*edited*
It felt like I was going on milk errands. From one place to the next asking to see if people would be willing to give their DNA over to the Clave to clear their names.
It was dark after I'd talked to the wolves at the Jaded Wolf. It was time to go to Magnus's. I was surprised to hear music when I got there. I opened the door seeing Magnus and Dot dancing with one another.
"Well this is pleasant," I smirked. Magnus turned smiling at me.
"Bean!" He came forward taking my hands and dancing with me around the room.
"Magnus," I pulled him to a stop. "You know I never judge you." He pouted and looked over at Dot.
"There is judgment in those words," Magnus sighed. I gripped his hands tightly.
"Why are you drinking so much? Is it from what happened with Valentine?" I asked him as Dot came into the room with another drink.
"Just let loose," She passed it to me. I shook my head.
"I'm okay, but are you?" I asked the two of them.
"What do you need bean?" Magnus sighed taking the drink from Dot.
"The clave wants downworlders to give samples of their DNA to clear their names. Shadow hunters are being murdered by different downworlds, their runes carved out." I explained.
"That sounds horrible, but we've been here," Dot leaned against Magnus's shoulder. "So we are free." I gave them a tight smile.
"We aren't giving you our DNA. This isn't a witch hunt," Magnus shook his head.
"I wasn't going to make you Mag," I said. "Take care of one another alright."
They nodded but continued dancing. I let out a long breath as I left the apartment. I hated that I couldn't help him. Magnus had helped me so much over the year, I just wanted to be there for him. My phone started buzzing.
"Hey," I answered.
"Hey, are you on your way back yet?" Alec asked. "The Herondale crusade is pissing me off."
"Yeah, that's precisely why I'm trying to avoid them as long as possible," I admitted.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm just—I'm fine. I will be there soon," I took a deep breath. The streets were surprisingly empty at this time of night.
"Be safe, they've found two more bodies," Alec said.
"Shit, Alec, that's too many," I breathed.
There was a sound behind me so I turned seeing nothing. I was just jumpy. The idea that someone would carve the runes out of my skin made me shiver.
"I know. I think that's what's getting to their heads," Alec sighed. I could hear the noise in the background from people moving around.
"Alec—."
My body was thrown into the wall. My hand lost its grip on the phone. I rolled to the side seeing a cloaked figure. He stepped forward again as I threw my arm forward trying to fight.
I got two hits in and a hard kick sending him flying back. Before I could get closer again he ran away. I looked around seeing my phone on the ground. Alec's contact is still there.
"Lena!" I pulled the phone away from my face. His yell made my ears ring.
"I'm good." I breathed. "I'm good."
"What was that?" He asked.
"Well, I'm assuming it wanted me to be the next victim," I grimaced. My opposite hand went to he back of my head. "That fucking hurt."
"Stay on the phone with me until you're back at the institution," Alec demanded.
"I will. It was too fast for me to determine what kind of downworlder it is," I reasoned. "But isn't wasn't super strong. So I think it's not a Vampire or Werewolf."
"Oh shit," Alec muttered.
"What?"
"Where are you?" He asked.
"I'm near the river I guess," I looked around. I wasn't close enough like the Jade Wolf, but a few blocks off. "Why?"
"Clary was attacked as well," Alec muttered.
"Is she okay?"
"She's fine, Simon has her, but he couldn't catch the person," Alec repeated.
"Fucking hell."
"She's been drugged. The doctors are looking her over now. How close are you to the institute?" He asked.
"Three blocks," I told him as I started picking up my pace.
"Lena."
"Yeah."
"I love you," Alec breathed. I smiled and looked around the corner as I ran across the street. I could see him just outside the institute. I hung up the phone as he came down the stairs walking toward me.
"You didn't have to come out of the institution," I laughed as he pulled me into a hug.
"I was worried," He said.
"I love you so much," I smiled and kissed him. "Now, Clary."
I grabbed his hand as we walked through the doors. I watched as they forced Simon down to the cells.
"What is happening?" I asked Jace.
"He refused to leave," Jace added.
"So you lock him up?" I snapped. "We know Simon, Jace."
"Yes, but even in times like these the law must be harsh. We can not have people testing our leadership," Herondale added as she appeared behind us.
"Your leadership is what's going to start an uprising with the downworlders." I snapped.
