𝑶𝑭 𝑩𝑳𝑶𝑶𝑫 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑩𝑬𝑻𝑹𝑨𝒀𝑨𝑳

ᎽᎧU ᏘRᏋ ᏁᎧT ᎽᎧUR ᎧᏊᏁ

They made their way up to the top floor, where they hid around the corner, letting Magnus go to the apartment alone, waiting for their chance. As soon as the apartment door closed shut, the four of them came from around the corner, walking towards the apartment.

"I don't know why you felt the need to bring him here." Alec said, with Alyssa silently agreeing.

"We need all the help we can get." Clary countered. Reaching the door, Alyssa came to a stop about a foot or two away from it and pulled Clary back when she tried to go through it.

"Careful, Clary. The wards are up." Alyssa said, looking at the almost invisible yet shimmering wall in front of them. "Get too close, and you'll fry."

"You said Valentine wouldn't have this kind of warlock power." Clary said to Sebastian.

"Yeah, as always, he defies expectations. Look, we're gonna need you." Sebastian said, making Clary realize he was talking about her runes.

Hesitantly, she took out her stele and tried to draw a rune on the wards, but it wasn't taking. She tried again with the same amount of success, none.

"Try again." Alec urged.

"I can't make it work." Clary said.

"Yes, you can." Sebastian encouraged.

"You can do this, Clarissa. Just focus." Alyssa said. Clary looked at her and then tried again, but the rune was still not taking. Sebastian took her by the arms and pulled her to face him. This move put Alyssa on edge.

"Tell me what it feels like to have your entire family ripped away from you." Sebastian said.

"What?" Clary asked, confused.

"That's enough." Alec said, stepping forward.

"Trust me on this, okay?" Sebastian said to Alec. Seeing what he was trying to do and what could be causing Clary's block, Alyssa touched Alec's arm and pulled him back.

"Alec, let him." She said. Sebastian gave her a nod, then turned back to Clary.

"Look, your mother is never coming back. Alyssa is not your sister. You feel like you're all alone in this world, don't you?"

"Stop it." Clary pleaded, tears in her eyes.

"No, feel it, Clary. Feel it." Sebastian said, shaking her slightly. Alyssa didn't like this, but she knew Clary had to let herself feel the pain and hurt she'd been pushing aside to get through her mental block. "Your mother is never coming back."

"Don't." She pleaded again.

"Your father will never love you. The only reason he wanted you was to use you."

"Sebastian, this isn't working." Alec said, trying to stop the blond. But Alyssa stopped him.

"No, Alec, she needs this. She needs to let the pain in instead of pushing it aside." Alyssa said.

"You wanted Alyssa to be your sister so badly because then at least you'd have someone to share in the pain, but she's not your sister. She never has been and never will be."

"Stop it!" Clary said, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"I can't stop it, Clary." Sebastian said, then pointed at her heart. "That empty feeling that eats away at your soul, that makes you feel like you want to die? Day after day, after day. It never stops." He said, then took a hold of her hand, which had the stele in it. "Now take that pain and use it."

Turning to face the wards again with determination on her face, Clary began to draw the rune again, this time succeeding and making the wards break down.

Wasting no time, the four of them stormed into the apartment just in time to see Magnus and Valentine standing up.

"Alexander." Magnus said from his own body, indicating that the body swap had worked.

In a running leap, Clary pushed herself and Valentine into a portal behind him. The portal sucked them in and closed immediately after them.

"Well, that was anti-climactic." Alyssa nonchalantly commented, earning a light chuckle from all three men.

The Institute - Main room

Jace was seated next to a panel containing seraph blades. He had one in his hands, looking it over.

"Hey." He looked up to see Alyssa walking over to him. "You okay?" He smiled and put the blade back on the panel.

"I'm fine. It would take a lot more than Valentine kidnapping me to put me out of commission." He said, taking her hand in his.

"I wasn't talking about that, but thanks for reminding me." Alyssa said, then hit his shoulder. "When are you going to learn to stop blocking me out when things like this happen?

I know you feel like you're protecting and all that, but you're my husband. I'm supposed to get worried about you. If you ask me, it worries me more when you block me out in situations like that. When you let me in, at least I know you're not hurt and that you're safe."

"I'm sorry. I'll try not to do that if it happens again."

"You better." Jace grinned at her and gave her a gentle kiss, which she returned. "Anyway, back to what I was asking. I was talking about finding out who your biological family is after all this time."

"I'm still processing that part." Alyssa hummed and nodded in understanding. Before she could say anything else, they were interrupted as Imogen approached the two with her guards. Alyssa stepped back when Imogen walked towards Jace.

"Now I know where that bold defiance of yours comes from. You're just like your father." Imogen said, then held up a ring, her family's ring on a leather cord. "I retrieved this from Magnus' apartment. It belongs to you now.

You've had a lot taken from you, Jace. But that's all over now. You come from a line of great and powerful Shadowhunters.

From a family that has been revered by generations and feared...by those who oppose all that is good and just. This ring signifies that. This is your birthright."

Imogen put the necklace around Jace's neck and put her hand on his cheek. "Now, my boy, you are about to find out what it means to be a Herondale." She said with a smile. "I would like it if you moved back into the Institute."

Jace turned to look at Alyssa as if to ask if they could. She gave a small smile and nodded, knowing how much this meant to him even though she didn't particularly like it. Jace turned back to Imogen with a smile.

"We will." Imogen smiled back and left. Jace lifted the ring, feeling complete, and smiled.

He didn't notice Alyssa slipping out and away from the room, and he certainly didn't notice that she hadn't joined him in bed or that she had probably left the institute as he went to sleep in his room at the institute.