Chapter Text
Robert and Asmodeus sat in the waiting room sharing the newspaper. They can hear Clary screaming from where they were sitting. They began to laugh.
“Jace, keep your damn hands off of me and if you tell me to breathe one more time, I will take your bottom lip and try my damnedest to pull it over your big ass head!”
Clary screamed again.
“Get him out. It hurts. We are never fucking again, Jace. If you come near me with that dick, I will cut it off.”
Robert and Asmodeus looked at each other and began to squirm while Suriani and Maryse watched the men while trying not to laugh. Will went to get coffee after hearing Clary. Magnus and Alec finally showed up. When Alec heard Clary scream, he wanted to go to her but Max stopped him. He began to explain why he should not see Clary.
Clary continued to yell at Jace until she began to lose her voice. Three hours later, Jace and Clary’s son was born. Clary lifted her head as she heard him cry. She wanted to hold him but before she could ask, a shot of pain hit her and she screamed. The doctor went to her. The nurse sent Jace out. Jace walked to the waiting room. He opened the door and began to cry. “Something is wrong with Clary. They told me to leave.” He looked at Maryse and began to walk to her. “Mom, I’m scared. I can’t lose her.” Maryse put her arms around him and sat him down. She sat next to him and continued to hold him. Alec and Max began to pace. Emily walked to Max and began to hug him while Magnus took Alec’s hand and began to pace with him.
An hour past and Jace was just about to question the nurse but the doctor walked in. Jace walked up to her with tears in his eyes. “Please, how is Clary? Is my son ok? Please, tell me?”
The doctor looked at Jace, smiled and said, “Clary is fine as well as your son….and daughter.”
Jace let out a sigh of relief. Everyone patted him on the back and congratulated him. The doctor looked at him and wondered when Jace was going to realize what she told him.
As Jace hugged Robert, that is when he realized what the doctor said. He let Robert go and turned around and yelled, “Daughter! I have a baby girl! I need to see her. Can I see my baby girl?” The doctor nodded as Jace took off while the family waited until mother and children were ok.
After two long hours, the family was allowed to see Clary and the twins. Clary was in bed holding her daughter while Jace was sitting in a chair next to the bed. He was holding his son and telling him about his big family. Alec walked towards the bed and Jace held up his hand and said, “Oh, no you don’t. I want my kids to bond with Clary and I first before you step in. You are a freaking baby whisperer, Alec.”
Everyone began to laugh. When that happened, the twins looked at Alec. The boy was a little fussy but his twin sister was crying. Alec walked towards Clary and held out his arms. Clary put her daughter in his arms. She immediately quiet down. Magnus looked at Alec and fell in love with him all over again. Emily began to take pictures with her phone while Max filmed everything. He was going to post this moment on You Tube. He and Emily decided to vlog their life. So far, they have 54,000 subscribers.
“So, may I ask their names? I need to know this so that I can make their baby quilts.”, said Suriani. Maryse walked over to Jace and held out her arms. Jace smiled and put his son in them. Maryse held him tight. Tears were falling from her eyes. She now had 3 grandbabies. She can’t wait for Alec and Magnus to start their family.
Jace looked at Clary and then looked at everyone else. “So, I would like you all to meet Robert Christopher. As for my baby girl, I am lost. OH MY GOD! We aren’t prepared. We were only expecting a boy. What are we going to do, Clary?”
Robert had tears in his eyes. Jace named his son after him. He walked up to Maryse who was crying even more. Magnus looked at everyone and took out his phone. He began to make some calls. Alec smiled. He knew what Magnus was doing. Alec looked at Clary and smiled. Clary laughed and said, “While Magnus works his magic, I think Alec should name her. Alec, what do you say? Will you name our daughter?”
Alec looked at her. He touched her cheek. When he did that, she smiled. He noticed a dimple. He knew she was going to be a heart breaker. He looked at his mom as she was looking at her grandbabies. She was still crying. He smiled and cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention. “As I look at this precious girl who will give Jace heart attacks because she will wrap him around her little finger, I think I’ve come up with a name that is sweet as she. Jace, Clary and big brother Robbie, let me introduce to you Christina Maryse Lightwood-Herondale.”
