"There." Alec pointed on the screen the next morning when I walked over to him and Isabelle after finally getting dressed, "They said that was the angel."

I was dressed in the burnt orange shirt that Alec had got me, as it was short sleeve, slim and cropped, along with black ripped jeans and black combat boots.

Isabelle shrugs, "It could have been a shooting star."

"Shooting stars are in the sky, they don't shoot up to the sky, smart one." I shrugged on my leather jacket, pulling my wavy hair out from under it, then smiled at Alec when I joined them, "Hi-"

"Hi-" Alec smiled back and leaned down, pressing his lips into mine for a few seconds, then pulled away, smiling down at the shirt I was wearing.

"I'm just saying that no one's seen an angel in hundreds of years-" Isabelle looked between the both of us, then looks at Alec, "So- you took my advice about Zee?"

Alec's eyes widen, his head snapping back towards her, my eyebrows furrowing, "Advice?"

"You did, didn't you?" Isabelle's smile started to form, "Okay, start talking-"

"Nothing-" Alec placed his hands on my arms, "There's nothing to talk about-"

"What?" I tried to look at Isabelle, "I wanna know-"

"No-" Alec dragged, pulling me right into his chest so I could no longer see her, "It's nothing-"

Max's familiar voice filled the room as he rushed over to us with a wide smile, "Hey, you guys-"

"Hey, buddy-" A wide smile immediately outstretched on Alec's face at the sight of his little brother, putting a hand on his back as he hugged his legs, "How are you doing?-"

"Max!" Isabelle got down to hug him too, "I missed you so much!-"

"Zee!" Max clutched onto my legs next, my eyes lightly widening at the embrace, "I missed you!"

"I- missed you too, Max-" I trailed off, feeling slightly guilty that I didn't remember him, crouched down to his height, fixing his jacket, "You look so handsome."

"Alec." Maryse's voice filled the room as she slowly walked over to us, "Isabelle."

Then her eyes landed on me, "Zee."

"Maryse-" I smirked, slowly standing up to my feet, putting a hand on my hip, "Long time-"

Alec slowly puts a hand on my lower back as a warning, but I continued with the wide smirk on my face, recalling what Isabelle had told me about her time here when I was on Valentine's ship, "Does it seem to you that I've gone back to my roots yet?"

Maryse inhaled, "It's good to see you all."

"Really?" Isabelle said, "'Cause the last time you were here, you turned your back on all of us- especially Jace."

"I was following orders." Maryse tried to justify her actions, "I had no choice."

I stared at her, my voice lowering, "Turning your back on your son because of the kind of blood he has shouldn't be justified as that."

"Max has some big news." Maryse swallowed hard and changed the subject, "Tell them, sweetheart."

"I passed my last trial." Max excitedly told us, "I'm ready for my Rune Ceremony-"

"Sweet-" I gave him a little fist bump, a small smile on my face, "Congrats, kiddo-"

"Zee, will you practice my roundhouse kick with me?" Max asked, grabbing my hand, "I've mastered it- but I want to train with you-"

I looked up to see Alec softly smiling at us, making me slowly nod down at Max, "Sure-"

"Sadly, your father won't be able to attend." Maryse exhales, "So, Alec, as the eldest male in the family, you will be in charge of Max's ceremonial party."

Alec's expression dropped tremendously at her words, "What do you mean he won't be here?"

I slowly reached and grabbed his hand.

I held it.

Then, squeezed three times.

"He's tied up with the Valentine task force in Idris." Maryse sighed in response.

Isabelle looks down, also upset, "I can't believe Dad would miss this."

"He doesn't have a choice." Maryse said, "We're all on high alert, especially after what that demon did to both of you and Jocelyn."

"I was surprised not to see you at the Rite of Mourning." Isabelle stares right at her, "Dad called to see how we were."

"Isabelle-" Maryse huffed and quickly went after Isabelle when she walked away, leaving Alec and I alone with Max.

I look down at Max, ruffling his hair, "Bet you wish you were back in Idris."

"I thought I was coming here to get away from the fighting." Max sighed quietly, walking between Alec and I.

"Fighting?" Alec repeats, "Mom and Dad?"

Max nods, "All the time."

"What's going on?" Alec questions.

Max stops and looks between us, then just at Alec, "Mom doesn't like you having Zee as a girlfriend."

