The Lost Fairchild

What goes around comes around (Part 1)

Alec had me waddling around the streets of Brooklyn like an absolute idiot.

He tracked Isabelle to that abandoned house, but it turned out that was some sort of trick. In that dingy basement was a demon nest, packed with all kinds of satan scum.

Shapeshifters (eidolons), mantids (insect like demons), elapids (massive snake headed things), and more. It was a set up.

So the question was; was there a mole in the institute? Or had Isabelle been compromised, in such a way she may be involved with the whole debacle.

"Keep it up Temp. We're almost there", Alec said more urgently.

I felt for him. His sister was missing, and he obviously really cared for her. This was hard for him. Losing people you love must be hard.

We were after a Magnus Bane. A infamous warlock apparently.

Clary wanted to get answers about 'our' mother, and Alec thought he could help with the Isabelle situation.

I hadn't had time to talk about the whole seeing the future thing.

I couldn't be some prophetic oracle or whatever. That shit didn't exist in the shadow world. Or maybe it did?

My knowledge was very limited on that subject.

"We're here", Jace said.

The door flung opened, and we were blessed with the presence of the brilliant Magnus Bane in all his glory.

With shimmering and alluring amber cat like eyes which homed in on the state before him : a trying and troublesome group of young ruffians looking for answers.

"To what do we, downworlders, as lowly scums of the shadow world, owe the pleasure that has been blessed upon us by the angels, to be graced with your presence, shadow hunters?", he mocked.

He was full of himself.

Was there some sort of conflict between downworlders? Why didn't Alec say anything?

"We are looking for some answers", Clary said. She sounded nervous.

Not good. Nerves equated to weakness in this world. It clearly was a dog eat dog world, where you strike back first, no questions asked.

"What she meant to say was, we are here for answers. I don't care who you are. We don't have time to waste", I said.

I know I was supposed to stay quiet and all.... But where was the fun in that...

That's when he looked at me. He looked mildly amused at first. Then shocked. Then mildly concerned.

"What the heck are you doing here?", he asked, worriedly. His tone heavy in concern and panic.

"What do you mean?", I asked.

"You shouldn't be here. There's a reason she hid you, Amber", he said.

"Who the fuck is Amber?", I asked.

"Your birth name", he explained.

"Well, I don't know my birth mother, and I honestly couldn't care less. The name is Temp. T E M P, short for temperature", I joked.

"That joke is getting old. Self-deprecation is just another way of communicating to others, that you hate yourself", Jace said smugly.

"Fuck off Jace", I replied.

"At least I'm not pining after someone that can barely stand the sight of me. Clary talks about how much she hates you on a regular", I lied.

Yeah. When I get backed into a corner, and anxious I tend to say whatever shit that will get people to back the heck off.

Maybe that comment was backhanded, but this whole situation was shitty, and he was not helping at all.

Jace looked slightly taken aback, then any playfulness or smugness that had once been emulated died away.

He returned to the cold, emotionless shell that shadowhunters were forced to conform to.

Because emotions, equate to fragility, and fragility equates to weakness in their perspective.

"Can we come in or not?", I asked.

Magnus just slowly nodded, his eyes trained on Alec, as we all crashed his downworlder party. Searching for answers and meaning.