''How'd it go with Aldertree?'' Alec asked Magnus, his hand interlaced with Katherine's as they walked in the Institute with Magnus.
''Well the man didn't disappoint.In his own charming inimitable way he informed me that I will indeed be punished but the form of punishment is yet to be decided.'' the three stopped near the enterance ''All for trying to save my life.'' Alec looked between him and Katherine.
''Jace may have been the one who pulled me out but I felt you...'' he squeezed Katherine's hand and looked at Magnus ''-and you there.And it did make a difference...so thank you.'' she squeezed his hand back and Alec gently ran his thumb on her knuckles. The message, I love you was clear to her.
''I would have no idea what would have happened to my daughter if you had died. So thank you, for saving Katherine that pain and for not dying on me.'' Magnus smiled at him ''How's Jace?''
''He won't be gone long.'' Alec assured and as much Katherine wanted to believe those words, she knew that Jace like her questioned the ways of the Clave much more than Alec did.She just hoped that Aldertree asked the right kind of questions.
''Once his hand touches the Soul Sword, the truth will come out...and prove that he's never been on Valentine's side.''
Katherine inhaled sharply, something that both men noticed and Alec knew what she was thinking.He squeezed her hand and Katherine took comfort in it.
''Hey Kate,Alec.''
The three turned around to see Raj standing ...and he looked fine...given the circumstances Katherine had last seen him in. ''Demon briefing in the Ops Center.All hands on deck.'' Katherine shared a look with Magnus who had a glint in his eyes ''My dear Raj...You look well.''
She snorted and then covered it with a cough as she saw the look on Raj's face before he walked away. Alec gave her a playful narrowed eye look while Magnus simply threw a wink at her as he exited the Institute.
''You know, we never got to talk about what happened in the training room.''
Katherine pecked his lips and was about to walk away but Alec quickly pulled her closer ''I am not about to let history repeat itself.'' he connected his lips to her's and both lost themselves in the love they shared.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
''This is bad.''
''You are telling me.''
Katherine along with Alec and Izzy approached Jocelyn and Clary who looked like they were in middle of a conversation ''Hate to interrupt, but something's up.'' Katherine looked between the two as Izzy explained ''Demon attack downtown.One mundane dead.''
Alec stepped closer to Katherine ''And we don't have Jace so...You're with us.'' ''Wait.You want me on your team?'' surprise was clear on Clary's face ''It's not my first choice.'' that received him a light nudge in the ribs from Katherine and he gave her a playful smirk before looking back at Clary ''But we are a man down and everyone else is on patrol.Gear up.''
Katherine was about to follow the siblings when a hand latched on her wrist, she turned around to look at Jocelyn ''Go on, I'll come with Clary.'' she nodded to Alec and Izzy. The older Lightwood didn't move, his eyes on her's and she sighed ''Alec, go.I'll be fine.'' Alec kissed her forehead before following after his sister.
''I am going to Idris.'' Katherine blinked in shock and looked at Clary who nodded her head in confirmation ''The Clave wants to test her loyalty.''
''The Clave can -''
''Kate.'' she looked at Jocelyn who smiled softly at her ''I know that I haven't been there for you in years, but I would like to now.Come with me to Idris, I told the same thing to your sister, I could after getting permission from Imogen show you around the Herondale Manor.''
Katherine sighed ''Mom, all of that sounds lovely, I'd love to...but...'' ''Your family's here, the boy you're in love with who clearly is in love with you too...and Isabelle, Jace.'' Jocelyn said in an understanding voice ''I could come to visit you.'' Katherine offered and the mother smiled ''I'd like that.''
The older girl smiled and hugged Jocelyn who chuckled ''Now go be the person you were always meant to be.''
~*~*~*~*~*
''Well this is one nasty demon.'' Izzy examined the dead body as Luke stood by her side and Katherine with Clary stood off to the side as Alec checked around the area
''Punched a hole right through his chest.'' ''With that kind of strength, I doubt it's done yet.'' Luke looked at the body as Alec walked over to them and stood by Katherine's side ''Anything?'' she looked at him and he shook his head ''Nothing in the immediate area.''
''We are taking the body back to the Institute.'' Izzy got up from where she was sitting next to the body and looked at the two ''I'll run some tests to see what kind of demon we're dealing with.''
