Chapter 36

The Claiming – Part 2

WARNING – SEXUAL CONTENT

Not Intended for readers under the age of 18

WARNING - THIS CHAPTER IS NOT INTENDED FOR READERS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 - I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR READERS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 WHO READ THIS!!!!!!!

A/N: Just a heads up to make reading easier, some of the more intimate parts of this chapter switch back and forth between Alec and Magnus's perspectives.

ALL SMUT WILL BE IN BOLD

PS: I own no rights to any of the music in this chapter. All credits belong to The Philharmonic Orchestra

To My Wonderful Readers: I know there has been some delay on new chapters and there is a reason for that. This is what I call a 'remastered' chapter. From Chapter 28 – Mission Plans & Extractions Part 2 through Chapter 36 – The Claiming Part 3 I am reworking and enhancing the chapters to include new story that's vital in us turning the next corner in this journey. Please be patient with me. New chapters are coming, but these must be done first. I hope you enjoy all that is new.

- B

____________________

https://youtu.be/mz38-IWPfkE

Magnus was pacing. He couldn't stop pacing. Looking at his watch for the thousandth time he saw the time. It had taken a little over an hour for his knot to go down and he'd held his sleeping angel in his arms for every second. Just as he'd held him for the second hour. But not long after he'd started to worry. As far as they knew a transition shouldn't take this long.

Shortly after the third hour started, he'd tucked his precious Alexander into bed and watched him sleep. But that was when true fear had started to take hold. He'd been about to message Catarina when he saw what he was certain there was no documentation of in any of their miniscule records.

At first there had been a single strand of crystal blue light wrapping itself around his love. Then not long after it had become two. Then two had become three just before it was joined by silver strands that intertwined with the blue, and together they were wrapping his Shadowhunter in a shimmering crystal blue and silver cocoon.

It had been just over four hours since he'd claimed his one true love and with each passing second the stands of light seemed to be getting brighter and brighter. For almost an hour he'd watched torn on what to do. Should he message Catarina? Should he give it a little more time? But before he could make up his mind, he heard a soft sound. He heard his husband stir. Then the bright cocoon began fading away. He was back at his side in a second. And as the lights vanished completely, he watched his favorite crystal blue eyes flutter open. He took a relieved breath when he finally saw his precious Alexander looking up at him.

"Hi." Alec said softly.

"Hi there, handsome." He said. "How do you feel?"

"Okay." Alec said, blushing. He actually felt better than 'okay'. He felt wonderful, happy, content, and at peace. He'd had the best dreams. Beautiful dreams that he couldn't wait to have come true. The only thing missing was the feel of his precious warlock's arms around him. He wanted nothing more in that moment than to be in his arms. "Hold me?"

"Of course, sweetheart." He said, laying down beside him and pulling him into his arms.

"What's wrong?" Alec asked, laying his head on his alpha's shoulder. He'd seen the worry etched around his favorite chocolate brown eyes.

"Nothing. I was scared for a bit. That's all." He said. "It took a little longer than expected. But seeing as this hasn't been done before I guess we really didn't know what to expect."

"Did it work?" Alec asked.

"Well, let's see." He said, gently cupping his angel's cheek. Pushing soft magic through his touch he smiled. It hadn't taken him but a second to find what he was looking for. He could feel his warlock's magic humming beneath his skin. His Shadowhunter Warlock's. "It looks like it did."

"Really?" Alec asked, looking up at the man that he loved with all that he is. The man he now had forever with. "We really get to have all of our pretty babies and happy times?" He asked, thinking of the wonderful dreams he'd just had.

"Really." He said, chuckling. The excitement he saw shining in his love's beautiful eyes was precious. But he was just as excited himself. The man that he now held in his arms, the man he'd waited more than 800 years for, he could hold forever. And they would have their pretty babies and happy times. "I love you so much, Alexander." He said softly, gently caressing his cheek.

"Not more than I love you." Alec breathed through the sweet pleasure of his alpha's gentle touch, a beautiful tingle running down his spine. "Now kiss me please."

"Your wish is my command." He said, pressing a soft kiss to his love's lips. He could feel his temperature rising again. His next cycle was starting.

Alec melted into the soft kiss. He didn't have to ask for entrance. His husband opened for him on his own. When their tongues brushed, they danced a sweet but familiar dance. A dance that was always beautiful.

When his husband hummed low in the back of his throat he reached up and held him close, his hand sliding into his silky black hair. His alpha says that he's the best kisser, but he's wrong. His warlock is and always will be the best. Tilting his head, he took the heavenly kiss deeper, humming low in the back of his own throat. The taste of his delicious alpha on his tongue and the sweetness of the kiss had him aching with a need to be touched. A need to be touched everywhere.

"Touch me." He breathed when the kiss broke as he panted for breath. "Anywhere. Just touch me."

Magnus melted into the soft kiss. He didn't wait for his precious Alexander to ask for entrance. He opened on his own. He needed the divine taste of him on his tongue. When their tongues brushed a sweet but familiar dance his head spun. This dance was always beautiful. He couldn't help but think what he always did. That his Shadowhunter is the most magnificent kisser.

He hummed low in the back of his throat from the beauty of the kiss. And the feel of his angel holding him close when he slid his hand into his hair, it was perfect. When his husband tilted his head and took the kiss deeper, he savored the sound of his soft moan, a moan that was almost a sigh. It was beautiful music. Every sound he made in bed was music to his ears.

When the kiss broke and he heard his love's words, he was more than happy to give him what he wanted. Still panting for breath, he reached out and traced the rune on his young warrior's hip with his fingertip. And he would trace them all before his heat was done. Just as he would trace them all with his tongue.

"Make these go away." Alec said, tugging on his warlock's shirt. He wanted to feel him. He needed to.

Magnus snapped his fingers, shedding himself of his clothes.

The instant his alpha's clothes vanished Alec pushed him onto his back and quickly straddled him. His husband's thick cock nestled in his crack had him aching for it. He was aching to have it fill him, but he wanted something else first. Leaning forward he claimed his mouth in another beautiful kiss.

His head spun when their tongues brushed again. Sliding his hands back into his alpha's hair they kissed again and again, each heavenly kiss better than the last.

His warlock's hands roaming up and down his back, caressing and molding his ass with each pass, had magnificent pleasure humming beneath his skin. Everywhere he touched there was pleasure.

Magnus went easily when his angel rolled him onto his back. He couldn't help but think again of how perfect his weight on his hips felt. And his cock nestled in his crack had him aching to fill him, and he would very soon.

He opened instantly when he claimed his mouth in another beautiful kiss, savoring the taste of him on his tongue. He thought he must be in heaven when his love's hands slid into his hair again as he claimed his mouth in yet another magnificent kiss. Again and again, they kissed, each beautiful kiss better than the last.

They were too lost in it and each other to see it. They didn't see the swirling crystal blue and green intertwined and circling them. They didn't see their magic, the magic that only true love can make.

Alec felt a warm gush and knew what it was. And with it came a fresh need to be filled. Without thinking he lifted his hips. His breath exploded from his lungs forcing him to break the kiss that he didn't want to end as he lowered himself, his alpha's thick cock easing through his rim.

Magnus knew what was coming when his Shadowhunter lifted his hips. Had he not already lost his breath from their magical kiss he would have lost it when his angel lowered himself onto his cock, when it eased through his magnificently tight rim.

His hands went to the ass that he was filling as his angel lowered himself, slowly sheathing him inside him. The tight squeeze of his channel gripping him had the most sinful pleasure coursing through him, pleasure that was lighting up every nerve in his body. His moan mixed with his beautiful husband's when he settled flush on his hips.

Ever so slowly Alec lowered himself onto the thick cock that he was desperately aching to have inside him. He needed it badly. The stretch and sense of fullness as he filled himself would have stolen his breath had he not already lost it from the pleasure of the sweet intrusion. The scrape against prostate had the most exquisite pleasure coursing through him, pleasure that was lighting up every nerve in his body. His moan mixed with his husband's when he settled flush on his hips. Leaning forward he pressed a soft kiss to his lips. Then another.

"You feel so good." He breathed as he lifted his hips and slowly lowered himself. He wasn't thinking, just doing. He had no control. The omega in him had taken the reins, and it was wonderful. The feel of his alpha's thick cock as he filled himself again was exquisite. "Let me pleasure you." He said.

He didn't wait for a response. Lifting his hips again he slowly rose and fell on his precious warlock's length. The pleasure was pure bliss. A bliss he wanted to share. Taking his alpha's hands in his own he pinned them beside his head as he rose and fell again. He hadn't gotten to bind him yet, but he would. Before his heat was done, he would.

Magnus was more than willing to let his love have his way. He couldn't help but think that his sweet kiss and low hum of pleasure was adorable as he rose and fell on his length. He did some of the most adorable things in bed.

The pleasure as he slowly lifted his hips, as he rose up off his length before lowering himself again was exquisite. He wasn't expecting it when his sweet angel pinned his hands beside his head as he rose and fell again. He hadn't been restrained before but being pinned like this was always wonderful. It made him want to be truly bound and at his Shadowhunter's mercy. The mere thought of it had as much excitement coursing through him as pleasure. The most magnificent pleasure.

Again and again, Alec rose and fell on his alpha's thick cock, each rise and fall faster than the last. The scrape against his prostate was decadent. But he knew that he wouldn't last much longer. Not being so sensitive. He could feel the base of his precious warlock's magnificent cock thickening more and more with each heavenly rise and fall and knew that they were about to fall over the edge. With three more delicious rises and falls he cried out as he came, his cock erupting between them as utterly blissful breathtaking pleasure rocked him to his core.

Magnus could feel the base of his cock thickening and knew that they were close to what he knew would be an earthshattering release. Very close. With three more rises and falls they came, his cock erupting in his precious Alexander and filling him with ropes of his cum.

Breaking free of his angel's grip he caught him as he gave out and lowered him to his chest. Wrapping his arms securely around him he held him close as he trembled and fought for breath.

Alec didn't know how he ended up in his husband's arms, but he felt safe and secure as he fought for breath, his head resting on his chest. He didn't feel himself trembling but for the first time he felt his alpha's knot fully formed inside him. It was foreign but it was also heavenly. The sense of fullness and pressure against his prostate was magnificent.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" Magnus asked as he caught his breath. He knew that his Shadowhunter was feeling his knot for the first time despite the fact that it was the second time he'd been knotted. He'd eased him to sleep after making the claiming bite before he could.

"Mm-hmm." He said, looking up into his favorite chocolate brown eyes. He couldn't help but think again that they were beautiful in the flickering lantern light.

"Is my knot uncomfortable?" Magnus asked. He was hoping that it wouldn't be, but he was worried that it might be. While his precious Alexander loved being filling, having something filling you and pressed against your very swollen prostate for more than an hour could get uncomfortable.

"No. It feels good." He said. "What do we do now?"

"We wait for it to go down." Magnus said. "It'll be a little over an hour. Would you like me to help you sleep for a bit?"

"No." He said. "I'm not tired. But I had the best dreams while I was transitioning. Would you like to hear about them?"

"I would love to hear about them." Magnus said. He loved hearing about his sweet angel's dreams of pretty babies and happy times. With the way he described them it was if he could see them in his mind's eye.

Snapping his fingers, he covered them with a soft satin sheet. Pulling it up around them he tucked his love in as best he could. While he'd added more wood to the fire while his Shadowhunter was transitioning, he didn't want him to get cold. Especially if he fell asleep. It wouldn't be the first time that he'd drifted off into new dreams of their pretty babies and happy times while telling him of the ones he'd already had.

"Well, we're going to have to keep a sharper eye on little miss Sophie-Clare than we first thought." He said, smiling at the wonderful memory. "She really is going to be handful. Not in a bad way, but still. She's also definitely the leader of the pack."

"That doesn't surprise me." Magnus said, pressing a soft kiss to his husband's lips. "From what you've told me, it sounds like she's going to be a lot like her daddy. She is going to be half you after all."

"Very funny." He said. "You'll understand when I tell you more."

"I'm sure I will. Tell me what else our baby girl's going to get into." Magnus said, remembering all of the wonderful things that he'd already told him about her. All things that made him smile. But he had no doubt, the first of their girl's truly would be a handful.

____________________

Robert poured the last cup of the third pot of coffee in Luke's cup. They were going to have to make more. They were going through it quickly.

They were waiting anxiously for news from Magnus. The last message they'd gotten had told them that his son was doing well and that he was enjoying himself which had been a relief. He'd also asked a question, a question that had caught him completely off guard. There were no details as to how his precious boy knew, but they all now knew a secret his best friend had been keeping. That the next Greymark angel baby is on its way. Thus far, they hadn't confirmed it with them, but they would have to soon.

He was happy for his soon to be parabatai and his wife. He was more than happy, actually. He was thrilled. And he understood why they hadn't told anyone yet. They wanted to tell Ziva first. And they hadn't wanted anyone to have to keep their secret from their leaders. The only reason his fiancée had known is because she'd confirmed the pregnancy.

Seeing Luke's happiness had reminded him of his own when he'd learned that his beautiful babies were on their way. The babies that are now grown. It had been three months to the day since his Alexander had fled from the Institute after his first heat had started, so they were assuming that with the absence of an update from Magnus since that afternoon that this one had too. And they were all going a bit crazy not knowing what was going on. Besides the obvious.

The angel babies had enjoyed their sleepover immensely and had long since crashed, but everyone else was wide awake despite the excitements of the fun filled evening. The distractions Clary had planned had run their course and there was no not thinking about their worries and fears anymore. She was currently chewing her nails, something she never did. She wasn't feeling anything through their bond presumably because of the omega rune. But it put her on edge that she hadn't felt anything since earlier that evening. She was used to feeling her parabatai intensely now, so the sudden absence of anything was proving to be a real challenge for her.

His princess was pacing. She did that when she was nervous or on edge. Right now, she's both. And she'd been pacing so long now that she'd had to take her boots off because the clacking of her heals had started grating everyone's nerves. Simon was doing his best to calm her but wasn't having much luck. Jace was quiet, but he could feel the tension coming off him in waves.

His mother was trying her best to assure them that everything would be alright. Being an omega herself she knew that heat cycles took time. While she really didn't want to think about her Uncle Mags knotting her grandson, it would happen and neither of them would be able to send word until that part passed.

His beautiful Catarina and Luke were ready to move should there be a problem. They didn't have much in the way of records on a mortal omega claiming, next to nothing really, so they had to be prepared in the hopefully off chance that things didn't go the way they were hoping.

