Chapter 43

Divide to Conquer

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!!!

"You got it, buddy?" Alec asked, following his little man as he toddled through the pumpkin patch. They'd been rummaging around for the past two hours looking for the perfect pumpkin.

His Jack had been so upset when he'd woken up from his nap two days ago and learned that he'd missed pumpkin picking day, but he'd just been too sick. He'd cried so hard. He'd cried until they'd promised him that just as soon as he was well enough that they'd have another pumpkin picking day, their very own, and that he could pick as many pumpkins as he wanted. But he hadn't wanted pumpkins. He wanted the biggest pumpkin he could fit his little arms around and he'd found it. But it was heavy. At just under three years old his baby boy could only carry so much. "Daddy can carry it."

"No, Daddy. It's my punkin'. I'll carry it." Jack said. And he would. He would show her. He would show his sissy that he's a big boy and can carry his own punkin'. He wasn't a baby like she said.

"You sure?" He asked. He could see that his little trooper was struggling with the weight of the pumpkin in his arms, and he didn't want him to drop it. It was a long walk out of the pumpkin patch. Why he was so adamant that he had to carry it himself he didn't know. But he knew that there had to be a reason. And he had an inkling what that reason might be.

He knew that his youngest daughter liked to tease her brother for his size, he was a little on the small side, and she loved giving him a hard time about it. So, he couldn't help but wonder if she was the reason. His baby boy was also from one of the three single pregnancies he'd had during the last five hundred years. It was very, very rare that an omega carried only one child, but it did happen from time to time. And for some reason it seemed to make him a target of bullying.

Jack gripped his punkin' tighter, holding it to his chest. It was heavy and hard to hold, and Daddy had said that he would carry it, but he wanted to do it. He had to.

"Mm-hmm. I'll do it." He said. But as soon as the words left his mouth his precious punkin' slid from his arms and hit the ground where it busted. "My punkin'!" He cried, tears welling in his eyes. He'd dropped his punkin' and it broked. Now he didn't have a punkin' and couldn't show his sissy that he was big and strong.

"Hey, it's okay." Alec said, crouching down beside his son, wiping away the tears that were streaming down his cheeks. "You can pick another pumpkin."

"Don't...want...'nother...punkin'." He hiccupped through his tears. "Want that one." He said, looking down at his smashed punkin' at his feet.

"Why does it have to be that one, Jack? We have plenty of other pumpkins." Alec said. They had more than enough for his precious boy to choose from. They were standing in the middle of a centuries old pumpkin patch after all.

"I'm not a baby, Daddy." He said through his tears.

"Did sissy tell you that? That you were a baby?" Alec asked. "Because you're not. You're my big boy."

"No, I'm not." He said. "Sissy's right. I'm not big. I can't carry a big punkin'."

"Jack, even the biggest boys can't carry everything. Sometimes things are just too heavy and not being able to carry something that's too big doesn't make you a baby." Alec said, his suspicions confirmed. He would be dealing with 'sissy' later.

"You and Papa carry big stuff." He sniffled.

"True. But we're all grown up and one day you will be too. One day you'll be able to carry a lot more than a pumpkin." Alec said. "Here, how about this. How about I carry you and your pumpkin back? I'm sure Papa's waiting with our picnic and when we get there you can show him your great big pumpkin. The pumpkin you picked all by yourself like a big boy."

"Punkin' busted." He said softly.

"It doesn't have to be." Alec said. "You can't listen to everything your sissy says, buddy. You may be my baby boy, but you're still a big boy and can do a lot of big boy things. You just can't do everything."

"I can have my punkin?'" He asked, excitement shining in his crystal blue cat eyes, eyes that were both his daddy's and his papa's.

"Will you admit that maybe it's just a little too big for you to carry? Because it's pretty big." Alec said. While he wanted his son to believe that he's the big boy that he is, he needed him to understand that even big boys can't aways do everything by themselves.

"Mm-hmm." He said, nodding yes. His punkin' was big and it had been heavy. He should have let Daddy carry it. He'd just wanted to show his sissy that he was big and strong like him. "So, I'm really not a baby?"

"No, Jack. You're not a baby." Alec said. "You're my baby boy and always will be, but you're not a baby. Just like your sister will always be my baby girl. Does being my baby girl make her a baby?"

"No." He said. "But she's big. Bigger than me."

"That's because she's older." Alec said. "And as you get older, you'll get bigger too. And stronger. One day, you'll be able to carry ten pumpkins just like this one."

"Promise?" He asked.

"On The Angel." Alec said. "So, what do you say? Can Daddy carry you and your pumpkin the rest of the way back so we can have our picnic? It's a kinda long walk and you don't want to drop it again."

Jack nodded yes. Daddy said he wasn't a baby and Daddy never fibbed, so he felt better. And if it meant that he got to have his punkin' he'd let Daddy carry it. He also wanted Daddy to carry him. Carrying his great big punkin' had made him tired.

"Okay." Alec said, giving his little man a sweet smile. With a snap of his fingers the smashed pumpkin at his Jack's feet was as good as new. It really was a nice pumpkin. He'd chosen well.

"My punkin'!" Jack squealed. He was super happy now. He wasn't a baby and Daddy fixed his punkin'.

"Come on, buddy." He said, scooping both his youngest son and his pumpkin into his arms. "Let's go show Papa your pumpkin and get something to eat." He said, holding him close as he made their way towards the front of the massive pumpkin patch. He wouldn't be surprised if his precious boy fell asleep on the walk back. It really was a bit of a walk, and he wasn't at a hundred percent yet. But the excitement of showing his Papa his pumpkin would perk him up before they sat down to eat.

He couldn't help but think on the best way to teach a certain little lady a lesson on why she shouldn't tease people as he walked, on why it wasn't okay to be a bully. And if he couldn't settle on a way, he was certain that her Papa would help him. They did share the weight of the heaviest things after all, and the weight of raising children was heavy. But it wasn't a weight that he carried alone, he and his precious warlock carried it together.

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Alec stirred as he drifted towards the surface of sleep. It had been a good sleep, a deep and wonderful sleep with sweet and beautiful dreams. He smiled when whiskers tickled his cheek, opening his eyes to find a purring Chairman Meow almost nose to nose with him.

"Well, good morning." He said, moving one hand up to pet his fur baby while the other went to his belly. As he felt the thrum of his babies' magic, he thought about his dream, of his Jack. He hadn't known before that Jack would be one of three single pregnancies. While omegas do have single pregnancies, he'd never given any thought to having one himself. But he supposed that he should have.

Looking around the empty bedroom, he frowned. He'd gotten used to waking up with his alpha beside him. It had him wondering where he'd gone.

"Let's go find your Papa." He said as he caressed his belly. He was sure that his warlock hadn't gone far and that it wouldn't take long to find him. Scooping Chairman up in one arm much the way he had his baby boy he tossed the duvet back with the other. He was going to find his husband and get a kiss before starting his day.

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Magnus flipped the omelets in the pan as the bedroom door opened, his Shadowhunter stepping out with his fur monster in his arms. He felt a twinge of disappointment. He'd wanted to surprise his precious Alexander with breakfast in bed, but the second of disappointment was quickly replaced with the happiness that came with seeing his one true love. And looking him over he couldn't help but think how utterly adorable he looked with his sleep tousled hair.

"Well, good morning." He said.

"Good morning." Alec said as he sat Chairman carefully on the couch. "What's all this?" He asked, looking at the spread of food on the island. He didn't remember inviting the whole of their army over for breakfast.

"It was supposed to be breakfast in bed. Now it's just breakfast. Sleep well?" He asked as his husband joined him at the stove, peering over his shoulder.

"Very." Alec said, pressing a quick kiss to his alpha's cheek. While it wasn't the kiss that he'd been looking for when he'd gotten out of bed, he'd get the one he wanted soon enough. "Isn't this a bit much for two people?"

"What can I say? I couldn't decide what to make and I guess I got a bit carried away." He said, shrugging. "But since you are eating for four now, I'll just chalk it up to that. And I guess I wasn't sure what you'd be in the mood for."

"Okay." Alec said, chuckling at his silly warlock. Even eating for four, he couldn't eat half this much. But he couldn't deny that it looked delicious. "I have to say, I had the best dreams."

"Oh, yeah? Do tell." He said as he slid the omelets onto plates.

"They were mostly of Jack." Alec said as he sat at the island. "In the last one he was little, just shy of three. I've never dreamt of him so young before. And I learned something." He said as his husband set their plates on the island. His warlock really had gone all out. Loaded omelets, bacon, sausage, oatmeal, an entire tray of fresh fruit, and what he knew was fresh squeezed juice.

"And what's that?" He asked as he took his seat beside his angel.

"Jack will be one of three single pregnancies. At least in the next five hundred years." Alec said.

"Really?" He asked. While he'd known that it would be possible for his precious Alexander to have single pregnancies, he'd never given any thought to it actually happening. It was so incredibly rare. But his love's an immortal omega. It stood to reason that with as many children as they would have throughout the rest of eternity, with as many pregnancies as there would be, it would happen from time to time.

"Yep. And that's not all I learned." Alec said, taking a sip of juice. He immediately regretted it. While he normally loved fresh juice, that small sip hit his empty stomach like rancid acid. "Apparently, one of our future daughter's is a bit of a bully. From what I could tell she enjoys teasing him for his small size and on this particular day her not so nice words had gotten to him pretty good." He said, setting his juice aside.

"Tell me you're not serious." He said, more than a little surprised that one of their children would be a bully. But he supposed that a certain amount of sibling teasing was normal. Still, behavior such as bullying couldn't be allowed. "We'll have to nip that in the bud early."

"Agreed." Alec said. "I don't like bullies. You know that. I have no tolerance for them and never have. So, we'll have to put a stop to it as soon as it starts. It's just hard to imagine that one of our babies will be like that. A little good natured playful teasing is one thing, but this, it wasn't good natured or playful."

"Is it possible that this little lady doesn't realize that what's she's doing is hurtful?" He asked, wanting to give their future baby girl the benefit of the doubt. But he didn't care for bullies either.

"I got the impression from what I knew that she knew good and well what she was doing." Alec said.

"From what you knew?" He asked, pushing his Shadowhunter's plate towards him in a silent 'you need to eat' gesture.

"It's hard to explain." Alec said, picking up his fork. He just hoped that the omelet sat better on his stomach than his juice had. "I just know what I'm thinking at the time, I guess. I mean, I know that one of our girl's will bully Jack, 'sissy', but I don't know anything specific about her. I don't know her name or how old she is because I didn't think about either of those things in the moment. I just knew that it was sissy and that she likes to give him a hard time.

This is five hundred years into the future, but the only memories I have are of what I've dreamt of, of what I knew and saw during those dreams. But that's a good thing, I think. I don't want to know everything before it happens.

Don't get me wrong. I love my dreams of pretty babies and happy times, but I don't want to know everything going into it. I want to experience it. I'd like some surprises. I've meant it every time I've told someone the future is to be lived. And that's what I want. To live it."

"I know you've meant it, sweetheart." He said. "And that's what I want for you. While I love that your Angel gives you these dreams because they always make you smile, because they get you through some of the really hard moments, I get what you mean."

"So far, nothing that I've dreamt of has any specific date or timestamp." Alec said after swallowing the first bite of his omelet. He was relieved that it wasn't sitting the way his juice had. "Sure, I've seen a lot of our future children. I know some of their names and little bits about them. I know Jack won't come to be for five hundred years give or take. And yes, I know that apple picking day is the first day of fall and pumpkin picking day is a month later. But beyond that, I can't tell you when the exact days I've seen will happen. What year, what decade, or even what century. It's just vague knowledge. Like that pumpkin picking day six hundred years from now. It could be six hundred and five years or six hundred and ten. I can't give an exact. I just know it'll be six hundred give or take.

I think I'll just realize in the moment that what's happening around me is something I've seen before. Maybe it'll be like déjà vu. Or maybe I'll just find myself remembering the dream and watching as it unfolds before me.

And who knows, when those times come, they may be a little different from what I've seen. Belle's said more than once that The Angel can't see the future, so my dreams aren't set in stone. There just wonderful possibilities. Any number of small decisions could change the specifics of what I've seen. And I like knowing that. At least with the good dreams." He said, thinking of how many times his worst nightmare had changed since the first time he'd had it. And of the most recent change, of Luke being there. It still had him wondering why it had changed again. Had Gideon really shifted so far away from his family that he'd abandon the cause? Or was there another reason they just didn't know yet? But he couldn't think on that now. It would only spoil his breakfast and his good mood. "Do I still want all of the wonderful things I've seen to actually happen? Yes. But it's not going to hurt my feelings any if there are a few minor but harmless differences to experience."

"Well, however it feels to you when the time comes be it a sense of déjà vu or something else I hope you're right. I hope there are a few minor but harmless differences for you to experience. And I'm looking forward to experiencing everything you've seen with you when those times come." He said, raising his Shadowhunter's hand to his lips for a soft kiss. "In the meantime, though, do you want to tell me what you saw of our Jack?"

"Sure." Alec said, turning towards his OP's center when he heard laughter. His mom and Dot if he wasn't mistaken. "What's going on in there?"

"Catarina and Dorthea commandeered the roundtable for wedding plans." He said. "Apparently they have too many notes, samples, and magazines to spread out anywhere else."

