CHAPTER ONE
OPERATION: FIND BUTTERCUP'S MOTHER

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

     "Okay, here's what we know so far."

Adrian locked eyes with Alec, who was coming into the living room with two coffees in his hands. He stopped a few steps into the room, blinking owlishly at the whiteboard Magnus had set up where his television usually was. Magnus was writing on it now with a purple erasable marker, the eraser in his other hand. Adrian looked back at Alec and brought a finger to his lips, telling him silently not to interrupt Magnus, and Alec closed his mouth. He came over and plopped down on the leather couch beside Adrian, handing him one of the cups. Adrian took it gratefully, leaning up to press a soft kiss against Alec's cheek before he settled back against the cushions. Isabelle was on his other side, painting her nails with a bottle of nail polish she had found in Magnus's bathroom, and Oliver was taking up the last bit of room on the couch, watching Magnus with drooping eyes. There was a full moon last night, and looking at Oliver now, Adrian could only conclude that it had been a long and hard one.

Clary and Jace were on the love seat across from them, cuddled into each other's sides. Simon was the only one that was missing. He had been trying to stay at home more and more. His mother was suspicious of him lately, even though Magnus had erased his disappearance from her memory. It had been a month since the Mortal War, a month since Simon had been able to come back home and the rest of them could go back to living their lives, but everything was different now and none of them could ignore that. Especially since Adrian was borderline obsessed with what Magnus was rambling about currently.

"Alice Rosewell was exiled and stripped of her Marks in 1991, a year after our dear Adrian was born, because she fell in love and married a mundane—who was also Adrian's father, but that's beside the point. She survived the stripping of her Marks, that we know, and the last time anyone saw her was when she said goodbye to her mother, Mary Rosewell." Magnus wasn't writing words on the white board, but rather small cartoons that told a version of the story. Adrian watched it all with mild amusement, the corners of his mouth curling upward. "Now start brainstorming, everyone, Operation: Find Buttercup's Mother is a go."

"Well, we only have one lead, right?" Clary spoke up immediately, shooting Adrian a small smile. His friends had been nothing but supportive when he had come to them and admitted that he couldn't simply move on after finding out he had been adopted and his mother had been exiled instead of killed during a mission. None of them had been more supportive than Clary. She knew what it was like to desperately want to find a mother. "She was married, so we find the husband. What's your dad's name again, Dri?"

"Adam Montgomery," Adrian revealed. Clary's plan was perfectly logical, but it was made harder by the fact that his father's name wasn't exactly unique. He couldn't imagine how many Adam Montgomerys' were in New York City alone, never mind the entire state of New York. At least they had it narrowed down to the state. Alice had been preparing to take over the New York Institute when she had met Adam, according to Mary, so at least they had one thing going for them.

"There's a lot of Adam Mongomerys' in the state," Oliver said, echoing Adrian's own thoughts, "but we know they're living mundane lives, right? Or that's the running theory right now. They're probably in the phone book. It would take a while, but we can make a list and go down it." Adrian wrinkled his nose. He didn't much like the plan, but that was only because it would take such a long time, and he wanted to find her as quickly as possible. He wanted to find both of them as quickly as possible.

"There's something none of you are considering," Magnus spoke up. There was a bit of excitement in his voice, a brightness in his eyes that made Adrian smile. The mystery of it all was the most exciting thing about the situation for Magnus, and Adrian couldn't fault him in that. "The Clave has both of their names on record, and we know Alice Rosewell was not a stupid woman. If I was her, the first thing I would have done was change my name, and I have no doubt in my mind she convinced her husband to change his name, too. Shadowhunters who have their Marks stripped aren't just cast off in shame. They're considered traitors, and we all know how extreme other Shadowhunters can be when they see someone as a traitor." Hearing him explain his reasoning, Adrian could feel his stomach sinking.

"So we basically have nothing," Adrian said, sighing. He had known that all along that it wouldn't be easy to find his parents, but he hadn't expected for there to be nothing to work with. He glanced down at the coffee resting in his lap, curling his hands tighter around the cup and feeling the warmth seep into his palms. Alec, sensing that his mood was spiraling downward at an alarming rate, leaned over a pressed a kiss to his shoulder. Adrian leaned against him and twisted his left hand up to look at the Rosewell ring on his middle finger. He'd worn it since his grandmother, Mary Rosewell, had given it to him. He had told her that he was going to find Alice, but she had asked him not to tell her anything. She didn't want to be used against him in a trial if Adrian were to be caught.

Shadowhunters were not allowed to interact with anyone in exile. That was the point. Adrian didn't plan on doing anything aside from meeting her—he didn't even know if he would even go through with that—but he knew he had to know if she was alive and happy.