Luke had spent most of the day before formulating an antivenom from a sample of Magnus's venom should they need it which he prayed they wouldn't. But they had to be ready just in case. His son has angel blood. Magnus has demon blood. Demon blood and venom in most every case caused demon poisoning in a nephilim. But if his boy's claiming is successful however it would be the one case in which a nephilim wasn't poisoned.

His fiancée was a nervous wreck. She'd long since stopped trying to hide it. She wasn't the cool and collected Dr. Catarina Loss right now. She was an anxious mom worried about her child. He'd been doing his best to try and comfort her, but it was hard when he was a bit of a wreck himself.

Shadowhunters were taught at very a young that they aren't supposed to fear anything. Not demons. Not injuries. Not combat. Nothing. Because if they did, they couldn't do their jobs. They couldn't hunt down and kill demons most every day. But they did feel fear. Maybe not of demons or injuries or combat, but when it came to the wellbeing of friends and family, they could very easily feel fear. And right now, he was feeling a father's fear.

"What is taking so long?" Izzy asked. She was going out of her mind. She couldn't stop pacing. They hadn't received word of any kind since that afternoon assuring them that her Rockstar was alright and asking a question that had shocked them all. And the answer is a secret they're all now keeping until Luke and Dot can tell little Ziva which would have to happen soon.

She was thrilled for them. They're having another baby. But she couldn't give that much thought right now. Not when she was worried about what was happening with her big brother.

"Magnus will let us know how things are soon." Cat said. Well, she hoped that he would. But if he didn't send them an update in the next hour, she would portal to the cabin and find out for herself if all is well.

She and Luke both had bags packed and ready to go should they be needed, should her sweet boy need medical attention. Not just from after his claiming, but for any other potential problem that may arise.

Her heart leapt into her throat when a fire message appeared. Grabbing it from the air she read through it quickly. On one hand she was relieved, but on the other she had a new worry.

"Well?" Robert asked, relieved that they were finally hearing something. Good or bad it was better than waiting a second more.

"His claiming went fine." She said, reading the message through again. "It took longer than we thought it would for him to transition, but he did." She said, reading through the rather shocking details. She'd never heard of anything like what she was reading, but why would she have? This is the first successful warlock/mortal claiming in recorded history. How the warlocks of the past had come across the knowledge that a warlock/mortal claiming during a heat could be done no one knew.

"Thank The Angel." Clary said. She'd been on edge since she'd suddenly stopped feeling her parabatai through their bond. She was assuming that the omega rune had kicked in as soon as his heat started blocking him out the same way their intimacy rune did, but she didn't know for sure and not feeling anything from him had her more than a little on edge.

"What's wrong, Cat?" Luke asked. He'd seen her relief and how quickly it had been replaced by worry. He didn't know much about omega heats, he was still learning, but she was the expert and if she was worried then there was a problem.

"Everything went fine." Cat said again. "But his cycles are only four hours apart."

Izabella gasped. She'd never heard of such a short amount of time between heat cycles. Hers had been seven hours apart and even with that much downtime she was exhausted from start to finish.

Robert's stomach sank. Cycles four hours apart to his knowledge were unheard of. That left very little downtime for everything from eating to sleep, and that was without knotting. There wasn't much one could do while knotted. You were literally connected to another person and couldn't separate until the knot went down.

"How long?" He asked, dreading the answer.

Cat didn't need to ask what he wanted to know. His mother's an omega and he grew up in Haven. He knew plenty of omegas and how heats worked.

"Just over an hour." She said, tossing the message on the counter.

Luke winced. As much as he loved being intimate with his wife, he couldn't imagine how uncomfortable it would be for her having him inside her for more than an hour. Or how hard it would be if they had to be repeatedly intimate every four hours for up to five days.

"Is that bad?" Jace asked.

"How would you feel if your body forced you and Clary to have sex every four hours?" Robert snapped. "And if you couldn't separate for an hour after?"

Jace swallowed hard at the realization of what that meant. He loved his girl and loved being with her. But he couldn't imagine what it would be like to go through what his brother was about to go through.

"They don't have much time between cycles, Jace." Simon said softly, his alpha now held securely in his harms. She was scared and so was he. "That time is all they have to eat and sleep. And there's no telling how long his heat will last. Mom? Thoughts?"

"The shortest heat I've ever heard of is three days." Cat said. But she'd never heard of such a short downtime between cycles. Even at three days that meant eighteen cycles. And with their luck she worried that his heat may last longer than the maximum five days. It would be a first, but for them such things were just par for the course. "Luke, we need to be ready. I'll see if I can't get an estimated start time for this last cycle. That will give us a timeline of when we may need to move going forward."

Luke nodded yes. They both had go bags packed, but he thought there were a few more things that he should add now that they knew more. He was just glad that he'd finished things up at The Manor. Hearing this, he truly was afraid that they may end up there. How could they not? The body could only take so much.

"At least it's not all bad news." Izzy said, finally stepping out of Simon's arms. "The claiming was successful. He's okay. And now he's an immortal Shadowhunter Warlock."

The gravity of that statement settled in. They'd been so caught up in what was coming they'd forgotten about what had just happened. Alexander Lightwood-Bane, the best Shadowhunter to ever live, is now an immortal Shadowhunter Warlock. The first real step in their effort to build a new Shadow World had just been taken. Their leader in this war had taken the next step in his destiny. A destiny that involved watching over and protecting their world until the end of days.

____________________

Magnus watched as his precious Alexander slept. He looked so peaceful. And exhausted. As it stood, he'd had four heat cycles in the last sixteen hours and there was eight hours to go before they will have completed the first day.

He'd hoped that his cycles wouldn't be too close together, but they were. When he'd messaged his oldest and dearest friend letting her know that her son's claiming had gone well, albeit not quite as expected, she'd been relieved. And surprised by his recounting. While there wasn't much in the way of records in the Spiral Labyrinth, from the records they did have there was no mention of anything like what he'd seen.

But she was more than a little worried. They both were. This is the shortest cycle period she'd ever heard of. His cycles were just under four hours apart and he spent a little over an hour afterwards knotted. That left very little time for him to eat and sleep. So far, he'd been able to get him to eat a little of the cubed chicken and cheese they'd prepared for him, his favorite foods while he was recovering from a vision, but not much else. He was too tired. And at Catarina's advice he was easing him into as deep a sleep as he safely could when he could. The deeper the sleep the more restful.

But it was time to move on to step two. Protein shakes and electrolyte drinks. His love needed more than what the small amounts of food he'd eaten could give him. He was hoping that they wouldn't make it to step three. But he didn't want to think about that now. He had to focus on something else, the heat cycle that would be starting very soon.

He hated to wake him up, but he needed to get more food into him while there was still time.

"Sweetheart." He said softly, gently caressing his Shadowhunter's cheek. "It's time to wake up, angel."

Alec stirred. The last thing he wanted was to be awake, he was so tired. But he knew that if his warlock was waking him up that it was because he had to.

"Come on, love." Magnus said. "Let's see those beautiful blue eyes."

"Do I have to?" He asked, forcing his heavy eyes open. It had been a while since he'd had to force himself awake and battle this kind of exhaustion, so he was out of practice. Well, that had been severe exhaustion. This is something else. Something so much harder.

"You need to eat." Magnus said.

"Okay." He said, resigned. "How much time?" He asked. He knew that his rest periods were short, apparently the shortest his mom had ever heard of so there couldn't be much time left.

"Less than an hour." Magnus said, putting a pillow behind his sweet angel's back as he sat up. "How do you feel?"

"Other than tired?" He asked. He'd been bone tired when he'd fallen asleep and didn't feel much better now, but he wouldn't have been able to get this little bit of sleep had his alpha not eased him under. He hadn't told him yet, but between the stimulation while they mated and the continued pressure against his prostate after while he was knotted, their mating was becoming painful. As was the constant physical contact. It was all becoming a bit too intense. But he wasn't going to tell him that. Not until he had to. He didn't want him to worry any more than he already was.

"Yes, angel. Other than tired. Please tell me." Magnus said. He was worried. While he was already worried about how exhausted his love was, he'd seen the pain in his eyes when he'd sat up.

"A bit sore." He said. "But nothing I can't handle."

"Promise you'll tell me if it becomes too much?" Magnus asked. "We do have things that can help."

"Plan B?" He asked. So far, he'd had a few different dreams of plan B. The first was of his husband taking him into a room at The Manor where Luke was going to put him in a drug induced coma for the last two days of his heat. But that was the last resort, a resort he didn't want to think about.

But the are several stages to plan B. Stages that no one knows that he knows. He hadn't told his alpha about these dreams, but he knows the next step. Mundane drugs. As much as he despised them and didn't like the thought of using them, he thought he might need them before his heat was done especially knowing that his heat would last five days unless they conceived. That was another tidbit of information that he'd picked up in his dreams. But he wasn't going to tell his husband that either, not yet. Not until he had to.

"Yes." Magnus said. "Plan B. I know you don't like meds or the thought of using them, but we may not have a choice. Remember when I told you that all omegas have to skip a few cycles? It's normal. But not liking the thought aside, promise me you'll tell me if you need help."

"I promise." He said, sighing. But he didn't want to skip a cycle. With his luck it would be the most important one, so he would just have to think of ways to avoid it without breaking his promise.

"Good. I have some of your favorites." Magnus said, picking up the small plate of food he'd put on the bedside table.

Alec looked at the plate of food and they were his favorites. Grilled chicken, various cubes of cheese, and sweet red grapes. His favorite foods to eat after a vision. He didn't know how much of it he could eat though because his stomach wasn't feeling all that great, but he would do his best for his alpha's sake.

"Okay." He said, picking up a small piece of the grilled chicken. He couldn't deny that it tasted good. Really good. Maybe it wouldn't be too hard to eat after all. And piece by piece he ate his chicken and cheese cubes. He always saved his grapes for last.

"Good?" Magnus asked, relieved that his love is eating.

"Very." He said, happy that his husband seemed more relaxed. He could only assume that it was because he was eating. He knew that after his first heat and his lack of appetite then that it was something that he was worried about. Not eating and getting enough fluids played a big part in how bad things got.

"Would you like more?" Magnus asked. He'd thought it would be harder to get him to eat than it was. He'd thought that he would have to encourage him to eat more like he always did after a vision. But he'd cleaned his plate and it was a relief.

Alec looked down at his plate. He was surprised to see that he'd cleaned it. There had been more on it than he would usually eat and just minutes ago he hadn't been sure that he would be able to eat it all.

"Um..." He started. He was still hungry, but he didn't want more of this. He wanted something else. It took him a moment to figure out what it was. "No. Not of this. Can I have strawberries?"

Magnus smiled. Snapping his fingers, he had a bowel of big ripe strawberries. They were one of his Shadowhunter's favorite fruits, so he'd stocked the small refrigerator with them.

"Thank you." Alec said, smiling.

"Anything for you, sweetheart. You know that." He said. Picking up a strawberry he held it out for him to take a bite.

Alec leaned forward and took a bite of the juicy strawberry his husband was so sweetly trying to feed him. He hummed out his pleasure at the deliciousness. He loved strawberries and these were really good.

"That's good too." He said.

"These are from our garden at home." Magnus said, picking up and feeding him another strawberry.

"Really?" He asked. He hadn't known that they had a strawberry patch. But it didn't surprise him. They seemed to have everything at The Manor.

"Really." Magnus said. "Catarina and I actually take a little time here and there to tend to the gardens. Belle didn't just plant roses. But I had to ward the strawberry patch some time ago to keep the rabbits out. They like strawberries too."

"What, you don't want Thumper to have any strawberries?" He asked.

"Thumper?" Magnus asked, arching his brows.

"What can I say?" He asked. "The angel babies like Bambi."

Magnus smiled and shook his head. So far, the angel babies had roped his young warrior, the best Shadowhunter to ever live, into watching just about every Disney movie. But the fact that he would sit down with two little girls to watch those movies showed just how much he enjoyed spending time with them. It also showed how much he would do to make them happy. And he was certain that he would sit through them again with their babies. His husband would be a great father. He had no doubts about that.

"You're going to be a great father, Alexander. You already do so much with the angel babies just to make them smile. You play hide and seek. You read them stories. You let them crawl into our bed and will nap with them just because they like being close to you. All things that I know you'll do with our little ones." He said, feeding him another strawberry.

"I like doing those things." Alec said, shrugging. "But I draw the line at dress up. Iz and Clare-bear can do that."

"You'll give in one day." He said. "If not with the angel babies, then with our girls."

"Maybe." Alec said. "But if I get roped into doing it, I'm dragging you down with me."

"Fair enough." He said, chuckling. Little did his Shadowhunter know but he'd played dress up before. His beautiful Belle had enjoyed playing dress up and he hadn't been able to deny her when she asked him to play too. But he wasn't going to tell him that. Not yet anyway. "Now, for a little hydration." He said, holding up a bottle of power aid. "Biscuit said you like blueberry."

With a frown Alec took the bottle.

"I don't like any of it." He said. "They all taste too salty. But I can tolerate this one."

"It'll make me feel better if you drank it." Magnus said. He remembered vividly how dehydrated his love had gotten during his first heat. So dehydrated that by the end he was in kidney failure.

"Okay." He said. He knew what his alpha was thinking. He'd gotten really dehydrated during his first heat and it had hurt him badly. So, he would drink it to put his mind at ease. And he really didn't want to repeat the days after his heat had ended, they had been nothing but misery. Granted with plan B it would never get that far and avoiding plan B was another good reason to choke it down. Uncapping it he forced down the first big sip. He wanted to finish it as fast as possible. "How much longer?"

"Not much." Magnus said, looking at his watch. "Would you like to lay back down? We can snuggle."

"Yes please." He said. He knew that he was getting close to his next cycle. He could feel his temperature rising. He was dreading it as much as he dreaded the thought of using his mother's drugs. For the first time he wasn't sure that he would enjoy sex, something that he'd never thought possible. But he would endure it. He wasn't about to miss a chance to conceive their beautiful baby girl and precious boys.

Trying his best not to gag on the salty flavor of his blueberry power aid he chugged it, grimacing at the taste as he swallowed the last of it.

"Hold me now?" He asked. While the physical contact wouldn't feel all that great with his body being so sensitive from overstimulation it would be worth it. In that moment he wanted more than anything to be in the comfort of his alpha's arms.

Magnus took the empty bottle from his sweet angel and set it aside. He felt better now that he'd drank it. Wrapping him in his arms he pulled him down with him onto the soft bed, the bed that he'd brought in to ensure that his love would have the best possible comfort. It was top of the line and designed to contour to the body for optimal support.

"Do you want to tell me what's troubling you?" He asked, brushing a lock of soft raven hair out of his Shadowhunter's eyes.

"Nothing." Alec said. "These cycles are just really close together."

"I know." He said. "What can I do to help?"

