Summary: The Mortal Instruments/Criminal Minds
On a trip to the Mundane World, Alec is mistaken for the unsub the BAU has been looking for. He's apprehended and taken in for questioning. He has to rely on Magnus to get him out of the situation.
Ships:
Malec
Clace
_____
Reid kept a close eye on the suspicious man in the club. He was tall with dark hair with tattoos marking his tan skin. He looked up from his place at the bar and almost made eye contact with Reid. Instead, his eyes locked onto someone behind Reid.
Reid subtly turned and saw a beautiful red-headed girl walk through the crowd. "Guys, I think I found our unsub," he murmured, blocking the movement of his mouth with his hand.
"Who is it?" Morgan asked.
"Tall, black hair, tattoos, and sitting at the bar."
"I see him," JJ said.
"He fits the profile. The victim said a tall black-haired man with tattoos," Prentiss added.
"Did she specify what kind of tattoos?" Hotch asked. "A lot of men have tattoos."
"Those tattoos don't look common," Prentiss pointed out.
"A young girl is talking to him right now," Reid said.
"Don't engage yet. Keep watching," Hotch ordered.
The guy smiled at the redhead when she approached. "Hello, Clary."
Reid sat at the bar, a few down from the suspected unsub, to hear better. "The girl has similar tattoos. Can that mean anything?"
"Hey, Alec. I haven't seen you for a while. How have you been?"
"Not bad. I've been busy helping Magnus plan all of his parties. Too many people have hit on me in the last two weeks. Although, it is entertaining seeing Magnus almost kill a Downworlder for touching me. Even though I am perfectly capable of defending my honor."
"I wish I could see that," Clary laughed.
"Come to Magnus' next party. I'm sure there will be another one soon."
"He's inviting her to a party. Could that be how he kidnaps them?" Reid whispered.
"It's likely. What else are they saying?" Morgan asked.
"They keep mentioning this guy Magnus. He's the one throwing the party."
"Maybe a partner?" JJ questioned.
"Keep listening," Hotch ordered. "We don't know anything for sure yet."
"Jace would enjoy that, I'm sure. He's been bored since we haven't had a good hunt lately."
"How is Jace?"
"He's fine. He's why I'm here."
"You interrupted my date with Magnus to talk about my brother?"
Clary blushed. "When you say it like that, it sounds bad."
"Our possible unsub's name is Alec. The girl is Clary. Alec has a brother named Jace." Reid related to his team.
"Any last names?"
"Not yet."
"Alexander Lightwood, you had better not be flirting with your brother's girlfriend," a voice drawls.
"Never mind," Reid said. "Alexander Lightwood is our guy's name."
Alec smiled widely. "Magnus, what took so long?"
Magnus rested his arm on the back of Alec's chair. "There was a long line at the women's restroom, so I allowed most of the ladies to use the men's restroom while I guarded the door."
"Such a gentleman," Clary said. "Magnus, I could use your help."
"What is it you need, Clarissa?"
"Jace's birthday is soon, and I need help figuring out what to get him."
"I'm flattered you thought of me, but why not Izzy?"
"You two are guys. I thought it would be easier to find a birthday gift for a guy with the help of a guy."
"Of course, we will help," Magnus agreed for the both of them.
"I didn't agree to this," Alec protested.
Magnus placed a manicured hand over Alec's mouth. "Shh, Darling, yes, you did."
"Great, let's go!"
"Wait, you want to go now?" Alec asked.
"Yes. Izzy and Simon are on a date, and Jace is following them to make sure, and I quote, "The filthy Downworled keeps his hands to himself." We have time to go now."
"It is late," objected.
"Since when do you care about how late it is?" Magnus nuzzled his face into Alec's neck. "Come on, love. It is for your brother."
Alec sighed. "Fine."
"Thank you, Alec," Clary smiled.
"I'll go get a portal ready," Magnus squeezed Clary's shoulder as he passed.
"Clary and I will meet you there in a moment."
"We're going to have such fun, Darling. It's shopping." Magnus spun on his heel and disappeared through the crowd.
Alec gave Clary a vexed look. "You ruined a date night. You owe me."