Both of our expressions dropped slightly.

Alec swallows, "And you?"

"I like Zee-" Max grabbed my hand again, "She's nice- and pretty."

My expression went slightly soft, smiling just lightly when he ran off from us.

"So-" Alec wrapped his arms around me from behind, putting his chin my shoulder, "I have something in mind."

"Oh, god-" I leaned into him, "What is it?"

"How would you feel about throwing a party?" Alec questioned, "Max's Rune Ceremony."

"You're asking the wrong person-" I placed my hand on the back of his head, "And I think I'll pass- Maryse despises me- what will she think when she hears that I planned the party?"

"Well, that's sort of the point of the party." Alec held onto me tighter, his voice getting lower, "So- that she can see that this- us, it's not going away."

I went quiet for a few moments, then leaned my head against his, "I guess I'll have to call Magnus, then-"

-

[ alec's pov ]

"Zee wants to hold this party at the residence of Magnus Bane?" My mother read the invitation, a not so happy look on her expression as I stood in her office, "It's very kind of your friend to offer, but- the Rune Ceremony is a solemn rite of passage, for Shadowhunters- not some Downworlder rave."

"She's not my friend, she's my girlfriend." I corrected her, "And where does it say anything about a rave? Why is it only for Shadowhunters?"

She looked at me, "It's tradition."

"Traditions change, especially those based on ignorance." I remarked at her, "Anyone who cares about Max should be there- that includes me and Zee, together- and anyone who she trusts to be there."

"You put a lot of faith in Valentine's daughter." She set the invitation down and looked at me, "Alec, when will you understand that it's only a matter of time before she's tired of you? This fling you have going on will be over soon enough- she's using you."

This angered me, "You don't have all the facts."

She folds her hands, "Like what?"

"I love her." I shot at her loud and clear, my heart slightly racing at admitting that out loud, "With all my heart- and I know she loves me too."

"You poor child-" She stares at me, "She doesn't love you, she was raised by Valentine- she's complete and utter darkness- that's who she is."

"I fell in love with her darkness." I squeezed my hands together behind my back, "I saw good in her through the darkness, and that's something you wouldn't understand-"

"Alec, you're in love with the person she used to be." She shot back at me, blinded by her hatred, "She's not that person anymore-"

"I left the alter for her- not for the person she used to be." I clenched my jaw lightly, "Because I want all of her- the good and the bad. I'm so- irrevocably in love with her- I've found my one, why can't you accept that?"

I scoff at her silence and shake my head, looking away, "If Dad were here, he'd understand-"

"Well, he's not." She snipped at me suddenly, then sighed lightly and stood up, "Alec- I don't want to fight with you- this dinner, it should be about family, our family."

"What family?" I shot at her, looking between her eyes, "You wanted Jace dead."

She huffs, "I was following orders-"

"You keep saying that." I lightly shake my head, "After a while, it loses its meaning."

"You're right." She exhales, "Of course we'll be there- thank you for going to all this trouble for us."

I took a step back, "Thank Zee."

-

[ zee's pov ]

"God, she's going to hate it- "I rubbed my arm, looking around the party, "What if the food's soggy by the time they get here?"

Alec and I stood in the middle of Magnus' apartment during the party, where I was dressed in a black spaghetti strap midi dress, as it stuck onto my body like a glove, mid open back.

Alec watched me, "You're cute when you're anxious-"

"Alec, I'm serious." I put my hair behind my ears then put my hands on his arms, "Nothing can go wrong-"

"Zee- everything is perfect." Alec wrapped his arms around me and pulled me against him, "And you look beautiful-"

"Alec-" I dragged his name, starting to smile just lightly when he pecked my lips a few times.

The front door opened to reveal Max and Maryse walk in, Max looking around in excitement.

"Max-" Alec grabbed my hand and pulled me over to them, greeting them, "Mother."

Maryse held a bottle toward me in greeting, giving me her best smile to hide how much she didn't want to be here, "I heard you like to drink."

Alec gave her a look, as I slowly took the bottle from her, "I- wow, uhm- welcome-"

Maryse looked around the room, inhaling deep, "You do have exotic taste, don't you?"

"Oh, uhm- the Spanish theme is in honor of you and your husband, Robert." I told her, holding the bottle.

