A/N: IM SORRY. Im a day late. But this time my laptop broke right when I had a history and english assinment. I then had to write out my English essay (4 pages) and history essay (6 pages) by hand with all my notes saved on my laptop. That was my fun weekend. Im sorry. Im trying, I promise.
"Should we tell Magnus?" Isabelle asked her brother. They'd mulled over the case all night, thinking of different theories about where (Y/N) was and why. Going over files was normally tedious but the little clues they found every few pages kept their interest. Soon the pile was sky high.
Alec looked up from the stove. he'd offered to make breakfast, not wanting to be poisoned by Isabelle, before they went to follow up some clues. "Maybe. I'm not sure. This might not go anywhere, I don't want him to get his hopes up,"
The pancakes were ready, and Alec handed Izzy a plateful. "Yeah but," she started with the pancake in her mouth, "he'll know stuff we won't. Plus, they were in love,"
"Exactly. When Valentine took Jace I was distraught but I knew he was alive because we were parabatai. That kept me going. Now we're going to put Magnus through the same stress with no guarantee."
Isabelle sighed, "It's just not right. I would want to know,"
It was too early for Alec to really care about anything, but this was getting to him, "We follow up some clues, first hint of something we'll call him. Deal?"
"Deal."
It was somewhat expected that most of their clues would be duds. They were vague photos of someone who vaguely looked like (Y/N) from years ago. Most of the areas had either changed or been remodeled since or it was a landmark where no one would've remembered them.
They decided a snack was well deserved so bit the bullet and got some street food. "I always think I'm going to die when I eat this," Alec said once they were out of the vendors hearing.
Isabelle shrugged as she plopped on a bench, Alec follows, "At this point, I'd eat anything," It was a wonder to other females how Isabelle could eat so much and be that fit. "You got the files?"
Alec pulled out what a mundane would describe as a flash drive and pressed a small button. Like in the institute a screen was lit up like a hologram they could swipe on. And like all their other tech the Mundanes couldn't see it. "We've checked clues A through H. the rest seem to be spread across the world. Malta, London, Tokyo, Morocco, basically everywhere,"
Isabelle squinted at the screen, "I don't get it. it's not like (Y/N) was discreet. Look, they're in full view in that one, not even trying to hide," Isabelle pointed to a photo of (Y/N) standing at some old bookshop seemingly looking right at the camera, "I just don't get it,"
Alec thought it over when something popped in his head, "What I don't get is why we're out here when this was Jace's idea,"
"Oh, he's trying to get permission from the clave to escalate the case," She rolled her eyes, "Clary said they were going out today so I think he might be lying,"
"Ya think?" Alec was anything if not sarcastic. "Where's the bookshop?"
"Dunno. it just says Marvin's Books. No street or anything,"
"We must be missing something," Alec muttered, enhancing the photo and looking at every corner and pixel he could. "There, look." Isabelle did and shrugged, "Do you know any Mundanes with purple skin?"
Isabelle looked closer and sure enough, there was an arm in the shop window, the rest of the body not in view. But the hand was purple. "Hey, that photo at the twin towers..."
"Probably the same guy. Maybe if we find the bookshop,"
"Well it has to be an English speaking country because of the sign," Alec nodded along to Isabelle's thoughts "and the clothes are so 2005," Alec gave Izzy a look who shrugged it off. Izzy scanned the photo some more, "Zoom in on that bag," Alec did, "And that mundane looks like she's holding a target bag."
"Must be America,"
"Yeah. So, 2005, America, some guy named Marvin."
"It's a start,"
There's only so much Isabelle and Alec can do so they went back to the institute, running the photo of the bookshop against the institute's gallery. Thank angel you can filter by date and location otherwise it would've taken weeks. Instead just 3 days. Izzy groaned when she saw the estimate.
"Look who decides to show up," Alec says as Jace and Clary walk past.
Jace pauses with a grin, "You know how the clave is-"
"You're lying. Isabelle said you and the little girl were going on a date. So you get to alphabetize the case files," Alec grabbed and chucked a huge file filled with random sheets of paper at Jace.
Jace grimaced, "Why do we keep paper copies?"
Alec shrugged, "To make you suffer?" he suggested.
"So did you'd find anything?" Clary asked, too upbeat for Alec's liking.
Isabelle groaned from in front of the screen, "Give this thing 3 days and maybe. Something about a bookshop, some guy names Marvin, 2005, and some guy with purple skin," Clary raised her eyebrows, "You asked." Isabelle turned to her brother, "Are we telling Magnus?"
Internalizing the biggest sigh possible, Alec forced himself out his seat, "C'mon then,"
"You know there's no point in us all going," Jace said.
"Jace unless you want me to hire decorators to turn your room into a duck wonderland I suggest you put your shoes back on,"
Jace scoffed. Isabelle didn't, "He's not kidding. Look we got bored," Isabelle clicked on a different tab and a Pinterest board of duck-themed bedrooms popped up.