"You're still spending time with your boyfriend," Clary pointed out.
"Shopping! With you!"
"They're leaving, Hotch. JJ and I will tail them." Reid nodded his head in the direction Alec and Clary went.
"Where are they?" JJ asked when she made her way to Reid's side.
Alec reached into his pocket and pulled out a small shiny object.
"Is that a knife?"
"Let's go!"
The mob of people hindered their progress as they ran for the door. It took them minutes to make it outside. By the time they got out, Clary was on the ground clutching her bleeding stomach with Alec crouching over her, a silver object in hand.
"Move away from the girl!" Reid ordered. He pointed his gun at Alec.
JJ dropped to her knees beside Clary and cradled her head. "It's going to be okay. We'll get you to a hospital and arrest him."
Alec glanced between the two agents in confusion. "You think I did this to her?"
Clary speaks through the pain coursing through her. "He didn't hurt me. He's my boyfriend's brother. Someone jumped us. Alec fought them off. They ran off that way." Clary waved a bloody hand to the opposite street.
"She must be in shock," JJ said.
"I didn't hurt her! I would never!" Alec shouted.
Hotch exited the building with the rest of the team in tow. "We've been searching for a man who's been abducting teenage girls from this club, and you fit the profile. We need to take you in for questioning."
"You mean an interrogation?" Alec snarked.
"Call it what you will," Hotch shrugged.
Morgan ignores Alec's irritated yells as he cuffs him. "Stop it! He didn't do anything!" Clary yelled and struggled to get out of JJ's grip.
Alec looked at Clary with fear-filled eyes. He had fought beings far more dangerous than simple Mundanes, but he was clueless about the workings of Mundane law. He had no idea what was happening or how to react.
Magnus, she mouthed to him.
Alec took the hint. "Magnus, help!" Magnus should know how Mundane police work after living for so many centuries.
"Shut up," Morgan shakes Alec roughly.
Alec wished he could fight the agents off, grab Clary, and escape, but he couldn't hurt Mundanes. The Mundanes would always look for him as well if he ran. He could never leave the Institute without worry of being apprehended. Magnus could alter their memories, and they could pretend this never happened.
Magnus sprinted out of an alley to their right, where he was preparing a portal. His eyes locked onto the hand Morgan had wrapped around Alec's bicep. He narrowed his eyes. "Unhand my boyfriend this instant."
"Sir, I need you to leave. This is a BAU investigation." Hotch said.
Magnus looked at him, affronted by the impudence of this Mundane. "Excuse me? I will not leave. I demand you release Alec right now."
Clary whimpered from pain. She curled in on herself as best she could and clutched her stomach. Alec paled. "Magnus, she will die if you don't do something quick. Poison."
Morgan shook Alec roughly. "Stop speaking."
The mistreatment of Alec was the last straw for Magnus. He charged at Morgan, prepared to rip his head off his shoulders with his bare hands. He could have used his magic, but then he would have to use more magic to erase their memories. Morgan was unable to defend himself due to restraining Alec. Prentiss shot Magnus in the leg.
Magnus fell with a cry of indignation. He scowled at Prentiss while he inspected the hole in his pants. "What is wrong with you? This material is designer."
"You attacked a federal agent," Prentiss explained.
With no other options, Magnus, Alec, and Clary waited obediently until an ambulance arrived. Clary accompanies Magnus to the hospital to keep the Mundanes from becoming suspicious. The BAU forcefully threw Alec into an interrogation room.
Alec smacked the table when the door opened. "Magnus had better be okay! If he isn't, I'll kill you," he snarled.
Morgan ignored the threat. He took the seat on the other side of the table Alec was cuffed to. "Want to tell me why you've been abducting and killing teenage girls?"
"I haven't been! You've got the wrong guy!"
Morgan sighed. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. It's your choice."
"I want a phone call," Alec crossed his arms. He wasn't sure what that meant, but he had heard it from multiple silly Mundane shows Clary and Simon liked to watch. Most of the time, when the police arrested someone, they refused to speak without a lawyer or a phone call. Alec didn't have the option of a lawyer, so he went with the alternative. Alec stayed quiet and unresponsive no matter how much Morgan goaded him.