"Really?" Maryse stares, "How so?"

"Alec told me that Robert proposed to you in Barcelona." My fingers tapped against the glass of the bottle, "I thought I could bring some of that feeling back- especially since he couldn't be here to celebrate his own son- father of the year, right?"

Alec reaches and puts a hand on my lower back, looking at me with a look that told me that I had to simmer down on the remarks.

"How sweet that Alec feels comfortable sharing our personal family stories with you." Maryse hid her resentment towards the thought, "Especially considering your- disparate backgrounds."

"Well, you know, people in serious relationships share personal things." I place a hand on my hip, holding the bottle in just one hand now, lightly tilting my head to the side while looking at her, "I'd assume you'd know what that's like."

Before Maryse could reply, I looked down at Max, "How does a Roy Rogers sound?"

Max nods quick, grabbing my hand, following me to the drinks, leaving Alec and Maryse alone.

-

"Zee, hang on-" Maryse quickly came after me when I walked through the apartment, trying my best to avoid her and let her spent time with her kids without having to deal with me.

I stopped and looked at her, "Maryse-"

"I know what you're trying to do here." Maryse stood straight, holding a sangria, "Warm up to me- try to convince me that you're on the good side?"

"Well- I mean, I am-" I blinked, straightening up, putting a strand of my hair behind my ear, "I know I'm a lot to get used to, but-"

"But, nothing." Maryse caught me off, a look of hatred on her expression, "It isn't going to change anything."

I went quiet, staring at her.

"Your heart is black- you can't- feel love." Maryse stepped closer to me, "To love is to destroy and to be loved is to be the one destroyed, no?"

I was at a loss of words, "How do you know that-"

Maryse almost laughs, "How long do you think you'll last before Alec leaves you- he's too good for you, you really think he would stoop as low as to actually fall in love with Valentine Morgenstern's daughter? He's a Lightwood."

I took a step back.

"How long do you think it'll be before Valentine tears throughout the Institute to hurt him for the sole reason that he's with you?" Maryse taunts me, "How long do you think it'll be til what you have with him is over?"

I was tense, "Maryse, enough-"

"Alec's naive-" Maryse scoffs at me, "It's only a matter of time until he realizes you're never going to be enough for him-"

I blinked, before walking past her, leaving her alone.

-

"Jace, I've been avoiding her all night-" I whisper shouted at him as he had a hand on my back, lightly pushing me toward Alec, Maryse, Max and Magnus, "Stop it-"

"You can't keep shying away from her when the whole party is so she gets that you're here to stay-" Jace kept bringing me toward them.

"There's a difference between shying away and avoiding, idiot-" I began to say, but quickly put a fake smile on my face when we reached the group.

Max suddenly looked up at Magnus, "How much of you is a demon?"

"Max, enough." Jace said, holding his sangria, "That's not how we treat our friends, apologize to Magnus."

Max looks up at Jace, "You can't tell me what to do."

Alec stepped in after being quiet, "Hey, just because you're getting your first rune doesn't mean you can talk to your brother like that."

"Jace isn't my brother." Max suddenly said, Jace's entire expression dropping.

Alec didn't look happy, "Max!"

Max continued regardless of Alec trying to stop him, "Mom says you're not even part of our family."

My head snapped toward Jace, whose expression held complete hurt, as he turned and walked back in, "Jace-"

Max and Magnus left us after Jace had, my head snapping towards Maryse, my eyes slightly wide.

"You know, I might not have had the best parental figure, but I know you're not supposed to weigh your own opinions and worries on your kid." I stepped closer to her, staring at her dead in the eye, not being able to stop myself, "Just because he has demon blood doesn't make him any less of the son you raised- what kind of mother are you?"

Maryse goes slightly wide eyed at my words, then looked toward her son for backup, "Alec-"

"No, she's more than right." Alec instead backed me up to her dismay, "This is your fault."

Maryse sighed, "I've tried to keep Max out of it-"

"The hell you have." Alec shot back at her, angered by her, "He learned this behavior from you- if you ever want to make things right with me, you better make them right with Jace."

Maryse looks between us, sighs, then leaves us alone on the terrace, walking back inside.

I looked toward Alec, slowly taking a step towards him and rubbing his arms with my hands, then hugging his middle, "I'm hoping this will make you feel better?"

