Malace || Shadowhunters || Malace || Awake and Alive || Malace || Shadowhunters || Malace
Title: Awake and Alive – To Save the Day
Fandom: Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments
Disclaimer: All rights to the Shadowhunters reserved to Ed Decter, the books the Shadowhunters is based off and its characters belong to Cassandra Clare. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.
Warnings: shounen-ai, polyamory (threesome), hurt/comfort, fluff, near death, shoujo-ai, hetero
Main Pairing: Magnus/Alec/Jace
Side Pairings: Simon/Clary, Lydia/Isabelle
Shadowhunters Characters: Jonathan Christopher 'Jace' Wayland, Magnus Bane, Alexander Gideon 'Alec' Lightwood, Isabelle Sophia 'Izzy' Lightwood, Clarissa Adele 'Clary' Fray, Simon Lewis, Lydia Branwell, Sebastian Verlac | Jonathan Morgenstern, Luke Garroway, Maxwell Joseph 'Max' Lightwood, Robert Lightwood, Maryse Lightwood
Summary: Set after episode 2x18 "Awake, Arise, or Be Forever Fallen" in my on-going season 2B with Malace series! This is going through episode 18 to adjust it to the changes this series made.
Awake and Alive
To Save the Day
For the first few moments after waking up, Magnus felt like things were normal. He woke up with his nose buried in Jace's hair, arms around the blonde's waist. Automatically, he started running his fingers over taunt muscles and soft skin, tracing runes he found without even looking at this point. He tilted his head to look up at the other Shadowhunter on whose chest he had his head resting.
That was when the events of the last day came rushing back to Magnus.
Alec, lying to him about the Soul Sword. Luke, being the one to tell Magnus. Jace and Clary, having found the Mortal Mirror. The team, gathering at the loft, not coming to a satisfying solution and heading to bed to clear their heads. Jace, being a sly little minx and convincing Magnus with wine and a relaxing bath to at the very least accept Alec into their bed for the night.
The betrayal still tasted bitter on his tongue so Magnus peeled himself off his blonde and regarded the still sleeping parabatai with a last look before heading to the bathroom for a long shower. It was still the middle of the night and he knew he had gotten maybe an hour or so of sleep.
Apparently, he was not the only one whose night had been restless.
"Lucien, where are you going?", inquired Magnus curiously.
Luke heaved a sigh where he was just in the middle of putting his jacket on. "Maia called. She found a mundane, scratched by a werewolf. I'm afraid I'll have to get going." Luke paused for a moment. "Don't go to the Seelie Queen, Magnus. It can't be the right solution. I still vote for the Mortal Mirror to be brought to Idris, I trust you to bring that up when you guys make a decision."
"Be safe, my friend", nodded Magnus, clasping a hand over Luke's shoulder for a moment.
Luke nodded stiffly, the lack of sleep apparent. "Could you open a portal to the Jade Wolf?"
With a swift movement of the hand, Magnus opened a portal for the wolf before he continued to the kitchen. A cup of coffee before the shower sounded wonderful. A glance at the clock showed him that it was barely past two in the morning. He should really get some more sleep.
"Can't sleep either, Mag?", giggled a clearly drunk voice.
When he entered his kitchen, he found Lydia and Isabelle there. Isabelle sat on the kitchen counter, legs spread and Lydia standing between them. A half-empty bottle of Magnus' whiskey stood next to the girls, as well as a giant heap of pancakes. Magnus had been advised to never let Isabelle into his kitchen. He raised both eyebrows in suspicion, looking at the food.
"I made breakfast", hummed Lydia, gently running a thumb over Isabelle's lips to remove some syrup. "We officially gave up on sleeping. You hungry too?"
"Well, perhaps a few pancakes", drawled Magnus and sat down.
"Mh... I smell pancakes...", moaned a zombie-version of Simon.
"You can't eat anyway, dude", countered Jace and shoved him.
"I heard voices in the hallway. Luke left?", asked Clary softly.
"Yes, a pack-situation. He repeated his stance on things once more and told me that we should continue arguing without him", sighed Magnus.
Lydia leaned up to very softly kiss Isabelle before she returned to making more pancakes now that the rest of the team was awake and here too. Magnus noted how Alec awkwardly lingered in the doorway while Jace eagerly went to sit next to Magnus and steal a kiss. It was comfortably lazy as everyone took their seats after setting the table and only when food was served did a certain kind of tension return to the room as everyone considered yesterday's conversations.