''Kate, Clary and I will widen the perimeter.'' Katherine nodded her head and looked at Clary ''Let's go little sister, it's demon hunting party time.''
''Is that what we are calling it now?'' Alec asked her as Clary followed behind them ''If you want to.'' Katherine shrugged her shoulders and he shook his head at her as Clary walked besides her ''Most important thing don't slow us down, you slow us down, you get all three of us killed.''
Katherine snorted ''That was his pep talk, by the way.''
''Sounds reasonable.''
Alec pulled out his stele and grabbed Clary's hand before drawing a rune ''What's this for?'' she asked him.
''Let's you see the demon's heat signature.''
''Whoa.'' Clary blinked her eyes ''First time can be a little bit too much.'' Katherine explained and Alec nodded his head ''The trick is to focus, try to filter out everything unimportant, hone in on the heat signature.''
''Yeah, I am honing.I am just not seeing anything.'' she narrowed her eyes. ''Patience.'' '''Easy for you to say.'' Katherine chuckled at Clary's reply to Alec as they all again started walking ''For someone who hasn't been training her whole life, this stuff is impossible.''
''Impossible just means try again.'' Katherine nodded her head at Alec's words. ''Not that you'll have to worry about all that.You'll be outta the field soon enough.You are going to Idris.''
He then looked at Katherine and already knew her answer before she even spoke ''I am not.'' ''Wow, news travels fast...but I haven't decided yet so don't get too excited about throwing me a going away party.'' The Herondale chuckled ''Nah, I think Izzy would be the one doing that.''
Alec looked at her ''That's true..'' his eyes went back to Clary ''But honestly, I think you'll like Idris, it's amazing.'' ''That it is.'' Katherine agreed with him.
''Yeah? I bet that it'd be pretty amazing to get me out of your hair, huh?'' she gave the older Lightwood an amused look. ''I didn't say that, you did.''
After some moments of walking in silence, Clary hurried across the street and the two after sharing a look followed behind her. ''Alec.......''' the three followed the demon's heat signature and pulled out their seraph blades.
They saw a girl curled into a ball behind a bin, her hand stained in blood ''What happened? Who are you?'' Katherine lowered her blade and kneeled next to the girl ''It's okay, we are going to help you.'' ''It's a classic possession hangover.Once the demon leaves the body they have no memory of what they did.'' Alec explained to Clary.
''Is this blood?''
''Just try to keep calm.''
''Hey, don't look at your hand, look at me.'' Katherine spoke to the girl in a gentle voice as Clary kneeled next to her ''I don't understand, what's going on?'' ''I know nothing makes sense right now, but like my sister said, we are going to help you.'' ''We promise.'' Katherine gently grabbed the girl's arm.
Alec was looking between the two adoptive sisters, thinking about the sisterly love the two had for each other and the fact that he didn't hate Clary, how could he? She mattered to the girl he loved.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Alec and Katherine were in his bedroom, laying on his bed...with their clothes on.
Katherine had her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat while his hands were playing with her hair.She sighed and snuggled deeper in his chest and he wrapped his arm around her waist before kissing her forehead.
''You know, you scared me when you almost died.''
Alec buried his face in her hair ''But I didn't, I would never leave you like that.'' she raise her head to look at him and smiled before capturing his lips in a gentle kiss that became heated as Alec rolled on top of her, his lips going down to her collar bone and up her neck.
Katherine sighed and pulled Alec closer into her before tilting her head, giving him more space.But before anything else could happen, a loud alarm went off in the whole of Institute making her sit up straight and Alec fell off the bed on the ground.
''What the hell is going on?'' Katherine got off the bed and helped Alec back on his feet ''I think we are about to find out.''
The two ran to the main heart of the Institute along with Izzy, Clary and the rest behind them.
''Oh my god, Welkie!''
Katherine along with rest looked at the body of their fellow shadowhunter in shock and confusion ''Classic possession hangover.'' Clary looked at Alec, Katherine and Izzy as Lydia approached them ''Hole punched right through his chest.''
''Like the mundane.'' she looked at Izzy as Alec kneeled next to the body of Welkie ''The demon's in the Institute.''
