Back at the Institute, Isabelle filled her mother in on the recent events of their mission.
"You're sure the Seelies think Valentine killed their scouts?" Maryse questioned her eldest daughter as they walked into the HQ.
"Yes, that's why they've broken contact with the Clave. They're considering switching sides." The raven haired girl answered.
Maryse turned her head to glance at her daughter. "That's totally irrational." Her voice lacking emotion.
"It's self preservation." Isabelle paused in step, causing Maryse to stop and face her. "They think Valentine can win. Seelies always want to be on the winning side." She took a step closer to her mother, a hint of a smirk pulling at the corners of her mouth.
"Never trust the people who can't lie." Maryse eyed the girl before her. "They find much more inventive ways to stab you in the back." Isabelle's gaze dropped from her mother to the ground at the woman's words.
"I suppose you find that attractive." Maryse commented before walking off, leaving Isabelle to stare at her mother's retreating figure.
Meanwhile, at Magnus' loft, Clary knelt beside Luke's side as she watched him with evident worry. Simon looked at his best friend and frowned.
"You okay?" He asked and got a nod as a response from the red haired girl.
Simon stepped closer, resting his hands on her shoulders. "Clary, it's me... I know how much he means to you." He said softly.
Sighing and getting to her feet, Clary looked at Simon. "How could I have doubted him? Si, he's the only father I've ever known. I can't lose him!" Her voice began to get shaky immediately causing Simon to pull her into his arms, hugging her.
Magnus walked in, causing the two to split apart. "The bark will stop the transformation for now. But Luke needs an antidote to stop the poison in his system." He said, placing down various bowls and bottles before glancing at the pair. "And I don't have all the ingredients here." He added before hurrying to his balcony.
"Just tell us what you need and we'll get it." Clary said, watching the warlock move across the apartment in a hurry.
"No, you stay here." Magnus pointed to her. "Luke will need you if he wakes up."
Clary gave the warlock a slightly alarmed look "When he wakes up." She corrected.
Simon turned to the green eyed girl. "I'll go." He said before a certain blonde haired Shadowhunter walked in.
"I'll go." Both Clary and Simon turned to the owner of the voice.
"Jace," Magnus walked in, pausing next to Jace and tilting his head to the side to inspect the bloody mark at his nose. "What happened to you?" The warlock asked before hurrying off again.
Jace rolled his eyes, grabbing a tissue to wipe the blood from his nose before looking at Magnus. "What do you need for the antidote?" He asked.
"Hey, I got this." Simon stepped forward but before Jace could reply to him, Magnus entered the room again listing off the ingredients he still needed.
"A trip to the pharmacy. It'll take two seconds." Simon said, walking towards the exit but was stopped when Jace took hold of his arm.
"I don't need you." The blonde said.
"Too bad." The male with glasses replied. "We'll be right back." He announced.
"One more thing!" Magnus called out, stopping the two boys from leaving just yet. "I need Alexander and Allison." He continued which caused Jace to frown.
"Why do you need Alec and my sister?" He asked.
"Virgin Shadowhunter energy." The warlock answered.
"That explains a lot." Simon commented while Jace cleared his throat with a far off look.
"Alec and Allison, yeah..." The blonde male trailed off before he shook his head. "I can't."
Clary stepped forward. "Please Jace, just ask." She looked at him. "You guys need to talk."
Jace sighed, still with a dazed look.
Magnus walked past the Shadowhunter but not without asking. "Trouble in paradise?"
Jace rolled his eyes before grabbing Simon's jacket, walking out with him. "Just don't speak to me."
Alec stood by the window in his parents office, staring out of it with no expression on his face.
Allison had leaned against the desk and watched the raven haired male with worry. She knew he had been acting different since they got back.
The only problem is, it was difficult to get Alec to open up about his emotions. The blonde female sighed softly before moving over to stand next to him.
She placed her hands on his arms and felt him relax under her touch. She smiled to herself, knowing that Alec would always immediately relax under her soft touch.
Before she could even speak, she heard Isabelle's voice, causing both her and Alex to turn and see the twins entering the office.
"Mom is unbearable today." Isabelle said looking at her older brother.
Sighing softly, the eldest sibling answered. "She's been different since she got back from Idris."
