Clace Through the Years

Chapter Thirteen: 39 Years Old

Clary was sitting at the sofa reading a book. Jace had taken Vance, now thirteen, and Amanda, now ten, down to the horse stable to ride for awhile. Johanna, who was now sixteen, was out on Shadowhunter business. Some vampires were acting up, rogue probably, a few humans had turned up dead. It was an easy job.

So when the front door opened and Johanna came into the living room, Clary didn't even lookup.

"Hey mom," Johanna said.

Clary looked up and gasped, "Jo!"

Johanna was dirty, her curly blonde hair tangled, and blood was across her face, "It's not my blood," Johanna said quickly.

"What happened?" Clary asked.

"Vampires," Johanna said, pulling off her weapons belt. She set it on the sofa, "You know that."

"It's going to take you like ten showers to get all that dirt off," Clary said.

Johanna smiled, "I don't care. It was great to actually do something for once. I mean when you were my age, dad said you guys were always busy."

"Because my birth father and brother were trying to destroy the world," Clary said.

Johanna took off her boots, "Of course. I know that mom. You've been telling me the stories since I was a little girl."

Clary shook her head, "I know I was there. Now go shower before you dad gets home, sees you, and makes you stay home until you're fifty."

"Ew. No thanks. I'll be upstairs," Johanna headed for the stairs.

"Take these boots and your weapon belt with you!" Clary called.

Johanna came back, "Sorry!" She piled her stuff into her arms and headed upstairs. Clary rested back against the sofa and shut her eyes. A few minutes she heard the shower water turn on.

Clary got up, stinking her bookmark in her book, and crossed over to the bookshelf where she put the book back. As she did the front door opened again, "Clary! We are home!"

Clary cut across the living room and to the entrance, "Hi!" She said hugging Jace and kissing him on the cheek.

"Ew," Vance said.

Jace ruffled his hair, "You are thirteen, you have to think girls are cute now, right? Or do you take after your Uncles?"

Vance rolled his eyes, "I just don't want to see my parents making out."

"We weren't 'making out', I just kissed him on the cheek. How was horse riding?" Clary asked.

"Fun," Amanda said, "Dad said I did really good."

"She was a pro," Jace agreed.

"That's great Amanda," Clary said hugging her.

"So is our other daughter home?" Jace asked, "Or is a ghost showering?"

"She's home," Clary said.

"How dirty was she?"

"Her hair was heading towards brown," Clary said.

Jace nodded, "Ah Shadowhunters."

"One day I'm going to fight vampires," Amanda said.

"Yes one day, but first you have to get a little older baby girl," Clary said.

"Why do you still call her baby girl?" Vance asked.

"Cause she's my baby," Clary said, "All of you will forever be my babies."