*edited*
LENAS POV
"Thanks to your thirty-three sacrifices. Jonathan will be able to rise again. My son will be able to return home."
Thirty-three mundanes were standing around. They'd been turned, and converted by Lilith and Jace. He was the owl. In and out of my hallucinations I remember him moving in and moving out as more and more people came.
"Why am I here?" I asked.
Screams came from in my head as I closed my eyes. I wasn't hurt. She didn't hurt me. I couldn't feel any demonic presence in me. I thought maybe I would have ended up like Jace in and out of consciousness like that, but I was fine. I was tied to one of the banners so that I could stay in place. No one spoke to me. No one hurt me.
"Jonathan needs you," Lilith said. She came forward with a smile. "We are a family. You and I. Jonathan is my son. You are my daughter. We are one family."
"This is giving major flashbacks from my flashbacks," I rested my head against the wall. There was another buzz from her pocket as she pulled my phone free.
"Who is Alec? He keeps texting you," She turned the phone around in her hand.
"He's my boss." My eyes moved to Ollie as she stepped through the crowd. "Ollie?"
"Our newest member," Lilith smiled as she ran her hand over Ollie's hairline.
"Lynn! Run!"
I ran as fast as my feet could take me. My breathing was hard, but I was running. Jonny had told me to run. Father wasn't happy after Jonathan murdered that little boy. He was always pushing his limits, but that was too far. I ran through the woods coming to the water's edge. It was time to go home. It was time to go home.
I could hear the yelling in the distance. I stood at the edge of the water looking into my own bruised face looking back. I took a deep breath and jumped from the ledge plummeting into the water. When I resurfaced I was on the beach of New York. The tide pushed me closer and closer to the shore. I crawled onto the sand coughing.
"When Jonathan was first given to me," Lilith stood in front of me. The others behind her looked like her mob. "He spoke of you often. He screamed for you. Screamed for his father too."
"What do you mean?"
"When his father sent him to Edom," Lilith said. "My poor son was tortured and burned until he was nothing. I've always looked after him. Trying to help him in whatever way I could." She pressed a hand to her heart.
"Valentine send him to Edom?"
"Yes," Lilith nodded. "Jonathan is one of the greatest gifts ever shown to me. The reason you are here Lena, is for him. He is fond of you."
"I was only with him for a year or so," I breathed.
"You need some help." A man appeared near the end of the alley. My soaked clothes made me shiver as the breeze went by.
"No," I said.
"I'm here to help you, Lena."
"How do you know my name? Who are you?" I asked. I gripped the shard of glass in my hand. The edges sliced into my hand, but I wouldn't let go. No one was going to take me ever again.
"I'm not going to hurt you." He held up his hands. It was an asian man with a mohawk. He knelt down slowly. "I'm here to help you find your mom."
"My mom," I whispered. My heart was racing. I didn't know where they lived anymore. I had forgotten. "Clary."
"Yes, yes," He said. "I'm a warlock." He waved his hand opening a portal beside him. "I'm here to help you my little bean."
"Bean?" I questioned. "How can I trust you? I won't go back there. I won't."
"I'm not bringing you back to your father. I'm bringing you with me. I'm going to get you help," He reached his hand forward. I kept the glass in my hand as I moved toward him. "Drop the glass, Lilly."
"My name is Ly—Lena." I corrected myself. He gave me a soft smile.
"To me, you're Bean, is it alright if I call you that?" He asked.
"They call me whatever they want. My name is irrelevant," I looked at the blood-covered glass in my small hand.
"I'm sorry little one. My name is Magnus Bane and I promise to take care of you. No one will hurt you ever again," Magnus offered his hand. "You have my word."
I let the glass fall as I reached with my other hand taking his as we walked through the portal. I stepped back cautiously as I looked around.
"This is where you will be staying. It's my apartment. Warlocks go in and out, so don't be afraid of them. No one will hurt you within these walls. You're safe."
"He will find me. He will kill you," I held my bleeding hand.
"Valentine won't get to me," Magnus shook his head. "He won't get to you here."
"Yes, but you're still his family Lena," Lilith nodded. I blinked trying to keep myself from switching back and forth. "You're anew."
"Hmm?"
"You are reborn," She reached forward her hand touching my face as she grimaced slightly. "Your skin burns me. Nothing burns me."
"Lynn?"
Jonny's voice was quiet. Neither of us wanted to wake him up. It was late at night and he was calm today.
"Yeah?"
My back was on the cold floor as we stared at the ceiling. We didn't get pillows tonight. We were supposed to learn adaptability.
"Do you ever think of your future?"
"Sometimes," I said. "What are you thinking about the future for?"