"Can I have kisses?" Alec asked. He didn't want to just be in his precious warlock's arms, he wanted the beauty of kisses.

"As many as you want." Magnus said. He knew that his precious Alexander was probably dreading this next cycle. It would be starting anytime. They were coming close together. Really close. And he thought that it would become a problem very soon. But if kisses would help now, he'd give him all the kisses in the world. It didn't hurt any that he loved their beautiful kisses.

Pressing a soft kiss to his husband's lips Alec felt himself relax. He couldn't help but melt into it. He loved their kisses. All of their kisses. The tender and sweet kisses. The passionate and demanding kisses. The steamy kisses. He loved them all.

He granted entrance easily when his alpha licked his bottom lip. He savored the taste of him on his tongue when their tongues brushed and sighed at the sweet pleasure. Despite his fears of pain, the kiss had the best anticipation humming beneath his skin.

Magnus felt better when his precious Alexander relaxed in his arms. He needed to relax and stay as relaxed as possible. It would make this cycle easier on him. He was pleased when he was granted entrance so easily when he licked his bottom lip. The taste of him on his tongue when they brushed was exactly as it always was. Divine.

He almost sighed when his love did at the sweetest pleasure. His husband always gave him the best pleasure. Cupping his cheek, he tilted his head and took the kiss deeper.

Savoring the feel of his husband's hand on his cheek as he took the kiss deeper Alec slid his own into his hair and pulled him close. He'd thought that the physical contact would hurt. But it didn't. It was nice.

Breaking the magnificent kiss Magnus rolled his one true love onto his back and pressed soft kisses to the side of his neck and throat. His hands roamed his Shadowhunter's perfect body from his chest to his belly and back again. Moving down he pressed the same soft kisses to his collarbone and shoulder. His precious Alexander wanted kisses, so he'd get kisses.

Listening to his panting breaths he took his time working his way down from his muscular chest to just above his womb. There he lingered. From side to side, he pressed kiss after kiss, enjoying it immensely when his angel's hand slid into his hair again as his belly quivered.

Alec was bombarded by sensations. He'd gone easily when his alpha had rolled him onto his back when the magnificent kiss broke. The taste of him lingered on his lips, the heavenly taste of his one true love.

The pleasure of his precious warlock's hands roaming across his skin as he pressed soft kisses to the side of his neck and throat was stealing his breath. Each kiss left a burst of delicious pleasure in its wake as he worked his way down the length of his body. Each soft brush of his lips to his belly above his empty womb was pure bliss. His hand slid into his husband's silky smooth hair when his belly clenched and quivered. No, this wasn't too much. This was perfect.

Magnus knew that his young love's next cycle was starting. He could feel how hot he was beneath his fingertips as he traced the runes on his hips.

"Tell me how you want it." He said.

"I want you to fuck me." Alec said. While he thought it might become too intense, he wanted it. He was suddenly craving it. And he knew that it was time when he felt the warm gush of his slick.

Pressing a kiss to his precious Alexander's lips Magnus snapped his fingers, shedding himself of his clothes. Guiding his knees apart he lined himself up with his wet entrance. He pressed a soft kiss to his forehead as he slowly eased the head of his cock through his tight rim. The pleasure of the tight squeeze of his channel was exquisite.

Alec thought that his precious warlock's soft kiss was sweet. He was being so sweet. He was always sweet, but today everything was sweet. He felt a flutter of excitement when he snapped his fingers and shed himself of his clothes. The sight of his husband's naked body always excited him. He loved looking at him. His beautiful, sexy husband.

He didn't hesitate to open for him when he guided his knees apart. He loved having him between them. He fit perfectly. And the weight of him above him with his toned belly trapping his leaking cock between them had him aching to be filled.

He bit his lip when his alpha eased the head of his thick cock through his rim and into his channel. The pleasure was exquisite.

His hands went to his warlock's back when he eased another inch in. He wanted to hold him close as he filled him. He couldn't hold back his soft moans as he eased further and further into him or his cry of pleasure when his thick cock grazed his prostate. His back arched as he was filled the last few inches. He bit his lip and dug his fingers into his husband's soft skin as bottomed out. Being fully filled had never felt so good.

Magnus loved it when his angel gripped his back. He thought that his soft moans were beautiful. He loved to hear them. And he did as he eased further and further into him. His cry of pleasure told him that he'd grazed his prostate. He was fighting hard not to slam into him. The deliciousness of the tight muscles of his love's channel gripping and clamping down around him had him aching to be fully sheathed inside him. But while his omega wanted to be fucked, and he would fuck him, he wanted to fill him slowly and gently. He couldn't help but think that it was cute when he bit his lip as he bottomed out. It always was. He did the cutest things in bed.

It took him a moment to catch his breath from the intensity of the magnificent pleasure that came with being fully sheathed inside him. He loved fully filling his sweet angel. It always felt so good.

Alec wanted his alpha to move. It had been heavenly being so slowly and gently filled, but he needed more.

"Please, move." He pleaded.

Pressing another soft kiss to his husband's forehead Magnus pulled back and slammed hard back into him, his Shadowhunter's fingers digging harder into his back, hard enough to bruise.

Alec cried out when his warlock pulled back and slammed hard back into him, his fingers digging harder into his back. The pleasure from the hard scrape against his prostate was sinfully intense. And with each hard thrust after as his alpha fucked him it just got better and better. He didn't hear his moans as they got louder. All he knew is that his husband fucking into him was getting more delicious and intense by the second.

The pleasure of the tight squeeze of his precious Alexander's channel as he fucked hard into him was making Magnus's head spin. He was just as lost in it as his angel was. Each of his love's cries of pleasure as he pounded into him had him thrusting that much harder.

His husband pounding into him had Alec's head spinning. Since his heat had started it always seemed to be spinning. Each hard thrust had pleasure coursing through every nerve in his body and the pressure on his cock trapped between them with each hard thrust was giving it the best friction.

But it didn't take long for that to change. It was starting to get a little too intense. It was becoming overwhelming. He lost his breath on the next hard thrust, but not in a good way. The thrust brought a sharp pain.

While he'd been lost in it all for a time his mind quickly focused when more pain came with the next hard thrust. With his mind focused he could think. And his first through was that he'd been wrong. This is too much. But he couldn't tell his husband to stop. He couldn't form the words and he didn't want to. While each thrust was more painful than the last, each hard scrape against his prostate too intense, he could only think of one thing. That they couldn't stop now. They couldn't miss this chance. Not if it meant not making their beautiful babies.

Being a Shadowhunter he was good with pain and had been since he was a child. But this is a pain unlike anything he'd ever felt before. Only it didn't matter. It couldn't matter. It wouldn't matter. He had to hide his pain like he's always done. Biting his lip, he held back what he knew would be a cry of pain.

Somehow Magnus had let himself get lost, just as lost as his angel had. But it didn't take long for him to realize that something was wrong. His love tensing beneath him had caught his attention. And he could see the pain in his beautiful crystal blue eyes. Pain he was trying and failing to hide.

"No!" Alec cried when his husband stopped, when he tried to pull back.

"Alexander." Magnus said. His husband was in pain. He knew why he didn't want him to stop. He was afraid that they would miss this chance to make their beautiful babies. But they couldn't do it this way. They wouldn't do it this way.

"Please." Alec sobbed. "Don't stop. We have to do this."

Magnus knew then that while doing this was physically hurting his Shadowhunter, it would hurt him more if they stopped. Not physically, but mentally and emotionally. So, to help him he'd have to give him what he wanted without giving him what he wanted.

"Shh." He soothed, gently wiping the tears from his precious Alexander's cheeks. "It's okay."

"It's not okay." Alec said. He didn't feel the tears streaming down his cheeks. All he felt is a desperate need to keep going. It didn't matter that it would hurt. All that mattered is doing whatever it took to make their mischievous little Sophie-Clare. Their gentle and sweet Jonathan. And their rambunctious Simon. They were all that mattered.

"Yes, it is." He said. Reaching beneath the father of their future children, the father who would already do whatever it took to protect them even when that whatever it took was enduring unnecessary pain, he rolled them as gently as he could. After settling him with his head on his chest he held him close. "It'll be alright, angel. Just relax. I'll take care of it."

"How?" Alec sniffled. He'd been afraid that his husband would pull out when he'd rolled them and settled him on his chest, but he hadn't. That gave him hope. And being in his arms gave him a much needed comfort that he hadn't known that he needed.

"Sit up." He said, pressing a soft kiss to the top of his Shadowhunter's head.

Alec did as he was asked without question.

"This is going to be intense, sweetheart." Magnus said, gently circling above his young love's empty womb with his thumbs.

"Okay." He said, nodding yes. He knew what was coming next when his alpha gently circled above his womb with his thumbs. He'd done this same thing months ago, the day he'd gone in search of Ragnor Fell, the man who was like a father to him who the Clave had murdered to try and get to him.

With his eyes locked on his favorite crystal blue eyes Magnus circled above his precious Alexander's womb one last time before pushing a hard burst of magic into him.

Alec cried out when a hard burst of his warlock's magic shot through him, the pleasure rocking him to his core. He barely drew a breath before another hard burst of magic shot through him, then another. His head fell back from its intensity. But this intensity was good. It didn't bring pain.

With each hard burst he felt his alpha's magnificent cock thickening inside him, his knot forming. But he also felt what he knew would be a breathtakingly sinful release building.

He lost all thought as more of his warlock's beautiful magic shot through him. He wasn't thinking about his fears, that they wouldn't make their beautiful babies. He wasn't thinking about the pain he was willing to endure to make them. All he knew is that there was pleasure. Magnificent pleasure.

He was teetering on a peak, and the blissful pleasure that came with his husband's magic when his cock erupted on the next hard burst was both beautiful and sinful.

Magnus knew when his love cried out that it was from pleasure. He could see it in his lust blown eyes. But he didn't just want to give him the release that he so desperately needed, he wanted to give him pleasure. Nothing but pleasure. As much as he could. He'd already endured pain this cycle and he'd be damned if he felt a second more.

Again and again, he pushed hard bursts of magic into his empty womb. When his love's eyes lost focus he knew that he'd let go. That he was lost in the pleasure. He could feel the base of his cock thickening and knew that it was the alpha in him responding to his omega.

With one last hard burst of magic they came, his angel's cum coating his belly as his own filled him. Holding him securely to keep him from falling forward he watched him closely as he fought for breath. As he finally drew an easy breath in and his eyes focused, he saw what he needed to see. He'd gotten everything he'd needed and now he could rest. But he had to be absolutely sure.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" He asked.

"Very." Alec breathed. It had taken him a moment to come down from the high of his release and catch his breath, but when he did, he saw his favorite chocolate brown eyes looking up at him. This time he didn't see worry. He just saw the love that was always there.

Snapping his fingers Magnus cleaned himself up. He would hold his husband in his arms while he rested and waited for his knot to go down. Then he would tuck him in for good sleep.

"Come here, angel." He said, guiding his very tired Shadowhunter down and onto his chest. Wrapping is arms securely around him he held him close. "This can't happen again, sweetheart." He said softly. "You can't hurt yourself like this. There are other ways. Okay?" He asked, relieved that another way had just been found. Magic. He should have thought of it before, why he hadn't he didn't know. But like everything else it couldn't be used all the time. His love would develop a tolerance to it and that was something they just couldn't let happen.

"Okay." Alec mumbled sleepily. He didn't realize that he'd broken his promise. He'd promised that he'd tell him if there was pain, and he hadn't. He was too caught up thinking of their babies. But they'd completed this cycle and he felt like he could rest now. He felt warm and safe in his husband's arms and when he was in them everything was better.

"Promise me." He said. He knew that his precious Alexander had forgotten the promise he'd made, he'd been too caught up in the moment. But he'd make sure that he wouldn't forget it again because he wouldn't forget it. And he wouldn't let himself get lost again. If he hadn't gotten lost in his own pleasure, he would have seen that something was wrong sooner.

"I promise." Alec said softly.

"Okay." He said. "Sleep now."

"'Kay." Alec breathed, barely more than a whisper. With his head resting on his wonderful warlock's shoulder, he closed his eyes and fell quickly and easily into an exhausted sleep.

Magnus waited until his Shadowhunter's breathing grew deep and even with sleep before easing soft magic into him, pushing deeper and deeper into sleep. He would get the rest he needed. And once he was tucked in, he would message Catarina. It was time to call in the calvary. His sweet angel wouldn't like it or the fact that for a time they may be working with plan B, but it couldn't be helped. It was his job to take care of his omega at all costs.

____________________

Day 2

Alec was mortified. What he hadn't wanted to happen had happened. His mother and Luke had come and tended to him through two cycles. He was just thankful that his alpha had dressed him first.

He was relieved that his husband had agreed to make love to him during his next cycle. He couldn't stand the thought of missing another one. His warlock had told him that he would only get gentle love and tenderness going forward. None of the rough stuff. At least until he was sure that he was fully recovered. But even still he'd had to swear that he would tell him if he felt the least bit off; if he felt anything even remotely close to discomfort.

But guilt was eating him up inside for the two chances they'd lost to make their beautiful babies, chances they'd lost all because he'd made a promise and had broken it. It didn't matter to him that he'd forgotten it the same way he had as a child. When he made a promise, he kept it. Period. But for the second time in his life, he'd done something that he never did. And because he, did they'd missed two cycles.

"I'm sorry." He said for what felt like the thousandth time.

"It's okay, sweetheart." Magnus said, pressing a soft kiss to his love's forehead. That's all he would get. Soft kisses and gentle touches. "I understand that you didn't realize how bad things were until it was too late. It just can't happen again." He said.

He was glad that he'd messaged his oldest and dearest friend when he had. His sweet angel hadn't just been overstimulated and in pain, he'd become over sensitized in every way and his prostate had become more than a little irritated. It had been rubbed raw and was bleeding. Catarina had been able to heal it with magic, well, what his precious Alexander's body hadn't already healed on its own with his rapid healing speed, but it had taken strong mundane medications to tend to the rest.

She'd had to tend to his exhaustion and dehydration, and while doing that his Shadowhunter had to sleep through two cycles. His body was enduring more strain than any other omega she'd ever known. But they'd found a way to get him through his cycles without 'mating' when necessary. He could get what he needed without the strain and exertion of sex.

"I broke my promise." He said softly.

"Not on purpose, Alexander." Magnus said. He knew that his love was thinking of the promise he'd broken as a child after his fall off the high beam in training. A promise he'd broken because he'd forgotten it just as he had this one. "We'll just have to work together to make sure that this promise doesn't get broken again. Now and in the future. Okay?"