''This is bad.'' her heart rate increased in panic. ''No, Kate.'' Izzy looked at her, her own face reflecting the fear they all felt ''This is very bad.''
~*~*~*~*~*~*
''Activate emergency surveillance.Victor's unreachable.'' Lydia said as they all approached a table with weapons on it ''I've ordered the Institute to be put on quarantine until we kill this thing.''
Katherine tied a weapon belt around her waist as Clary spoke her confusion ''But I don't get it.How did the demon get past the wards?'' ''That is indeed a very good question.'' Katherine placed some daggers and knives in the weapons belt. ''Same way it got in without setting off this.'' Izzy touched her necklace for emphasis and sighed.
''It must have some advanced cloaking activity.'' she tied the belt around her own waist.
Katherine tied a scabbard around her left thigh as Izzy continued ''It hid in that dead body and let us do the rest.''
''I din't know demons could do that.'' ''No, they couldn't , until now.'' the older girl tied another scabbard on her right thigh, her eyes meeting with Alec ''This is a new form of possession.'' he explained and sat on a stool to tie his own scabbard ''Cloaking ability, targeting the Institute...it's....''
Katherine's eyes locked with Clary as the realization hit her ''Valentine.'' The Fairchild nodded her head ''His experiments.Mom told me and I told Kate how he was determined to create a super being that could defeat the Clave.'' she looked around ''It's what he tried to do with Jace.''
''Both victims had damage to the prefrontal cortex.'' Izzy leaned on the table ''The demon must be feeding on the negative emotions.Anger.Hate.Rage causing the host to violently act on those urges.''
Alec looked around the group, his eyes finally landed on Katherine before again looking at the group '' So we continue to scan for venom and heat signatures .Try to narrow down the host before it strikes again.''
Lydia pulled up a 3-D image of the Institute and Katherine leaned on the table to get a better view ''Alec, Kate you two check the living quarters.'' Lydia then pointed at Clary and Isabelle ''You two take the utility tunnels.''
Katherine moved to grab a seraph blade when a hand stopped her ''Stay close by my side.'' Alec looked at her and she smirked ''You know you could get distracted and that would prove to be dangerous.''
Alec smirked at her ''What can I say?'' he pulled her closer by the waist ''You have that effect on me.''
The couple were checking the living quarters, Katherine had her blade in her hand while Alec was holding his bow and his quiver was around his back. She moved inside an open room and sighed when she didn't see any sign of the demon.
''It's not-'' a scream from nearby reached her ears and she turned around to face Alec who by the look on his face had heard it too. They shared a look before running in the direction of the noise and saw Lydia being pinned down to the floor by a possessed Raj.
''Lydia!''
Alec released his arrow at the same time Katherine threw a dagger and they both landed on Raj's leg. He groaned as the demon left his body,Alec went to Lydia who was grunting in pain while Katherine checked Raj's pulses for assurance.
''None of them are dead, that's a relief.''
After Raj had gotten up and taken Lydia to the infirmary, Katherine and Alec continued their searching of the demon.
''It literally went through the air vent, where did it go?'' she sighed in frustration and Alec chuckled at that ''Well, wherever it is, it's not here that's for sure.'' and then, all of a sudden, Katherine didn't hear his voice from behind her anymore.
Her eyes widened as she turned around, her blade raised higher up only to see no one behind her ''Oh no...no, no, no.'' she had an idea as to how Alec had disappeared from behind her, and Katherine didn't like it even a bit ''Shit.''
~*~*~*~*~*
Katherine ran to the nearest elevator, but stopped when she saw Clary standing near it, her eyes on her phone ''Clare.'' the girl looked up from her phone and noticed the panicked look on her elder sister's face ''Kate? What's wrong?''
''Have you seen Alec?'' she shook her head and the panic increased in Katherine a''Why? What is it?...You know what? I really need to call Simon.Why don't you come with me? We'll find Alec.'' Clary took her hand and entered the elevator with her phone pressed against her ear.
Katherine on the other hand was worried about Alec...well the demon inside him and what could have it made him done.
Her fears were proven right when the elevator doors opened and the sisters saw Alec sitting against a wall, blood covering his hand.