"We have enough," Magnus declared, capping the marker and setting it down. "Don't worry, buttercup. Anyone can be found if you look hard enough. Besides, I know a couple of people who are good at finding lost families. I'll contact them and see if they know anything." Adrian blinked and looked at Magnus in surprise. Sometimes he forgot just how genuinely kind Magnus Bane actually was. He usually hid it behind glitter and extravagant clothing, but ever since the Mortal War—or even before that, at the battle on Valentine's ship—he had been revealing it to Adrian and his friends more and more. He was one of them now, and so was Oliver.

"Thanks, Magnus," Adrian said quietly, then quickly drank his cup of coffee, gulping it down at a rate that was concerning. He knew he would be bouncing on the heels of his feet before he even left Magnus's apartment because of all the caffeine, but it was better than meeting any of the gazes suddenly staring at him. Once he was done, he set the empty cup down and got to his feet, stretching his arms over his head. He cast a look toward the decorative clock in the corner and was relieved to see that it was nearly twelve in the afternoon. "We have to go pick up Max, but I appreciate this, guys. I really do."

"Don't worry about it," Clary said cheerfully, jumping to her feet and bounding over to him. She was a head shorter than him, so when she wrapped her arms around him in a hug, he had no problem setting his chin on top of her head. When she spoke again, her voice was low enough that only he could hear, especially since the others were rising to their feet and saying goodbye. "And don't worry about your mom or dad, either. I thought finding my own mother was impossible too, and now look at us." She tilted her head up and smiled at him. "Things are going to work out, Dri. I promise." His nose immediately wrinkled.

"You can't promise something like that," he pointed out. When it came to promises, especially for Shadowhunters, one could never be too careful. Clary didn't seem concerned. She just shrugged her shoulders and stepped away from him. His arms dropped back to his sides.

"Yes, I can," she declared. "I have a gut feeling."

"Ah, well, in that case," Adrian said, tone teasing. Clary just smiled and twisted around to join Jace. They had to continue Clary's Shadowhunter training, and from what Adrian had heard, they were working on her balance. She'd be walking along the beams close to the ceiling of the training room within half an hour, nothing but a retractable harness wrapped around her waist to stop her from falling at full speed into the mats below. They'd all been up on the thin beams, had all mastered it long before they were allowed to practice walking across roofs, and Adrian knew how the breath was knocked out of you when you fell. He hoped Jace had warned Clary about it. If not, she was in for a nasty surprise—and probably a cracked rib.

Though she would probably get a cracked rib regardless if she fell from the beam. It was a rite of passage at this point. Better a cracked rib than a broken leg. Adrian should know. He had experienced both.

He sacrificed a few minutes to say goodbye to Magnus and Oliver, quickly kissed the top of Isabelle's head as she passed by, then linked hands with Alec and left the apartment. Max wasn't far. They had dropped him off on the way to Magnus's apartment, left in the caring hands of Maia Roberts, who was teaching him sign language. Maia was also working a shift at Hunter's Moon, a werewolf bar at night and a cheap place to eat during the day. Adrian had promised to pick Max up before her shift started at twelve. He was running a little late, though, so he made a mental note to make it up to her.

"Hey," Alec said beside him, tugging at his hand hard enough to make Adrian realize how fast he was walking. He worked to slow himself down. He wasn't sure why he was in such a hurry. He knew Max would be at the bar studying and practicing sign language, knew that Maia would be waitressing, and knew that Bat Velasquez would be behind the bar itself, serving drinks while keeping one eye on the sweet Shadowhunter kid who never said a word, but would brighten like the sun when someone asked him about whatever manga he was reading.

"Adrian," Alec said, tugging Adrian fully to a stop now. Adrian blinked rapidly and stared at Alec in surprise, then managed a sheepish smile. He hadn't even realized he hadn't responded to Alec's first attempt to get his attention. He needed to get out of his own head. Alec, looking concerned now, pulled his hand out of Adrian's just to reach up and cup Adrian's face. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Adrian said immediately, reaching up to remove Alec's hands from his face. He paused to drop a kiss against each of his palms, just so the gesture wouldn't hurt his feelings. It was his way of telling Alec that he needed a little more space, and Alec got the message immediately, dropping his hands away from Adrian's cheeks. Adrian kept hold of them anyway, holding them between their bodies. "Yeah, Alec, I'm fine. I'm just..." He paused and shook his head. "Everyone keeps saying that we'll find her, and I do think we will, but what if..."

"What if?" Alec prompted, tilting his head in curiosity. Adrian shifted on his feet, uncomfortable. He was afraid to ask the question out loud, afraid it would jinx it or make it real, but he also knew that sharing it would make him feel a little better. He sucked in a deep breath and let it out in a heavy sigh.

"What if I don't like what I find?" he asked, keeping his eyes glued to their clasped hands. Alec didn't respond right away, so he continued, trying to explain what he meant. "I mean, finding out that she's dead, that my biological dad is dead too, that's—that's bad, but it's bearable. I never knew her, and I didn't even know he existed until a month ago, so it's not really something I haven't struggled with before. I never had a dad anyway, and I always thought my mother was dead. But if they're both alive, and I find out they don't even care..."