"Okay." He said. He knew that his husband was right. They would have to work together to make sure that this promise was kept both now and in the future. But he couldn't stop thinking about how now because he'd forgotten it, they'd missed cycles. And missing a cycle could mean missing a conception.

His alpha had said that he thought that making their babies would happen when it's meant to happen and that he shouldn't worry, but he was. He didn't know how not to be.

Magnus knew that his husband would do his best to keep the promise he'd made. Now that he knew that he didn't have to force himself through a cycle and that there was no reason to suffer through unnecessary pain when there was another way, he thought that it would be easier going forward. He could only hope that he'd been able to convince him that he didn't need to worry about missing the most important cycle. He hoped that he'd been able to assure him that their precious babies would be conceived when they were meant to be both now and in the future. But for the moment he needed to get his love's mind off of this.

"We have some time before the next cycle." He said. "Would you like to go outside for a bit? Get some fresh air?"

"Really?" Alec asked. The thought of getting out of this room sounded wonderful.

"Really." He said, holding out his hand.

Alec didn't hesitate to take his alpha's hand and climb off the bed that he was coming to hate. He wanted away from it just as much as he wanted out of this room.

____________________

With his face turned to the sky Alec closed his eyes, basking in the warmth of the afternoon sun. Taking a deep breath of the fresh air he listened. He heard the leaves rustling in the trees. He wanted to climb one, but he knew that wouldn't happen right now. Or at all until his heat ended. He heard the bubbling of the creek and wanted to walk in it, to feel the cool water rushing up to his ankles which is something he thought he might get to do. And the light breeze was refreshing. It didn't take him long to realize that he'd needed this.

Magnus smiled watching his Shadowhunter. Being outside had gone a long way in relaxing him and putting him at ease. He may be a city boy, but he could see him easily becoming a lover of the great outdoors.

Opening his eyes Alec smiled. The sunlight bathing his precious warlock's face was beautiful. The man he loved is beautiful.

"Feel better?" Magnus asked.

Alec nodded yes before sitting cross legged on the grass.

"It's nice out here." He said.

"That it is." Magnus said as he sat on the grass beside the man he loved.

"So." He said. "Mom and Luke were here for a while."

"They were." Magnus said. He was surprised that he wanted to talk about it. He'd been so mortified when he'd first woken up and learned that they'd come.

"Am I right? Is Dot pregnant?" He asked. He really didn't want to think about the fact that his mom and Luke had been here, but he wanted to know what was going on back home.

"She is." Magnus said. He'd been too caught up in his worry for his angel to be angry that Dorthea's pregnancy had been kept from them, so he hadn't learned much. "Catarina said that Dorthea hasn't been training. Not really. And I've been so distracted it was easy for me not to notice. And don't apologize. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. As many times as I have to. None of what's happened is your fault."

"Okay." He said. He wanted to believe that everything bad that's happened isn't his fault. But so much is. The most recent thing being the situation with Gideon. "How are the angel babies?"

"From what I hear their girl's night was a big success." Magnus said. "The girls loved their cameras. Catarina had to add memory cards meaning that the girls took a lot of photos." He said.

He couldn't fathom how the GB's that made up the cameras built in memory wasn't enough. It would take a while to go through all the photos and pick out the ones that are usable. Little girls their age have no idea how to actually take a photo. But it would be fun. "Madzie loved the pizza. And they both have been showing everyone they come across their pretty toes.

Izabella had a good time too. It was a good idea suggesting that she join the fun."

"So sweet pea's doing okay?" He asked, thinking of his favorite little Lightwood and how upset she'd been when they'd left.

"Catarina says she seems to be." Magnus said. "She'd been a bit quiet at first, but the party perked her up. Ziva being the very smart little girl that she is told her that you wouldn't want her to be sad and that you would want her to have lots of fun. And that she needed to do lots of things, things that she could tell you all about when you get back.

Even still she stole your pillow. And together her and Ziva swiped the duvet off our bed to cuddle up in before they conked out. I hear there are some pretty good pictures of that."

"Good. I'm glad she's having fun." He said. "I'm assuming that Dot and Luke haven't told Ziva that she's going to be a big sister. Any idea when their planning to?"

"You're right that they haven't. And no." Magnus said. "Luke said that they want to tell her, but they just don't know how to do it without hurting her. For the first time in her life, she has both of her parents. And she hasn't had them long. Now they have to tell her that she isn't going to be their only baby anymore and that she's going to have to share them."

"Maybe I can talk to her." He said. "As a big brother to a soon to be big sister. Being a big brother, I can tell her how much fun being the oldest can be. Her biggest fear is going to be that her mommy and daddy are going to love the new baby more than her. But I can point out to her that I'm the oldest of five and that dad doesn't love me any less than my brothers and sisters. And that while he loves all of us with all his heart, he also has a very special love for each of us.

She needs to see not just that they're not going to love her any less but that the only thing that's going to be different now is that she will always be their first child. And that, that's special. She'll always be something that no one else can be.

She also needs to know that as the big sister, he's going to love her and look up to her. He's not going to be born knowing all the things she knows. He's not going to be able to do the things she can do. All things that she can help teach him. And she'll love him too. She'll want to help him and watch out for him the same way I do with my little brothers and sisters."

"He?" Magnus asked, arching a brow.

"He, she. I don't know. Please don't ask anything else." He said softly. There are any number of simple questions that if asked would reveal a lot about the future if he answered them, all things that he didn't think it was time for the people they loved to know yet.

"I won't." Magnus said. He'd promised that he wouldn't ask about what his angel had seen, and he wouldn't. But he thought this was a bit telling. If his Shadowhunter couldn't tell him if it was a boy or a girl, he thought that meant that he might have seen more than one future Greymark baby. And that he just didn't know which baby went with this pregnancy.

And if The Angel's gift to Luke is immortality, well, then Luke and Dorthea would have plenty of time to make plenty of babies. "But I think hearing all of those things will be a big help. And with it coming from her Alec, she'll believe it. Plus, you'll have nine months to show her just how much fun being the big sister can be."

Alec nodded yes.

"You've had something on your mind." Magnus said. "Would you like to tell me what?"

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I know you, Alexander." Magnus said. "And I know when something's troubling you. Please tell me what it is."

Alec sighed.

"I know about the room." He said. "The room that Luke put together at The Manor. And I know all there is to know about plan B."

"How? Was it a vision?" Magnus asked, his belly clenching at the thought of his precious Alexander having a vision that he didn't know about, especially now. Having visions during his heat could seriously hurt him.

"No." He said. "I've had a few dreams. At first, I didn't know if they were visions per say or just glimpses of the future. All I know is that they have the same feel as my dreams of pretty babies and happy times. And if they are glimpses of the future and if The Angel's showing me this now, I guess I'm just afraid that if he's showing me all of this now that it's because we're going to end up in that room.

I know that I'm going to be there at some point just like I'm going to need all of plan B at some point. But I don't want it to be now. I don't want it to be today or tomorrow or the next day."

"We don't that either, sweetheart." Magnus said, anger burning in his belly. This is not something that his Shadowhunter needs to be thinking about or worrying about. But in that moment, it had him wondering too if he hadn't seen it because they would end up there before his heat was done. However, he did have a thought. "When did you have these dreams? Before today?"

Alec nodded yes.

"Yes. And thinking about it now, a part of me wonders that if maybe the reason he showed me this is because there's something we needed to do, something we needed to change that will prevent us from ending up there." He said. "All of my visions are of things that we need to work to change, right? Well, I did have the dreams before we found a safer way to get through my cycles. So, maybe we already changed that something that needed to be changed. I mean, if I end up in that room before my heats done couldn't it cause us to miss the cycle when we're meant to conceive? You said that you thought that we would conceive when we were meant to."

"I do think that." Magnus said. He'd just had that very same thought. "And I think you might be right. But I need you to promise me something. I need you to promise me that if you dream of any of this again that you will tell me. I think we should take this as a warning.

But there is one thing though that I know for certain. Everything possible will be done to keep you out of that room." He said, and he meant it. Knowing that his love had seen this now, he knew that he would have to be extra diligent in watching over him. He would reach out to Catarina at the first sign of trouble no matter how small, something he should have already been doing. It was his job to watch over his omega and keep him safe, and he'd failed. That won't happen again.

"I promise." He said. He realized then that he shouldn't have kept his dreams about this to himself in the first place. If he hadn't, he thought that maybe they could have avoided what happened today.

"Thank you." Magnus said. "I think that as long as you don't have one of these dreams again that it means we've prevented ending up in that room. But you can't keep stuff like this from me, angel."

"I know." He said. "It just didn't click I guess that ending up in that room is something we may have needed to work to prevent right now. Maybe because it was a dream and not a vision. I thought it was just The Angel's way of answering the rest of my questions, even questions I didn't realize that I had. But if I have any more dreams that I'm not sure about, I promise I'll tell you. Whatever they may be."

"Good." Magnus said, relieved to know that something as important as this wouldn't be kept from him, or other things that may be just as important.

"Gideon's letter said that the visions will get easier. And he only saw things in dreams." He said. "Do you think that's what's happening now? That these dreams might be the first visions that were easier?"

"I don't know, love." Magnus said. It was a good question. And it made sense. Gideon Lightwood did only see things in dreams. And his letter did say that the visions would get easier, they'd just had no idea when. It could be that this was the start of that 'easier'. "I hope so. But only time will tell."

Alec nodded yes.

"How much longer do we have?" He asked. He knew that his next cycle couldn't be that far off, he was starting to feel a bit hot and smothered, but he wanted to spend as much time outside as he could before he had to go back to that room. He was so tired of being in that room and they were only on day two.

"Not long." Magnus said, looking at his watch.

"Okay." He said, sighing. "But can we stay out here for just a little while longer?"

"Yes. We can." Magnus said. He knew that his sweet angel was growing to hate being confined to the cabin, or more accurately, to the room he'd already spent so much time in. And knowing that, he thought it best that they spend as much time outside as possible when his husband wanted.

"Good." He said, scooting over to sit closer to his precious warlock. "I want to enjoy this as long as I can."

"I do too." Magnus said, wrapping his arm around his love's shoulder.

Looking up at the blue, blue sky Alec couldn't help but notice what looked like a very, very dark storm cloud in the distance. It may be pretty and nice right now, but he didn't think that it was going to stay that way.

"It looks like a storm's coming." He said.

"That it does." Magnus said, looking up at what he thought were some pretty nasty storm

clouds. "But it won't reach us before we have to go back inside."

Looking at the dark clouds Alec for some reason had a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't help but think that trouble was brewing along with the coming storm.

____________________

Four Years Ago

Luke stepped out of the portal that the love of his life had opened for him in front of his triage tents outside the city. He needed to get back to his tents here on the battlefield. The triage tents he'd set up for the downworlders outside the city gates were ready. They were fully stocked and staffed with doctors and nurses under his command. He'd already checked the triage tents here twice, and while they'd also been fully stocked, staffed, and were ready to receive the first of the wounded, he wanted to check them again.

He'd spent the day making sure that everything was exactly as he wanted it to be and making sure that it was clear to his staff that they were to treat patients by the severity of their injuries and not their species. He'd let it be known that should he learn that they'd done otherwise they would be answering directly to him, and that the outcome would not be pretty. When you're the commanding physician above every doctor, nurse, retrieval team medic, and care facility in all of the Shadowhunter World he was the last person that you wanted to piss off if you in any way valued your career and discriminating against the downworlders in this army would do more than piss him off. But he didn't think there'd be any problems. He had faith in the men and women that he worked beside.

He went over the layout of the battlefield he'd been given in his mind again as he made his way towards his main tents. The frontline consisted of the strongest of their people, those most skilled in battle as well as those that Magnus Bane, The High Warlock of Brooklyn and leader of the downworld, thought had the best battle magic combat skills.

Behind them were Shadowhunters that were good, those that had some field experience, and whatever downworlders Warlock Bane thought would do the best beside them. Behind them were those who shouldn't be here at all, the children that the Clave had ordered into battle.

Scattered in between were half of his retrieval team medics. It wasn't their job to fight despite how skilled they may be as field Shadowhunters. It was their job to get as many wounded out of the line of fire as possible and to the triage tents. That was their focus, their mission. And the other half, the youngest of his medics were at the back of the line waiting to move any wounded that were passed to them either by other medics who needed to get back to those fighting or from anyone else who'd managed to get an injured soldier to them to a triage tent.

His tents were where anyone out fighting would receive emergency care before either being moved to the Idris Institute's infirmary or to the treatment tents outside the city. It was Shadowhunters to the infirmary and downworlders to the tents outside the city gates. Having demon blood, they couldn't enter the city.

He knew that his wife would be fighting somewhere in the middle. He wished that she'd stayed back in New York. Warlock Bane had given her the choice. She had a baby after all and could have stayed behind to tend to her and to the other children whose parents are fighting. But she'd said no. She'd said that she couldn't sit by when their baby's life was on the line. She had to fight, to do all that she could to save their child and her people. And he understood her desire. He wouldn't have stayed behind either. He just hoped and prayed to The Angel that he wouldn't find her wounded in one of his tents or worse.

He thought for a moment of his Sunshine, his sweet and innocent baby girl. Should they fail tonight, should Valentine make it to Lake Lynn and make his wish, the wish that would end all downworlders in an instant, the light that is his daughter would be snuffed out. It didn't matter that she's half nephilim. Being half warlock, it wasn't just angel blood that ran through her veins. It was balanced out with demon blood. And that demon blood would be what killed her. And his wife. He'd lose his girls in the blink of an eye. But he couldn't' think about that. Not and do what he was here to do. He was here to do what he did best. He was here to save lives, as many as he could.

"Everything ready here?" Robert asked as he fell into step beside the man he knew would give his all to save each and every person that came his way tonight be it a Shadowhunter or a downworlder. He hadn't needed to ask. Not when he already knew the answer. It was. Well, as ready as it could be.

He'd spent the last hour moving from place to place asking the same questions. He'd already been to the infirmary at the Idris Institute. He'd checked on their weapons stock and confirmed that there was enough to keep a blade of some sort in every Shadowhunter's hand and that there were more than enough arrows for their archers. They would go through arrows faster than anything, especially with his boy out on the front line. If anyone could cut demons down at a distance thereby keeping them from advancing, it's his Alexander.

He didn't like that his son was on the frontline, or any of his other children for that's what they are. Children. He hated it with every fiber of his being. But despite their young age they're the best. He may be the only one who knew that, but they are, and he knew in his heart that they would do more good there than anywhere else.

He'd been livid when he'd learned of the Clave's decree, and he'd fought it. He'd fought it as hard as he could. Even having a Counsil member on his side hadn't been enough to get the decree overturned. So, he'd done what he could do. He'd put the best they had on the frontline and as many of the young ones as possible in the back. Well, those that he couldn't find a noncombat position for. There weren't enough of those to go around.