''Alec?'' Clary stopped walking and Katherine kneeled in front of him, he looked up at her, fear and confusion in his eyes ''What did I do?'' she looked at Clary and pointed to the blood stains on the floor.The younger girl followed it while Katherine gently helped Alec get back on his feet.
''It's okay,Alec. It's okay.''
Alec looked at the girl he loved, knowing whatever he had done was bad and wondered whether Katherine would hate him, he couldn't bare the thought but didn't say anything as she led him to the room where Clary had collapsed against the wall.
Katherine gasped when her eyes fell on the woman who laid dead on the floor, a hole punched right through her chest. Be the person you were always meant to be.
Jocelyn's last words came back to her and she stepped back, her back hitting Alec's chest who held her waist to stop her from falling to her ground. Alec looked away from the mother and to Katherine, guilt washed through him and he buried his head in her neck ''I am sorry, I am sorry, I am so sorry.'' his tears fell on her neck
Pain, raw and real pain wanted to come out of Katherine but she wiped away the tears, knowing that if Alec saw them, he would feel even more guilty. She gently pulled Alec's head up and caressed his cheek, wiping away the guilty tears that feel down his cheek ''This isn't you fault.You hear me? This isn't your fault.''
Alec could only immense himself in his guilt as Katherine gently wrapped her arms around Clary.
''You have to get up, Clary.Come on.''
The younger girl just cried in the older girls arms...mourning the loss of her mother.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Katherine was standing in Alec's bathroom, near the sink washing away the blood from his hand. ''I killed her.'' she looked up to see his face covered in guilt and fear ''I killed her, I killed Jocelyn.'' ''Alec, Alec, hey.'' Katherine placed her hands on either side of his face ''You didn't kill her, you didn't kill mom.The demon did, you understand?''
Alec wrapped his arms around her, burying his hand in Katherine's shoulder and she moved her hands up and down his back ''Stop blaming yourself, okay?'' ''I love you, I love you so much.'' he tightened his arms around her waist, fearing that if he moved Katherine would look at him in disgust and hatred.
Katherine smiled softly, her hands still rubbing up and down his back in a comforting manner ''I love you too, Alec, and we'll get through this together.''
~*~*~*~*~*~
Katherine stood besides Alec, his hand in her's as they and Clary watched the footage which showed the possessed version of him slamming Jocelyn against a wall and then punching his hand through the woman's chest before he lifted his head up, looking directly into the camera and showed his eyes, pitch black eyes.
''Oh my god.'' Alec's stomached dropped and he tightened his hold on Katherine's hand, and she drew patterns on his hand with her thumb as her breath came out shakily.
''Clary I-'' she raised a hand to stop him, her expression furious ''I have a demon to kill.''
''We have to stop her.'' Alec walked after Clary and Katherine followed after him ''Please let me do this.You don't have to put yourself in danger, not now.'' Izzy walked towards the three ''Izzy.'' Relief was clear in the elder Lightwood's voice.
''We need your help, Jocelyn's-''
''Dead because of you.'' a demonic voice came out of Izzy mouth and she lunged at Alec but he stepped out of the way as Katherine realized what was happening and pulled out her seraph blade. ''It's inside her.'' Clary looked at the two.
Alec pulled his bow out of glamour ''It's still Izzy.'' he raised his bow, ready to shoot ''Be careful where you aim.''
The possessed Izzy looked at Clary, knowing that she was the weakest out of the three before moving towards her with demonic speed and throwing across the room. Katherine lunged at the demon but it ducked her attack and threw her the same way it did with Clary.
Katherine's back collided painfully with the wall.
Alec hesitated with his bow and the possessed Izzy knocked the bow out of his hand, he grabbed her around the waist, ducking all of her attacks ''Izzy, please stop-Izzy!'' the demon threw him to the ground and Katherine tried to move but pain shot through her back forcing her to see Alec being pinned to the floor.
''Always the favorite child...I am done living in your shadow.''
''Izzy, if you are in there..please listen to me.''
The demonic Izzy grinned ''Nice try...although I know what will give you more pain that your own death.'' her head turned towards Katherine who was still grunting in pain and Alec's eyes widened in fear ''No, don't-'' he tried to grab the demon but it was faster, way faster than any average demon.
Katherine only had the time to blink before the demonic Izzy came in front of her, a cruel smile on her lips ''He loves you more than his own blood.'' the demon snatched the seraph blade out of her hands.
