her lungs out. I wouldn't be surprised if people in Alicante would hear her."

Jace nodded and opened the door. The old hinges squeaked loudly, which made the child cry out louder.

"Ladies first." Said Jace, making an inviting gesture.

"Shhh, my love. It's alright." Cooed Clary as she bounced the baby and walked into the house.

Jace followed after them and quickly proceeded to light a fire in the fireplace.

After a while, the baby was napping. Clary was trying to get the myriad of baby stuff from the duffel bag. She sat down on the bed and tried to make a plan on how to organize everything. She was getting exhausted.

A few minutes later, Jace walked into the bedroom.

"Do you need some help?" He asked as he looked at all the clothes, accessories, bottles, and things that he couldn't even name.

"Wow, so much junk. You said you didn't take everything."

"I did not take everything. Those are only the necessary things." She pulled him into an embrace and sighed. "I don't know where to put all this for now."

"Clary, you know, there are two bedrooms in this cabin..."

"I know, but this is the only semi-clean room. I don't want anything to get dusty."

"Okay, this junk stays here tonight, and tomorrow we will clean the other bedroom, and I will get my old crib from the basement. What do you think?" He asked and looked into her beautiful green eyes.

"Okay. Let's sleep while we can." Said Clary, thinking of how her daughter would probably wake up in three or four hours.

"What do you mean, 'while we can'?" Asked Jace with confusion.

"You're so not ready for this." She chuckled and laid down with Jace and her girl in the middle.

• • •

She was right. He was not ready for that. The baby woke up twice during the five hours of sleep they got.

Although Jace wanted to stay in bed with Clary and watch her sleep, he used his stamina rune and went to the basement and got the crib out. After an hour or two, he finished cleaning the room and putting the furniture in the right places.

Now he was cleaning an antique highchair he found in the basement.

"Almost done," he let a breath out and looked around the room, now a nursery. "it looks great. I did a very good job." He mentally patted his shoulder.

He was satisfied that the cleaning took him only so little time. He wanted Clary to have a little surprise when she would wake up.

Jace turned around, and then he saw her - she was standing in the doorway, looking so beautiful that he was stunned and speechless.

"You know that she won't be needing it for at least five more months, right?" Clary said playfully, walked up to him, and kissed him deeply. She was so touched by Jace. It was so sweet and thoughtful of him to set up the nursery all by himself. "I love what you did with this room. It looks so cozy."

"You like it? Good. I knew I'd do a good job." He said with a pretended arrogance and winked at her.

"Once again, I absolutely love it." Clary really did like it. The room was all wood, whitewashed planks on the walls, ceiling and dark hardwood on the floor, antique set of furniture added even more charm to the room.

In the center of the squarish room, with two small windows, stood a Victorian wooden cot, accompanied by a matching armoire on the left of the room and a dresser on the opposite side.

"I left the 'putting baby stuff away' thing for you. I had no idea how to organize that." He laughed at himself and kissed her temple. "We probably still need to get some things, right?"

"Yeah, we should go today, soon. Bella should sleep in her room tonight. Let's eat and get ready, shall we."

Jace smiled, nodded, and she took his hand, and pulled him to the kitchen.