"That's a lot of notes, samples, and magazines." Alec said, smiling at the thought of his mom planning her wedding. She'd waited so long for this, four and a half centuries in fact. But what he was really looking forward to was the planning of her first baby shower.

"You have no idea." He said. "It took your father and Luke both to carry it all in. Obviously, Catarina has been earmarking ideas for some time. I knew she had always hoped to find her mate and had dreamt of her future wedding, I just hadn't realized that she'd already collected so much. Some of its outdated I'm sure, but some of its not.

They seem to be having a great time picking through it all though. And of course, Catarina wanted Dorthea to bring her own stash of wedding materials. Did she get the wedding of her dreams when she married Luke? No. But she'd still hoped and dreamed just as Catarina has and still had it all packed away. And there's a notion that Dorthea may have magazines or ideas that Catarina doesn't. But your father, he couldn't get out of her fast enough after hauling it in."

"Sounds like he narrowly escaped a trap." Alec said. "Mom didn't need him to carry it, not when she could have sent it all here with a snap of her fingers. I'd say he barely dodged getting sucked in to giving his opinions. What excuse did he use? Early lesson?"

"Apparently, Luke needs his help at the clinic." He said, amused at his memory of the interchange between the rather frightened looking men and their women. And he was sure that the two Shadowhunters had already settled on their excuse for fleeing before setting foot through the door with a secondary excuse at the ready.

"And why aren't you in there helping?" Alec asked, munching on a piece of bacon. He had a hard time imagining his warlock sitting this out. No one loved planning parties more than his husband, and this party he knew would be one for the ages.

"Because we're having breakfast." He said, glad to see that his Shadowhunter had almost cleaned his plate. "But I'll toss my two cents in a bit later. They may not have let me touch our wedding but there's not a force on this earth that can stop me from helping to plan hers.

Now, what else can you tell me about our baby boy?"

Alec smiled when the memory of their Jack carrying his 'punkin', his little arms wrapped tight around it, flashed before his eyes. He was looking forward to that day, to helping his little man pick the perfect pumpkin. And the picnic that would come after. He just hoped that when that day came, they'd have found a way to put a stop to 'sissy's' bullying.

"Well, we were in the pumpkin patch. This is the one when he was just shy of three." He started, seeing it all again as he relayed it to his alpha. "He'd missed pumpkin picking day. He'd been sick. And when he'd learned he'd missed it, he'd cried so hard. But the tears dried up quick enough once we'd promised him that just as soon as he was well enough that we'd have our very own pumpkin picking day just the three of us. And that he could pick as many pumpkins as he wanted with a picnic after.

But he hadn't wanted pumpkins, plural. He'd wanted the biggest pumpkin he could fit his little arms around and he found it. This is where the teasing and bullying I learned of comes in. Apparently, sissy had told him that he was a baby and so on so of course he was desperate to prove that he wasn't one. And he'd had it in his little head that to do that, that he had to not only pick the biggest pumpkin he could get a grip on but that he had to carry it all by himself too."

"Uh-oh." Magnus said, pouring a steaming cup of tea for his love from the pot as he spoke. He hadn't missed that he'd in all ways ignored his juice since the first sip. He'd worried that acidic beverages might become an issue soon, so he'd brewed tea just in case.

"Uh-oh's right." He said, accepting the tea with a smile. It wasn't his favored earl grey, but caffeine wasn't good for the babies, so for the time being he had to settle for chamomile. "I kept telling him that I'd carry it, but he wouldn't budge. Lightwood stubbornness, I guess."

"Something I'm sure we'll encounter plenty of with our children." Magnus said. He'd known every Lightwood to live and breathe for more than a century and each and every one had at least a mile wide stubborn streak. So, he imagined that each and every one of their children would have one as well.

"Without a doubt." He said, smiling again when his husband piled more bacon onto his plate. He'd gone through his quickly and wasn't about to turn away more. His babies seemed to be enjoying it as much as he was. "Anyway, then it happened. It slipped from his little arms and smashed at his feet."

"Awe, poor baby." Magnus said, his heart aching for their future little guy.

"He was as crushed as his 'punkin' was." He said. "And even in the dream his tears broke my heart. But that's when I got the confirmation I'd been needing. I'd had an inkling as to why he was so adamant about doing it all himself. I'd suspected that sissy had had a hand in it. But I didn't know it for certain. Then after a little man to man talk, he came to understand that being little didn't make him a baby. I'd told him that while he was our baby boy, and always would be, he was still a big boy and could do a lot of big boy things. He just couldn't do everything. But as he got bigger, he'd be able to do more.

I also pointed out that he couldn't listen to everything sissy said. In the end he admitted that the pumpkin he'd picked was a little too big for him to carry and to make him happy, to make him smile I put it back together for him. Then I carried both him and his 'punkin' out of the patch to where you were waiting with our picnic. And just as I'd expected would happen, he fell asleep on the way. It had been a bit of a walk. That patch is going to be massive. But showing you the pumpkin that he'd picked all by himself like a big boy perked him up from his little nap pretty quick."

"Do I even want to know how many potential lessons you thought up for 'sissy' during the walk back while our baby boy slept in your arms?" Magnus asked, arching a brow. He knew just how large the pumpkin patch they had was now. He couldn't imagine how big it would be in five hundred years, so there was plenty of time for such thoughts during what would have been a fairly long walk. He was just glad that their little man had gotten the 'punkin' he'd picked in the end.

"I'd come up with a fair few. And some were fairly creative if I do say so myself." He said, sipping his tea. Looking at his now empty plate he couldn't believe how much he'd eaten. It was a great deal more than he usually did. But he dismissed it with a mental shrug. 'Par for the course'. He thought, considering how many he was eating for. "Which one we'd settled on I don't know because we didn't discuss it during our picnic. That was Jack's time. On a different note, I do know that he likes pastrami. And kosher pickles. Both of which I remember thinking that I loved just as much as he will when I'd been pregnant with him. While I enjoy pastrami, I don't particularly care for pickles, kosher or otherwise. But I guess that will change at some point."

"Pickles are a common pregnancy thing, I think, so don't be surprised if you start craving them during a pregnancy." Magnus said. "And I'm sure there will be plenty of other foods that you don't currently care for that you'll come to crave during pregnancies too.

For the most part, your body will tell you what it needs when it needs it. That's what a craving is. And as we've discovered, there's more than one type of craving. But for food cravings, when your brain registers that your body's needing something it will tell you in the form of a craving for something that you usually like. If what you're needing isn't in something that you like or know you like, if it's in something that you know of it will direct you towards that simply because your brain already knows that it has what you're needing. And for the duration at least you'll like it. But from what I understand, it's not uncommon for new tastes that develop during pregnancy to simply become new tastes you enjoy going forward. Except the extreme ones. Those tend to only last the duration of the pregnancy."

"And where are you getting all this information?" He asked. He'd barely started on the stack of pregnancy books his mom had brought him and knew that the father of their unborn children hadn't had any more time to read them than he had.

"I have my sources." Magnus said, a smug smile tugging his lips. "But when you're ready to start asking questions, sweetheart, just remember than there is a wealth of knowledge just outside the door. You now live in a world where pregnancy, specifically omega pregnancies, are commonplace. There are more than a few people who would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have. Yes, you have both Catarina and Luke standing by ready and waiting to answer any and all clinical questions, but you have more than a few omegas ready and waiting too even if they don't yet know we're expecting. I also know that Izabella can't wait to 'talk shop' so to speak."

"You know, there was a time not too long ago when the thought of asking my grandmother pregnancy questions would have been all kinds of weird." He said. "Assuming I'd actually known I had a grandma."

"I know, love." Magnus said as he sipped his coffee. "But knowledge of your living blood relatives aside a lot's changed for you. Just over six months ago you never would have dreamed that you'd be capable of carrying children, much less that you would currently be carrying three. Those possibilities in the world you'd lived in at the time weren't even possibilities. For you, women were the ones who conceived, carried, and birthed children. Women and women alone. Now you know that's not the case."

"And that's changing for more and more people at what feels like every turn." He said, thinking of Jaxon and his omega presentation the day before. And of Danny. While Danny couldn't conceive, carry, or birth children, his little brother now could. So, both of their eyes had been opened to the fact that something that they'd always thought was impossible is actually possible. And then they'd learned even more of what most would consider the unthinkable with everything they'd seen and heard during their sit-down.

"That it is." Magnus said, already knowing where his Shadowhunter's thoughts had shifted to. He could see it in his eyes, that his mind was no longer here with him, but that it was over at the clinic with the Blackwell brothers. "Luke did ask that I tell you that once you were up and moving, after you'd eaten and started your day, that he'd like to talk to you. He'd like you to stop by the clinic when you have a few free minutes.

He said that Jaxon had slept soundly enough from the meds he was given, but there was something about his heart rate being higher than what's considered normal for peaceful sleep several times throughout the night. He said you'd know what he meant. And he thought Jaxon might need someone to talk to, someone who understands."

"I do know." He said, swallowing his last sip of tea. "Apparently, there's a range of normal for a person's heartrate when their sleeping and when it stays higher than what's considered normal it's a sign of distress. Typically distress in the way of bad dreams."

"Well, I wouldn't fault him for having them." Magnus said. "But talking to you should help. And before you ask, I didn't tell you sooner because Luke specifically asked that I wait until after you'd woken up and eaten to say anything. He didn't want you just rushing out the door when there was no reason to. Now more than ever you have needs of your own that need to be met." He said, laying a gentle but protective hand on his love's flat belly. It thrilled him every time, the thrum of their babies' magic. "And Jaxon hadn't been up long when he helped your father bring in the wedding materials. Izabella had just gotten there and was with him and Danny. She'd made them one of her high protein low carb comfort breakfasts in the hopes of getting them to eat a little more than they did last night."

"Okay." He said, sighing. "Well, if anyone can get a good meal into them it's Grandma. And if anyone can put their minds at ease this morning it'll also be her. I'm sure Jaxon wasn't the only one who had bad dreams. I'd say Danny had a few himself." He said. And he understood why his favorite doctor had made the request he had and why his own warlock had honored it. If he'd known sooner, he would have rushed over to the clinic when it really wasn't necessary and would have missed out on what had been a wonderful breakfast with his husband. A truly wonderful breakfast. But he couldn't help but take stock of how much food was still left. It had him thinking.

"I'd say you're right about that." Magnus said. "And now you're thinking something. I can see the wheels turning. Care to share?"

"I'm sure Dot's already eaten, but do you think she might want some of this?" He asked, a plan forming in his mind. "I mean, she's also eating for more than just herself. And Mom was probably too excited to get started to eat. But if we remind her that she's going to need the fuel to fully focus on her boxes and plans..." He started.

"She'll stop to eat. Especially if it means giving Dorthea a chance to indulge in a second breakfast." Magnus said, smiling as he cut his angel off. "I love the way your mind works sometimes. Tell you what, I'll go get the ball rolling on that while you go get dressed."

"Sounds good." He said, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to his alpha's lips. He still hadn't gotten the good morning kiss he'd been looking for when he'd gotten out of bed yet. But he got it when the man he loved slid his hand into his hair and pulled him closer, licking his bottom lip. He didn't hesitate to give his husband the entrance he was seeking. He wanted to give it. He sighed softly when fireworks went off in his head when their tongues brushed. Yes, this is what he'd been looking for.

Magnus had been hoping for a good morning kiss, a real good morning kiss, when he'd gotten up that morning. And now that he was satisfied that his angels had been well fed, he was going to get it. He didn't hesitate to slide his hand into his husband's silky soft raven black hair or to pull him closer when his love pressed a soft kiss to his lips. He licked his Shadowhunter's bottom lip seeking entrance, knowing that he'd get it quickly. And he was pleased when he did. He savored his sweet angel's soft sigh when their tongues brushed, when fireworks went off in his head. He let the kiss spin out for a moment before pulling back, leaving them both slightly breathless.

"As much as I want to do that again, and I do." He said as he caught his breath. "There's not time for it. It'll have to wait until later." He said, regretting the fact that there wasn't with every fiber of his being. But they had yet another busy day ahead of them.

"I hate that you're right." Alec said, pouting. But there wasn't any more time for pouting than there was for more kisses. "But I'm holding you to later." He said, turning to the OP's center again when he heard yet more female laughter. It pleased him that his mom and Dot were having such a good time. It pleased him immensely. But he had to ask. "Any ideas on how long they're going to be in there? We'll have to sit down today and go over Samantha's extraction plan again. I made a few tweaks and we're getting down to the wire."

"I'm not sure, sweetheart. I'll find out. But not too long. Catarina has a full day today too. And can I ask what tweaks? I thought you'd perfected it." He said as he stood, gathering dishes from the island.

"There's no perfecting a mission plan." Alec said, snatching a last piece of bacon from the small mountain of it still on a plate. While he was full, he'd suddenly wanted another piece. But he wanted to save some for Dot. He knew she'd been craving bacon the past few days. "I'll admit though that I'd thought I'd gotten it as good as it was going to get. But in thinking on it, I thought you might feel better if we took another warlock along."

"You're right. I would feel better." He said, pleased with this particular tweak. "Why this change though?"

"While two warlocks covering each of the two teams is more than sufficient, I think, and Ashton keeping eyes from a distance is a good precaution, he would be on his own." Alec said. "I know he's skilled in battle magic and that he knows the city, but if he's watching everyone else's back I don't see how he could fully watch his too. With the current plan he doesn't have anyone to cover him should he need an assist and I just don't like that."