"If you say so." The eldest twin rolled her eyes. "She's still the same old judgmental Mom with me."
"She hasn't even taken note of me yet." The youngest twin spoke up.
Allison looked at the raven haired twins with sympathy, offering them a small smile.
Shaking her head, Isabelle looked up to Alec. "Have you spoken to Jace yet?" She asked.
Allison immediately felt Alec tense up again next to her.
"He can call me when he's done chasing the little girl." Alec answered stiffly.
"Alec, you need to call Jace. You too, Ally." Isabelle turned her gaze from her brother to the blonde female.
"I'm with Alec. When he's done with the little bitch then maybe I might give him the time of day again. Until then he can suck it." Allison folded her arms.
Isabelle sighed at the two stubborn Shadowhunters before her and was about to answer them both but was cut off by a voice calling out to them.
"No welcome home for the old man?" A man entered the room with a little boy beside him, causing all four Shadowhunters to turn around.
"Max!" Alec grinned, crouching down as the little boy ran to his arms. Alec hugged his little brother before
Allison shoved him aside playfully. "My turn." She got to her knees and hugged the youngest Lightwood sibling.
"Daddy!" The raven haired twins ran forward, hugging the elder man who chuckled at his twin daughters.
"Princesses." He smiled at them, hugging them both.
After greetings went around, Alec, who was still crouched down, looked at Max. "What are you doing back so soon?" He asked his baby brother.
"Got into trouble at Mumbai." Max gave a slight shrug.
Alec smiled at his brother. "Oh, what'd you do?"
Allison gave a slight smirk in Max's direction.
"Nothing!" The youngest Lightwood immediately answered.
"He started a fire with his stele during rune studies." Aaliyah looked from her father, smiling at Max as she walked over.
"Max." She giggled, hugging him.
"I told you," Max looked at his father while letting go of Aaliyah to hug his eldest sister. "I was hungry." He said which caused the three girls in the room to giggle.
Letting go of Isabelle, Max turned back to Alec. "I was trying to draw the Nourishment rune." He explained.
"Max, those two runes look nothing alike." Alec replied.
"Well, it did to me." Max answered.
"Max," The five Shadowhunters attention was caught by the Lightwood siblings' father. "Go up to your room, open up the Gray Book and look up the Extinguish rune." He pointed to the door.
Max sighed walking out the door but turned around, looking at Alec and shrugged which caused the eldest sibling to grin at the younger boy, before standing to his feet.
Walking forward, the elder man pulled Allison in for a hug. "Allison." He greeted.
"It's good to see you, Robert." Allison smiled and stepped back as he moved towards Alec.
"Where is Clary Fairchild? Your mother said she's missing." Robert looked at his son, folding his arms.
"She's not missing. She's with Jace." Alec answered his father.
"We can't have that girl out of Institute control. The entire Shadow World is looking for her." Robert said before turning to walk out the door. "It's a security risk. I want them both back here now."
Alec watched his father leave with a clenched jaw. He saw the look that Isabelle was giving him.
"Don't start, Izzy." He said, taking his phone out as he left the room and dialed Jace's number.
It wasn't long before his Parabatai answered. "You need to get back to the Institute now." Alec said not giving Jace time to talk.
"You need to help me first." Alec heard Jace reply.
"No, I'm not messing around." He said.
"Me neither. I need your help." Alec grew worried at this.
"You alright?" He asked his best friend.
"It's Magnus. He needs yours and Allison's power. Your Shadowhunter energy or something like that."
Alec furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Magnus? Why does Magnus need us? " He asked.
"To help save Luke's life."
Alec gritted his teeth, starting to get irritated. "No, I told you at the wolf den, no more Downworlder business. We can't be seen as interfering with a pack/Alpha dispute. How can you even ask me--"
Alec was cut off by Jace. "I shouldn't have to ask you, Alec. We're Parabatai."
"That's exactly my point." Alex said. "Alec, you're a man of honour and the one of the few people in the world I can trust with something like this. I'm counting on you to do the right thing." Alec stayed silent, gritting his teeth.
After his call with Jace, Alec went back to the office, finding his mother at the window.
Frowning he called out to her. "Mother."
She didn't answer immediately and Alec watched her intently as she brought a hand to her face. He knew something was wrong. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Maryse answered, blinking back tears before she turned to her eldest and sat down, Alec standing across from her.