"You were attacked tonight, weren't you? Along with your sister? Would you have liked to see her slashed-up body be wheeled in here," Herondale added. "You are lucky I don't lock you up, Lena. You still have the demon essence in you."
"So, what, I would aid everyone in attacking my family. The people I care for," I argued. "You're insane." I laughed in her face as I pushed past her.
"Watch yourself Morgenstern!" She warned me.
I walked through the halls going to the room Clary was being rested in. Alec was behind me as we entered.
"I could murder her," I seethed. Alec shut the door as I paced back and forth.
"You're bleeding," he touched the back of my head. I let out a long breath.
"I get that we need to find out who's doing this, but the way she is going about it isn't right," I argued. Alec nodded softly as he watched me. "And Jace being a Herondale now is just a fucking lap dog! Alec, I can't," I shook my head. He reached for me pulling me toward him as I stared at Clary.
"I know," He breathed.
***
"Um, what are you doing?" I asked as they dragged Maia toward the elevator. They were taking her down to the cells too. This was going too far.
"They think I murdered one of you," she snapped.
"No," I shook my head.
"She was a block away from the newest body," Herondale added. I glared at her.
"It's fucking New York. Do you know how many people are around here? Also, what do you mean tracked?" I asked looking over at Jace.
"Oh, they didn't tell you did they, they fucking put a tracker in me. They want to do it to all the downworlders," Maia argued. The guards shoved her into the elevator taking her to detainment.
"Put her with the vampire," Herondale added.
"This is going far," I said.
"Jace, I am being called back to Idris. I leave this matter to your hands," She muttered and walked away like I didn't matter.
"Jace, why are you keeping Simon locked up?" Clary asked.
"He wouldn't leave," Jace added. I crossed my arms waiting for him to explain this to Clary.
"The Jace I knew wouldn't let his friends be treated like this just for rules, but that was Jace Wayland." Clary snapped. "I don't even know who Jace Herondale is."
"I would like to point out once more that if she didn't know you were a Herondale, she would put you down there as well for having demon blood. You know the time when everyone hated us. Yeah," I hit his shoulder as I walked past him.
This was pissing me off. He was letting everything get to his head. his new blood status to a high-ranking member of the Clave. I could see him and his grandmother.
***
"Lena?" There was a light knock on the door. Alec walked in as I sat on the edge of my bed. A small bottle in my hands. "Is that?"
"I haven't opened it," I assured him. "I'm just thinking."
"When I was growing up every time that people looked at me they would see this broken child. An addict. A party girl. Someone irresponsible. Then I finally realized where I was meant to be, but even the shadow hunters wouldn't accept me. I was a demon. A downworlder. A vile creature since I was a Morgenstern. I thought that if I sacrificed myself maybe all of that would have been worth it. Maybe my name would mean something other than a monster."
"I don't feel it anymore. I don't feel the urges or the weight. Yet I still get drawn back to square one. No one will ever see me as anything other than a tool. Something to be used and discarded. Someone to be talked down to. I will always be the monster." I turned the small bottle in my hands staring down at the familiar label. It was just a bottle of Smirnoff vodka. A small bottle.
"No one that matters sees you as a monster. All of us have seen everything you've gone through. We've watched you fight for your life. Fight to change your life to make a difference. The one thing I've seen through it all is how willing you are to sacrifice yourself for your friends, family, anyone that you care for Linny." Alec muttered. I didn't take my eyes off the bottle.
"If anyone has seen me at my lowest it would be you," I smiled setting the bottle between us.
"And do you want to know something," He took my hand in his. "Those moments that I've seen you at your lowest. I've also seen you work your way up. I've watched you bring yourself back. It was those small things that made me fall for you, Lena." He admitted. I smiled at him. "I've loved you a lot longer than I've realized."
"I think we both have," I breathed. "I thought about you." I leaned my head on his shoulder. "When I would see things or debate on how I was still living. I would think about meeting you. About how sassy you were, but you still saved my life. Again after that as well. I imagined you to be my guardian angel with an attitude." Alec laughed. "You were always there."
"I will always be there. You are the most important thing to me, Lena. You aren't a monster. You aren't broken. You aren't a tool to be used. You are a warrior. A survivor. You're strong. You're Lena Fray. You are the love of my life and one hell of a shadow hunter." He kissed the top of my head. I smiled and looked up allowing him to kiss me some more.
"I love you Alec Lightwood."