"How are we going to do this?", inquired Clary after a long moment. "The Mirror."
"We have to take a vote now. Make a decision", grunted Alec gruffly.
He looked absolutely miserable. Magnus turned to focus on his early breakfast instead. Alec had no right to make him feel guilty by looking like a miserable, abandoned puppy.
"All in favor of just throwing the thing into a lake and never speaking about it again?", asked Simon and raised his hand, sadly enough being the only one. "Come on, it would be an idea..."
Clary chuckled fondly and grabbed his hand beneath the table, squeezing gently. "All in favor of leaving it with Magnus until we have at the very least a solid lead on the other Mortal Instruments."
Magnus, Clary and Jace raised their hands. There was a certain stiffness to the room.
"All in favor of bringing the Mortal Mirror to the Institute to be transported to Idris", said Alec.
Alec, Isabelle and Lydia raised their hands. Together with Luke's vote, they took the win.
"It's settled then", declared Lydia, looking far more sober than ten minutes ago. "We'll get ready after breakfast and make our way to the Institute, secure the Mirror as best as we can."
"I'll come with you", agreed Isabelle. "I had plans for special training for Max, kicking him out of bed before dawn and making him go through hell in preparation for the first mission."
"Sadist", chuckled Lydia amused, one eyebrow raised.
"Wanna find out?", asked Isabelle with a razor-sharp grin.
"Ew", chorused both Jace and Alec at that. "Please don't."
"Me and Lydia take care of the mirror", suggested Alec after clearing his throat.
"I'm coming too. We need to find a lead on who the mole is. Who's in contact with Valentine", stated Clary seriously. "And... And we need to find Jonathan. Before he hurts someone else. Jace... will you... help me with that? Make it a... sibling-project?"
The way she looked at Jace clearly conveyed that she did feel guilty about the way she had spoken to him yesterday. Instead of agreeing right away, Jace turned large eyes on Magnus, searching the warlock's face carefully. It was a touching notion, prompting Magnus to gently run his fingers through soft, messy blonde hair before pulling him into a brief kiss.
"Go. I have... many things to contemplate", whispered Magnus, lips lingering for a moment.
"If you're sure", frowned Jace. "Call me if you need me, okay babe?"
"If you guys don't need me, I think I'll go and check on Maia? She send me a text that she could use a little backup with something", stated Simon, frowning. "It's probably related to why Luke left."
"Do that. It's the best use of your time right now", agreed Alec with a frown before looking into the round. "Then everyone knows what to do. Clean up after breakfast and we'll split up."
/break\
Isabelle felt oddly dazed. A bit like she was floating. It was just... things were going so well right now. They had the Mortal Mirror, Jace and Clary were going to work out a security system that would help them catch the mole, she was so proud of Max's progress in the training and the best yet – she had a girlfriend. That was what they had agreed upon this night. This wasn't casual, it wasn't just about sex or hooking up, Lydia wanted something serious – and so did Izzy. After all the years, she wanted something serious and true. She had yearned for that with Raphael, but Raphael was not the right one. Maybe Lydia was. Her heart fluttered as the two reached Isabelle's room.
"Well then, do I get a good night kiss?", asked Lydia playfully, fingers intertwined with Isabelle's.
Isabelle bit her lower lip to suppress the large smile on her lips before she got on her tip-toes and placed the most gentle, sweet kiss on Lydia's lips. She was happy. She could be happy with Lydia.
"I will see you later on?", asked Isabelle gently.
"Of course", confirmed Lydia as she reluctantly let go of Isabelle's hand.
All happiness crashed and burned as Isabelle opened the door to her room, first noticing the trail of blood on the floor and then noticing the unmoved form of her younger brother. "No! Max!"
She rushed over to him, gently cradling him close and checking for his pulse. She could hear Lydia gasp and call out for the medics before the blonde came to help her carry Max to the infirmary.
/break\
Alec, Clary and Jace had been about to split up so Clary and Jace could start coming up with a plan, Sebastian hovering above. Raj had found the blonde in Alec's office earlier, looking for Alec. Before Alec had a chance to ask the blonde what he even wanted, a clearly upset Lydia rushed toward them, looking uncharacteristically rattled. Alec frowned concerned at his friend.
"It's Max. Isabelle is with him at the infirmary. We found him, bleeding and unconscious in Isabelle's room", explained Lydia hastily."He was attacked. Inside the Institute."
