The air was thick with anticipation that evening, as Lena found herself pacing the hallway of the house, waiting for Jace. They'd both been a little more distant lately—small gaps appearing between them as they both quietly tried to navigate their own inner worlds. The connection between them was still there, but it had shifted in a way that made it feel more fragile than before.
Tonight, though, something was different. The warmth between them felt undeniable again, but there was an unease in the way Lena's heart thrummed in her chest. The thought of tonight—of Jace—was stirring something inside her, something she wasn't sure she was ready to confront.
Clara had spent the evening with her sketchbook, tucked up in her room, her own world still a bit quieter than the one Lena and Jace shared downstairs. She had made peace with her place in the family again, but there was still a sense of distance she couldn't shake. The need for independence, for breathing room, had grown in her—something she hadn't quite expected, but now that it was there, she couldn't ignore it.
It was when Jace entered the kitchen that Lena realized just how much she'd been waiting for him.
"Everything okay?" he asked, his eyes scanning her face. There was a hint of concern, but also something warmer, something that pulled at her heart.
"Yeah, I think so," Lena replied, her voice just a little too shaky for her liking. She immediately regretted it.
Jace's brow furrowed slightly, and he stepped closer to her, placing his hand on her arm. His touch was steady, grounding her in a way that made her feel both comforted and overwhelmed. He was always able to do that, without even trying.
"Lena," he said softly, his voice low and intimate. "Talk to me. What's going on?"
She swallowed, feeling a rush of emotions she hadn't expected. The truth was, she didn't know what was going on. She wasn't sure of anything anymore—least of all the relationship they shared. It wasn't that she didn't care about Jace; in fact, it was the opposite. She cared too much, and the uncertainty terrified her.
Her voice was almost a whisper as she spoke again, "I just… I feel like something's shifting, and I don't know if I'm ready for it."
Jace tilted his head, his eyes searching hers. "Ready for what, exactly?"
Lena took a deep breath. "For whatever happens next. Between us. Between everything."
There was a long pause between them, the tension in the room growing with each beat of her racing heart.
And then, in an unexpected move, Jace cupped her face in his hands. The gesture was soft but firm, and he leaned in slowly, his lips brushing against hers with a gentleness that took her breath away.
Lena froze for a moment, her body reacting before her mind could catch up. But when his hand slid down her neck, drawing her closer, she couldn't help but melt into the kiss. The years of tangled emotions, misunderstandings, and unspoken words faded away in that instant. It was just the two of them—no past, no future—just this kiss, fragile yet filled with a promise.
When they finally pulled away, both of them were breathless, their hearts racing.
"I don't know what this means, Jace," Lena whispered, her hands still resting on his chest. "But I think I need you to be patient with me."
Jace's smile was tender as he stroked her hair back from her face. "I'm not going anywhere, Lena. Not now, not ever."
The words settled into her like a comfort, but beneath that comfort was still a lingering uncertainty. She didn't know what the future held, but for the first time in a long time, she felt like she had someone she could trust to face it with.
---
Later that evening, Clara decided to step out for a walk, hoping to clear her head. The air had grown cooler, and the quiet streets of their neighborhood were bathed in the soft glow of streetlights. She needed space—space to think, to breathe, and to understand what it was that she truly wanted now that things between her and her family had begun to settle.
She didn't get far, though, before a familiar figure appeared on the sidewalk ahead of her.
"Clara," a voice called, and she stopped in her tracks.
It was Jace. He had clearly been out for his own walk, hands shoved in his pockets, a look of quiet contemplation on his face.
"Hey," she said, giving him a tentative smile. "Didn't expect to see you out here."
Jace returned her smile, though his eyes held a certain seriousness. "Yeah, needed some air."
Clara looked at him curiously. "Everything okay?"
He nodded, then looked down the street, the silence between them growing heavy.
"I'm sorry," Jace said suddenly, his voice raw. "For how things went. Between us. Between all of us."
Clara's breath hitched, but she didn't know how to respond. The hurt was still there, but she could see in Jace's eyes that he was truly sorry. And for the first time in a long while, Clara found herself willing to listen—not just to his words, but to the sincerity behind them.
"You don't have to apologize," she said softly. "I think… we've all been carrying our own stuff. But I'm trying to move forward. I don't want to hold onto the anger anymore."
Jace nodded, and for a moment, there was an understanding between them—a fragile, but undeniable bridge beginning to form.
But then, Clara glanced at him, her voice suddenly uncertain. "What about Lena?"
Jace looked at her, his expression vulnerable, his heart plainly visible in his eyes. "I don't know. Things are changing, Clara. But whatever happens, I'll be here. For you. For her."
For a long while, neither of them spoke. They simply stood there, side by side, letting the quiet settle around them. The cool night air seemed to wrap them in a strange kind of protection—a moment of peace, fleeting but real.
And in the stillness, something unexpected blossomed between them—not love, not yet—but something close to it. An understanding. A connection. An acknowledgment of the past that allowed them to begin to move forward, each step uncertain but filled with the promise of something new.
---
The next day, the three of them found themselves together again—this time, more open, more willing to accept the fragile beginnings of something beautiful. They didn't know what would happen next, but they were no longer afraid to try.
As the sun set over the horizon, Lena reached for Jace's hand, her fingers intertwining with his as she turned to Clara. "We're in this together," Lena said quietly, the weight of her words settling between them.
Clara smiled, her gaze soft. "Yeah. Together."
And with that, the pieces of their lives—broken, scattered, uncertain—slowly began to fall back into place.
---