"Have you seen something?" He asked, turning from the sink to his precious Alexander. If The Angel had slipped a vision into his Shadowhunter's dreams the whole of Samantha Carlight's extraction team needed to know it. And he was prepared to be angry if this is the first he's hearing of it. While his love had been seeing some visions in dreams without the horrific side effects that had seriously hurt him more than once, he couldn't keep having them to himself. "Or is this your gut telling you something?"

"No and no." Alec said. "If I'm being totally honest, we should have selected a sixth warlock from the start. I guess I just went with five because Shadowhunter teams typically consist of five. I'll leave the final choice on who to you, but I do have a thought on it if you're open to it."

"Of course, I'm open to it. You're the mission expert, sweetheart." He said, relieved. His Shadowhunter hadn't seen something go wrong in a vision or a dream, he hadn't kept said vision or dream to himself, and his gut wasn't telling him that there was something to worry about. He simply wanted to ensure that everyone was sufficiently covered. "Who did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking Max." Alec said, grabbing yet another piece of bacon. It had him thinking that Dot wasn't going to be the only one having bacon cravings. "He and Ashton are friends. And they work well together from what I've seen. Sure, Max is younger than Ashton, but he's skilled. And I trust that they'll watch out for each other." He said, shrugging as he munched his bacon. "But like I said, it's your choice."

"I agree with everything you just said. And he's a good choice." He said, wrapping his arms around his sweet angel's waist. "Yes, Max is a bit younger at two hundred. But you're right that he's skilled and he and Ashton do work well together. I'll talk to him when I get to battle magic and see if he's up for it."

"Okay. Now I need to go get dressed. If I don't, I'm just going to keep eating this bacon." Alec said, pressing a quick kiss to his warlock's lips.

"Eat as much as you want, Alexander. You're eating for four now." He said, gently caressing his love's belly.

"Trust me, I'm aware." Alec said. "But if I eat anymore, I'm afraid it might come back up."

"Tummy unsettled?" He asked. He'd seen that his husband had had trouble with his juice, but he hadn't seen any other signs.

"No. But if I keep eating it will be." Alec said, laying his hand over his alpha's on his belly. "I think I've finally wrapped my head around it. I'm still not ready to announce it, but..."

"The shock's worn off?" He asked, finishing his love's sentence.

Alec nodded yes.

"How about you?" He asked.

"I'm right there with you." Magnus said, pressing a soft kiss to his love's forehead. "Go on and get dressed. I'll put a couple of plates together to take in to Catarina and Dorthea."

"Okay." He said, climbing to his feet. "Give Dot extra bacon. She's been craving it."

"So, I heard." Magnus said as his precious Alexander turned towards their bedroom. Unlike himself who would need an hour at least to dress, do his hair, and his makeup, his husband would be dressed and out the door in a matter of minutes looking utterly stunning in his Shadowhunter black. His black cargos did great things for his ass. But he couldn't think about that right now. If he did, his angel wouldn't get out the door and they'd never get started on their day.

_____________________

Alec whistled as he closed the front door behind him. He was in a good mood. A really good mood. And didn't know why. It wasn't a bad thing by any means, but he generally didn't start his day whistling. Maybe it's because he managed to get another really steamy kiss before walking out the door. He so loved those kisses, the kisses that promised more.

He almost stopped when he saw them huddled close and talking outside the clinic, Leenie and Danny. But he didn't. They'd just discovered that they're mates the day before and it was good that they were getting a chance to grab a few minutes together. Leenie would have to leave for her training lesson soon, then Danny would be back with Jaxon, he was sure. So, a few quick moments here and there today would be all the time they'd have together until after Leenie's last lesson.

He was glad that Danny was here. Not just for Jaxon and not just for his newfound mate, but because he's a slightly older Shadowhunter with a few more years of experience in the field under his belt. That would make him a great asset when it came to training. Also, because he was a bit older it was more likely that at least a few of the downworlders would recognize him from The Dark War. And in recognizing him, their faith and trust in him would come quicker, easier, and he thought be more solid.

While he didn't doubt that they'd trust Jaxon too, he hadn't fought in The Dark War. He'd been under fourteen and too young to fight according to the Clave's decree. So, he would be a new face.

Obviously, all of the downworlders remembered him and his team from that horrific night. And he'd heard that some had remembered seeing Lydia, Leenie, Andy, and Sam. But until others who weren't the new omegas started joining them, others like Danny, there wouldn't be any more that had already fought at their side, that had fought for them that they'd know from the battle. And having fought in that battle was a big thing for the downworlders.

Plenty remembered seeing Luke now. Most actually. While they hadn't seen him on the battlefield, they'd seen him in one or more of the triage tents either during the battle or in the days after. And several also remembered seeing both his dad and Jia. They'd had no idea who his dad and Jia were at the time, and when they'd learned that his dad was an Institute Head, and that Jia was a Counsil member they'd been a bit shocked. But in a good way. Especially when it came to Jia. They never would have imagined that a Clave member would have put themself at risk for a single downworlder much less all of them.

"Hey." Aline said, looking up at Alec as he approached. 'Odd.' She thought. While her surrogate big brother looked well rested, she'd even go so far as to say bright eyed and bushy tailed, he had a bit of what she could only describe as a glow. It had her wondering for a second if maybe he'd gotten a little nookie that morning. While she'd never had any herself, she had plenty of friends who had done the deed, and it generally left them relaxed and happy. And at times a little glowy.

She'd stopped by to check in on Danny and Jaxon before heading out to her first lesson. She knew that her newfound mate and his brother were having a hard time. She knew and understood because she'd had a hard time when she'd learned what they had herself. Right now, they were still in the shocked and reeling stage. And Jaxon was still in the 'I just presented as an omega and my hormones are all over the place' stage. She was just glad that Alec and his team had gotten the Blackwell brothers to Luke in time for him to help Jaxon through his presentation the way he'd helped her through hers. It could have been a lot worse for him. And she was glad he'd had his brother with him. It would take a few days for Jaxon's hormones to level out and having Danny with him would help just as having her mom with her had helped.

"Good morning." He said.

"Well. I need to get to my first lesson. I'll see you later?" She asked Danny.

"Okay." Danny said. He didn't want her to go, but he knew that she had to. He couldn't deny that seeing her had brightened his morning. Just hearing her voice and her laugh for a few minutes had been soothing. He hadn't had the best of nights. Every time he'd closed his eyes, he'd had nothing but nightmares. He'd seen so much of what he'd read in those books, the Lightwood and Penhallow books. And most of what he'd seen in his dreams hadn't been happening to strangers. The people, the faces were all faces he knew. Sam and Lydia. His mate and little brother. And every time he'd woken up from one of those horrific dreams, he'd had a moment of panic. He'd woken up in a strange place and it had taken a minute for him to remember where he was and why. And seeing his baby brother tucked in and sleeping peacefully beside him, seeing that he was safe and sound, had been all that had calmed his racing heart.

"Later, Alec." She said with a wave as she walked away. She didn't want to go, but she had a lesson to teach. She didn't see her lessons as responsibilities or duties. She saw them as her doing her part. At least, part of her part. The rest of it would be fighting the fights she knew were to come.

"Later, Leenie." Alec said as he stopped beside Danny. "I hate to state the obvious, but you look tired." He said, looking Danny over. He already knew that Jaxon hadn't gotten the best rest despite the drugs Luke had given him to help him sleep, so he could only imagine how poorly Danny had slept.

As a protective big brother himself, he knew what it was to worry when one of his siblings was hurt or sick and how it felt when he felt he needed to protect them but wasn't sure how. And he was sure that Danny had felt the need to protect his very vulnerable brother. But he also knew that it would get easier. Once they left the clinic and settled into their little cottage, he thought that both of the Blackwell brothers would rest better. Would they probably still have nightmares for a while? More than likely. But those would stop in time.

"I guess I am." He said, shrugging. What else was there to do? "You just missed Izabella. I have to say, she's really great. She actually got Jax to eat. And she put him at ease. Both of us actually."

"Grandma is great." Alec said. "I wish I'd had her growing up. But she was here, and we were there. What matters is that we have her now."

"It's hard to believe that she's an omega." He said, internally wincing. Even to him that came across as offensive. "I don't mean that in a bad way. It's just...with what we were taught and raised to believe..."

"I get it." Alec said, cutting him off. They'd been taught all their lives that omegas are the weakest race. And if there's one thing Izabella Lightwood isn't it's weak. The woman had a spine of steel and brass ovaries.

"I guess it's the way she carries herself." He said. "Power and authority just seem to radiate off her. If I hadn't been told she's not an alpha I'd think she was one. But even with all that power there's kindness. And compassion."

"There is." Alec said. "And if anybody can show someone that being an omega doesn't make them weak, it's her. She ran this place with my uncle until she passed the reins to me not too long ago. And in the beginning, she ran it as a single mother raising twin boys.

You said she got Jaxon to eat. I hope you ate too."

"I did." He said. "It was easy to forget that I didn't have an appetite when I was listening to her talk. And when I was laughing. She told us a few stories about your dad and uncle when they were kids. I guess that's why she was the one who brought breakfast by. Dr...Luke." He corrected. It still felt weird calling Dr. Greymark Luke and Mr. Lightwood Robert. "He knew she'd be the best person, I guess."

"He would. And the name thing takes some getting used to." Alec said.

"I'm just glad that he was here to take care of Jax." He said. "Everyone has said how horrible presenting without help is. I mean, I'd heard about Sam and Lydia's presentations. But hearing about it from someone who saw it versus from someone who actually went through it...you can't fully grasp it. And hearing from Sam what it was like for him..." He started, unsure how to finish.

"I get what you're saying." Alec said. "I do. How's Jaxon doing?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure." He said. "Physically, he seems fairly okay. There's just a little soreness so far. But beyond that, I don't know. He was a bit groggy when he first woke up. And we haven't really had much of a chance to talk yet.

Luke said that it would take a few days for his hormones to settle, for him to feel like himself again. But right now, I don't know what he's thinking or feeling. And until I do, I won't know how he is."

Alec nodded yes. He understood.

"What about you?" He asked. "How are you doing?"

"I don't know that either." Danny admitted. "There's just so much. And most of it's horrible. The things I read in those books. What you told us about your ancestors. About Gideon and his daughters. And his mate.

But that's not all there is to process, you know? There's all the other stuff about you and your team. About the things you can do. And then there's this place. I mean...there's a whole world sitting right beside the one I was in just yesterday that I had no clue existed.

I guess I'm feeling a bit like a mundane would if they learned about our world on that. Then there's Leenie." He said, smiling. "It feels like I've been looking for her forever. And all that time she was right there. She was just out of my reach. Even when she was standing right in front of me, I didn't have a clue.

I know some people find their mates early. I always hoped I would. And maybe we would have realized it sooner if we had actually been in each other's lives more than what we were. But having her here and being able to talk to her about everything knowing that she understands, just being able to talk to her at all really, it helps. And this is going to sound corny but just hearing her voice and her laugh, it's like a balm to my soul."

"That doesn't sound corny at all." He said. "Finding your mate, there's nothing like it. I still remember everything I thought and felt when I realized I'd found mine. And how he made me feel, how he makes me feel, it's incredible. There have been several times, more times than I can count when hearing his voice or laugh was just as you described. It was a soothing balm. So, no. It doesn't sound corny to me.

And I'm really glad you and Leenie finally found each other. But fair warning, Jia will be coming your way sooner rather than later."

"That's what Leenie said." Danny said. "Tell me straight, how scared do I need to be?"

Alec couldn't help but laugh. Momma Penhallow certainly had a reputation.

"Relax, Danny." He said. "She's not going to eat you alive. But she will question you. Maybe interrogate is a better word. Leenie's her only child. Her baby. And she's all Jia's had for a long time. Leenie's dad died when she was really little. So, it's been just the two of them and they've always been close.

I won't lie. Jia, she's protective. But my advice, just be yourself. Let her ask her questions. Give her honest answers and she'll see that she doesn't have anything to worry about. Will she still watch you like a hawk when she sees you with her baby girl for a while? Without a doubt. But I don't think it's going to be as bad as you're thinking."

"That's a relief. From what I was hearing I was starting to worry." Danny said. The thought of facing Jia Penhallow, formerly Counsil Penhallow, a woman known to be tough, but fair, to discuss being mate's with her daughter really had been worrying him. But talking to Alec, he felt a bit better about it now. Though there was something else he'd been wanting to ask about. "So, I've been wanting to ask...you're really part warlock now?"

"Yeah. I am." He said. "Hard to imagine, I know."

"No, it's not. Not really." Danny said. "It's just...I saw what you could do on a battlefield when you were just a kid with a bow. And I've heard about what you can do now. Not all of what you can do, I'm sure. But some. And adding magic to that...I'll be honest, Alec. I wouldn't want to come up against you on the wrong side of a fight."

"Well, you're here. So, you won't have to." He said. "Did you give Luke your sizes? And make that list of what you'll need?" He asked, wanting to change the subject. He didn't want to talk about his magic. Or, more accurately, about how he had no clue how to use it yet. And he'd noticed that Danny was still wearing his Shadowhunter black.

"Not yet." Danny said. "It was easy to write down what I need. But Jax was asleep, so I thought I'd wait to finish it until he was up. But Izabella brought breakfast before I'd gotten a chance to ask him. I'll have it done soon."

