"I hope Madzie's ok." Max sighed sadly.
"She's the strongest out of all of us. She'll be just fine." Rafael muttered as he and his brother hung nearby as Alec ordered a few of his fellow Shadowhunters about. He had called a meeting about Jonathan - they needed a way to track him and Valentine. The mortal instruments were being picked off and the situation was dire.
"I know but ..." Max sighed and stared off into the distance. Rafael rolled his eyes at the obvious dreamy expression in his brother's eyes.
"You know she's ten years older than you." Rafael smirked. Max scowled.
"Nine actually." Max huffed and crossed his arms sulkily.
"Still a pretty big gap." Rafael shrugged.
Max rolled his eyes. "We've had this conversation." Max sighed in exasperation. "Nine years is nothing in the long term, especially for warlocks." He reiterated his previous point in frustration. Rafael chuckled, he loved teasing his brother about his major crush on the warlock girl. Madzie was a force to be reckoned with and they had all grown up together. If anything she was almost Alec and Magnus' first child as they helped Catarina look after her. Rafael was born when Madzie was 6 and Max joined their family three years later at one years old. Even as a toddler, he'd been enraptured by the talented ten-year old witch. Rafael had nothing against the relationship. He was good friends with Madzie. In fact, if Rafael had wanted one and she was a Shadowhunter, he wouldn't have minded becoming her parabatai. He was happy being a solo warrior however and was happy his little brother could find his match in Alexandra Fairchild Lightwood Herondale. Rafael always thought it was ridiculous how many titles she had. She always insisted on being called Alex - it was easier for everyone.
The brothers' attention was divided when their family re-grouped, Isabelle excluded. Just as they were about to start, her heels could be heard in the distance. She sighed as she joined everyone. "Sorry I'm late. I've been looking everywhere for Max, has anyone seen him?" She asked with slight desperation, hands on her hips. Max tensed beside Rafael, he felt sad when he remembered why he'd been named after his uncle. He only hoped he didn't have to witness his family's pain first-hand as even years later he can still see their heart-ache.
"Have you tried the armoury? He's probably sharpening his blades for his first assignment." Jace suggested. Isabelle sighed in annoyance.
"I've checked."
"We have more pressing matters." Alec intervened. Max winced a little, knowing his father must have regretted saying that for a long time. Rafael bumped his hip against Max's in acknowledgement of his thoughts. They both just had to stay level-headed. "Thanks to Dot's help, we now have the mortal mirror." Alec informed. Max felt a pang of sadness for the warlock he'd heard a bit about in his aunt's stories.
"And you have it at the institute, and it's well guarded I presume?" the blond Shadowhunter questioned. Max found his face familiar for some reason but couldn't put a name to it. He decided to just let it go - probably recognising him from some old institute photos or something.
"The elite guards are the only ones who know its location. It's safest that way." Alec explained.
Clary jumped in, "Jonathan went after Eliot and Dot to get the mirror. Now that he knows we have it, he's going to come back for it." She insisted.
"Agreed. Report back with any possible scenarios by which Jonathan and Valentine can attempt a breach." Alec dealt out - acting the leader he was born to be. Rafael felt a swell of pride and longing to be half the leader his father was when he was his age.
"Okay." Jace agreed and started to vacate with Clary and the blond Shadowhunter which Rafael deduced was head of security considering his involvement in the planning process. Rafael felt confused that he couldn't remember the man's name. The only head of security his father made worthy of mentioning was his friend Underhill.
As the others left, Rafael and Max hung back, turning away from Alec and Isabelle but listening out just in case. Max glanced over briefly and saw the slump in his father's shoulders as he leaned against the table. He could only wonder what made him so troubled. He turned away and shared a concerned look with his brother.
"Is everything okay?" He heard Isabelle ask tentatively. Alec didn't reply but the silence was answer enough. Max and Rafael tensed in preparation. "You told Magnus about the soul sword didn't you?" Isabelle continued with a sympathetic tone. The brothers tensed at the sound of their father's name. Rafael felt pieces click into place and remembered the fury on the young Magnus' face. He cringed - they really hadn't arrived at a good time for their parents' relationship. He shared a worried look with Max. "Wow." Isabelle replied to Alec's silence. "That bad."
~
Alec had left Max and Rafael under Isabelle's supervision temporarily. As a result she employed them to help her find her little brother. "Oh god I don't think I want to meet him." Max grimaced. "It's too sad." he whispered.