Jace looked at Alec when he heard her last name. Alec smiled at Jace. “Jace, I know you want to change your last name and I’m giving you a little push…just a little. Now, since the twins are Lightwood-Herondale’s, why not you as well. When you marry Clarry, I’m sure she would love to have that name too.”
Will looked at Jace and nodded. Robert smiled at his son. “Thank you, Alec. I was a little hesitant. I’m a Herondale but I’m also a Lightwood. I love you guys and I was afraid that I would hurt the other, If I had to choose between the two. Lately, I’ve been questioning who I am. These past few months, I’ve hurt Mom and Dad. I’m so sorry. You are my parents and I love you. Thank you for loving me back. I have a huge family and I now have that sense of belonging. Thank you, Will, for helping me figure it out.”
Robert looked at Will and realized that Will told Jace about his past. He wasn’t mad. Instead he felt relieved that Jace knows the truth and that he is ok. Robert began to tear up. He didn’t want the others to see him cry, so he decided to leave the room for a bit. “On that note, I need to use the restroom. When I come back, I’m holding my grandkids.”
Everyone laughed. No one noticed that Robert was emotional. Well, almost no one. Jace excused himself as well. He wanted to make sure Robert was ok.
Robert walked into the waiting room and collapsed in one of the chairs. He put his head in his hands and began to cry. Even though Jace said he understood why things were kept from him, Robert still felt that Jace would still be upset with him. Robert just wanted Jace to be happy but instead it made Jace question himself. Robert felt guilty. If Jace is angry with him, he would accept it. In Robert’s mind, he would deserve it.
As Robert sat there, he didn’t realize that someone came into the room. When he looked up, he saw Jace standing there. Jace stood there with tears in his eyes. Robert stood and walked over to his son. He pulled Jace to him and wrapped his arms around him. They both cried as they held one another. When they broke apart, Jace took out a tissue from his pocket and began to wipe the tears that had fallen from his father’s eyes. Robert smiled as he did the same for Jace.
“Dad, I just have one thing to say. Thank you for everything that you’ve done for me. I never knew how much you and Mom did to keep me. Thank you for accepting me and loving me.”, Jace said as he took Robert by the hand and guided him to one of the chairs. Robert sat as Jace sat next to him.
“No need to thank me. When I found out the truth about you, I had to do what I had to do. Besides, Maryse fell in love with you the moment you became friends with Alec. When Michael’s lawyer showed us the video that Michael left, Maryse started to make calls. No one was taking you away from us. She fought harder than any of us. I just did what I do best. I knew the law and the law was on our side.”
Jace smiled but he began to frown. “What I don’t understand is why. Why did Michael keep me away from you? Why didn’t he tell me about my father and mother?”
Robert looked at Jace and decided that he should tell him the rest. “In the video that was shown to Maryse and I, Michael was told by Stephen to tell your grandmother. Michael said he didn’t because Imogen would have taken you. There is no question about it. She would have taken you. However, there was another reason why he kept you from us. The reason was…. me.”
“Why was it because of you? Did something happen between you two?”, Jace asked.
Robert cleared his throat as he began. “What I am about to tell you is private. Alec knows because this story was something he needed to know. You see, Michael and I were best friends. When Stephen moved here, he joined in. He was my cousin and I was the only kid he knew. We all grew up together. We told each other everything and I mean everything… so I thought. When I met Maryse, my world came into focus. I knew she was the one even though she gave me a hard time. When we got engaged, everyone was happy for us except for Michael. He couldn’t stand Maryse. Even though Maryse was kind to him, he just didn’t like her. He would make remarks about her and say things about her that was not true.”
Robert stopped as he sat back in the chair. Jace watched him. That is when he knew something bad must have happened and it involved Michael and his parents. Robert sighed as he continued.