"No rush." He said. "We just want you both to have everything you need. It'll help you settle in. I know that your cottage is ready. It's a two bedroom. You'll be close to Leenie and right next door to Sam and Andy. But I haven't talked to Luke yet to see when he'll be willing to let Jaxon go. If what you said about a little soreness is all there is, I'd say Luke will cut him loose sometime today if Jaxon feels ready."

"Speaking of, I should get back to him. He's probably wondering where I am." Danny said. "I told him I wouldn't be long. I just wanted a minute with Leenie."

"I'm sure he's okay." He said. "I'm sure someone's looking in on him pretty frequently. Most likely Luke. If he seemed on edge or distressed Luke would have come and told you. But you still want to get back to him. I get it. I'm a big brother too."

Danny nodded yes as Sam and Andy rounded the building hand in hand. Alec couldn't help but smile. Just days ago, doing something so simple, just holding hands in front of others was something they'd been unable to do. Like him and Jaxon, they'd been hiding who they were. They'd been hiding their sexuality. But not anymore.

"Morning, guys." Alec said.

"Good morning." Sam said, lightly squeezing Andy's hand. He was resisting the urge to let it go, instead holding it tighter in his own now that they were around others. Hiding their relationship had become second nature. But they didn't have to hide it anymore, and they wouldn't.

Andy gave his Sammy's hand a reassuring squeeze. He was fighting the same urge that his baby was. But he wasn't letting go. They didn't have to hide here, and he'd be damned if they were going to no matter how strong the urge to was.

"Out for a morning walk?" Alec asked. Looking Sam over, he liked what he saw. He didn't think that anyone would guess that just a few days ago Sam had presented very painfully as an omega and had been recovering from it since. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. It had him thinking that Luke was right in that Sam was ready to train. Well, that he was ready for a few hours of light training to start. He knew from firsthand experience that doing too much too fast after such a presentation was not only exhausting but that it made the physical pain while recovering worse.

While Lydia and Leenie had both had been given doctor's orders to start out slow too after just a few hours over the first couple of days they'd been wiped, Leenie just as much as Lydia and she'd had help through her presentation. So, yes. They'd be easing Sam back into it.

"Yeah. We have some time to kill before our first lesson and thought we'd get some fresh air." Sam said. Luke had finally cleared him for a few hours of light training the day before, and he couldn't wait. As much as he loved the cottage he and his Andy shared, their home, he'd been starting to go a little stir crazy. He was used to training for hours six days a week before patrols. But for the first time in a long time, he was excited to train. He also knew that his alpha was ready to get back at it too. Even though his mate hadn't said anything, he knew that he'd been starting to go stir crazy too.

"Well, there's certainly plenty of it around here. And if you hang around long enough, you'll run into the angel babies. They'll be along soon, I'm sure." He said. He knew how much the angel babies loved spending time with their new additions. All of them. Danny they'd only just met. But Sam and Andy they'd seen a few times and the two Shadowhunters always seemed delighted to see them.

It was good that the girls were so comfortable with those who were joining them from the Shadowhunter World. They weren't just Shadowhunters, they were also strangers. And Shadowhunters/strangers or not it was good that they didn't fear them. "But if you guys will excuse me, I need to sneak inside and talk to Luke before they get here asking for more nurse lessons." He said and took a step back towards the clinic's doors.

But as he did, he couldn't help but think that taking a morning walk wasn't the real reason Sam and Andy had come into the village, not when they could have walked in any number of directions that would have kept them mostly clear of people for a peaceful morning walk on a pretty day. Village Square was the busiest place in all of Haven. Even at this early morning hour there were more than two dozen people already going about their business here in the square. So, he'd give the three new additions to their army a little privacy to talk. He suspected that checking in on Danny and Jaxon is what Sam and Andy were really after, beyond enjoying the walk, so he'd leave them to it.

He hoped that they could keep Danny occupied long enough for him to check in with Luke and talk to Jaxon. And if his favorite doctor had to run interference to give him a few more minutes with the youngest Blackwell brother, that would be ideal. He thought that Jaxon might talk more freely about any nightmares if it was just the two of them. He didn't think that Jaxon would want to talk about anything in front of his already worried big brother that would only worry him more.

He listened with half an ear to Sam asking Danny how he was doing as he pulled the clinic's door open. He'd been right. While he was sure Sam and Andy had wanted to get out of their little cottage and get some fresh air, it was the Blackwell brothers that had brought them to the village. With that thought he let the door fall shut behind him as he stepped inside.

____________________

Alec hadn't been surprised to find Rebecca watching the clinic's doors when he'd come in. He'd figured that Luke would be deeper in the heart of his clinic and closer to Jaxon. He'd heard that both of the Blackwell brothers had seemed comfortable with her after spending time with her the day before, especially Danny. But Luke and Jaxon were both Shadowhunters and for the moment he thought that Jaxon would be more comfortable around him especially with his big brother outside.

He didn't think it was a matter of species. Not really. He thought it was more about comfort. Even though Jaxon's presentation had been fairly painless, his hormones were still all over the place. He was vulnerable. So, he thought that being around a familiar face, that being around someone who'd watched over him before while he wasn't feeling like himself would be easier.

He found his favorite doctor in one of his OR's. But he stopped before going in. While Luke was standing in front of a cabinet, while he was looking at the cabinet and at the contents through the glass, he didn't think that he was actually seeing any of it.

He hesitated for moment before knocking. He didn't know what was so thoroughly occupying Luke's mind. And if it was something important, he didn't want to interrupt and break him out of what could be some really important thoughts. But his favorite doctor had asked that he come by.

Luke's head snapped up at the knock on the open door. He'd somehow gotten lost in thought. In memories. Were they good memories? Yes. Some of his best. But they weren't all good thoughts.

"Hey, Kiddo." He said, forcing a smile for his favorite patient.

"Hey. I heard you wanted to talk to me." Alec said. Now he knew that whatever had had Luke's mind so occupied hadn't been something altogether pleasant. When Luke smiled, when he truly smiled it always reached his eyes. And this one didn't come close.

"Yeah." He said, turning from the cabinet. "I take it Magnus gave you my message?"

"He did." Alec said. But he didn't want to get into that just yet. Not when he thought there might be something more important to discuss. He'd never seen this look in Luke's eyes before. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." He said. "Just daydreaming I guess."

"Daydreaming." Alec repeated. Now there was no doubt that something wasn't right. While everyone daydreamed from time to time, he didn't think that his favorite doctor did it often and never while at work. He was always too focused on those he was looking after. "Luke..." He started, unsure how to ask this question. He supposed straight out would be the best way. "Are we friends? I mean, like...real friends? Or am I just one of the kids you've always watched over?"

"You've always been more than that, Alec. You know that." He said.

"I do." Alec admitted, realizing that he'd phrased his question wrong. Part of it anyway. While there wasn't a drop of blood that connected them, they were family and loved each other as such. "I guess..." He started, hoping to try again. "You can talk to me, you know. If something's bothering you."

Luke sighed. He should have known that Alec of all people would see through any façade he tried to put up. And he did consider his favorite patient a friend.

"If I tell you something, will you keep it to yourself?" He asked.

"Of course." Alec said, stepping in and closing the door behind him.

"You know that Dorthea and I were married in the mundane world by a justice of the peace. Under fake names." He said.

"Yeah." Alec said.

"She's always said that how we were married didn't matter. That she's just happy that we did it, that we made our vows and pledged our love to each other." He said.

"Okay." Alec said.

"She didn't get a wedding, Alec." He said. "Not a real one. Not in any real sense. And while I know in my heart that she means what she said, seeing all of those boxes that she had of wedding magazines...it just reminded me that she didn't get something that I'm sure she'd dreamt about for a really long time. Something special. A bride's special day with the dress and all the trappings that knowing her I know she really wanted even if we couldn't have it."

"You didn't get a real wedding either, Luke." Alec said. "You didn't get your Shadowhunter white."

"That's different." He said.

"I don't think it is." Alec said. "Not knowing you. I can't begin to imagine how hard it must have been for you two back in New York having to hide the way you did. Or how much it hurt when you had to be apart. Especially after Ziva came along. I honestly don't know how you all survived it.

What I do know is that there were a lot of things that you guys didn't get to do that you should have because of the world you were in. But you're in a different world now. And just because you two couldn't have a real wedding then doesn't mean that you can't have one now.

Think about it. What's stopping you from having the wedding you both really wanted but couldn't have before? Sure, you've already made vows and pledged your love. That doesn't mean you can't do it again. Mundanes do it all the time when they renew their vows.

There's no reason that I can see that she can't have a wedding with the dress and all the trappings and where you can't have your Shadowhunter white. Jia and Dad both have the authority to preside over a nephilim wedding. And my husband can preside over a downworlder wedding. So, there's no shortage of people who could preside. And there are currently two steles out there that can give you this." He said, holding up his hand so Luke could clearly see his wedded union rune.

"You're right." He said, smiling a smile that did reach his eyes. "She can have the wedding of her dreams. It's so simple. Why didn't I think of it?"

"Because you were too caught up in misplaced guilt." Alec said. "I know you, Luke. And because I do I know that you were feeling guilty. So, you can stop that and instead start thinking about how you want to propose. Then she can start planning your wedding while helping Mom plan hers.

I don't know when because I haven't seen it but I'm sure it's only a matter of time before Dr. Starkweather and Ms. Sarah and Ms. Emily get here. And a few other people I'm sure are important to you that you'd like to have bear witness. Dot, her half of the guest list is already here. Yours might take a little time. But she needs time to plan, right?"

"Right." He said with a wistful sigh. There were a few people that he would love to have present when he pledged his love to his wife in the way he could admit now they'd both wanted to but couldn't. And he was sure that they'd all be coming their way sooner or later too. They were good people, great people, and they wouldn't stand with the Clave in this war. They'd join what was already being called by some The Freedom Army.

"Any thoughts on how you're going to pop the question?" Alec asked.

"Not yet, no." He said.

"Well, if you need any help or want to talk about anything else just remember that I'm here." Alec said. "I know Dad's probably your go-to, but I've been told I'm a pretty good listener."

"You are." He said. "You're also a good friend. And now that we've solved my problem, let's talk about why I asked you to come by. You remember what I told you about resting heartrates?"

"Yeah. You think Jaxon was having nightmares?" Alec asked, pulling out a stool to sit. He wasn't about to sit on the operating table in the middle of the room. He didn't think he'd like sitting on one of those any more than he liked sitting on a hospital bed.

"I do." He said, pulling out a stool and sitting himself. "I'm not sure if he'll remember them. Not having been so heavily medicated. But if he did have them and remembers any of it, I think you're the best person for him to talk to. Danny would listen, I have no doubt. And he'd worry about it. But you, you'll do more than listen. You'll understand. And that's what I think Jaxon's going to need. He's going to need more than someone to just listen and offer comfort. He's going to need someone who's going to understand how these dreams are going to make him feel. And if he doesn't remember anything from last night, well, we both know there will be more.

Sam told me that he talked to you about his nightmares. And that Andy did too. You didn't mention it."

"I figured you knew." Alec said. "And I thought that even if you didn't know at the time that they'd tell you. Which they did. I guess I just didn't want to betray their confidence. Was I wrong in that?"

"No." He said. "You weren't. I just need you to promise me that if someone tells you something that you think could have a negative impact on their health that you'll let me know even if you've given your word that you'll keep it to yourself. I know how you are when it comes to having given your word. And I respect that. Just as I know that going back on it will be hard for you. But I need to know that you'll do it if it means they'll get the help they need."

Alec sighed. He hated the thought of breaking his word. But he knew that Luke was right.

"I promise." He said.

"Thank you." Luke said.

"I'll go talk to Jaxon. See what I can find out." He said, climbing to his feet. "When I came in Danny was still out front with Sam and Andy. If he hasn't come in yet, will you run interference to buy me a few extra minutes? I think Jaxon will talk more freely about this if it's just me. I think he'll worry about worrying Danny."

"I'm inclined to agree. So, yes." Luke said. "I'll run interference. And Kiddo. Thanks for listening."

"Any time." He said as he opened the door.

____________________

Jaxon was struggling to sit still. Where was Danny? 'He should be back by now.' Was all he could think. He'd thought he'd be okay while his big brother went out and saw his mate for a few minutes. He'd waited so long for her, and he'd finally found her. He hadn't wanted to ask him not to go, not to leave him alone. Not when he could see how excited Danny had been at the thought of talking to her. But he should have been back, shouldn't he?

He'd been okay by himself for about the first two minutes after his brother had left. After that each minute that had passed felt longer than the one before. He didn't know how long Danny had actually been gone, Luke had taken his watch the day before and there was no clock in here, but it was starting to feel like it had been hours instead of minutes. And he was running out of ways to distract himself.

He'd tried his best not to think about everything they'd learned the day before since leaving Alec's house across Village Square. And he'd managed it well enough the night before while he'd still been awake. But it had followed him into dreams. Most of it was a blur. And what wasn't was only fragments. Still, when he'd broken free of sleep and escaped his dreams the fear had followed him into wakefulness. But his big brother had been there when he'd woken up, and with him there he'd been able to push the fear aside. Then he'd been able to push it further away while Izabella was there.