"Do you think we'll have one?" Jonny asked. I looked over and saw him staring at the ceiling.
"I hope so, but I don't want Father in it," I whispered. The words were barely audible. I was afraid he might hear and come down the stairs.
"I hope so too," Jonny breathed. We were silent for a while until my eyes started to get heavy. "Do you think we will still be with each other?"
"I'm not sure."
"Sissy?" Jonny muttered. He made it into a question. "Do you think I'm a good person?"
It was hard to tell if I could be honest with him sometimes. He had anger issues and a tendency to get violent quickly.
"I think you could have been," His head finally turned to me. I tensed ready for him to hit me, but he didn't. "If our father wasn't our father."
"What is mom like?" Jonny asked. "Why would she give me up?" I sat up and pulled my knees to my chest. Mom. Our Mom.
"She's quiet." Jonny sat up too. He moved closer to me so we didn't have to speak loud. "She had a bookstore. Or has." I paused trying to think.
"And Clarissa?" He asked. My eyes meet his. Her name made the ache in my chest worse. Claire.
"She's bubbly," I said. "She likes to draw and I think she has a career in the future. She's sweet and gentle. Sometimes quiet like mom." Jonny smiled with me.
"Can you tell me some more memories about your time with them?" He leaned his head over resting it on my shoulder. The two of us are the only things keeping each other warm.
"I've got a job for you, Lena," Lilith caressed my cheek not minding the pain. "I know you care for Jace and I have to send him on a mission to Alicante. Therefore you will go with him and make sure he gets it done."
"What if I run?" I said. I wouldn't run, but I didn't know why she was trusting me this much with a task like that. What did Jace have to go to Alacante for?
"You won't." She smiled.
***
We were both walking around Imogen's office. We'd been portaled here by a warlock waiting for Imogen to come in. The only good option we had of getting into the cemetery of the disgraced was with her assistance or it would be a lot of bloodshed. The door opened as I turned around.
"Jace?" Imogen smiled. "Lena."
"Sorry to startle you," Jace moved behind her chair. "Probably should have warned you I was coming." I crossed my arms and kept silent. I was here for backup and assurance that Jace, our Jace would be alive.
"It's always wonderful to see you," She smiled. Jace moved closer to her. "You too Lena. What brings you both to Alicante?" She knew. She had to have known she was being hesitant.
"We need you to escort us to the cemetery of the disgraced," Jace explained his hands moving into his pockets.
"That's an odd place to go at this hour. Why?"
"I'd like the opportunity to finally mourn my parents," Jace said. Imogen looked at me. She knew.
"I have some final things that I want to throw on Valentine's grave," I explained as I too moved closer to her.
"Unfortunately bereavement visits must be preapproved," She sighed.
"Can't you make an exception?" Jace moved around her slightly as she watched him. Her eyes moved to the blades near the wall next to her. "Stephen would be so disappointed in you. I was his only son, just like he was your only son."
"Well of course I can make an acception." She moved back a step. "Come, I'll take you to the cemetery now."
She grabbed the blade, but Jace was quicker. He turned the blade on her stabbing it through her side. I moved forward yanking Jace off her.
"No," I pulled out my stele free and tried to activate her healing wound. Jace pulled her back cutting off one of her fingers. "Jace." She groaned and fell to the floor.
"We have a job to do," He said. I looked back down at Imogen as she lay on the ground. Her blood pooled around her. Jace walked out of the room.
"Go." She nodded.
I pushed myself off the floor catching up with him silently. We walked through the building going to the cemetery undetected. Jace handed me a shovel.
"I'm here to protect not help," I said. Jace stared at me but moved forward as he started to dig up my father's grave. "What do you want with him anyway?"
"I need his flesh," Jace muttered.
"His burned flesh?" I asked. Jace ignored me as he kept digging. I looked down at my hands seeing the blood. Imogen's blood.
"How long have you been a warlock?" I asked. Magnus as he put down a plate of pancakes in front of me.
"Centuries bean," He snapped his fingers adding whipped cream to the top. I stared at it thinking of Jonny.
"Can you save him?"
"Save who?" Magnus watched me from across the table.
"Jonathan, can you save him?" I asked. "He's being used just like I was. He doesn't deserve that."
"I'm afraid it was too late for him Lilly," Magnus said. "I don't know how you managed to escape, but if you hadn't. I wouldn't have been able to save you either."
I stared at my plate suddenly not hungry. Jonny had held off Valentine while I ran. So that I could run. He wanted me to be free.
"Jace." Alec. Jace jumped from the grave and started going for Alec.