"Your grandmother said that she wanted to take you with her, but the Clave wouldn't allow it," Alec reminded gently, squeezing Adrian's hands to offer a little bit of comfort. Adrian knew, logically, that he was right. Mary Rosewell had indeed said that, and it was plausible. Shadowhunters were few and far in between already. The Clave never would have allowed Alice to take her son with her into exile, and even if they had, they still would have turned up on their doorstep when Adrian was twelve and asked him if he wanted to hunt monsters and save people. He would have had the option to say no, of course, but he wouldn't have. Hunting was part of every Shadowhunter, something in their blood that made them enjoy the act, even if the life itself was unbearable. He would have said yes, and he wouldn't have known that he would never be able to see his exiled family again until after runes were covering his skin.

"It's been nearly eighteen years since then," Adrian pointed out, swallowing when he noticed his voice sounded a little rough. His mouth was dry. "What if they, I don't know, forgot about me or—" He broke off at the same time Alec gave him a confused look. He knew perfectly well why he was being looked at like that. From what they had all heard, Alice Rosewell had been a wonderful woman, if a little headstrong and stubborn. There was no way she would have forgotten her own child, her first son she was forced to leave behind. She might have moved on the best she could, but she hadn't forgotten. Adrian took a deep breath when he felt the truth of it. Even with anxiety running through his system, his own logic was too strong.

"Either way," Alec said gently, moving on from Adrian's silly question. "You'll never forgive yourself if you let this go. Knowing is better than not knowing, and even if it is the worst possible scenario you can imagine, you won't be alone. You have the rest of us." Alec suddenly looked shy, and he cast his gaze sideways, his cheeks tinted pink. "You have me." A fond smile tugged at the corners of Adrian's mouth, and his mood immediately brightened. Alec Lightwood wasn't the best at expressing himself—he still struggled saying the words I love you, even though Adrian knew he did—so whenever he managed it, Adrian was both touched and proud. It was a slow process, but one Alec was making strides in.

"Yeah, I do have you," Adrian said warmly, looping his arms around Alec's waist and tugging him closer. He pressed a kiss to the corner of Alec's mouth, smiling wider when Alec got embarrassed and ducked his head away. He pressed another kiss to his jaw before he stepped away. "Come on. Max is waiting. Should we eat lunch while we're there?"

"Yes, please, I'm starving," Alec said, linking their fingers together like before and continuing down the sidewalk. Adrian skipped a bit to get back to his side, then started swinging their hands between them, humming under his breath. The rest of the walk to the restaurant was as peaceful as it could be considering it was the middle of the day in New York. Car horns were blaring and the sidewalks were crowded, but Alec and Adrian were well-versed with maneuvering around the city. Their runes certainly helped, though. When they were hidden from mundane eyes, the mundanes around them automatically moved out of the way, so the path to the restaurant was relatively clear. They had to cut across the street to get to Hunter's Moon, but once they were inside, both of them relaxed a bit.

"Hey, Max," Adrian greeted once they reached the bar, letting go of Alec's hand to ruffle Max's dark hair. He was bent over a comic book, glasses crooked on his face. Beside him sat Emily Brookes, a werewolf his own age who was teaching him sign language with Maia. She was reading a comic book too. Pulling his gaze away, Adrian flashed Maia a warm smile. She was drying glasses behind the bar. "Sorry we're a little late. He hasn't been too difficult, has he?"

"He's been alright," Maia said, shooting Max a teasing look, not that Max noticed. He was too absorbed with his comic book. Maia watched Adrian and Alec pulled the chairs beside Max out from the bar. "The usual? I expect a very good tip." Even as she spoke, she was setting out utensils and napkins. Adrian opened her mouth to tell her that of course she'd get a good tip, but she was already gone, disappearing behind the door that led to the kitchen. Setting his chin on the palm of his hand, Adrian glanced over at Max.

"Have you eaten lunch?" he asked, poking him on the shoulder to get his attention. Without dragging his eyes away from the comic book, Max nodded. Ruffling his hair one last time, Adrian turned toward Alec next. Alec was already looking at him, a thoughtful look on his face. Adrian raised his eyebrows. "What? Do I have something on my face?" Alec's lips twitched.

"No," he said, laughing softly. "I was just thinking that, if you ever get anxious about finding your mom again, we could always go off on our own for a while. Go out to eat, go for a walk, even train. That way you can let all the anxiety out somehow." Adrian smiled bright and wide, leaning forward to kiss Alec quickly.

"Deal," Adrian agreed, noticing the kitchen door open. Maia came out with two plates of food and two drinks balanced on a tray. Adrian kissed Alec one last time before straightening in his chair. "Now let's eat."

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm very excited for this new, revamped version of Sweet Creature, but fair warning. The updates are going to come along slowly, similar to my other book, Solar.