"As ready as I can make it." Luke said, turning to study the Institute Head as they walked. He wasn't wearing a designer suit tonight. Tonight, he was dressed as every other Shadowhunter was. Black shirt, black cargos, well worn scuffed combat boots, and a few weapons in a not so new weapons belt. "Aren't you supposed to be at the Counsil Hall?" He asked.

Last he knew all Institute Heads and Clave officials were to stay in Alicante away from the battle. The Clave had no problem sending their children into battle, but they wouldn't risk their own lives, the lives of their officials, or anyone else of authority. He himself could have chosen to stay behind and run the infirmary if he'd wanted to leaving things here to be run by members of his staff. But while that may have been an option for Institute Heads and anyone else the Clave saw fit to protect, it wasn't for him. He wouldn't have his people in danger and not stand beside them. Even though none of them were on the frontline there's no safe place on a battlefield.

"Technically, yes." He said. "Will I hear about this later? I'm sure I will. But I'm not sending our people into battle just to sit back in the safety of the city waiting to hear what happens."

Luke smiled. He should have known that Robert Lightwood would be standing amongst those who were fighting. He, amongst a few other Institute Heads, had fought against putting the young ones on the battlefield. And he'd fought hard. While it was a battle that had in the end been lost, the fight had been fought regardless which mattered. And it wouldn't be forgotten.

But that wasn't the only thing that wouldn't be forgotten. Out of the four Counsil members there was one who'd fought beside him. Jia Penhallow. He wouldn't be surprised if he came across her at some point tonight too.

"There are a few other Heads here. They weren't willing to send their Shadowhunters into this only to sit back and twiddle their thumbs any more than I was." He said. He was surprised at how few of his colleagues were standing beside the Shadowhunters of their Institutes. Out of more than seventy Institutes only nine other Institute Heads had joined him tonight. "And neither is Jia. She went to talk to Warlock Bane.

As it stands you have six warlocks within earshot of your tents waiting to open portals for the wounded and for supply runs should you run short. And there's a warlock at the portal pad at the Institute to get your people back here after a transport. But she's hoping to get one more for outside the city."

"That would be good." Luke said. He'd known that he had warlocks between each of his tents and at the portal pad at the Institute, but there currently wasn't one stationed outside the city. And portals would be needed on both fronts. Warlock Bane had made his youngest and most inexperienced warlocks in battle magic available to him and his staff, the oldest according to his wife being 212. Wounded would need to be portaled to the tents outside the gates as well as to the infirmary and those that were doing the transporting would need a way back. And it would be much faster if the portaling warlock didn't have to follow people through the portals to bring them back.

He hoped that being only 248 and with a child that the leader of the downworld would put his warlock in front of the gates. It was selfish he knew, but he wanted her safe. He needed her to be safe and Idris was almost two hundred miles away. Short of being back in New York that would be as safe as she could get.

"If you run short on supplies there are crates ready to move in Peru as well as Mosco and Beijing." He said. At first there had only been additional supplies in Moscow but after looking at what was there Luke had said that it wasn't enough and had put up his own fight more. His fight at least had been won. It had been won after he'd told the Clave that the wounded would be treated by the severity of their injuries and not species, so if they wanted to make sure that there was enough to treat both the Shadowhunters and downworlders they had to give him more.

"Good. That's a relief." Luke said. He'd initially only been given additional supplies in Moscow and after a fight, Peru. So, hearing that there was still more was a small relief. And he thought he knew who'd made those additional supplies happen. Jia. But his relief was short lived. He knew when he felt the ground tremble beneath his feet that they would be needing everything they could get their hands on very soon. The battle to stop Valentine Morgenstern had just begun.

____________________

Luke was oblivious to the cold hard rain cascading down, a rain that had soaked him. He was too lost in his thoughts. A million thoughts were racing through his head. Most were memories. More than twenty years worth of memories. Memories of more patients than he could count. And so many of those memories, they were memories of those that had first been innocent, helpless little babies that he'd delivered into this world. Little babies like Alec and Isabelle. Like Jace and Clary and Simon.

He remembered them, those that had grown into the children that he'd then treated when they'd been injured in training, then again when they'd been injured in the field. And he remembered those that he'd called the time of death on when doing what they'd been born and raised and trained to do had gotten them killed.

He also remembered the war. He thought of his triage tents on the battlefield, the tents where no one was turned away regardless of species. And of the tents he'd set up outside of the city for the people of the downworld.

He could see them. Hear them. All of them. He could see the faces and hear the voices of the wounded he'd tended to. Some of them, some of them were the faces and voices of people he'd seen since coming to Haven.

He remembered it all perfectly. Each and every injury. Each and every fatality. And he remembered how no one had a problem accepting Shadowhunter help then, help that had saved the downworld and cost a lot of young Shadowhunters their lives.

He'd suspected this. He'd been afraid of this since he'd first come to Haven. And he'd been afraid of hearing what he'd already known in his heart was true. But the words had finally been said. 'Don't touch me, Shadowhunter.'

He knew that his best friend was walking behind him but keeping his distance. He's a Shadowhunter and has the senses of one. He knew why he was there. To make sure he's alright. But he's not alright. Nowhere near alright.

Pulling his classic stoic Shadowhunter expression into place he passed the training areas and those training there. And holding that expression in place he stepped into Village Square. He wouldn't let his pain show. But there were some who saw it regardless. His family, for that's what they'd become, was watching from his favorite patient's front porch as was his precious Dorthea. But he couldn't look at them. He couldn't look at the pity he was certain he'd see. So, without so much as a glance at them he crossed the square and opened the clinic doors.

Robert stopped in front of his son's house where his Catarina and children were waiting. He knew they'd been there for hours waiting for them to get back. Once he'd heard what happened, what he'd feared would happen, he went off in search of his best friend.

It had taken a while for him to find his soon to be parabatai, and when he did the cold rain from the storm was already coming down in torrents. He wanted to tell him that they should get out of it, that they should go somewhere warm and dry to talk. But he didn't. If Luke had wanted to talk, he would have let him know. So, he'd hung back and followed at a distance.

He was sure that his friend's pain outweighed his anger, his fury, tenfold. He'd only ever been this kind of angry a handful of times in his life and he knew how deep it burned within him when it was like this. So, in knowing that, he couldn't begin to imagine the depts of Luke's pain and anger. He hadn't just been rejected because he's a Shadowhunter. He'd also been rejected as what he is. A doctor. A brilliant doctor.

The downworlders who'd joined their army didn't trust the man, the Shadowhunter, who'd ensured that they got the best possible care during the war, the Shadowhunter who'd ensured that they weren't discriminated against when they needed medical attention for their wounds. He could have easily put the injured Shadowhunters who needed treatment first in the triage tents on the battlefield the way the Clave wanted. But he hadn't. He'd refused to. And he'd ordered the doctors and nurses under his command to treat patients based on the severity of their injuries, not species. They don't trust the man who'd done so much for them. They don't trust him because of the world he was born into and what he was raised to be. A Shadowhunter.

____________________

Luke stepped into the clinic he'd set up to tend to the people here. All of them. It was no longer Cat's clinic. It was his. Or at least it's supposed to be.

Stopping in front of his emergency triage areas he looked them over. It had everything he wanted. It could accommodate any emergency.

Taking the next few steps, he looked over the patient areas that his favorite patient had helped him design even when he hadn't known it. It was a comfortable space where he could tend to now twelve noncritical patients.

Walking past it he stopped in the doorway of his first OR. An OR that housed the equipment that would allow him to treat a patient in every way himself should he have to. Was it a typical setup? No. But they did only have one anesthesiologist after all, and he was certain that at some point they would have two patients in the OR. They were in the early stages of a war after all and injuries requiring surgical attention were quite common.

He didn't bother stopping by the second. It was just like the first. He moved quickly past his new post OP and critical care areas to the first presentation room, the room that Aline would be presenting in in just a few days. Unable to look at anymore he turned and almost ran, but at his supply cabinets he stopped. He'd stocked them to meet the needs of every patient of every species. Every species. Most didn't know that they all had different treatment needs, but he did, so he'd planned accordingly.

Looking through the glass panels he took it all in. And in seeing it, in having seen it all, he couldn't hold it back a second more. His pain and fury. Without thinking he slammed his fist through the glass, shattering it and doing something that he'd never done before. He'd always avoided damaging his hands.

____________________

Robert took off running towards the clinic when he heard glass shattering, his Catarina holding everyone back. She knew that in that moment Luke needed the one person who understood. He needed the one person who truly understood both the world he'd come from and the world he's in now.

"Give them a minute." Cat said. She felt like an idiot. She'd finally learned all there was to know. After the war she'd known that there was a great doctor who'd been running the triage tents. A doctor who had ensured that everyone was treated equally, not based on their species, but by the severity of their injuries. The commanding physician. She'd just never known who that physician was. But now she did. Now she knew what she should have known since the day she'd first met Dr. Luke Greymark.

And now she knew a hidden truth. Now she knew what happened after the war. She'd learned what he'd done to himself in trying to do it all, in trying to save everyone who crossed his path for days. For days. And in the process of trying to save so many, in giving so much to save lives he'd almost lost his own.

Dot didn't want to give them a minute. She wanted to go to her husband. She wanted to hold him in her arms and comfort him. Was she furious? Yes. Her fears had been confirmed. His fears had been confirmed. The words had finally been said. 'Don't touch me, Shadowhunter.'

In the beginning she'd been so sure that the people of Haven and their army would come to accept her Luke, to love and trust him the way the Shadowhunters in the Shadowhunter World do, the way Alec and his team does. She'd been so sure that they'd come to trust him to do what he does best. But she'd been wrong. So very wrong.

She'd known that the people from her world don't know who he is. But they should. They should know that he's the great doctor who'd done so much for them, who'd done so much to save them. But somehow, they don't.

But that's not all that they don't see. They don't see the wonderful father of a mixed species child or the loving husband to one of their own, a downworlder from their world. For some reason that she doesn't understand they don't see him for the great man that he is that can do so much for them. All they see is the Shadowhunter, not the man. But that's not what matters right now. What matters is that they've hurt him, that they've broken his heart. The man she loves is in pain and she has no idea how to help him.

Clary was fuming and had been since her fears had been confirmed. After the conversation the night before with her father, looking back she'd noticed what she hadn't noticed before. She was angry because the man she's trusted her life with since day one is hurting. The same man who'd tended to her mother while she was sick and dying, the man who was at her side holding her hand not just every step of the way but until she drew her last breath.

She knew that her family was on the same page. They were just as angry. She wanted to do something. Anything. But there was nothing she could do. She couldn't make the people here, the people of the downworld who'd trusted him during the war, who'd taken his help then, see that they're doing the same thing to him that they've claimed Shadowhunters have done to them for centuries. They've rejected him. They've rejected him because of his species. Because he's a Shadowhunter.

But he's more than that, so much more than that. But she can't make them see. She can't make them see how much he did for them. She can't make them see how much he gave for them. She was just glad that her parabatai wasn't here to see this.

Simon was furious. The people of the downworld have rejected the man who'd saved so many of them during the war. They've rejected him for one stupid reason. Because he's a Shadowhunter.

He couldn't help but think that they're no different than the Clave they despise so much. He couldn't help but think that they're doing the same thing to him that the Clave's done to the people they're fighting for for centuries. They're discriminating against him because of his species. They're discriminating against him the way he didn't discriminate against them during the war.

He was trying to keep his anger in check for Luke's sake. But he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold it in. Especially now that he knew all there is to know.

Izzy didn't have words for what she's feeling. There are just too many of them to choose from and none of them are good enough. The man who'd seen her into this world, who'd seen her big brother and the rest of her family into it has been rejected because of what he is. For what she is. For what they all are. She'd hoped that their father had been wrong when he'd brought up his concerns in the forge. But he hadn't been.

And her Rockstar, the leader they chose, was alive and well and here to lead them in this war because of the man they'd turned their back on. The man who could do so much for them just like he's done so much for the people who love him over the years. How they could do it she doesn't understand, and she doesn't want to. All she wants is to take away his pain.

Hypocrites. That's all Jace could think. That they're all hypocrites. They preach equality, but they're empty words. They don't want true equality. They just want it for them, not for everyone else. And all he wanted to do is beat them all senseless. Well, more senseless than they already are.

It doesn't seem to matter that his brother and the leaders they had chosen, Shadowhunters, had stood before them and told them everything that Luke has done for them and what he could do for them. It doesn't matter that one of their own, his warlock wife, had stood before them and told them that he's a good man that they can trust. All that matters to them is that he's a Shadowhunter. That's all they see. A Shadowhunter. Not the great man who's saved more lives than anyone can count and could save so many more.

He couldn't imagine the pain that Luke is feeling, and he wished that he could wash it all away. But he can't. He doesn't know how. Is there a simple solution to this problem? Yes. They could tell them. They could tell them who it was that had done so much for them during and after the war. But they shouldn't have to.

Would telling them give them a reason to trust him? Yes. But they would still have a problem. A very big problem. Telling them wouldn't make them trust any new Shadowhunters they brought in. They wouldn't trust them because they wouldn't have a reason to and it would seem that as far as Shadowhunters go, that's what they need. A reason. And it shouldn't be that way.

____________________

"Luke!" Robert called as he flew through the clinic doors.

"I'm sorry. I'll fix it." Luke said softly, staring at his bleeding hand.

"I'm not concerned about the cabinet, Luke." He said, crossing quickly to his bleeding best friend. He knew what the breaking glass was now. He'd stuck his fist through a glass cabinet door and had the cuts to prove it. "You're my concern." He said, pulling him towards the sink. He needed to clean out the cuts so he could see how bad they are. He just hoped they weren't too bad for his Catarina to heal.

"You're soaked." Luke said softly. He couldn't seem to tear his eyes from his bleeding hand. He didn't feel it. It didn't hurt. And in the back of his mind, being a doctor, he knew that wasn't a good thing.

"So are you." He said, holding Luke's hand still while he worked to clean out the cuts, to pull out the visible glass.

"I wish I had known." Luke said. "When I left New York. I knew that I was leaving my old life behind and that was okay because I have my girls. I just didn't know that I was leaving who I was behind too. If I'd known then, maybe this would be easier."

"You didn't leave who you are behind. For most, a job is a job rather they love it or not. But for you, what you do is more than just a job that you love. Being a doctor is a part of you, a great part that nothing and no one will ever be able to take away." He said. "You're still who you've always been.

I know it doesn't feel like it right now, but you haven't changed. The only change is that now you live in a world where the people don't see you for who and what you are yet. But that's temporary. I know it is. Does that make this any easier? No. I wish it did. But that doesn't mean it's any less true."