Morgan gave up after thirty minutes. He handed Alec his phone. "You can have a phone, but I'm staying here."
Alec took the phone with a glare. He dialed Jace's number, hoping he would answer.
"Hello?"
No such luck. "Max, where is Jace?"
"Alec?"
"Yes, it's me. Where is Jace?"
"Where are you? Jace has been looking for Clary. Have you seen her?"
"Max, I need to talk to Jace," Alec says, annoyed.
"Izzy is mad at him because he spied on her and Simon."
"Max!" Alec finally yelled. He could almost see his youngest brother's hurt look. "I'm sorry, but I need to talk to Jace. It's important. Take his phone to him."
"Should I get Mom?"
"No. Whatever you do, don't tell Mom. Swear you won't."
"I swear."
"Now, get Jace."
"He's right behind me. He's been waiting to talk to you."
Alec pinched the bridge of his nose. "Give. The. Phone. To. Jace."
"What's up?" Jace asked after Max relinquished his phone.
"I'm in a bit of a predicament."
"What sort of predicament?"
"I've been arrested," Alec blurted. He wanted to phrase it more delicately, but too late.
"Mundane?"
"Yes, Mundane," Alec gritted out.
"You're in a Mundane jail," Jace guffawed.
Alec should have been happy that Jace found the situation funny instead of freaking out as Maryse would have. "It isn't funny, seeing as they think I attempted to kill your girlfriend. Magnus and Clary are in a Mundane hospital. Mom and Dad can't find out. Jace, if they find out, they'll blame Magnus."
"Shut up, and calm down. Do you have your stele?"
"No, they took it."
"For the moment, I'm pretending I didn't hear you say Clary is in the hospital, but we will revisit that later. For now, I'm on my way. I'll bring Luke and Jocelyn since they have partial guardianship over us."
"Thank the angel. Please, hurry." Alec handed the phone back. "My brother is on the way with our guardians."
"How old are you?" Morgan asked.
"Seventeen," Alec lied.
Morgan squinted. "You look older."
"I get that a lot."
"How old is your friend? The male one."
"I don't see how that is any of your business."
"Answer the question."
"Eighteen. Happy now? I won't answer any more questions until my guardians arrive." Alec says firmly.
Morgan left Alec alone. He made his way to Garcia's office. "Baby Girl, have you found any information on Alexander Lightwood?"
"No, My Chocolate Thunder, I have not. It's like he doesn't exist. No school transcripts, hospital records, not even a library card. No social media either."
"Anything on the other two?"
"JJ went to the hospital to speak with them. The girl is Clarissa Fray, sixteen. The male refuses to give his full name or age. All we know is his first name is Magnus."
"Our unsub said Magnus is eighteen. I don't believe him. I don't believe Alexander is seventeen either like he says. He called his brother, and his guardians are supposedly coming here."
"If no records exist, how are we supposed to know if they are his real guardians?"
"They'll have to bring proof."
Reid knocked on the door. "Garcia?"
Garcia spun in her chair to face Reid. She spread her arms. "Boy Genius, what can I do for you?"
"Prentiss sent me to tell you Alec's family has arrived."
"That was fast." Morgan helped Garcia to her feet. He reached out to poke Reid's stomach, causing Reid to back against the wall and hold his hands protectively in front of his body.
"Do not smack me," he warned.
Morgan pulled one of Reid's curls. "Wouldn't dream of it. I don't feel like getting grounded by Hotch."
The group walked back to the bullpen. A group of people was waiting. "I thought you said only his brother and guardians were coming?"
Reid shrugged. Prentiss didn't say how many people were there when she sent him on the errand.
A tall, black-haired woman stood up when Hotch opened the door. "Where is my brother?" Her hand drifted to her wrist.
A nerdy boy with glasses grabbed the girl's hand and, removed it from the bracelet, twined up her wrist. "Izzy, sit down, please."
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am SSA Derek Hotchner. This is my team: SSA Emily Prentiss, SSA Derek Morgan. Dr. Spencer Reid and our tech analyst Penelope Garcia."