Alec breathes out, closing his arms around me tightly, burying his face into my hair.

-

"Iz-" I stopped when I ran into her in the hall, "Where have you been? The party started a while ago-"

"I-" Isabelle stammers, "I've been looking everywhere for Mom and Max-"

Jace quickly walked over to us, looking around to see if anyone was listening, his hair slightly messy.

"How did your hair get messy?" I crossed my arms, eyeing him, "Were you slumping it around with someone? Oh, god- did Maryse walk in on it?"

Jace places a hand on my arm, looking at me, letting out a breath, "Maryse just tried to kill me."

Isabelle's eyes widen, "What?-"

"You're joking." I stare at him, my expression unconvinced, "She just saw how upset Alec was about what Max said- what, she thought finishing the job would make matters better?"

Jace pulled me into the room he was just in, Isabelle following, where Maryse laid on the ground, unconscious.

My eyes widen, "Jace-"

"Oh, my God." Isabelle lightly gasped and got down on her knees, "Jace, what did you do?-"

Jace stood straight, looking between Isabelle and I, "I told you, Izzy, I didn't have a choice."

I looked at Jace, "So, you body slam her?-"

Jace looks at me, "She tried to kill me-"

Magnus walked in, having caught a glimpse as well, "Okay, the sangria may have been too strong."

"Shut the door, Alec can't see this-" I immediately said, holding a palm out, then looked back down at Maryse.

"She just tried to kill me, Magnus." Jace said again.

"This will help." Magnus crouched, magic sparking in his hand and he tried to wake Maryse up.

"She just threw an ax at my head, okay-" Jace pointed, "It's stuck in the shelf, right there, see for yourself-"

I looked, "Jace, there's nothing there-"

"It's right there." Jace looked at me, still pointing, "Why can't you see that?-"

Maryse gasped awake, Isabelle helping her up, "Mom, are you okay?-"

"Hey, hey, hey, don't let her up." Jace took a step back, "She's out of her mind-"

Maryse breathed, fixing her dress, her eyes wide, "Jace, I came up here to apologize to you."

"She just said it." Jace looked between us, then at me, "Don't you hear her?-"

"Listen to me." Magnus stood, "Nobody's trying to kill you, you have to believe me- someone's playing with our minds, feeding into our insecurities-"

"Feeding into our insecurities?-" I immediately repeat, looking at Magnus, my mind going to my encounter with Maryse earlier.

"Alec." Clary's panicked voice came muffled from the roof, "Alec, no!-"

All our head snapped toward the sound, Clary's voice sounding once more, "Alec- what are you doing? You're scaring me-"

I was the first to leave the room and rush up to the roof, swinging the door open to see Alec stood on the ledge, looking guilt-ridden and disoriented.

My heart sunk, "Alec-"

It was like he was hearing something completely different, his head slightly turning toward me, a wounded expression on his face, before holding his arms out and letting himself off back.

I moved quickly, catching his hand last second, my stomach hitting against the brick ledge.

I pulled him up back onto the roof despite his attempts to get me to let go, standing in front of him to block his way from going back over to the ledge, "Alec, stop it, please-"

Magnus quickly joined us on the roof, using his magic to sedate Alec, who fell into me, as I gently set him down onto the ground, my hands holding his face, my heart beat racing with fear.

I wouldn't admit to him that I was scared, though.

I looked back at Clary, "What happened?-"

Clary uncovered her mouth, panicked still, "All of a sudden, he started talking about how I hated him for killing my mom."

Maryse gasped when she finally reached the roof with Jace and Isabelle, "Alec?-"

"It's okay." Magnus said, "I sedated him after Zee pulled him off the ledge-"

Jace stood behind me, then points at Maryse when she came close, "You know what, you stay away from him, you can't be trusted-"

"I can't be trusted?" Maryse repeats his words, then scoffs, "Now you see why I was wary of having a party at a warlock's house-"

"Enough-" I turned my head and looked at her, "You're acting like there would be a difference if it was hosted at the Institute-"

"Wow." Simon joined us, "What's going on here?"

"Oh, what do you care?" Clary snipped at him, crossing her arms, "Maia is at the bar."

Simon stared at her, confused at her words, "Yes, and Alec's on the ground. Is he gonna be okay?"

"You're all gonna be okay." Magnus took a few steps back, "Everyone just stay here- I'll be right back."