"Did something happen in Idris?" Alec questioned, noticing tear stains and how glossy Maryse's eyes were, indicating that she had been crying.
"Nothing we can do about it now." Maryse said before looking at him.
"There is always something we can do."Alec said, hands in his pockets." You taught me that."
Maryse looked up at her son silently. Sighing softly, Alec sat on the table and looked at her.
"Do you remember when I was ten and there was this kid, Preston, who kept beating the crap out of me in kendo training?" He asked.
"You had perfect form, perfect technique." Maryse answered her son.
"But that was what was holding me back. You said I need to mess it up, break form." Alec continued, seeing a smile form over his mother's face. "Do something that he wouldn't expect." He paused, watching his mother. "I went against every fibre of my training but I adapted."
Maryse looked at her son. "I was so proud when you broke his nose."
Alec smiled at his mother. "Until his mother yelled at you and insisted I'd be punished for insubordination." He replied.
Maryse leaned forward with a warm smile. "That just made me prouder. The way you took it."
Alec looked at her. "I knew it had to be done."
"We can figure out how to work around for whatever the Clave is throwing at you." He said softly which caused Maryse to stare at him before she moved a strand of his hair to the side, that fell over his eye.
"Workarounds can get messy if you recall." She said, unshed tears still evident in her eyes.
Standing up, Alec looked at her. "We're Lightwoods. We break noses and accept the consequences." Maryse stared up at her son. "Tell me what you need me to do." Alec said.
Maryse continued to stare at her eldest with a slight smile forming at the corner of her mouth.
A while later, Allison was with the twins in their room chatting until the voices of Robert and Maryse were heard in the hallway from the door that was slightly ajar.
Isabelle looked at her twin and best friend before walking over quietly and watched her parents argue with one another.
"Adapt to what?" Isabelle opened her door and looked at her parents. Maryse looked at her eldest daughter.
"It's not your concern." She said only to be scolded by her husband.
"Maryse! This is a family decision." Robert turned to his wife.
"This is our only option." Maryse fired back. "Get on board, Robert!" She glared before storming off, leaving Robert in the hallway.
He looked at Isabelle with an apologetic smile.
"She's been like that all day. What's going on?" Isabelle asked leading her father inside the bedroom.
Robert smiled gently upon entering and handed both Isabelle and Aaliyah gifts.
Smiling softly, Allison stood up. "I think I should go." She said heading to the door. "You don't have to leave, Allison." Robert frowned softly.
Allison looked at the man that took her and Jace in before smiling. "Don't worry about it. I'm going to check up on Alec." And with that left the twins bedroom.
She landed on her back with a grunt, her staff falling beside her. Groaning, as a staff was held up above her.
"Again." Allison said jumping up, grabbing her staff. "I let you win." She smirked at the raven haired boy.
Alec rolled his eyes with a small smirk and the two began sparring with each other.
Isabelle stormed in causing the couple to pause their movements. She looked straight at her brother. "Promise me you won't go through with it. Promise me you will say no." She said desperately.
Alec looked at her confused. "What are you talking about? Say no to what?" He asked.
By now Aaliyah had joined them, folding her arms. Allison looked between Alec and Isabelle. "Well Izzy?" The blonde female asked.
Sighing, Isabelle finally answered. "They're going to make you marry."
Alec paused, looking at Isabelle. "Who's they?" He asked.
"Our parents." Isabelle replied.
Allison dropped her staff and left the training room.
Alec looked at the blonde and was about to go after her when Aaliyah shook her head and went after her best friend.
"Damn it." Alec muttered.
"Our parents are making plans for both of us." Isabelle spoke after a while.
Alec shook his head. "No, you heard wrong." He picked up Allison's staff.
"It's true, Alec! They need a political alliance quickly to restore our family name and our influence at The Clave." Isabelle grabbed her brother's arm.
Alec scoffed. "I knew Clary Fray would come and bite me in the ass." He muttered before looking at his sister. "So I'm getting married, what are you doing?" He asked.
"Basically I'm playing the diplomat between the Clave and the Seelies." She answered. "Again."
Alec shook his head. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" He scoffed before turning his hazel gaze back to her. "That's my job! That's what I'm supposed to be doing."