She'd made him laugh. He hadn't thought it possible that he would laugh again any time soon after what they'd learned. But she'd told funny stories about Mr. Lightwood...Robert, and his twin brother when they were kids. Then about her own exploits when she'd been a Shadowhunter in the Shadowhunter World. From what he'd heard about Alec and Izzy's antics over the years, after hearing their grandmother's stories, he knew they came by their senses of humor and fun naturally.

She had also surprised him. They'd been taught that omegas are the weakest race. But she's an omega and he didn't see a weak thing about her. All he'd seen when he'd looked at her was compassion and strength. And then there was Alec, another omega. Well, an alpha/omega. But still an omega. And before Alec had presented there wasn't a Shadowhunter alive who'd have dared to call him weak. So, why did he feel so weak? Like he was going to break apart?

His thoughts were interrupted at the knock on the open door.

"Can I come in?" Alec asked, quickly assessing what he saw. He wondered for a second if he should call for Luke. Jaxon looked like what he imaged he himself looked like when panic was setting in. Pale, clammy skin. Wide fear filled eyes. Short, labored breaths.

Jaxon nodded yes, relief washing over him. It wasn't his big brother, but he wasn't alone anymore. And if it couldn't be Danny, he was glad it was Alec.

"Are you alright? Do I need to get Luke?" Alec asked.

"No. I'm okay." He said, embarrassed by the tremor in his voice. "Where's Danny?"

"He's out front. Sam and Andy stopped by." Alec said, rethinking his original thoughts on keeping Danny out and talking to Jaxon alone. "I can go get him."

"No. That's okay. I'm okay. Really." He said, surprised that he was. Just having someone with him he could breathe again. "I was just thinking, wondering..." He started.

"Wondering what?" Alec asked, deciding to let this play out for a few minutes. Jaxon's color was coming back and his death grip on the sheets had loosened.

"Why I..." He started, suddenly embarrassed again. But he thought if anyone would understand that it would be Alec. "Why I feel so weak. Like I'm going to break apart."

"It's your hormones." Alec said. "They'll be kinda all over the place for a few days. It's normal and it'll pass. I promise. We all go through it."

"Really?" He asked.

"Really." Alec said, taking Danny's vacant seat at Jaxon's side. "Let me guess. You were thinking about what we were taught. That omegas are the weakest race."

Jaxon nodded yes.

"You're not weak, Jaxon." Alec said. "None of us are. You just need time. In a few days you'll feel like your normal self again. I know it's hard moving past what you've been raised all your life to believe. But what we've been taught, so much of what we've been taught just isn't true.

While it might be hard to believe it right now, I want you to try to remember something." He said, remembering what he'd said to Sam in the OP's center. He thought Jaxon needed to hear the same thing now. "You haven't changed. You're still the same person you were yesterday. Presenting as an omega, it doesn't change who a person is. For us guys, all it does is gives us the ability to bear children. Despite how your hormones have you feeling it's important that you remember that. That you remember that you're not weak. That you haven't changed. And that there's nothing wrong with you. It's okay to be who you are." He added, thinking of what Luke had told him of Danny and Jaxon's conversation the day before. And of how supportive and accepting Danny had been.

"Danny said that it was okay." He said. "That I'm gay."

"He's right." Alec said. "It is okay. I believed it to, you know. For a long time. That I wasn't supposed to be gay and that I was a slight against The Angel. But I was wrong.

If we weren't meant to be who and what we are, Jaxon, The Angel wouldn't have made us this way. Okay?"

"Okay." He said softly. He wanted to believe it, but it was hard.

"It takes time to accept it as truth." Alec said. "But you'll get there. And I'm here any time if you need to talk. About anything."

Jaxon nodded yes.

It took only a moment of silence for Alec to see that Jaxon wasn't going to volunteer anything else. So, he'd have to broach the subject of probable nightmares himself. It took a second for him to decide how.

"Those machines." He said, inclining his head towards the powered off heart monitor. "They can tell someone who knows how to read them a great deal. A great deal more than just a person's heartrate. Did you know that?"

"No." Jaxon said, frowning at the machine Luke had finally freed him from that morning. He'd never seen more than squiggly lines and numbers on one. Sure, he could read the actual numbers. But he didn't much know what most of them meant.

"Each line and squiggle means something. Just as the numbers themselves mean something." He said. "I can't read them myself. Not really. Not beyond reading the actual numbers. But Luke, he's a bit of an expert. No surprise there, right?"

"Right." Jaxon said.

"Well, all those numbers have a different range of normal for various scenarios." He said. "But it's the heartrate that's most telling. There's a range of normal for most everything including for when someone's asleep."

"Okay." Jaxon said, unsure where this was going.

"When a number is above what's considered normal, and stays above normal for any period of time, it's a sign of distress." He said. "Often times when a heartrate is high during sleep it's an indication of bad dreams.

Last night, Luke noticed that your heartrate was a little higher than it should be while you slept and thought that perhaps you might have been having bad dreams. Was he right?"

Jaxon said nothing, just chewed his bottom lip.

"I'm no stranger to them myself." Alec continued. "I haven't been since this all started. I don't just have vision dreams. I have nightmares too. We all do. And by we, I don't just mean us omegas. My team has them. My Dad has them. Luke, he has them too."

"Really?" He asked.

"Really." Alec said. "Luke said you may not remember any dreams you had. You were heavily medicated. But if you did have them or do going forward, I want you to know that you can talk to me. Talking about them can help."

"I don't really remember much." He said. "Most of it's a blur. And what's not is only bits and pieces. I just know that when I woke up, I was afraid. The fear, it followed me out of my dreams. Does that make sense?"

"It makes perfect sense to me." Alec said. "I'd understand if you'd rather talk to Danny about your dreams. He's your big brother and I know you're close. But if you ever feel like you can't, for whatever reason, I'm here. I just wanted you to know that."

"Thank you." He said. "I've always been able to talk to him about anything. Except about...well, you know. I hadn't told him. I should have known that I could have. That'd he'd be okay with it and would still love me. I guess I should have known too that he already knew. He knows me so well. But as much as he loves me..." He started.

"You're afraid he might not understand." Alec finished when he stopped. "And you don't want to worry him."

"How did you know?" He asked.

"Because I'm like you. And because I'm a brother too." Alec said. "There are things that I talk about with my grandma that I don't talk about with my sister. Not because I don't think she'll listen. She would. But Grandma, she's an omega. So, she see's things from a side that Iz just can't.

Iz and I are close. Really close. She's my twin and we talk about a lot of things. But there are some things that not being an omega she just won't understand. I also don't want to worry her. Not anymore than I know she already is."

"Do you talk to her about being gay?" He asked.

"Sometimes." Alec said. "She's always been accepting of my sexuality. And she understands love well having long since found her mate. But most of that I talk about with my own mate. My husband. He's another who understands certain things in ways my sister just can't.

It's going to take you a little time to figure out what you're comfortable talking about with your brother, Jaxon. And it has nothing to do with how close you are or aren't. It's not a negative reflection on the relationship you have with him if there are some things that you'd rather talk about with someone else. Someone who'll understand in ways he can't either because they're gay too or because they're an omega. And I don't think he'll be upset if you choose to talk to someone else. I think he'll understand." He said, anticipating this possible concern. He thought Jaxon might be afraid that it would hurt his brother's feelings if he chose to talk to someone else.

"I think you're right." He said. It helped that Alec seemed to already know and understand what he was thinking. And he thought that if there was something he wanted to talk about that he wasn't sure he could talk about with his brother that Alec would be the best person for him to talk to.

Alec looked over at the open door when he heard Luke and Danny coming up the hallway. From the sounds of it, his favorite doctor wasn't having much luck running interference. Danny seemed intent on getting back to his little brother. But it was okay. He and Jaxon had already had the conversation he'd come in here for.

"Sounds like Danny's on his way back." He said.

Jaxon nodded yes. He's a Shadowhunter too and could hear his brother and Luke just as clearly as Alec had.

"One last thing before I go." Alec said. "How are you feeling? Physically."

"Um...a little sore." He said. "It's not bad. Just a bit of a dull ache."

"Okay. Well, tell Luke that." Alec said as he got to his feet. "He's going to ask."

"Can I ask...what it was like for you? After you presented." He said.

"It hurt. A lot." Alec said. "I didn't have help through my presentation. You know that. But I also didn't have any downtime after. So, it hurt a lot for a while. If I'd had the chance to recover it wouldn't have been as bad as it was for as long as it was. But it won't be like that for you. Luke, he'll make you take the time I didn't get the same way he's made Sam and Lydia and Leenie take it.

Just be honest with him about how you're feeling. If you're in pain, tell him. If you're tired, tell him that too. Rest is a big part of recovering. And until your hormones settle, you're going to feel out of sorts in other ways. In ways you're already experiencing. Just remember what I said. You're not weak and you haven't changed. And if you need to talk, I'm here. Okay?"

"Okay." He said. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, Jaxon. I've been where you are. I know what it's like." Alec said as Danny reached the open doorway with Luke.

"Everything okay?" Danny asked, quickly looking his little brother over for signs of distress. While he didn't think Alec would intentionally do anything to hurt or upset his brother, protecting him was his first instinct. But he was relieved that he didn't see any. If anything, he thought Jax looked more at ease than he had when he'd left.

"Mm-hmm." Jaxon said, nodding yes.

"I have to get to archery." Alec said just as his stomach pitched and the room tilted. A wave of dizziness washed over him. He didn't feel it when his legs gave out or when Luke caught him.

Luke saw Alec sway and knew in an instant what was happening. He leapt to catch him when his legs gave out. His instincts were confirmed when he saw the gold swirling in his favorite patient's crystal blue eyes before they fluttered closed, and he lost consciousness. For a second time Alec had slipped into a vision in his arms.

"Holy shit." Danny said softly, having seen the swirling gold in Alec's eyes before they'd closed. They'd been told that Alec had The Sight of The Angel, and he hadn't been sure that he believed it. He believed it now.

"Go get Rebecca." He said as he lifted Alec into his arms. He took his favorite patient's weight easily, just as he had years before when he'd been fourteen and injured on the battlefield. But unlike the last time he'd caught Alec this way he wouldn't be taking him home to tend to him while he saw whatever The Angel was showing him. He had more than one patient to look after now and the best place to do that was here whether the daddy to be liked it or not.

____________________

"We can't continue to ignore this." Victor Aldertree said as he sat his teacup carefully in its saucer. "We can't pretend it isn't happening."

"What do you propose?" Imogen asked as she turned from her office window and its magnificent view of Alicante. How Lightwood and his team seemed to know who was going to present as an omega and where they were going to be was a bafflement. An infuriating one.

Now two more young Shadowhunters were gone. They'd taken Lightwood at his word and left with him willingly. It was a troublesome sign. Instead of acting on the Kill on Sight orders that had been issued on the filthy omega and his team they'd listened to what Lightwood had to say. And the Blackwell brothers weren't the only ones who'd failed to act on the order. They weren't the only ones who'd listened. The rest of their team had done so as well.

"We beat them to the punch." Victor said. "We use the same tool they are. We know Jia gave them the registry."

"That only tells them so much." Mayrse said as she sipped her own tea.

"It tells them enough." Council Malachai said. "Just as it will tell us enough. We need to start a containment protocol."

"A what?" She asked.

"We may not know who's going to present as an omega, but we do know who has yet to present." He said. "We issue a decree that no underage Shadowhunter is to leave their Institute on their presentation day until after their presentation for their own protection."

"Then what?" Imogen asked, intrigued by the possibilities.

"Those who present as alphas and betas continue on as usual." He said. "Should any present as omegas, well, they'll be bound to their Institutes until Lightwood and his team are caught. They can't be abducted if they're tucked away safely inside their Institutes.

Will we have to decide what to do with them? Yes. But until we do, our people can keep eyes on them. Should Lightwood decide to come into an Institute after one, they'll be there to deal with him. And should he not, once we've decided on what to do with the abominations our people can carry out the order. It would have to be an order tailored to the abomination, something that wouldn't raise suspicion."

"You're making it far more complicated than it has to be." Mayrse said as she sat her tea aside. "I see another direction we could take."

"Go on." Imogen said. She'd come to like Mayrse immensely despite the fact that she'd birthed an omega. At first, she'd despised the woman for it. Until she'd accepted that it wasn't Mayrse's fault. It was Robert who carried the omega gene, the same gene as his long dead sister. And Mayrse had only done as she was told in procreating with the man.

"We start with Malachai's order. That keeps the omegas safe." She said, smirking. "Then we transport them to a centralized classified location, a safehouse so to speak. Like the mundanes do with their witness protection thing. They're they'll be cut off from everyone they know for their own safety. Once there we can do whatever we want while everyone believes that the omegas are tucked safely away until my son..." She said in disgust. "And his team are no longer a threat."

"And once that happens?" Malachai asked.

"Who says it will?" She asked, picking up her tea. "Short of an outright public capture or execution, they can be dead and rotting while the rest of the world believes they're still at large.

There are details to be worked out certainly. Say, if there is a public capture there can be a private escape from the dungeons. With their ability to portal no one would question them finding a way to disappear again. And if they are killed publicly, it can...I don't know, coincide with someone else breeching our safehouse and abducting the omegas despite our very best efforts to protect them. Robert, perhaps. And Jia. They've both made it clear that they're not victims.

Then we'll do everything we can to find those who'd been abducted, of course. But we'll have already done what we ultimately want. Once they're believed to be gone, we can eliminate them.