"I know but ... it could be nice. Although we know his fate it's good to remember him how he was and from what we've heard he was a happy if not mischievous child." Rafael suggested.
Max still looked uncomfortable. "Yeah but I was named after the guy, what if he somehow knows who I am? Kids are intuitive! What if he feels I'm taking his place?!" Max whisper-shouts.
"You're being ridiculous." Rafael rolls his eyes. "What do you remember about him around this age?" Rafael asked.
"There's quite a few stories about him. He's obviously around the institute at his time ..." Max trailed off, eyes flicking to the worried Isabelle who didn't even notice their hushed conversation. "Hey ... it's unlike him to just disappear from what I gathered and ... the appearance of the mortal mirror is about the time Jonathan shows up so ..." Max let the implication hang in the air.
Rafael felt his blood run cold. "Max is in danger or ... he's already been hurt." Rafael said in alarm. Max looked stricken, not ready to see the pain his family goes through as a result of these events.
"D-do you remember where he went? D-do you remember if Aunt Isabelle told us?" Max asked shakily, knowing they had to find their uncle fast or his injuries may cause an earlier death than they were expecting.
"Wasn't it Isabelle's room?" Rafael guessed. Max turned to Isabelle who had gotten her phone out - probably to call her brother.
"What if he's waiting for you?" Max blurted. Isabelle paused and her brows furrowed.
"What do you mean?"
"Well what if he's in the one place you don't expect to look? Like in your room, that might be a smart place to hide if you're a kid." Max tried to sound indifferent but Rafael could notice the slight hint of urgency in his tone.
"Maybe you're right." Isabelle sighed. She turned to the both of them with a tired smile, "sorry you have to see me be a worry guts overprotective big sister. He's just started his Shadowhunter training and I can't help but worry." She explained as they walked in the direction of her room.
"I know how you feel, I'm always looking out for my friends. Especially my troublesome brother." Rafael tried to lighten the mood, giving Max a pointed look.
"You have a brother?" Isabelle asked kindly.
"Yeah, actually Max is my brother - this Max." Rafael smirked, ruffling already messy blue hair.
Isabelle's eyes widened. "Oh, I wouldn't have guessed. You don't immediately strike me as relatives - and of course you addressed him as your group leader." Isabelle shrugged apologetically.
"Yeah ... I'm adopted. It can be a pain in the ass being under my brother's command but he's proved to be a good leader and I trust his judgement." Max smiled shyly, still overly aware of the situation involving the other little brother known as Max, but he couldn't just tell his aunt to shut up and take him to her room could he?
"You two are too sweet. You remind me of my siblings and I. Jace is also adopted and he sometimes complains about following Alec's orders but like you he and I both know that Alec's a natural when it comes to this stuff." Isabelle smiled fondly. The Lightwood-Bane brothers shared a smile.
"Ah here we are. I swear if he's not here I'm going to kick his ..." She trailed off as she spotted drops of scarlet on the floor. Max felt his stomach sink as his suspicions were confirmed. Max was injured - the uncle he never got to meet and Jonathan was in the institute. A prickle of fear ran down his spine and he gripped Rafael's arm tightly. The brothers watched helplessly as their aunt slowly opened her bedroom door and let out a gasp as she saw the small figure of her brother lying on the carpet.
"Max can you hear me? Max!" She cried. "SOMEONE GET A MEDIC!" She screamed and Max and Rafael ran to find help.
~
All Alec had to hear was 'Max was hurt' to fly into action. He sprinted towards the medical wing, the two LA recruits on his heels. He didn't care about the fact that they needed supervised - not when his brother was in trouble.
"What happened?!" he stressed when he entered the room and saw his little brother lying in the hospital bed.
"I don't know - I found him like this in my room." Izzy replied, fury coating each word. Max and Rafael hung back outside the door.
"Oh my god, Max." Clary breathed.
"We should send him to Idris. See what they can do." Alec suggested, looking more panicked than Rafael or Max had ever seen him. Max looked at his uncle properly - all bandaged up and felt tears reach his eyes. He didn't want to know that little boy this way.
"Hey, it's okay. We know he pulls through." Rafael whispered.
"Yeah ... this time." Max's voice wobbled. Rafael put a comforting arm round his own little brother. He wouldn't know what he'd do if his Max got hurt like his uncle did.