"You sound like Dorthea." Luke said as he studied his hand. While there were a few deep cuts none of them looked like they would cause any true or lasting damage.

"What can I say?" He asked, turning off the water and reaching for a towel. "She's a smart lady. A smart lady who loves you. And that's the thing. People love you. Everyone who crosses your path, everyone who sees you, they love you. It's just that the people here don't see you yet."

Luke nodded yes, but he didn't believe it. He didn't think that the people of Haven and their army would ever see past his runes, runes that he found useful but didn't think he deserved.

"Catarina needs to look at this. She needs to make sure that there's no more glass and tend to it." Robert said, hoping that this could be easily tended to. The last thing Luke needed is to have truly damaged his hand. He did great things with his hands. "We also need to get you into some dry clothes."

"You could use some dry clothes yourself." He said, looking down at his soaked clothes, the Shadowhunter black that his Sunshine likes for him to wear.

"I'll get to that. This needs to be tended to first." Robert said, gently wrapping the towel around Luke's still bleeding hand.

"Where's Ziva?" He asked. He hoped that she doesn't know what's happened. She won't understand. But even if she doesn't already know she's going to find out and they have to try and find a way to explain it to her in a way that she'll understand, even though he didn't think there was one.

"With momma." Robert said, pushing Luke towards a bed and down to sit. "She doesn't know anything. The girls were already there when this...happened. Stay here. I'll be right back with Catarina and Dot. I know she wants to see you."

Luke nodded yes, there was nothing else to do. Well, except watch his friend as he left. And to stare at the door that closed behind him. He didn't want to look around. He didn't want to see the clinic he'd put together again. He didn't want to see any of it. All he wanted in that moment is to feel his wife's arms around him.

____________________

Four Years Ago

All Robert could hear were screams, human and demonic alike. His peripheral was dotted with the glow of seraph blades as he pushed through the rear of their army towards the nearest triage tent, a young woman gushing blood in his arms. All he knew is that she isn't a Seelie or a vampire. Rather she's a warlock or a werewolf would be for Luke or a member of his staff to determine, assuming he could get her to them before she bled to death.

But he wasn't sure the blood loss would really matter all that much. He could smell the pungent odor of the venom coming from the gaping wound in her chest. Most of the downworlders could get demon poisoning too. Werewolves and warlocks were half human after all. Seelies, he didn't know about. He sent up a small thank you to The Angel when he saw the man the woman needed coming out of a tent pulling off his bloodstained gloves as he broke free of the mass that was still fighting.

"Luke!" He called.

Luke's head turned at the sound of Robert's voice. He knew he'd heard his name called more times that night than he had every night before this one combined.

"What do you got?" He asked, rushing towards the Institute Head and taking the bleeding woman from his arms. A quick glance told him that the wound was bad and that she'd lost a lot of blood, but before he could do anything about that he had to deal with the demon poisoning. A raum had gotten her good.

"She's lost a lot of blood." Robert said. "I don't know what got her." Robert said as he followed Luke into the nearest triage tent and laid her down on a freshly vacated gurney.

"Raum." He said as he pulled on fresh gloves. "Sarah, raum antivenom. And a type card."

"Got it." Sarah said, pulling a vial from a rack beside the table and tossing it to him. "We're getting low on raum and shax."

"Megan!" He called as he filled a syringe with his antivenom. He'd have to stick it directly in the wound before he could add more to a drip. "Get someone to Peru for antivenoms."

Robert watched, cringing when Luke stuck his needle directly into the gaping wound in the woman's chest and as Sarah dabbed her bloodstained gloved finger on a small card. Only Luke would have thought to create a way to identify someone's species so quickly and easily.

"Werewolf. A positive." She said when the card turned green.

"Two units." Luke said. "Were getting low on blood too." He said to Robert. It had taken time to get blood bags of each type for each species. They were a lot like mundanes. If you gave them the wrong blood it would kill them. Thankfully he'd already had plenty of nephilim blood that could be pulled from every Institute. Healthy Shadowhunters gave blood frequently. It was oftentimes a necessity in treating them.

He silently cursed The High Warlock as he cut the woman's shirt open to reveal the severity of the wound. He'd seen worse. The demon poisoning, he knew he could treat. And the injury itself. But it very well could be the blood loss that killed her.

He'd requested through Counsil Penhallow that Magnus Bane gather some of his people to donate blood to be stored after The Mortal Cup had been stolen, and he'd been sent some through a doctor that worked with downworlders. But what they'd been given was nowhere near enough. His wife had told him it was because the downworlders were hesitant to give such a thing to Shadowhunters. They didn't know if or how it could be used against them later. If a weapon that could be used against them could somehow be made.

"And if you run out?" Robert asked.

"We have a few cell savers for non-venomous wounds. As we suction it'll recycle it and transfuse it back in. But there's not enough of those here to go around either." He said.

"What can I do?" Robert asked. Luke had stocked and staffed his tents well. But some things he couldn't stock adequately like downworlder blood because it wasn't given to him. Sure, Magnus Bane had given them some, but it obviously wasn't enough.

"There are at least two cell savers in every Institute." He said as he worked to stop the bleeding. "Get as many as you can here. And see if you can find out if there's more downworlder blood somewhere. If we're lucky there will be more that was collected that just hasn't been given to us yet." He said, looking up when the woman groaned.

"Two of morphine?" Sarah asked as she suctioned out the wound. She knew that her boss could take care of it, but if the woman lost any more blood she was done. And if she regained consciousness she would be in agony. But being as weak as she is the morphine would do more than take care of the pain. It would knock her out.

"And another line wide open." He said. Fluids are by no means as good as blood, but it was better than nothing.

"I'll get people moving to the Institutes." Robert said. He'd hit them himself if he had to, if getting the machines would help. And he'd ask the next downworlder he saw if they knew about a blood reserve. He knew Dr. Catarina Loss, The High Warlock's second in command, and thought that she would have done her best to honor Luke's request in gathering blood. While she may not have handed it all over when she'd sent what they had on hand, he thought that she would have at least gotten more and stashed it somewhere.

It bothered him that the downworlders were so untrustful of the people who were trying to save her people's lives. He knew that Shadowhunters weren't her favorite people and understood why. But looking around the tent he saw more than a few Shadowhunters who were fighting for their lives just like the woman in front of him, Shadowhunters who were in this tent because they'd laid their lives on the line tonight save the downworld.

They were trusted enough to go into battle, to fight at the downworlders side, but not trusted enough to give them what Luke and his staff needed to tend to their wounded. And once he got Luke as much as he could of what he'd asked for, he'd get back to the battle and pull as many more of the wounded out as he could, as many more of the wounded like the woman he'd just brought to the only one he thought could save her.

"Thank you." Luke said as he quickly stapled the wound he'd just tended to closed. Under normal circumstances he would have used sutures, but that took more time than he had. He'd stopped the bleeding and cleaned wound. That's the most he could do for now. With his antivenom if they could get enough blood into her fast enough, she'd make it.

As always Sarah was in awe of her boss for what she'd just helped him do. While she hadn't done much, he'd just successfully operated on a patient in a triage tent on a battlefield at warp speed. Being able to do what he'd just done is just one more reason why he's the best. But now that he'd done his part, it was time for the woman in front of her to do hers. She had her own personal battle to win.

____________________

"Babe." Dot said.

Luke's head snapped up at the sound of his wonderful wife's voice, snapping him back into the here and now. He'd been lost in his thoughts again, in his memories. A specific memory.

"Hmm?" He asked.

"I brought you some tea. Chamomile." She said, holding out a mug for him. She was more than a little worried. He hadn't said much since she'd gotten him home. He hadn't said a word while she'd gotten him into dry clothes and warmed up. The only words he'd said since then is 'no' to Cat when she tried to give him something for anxiety. He was visibly tied up in knots. While she wasn't ready to give up on getting him to take the med her best friend had left yet so he could get some rest, she hoped that getting something warm and soothing into him might help at least a little bit.

"Thanks." He said, giving her a small smile as he took the mug. He didn't want it. He wasn't sure that his stomach could take it. It was tied up in rather painful knots and he was more than a little nauseous.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked as she sat beside him on their small couch.

"I remember her." He said softly, thinking again of the woman who'd sent him away that day. 'Don't touch me, Shadowhunter.' "Robert carried her to my main tent. She had raum poisoning and an open chest wound. I didn't know who she was then. Not her name anyway. I only knew that she needed my help and I helped her. I helped her, Dorthea."

"I know you did." She said, fresh anger igniting in her belly. She'd been working hard to keep it in check, but she was struggling. She'd known the woman who'd turned her precious Luke away today for a long time. Stephanie. She'd been turned into a werewolf when she was just fifteen. "You helped a lot of people. You did it because it's what you do, you do it because it's who you are." She said, taking his bandaged hand in her own. Thankfully he hadn't seriously hurt himself. Cat had quickly cleaned it out and determined that no real damage had been done. It would heal quickly.

"It's not what I do." He said. "Not anymore."

"Luke..." She started.

"Dorthea..." He hiccupped as he cut her off, a sob caught in his chest. "What am I going to do?" He asked, going easily into her arms when she pulled him close. "For twenty tears..." He started, unable to finish. It all flashed through his head again just as it had so many times before since he'd first heard the words. 'Don't touch me, Shadowhunter.' Two decades of taking care of people, of tending to the sick and the wounded. Men, women, and children of all ages. He saw them all again at a dizzying speed.

"It's going to be okay. Just let it out." She soothed, holding her Shadowhunter close as he wept tears of heartache. Tears of pain that he had to get out. He was hurting deeply. Soul deep.

It was getting harder and harder to contain her rage by the second. But she had to hold it in. He needed her to. All lashing out would do is hurt him more than he already was. So, she couldn't lose control. If she did, her magic would burst free. Magic that she wasn't sure she could contain. Magnus wasn't the only one who had to fight the demon that live inside him. She's half demon too. "Just let it out."

____________________

Through the darkened forest between the old tall, tall trees he ran. Branches bent and broke as he moved through them. Leaves crunched beneath his feet. With each step the forest grew darker and denser. There was no moonlight to see by. But that was okay.

All he could do is run. He couldn't stop. He couldn't look to see where he was. He could only do what everything deep inside was screaming at him to do. To keep going.

An owl hooted loudly overhead. It sounded like a warning. Like it was saying 'go back'. But he couldn't. He wouldn't. Lightening cracked overhead, a near deafening boom reverberating throughout the forest that seemed to shake the ground beneath his feet.

Off to the side a tree fell sending the birds who'd just lost their homes screeching up towards the dark canopy overhead.

Lightening cracked again and another loud boom of thunder overhead shook the world.

____________________

Day 3

Alec's head snapped up, having been pulled instantly out of sleep. Thunder boomed again overhead and rattled the small windows. Rain was coming down in torrents. He could hear it pounding on the roof.

He was confused. He knew he'd just had an incredibly weird dream, but he couldn't remember it. Well, most of it. He just remembered running.

Looking around the bedroom he saw that it was lit only with light from the roaring fire and that oddly he was stretched out across the bed, his head had rested facing the hearth. He shivered, a cold chill passing through him. While the fire was putting off a wonderful warmth and he was tucked in under a layer of soft quilts he was cold. And in registering those layers he registered that he was dressed in warm clothes. A long sleeve shirt, comfortable sleep pants, and thick socks.

"No." He said, forcing himself up. So far, the only time he'd woken up from a cycle dressed was when there'd been trouble and his mom had come. And he couldn't stand the thought of her having come again.

"It's alright, sweetheart." Magnus said, coming in with a steaming mug. He'd known that his Shadowhunter had been lost deep in his dreams as he slept, he just didn't think that they'd been the wonderful dreams he'd hoped that he would have. He'd been too fitful.

He'd been about to wake him when he came in. Bad dreams weren't restful after all so there was no reason to endure them when that time spent sleeping could be used for other important things. Like eating.

"Tell me she wasn't..." He pleaded as his precious warlock sat down beside him.

"She wasn't." Magnus said. "It's a bit chilly. Very chilly actually. That happens when it storms up here." He said, holding out the steaming mug for his precious Alexander to take. He'd made him his favorite earl grey tea. "So, I dressed us. I didn't want you catching a chill and getting sick."

"So, everything's okay?" He asked, taking the mug of what he saw was tea. "There wasn't any trouble?"

"No, angel." Magnus said. "No trouble short of what seemed to be unpleasant dreams. I was about to wake you. Vision dreams?" He asked, remembering what they'd discussed during their time outside before the viscous storm that was raging had hit.

"I don't..." He started, trying to remember. But he couldn't. He only remembered running. "I don't know. I remember running. But that's it. Where or why, I have no idea."

"Well, not all dreams have anything to do with visions or glimpses of the future." Magnus said, hoping to comfort him. He could see the distress in his eyes. But he was hoping that what he'd just forgotten wasn't something important, a glimpse of something they needed to know either of the now, or the future. "You've had bad dreams before all of this, I'm sure."

Alec nodded yes, but he was unsure. Sure, he'd had bad dreams before but the things he saw in his dreams of what he hoped were of the future were always good things. Beautiful babies and happy times. But that could be changing. He could be having more than what he hoped were good glimpses of the future. His dreams of plan B were a solid indicator that things may be changing. So far, the truly bad things only came in the form of his very painful visions. So, he hoped that the dream he'd just had was a normal bad dream. If it was a bad dream. He honestly didn't know if it was bad or not. Not with how little he remembered.

"Drink." Magnus said, urging his love to drink his tea. He wanted him to focus on the now, not his fitful sleep and weird dreams.

Alec nodded yes again, taking a sip of his delicious tea. Earl Grey with honey.

"How long was I asleep?" He asked.

"A few hours." Magnus said. "I was hoping that you'd sleep a bit longer and get some good rest. But I guess that's out.

We have a little time before your next cycle, and I'd like it if you ate a little. You haven't eaten much."

"I haven't been very hungry." He said, and he wasn't sure that he could eat now. Not with this lingering confusion about his dreams, and the ball of dread that had been sitting in his belly since they'd come inside before the storm. He was sure that something was wrong back in Haven, he just didn't know how to find out what it is or what he could do about it. But he needed to try and eat regardless. "But you're right. I do need to eat. What day are we on?"

"We just started day three." Magnus said. He's been hoping that his Shadowhunter's heat would only be for three days, but they wouldn't know if that would be the case until the end of this day.

Alec sighed. He'd been hoping to hear that they were further into this. They were hoping that his heat would only last three days, but he knew that it wouldn't just be three days. He'd seen it in his most recent dreams.