The moment he left, everyone stood straight, Maryse immediately targeting Clary, "What did you say to my son? You don't think that Alec feels guilty enough?-"

"Hey, back up-" I dropped Alec's face, standing up and getting between them, my voice stern.

"Oh, really? You're going to defend her- when she's the reason Alec almost just killed himself-" Maryse scoffs at me, "You know what, no, it's not her fault, it's you- it's all you, this wouldn't have happened if you were in charge of hosting- everything that's happened tonight is because of you-"

"Hey-" I lightly raised my voice, pointing at her, "The only reason anything has gone wrong tonight is because you keep causing problems- if you just accepted the fact that Alec and I are together rather than trying so hard to break us up, we wouldn't be in this mess! I mean, do you see how Max is acting because of the behavior he's learning from you?-"

Magnus quickly came back out, holding his spell book to see all of us bickering, our shouting and arguments loud.

Magnus began speaking out a spell, all of our arguments silencing the moment he grunted after completing the spell.

Jace was the one to break the silence, "Mom?-"

"Jace." Maryse exhaled, her eyes falling onto me.

I swallowed hard and broke eye contact, looking back down by Alec, quickly crouching when I had seen his eyes open, "Hey, hey, hey-"

I gently grabbed his face, caressing his cheek with my thumb as Jace, Maryse and Isabelle crouched as well, "Are you alright?-"

Alec softly nodded, leaning into my touch, his hand grabbing the hand that held his face.

Simon questions, "What happened here?-"

"It seems a warlock has been having a little fun at our expense." Magnus exhales lightly.

But, moments later, he letting out a sound of surprise, his hands empty.

Magnus snaps his hands and pulls his wards up around the building, "Someone has taken my spell book-"

Clary looks up, "You're putting your wards up?"

Magnus points, "Nobody leaves until I get it back."

-

"I was this close to lining up a three-way and you guys let yourselves get spelled?" Raj huffed when Magnus had checked him clean of the missing spell book.

"I know you're eager to lose your virginity, Raj, but when serious matters come to hand, your needs can wait-" I pushed him out the door, shutting the door behind him, looking back, "Was he the last one?"

"It appears I'm the only warlock here." Magnus exhales and put down his wards.

Clary speaks, "Magnus, what happens if we don't find your spell book?"

"That's not an option you want to explore." Magnus said, "That book can undo every spell I've ever cast. From the elementary to the complex- in new and old languages-"

Magnus' voice slowly became lower in slight realization, "Champenois."

I crossed my arms and slowly walked over to them, tilting my head to the side lightly, "English?-"

"It's an old French dialect." Magnus looked up, then walked away, "The red-haired cat."

I slowly followed, everyone behind me, "You're telling me we're looking for a cat?"

Magnus shushes me, as we entered a bedroom, slowly and quietly looking around for the cat.

We all slowly came to a stop at the bump under the comforter on the bed, as Jace ripped the covers off the bed, revealing a red haired cat.

The cat went to run, but Magnus blasted it quick, revealing Iris Rouse, who immediately shouted, making us freeze in our spot, "Duratus!"

As we all stood frozen, Magnus and Iris had gone in the living room, as we could only hear sounds of crashing and grunts.

Moments later, we were released from the hold, as we all rushed out to the living room to see Magnus holding Iris in a rope of magic.

"Clary Fairchild-" Iris said the moment her eyes landed on her, "You made a blood oath- find Madzie."

Magnus opened a portal and pushes Iris through, shutting it, "She's the Clave's problem now."

-

"She said that my father made it clear that I was to be left unharmed because I was of great importance?" I had my arms crossed, staring at Magnus, "That's bull- he knows I can take care of myself."

Alec speaks, "What is Valentine up to anyway?-"

Jace and Clary were trading looks, before he quietly said to her, "It's too dangerous-"

"Jace, they're our family." Clary sighs deeply, Her arms crossed, "They need to know."

Isabelle looks at them, "Know what?"

"The angel- Ithuriel." Clary exhales deeply and looks between us, "Valentine was going to use him to activate the Soul-Sword- he needs someone with pure angel blood to activate it."

Simon inhales, "Well, that doesn't sound good."

"It's not." Jace exhales, "With the Soul-Sword activated, Valentine could decimate the entire Downworld."