Isabelle sighed. "I know that but I have ties to the Seelies."
Alec gave a humourless laugh. "Is that what you're calling it now?" He walked to place the staffs on the table.
"Alec, I'm on your side." Isabelle looked at her brother. Turning back to her, Alec stepped closer to her slowly.
"Really? I have followed every rule. I have given up everything!" He started.
Isabelled touched his shoulder, trying to calm him down. "We'll find a way out of this." She looked him in the eye.
Alec looked at her hand on his shoulder before stepping back. "Screw the rules. Screw them. Screw all of this!" He said before walking out of the training room, leaving Isabelle alone.
He made his way towards Allison's room but didn't find her in there. He's next best bet was the twins' room.
Arriving he heard his youngest sister and the girl he's been looking for. Knocking and stepping in.
"Liyah, can I speak with Allison please?" He asked.
Aaliyah nodded and left her best friend and brother alone in the room to talk.
"So you're getting married, huh?" Allison asked, folding her arms.
"Nothing is final." He said staring at the girl before him.
"Alec, come on!" Allison expressed. "You always have this need to please your parents. I wouldn't be surprised if you say yes to this plan of theirs because that's just the type of man you are. You always proving yourself to them!"
She continued her rant which was starting to get to Alec. He loved this girl, way more than a brother/sister way but this girl didn't know when to keep quiet sometimes. He smirked internally at the thought. It was one of the things that he loved about her.
'Screw it.' He thought before cupping Allison's face between his hands and kissing her.
Allison stood still, shocked by Alec. It took a few seconds before she wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back.
'Finally' She thought to herself.
The two pulled away for air but still held onto each other. "That was a really nice way of telling me to shut up." The blonde said breathlessly with a giggle which caused Alec to smile and kiss her again.
Pulling back, he looked at her, stroking her cheek. "As much as I'd love to continue this, we need to get to Magnus'."
"Why?" Allison frowned slightly.
"He needs our help. Jace asked." Alec replied.
"Of course he did." The blonde muttered. "Fine but he owes me big time." She said and took his hand, pulling him out of the twins' room.
Arriving at Magnus' loft that was visibly shaking as Magnus used his magic to try and contain Luke's transformation, Alec and Allison ran to Magnus' side. Magnus was about to pass out until Alec caught him.
Magnus looked up to find both Alec and Allison at his side. Looking at them weakly, he begged. "Help me. I need both of your strength." He held his hand out to Allison.
Glancing at Alec, the blonde female gave Magnus her hand, while taking Alec's other hand to combine their strength for the warlock. "Take what you need." She said.
The couple closed their eyes as Magnus harnessed their energies and heard Jace enter the loft again with Simon right behind him.
Jace looked over and saw his Parabatai and his twin sister with the warlock and smiled internally, knowing that they would come through for him.
Clary ran over with the now finished antidote and gave it to Luke. In a matter of seconds, everything became calm again.
Magnus fell against both Alec and Allison, weak from containing Luke's transformation. The latter both looked at each other with a soft smile before Allison moved to helped Magnus.
Alec began cleaning the loft and Clary, after making sure Luke was alright, made her way over to the raven haired boy.
"Alec," He looked up at her before getting to his feet and faced her. "If you hadn't gotten here in time..." Clary paused. She walked closer. "I'm glad you and Jace are okay now." She said.
"I didn't do this for Jace." Alec said. Clary looked at him with a small smile.
"Then I'm glad you did it for you." Alec looked at her and noticed his Parabatai in the doorway.
Walking around Clary, he held his hand out as Jace made his way over. The Parabatais shook hands and pulled each other in for a hug.
"Thank you." Jace whispered. Alec patted his back and smiled at him.
"Aww! Look at my boys getting along again." Allison walked in smiling at her twin and her boyfriend. Too soon to call him that right? She then pointed to Jace. "Remember you owe me, brother."
Jace chuckled. "Yeah Ally, when do I not owe you?"
Allison shrugged with a smirk before grabbing onto Alec's hand, lacing their fingers together, and leaving Jace alone with Clary.
Of course they didn't miss Allison grabbing Alec's hand. "Did you?.." Clary trailed.
"Yeah. I'm glad it's with him and not some asshole." Jace smiled, knowing all about his sister's crush on his best friend and Parabatai.