But for the sake of appearances, we'll search for them. For years if that's what it takes. We'll dispatch special teams dedicated to the task. It would actually give our people something useful to do. My brats are hiding somewhere. They have a safe place they're using as a base that needs to be found. It's there that we'll find others that need to be eliminated as well. Robert and Jia. Luke Greymark. Those filthy omegas that have already been taken. There are also the people of the downworld and anyone else who might be aiding them."

"And you think no one will question the omegas simply disappearing to a safehouse? That there won't be people who raise red flags because they've lost all ability to contact their child or sibling?" Victor asked.

"I said there would be details." She said, eyeing him coolly. "Perhaps the omegas will have a way to communicate with their families. Emails. Those can be forged easily enough."

"You're right that there are details to work out." Imogen said, thinking it through. "Several in fact. But I like it. It's a place to start. And you're right about something very important, Mayrse. Short of a public execution this threat can forever remain at large. Well, for a lifetime at least. Fabricated sightings by our people can be reported for years to come if necessary. For however long we're stuck dealing with this omega problem. Your son and his team can be long dead and still be our reason to detain the omegas. But our first step is the decree. We'll need to issue it as soon as possible. Today if we can."

"We can't issue it until we have prepared answers for the most likely asked questions." Victor said.

"Then start thinking on what those will be and good answers." She said as she sat behind her desk, a slow smile spreading across her face. They were going to cut Lightwood off at the knees. She might not know how he's doing what he's doing, how he knows what he knows, but they know he's using the registry that traitor Penhallow had stolen. And they would use it too.

____________________

Alec watched as the geese and goslings that called the pond at The Manor home glided silently across the sparkling water, leaving barely a ripple in their wake. The afternoon sun glinted beautifully on the surface. He couldn't help but think of how peaceful it was here. How serene. While he loved everything about The Manor and its grounds, so far, the pond was his favorite place to be.

"Finally. I've been waiting for you." Belle said as she sat down beside him on the soft green grass.

"Belle? What are you doing here?" He asked, confused. Something was tugging at his memory. It took a second, but what he'd seen of Imogen's meeting with her trio of psycho groupies flashed before his eyes. "My babies." He said, his hand going to his belly at the realization that he'd had a vision.

"Are perfectly well." She said.

"Okay." He said, relief coursing through him. "Am I dreaming?"

"No." She said. "You're not asleep, Alec. But you're also not awake. You're in that place in-between consciousness and unconsciousness. It's taken time to get here but you're close enough to consciousness now that I can reach you. But you'll wake soon. So, we don't have much time."

"Do you know what I saw?" He asked.

"Yes. And there's more that you need to know." She said. "That's why I'm here. I told you that Raziel would do whatever he could to avoid hurting your babies. He showed you what he had to, what he felt you needed to see for yourself. While what you saw has been a strain it's not been enough of one to cause your babies harm. Showing you more, well, that would cause harm. So, he sent me to tell you the rest."

"I was afraid something like this would happen." He said.

"I know. And you were right to fear that it would. It was only a matter of time before the Clave decided to act." She said.

"Samantha. She presents tomorrow." He said. "What I saw, it's already happened hasn't it?"

"I'm afraid so." She said. "What you saw you saw in what I believe you would call real time. The decree hasn't been issued yet, but it will be by the end of the day. So, the mission that you've planned for Samantha is no longer possible. But there's still time to help her. She can still be given the choice and chance as you say."

"How? We don't know where she is." He said. "Or is that what you're here to tell me?"

"Where she'll be and when is part of what I'm here to tell you." She said. "You know that Raziel can't see the future. But as the she has made plans for this evening; I can tell you where she plans to be in a few hours' time should her plans not change. She plans to take in a film with friends. Here." She said, pressing her fingertips to his forehead.

An image flashed before Alec's eyes of a movie ticket. 'Bad Boys for Life, Ride or Die. 6:00 pm, Auditorium 3, Cinema Village'

"You won't have much time to plan when you wake." She said. "And I'm afraid that this time you'll have to stay behind. While the vision you had hasn't caused your babies harm, moving through portals there and back along with any additional strain should you meet resistance could hurt both them and you."

"You're telling me that I have to send my team on a on the fly mission to New York without me?" He asked.

"I am. And there's more, I'm afraid. When you wake there will be another mission you must plan as well and just as quickly. For it you'll need Luke's help." She said. "Samantha isn't the only one in New York who needs saving. There are others. And if you're going to save them it must be now because once contact is made with the young omega whether she agrees to return with those you send or not, once word of either her disappearance or your team's appearance reaches the Institute you will be unable to venture to New York again.

It has been seen that the one who's taken your father's place has decided that should anything else happen the Institute and everyone in it will go on high alert. And once it's on high alert it will remain that way until you and your team are either captured or killed. So, going to New York again will be too dangerous."

"Okay." He said, sighing. "You said that I'll need Luke's help. I take it that's because the others we need to save are his team. Dr. Starkweather, Ms. Sarah, and Ms. Emily."

"You are correct." She said. "You'll need his help because no one knows the infirmary better than him and that's where they are meant to be tonight. As of now they are not in any immediate danger. But they will be soon.

After Luke's disappearance they were of course questioned. They were later interrogated with the aid of The Soul Sword. It was moved to the Institute by the Silent Brothers at the Clave's request for that purpose. But as they knew nothing about his disappearance or his whereabouts it proved to be a fruitless endeavor.

So far, they are simply being observed by those you call descendants. It's the Clave's hope that one or more of them will be caught communicating with him. But the Clave's patience is wearing thin. It's been seen that they plan to use his team to try and lure him out once they decide to act.

The Clave, they want to capture him badly. They believe that with the right interrogation method that they'll get all of the information they seek. They believe that they can break him. They underestimate him though, and his strength. Still, that's what they desire and there not above hurting those he cares so much for to get what they want.

They wish to capture your father as well. It would please them immensely to do so. But they underestimate him too. Setting aside the fact that he's a Lightwood, he managed to live with his secrets right under their nose for most of his life. They wouldn't break him either. But me telling you what the Clave wants with them is only going to make this next part all the harder for you.

As it is Luke who knows the infirmary best, he'll need to go on that mission. He alone knows the best way in. And should there be trouble, he'll know the best way out. As for your father, we both know what stand he will take. He won't stand for Luke going without him. It's also what I believe you would call a plus that he knows the Institute so well. Better than any other. Present company excluded. He had various routes mapped out should he need to get you out of the Institute quickly."

"He did?" He asked, surprised. But he supposed that he shouldn't have been. He'd long since come to know how much his father had done for him, how much he loved him, even if in the end he had lost his way.

"He did. He loves you, Alec. He always has. But you know that already. And I digress." She said, sighing herself. "These missions must happen simultaneously. That's the only way they may succeed. And to do them you must divide to conquer. It will be hard for you, but you must decide the best way to split your team between the two missions."

Alec's stomach sank hearing her words. He hated this. Not only was he supposed to stay behind while his team went to New York on a rush mission for Samantha, he was supposed to stay behind and send his father and favorite doctor on a rush mission into the Institute. They'd be in more danger than anyone he sent to Cinema Village. And knowing now that the Clave would torture them if captured only made it worse. Interrogation and torture were akin to the same thing with the Clave.

"There's no other way?" He asked, hoping against hope.

"I'm afraid not." She said, laying what she hoped was a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm going to say this again, Alec, because I've long since come to know how you are. You cannot go on either of these missions. You must stay behind. Pushing through the aftereffects of your vision when you wake to plan these missions will be hard enough. Trying to go on either of them could cause you and your babies true harm. It would also put those accompanying you at greater risk.

You've come to see that not all of your visions affect you the same way. Some have little in the way of what you've come to call fallout while others are much worse. To show you what you saw Raziel had to pull your consciousness quickly. And showing you something in real time is a lot harder than showing you something in dreams when your mind is at rest. The harder it is to do reflects in how hard it is on you. You've experienced what you will soon have to endure before the day Jia was saved from Alicante.

The headache I can push back for a time. How long my efforts will last, I do not know. Hours at best. But the weakness and fatigue, there's nothing I can do for that. And once what I can do fades it'll be as if you've just woken from a vision with a bad fallout.

We're running out of time so I must finish quickly. These missions you've planned for the other omegas are as undoable as what you'd planned for Samantha. I hate to say it but because of this decree you may not be able to save them all. Should an opportunity to reach them arise as it has with Samantha, you will be made aware. Raziel will in some way give you whatever information he can with as much time to prepare as possible. Whether it will come in a vision of some sort or from me I cannot say. I must go. You're waking up." She said, pressing her fingertips to his forehead a second time. She'd give him all that she could to see him through the hours ahead. He had a great deal to do and not a lot of time.

"But..." He started as a familiar warmth washed through him as she faded away, as the pond with the geese and goslings faded away and the world fell into darkness.

____________________

Hushed voices. That's what Alec heard as he drifted towards the surface of consciousness. His senses were somehow sharp enough that he could easily make them out, sharper than they'd ever been after a vision. He supposed he had Belle to thank for that as well as the lack of a skull splitting headache.

But the voices of those he loved, his mother, father, and Luke weren't all that he heard. He also heard the steady beat of the heart monitor and the hiss of the oxygen coming through the stupid cannula in his nose. And the horrible plastic smell, it wasn't doing his unsteady stomach any favors. So, he chose to focus on something else, on the warm hand holding his. He knew without having to open his eyes who it was. His husband. And he was sure that the father of their children had been by his side holding his hand for however long he'd been out. How long that had been he'd have to find out. Belle had said they didn't have much time and because they didn't, they had to make good use of every second that they had.

It took him a second to realize how weak he felt, his muscles like water. It took a great deal of effort to squeeze the hand holding his as he opened his tired eyes and took in the sight of the man he loved beside him in the dimly lit delivery room. All unnecessary lights had obviously been cut to shield his eyes from light that would normally be blinding.

"Alexander." Magnus said, relieved when he felt his love's soft squeeze as his beautiful crystal blue eyes fluttered open. "It's alright, sweetheart. Everything's alright. You're fine. The babies are fine." He said, wanting to give his Shadowhunter that immediate assurance that their unborn children were safe and unharmed.

"I know. She told me." He said, his voice hoarse.

"Who, love?" Magnus asked.

"Belle. She came to me after I saw it. She told me things." He said, trying to put his thoughts in order. His mind was a bit jumbled. That was only going to make getting up and getting these missions planned harder.

"Kiddo, I need you to look at me." Luke said. He'd made it to his favorite patient's side in a matter of seconds. He didn't know what they would be dealing with following this vision, but Alec had been unconscious for several hours. And while he had been, he'd been monitoring both him and his babies closely. He considered it a small miracle for both daddy and his babies that there'd been very little in the way of blood loss from the next to nonexistent nosebleed which, all things considered, had been a welcome surprise.

Alec flinched back from the light that blinded him as Luke checked his pupils. Not because it hurt, but because he hadn't been prepared for it. He somehow never was even when he saw it coming.

"Tell me how you feel." Luke said, pleased that his favorite patient's pupils were both equal, reactive, and that he seemed to show no signs of light sensitivity.

"I'm okay. I need to sit up." He said, trying and failing. Yes, his muscles were definitely weak.

"Alexander, no." Robert said as he stepped up to the foot of the bed his best friend had tucked his son into in the delivery room. "You need to rest."

"There's not time." He said. "How long was I out? What time is it?"

"A while, angel." Magnus said, brushing a lock of soft raven hair out of his precious Alexander's eyes as he raised his hand to his lips for a gentle kiss. "But you need to rest."

"No." He said. "We have to hurry. Remember what I said yesterday? That I was afraid that the Clave was going to try and get ahead of us? They're making their move. Today. If we don't get Samantha out of New York before tomorrow, it'll be too late."

"What move, sweetie? What did you see?" Cat asked, her stomach sinking. They'd known that it was only a matter of time before the Clave did something. And while she would like this to wait too, she'd come to know her son well enough to know that he wouldn't let this go until he got it all out.

"The Angel showed me." He started, stopping to swallow hard. His throat was so dry. "They had a meeting. Imogen and her trio of psycho groupies. I saw it as it happened. They're going to implement a containment protocol. They're issuing a decree by day's end that no underage Shadowhunters are to leave their Institutes on their presentation day before they present. Any who present as omegas are going to then be confined to their Institutes. The rest, they're still planning it all out. But it's bad.

If we don't save Samantha tonight, we won't have another chance. I know you're worried, but you have to trust me. I have to get up. There are missions to plan. Belle, she did something to me. What exactly I don't know. The headache she pushed back for a while. I don't know how long. Hours at best she said. And the babies, she said they're okay. The Angel kept his word." He said, squeezing his alpha's hand again. "She said he'd avoid hurting them and he did. He showed me what he had to but sent her to tell me the rest. But I have to get up.

We need to get everyone together. I'll explain everything I saw and everything she said but I'd really rather do it only once. And before you object, I know that I can't go on either of these missions. She told me that." He said, hoping to ease some of the worry he saw in his favorite chocolate brown eyes. "To ensure the babies stay safe I have to stay behind."

"Missions?" Luke asked, looking up from the heart monitor. He'd been listening to his favorite patient's words while he studied his vitals. They looked good. And the ultrasound showing the future Lightwood-Bane babies looked good too. He was just glad that Belle had been the one to tell her great, great grandson that he had to stay behind on any mission they may execute. Thankfully, he wouldn't have to be the one to do it. That's a fight he'd gladly hand off to someone else whenever possible. But to his knowledge, Samantha Carlight was the only omega due to present in the next few days.