"If you hurt him, I swear to—." I followed after Jace but at a distance.
"Now!"
Alec thrust his sword into the ground. Isabelle and Clary coming from the sides doing a similar action. Jace let out a painted grunt as he fell to his knees. A light blasted in the air as a square formed around Jace.
"What have you done?" Jace turned to look at me. "Get me out!"
"It worked," Isabelle smiled. She looked over at me. Dogs and lights were coming toward us from the guard.
"Lena," Clary said. She was giving me an odd look. I moved past her around the square as Alec met me halfway.
"Lena! Get me out!" Jace yelled.
"What do we do now?" Isabelle asked.
"Are you okay?" Alec whispered. I nodded as he kissed my temple.
"I'll buy you some time," Clary drew a rune in the air. The guards were getting closer to us.
"Clary—."
"Fix him!" Clary threw her hand forward causing us to be swallowed by her portal. I turned seeing Magnus with a drink in his hand.
"Well this is unexpected," Magnus took a drink. "Lilly Bean."
"Lena, get me out!" Jace yelled. I ignored him and looked at Magnus.
"You lied to me," I said. He stared at me. "She didn't love me, Mag. She let me get taken. She didn't search for me. She grabbed Clary and ran."
My eyes burned. Magnus started to realize what I was talking about. Jocelyn Fairchild abandoned me that day on the playground to save Clary.
"Bean?" He muttered.
"Why didn't you tell her about Jonathan? Why didn't you tell her I knew him?" I shook my head.
"I didn't know if anything you said was the truth," Magnus said.
"Why didn't Lilith hurt you?" Isabelle asked. I turned to look at her.
"She won't," I said.
"Why?" Alec asked.
"Jonathan," I breathed. They all stared at me. "He's protecting me." I looked at Magnus as my tears fell. "No one looked for us. No one tried to save us. You only found me 'cause I'd portaled back into New York. If he hadn't helped me escape that day I would have never found Lake Lynn." I closed my eyes as I turned the room changing.
"Jocelyn, she is your child." I was looking through a crack in the door as Magnus talked on the phone. "Yes she shows signs, but it's only been a few days. She needs to come home. Yes, but-. No, I agree, but she needs to get back to normal. If you—. Jocelyn listen to me—. I can try, but it may not take. It will cost you much." Magnus turned around staring at the door. I didn't hide as I looked at him. "I'll call you another time with more details." I pushed the door open. "Eavesdropping isn't a good thing."
"He taught me to always listen," I said. "She doesn't want me back does she?" Magnus shook his head. "I'm damaged."
"You aren't damaged, my little bean." Magnus knelt in front of me.
"She doesn't want me."
"Why didn't you raise me?" I asked. The tears rolled over my face. "She didn't want me back. She didn't want me. Why would you let me go back with her? Do you know what it's like to be raised by someone who doesn't want you?" I laughed as I wiped my cheeks. "It sucks."
"Lilly," Magnus muttered. I ran my hands through my hair turning around to look at the others.
"Fix Jace. I can't—." I went for the door.
"Wait, Lena, where are you going?" Alec asked. "You can't go out like this."
"I'm going back to where Lilith kept me," I explained.
"Lena, you shouldn't go," Isabelle reasoned. Another tear fell down my cheek. "Not like this." I looked over at Magnus.
"Just relax for a while Bean," Magnus muttered. "Let it all come back."
"Lena, you love your brother. Go back. Save him!" Jace yelled from inside his box. I stared at him.
I loved Jonathan when we were kids. I owe him my life, but what he's done. It's best if he stays dead. Our father was dead. Our mother was dead. This family was already gone. I grabbed a bottle off the side table chugging it.
"Lena!" Jace screamed. I moved into the other room. I could hear someone come with me as I looked at the bottle grimacing slightly.
"Linny," Alec whispered.
"I want them all to just come back. The one-by-one thing is fucking with me," I set the bottle down. Alec just stared at me. "What have I missed?" I crossed my arms over my chest.
"I've missed you."
"I know Lilith was on my phone asking me about you," I let out a long breath as another tear slipped out, but I wiped it away. Jace was the issue right now, not me. "I'm sorry."
"You can talk with me," He said. I chewed the inside of my lip.
"You don't need this right now. We have to save Jace and deal with Lilith. She can't bring him back," I grabbed the bottle finishing it off.
"We can't deal with anything else until we deal with this. I want to help, just tell me what—."
"You can't do anything, Alec," I snapped. My eyes slowly moved to his. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, but you can't help me. No one can help me. This is just something I have to deal with on my own. It's my past. I have to accept it and move on. I have to endure it until the pain passes." My shoulders shook. "You'll just end up pushing me away."