"The angel showed us a vision of a demon who could destroy the Sword." Jace continued, "If we could find that demon, we could stop Valentine."

Magnus looks between them, asking the question that was burning in all of our minds, "How did you two save the angel?"

Clary looked at me right away, "With runes the angel gave to me."

"That the angel- gave you?" I slowly uncrossed my arms, "Like when?-"

"Kind of- it was different- I had to draw them- but, it was the same thing." Clary stares right back at me.

Isabelle stares at us, "Like when what?"

I went silent for a few moments, feeling all their eyes on me, and Jace's screaming for me not to speak of it.

But, reluctantly, I exhale, "I shot sunlight out of my hand- alright?"

Alec blinks, "You what?-"

"When Clary went missing at Iris'- I took downstairs- I found her- and I killed the demon that was about to attack her-" I went in depth, crossing my arms again, "Not with my kindjals- but with a rune I'd never seen before- searing itself onto my palm, then proceeding to shoot out legitimate sunlight. I didn't even need a stele-"

"It was a new rune- no one's ever seen before." Jace exhaled, "I'm thinking it was Ithuriel- just like what happened with Clary."

Isabelle looks at me, "Why did he choose you?"

"How the hell would I know?" I replied.

"I might." Magnus interjected, "Years ago, a Silent Brother told me about a special connection the original Shadowhunters had with the Angel Raziel."

"That they could communicate from afar through visions." Magnus looked from Clary, to me, "Because they were created from his blood-"

Alec took a step, "Are you saying that Zee may-"

"Have a blood connection to that angel." Magnus lightly nods, then looked at me, just as shocked as everyone else, "And that must mean she has pure angel blood."

That was something that no one was expecting.

"Wait, wait-" Isabelle interrupts, "If Valentine wants Zee unharmed- because she's important- that would mean-"

"That's why Valentine wants Zee unharmed." Jace realized, "Zee can activate the Soul-Sword."

-

"Hey," Jace came over to me a few moments after Max's Rune Ceremony as I stood alone in the hall, "You should know- that Valentine's-"

"Coming for me? I know-" I looked up at him, my arms crossed as I leaned against the wall, "Which means I'm not going to be here much longer, am I?"

"Which means I'm never letting you out of my sight." Jace corrected me, looking between my eyes, "Zee, we won't let him take you- don't give up on us."

"I'm not giving up- I'm accepting what's going to happen-" I ran my hands down my dress, fixing it, "How many times has he been a threat because I'm here? It's about time I just go back-"

"It's about time you fight for what you want and stop letting him be the factor of what your fate is." Jace stares at me, "You want Alec? Fight. You want to be here- with us? Fight back. You want this life and not the life back with Valentine? You fight back, Zee. That's the kind of woman you've always been- don't let Valentine take that away from you."

I stare at him, not replying, as Alec walked over to us, his hands in his pockets, looking between us both.

Jace looks between us, noticing us looking at each other, "I'll give you two a minute-"

The moment Jace walked away, I turned and grabbing Alec's face gently, standing on my tippy toes and pressing my lips into his.

Alec kissed back for a few seconds, a small smile on his lips when I did initiated it, slowly pulling away, keeping his face close to mine, "What was that for?"

"I- I don't know." I exhale quietly, dropping down to my normal height and grabbed his hand, squeezing it three times.

"Are you alright?" I was quiet, looking between his eyes, "When I saw you on that ledge, Alec-"

Alec began shaking his head, "Zee, I'd never-"

"Alec, something I learned by being a friend of Magnus' is that magic doesn't create feelings, it just exposes them-" I stared at him, "If you ever have those kind of thoughts- you can talk to me, alright?-"

Alec grabbed my face with one hand and caressed my cheek, "You're sweet."

"I'm just saying, if you pull that kind of stunt, I'm bringing you back to life and killing you myself-" I pointed at him lightly, leaning into his touch.

"Thank you for saving my life." Alec's voice lowered.

I stared at him, my voice lowering just like his, "Anytime-"

Alec then pressed his lips into mine, silencing us.

authors note:

i do not know how i feel about this chapter

i mean some moments are good

but some are having me like ehhh this real shitty

zace is such a great brotp tho

and zalec has my heart

alec was my favorite part of this chapter

thank you so much for 19k !!!

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