"The medics said that in his condition he won't be able to survive the transfer." Isabelle sounded almost broken and Max had to look away at the expression on his father's face. He really underestimated how dark the times actually were when his parents were younger. Seeing ti with his own mind only made him feel more sorrow for his family's losses and pride for their persistence.
The brothers cleared the way when their uncle Jace ran down the corridor with the blond Shadowhunter close behind. "Max!" Jace exclaimed. Max flinched at his name once again and wished he was anywhere else. "We, uh, checked the institute security camera footage ... whoever attacked him was somehow covering their tracks."
"Has he been able to talk?" The Sebastian asked.
"Not yet. He's unconscious." Izzy breathed.
"I don't understand. Who'd wanna hurt him?" Clary frowned in confusion.
"I don't know, but I'm gonna find out." Alec breathed angrily and turned towards the door. Jace went to calm him down.
"Hey hey, get Robert and Maryse here. The rest of us, we'll find out who did this." Jace reasoned. Not listening to the blond Shadowhunter, Max turned to Rafael.
"I can't be here." He whispered.
"Okay, we'll go to the ops centre and wait for questions. I doubt seeing our grandparents is a good idea. We've had more than enough to handle right now." Rafael agreed and led his brother away to let his family grieve. Max was shaking in his brother's grip.
"God that was actually him." Max breathed in shock as his brother sat him down at one of the monitors.
"Maxie." Rafael soothed. "It's okay. We know he'll be okay. Don't take on the guilt of how his life ends just because you share the same name. Yes, he's our family and yes it's tragic that we'll never really get to know him but take comfort in the fact that we know that this time we get to see him get through it and see our family happy once again." Max teared up again.
"You're right. I just felt so guilty watching him there when I know what happens." He admitted.
"It's out of our hands. There's nothing we could've done." Rafael smiles sadly. Whatever they were about to say next was put on hold when Jace and Clary walked towards them.
"What do you remember?!" Jace demanded, clearly shaken by the whole thing. Max flinched away so Rafael took the lead.
"We were searching for your brother with Isabelle. We suggested he may be hiding in her room and when we got there he was sprawled across the floor. I suggest you look there for clues." Rafael responded calmly.
Jace breathed in heavily, turning to go but cast a suspicious look back at them. "How'd you know to check there?" his voice was cold with implication. "I swear if you had anything to do with this-" Jace threatened and Clary held him back.
"We were with either your sister or Alec the whole time. If you don't believe me then ask. Although, I suspect you should put your attention towards finding the real culprit." Rafael couldn't help but be quite sharp in his response. His uncle was known to be hot headed but had never turned it on them before. Seeing Max's reaction made anger flare in his stomach and he was going to punch his uncle when they got back to their real time for being a dick.
"He's right Jace, let's go quick." Clary urged and Jace finally let it go, jogging off to Isabelle's room with Clary close-by.
"Suppose I can't blame him too much since he's just worried about his brother. I know what that's like." Rafael sighed and turned to comfort Max more. They sat in comfortable silence for a moment.
"We should probably try work out what's going to happen whilst we're still here so we don't run into any more unpleasant surprises." Max muttered bitterly. Rafael cringed.
"Yeah ... hate to break it to you but this isn't exactly a great time for our parents. Remember the whole thing with the soul sword they were talking about earlier? I think this about the time they go on that break." Rafael sighed and Max groaned.
"I really hope we can get back to our time soon so I can hug both dad and papa and tell them how much I love and appreciate them." he sighed. "I didn't realise just how complex their situation was until I'm living it."
"Yeah ... Jonathan is also undercover in the institute." Rafael glared at the floor. "I can't remember what his alias was, who do you think it is?"
"I've no idea, did it start with an 'S'?" Max scrunched his nose in concentration.
"Well we know he attempts to steal the mirror, those poor guards will be slaughtered." Rafael continued, stress making his brow furrow further.
"We could try stop him?" Max suggested.
"No." Rafael refused. "We can't mess with events no matter how unfair. It may change our future."
"Ugh, it's so hard to be a spectator." Max complained.
"We could probably help in little ways. We know he won't get away with the mirror and uncle Max ends up being okay."
"Yeah but dad and papa will be miserable." Max sighed sadly.
"It all works out. If anything, the biggest thing we need to worry about is keeping those demons away from this timeline. With Jonathan invading and the chaos that surrounds it, the institute will be vulnerable to attacks. I think we should stay here and monitor the perimeter. You just try to conserve your magic just in case we need that spell okay?" Rafael reassured.
"Sounds like a plan." Max agreed.