"I would never do that," Alec moved closer to me. His lips were in a slight frown as he watched me struggle. "I would never leave you, Lena. Even if you asked me to, even if you begged me to because I can't leave the people I love. I will stay with you. I will sit with you. You are everything to me. I want to cry with you, to fight with you, to heal with you. I want to have everything with you, but only if you will let me." His fingers grazed my arm. I looked down at his hand.
"My mother gave me to him so she could take Clary," I breathed. "She let him take me to Idris. She didn't come for me. She didn't send anyone after me. If Jonathan hadn't helped me escape, I would be just like him. You all would be trying to stop me from setting the world on fire." Alec took my hand in his as he moved closer to me.
"I'm thankful that he helped you back then, but you aren't Jonathan, Lena. You were raised together, he is your brother, but you aren't him. You aren't the same and you never would have been the same you know that." Alec tilted my head up to look at him.
"I know," His eyes moved to my lips as he nodded. "I love you." He leaned forward softly pressing his lips to mine.
"I love you more." I kissed him again.
"If kissing him is the way to fix you, I might just have you kiss him all the time," Magnus chuckled. There was laughing from the other room. I moved first seeing Jace smiling at Isabelle.
"You really think this thing can hold me?" He smirked at me. "Lena, the first thing I'm doing when I get out is killing them, you know that right?"
"We're gonna save you, Jace," Alec stepped closer to the barrier. His body was between Jace and me.
"Good luck," He scoffed. "It's only a matter of time before Lilith finds me. Finds you." He looked at me. "They'll all be dead by sunrise."
"I don't think so," Isabelle crossed her arms. "We will battle her with everything we've got. We won't let her take you again." Jace moved around the square stepping closer to her side.
"When your delusional confidence gets you killed, I'll be sure to tell your mundane boyfriend." He snapped. I looked at Iz. Mundane boyfriend? That's new. "That you died in a tragic jewelry making accident."
"At least he's safe from the Clave," Alec sighed. His jaw clenched as Jace turned to him.
"For the time being," Magnus said.
"Imogen is dead," I blurted. Her blood was still on my hands. They all looked at me. My eyes moved to Jace. "When they find out they will come for him. Come for us."
We moved into the other room so that I could debrief on what I knew. Isabelle walked back to the main room when she heard Jace groan.
"It's not use trying to escape. The trap you're in was designed to hold a greater demon," Isabelle said. Magnus followed after her as I opened my arms slightly. Alec pulled me to him kissing the top of my head.
"That's not very nice, trapping your brother in a box." Alec and I separated as he moved into the room his fingers leading mine.
"You're not our brother. Don't get too comfortable 'cause we'll bring him back." Alec said.
Isabelle came to my side our shoulders brushing as I gave her a tight smile. My people. These were my people.
"You and your undying love for your parabatai?" Jace smiled. He got closer to the shield. "I hate to burst your bubble, but when I was sent to your family in Idris, I was a desperate kid."
"That was a weak comment," I laughed a little.
"The only reason I became your parabatai was to make sure there was a roof over my head," Jace smirked.
"He's just trying to get under your skin," I glanced at Alec. His eyes glued on Jace inside the box. My fingers grazed his as he held onto mine tightly.
"Or maybe I just prefer not to coddle your little boyfriend," Jace stared at me. "He doesn't know what you're really like. You've just been pretending this whole time. Like me." I moved closer as he stared at me.
"If we are the same then you know what I can do to you," I whispered as his eyes met mine. "You can't touch me, orders from your Queen." The doors behind us opened.
"We got your message. Any word on Clary?" Luke said. I looked back seeing Simon behind him. Clary was arrested by the soldiers near the disgraced cemetery. She was in Alicante, facing their mercy.
"You almost killed her," Simon came right up to the line." She gave herself up to the Clave trying to protect you."
"Still jealous she chose me?" Jace gave him a tight smile. "By the way, that kiss at the Seelie court. We never got to compare notes."
"Let me in there. I'll throw you off a building!" Simon slammed his hands into the shield.
Luke came forward pulling him back as Jace smiled. I stayed with him while the others moved into the other room.
"Being excluded once again aren't you?" He smiled.
"You can't get to me that easy," I tilted my head to the side.
"Weren't you the one just sobbing about how sad your childhood was," He paced back and forth. "How pathetic."
"Mmm yes, I am very pathetic," I nodded. "You threw my sister off a building?"
"Yeah, after she told me I wouldn't hurt her. That she loved me. I don't love her. I guess pathetic just runs in your genes," He laughed. I crossed my arms and nodded. Isabelle came to join me as we watched him.