“My friendship with Michael came to an end when he did something that was unforgivable. Your Uncle Max decided that I should have a bachelor party. He went all out. It was a party to end all parties. I enjoyed myself too much. I drank a lot and I passed out. Max took me to one of the rooms and put me to bed. The next morning, Maryse called off our wedding. No one knew why. I tried to call her and she refuse to answer. Max didn’t understand either. Everyone was confused. That is when Stephen stepped in. He put on his detective hat and started to question everyone. Finally, he went to see Maryse. He wouldn’t leave until she saw him. At first, Maryse just sat there and refused to answer his questions. When Stephen said that everyone told him their side, she cried. That’s when Stephen got it out of her. After he saw the “evidence”, he got to work to find out more. You see, Jace, your Dad saved my life because I truly felt that I would die without my love.”
Jace looked at Robert and then he reached out for his hand as Robert continued his story.
“I was so depressed, that Michael decided to stay with me. It took two days for Stephen to put everything together. When he and Max came to my apartment, I thought they were going to kill me. However, they wanted to kill Michael. As a matter of fact, Max punched him. I was confused. Stephen pulled Max away as he began to explain why Maryse called off our wedding. You see, Michael sent pictures of he and I in bed. He told her that he and I had begun a sexual relationship. The pictures were his proof. I had no clue. I was drunk. Michael took advantage and stage a scene. I looked at Michael and I wanted to punch especially when he started to laugh. Max held me while Stephen got him to admit that he wanted to break Maryse and I up because he was in love with me. I didn’t know he was gay and I definitely didn’t know he was in love with me. I was so mad at him that I told him to leave and that I never wanted to see him again. I lost my best friend that day. When Michael came back into my life, I told him that you were welcome but he was not.”
Jace was in shock as he said, “Wow! My Dad fixed things between you and Mom. He was amazing. However, you lost a friend that day. Your emotional level must have gone through the roof. If I was in that position, I don’t know what I would have done. Why did you tell Alec this story?”
“When Alec came out to us, I was not so supporting. The reason was selfish. It brought back memories of Michael and I. It brought back what he did. I didn’t want to be one of those parents who did not support their children or their truth. Maryse found me a support group. I went and they helped me understand that I was not a bad parent. That I needed time to understand. As I got comfortable with the group, I told them my story. The counselor advised me to tell Alec my story. When I did, Alec understood more than I did. He helped me understand him. We worked on our relationship instead of running away and turning into complete assholes.”, Robert explained as he watched Jace.
“That is why you always tell us to tell you everything and not to be afraid. I’m glad you and Alec talked and that you helped each other. Hell, you still help each other.”, Jace said.
“I learned a lot from both situations. If you notice, I never drink so much that I lose control. I taught you kids about what alcohol and drugs can do. I taught you about what should you do in social settings that have those temptations. I never told you my story. I learned the hard way. I didn’t want you kids to repeat it.”
Jace looked at Robert. Robert facial expressions changed. He now looked relieved. Jace stood as Robert looked up. “Well, old man, I think we should get back to my kids before they start calling Alec “Daddy” and Magnus “Papa”.”, Jace said as he reached to help Robert out of the chair. When Robert stood, Jace hugged him again. “I love you, Dad.” Robert returned the sentiment.
When Jace and Robert got back to the room, Asmodeus was holding his son and telling him that he couldn’t wait to teach him how to play the piano. Someone had to keep jazz alive and Asmodeus thinks Robbie will. Suriani had her head on Asmodeus shoulder as he talked to Robbie. Jace looked around and noticed that Emily was holding Christina as Max was holding up his phone recording. Robert joined them. He wanted to be in the video. He also wanted to hold his granddaughter. Maryse was busy combing Clary’s hair while Clary talked about planning her wedding. Clary wanted it to be just family. Maryse smiled as she continued her task. Will was joined by Tessa and Jem. Will must have contacted them after the twins were born. Tessa was holding their foster child, Lucie who was trying to get to Will. Jace looked over and saw Alec holding Magnus while he was whispering something in his ear. He watched their interaction and smiled. He looked at Magnus and noticed how he was looking at Alec. He saw the love in Magnus eyes. Alec finally found what he and Clary, Izzy and Simon, Robert and Maryse, Max and Emily, Will, Jem and Tessa and Asmodeus and Suriani had. He found love.
Jace smiled as he watched his family. He now realizes that this is where he belongs. He belongs to this huge family that is full of love and happiness. He belongs to a family who is opened and welcoming. He belongs to a family and they belong to him.