Jace shivered, "Bloodthirsty little beasts. Let's go then,"
The eldest lightwood was less than enthusiastic that Clary had joined them but said nothing. Well, nothing much. Isabelle talked to Clary about what outfit to were next time they went out and Jace held his arm protectively around Clary. So Alec thought about how to tell Magnus what they'd found.
Hey Magnus your lovers not dead
Sup Magnus? By the way, you're missing lover might've been kidnapped by some purple dude.
Hi, Magnus. So you remember that lover that's been missing for almost 20 years and is probably our fault? Yeah, we found her! Turns out we just never looked in the first place.
Or as Alec actually said when Magnus opened the door, "We found (Y/N). well, pictures at least,"
Alec needn't have said more before Magnus ushered them all in. "What do you mean?" The group shared a look at Magnus' desperation. "I don't care how...bad it is just tell me. I need to know,"
Isabelle stepped forward, "We found a picture of (Y/N) after they went missing. Couldn't have been taken before 2014,"
"Impossible. You must be wrong,"
Pulling out the flash drive, Izzy brought up the photo, "That museum wasn't built till 2014. They were alive then...maybe now,"
Magnus just stared at the image. "But-but if (Y/N) is alive, why haven't they came back?"
The shadowhunters couldn't look him in the eye. Isabelle swiped through the photos "Some of them aren't very clear but look. (Y/N) has been all over the place. Every continent. The last photo was taken in 2015 outside of some shop in England," She swiped to the photo.
"They have CTV in England," Magnus' eyes lit up as he spoke, "The whole place is covered in cameras,"
Alec sighed, "They get wiped every few months, let alone years."
Magnus ran a hand through his hair, pulling at it, "Why are you showing me this?"
Isabelle and Alec shared a look, "We need your help." Isabelle told him. She went to the photo with the man with purple skin and horns, "He's been in a few photos. Well bits of him. This is the only one showing his face. Do you, do you recognize him?"
Magnus stared at the photo, "I've met a lot of warlocks. Can't you check the system?"
"They're not all on there. If other warlocks hiding them they tend to slip through the gaps," Alec said.
"You think (Y/N) was hiding someone?" Alec hesitated but gave a single nod, "Theirs no way. They would've told me. (Y/N) was horrible at secrets, got all riled up over them." Magnus looked at the picture longer, "He looks...familiar? As I said I've met a lot of people. Horns and purple skin aren't such a rarity. Hasn't he shown up in his own photos?"
"Only with (Y/N)," Isabelle said.
Jace suddenly seemed to realize something and grabbed Clary's satchel. "Hey!" She objected as Jace rummaged till he pulled out a file, "Jace!"
"Sorry babe," he flicked through the file, "Here, it's some of the pictures of him," Jace handed Magnus a small stack of maybe 7 photos that had been printed, the first being the one of the man. Clary and Alec were both glaring at him, "One less thing to file," he murmured under his breath.
Magnus shot him a quick glare, "I'll have a think on it,"
That pleased the shadowhunters. "Look if you think of anything, even not about these photos, call us yeah?" Alec said.
"Of course. Anything to find (Y/N)," Magnus seemed to suddenly dislike shadowhunters again as he began to hustle them out the door. Alec hung back to check on him, "I'm...okay. Look its difficult. I've not seen a recent picture, I've not had this sort of hope. You need to give me time,"
Alec nodded, "Of course. But you know we're here for you?" Magnus nodded. Alec looked over his shoulder before saying in a quieter voice, "You helped me a lot when we first met. I was confused and in denial. I know we're on different sides but Magnus, you're a real friend,"
"I'm glad I could help Alexander," Magnus said, "Truly. No one should feel ashamed of what they are,"
"And you shouldn't be ashamed of feeling alone. If you need to talk,"
"I'll call," Magnus finished it for him. "Thank you. (Y/N) should see me now, being friends with a shadowhunter," They both gave a short laugh over that. "I'll see you later,"
"Bye Magnus,"
Alec walked down to meet his friends and Clary. Isabelle hung back, asking what that was about. "Just wanted him to know he isn't alone,"
"Does Alec have a crush?" Izzy teased.
Alec rolled his eyes, "We've been over this. Sure he's cute but no,"
"Still hung up on you know who?" she nodded to the couple in front.
"Nah. I'm young, apparently, I've been...seeing people." This statement led to a long and intense discussion on Izzy's part trying to find out who exactly.
Magnus watched from his balcony as the shadowhunters walked out of sight. Chairman brushed by his feet, reminding him to feed his cat. Magnus set a bowl of food down and went to sit on his couch. The photos sat discarded on the coffee table.
The warlock picked the top one up with an expression only someone with too many memories could have. "What did you do Caleb?" Magnus whispered, staring at the infrit on the paper. Magnus snapped his finger and the strongest drink he could image showed up. He flung the photo back on the pile and leaned back into the couch, drink in hand. "You were always (Y/N)'s favorite rescue,"