Malec One-shots

The End Part 2

They could hear it outside. The fires, the fighting, the screaming. Those thick, heavy doors didn't conceal any of it. Wolfie fell back on the steps, his head in his hands. Alec and Magnus ahead, Alec's hands were red and raw, clutched tightly to his bow. Wolfie knew he was trying to stop his hands from shaking, but it wasn't...working. Magnus had his hand wrapped tight around his brother's arm. Ivor. He was thirteen years old. Barely old enough to be there, but...there was no way he couldn't fight anymore. There was no safe place to hide the children anymore. He had to fight now. Wolfie could hear him whimpering and sniffing, his bow by his side.

"The doors are secured for the time being, but they won't hold," Jace said, brushing his hair out of his face. His lip was quivering. Wolfie knew why. They couldn't find aunt Clary or grandma anywhere. "We need to figure out what to do. Quickly."

Alec shook his head. "We're going to have to fight. This is our last safe haven. Once those doors come down, that's it. We have no choice left." Jace stared at his brother, his chest heaving. He wanted to fight – to argue, but he couldn't. Alec was right. "We have about five minutes, everyone, prepare yourselves."

Alec turned around, carefully taking Ivor from Magnus, bending down, and kissing him quickly on both cheeks. He kept running his hands through his child's hair, staring at his face. He tried to hush him softly, tried to stop him crying. But he was scared, too. He thought that maybe this would be the last time he would ever be able to touch his son again.

Magnus backed away from the scene, sitting himself down next to Wolfie. "You know that talk we had when we brought Ivor home?" Magnus said faintly. Wolfie nodded. He remembered.

"I want you to be strong, no matter what happens. If something happens...to your little brother, or to your dad, or to me, it's not your fault. And it will hurt – Wolfgang..."

Wolfie looked up and he saw his dad hunched over, his head in his hands, shoulders tensed. He'd never seen him look so weak. His dad then looked up, pulling Wolfie close to him, kissing his forehead. "We'll be okay. Whatever happens, we'll be okay. Just come back, okay?"

Alec had detached himself from Ivor, and walked over to the two warlocks. He pulled his older son into a tight hug, kissing him too, brushing his fingers through his hair. "You know what you have to do, right? Runes do sting a bit, but you'll be okay," he whispered before pulling away. He pulled out his stele, and held Magnus' hand, sketching out the pattern he remembered Clary making, years and years ago. Wolfie turned to Ivor. His little brother had pulled himself together for the most part, although his skin was still red and blotchy from his tears. He held his stele shakily in his hand, and reluctantly Wolfie pulled off one of his gloves and held his hand out to his brother. "Try not to mess it up, alright?" he muttered. Ivor huffed,

"Of course I won't, stupid," he replied, touching the edge to his skin. Wolfie winced, looking away. Their fathers had finished their runes and were now kissing each other passionately. The two brothers observed the scene, wrinkling their noses at each other. "Your turn, now don't you go messing this up," Ivor said firmly, passing his stele over.

The door began moving under the pounding of the enemy outside. The forces inside the room waited, their hands on their weapons, everyone still. "Everyone ready?" Jace asked, settling in his place next to Alec. In one last moment, before the doors opened, Wolfie grabbed his brother's hand. He looked at his face, the freckles, the old scars and the new wounds. They were going to stay alive. He would see his family again. He was sure.