He'd hoped that they'd have already conceived. But if they had his alpha would know, and they wouldn't be talking about his next cycle. There was something about his pheromones that he would have picked up on. All he could do now is keep hoping and praying to The Angel that they would conceive during each cycle until it happened.

He was trying not to think about the unthinkable. That they'd missed their chance to conceive the little ones he'd seen in his most wonderful and precious dreams. But he couldn't tell his alpha his fear. He wouldn't. Not again. He didn't want him to know that he was still stressing over it. He also wouldn't tell him that he was getting more and more depressed after each cycle. He was worried enough about how little he was eating and drinking and about how little sleep he was getting because his cycles were so close together. He didn't want him worrying about this too. And he would worry.

"Sweetheart." Magnus said. When his angel had fallen silent, he knew that he was lost in his thoughts. Thoughts he hoped were something that he didn't need to worry about. But he wasn't holding his breath.

"Sorry." He said, his warlock's voice having snapped him back into the here and now. "I guess I zoned out. So, what do you want to eat?" He asked, forcing what he hoped was a believable smile.

"Whatever you want is fine with me." Magnus said. Now he was worried. More so than he already was. He could read his precious Alexander like a book and knew that his smile was forced. When he truly smiled it always lit up his beautiful crystal blue eyes.

"How about a nice dinner?" He asked. He could see that he hadn't fooled his precious alpha. He could see it in his beautiful chocolate brown eyes. He could see the worry that he hadn't wanted to cause. Maybe a distraction would help. "Then maybe a hot bath."

"A nice dinner sounds good." Magnus said, relieved that he was willing to eat an actual meal. And a hot bath sounded good. "But what if your cycle starts during our hot bath. I'm assuming you want company."

"Definitely." He said, remembering some of their very pleasurable baths at home. Hot water and bubbles. "If it does, it does. We'll just have to find a way to keep the water warm."

"I think I can manage that." Magnus said, smiling at his silly Shadowhunter. He's a warlock and it wouldn't take much at all to keep their bath warm. "So, a nice dinner and a hot bath it is. Now, let's go eat." He said, climbing to his feet and helping his love to his.

For the first time in three days, he was going to sit them down at the table for a nice meal. It would be a nice change. They'd spent so much time in the small bedroom, and he knew that his husband liked to get out of it whenever he could. As cozy as it was, he was sure that he was getting tired of spending so much time confined in one room.

____________________

Alec sighed as every muscle relaxed. The hot water was working wonders on easing the tension he hadn't known he was carrying. He didn't think that there could be a better place to be. How could there be? Resting in his alpha's arms in a tub of hot bubbly water with flickering candlelight making the bubbles sparkle rainbow colors was perfect. And his alpha's soft kisses to the rune on the back of his neck had a tingle of pleasure skittering down his spine and a light shiver passing through him.

"Is this what you were hoping for, sweetheart?" Magnus asked, pressing another soft kiss to the rune on the back of his Shadowhunter's neck.

His love had wanted a hot bath after dinner. It was a simple request. It was rare that he requested anything, so he indulged him every chance he got. And he couldn't deny that this very simple request was nice. Having his precious Alexander relaxing in his arms settled between his legs in the hot water filled with sweet smelling bubbles had to be a little slice of heaven.

"Yes." He said, leaning back to rest his head on his warlock's shoulder. "It's exactly what I wanted." He said as he settled himself better between his alpha's strong legs. As always, he fit perfectly there. At least for now. He wasn't sure how it would work when he was pregnant, but he was certain they'd find out. He didn't think he could go nine months without this. It was one of his favorite things. A very simple favorite thing that he loved.

"Good. But we'll need to get out soon." Magnus said. He was glad that his husband had relaxed and let his tension go. He'd been tense at times rather he knew it or not. He was also glad that he'd eaten a good meal before they'd settled into their hot bath. But he thought they might end up pruney soon if they stayed too long. Discreetly glancing at his watch, he saw that it wouldn't be long before his next cycled and unless they got out of the water sooner rather than later, they'd be here for a while.

"I don't want to. Not yet. Not until we have to." He said, rubbing his husband's legs. As much as he wanted to stay right where he was, he knew that they would have to get out soon. There wasn't much time left before his next cycle. While he always enjoyed bubble bath sex, or shower sex, or bend over the bathroom counter sex, he didn't think he'd enjoy being stuck in this bubble bath for an hour. "We haven't done this in a while. It's nice."

"No, we haven't. And it is nice." Magnus said, enjoying his young love rubbing his legs. "Something else is troubling you. Would you like to tell me what it is?"

Alec sighed.

"Something's wrong at home." He said. "I know it is. I can feel it in my gut."

"Like what, love?" Magnus asked. While he hoped that everything was alright in Haven, he didn't think it was either. And he'd long since come to learn that his Shadowhunter's gut is never wrong.

"I don't know." He said. "I just know that whatever it is, it's bad."

"You know there's nothing that we can do, angel." Magnus said.

"I know. But I'm worried." He said. He knew then that no matter how hard he tried to not worry about his family when he had to be away during his heats that he wouldn't be able to. He would always worry about them when he couldn't be with them. It didn't matter that they were strong and capable and could hold their own. He would always worry. It's just the way he is. "As much as I hate it, whatever it is that's going on they're going to have to handle it on their own for now. I just wish I knew what it was. If I knew maybe I won't spend the next few days worrying about what it could be. There are so many possibilities and each one I think about seems to be worse than the last. And please don't tell me that I shouldn't be worrying about anything. I already know that. But I can't help it."

"I know." Magnus said, sighing. He knew his precious Alexander well enough to know that as much as he needed to push all thoughts of home away that he wouldn't be able to stop worrying. He hoped that one day that this would get easier. That over time he'd learn to let things go during his heats. But this wasn't exactly a normal circumstance. This was a time of war, a time that would continually be full of worry and stress. "Will it make you feel better if I go check on things?" He asked. He didn't want to leave. He didn't want to leave him alone for a second. He wanted to be at his side the way he'd promised he would, but if leaving for a little while would give him peace, it was something that he would do.

"Will you?" He asked, turning in his alpha's arms. While he might not get to find out what's going on himself, if his warlock did, he might be able to relax. He didn't think he'd be able to once he knew what was happening, but he thought that would be better than not knowing.

"Yes." Magnus said. He knew by the look in his favorite crystal blue eyes that he didn't have a choice. He could see the need to know. And he knew that the constant worrying would eat him up. "But it won't change the fact that there's nothing we can do right now."

"I know." He said.

"Okay." Magnus said. "But it's going to have to wait until after your next cycle. I'll be starting soon, and I won't be able to get there and back in time."

Alec nodded yes. As much as he wanted to know right then, he knew that there was no way. There wouldn't be enough time and his precious warlock wouldn't leave him alone for a cycle. And if he was being honest with himself, despite how selfish it made him feel, he didn't like the thought of being left in the pain of being untouched. He remembered that pain all too clearly from his first heat.

"You know, I could always message Catarina." Magnus said.

"No." He said. "She won't tell us, and we both know it. If she wouldn't even confirm that Dot's pregnant for fear of your wrath, she's not going to tell us anything else that she doesn't think we should be worrying about."

"My wrath?" Magnus asked, arching a brow.

"Admit it. If she'd answered you with a simple 'yes' and you weren't able to hear firsthand when you did that Dot isn't training that you would have lost it." He said. "Dot's one of your warlock's. More so, she's like a little sister. And this was something that you needed to hear, not read. And in hearing it when you did under the circumstances that you did you were able to find everything out that would have given her a taste of your wrath before you had a chance to unleash it. While this isn't the most ideal time for us to find this out it worked out pretty well."

"You're right." Magnus said, holding his husband tighter in his arms. "You know me so well. You've learned more about me in the last three months than most anyone. Sure, my warlocks know me but not as well as you do, and I've known them all for centuries."

"That's because I love you." He said, settling back in his alpha's arms. "And as you've pointed out I'm very in tune with the people that I love. I also know the way you think. And it doesn't hurt that we're a lot alike so that makes it pretty easy to read you."

"Fair enough." Magnus said, kissing his love's shoulder when he settled back against him. "But for the moment you need to try and set this aside."

"I know." He said, sighing. "There is something that I've been thinking about that I'd like your thoughts on."

"Of course." Magnus said. "Tell me what you've had on that brilliant mind of yours."

"Gideon's journal." He said. "I think I know why he started it. I think he wanted to document his dreams, his visions. I think he wanted to see which ones he had more than once and what changed in them when he did. There have been a lot of dreams that I've had more than once. Dreams that have changed a few times even if it's just been in small ways.

I don't know when his visions started or how long he had them, but I know it's getting kinda hard to keep all of mine straight even with my memory. I haven't read much of it but I'm betting that when I do, when I sit down and really read it that I'll see that some of it's a recounting of the dreams he had several times.

I'm also thinking that I'll see some of what hasn't happened. Things that haven't happened because they're things that have been changed even if no one knew that they were changing anything at the time. And I think I'll see a lot of other things that like so many things weren't meant to happen before now because it wasn't time for them to come to pass. Things that are somehow meant to be a warning for us. A heads up.

I mean, if he saw it first, it would have to be. Wouldn't it? I think that's why it was so important that it be passed down. And why he had Ragnor enchant it the way he did. He enchanted it so that the details of Gideon's visions wouldn't fall into the wrong hands."

Magnus had been wondering why it was so important that Gideon Lightwood's journal be passed down the way it had been starting with when Ragnor had gifted it to his daughter. It was the best way to make sure that it was always kept in the hands of a Lightwood. And it would ensure that it could easily be passed to the next omega Lightwood with The Sight of The Angel.

He'd also wondered several times why Ragnor had used blood magic to enchant it when he never used blood magic. And his precious Alexander's thoughts made sense. There were a lot of his dreams that he'd had more than once that have changed in some way, especially his dream of the day that come hell or high water would never come to pass. And there very well may have been things that Gideon had seen that like this war weren't meant to happen before now.

No one had understood why Gideon had The Sight of The Angel when it in no way seemed to be of any help. It has always seemed so unfair that his love went through so much when Gideon seemed to have gone through so little. But it made him think that perhaps Gideon may have gone through more than what they knew. A lot more. And in going through it he may have left them some valuable information.

"I think you might be right, sweetheart." He said. "About all of it. Your thoughts explain a lot of things about Gideon and Ragnor both. I'll admit that I've wondered several times since the day you first touched that book why Ragnor had used blood magic when he'd always been so against it. They'd wanted to make sure that if it did fall into the wrong hands that whatever visions Gideon may have documented, whatever information there might be that could be used against us, that it wouldn't be seeable for someone to use. The pages would have been blank to anyone but you.

I also think you're right about what Gideon wrote that has been hidden away. I think that he probably did document his dreams. That's how his visions came. In dreams. If your dreams have changed over time, it only makes sense that his would too. And I'd say that he did document visions that weren't meant to happen until now."

"I think I'm going to have to take some time to sit down and really read it." Alec said. "I think it's going to be a lot more helpful than we first thought. And thinking about it, I think that I'm not just meant to read it, but that I'm meant to add to it. To document my dreams and visions as best I can. The ones I've already had and any new ones.

I didn't think anything of it before but the last time I saw it, it was thicker than when grandma first gave it to me. And when I flipped through it there were a lot of new pages in the back. Blank pages."

"Then I'd say that you are meant to add to it." He said, slightly surprised. He hadn't seen the book in some time and didn't know that it had changed. That could only be done by magic. Ragnor's magic. "You certainly have seen a lot and writing it all out may help you make more sense of things.

And since you'd be the only one who can read it, you can get all of what you've been holding in because you don't feel that you can share it out without risking changing the future. That would be good for you, I think."

Alec nodded yes. He thought that being able to put it all down would help. By writing it in Gideon's journal, well, his journal now, he wouldn't have to keep trying to remember it all. And he'd meant what he'd said. Even with his eidetic memory it was getting hard to keep it all straight. And the weight of carrying the memories of so many things that he knew that he was meant to keep to himself was getting heavier every day. He thought that if he purged himself of it that it might make things easier.

"But reading and adding to it isn't something that's going to happen right now, Alexander." Magnus said, anticipating his husband. "The book will still be right where you left it when we get home. And if it's waited this long, it's not going to hurt anything if it waits a few more days."

"Okay." He said. He didn't want to wait, but he knew that he had to.

"You need to put this out of your mind, sweetheart." Magnus said. While he was glad that his Shadowhunter had shared his thoughts about the journal, he didn't need to be thinking about what might or might not be written it. Or about what any of it might mean. Not right now. Not during his heat.

"I know." He said.

"You know, I think I may have the perfect distraction." Magnus said, reaching into the water to gently stroke his Shadowhunter's cock. He smiled when it hardened in an instant.

"Yes, I think this would definitely distract me." He breathed through the sweet pleasure of his alpha gently stroking his now hardened length. "You haven't done this in a while."

"I haven't touched you?" Magnus teased, taking a firm grip on his love's magnificent length.

"Not in a hot bath." He said, gripping his warlock's knees as he jerked him. The pleasure of the simple act was incredible. "In the shower, yes. At the bathroom counter, yes. In the kitchen on one of the rare occasions that we're alone, yes. A dozen other places, yes. But not in a hot bath. Not in a long time."

"I suppose you're right about that." Magnus said, a smirk in his voice as he jerked his angel harder. "We need to remedy that in the future. I know how much you enjoy it." He said, making a mental note to do it whenever he could. Especially when his love is pregnant.

There would come a time when their lovemaking options would be limited. The time would come when he would be too far into his pregnancy to do all of the things that they can do now.

But no matter how far along his Shadowhunter got he would still jerk him off every chance he got. He would jerk him off in the shower, at the bathroom counter, in the kitchen whenever they are alone, in a relaxing bath, and anywhere and everywhere else he could. And he knew a great many more anywhere and everywhere else's it could be done.

He wanted to give him as much pleasure as possible. Always. He wanted to give him pleasure every moment of every day. And he would need as much as he could get very soon. He'd feel some discomfort during his pregnancy. It was just a part of it, and he would do anything he could to help him through it, and he thought that pleasure would be a good way.

But he wouldn't just jerk him off. He'd fuck him with his mouth in all those same places and then some too. He'd suck his angel's magnificent cock in every room of their house including his OP's center, more than once. He'll do it again and again. Pregnant or not, he'll do it all again and again just because his husband enjoyed it. But for the moment he'd do exactly what he was. He'd jerk him until he came before taking him to bed to pleasure him another way. A way that would hopefully get him pregnant with the beautiful babies he'd seen in his most wonderful dreams.

"I enjoy it very much." He panted as his precious warlock jerked him harder and faster. He wanted to thrust up, but he couldn't. Not with his alpha's arm wrapped securely around his waist and holding him flush against him.