Katherine saw Alec's eyes widened in fear as the demon stabbed her through her abdomen. She gasped as blood came rushing out.
''NO!''
Katherine fell to the floor and Alec rushed to her as Clary stabbed the demon that was in Izzy. She withered in pain ''You're gonna be okay, you're gonna be okay.'' Alec gently lifted Katherine's head in his lap. She saw Izzy fall to the ground as Clary killed the demon.
Alec's hands shook as he tried to activate her healing rune ''It's-it's not working, why isn't it activating?'' tears fell down his cheek as Clary who was supporting Izzy kneeled next to him ''Kate-oh my god.''
''It's okay, it's okay.'' Katherine lifted up a blood stained hand to Alec's cheek ''It doesn't-it doesn't hurt,Alec.'' he placed his hand over the one that was covering his cheek and shook his head as a sob and tears came out of him. ''Kate? Oh my -what did I do?'' Izzy's eyes opened and widened when she saw Katherine bleeding out in Alec's lap.
''Iz-Izzy.'' she reached out for Izzy's hand and the younger girl sobbed but took it ''It's not your fault, the demon did this...and Clare sent it back to hell.'' tears floated down Clary's cheek, she lost her mother and know she was losing her sister.
''No, no you're aren't dying.'' Alec shook his head, refusing to let the love of his life die. He again with shaky hands tried to activate her irtaze ''Why isn't it working?!'' he screamed in frustration and threw his stele away across the floor.
''Al-Alec, look at me.'' Katherine caressed his cheek and Alec looked at her, his tears fell on her face ''I love you.I have always loved you and I always will.'' ''Don't. Don't say it like you are saying goodbye.'' he sobbed and tears filled her own eyes ''I have to, or you'll never know how much I love you.''
No, No! KATE!
Jace ripped himself from Aldertree's grip and ran before kneeling next to Alec, his eyes wide with fear and panic ''Kate, you aren't dying.'' he reached for his stele but Katherine stopped him ''Jace.'' he looked at her, his eyes filling with tears as Alec gently caressed her cheek.
''You are my brother. Even if we don't share the same blood.'' more tears came out of her eyes and she reached for Jace's hand ''And I am so proud of you, of the person you have become.''
Jace didn't bother to wipe his tears away and Katherine gave him a teared eye smile before looking at Clary who was sobbing ''You have a family, now.They'll take care of you.'' her eyes went to Izzy who's cheeks were wet with tears ''I love you Iz, and you are so much better that I'll ever be.'' the younger girl shook her head and more tears came out of her eyes.
Katherine finally looked at Alec whose eyes were red and whose heart was breaking ''Please don't leave me.'' his voice came out as a plead and she caressed his cheek ''I won't.As long as you live, I'll live long with you.''
She weakly lifted her head up and Alec understood what Katherine was saying, his heart was breaking with pain, pain of the fact that he loved her and he was losing her.But he pressed his lips against her's knowing that it could be the last time he ever got to taste the sweetness and the love of them.
Katherine gasped and pulled away as another face came in her mind ''T-tell Magnus...he-he is the best father any one could ever ask for.''
Alec nodded and then let out the loudest wail as her hand fell from his cheek and her eyes closed.
''No!No.'' he pulled Katherine's limp form in his chest, tears blocking his view ''No, no you can't be gone.'' Alec buried his face in her hair ''I love you so much. Please Katherine, baby, please don't leave me.''
A hand gripped his shoulder. ''Alec, Kate isn't dead.'' that made him look at Jace who had a look of relief on his face ''Yeah, yeah she isn't dead.''
Alec couldn't say anything, a million thoughts in his mind.He just gripped Katherine's limp form tightly as Izzy looked at her adoptive brother ''How can you be sure?'' her voice was hoarse.
''Because, I didn't feel her death. If Kate had died, our bond would have let me feel her death.''
''He's right.'' Alec looked to see Simon holding Clary in his arms, his own eyes red with tears ''I can still hear her heart beat.'' He looked at Alec ''It's still beating...but if we don't do anything soon, Kate will die.''
Hope and determination filled Alec, he wasn't going to lose Kate, he wouldn't.
''I am calling Magnus.''