"My name is Jocelyn Fray. This is my fiance Luke Garroway. As well as Izzy Lightwood, Simon Lewis, and Jace Lightwood."
"Is Alexander Lightwood your son?" Hotch questioned.
"No. However, we have partial guardianship over Alec and his siblings because their parents travel frequently."
"We suspect Alexander-"
"Stop calling him that! His name is Alec. nobody but Magnus calls Alec that." Izzy interrupts.
Jace held her hand. "Izzy, calm down. We'll get this sorted."
Hotch ignored the disturbance. "We suspect Alexander Lightwood of the abduction and murder of several teenage girls. He was in a club meeting with a teenage girl named Clarissa Fray."
"That's my daughter," Jocelyn said.
Morgan nodded in acknowledgment. "Alec invited Clarissa to a party hosted by someone named Magnus. Our profile says the unsub becomes close to his victims and lures them in with the pretense of a party."
"Magnus is his friend! You know, the guy you shot," Jace said hotly.
"All of you calm down. Shouting won't help anything," Luke demanded. "The sooner we finish here, the sooner we can get to Clary and Magnus."
"We followed Alexander and Clarissa when they left the club. When we got outside, Clarissa was injured on the ground, with Alexander kneeling over her. All evidence points to Alexander Lightwood being our unsub."
"This is ridiculous. Let our brother go!"
A portal opened in the middle of the room. Magnus stepped out with an exhausted Clary leaning against him.
"Clary!" Jace took her in his arms. He sat down and cradled her on his lap. She groaned and rested her head on his shoulder. Jace looked at Magnus fearfully. "Will she be okay?"
"She will be fine. She's only tired after I healed her."
"How- wha- who- how?" Reid stuttered.
"I'm a warlock, darling. I'm here to break Alec out and alter your memories so you forget me and everyone else. Okay?" Magnus snapped his fingers, and the BAU agents collapsed to the ground before they could react.
"Are they okay?" Simon tapped Reid's head with the toe of his sneaker.
"They'll be fine. They won't remember anything from the last twelve hours of waking up. They'll have a killer headache as well."
"What about the other people in the building who have seen us or Alec?"
Magnus motioned for them to look around the bullpen. Not a single person was still conscious. "Alexander?" Magnus called loudly.
"Magnus?" Alec's voice faintly from a hallway on their left.
"Yes, where are you?"
"Over here!"
Magnus ran, following the sound of his shadow hunter's voice. He stopped in front of an interrogation room. Alec stood, his wrists still shackled to the table.
"Thank the angel you are here. Can you get me out?"
"Can I?" Magnus scoffed.
The handcuffs around Alec's wrists fell open. Alec ran for the door and pounced on Magnus.
Simon stifled a snicker. "Huh."
"What?"
"I always thought Jace would be the one to get arrested by Mundanes. Not Alec."
"Shut up, vamp," Jace snapped.
"Nobody tells my parents about this," Alec said.
"You think I wanna be the one to tell Mom the head of the Institute got arrested by Mundanes?"
"We won't tell. This wasn't your fault," Jocelyn said.
Alec looked at his siblings, Simon and Clary. "We take this to our graves.
...
Alex sighed and relaxed against Magnus' chest. "Last night was crazy."
Magnus nodded and started chuckling, remembering the terrified look on Alec's face. "A mighty shadow hunter scared of Mundanes."
"It isn't funny. I was scared Clary would die, not of the Mundanes."
The Institute door opened, and Robert and Maryse entered. "Mr. Bane," Maryse said tightly.
"Maryse," Magnus said just as curtly.
"Why are you here?"
"I spent the night with Alexander. Is that a problem?"
"Of course not," Robert answered. He guided Maryse to a seat.
Max ran in and climbed into Jace's lap. "Alec got arrested by Mundanes last night, and Jace had to go get him out!"
"Max!" Alec yelled
"ALEXANDER GIDEON LIGHTWOOD!"
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Words: 2,904
Published: 9/6/23
Also posted on AO3 (Jasper_Raid)