"Missions." He said. "There's a second mission that has to take place tonight too. For that I'm going to need your help. But I have to get up. There's a lot to do and I don't know how long what Belle did will last.

I need my team and plans for Cinema Village in New York if we can get them. Umm.." He started, trying to think through the exhaustion that had him desperately wanting to sleep. But sleep was an indulgence that he had no time for. Not yet at least. "And a map of the area around it. I'll also need you to tell me everything you can about the infirmary's layout. We have to get them out tonight. Your team." He said to Luke. "This will be our only chance.

And these missions have to happen simultaneously. That's the only way. We'll have to divide to conquer she said."

"Are they in danger." Luke asked, his own stomach clenching. He'd feared for his team since he'd left and had worried about them every day.

"Not yet. But they will be." He said. "Please, help me up." He pleaded to his warlock. "We're wasting time."

"Luke?" Magnus asked. His heart had stopped when he'd gotten word that his sweet angel had had a vision and it hadn't started beating again, he was sure, until he'd arrived at the clinic and had been assured that both his husband and their children were okay, that they were stable. But he was hesitant. His love was obviously exhausted and incredibly weak. But he couldn't deny that he was relieved that The Angel Raziel had been true to his word.

"His vitals are good." Luke said. "They're all stable. I'm willing to let him up on the condition that he settles in a chair in the OP's center. But the IV has to stay in. Continuing the fluids will help." He said. While he was willing to let his favorite patient up to plan these missions and do whatever he himself could do to save his team, friends that were more like family, he still had to ensure that the Lightwood-Bane's stayed safe. All four of them. The only consolation he had for the moment though was that his small unofficial family weren't in imminent danger. There was time to save them.

"Deal." Alec said. He'd agree to most anything Luke wanted if it meant they could get the ball rolling on this.

"I'll get the blueprints from Cinema Village and a map of the area surrounding it." Cat said. She didn't like that this was being moved from the clinic to the OP's center, but she understood that this was one of those visions that required fast action. They wouldn't have days or weeks to plan it out. She just hoped that Belle had given him all the information they'd need to do this. And should they need it they had a fully stocked med cabinet at the house which offered some comfort.

"Your team is out front." Robert said. "Is there anyone else you need?"

"Umm." Alec said, thinking. "Ask Sam and Andy if they're up for standing by. They know New York and may know Samantha. If they do, maybe they can talk to her. But only if they feel ready. Especially Sam. He may not be ready to venture out. And Leenie. She was in New York for a while and may know Samantha too. We also need a couple warlocks for backup. Ashton and maybe Max as originally planned." He said, squeezing his own warlock's hand again.

Magnus nodded yes. He didn't like this, not any of it. It was bad enough that he had to let his young love out of bed so soon after having a vision. But it would seem that there was no other option. He'd just have to ensure that his angel took it as easy as possible while he worked to plan out these missions. And when whatever his beautiful Belle had done to help his precious Alexander through this wore off, he'd be right there to tuck him back into bed. Into their bed where he would rest and recover. And he'd be right there to tend to him. If whatever was done wore off before these missions were finalized and/or successfully completed, well, someone else would just have to take the reins on handling them. But he was glad that he wasn't going to have to fight his Shadowhunter on not trying to go on either of these missions himself. And he had his daughter to thank for that.

"Okay. Just take it slow. We'll get you there." He said.

Alec nodded yes as his alpha helped him sit. It surprised him how much it took out of him just to sit up. The simple movement made his head swim and his stomach churn. It had him wondering how he was going to manage what came next. How was he going to get everything explained first to his team and then talk to everyone else who'd be going to New York? Then there was the matter of talking to his dad and Luke about going into the infirmary. And the actual mission planning. He'd have to figure it out. Getting it done is what he did best.

But he'd already made one decision. If he had to split his team for these missions, he'd divide it carefully. He'd send his little brother and parabatai into the Institute with his dad and Luke. His baby sister would object, but it was the only way. If by some chance they were captured, something he couldn't bear to think about, the Clave would have in custody two Lightwood's if she went. That couldn't happen. And in sending in his more than capable Clare-Bear, should something go wrong he'd know through their parabatai bond. He also knew that no one would cover her better than her mate, and together they'd do whatever it took to cover their father and surrogate uncle.

Their surrogate uncle. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that there wasn't anything that his dad, little brother, and parabatai wouldn't do to keep Luke safe. Was Luke doing well in training when he could squeeze it in? Yes. But he wasn't combat ready. His small blades would be his best self-defense. His favorite doctor's skill with those made his own warrior's heart sing. He just hoped that there wouldn't be a confrontation. Belle had said that Luke would know the best way to get them in. Hopefully that meant he could get them in undetected. And if they were lucky, they'd remain that way. But until he could pick his favorite doctor's brain, he wouldn't know.

His Izzy-Diz and Simon would have to go with whoever they send to Cinema Village. He knew that they'd be not only able to cover themselves, but anyone else they sent along. Sure, Leenie's a strong fighter. As are Sam and Andy. But Sam's not at one hundred precent since his presentation and he'd prefer that he be there just to talk to Samantha assuming that he knew her well enough that they saw each other as friends. And that's only if he's up for it. He wouldn't push Sam or Andy to go. Sam wouldn't go without Andy, and he didn't think Andy would want Sam to go at all. Andy was still in a very protective mindset of his Sammy and had been since they'd been reunited, something that he in no way faulted him for. So, they would both have to agree on it. But regardless of who went his baby sister and best friend would ensure that they all made it back safely hopefully with Samantha.

____________________

Alec rubbed his very tired eyes when his vision started to blur again. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this kind of tired. No, tired wasn't the right word. It was exhausted. He was exhausted.

At first when he'd gotten up both his muscles and bones had felt like melted wax. And while they seemed to have solidified in the hours he'd been in his OP's center looking over Cinema Village's blueprints, the maps for a surrounding two mile radius, and the city's blueprints for the underground sewer system along with Luke's very detailed sketch of the infirmary's layout, a layout that included an above the infirmary maintenance access, those same muscles and bones had long since begun to throb and ache along with what felt like every nerve in his body.

He honestly didn't know if these pains were a new development or if they were par for the course with this type of vision. Without the skull splitting, jackhammer throbbing, brain searing pain of a typical vision headache, he truly had no idea. He could see how all of this 'new' could be easily overshadowed by what Belle had for the time being at least pushed back. And then there was the weakness. He couldn't forget that.

His only real thought on it was that he'd never been awake long enough after this type of vision to register much more than the horrific headache, so it could all be perfectly normal. As if having his consciousness yanked from one place and shifted to another for a vision by The Angel could really be considered normal. But he supposed that for him it was his normal.

He'd finally forced himself out of his chair to get a better look at the maps, blueprints, and sketches laid out before him. He had less than an hour before the two mission teams would be portaling out of the safety of Haven on rush missions and he needed to know that he hadn't missed anything.

Samantha's movie would be starting at 6 pm New York time and her rescue team had to be into position before it started. He'd been right that his baby sister would put up a fight about going to Cinema Village and not to the Institute. She had. A big one. But she'd finally begrudgingly admitted that his logic on why it was best that she and Si go after Samantha was sound. With his parabatai bond with Clary they would know much sooner if the Institute mission team ran into trouble than they would any other way. Sure, The Angel could potentially show him they were in trouble. But no one wanted to risk that if it could be avoided. Not after him having already had a vision today.

The initial mission team for Cinema Village had grown by one more. While Leenie was more than willing to go, she'd been somewhat friendly with Samantha before leaving New York, Jia didn't want her daughter going without her. So, with his mom's help they'd already acquired tickets for the mundane movie and the two Penhallow's would be going into the auditorium glamoured with his Clare-Bear's glamour rune fifteen minutes early. From there they'd be able to watch for Samantha's arrival and get a headcount on how many 'friends' she was taking in the movie with. That would give them a decent threat assessment should there be a fight. And should Samantha leave the auditorium for any reason, for concessions or a 'pee break' as his sister had said, the rest of her rescue team would know she was coming their way before she made her exit.

Sam had been all for going. While he'd been supposed to step into light training for a few hours for the first time that day and hadn't because everything had come to a screeching halt when word of his vision had spread, he did in fact know Samantha Carlight well. They'd been good friends prior to his presentation, and he thought he might be able to get through to her. While he himself hadn't known it during his time at the Institute, Samuel Redwine and Samantha Carlight were known by many as 'The Sams'. As for Andy, he'd been hesitant about his mate stepping into a potentially dangerous situation so soon but had decided to support him. But he'd also been adamant on backing Sam up.

While none of them wanted Sam in a close combat situation as he hadn't trained since his presentation and was still recovering it had been decided that Sam and Andy would lay in wait outside the auditorium. According to the blueprints he'd gone over with them both there's a corner anyone seeking out auditorium 4 would have to turn a few feet past the doors into auditorium 3. It would be there that they would wait and watch from using his parabatai's invisibility rune. Not only would they be able to see Samantha enter the auditorium, but they'd also be able to see her when she left it.

His Izzy-Diz and best friend would initially be stationed outside Cinema Village at a table at the coffee shop across the street watching for Samantha's arrival. They'd be glamoured too of course. But once they saw her and her friends enter, they would part ways. His sister would move into the theatre using a ticket that their mom had provided for her too. While she could be potentially too exposed covering the emergency exit inside the auditorium even with an invisibility rune, they had no idea how close to the exit Samantha and her friends might sit, she would be covering the main emergency exit between auditoriums 3, 4, and 5. And from there she'd also be covering Sam and Andy while her mate waited outside the exit with Ashton in the alley.

It was their plan that if Samantha left the auditorium solo that Iz would pull the fire alarm beside the exit door in the corridor. The logical course of action for anyone in said corridor would be to go out the nearest emergency exit. And in using that exit Samantha would be easily followed by an invisible Sam, Andy, and Iz to be met by Si and Ashton on the outside. As Jia and Leenie would have followed Samantha out it left them to bring up the rear while everyone else in auditorium 3 went out its emergency exit. The only worry they had about that was any stragglers that might be in that same corridor at the time the alarm had to be pulled. They'd go out that emergency exit too. But as each auditorium has its own emergency exit, as long as no one else was in the corridor there's no reason why anyone else would go out the door they were hoping to use. Did they want to hurt any mundanes in this? Absolutely not. But if they had to render one or two briefly unconscious to save a young woman's life, they would. And once the entire mission team reached the alley the exit door could and would be quickly and easily magically sealed by Ashton.

He would much prefer that it was Sam who waited in the alley with Ashton, but it wasn't feasible for several reasons. The first was simple enough. Andy wanted to cover and protect his mate, something he completely understood. And with his Izzy-Diz nearby there would be someone who had been training every day since Sam and Andy had left New York covering them.

Second, if Sam was outside there's no way that he could reach Samantha to talk to her if they couldn't get her into the alley.

Third, even glamoured Ashton would be somewhat exposed in the alley. Sure, there are places he could hide, but that didn't mean that a Shadowhunter team out on patrol wouldn't come across him. And while Sam was a good fighter, they all felt that Ashton might need more than just Sam in a fight. Yes, Ashton was skilled in battle magic. But he knew very little in traditional combat. And taking on a full five member Shadowhunter team would be a lot for Sam to do on his own in his current condition.

Fourth and finally, they didn't want to injure anyone they didn't have to. If Ashton had to use battle magic against a potential Shadowhunter team that could lead to serious injuries. And the alley would be close combat quarters. That would only make a fight that took place there all the more dangerous.

They did now have something that would help that they'd never had before. It was actually what was making this plan possible. It had come to his parabatai while he'd been unconscious. A new audio rune. From what she knew any Shadowhunters marked with it within a one-mile radius could be heard by the others. That meant that those in the auditorium, in the corridor, and in the alley waiting would be able to hear each other. And from what he could tell by the blueprints the whole of Cinema Village, the alley, and the coffee shop across the street occupied the same one-mile radius. So, both his sister and best friend would be able to hear and be heard perfectly before moving into their final positions.

Was there a lot of potential for error with this plan? Much more than he cared for? Yes, yes, and yes. But it's the best he could do in the short amount of time he'd had to plan assuming it could be put into action. If Samantha didn't leave the auditorium before the end of the movie, this plan would be useless. Then they'd have to switch to plan B.

He didn't like plan B at all. It was truly on the fly. For plan B, once the movie ended the members of the Cinema Village team inside the theater would have to follow her and her friends out and keep following them without detection until everyone was back together. And once they were, they'd do the only thing they could. They'd have to ambush them. When and where would be his baby sister's in the moment call. He wished he could plan it all out. He wished he could be there to help. But neither was possible and it had what he had come to recognize as anxiety humming beneath his skin.

He couldn't deny that he was thankful for the rune that The Angel had sent. He truly was. But they didn't know how long it would last. That meant that those using it had no choice but to do frequent audio checks. And it wouldn't just be the Cinema Village team using the rune. They'd be using it in the Institute too.