"This feels like a zoo," I muttered.
Alec and Magnus moved out onto the balcony the two of them talking. Alec looked back a few times. I wondered what they were talking about cause he stared at me like it was a decision.
"Lena, Iz," Alec waved us to the side room again. Magnus followed behind us.
"What was that?" I whispered.
"Just come in, I will explain," Magnus said. I walked in and stood on the opposite side. "Okay, well to get this out in the air to start with. The way to reach Jace is through the parabatai bond." I looked at Alec already shaking my head.
"There is no other way," Alec said. Magnus shook his head.
"I'm sorry Bean, I wish there were," He added. "The other thing is that going through Alec's bond leaves him vulnerable to Lilith's influence as well." I rubbed my forehead.
"He's my parabatai," Alec muttered. I clenched my jaw.
"There is also a way for you to go in to Isabelle. He'll need all the help he can get," Magnus turned to her.
"Even though I'm not either of their parabatai?" She asked.
"It is possible," Magnus nodded. "But it would require more magic and less time inside."
"I'll take that chance but I'm not putting Izzy in danger," Alec shook his head.
"Last time you tried to use your parabatai connection, you were in a coma and almost died," Isabelle shot back.
I stared at the floor keeping myself silent. This was a horrible plan. If I lost either of them I wouldn't be able to center myself again. I would go off the rails. I would have nothing.
"Jace was the only person who could save you. This time we won't have him to bring you back." Alec nodded. "What exactly do we have to do?"
"You have to find Jace and bring him out with you," Magnus explained.
"How?" I asked.
"When you find him you all have to be linked. Now, I'll have one shot to pull you all out together." Magnus looked over at me.
This wasn't my decision. I didn't want either of them to do this, but they were going to save Jace.
"So it's settled. Let's go bring our brother back," Isabelle smiled. "We will be fine Lena." I gave them a tight smile. We walked back into the main room seeing Jace pacing like a lion.
"What are the chances, I could get a beer in here?"
"Zero," I smiled.
"Let's go," Alec rolled up his sleeves. I stood near the corner staying away from the four so they could work.
"You guys were always the smart ones in the family. You really think you can save Jace from Lilith?" Magnus rolled his eyes and turned back to the siblings.
"I don't know how long I can maintain the connection. So find Jace as soon as possible," Magnus instructed. They both nodded.
"Why do you want to save Jace?" Jace asked as he stood in front of Magnus. "Lena uses you like a toy and you let her. You do whatever she asks for her friends."
"He's trying to distract us," Magnus looked at the other two. His eyes flickered to me for a moment. "Focus." Isabelle and Alec took each other's hands.
"I love you both," I said. If this was the last time I was going to see them I had to say it. They were coming back, but I had to say it again. They had to know.
"Oh yeah we don't want you to lo—."
Magnus moved his hand in front of Jace's chest making him stop talking. He groaned as a yellow stream of light pulsed between him and Magnus's hand. He moved to the siblings their bodies emitting a similar light.
His eyes had turned to their cat-like appearance as he focused. They all looked in pain as I paced back and forth.
"You know Magnus is right. Focus is key," Jace groaned as he threw his hands into the barrier. His body fell as he passed out.
"Jace?" Isabelle stared at him.
"He did it on purpose," I stared at his body. "To prevent you from entering his mind."
"We have to find another way," Magnus breathed as he held his palm.
"I have an idea. Portal me to the institute," Isabelle asked. Magnus hesitated looking at each of us. He created a portal for her going with her as Alec and I stared at Jace.
"We will be fine," Alec added. I didn't look up from Jace's body.
"You better be okay. Both of you," I said.
Isabelle and Magnus came back quickly as we removed the Malachi trap putting Jace in shackles that connected to the floor.
"Lovely," I breathed. Jace slowly woke up as he looked at the chains.
"Oh brave," He smiled. "No more box."
"We needed the Malachi configuration to trap you. I won't let you use it to hurt our brother." Alec crossed his arms. His head tilted to the side. It was attractive, but he always was.
"What makes you think this will hold me," He leaned forward the chains tightening, but they held.
"Valentine used those chains to hold an angel for over twenty years," Isabelle said.
"I'm no angel," Jace smirked. Her smile faded away. Magnus came walking back in with his sleeves rolled up.
"Let's do this," Alec grabbed Izzy's hand once again.
"You don't wanna do this—."
He was cut off by Magnus starting his magic up once more. The yellow light moving between the three. I watched as Izzy and Alec's eyes rolled back going white. I paced back and forth watching Magnus struggle.
"Alec if you can hear me, hurry up," Magnus muttered.