He loved it when the man of his dreams did this. When he jerked him off. Whenever and wherever he could. And he did the same for him. Sometimes he'd sneak into his workshop while he was doing whatever warlock stuff he was doing just to do it, or something else. He'd also snuck in there a few times to suck his magnificent cock.

One of his favorite things was pleasuring his husband. Anywhere and everywhere he could he'd pleasure him. Rather it was jerking him off, fucking him with his mouth, or bending him over and taking him from behind. He did it whenever he could and always would. And he had a few new places in mind that he couldn't wait to try. But for the moment he wanted to enjoy this.

He gripped his alpha's knees tight, the pleasure of his hard jerks making his belly clench. He knew he couldn't take much more.

"That's it, sweetheart. Just feel it." Magnus soothed, listening to his love's panting breaths. He'd gripped him tighter around his trim waist when he'd tried to lift his hips. He'd wanted to thrust into his hand. He always did. But he wouldn't let him, not this time. While he was doing this for his precious Alexander, he wanted to do it his way.

He knew when his sweet angel gripped his knees tighter that he was getting close, so he jerked faster. He was pleased when his sweet angel cried out.

"Alpha..." He panted, unable to say another word. His body tensed as he came, delicious waves of beautiful pleasure crashing down on him as his cock erupted in his warlock's incredibly skilled hand.

"Shh." Magnus soothed, pressing a soft kiss to the man of his dream's shoulder when he uttered his one word as he came, as his beautiful cock erupted in his hand. He held him close as his body trembled from the intensity of the pleasure. It was that intense trembling that told him that it was almost time.

When Alec's body finally stilled, he realized why his release had been so intense. It was always magnificent when he came. Incredible. From the very first time his husband had made him cum it had always been exquisite. But this intensity is something that he'd only felt since his heat started, and he knew by this intensity that his next cycle would be starting any time.

"Come on, angel." Magnus said softly, pressing another soft kiss to his Shadowhunter's shoulder. "Let's get you to bed."

"Okay." He said, nodding yes. He wasn't sure he could stand to climb out of the tub or that his legs would support him, but he'd try. And if they couldn't, he knew that his alpha would help him.

____________________

Alec almost moaned as he stretched out on his belly on the soft bed. His alpha's soft kisses from the second they'd climbed out of the tub to the back of his neck and his hands on his skin felt wonderful. It had him tingling from head to toe. And his weight as he settled himself on this ass felt perfect. His thick cock nestled in his crack had him aching for it. Aching to have it filling and knotting him. He was already craving his knot desperately.

Magnus pressed kiss after kiss to his sweet angel's neck while caressing his smooth skin as he settled himself on his perfect ass. The ass that he would be filling very soon. But he wanted to keep his love as relaxed as he could, hopefully as relaxed as he'd been in their very enjoyable bath.

He couldn't help himself when he pressed a hard biting kiss to the side of his precious Alexander's neck, listening to his soft moan as he sucked hard. He was going to mark him. As many times as he could.

His cock nestled between his love's cheeks had him aching to filling him, to pleasure him. And he would before he eased him into a very deep sleep before portaling to Haven to hopefully find out that everything was alright. While he'd been sleeping between his last few cycles it hadn't been very restful.

His cycles coming so close together was taking a heavy toll on him. It had him praying to his angel's Angel that they would conceive very soon, and if by some chance that they didn't, he could only pray that his heat would end at the three day mark. He truly didn't want to try and make it through two more days. But if they had to, they had to.

There would come a time when they didn't conceive during heats and if this heat didn't stop at three days, or four days, then they would know that they would have to make it through a full five days. At least they'd found a way to make his heats easier on him and that was to give him what he needed without over stimulating him. But he didn't think that would be an issue right now. And right now, in this moment he would pleasure him as much as he could. Once he was sure that he'd made his mark he sat up and studied it. It was beautiful.

Alec thought the pleasure of his alpha sucking hard on the side of his neck as he marked him, as he caressed his skin was magnificent. He gripped the soft cotton sheets to try and ground himself, but it wasn't working. He almost whimpered when his warlock pulled back to study the mark he'd just left. He always studied them just as he always studied the marks he left on his alpha.

When his Shadowhunter gripped the sheets, Magnus knew that he was trying to ground himself. He didn't know if it was working, and he hoped that it wasn't. He wanted him to get lost in the pleasure. It would make this cycle easy and help him get good rest after while he went to Haven. He didn't want to leave him, not for a second. But if making this trip would help him, he'd make it.

He wanted to make another beautiful mark but decided against it when he felt the warm gush of slick beneath him. As much as he wanted to claim his sweet angel's beautiful ass, he wanted him to be completely relaxed when he did. The new tension in his shoulders told him that he'd tensed up again. The intensity of the pleasure had made him tense instead of relax. But he thought he knew a way to remedy that. Snapping his fingers, he had a bottle of his love's favorite massage oil in his hand. Snapping his fingers again he warmed it.

"Relax, sweetheart." He said, pouring a generous amount of the warm oil up and down his husband's back.

Alec couldn't stop his soft sigh when his warlock's strong hands massaged the sweet smelling oil hard into his back and shoulders just the way he liked it. And the pleasure of it had his muscles relaxing again. As much as he wanted to be filled and fuck, to have his alpha's knot deep inside him, the decadent pleasure of the deep massage was distracting him from his desire more and more.

"That's it." Magnus soothed when his love's muscles started to relax beneath his hands, when he started to relax again the way he was hoping that he would.

"'Kay." Alec breathed. Sweet pleasure was humming beneath his skin. His alpha's massages always felt good, but they'd never felt this good. Being so sensitive it felt so much better. He moaned softly when his warlock's very talented hands moved down his back, his thumbs massaging circles all the way down to the muscles in his lower back. This is something else he didn't think he could do nine months without.

Scooting down Magnus worked his way down from his precious Alexander's lower back to massage circles into his beautiful ass. He was aching to fill it and would very soon.

"Alpha, please." Alec said. His husband massaging his favorite oil into his ass had him craving his knot again. The need for it was quickly becoming overwhelming. Despite having his warlock's hands on him, he needed more. He needed him to fill him. Now.

Magnus knew when he heard his Shadowhunter's plea what he was wanting. It was a plea to be filled. To be knotted. It took him barely a second to decide what he wanted to do. He didn't want to roll him over and take him that way. He wanted to do something new.

"I'm going to claim your beautiful ass, Alexander." He said, kneed his love's well toned cheeks. "I'm going to claim it as my own. And I'm going to fuck you hard and fast just the way you are. Do you understand me?"

"Yes." Alec breathed, excitement and need coursing through him. This was new. A new position. He loved when they tried new positions.

"Good." He said, spreading his cheeks. Lifting his hips, he lined himself up with his angel's wet entrance and ever so slowly eased the head of his cock through his tight rim. His head spun from the heavenly pleasure when his love's tight muscles clamped down around him. He knew then that he was going to love this position.

Alec gasped and gripped the sheets tighter. The pleasure of the beautiful intrusion when his warlock eased into him was incredible. He knew then that he was going to thoroughly enjoy this position. The new angle was already heavenly, and he knew that it was only going to get better the further his alpha eased into him. The pressure and sense of fullness at this angle would be different, but it was going to magnificent.

Magnus smiled when his sweet omega gasped at his intrusion. He knew that he wouldn't know what to expect from this new position, but he was most definitely enjoying it. He knew from his tightened grip on the sheets.

Leaning forward he gripped his Shadowhunter's wrists, pinning them firmly to the mattress as he eased another inch into his sinfully tight channel. The exquisite pleasure of the tight muscles clamping down around him nearly stole his breath.

"Alpha." Alec breathed. It was a struggle to focus through the decadent pleasure of his precious warlock easing further into him. It had almost stolen his breath. He'd been right. It was getting better. While the sense of fullness as he was being filled was different, it was just as magnificent as he'd thought it would be. And while his warlock pinning his wrists to the mattress had surprised him it had also thrilled him.

Magnus's head had spun again from the pleasure when he'd eased further into his precious Alexander. He was trying to stay focused on his love and in doing so he hadn't missed that he'd bit his lip to stifle his moan.

"Na-hah. You'll give me my moans." He said. It had long since been a rule that they didn't hold bock. They both enjoyed hearing each other too much.

Alec had been so caught up in the pleasure that he hadn't realized that he'd broken their number one rule, that he'd tried to stifle a moan. He knew then that he was losing control of himself.

The sinfully intense pleasure was muddling his mind. But he nodded yes, panting for breath as he gripped the sheets even tighter, as tight as he could. He had been hoping from the start that it would keep him grounded, but it just wasn't working. He was losing more and more ground by the second.

"Good." Magnus said, easing another inch into his young love. He was pleased when his husband cried out, his forehead dropping to the mattress. He'd hit his prostate and he knew it. "That's it. Let me hear you." He said. He decided that he wanted to stop here for a moment, he wanted to linger. He wanted his love to feel the pressure against his prostate for a minute before he eased further in.

The pleasure of the pressure against Alec's prostate was beyond exquisite. The stretch and sense of fullness that came with being filled was always incredible, but from this new angle it was even more so. How that was possible he didn't know. All he knew is that the pleasure had to be in every way sinful.

"Please move." He begged, needing the scrape against his prostate. The pressure against it was wonderful, but he needed more.

He knew that despite his best efforts it wouldn't take much more for him to slip into his special place, but he didn't want to. He didn't want to float as he felt the pleasure. He wanted to stay with his alpha.

Magnus thought that his Shadowhunter was getting close to slipping into his special place and wanted him to. He would still feel it as he fucked him, as he pleasured him. He listened to his panting breaths and moans as he eased the rest of the way into him, giving him the scrape against his prostate that he'd been needing as he fully filled him. He cried out himself when he bottomed out. Each beautiful inch as he'd sheathed himself inside the one he loved had brought incredible pleasure. Exquisite pleasure. Pleasure that he was sure had to be sinful. But that's what his sweet angel always gave him. The best possible pleasure.

The pleasure as his warlock eased the last few inches into him was pulsing in Alec's veins. His alpha's thick cock scraping against his prostate before he bottomed out set his nerves on fire. And when the man he loved was fully sheathed inside him he knew he had to be in Heaven.

"More. Please more." He begged.

"Shh." Magnus soothed, pressing a soft kiss to the rune on the back of his precious Alexander's neck.

Alec didn't want to 'shh'. All he wanted in that moment was for his alpha to fuck him hard and fast just like he said he would. He wanted him to pound into him. It had him whining in desperation.

"It's alright, angel." Magnus soothed when his Shadowhunter whined, pressing another soft kiss to the rune on the back of his neck. His love was getting desperate, and he knew it. The omega in him was in control and was demanding more. And if it didn't get what it wanted, it would cause distress and his omega didn't need to be distressed. Not with as drained as he's been.

Easing back, he thrust hard back into him, his mind going blank for a second before he did it again and again, each thrust a little harder than the last. He didn't think his husband could grip the sheets any tighter as he panted out his chorus of 'yes' in time with each thrust as he fucked him.

An incredibly intense tingle ran down Alec's spine when his alpha kissed his neck again, just as intense as the first. But his mind went blank when he pulled back and thrust hard back into him. And it stated blank. All there was, was pleasure. Earthshattering pleasure.

He didn't hear his chorus of 'yes' as his warlock thrust into him again and again, fucking him just as he'd promised he would. The words were coming out on their own without any thought. He didn't feel his hard grip on the sheets. He just felt his alpha's thick cock filling and fucking him.

With each thrust he felt himself moving closer and closer to his special place, the place that for the first time he didn't want to go to. But he wouldn't be able to stop it. He wouldn't be able to stay with his husband the way he wanted. But it would be okay. He would be back with him soon enough. So, he let go, the near overwhelming pleasure throwing him into it where he soared.

Magnus knew that his angel had let go and was in his special place when his words were replaced with soft moans, and he thought that this time he might join him there if he didn't focus. But he had to. He had to stay focused so he could tend to his love.

He'd told him that he was going to fuck him hard and fast, as he was. He was pounding into him with each glorious thrust.

He'd decided quickly that he didn't just like this new position, he loved it. He was always bending his Shadowhunter over a table or dresser after tugging his cargos down over his perfect hips and ass to fuck him before tugging them back up and sending him back to whatever it was that he'd been doing. He loved doing it just as much as his sweet angel loved bending him over and doing the same thing to him. But this was just as incredibly good, and he was looking forward to doing it again and again.

He knew that his precious Alexander was getting close when the base of his cock started to thicken, and it was thickening more and more with each thrust.

Alec was lost. He was lost in his special place and the transcendent pleasure as his alpha pounded into him. He didn't know that he was getting close to an incredible release. He didn't realize that the base of his warlock's cock was thickening in response to him. But he felt the pleasure when his own cock erupted beneath him, a release that was beyond any words he knew.

"Breathe, sweetheart." Magnus said, gently rubbing his love's back. His release had been magnificent, but he'd still registered that his Shadowhunter had lost his breath.

Alec drew in a stuttering breath without thinking. While he was floating in his special place, he still heard his warlock's words and responded.

Magnus took in a relieved breath when his sweet angel drew in breath after breath on his own. It wasn't a common occurrence for him to lose his breath in bed anymore, but it has been a fairly frequent thing since his heat had started.

Bending down he pressed one last kiss to his neck before reaching beneath him and gently rolling them, settling them on their sides and holding him close.

He could tell that his precious Alexander was on the verge of sleep, but he didn't need to be on the verge. He needed to drift into it. Pressing a firm had to his flat belly he eased soft magic into him, pushing him past the verge and into the darkness. Then he pushed him deeper and deeper until he was in a deep and heavy sleep, a sleep that would be restful. He would watch over him as he slept for a while before easing out of him after his knot went down, then he'd make the trip to Haven that he was dreading. He knew as well as his angel did that something was wrong. He could feel it too.

Snapping his fingers, he covered them with one of his love's favorite soft satin duvets. It was a chilly night even with the fire and he wanted him to stay warm. And with his Shadowhunter held securely in his arms he thought of where he needed to go and what he needed to find out.

Alec didn't know that he'd slipped out of his special place and into a deep sleep. His warlock's magic had worked quickly. He hadn't had a chance to think about what would come next, about his alpha's promised trip to Haven. He hadn't had a chance to worry or fret over it anymore. It wasn't something that he would be thinking about or struggling with right now. Right now, all there would be is sleep. He'd just have to deal with whatever problem they were now facing later.

Comments and feedback are always welcome! If you enjoyed this chapter, please give it a vote. Also feel free to follow me on Twitter @ BrandyB17922482.