As for that mission, Belle hadn't been kidding when she'd said that he'd need Luke's help in planning it. Having designed the infirmary's layout for its last remodel he knew every entrance, exit, air vent, closet, potential hidey-hole, and blind spot. He knew each and every security measure in place, where the cameras were, and how to get around them. And after talking to Sam and Andy who'd been in New York less than a week before they knew that Dr. Starkweather, Ms. Emily, and Ms. Sarah were working second shift which corroborates Belle's statement that they'd be in the infirmary that night while the Cinema Village team was trying to make contact with Samantha.

It's not that he had any reason to doubt his great, great grandmother's words. He just hadn't known if they'd be where she'd said they'd be because they were scheduled to be there or because something else will be going on that sends them there at that time. It helps knowing that they won't be moving in on a shift covered by another team that those they're going to rescue are simply lending a hand to. That would just be two more doctors and two more nurses to contend with. He just wished she'd told him where in the massive infirmary they were going to be and if they'd be together. But as The Angel can't see the future, he can't fault her for not knowing.

She'd also been right when she'd said that his dad wouldn't let his favorite doctor go in without him. And if he was being totally honest, he'd have been shocked had his father been willing to.

He'd gone over Luke's drawing of the infirmary and the access passage above it in detail both with him and the rest of the Institute team as well as without them. He'd been surprised to see just how big the New York Institute's infirmary was, but he shouldn't have been. Not having been in it several times before. But while it had always seemed big to him, it had never seemed as big as it truly is. And luckily for them, the access passage runs across the infirmary's full length and width.

The team going to into the Institute is a much smaller team than the one going to Cinema Village. They had no idea how many Shadowhunter friends would be accompanying Samantha to the movie that night, so they thought they'd need plenty of hands-on deck. And while it's true that they had no idea how many Shadowhunters are currently in the infirmary or how many descendants are actively watching, for this mission the team would be staying out of sight until they had to show themselves.

Luke hadn't hesitated when he'd told his favorite doctor what Belle had said about him going on this mission. Even after he'd told him of what the Clave wanted with him, he hadn't batted an eye. Not anymore than his father had. He'd just said that he'd need a little time to sit down and explain it all to his Sunshine. He'd promised her again and again that he'd never go back to the 'Tute. And while he wasn't going back in the way she was used to; he knew that she'd still be upset and more than likely scared. But little Ziva knew that he and his team had portaled out on missions before, twice to New York, and had come back in just a few hours perfectly safe. And on one of those trips, they'd actually brought her daddy home.

So, Luke was going to explain it as simply as he could. He'd be going on a mission with her Uncle Robert and her cousins Clary and Jace to bring back his good friends, the friends she'd heard so much about and couldn't wait to meet. They'd be bringing back Dr. Stanley, Ms. Sarah, and Ms. Emily. And he had to go not because he was ever going back to the Institute the way he had in the past, but because they needed his help. He had to help save them.

His mom and Dot both had had plenty to say about their men going on this mission. Dot didn't want her husband going into the Institute any more than his mom wanted her future husband and two of her children going into it. And because they didn't, they'd wanted to go too. But Luke had shut them both down in the calm and gentle manner that only he could manage. Ziva would need her mother while he was gone to keep her calm and to do what she could to keep her fear in check. And Cat, well, someone had to look after her son. They still had no idea how much longer whatever it was Belle had done to him would last and it had been pointed out that he needed looking after by a doctor who knew both him and of his pregnancy. Especially since her son's loving husband, Cat's oldest and dearest friend, wouldn't be here to tend to him either.

He didn't like the thought of sending his warlock on this mission any more than he liked the thought of sending in anyone else. But as with so many other things it was necessary. Should something go wrong it would take the most powerful warlock alive to take down the wards to get inside. And once inside, it would take someone with incredible control over their magic, someone with great skill in battle magic to use it in controlled combat. And someone who could also kick ass.

So, the father of their unborn children would be leaving him behind for this mission. He'd be close enough to the Institute to hear the wards go off or see an increase in Shadowhunter activity but would remain out of sight unless needed. There were enough places around the Institute that he knew of that he could remain close while remaining unseen. But he'd blow the roof off if he had to, to save those who'd become family.

"How's it going, sweetheart?" Magnus asked, sitting a mug of steaming tea beside his love's papers. He knew better than to actually sit the mug on them.

"Just looking it over again." He said, wrinkling his nose at the smell of the chamomile tea. His stomach had never settled after waking up in the clinic.

"Aren't you supposed to be off your feet?" Magnus asked, eying his Shadowhunter's empty chair.

"I couldn't see as well." He said, shrugging.

"Well, have you seen anything different from this angle?" Magnus asked.

"No." He admitted, sighing as he sat back in his seat. "I don't like this."

"Don't like what, sweetheart? How you're feeling?" Magnus asked. His precious Alexander still didn't look well. If anything, he thought he looked a bit worse, definitely more pale.

"That and these missions." He said. "I don't like that plan A for Samantha hinges on whether she wants more popcorn or drinks too much and has to pee. And I don't like plan B at all. First, I don't like that Si and Ashton could be in that alley for more than two hours. A team out on patrol could easily come by and they could be spotted.

Can Si handle five Shadowhunters? Sure. And Ashton would help. But I don't like them being exposed for that long. And odds are, if they are spotted, someone on that hypothetical team will call it in before making a move. That would blow everything and put Samantha's entire rescue party at risk. If it gets called in, with so many Shadowhunters in the city backup would get there fast. Then we'd have six Shadowhunters and one warlock going up against any number of Shadowhunters from the Institute with more than a few mundanes to work around."

"If I'm not mistaken, angel, nine of you took on over two hundred Shadowhunters at the Institute." Magnus pointed out.

"We did. But that was different." He said. "My team in its entirety were in that fight plus a few more. And that includes you and your badass skills. In this...while I have full faith in Iz and Si, even in Andy and Leenie, Sam's not at his best.

We both know how tired Lydia and Leenie were after they started light training after their presentations and Sam hasn't trained at all. Once he starts moving, his energy won't last long in a fight and we both know it.

Yes, Jia can hold her own and is getting better every day. But she's not been training every day for years the way any Shadowhunters from the Institute will have been. The night we went for Sam, there were enough of us to watch her back. To cover her. And tonight, it's Sam and Ashton that everyone's going to have to watch out for and cover despite Ashton's battle magic skills. If there's a fight it will more than likely be close quarters combat that will limit what he can do, and unlike the night we went for Sam there will be at least a few mundanes who could get in the way and get hurt. We didn't have to worry about mundanes on the Institute's front lawn.

And say that they don't get spotted and the entire team has to wait out the full length of the movie. Then they run the risk of being spotted while tailing her. Andy told us that patrols were being tripled after we went for Sam. New York is crawling with Shadowhunters around the clock.

What if..." He started. "What if Iz can't find a spot for the ambush before they're ambushed? And what if she can't find a spot at all before they lose any and all chance of even making contact?"

"Alexander, I want you to listen to me." Magnus said as he sat beside his anxious angel and took his hands. "I know it's in your nature to think about all the possible scenarios and do whatever it takes to plan around any and all dangers. But you can't do that this time. And you can't let the stress and worry from not being able to eat you up.

I'm going to tell you how I think this is going to go and I hope hearing it helps. I don't think that plan B is even going to come into play. I think that if plan A doesn't go off without a hitch first, which it should as I've never known a woman who can make it through an entire movie at a theatre without having to get up to pee, Samantha and her friends will end up leaving the movie long before it's over. There's not going to be a two hour wait. If things go as planned at the Institute, it won't take long for it to be noticed that three important people are missing. People who will be missed quickly. It will without a doubt be noticed long before Bad Boys ends and everyone who's not out already patrolling tonight will get the call to return to the Institute.

If that happens, Isabelle and Andy should be able to contain Samantha and her friends in the corridor until Jia and Aline come out behind them at which time the whole lot of them can be nudged out the emergency exit for Sam and Samantha to have their chat. If Samantha doesn't take her friend at his word, or Andy and Aline at theirs, well, all that can be done is to let them go. It's her choice and chance, sweetheart. You know that.

And if her choice is to stay, if her and her friends choose to try and fight or act on the Clave's Kill on Sight Orders, Ashton has the sleep spell we discussed and has spent the last hour practicing it. Right now, we've got fifteen warlocks napping. So, I'm pretty confident that he has it down. And because he does that means that Samantha's rescue party will be long gone before her, and her friends, wake up unharmed from a nice magically induced nap."

Alec nodded yes. It all sounded good laid out that way. But Cinema Village wasn't the only mission being executed.

"I don't like the Institute mission either." He said softly. "I don't like dad and Luke going in knowing what the Clave wants with them. And I don't like you being out there alone. I know that you're more than capable of both kicking ass and blasting your way through walls with magic if you must, but I don't like that there won't be anyone watching your back while you wait. I've never sent anyone on a mission without backup before and I don't like doing it now.

And if you do have to go inside, sure, you know some of the Institute. But it's a big place and you don't know your way around most of it. You'd be surrounded in seconds while in mostly unfamiliar territory."

"Would it make you feel better if I took someone with me?" Magnus asked. "Lydia knows the Institute."

"She's also an omega. And the Clave wants omegas." He said.

"So are Sam and Aline, love." Magnus said.

"I know. But they won't be walking straight into the lion's den. They'll be more than thirty miles away from the Institute on their mission." He said.

"How about this." Magnus said as a thought occurred to him. "How about I put a tracking spell on our Institute mission team. With it should I have to go in I'll be able to easily find them. I can't promise that I won't encounter other Shadowhunters in the process because we both know that I will, but I can promise that I will come back to you and that I will bring our family home safe."

"You can't promise that." He said.

"I can and I do." Magnus said. "I think the sleep spell will work pretty well for me too. It won't be hard to knock out anyone who comes at me, figuratively speaking. All it'll take is a finger snap and you know it.

You're thinking worst case scenario here, sweetheart, and you can't do that. We have no reason to believe that this plan isn't going to go off without a hitch. Like I said, I think it's going to be this plan being successful that's going to spare Samantha and her friends suffering through the entirety of that movie."

"You're right. I am thinking worst case." He admitted. "It's just that I've never had to send my team out alone before, not like this, not outside of a regular patrol. And I've never had to split them up this way. The furthest any of us have ever been apart in a fight was during the war. In that we were on the same battlefield. Tonight, we're not even going to be on the same continent. Every Shadowhunter in New York has orders to kill them on sight and there's nothing I can do to help them if something goes wrong."

"Nothing is going to go wrong." Magnus said, pressing a tender kiss to his suffering Shadowhunter's forehead. He knew that his precious Alexander not being able to protect his team has been an issue for him for a long time, and it's one he has to work to overcome. He won't always be able to be with them. But those weren't the words that his husband needed to hear right now. He needed to hear words of comfort and reassurance. "As for having someone to watch my back, we've got that covered. I didn't just come in here bearing tea. I came to tell you that I just heard back from The Seelie Queen. She's lending us her eyes in the sky both at the Institute and outside Cinema Village. Simon and Ashton will have eyes on them the entire time. And if by some very small chance Samantha's rescue party has to follow her and her friends after the movie, well, they'll have eyes on them too. If The Seelie Queen sees danger coming in from any direction, she'll let us know so we can act. Okay?"

"Okay." He said, relieved at this new development. They'd been hoping to hear back on their request from The Seelie Queen but had begun to worry that they wouldn't in time. "So, tracking and sleep spells, huh? I like it."

"Good." Magnus said, pleased. He could see that this news had put his young love a bit more at ease.

"But for the record, I have no objection if you knock any of those descendants we came across last time out the painful way." He said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Especially Nicholas Whitepine. He could do with a broken nose or jaw. Preferably a jaw."

"The jaw seems to be becoming your new favorite." Magnus said, amused. The Lightwood's had always been known for breaking noses. But after the encounter with Mark Ravenwolf in Angel Square, it would seem that jaws may be becoming the new favorite target.

"I don't know about that." He said, shrugging. "It's just more painful and takes longer to heal. It also has the added bonus of rendering him unable to run his mouth to spout lies with it wired shut."

"True enough." Magnus said. "If I see him, I'll see what I can do. As for the rest of this." He said, indicating the papers spread over the roundtable. "Are you done?"

"Yeah." He said, sighing. "I've looked at both missions from every direction that I can think of. It's all been gone over with everyone. Now it's just a matter of executing them when the time comes. And there's not much time left." He said, looking at his watch. "I need to check in with everyone and make sure they have everything they need. And we need to let the Cinema Village team know that The Seelie Queen will have their backs. I also want to check in on Ziva-Diva."

"Then that's what we'll do." Magnus said, climbing to his feet and helping his precious Alexander to his own. He still didn't like how pale his love was, but he didn't seem as distressed.

He knew that Catarina would do whatever was necessary to tend to her son while he and Luke were away. They'd already discussed it. It was entirely possible that what his beautiful Belle had done could wear off before the mission teams returned, and if it did, she would act. The father of his unborn children wouldn't like it, but he wouldn't be allowed to suffer through the pain that was coming. He hoped that they'd all make it back before that time came. But if it didn't, his Shadowhunter would just have to wait until he woke up to learn the outcome of these missions. He just wasn't going to tell his husband that.

"Do you need anything for the tracking spells?" He asked as they walked hand in hand towards the door.

"Just the people I'll need to track. It's a simple enough spell. I'll cast it just before we portal out." Magnus said as they left the OP's center. It was almost time to attempt to save four lives in two complicated simultaneous missions. Missions he hoped and prayed were a success.

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