Alec felt his heart stutter, hand instinctively finding Jace's to link their fingers.
/break\
Magnus was staring out the window, a thoughtful and far-off look on his face as he ran his fingers through Chairman Meow's fur. His thoughts were with all the highlights of his and Alec's relationship. The good as well as the bed. Every single lie and badly made decision. Every gentle smile and comforting touch. Every shared declaration of love. Every harsh word spoken in short temper and anger. Truly, theirs was a rollercoaster ride of a relationship.
His phone buzzed, distracting him. When he checked and saw Alec's name flare up, he glared.
He was sure he had made it rather clear that he needed some time to think things through. He declined the call and put the phone away, returning his focus to the cat on his lap.
"What do you think?", asked Magnus softly. "It would be too easy to forgive him. Forgive him with his soft, warm hazel-eyes. Take him back and embrace him, despite the lies."
Chairman meowed and Magnus chuckled. "You're right. It would be as easy to end things. Alexander would accept it. And maybe... it would be for the best. We are not... good for each other, even with the warmth and love, both of us made so many mistakes along the way. And the thing that truly stands in our way are our positions as leaders. That will always stand between us, as long as I am High Warlock and as long as he is head of the Institute."
Chairman made a nearly snorting sound as he pawed at Magnus' thigh. "That's a good point. The head of the Institute never seems to last long in New York. How many were that the past months alone? The Lightwoods, Lydia, Aldertree, the Inquisitor, Jace, Alec."
A small, sardonic smile laid on his lips as he shook his head. "Jace. Jace also stands between us, but not in the same way as our positions. If Alexander and I break up... where does it leave our little angel? It would break him. He loves us both, he would not chose a side. Or... would he? Chose his parabatai over me, after all...? There is no right decision here, is there?"
The cat shook his head and jumped off Magnus' lap just as Magnus' phone buzzed again. Magnus frowned displeased, ready to turn the damn thing off and throw it into a corner so Alexander would leave him to think this through in his own time. Only that the ID said Jace, not Alec.
"Sweetheart, what is it?", asked Magnus a bit on edge.
"I—I... It's Max. He was attacked by Jonathan. Inside the Institute. We... We don't know if he'll make it. Please. I need you, Magnus. We both do. Please", pleaded Jace, sounding stressed.
"I'll be there in a moment, my love", assured Magnus gently.
/break\
Knowing that it was Jonathan, the mole had been Jonathan all along, gave them a new angle to work with. And Clary, she needed something to take her mind off of this. She saw the Lightwoods huddled together outside the infirmary, Alec and Jace clinging onto each other, Isabelle leaning into a tight, comforting embrace from Lydia, Robert and Maryse civil as they sat next to each other, despite their own relationship outfall still clinging onto each other's hands for the sake of their youngest child. Magnus stepped out of a portal and joined them, drawing both parabatai close.
Just standing there awkwardly and trying to comfort her not-by-blood brother while her blood brother was in this Institute, had been ready and willing to kill a mere child. No. She couldn't do that. She needed to find Jonathan. She needed to end this, somehow.
/break\
Jace felt like a fool for leaving his post, for allowing Jonathan to sneak down and murder four more Shadowhunters, allowing him to steal the damn Mirror. Jace felt immensely proud of Clary for figuring out a way to find Jonathan, for defending the Mirror and bringing it back to them.
And now, as most of their team were regrouping in Alec's office, he felt immensely lost.
Even with Max still alive, Jonathan was on the run, Valentine still had two of the Mortal Instruments and Alec and Magnus hadn't spoken a word to each other all day long.
Simon had returned from helping Maia – apparently the New York pack now had one new member and Maia had assigned herself with the task of guiding him into this world. Simon stood with Clary, an arm around her waist as she clung onto the Mortal Mirror.
They stood in a triangle, Lydia and Isabelle in another corner and Jace with Magnus and Alec in the third. Jace between Magnus and Alec – and he briefly wondered if that was where he would be from now on. Trying to mend things between his boyfriends, trying to be bridge.
"H—He nearly killed Max. And I let him into the Institute", whispered Isabelle unfocused.
"No. Don't do that", chided Lydia, tightening her grip on her girlfriend and gently kissing Isabelle's forehead. "It was not your fault. We all let him too close, no one suspected anything."
"What do we do now? He nearly stole the mirror", asked Jace into the room, distracting.
"Give it Magnus for safekeeping", whispered Alec softly. "You were right from the beginning."
"No", disagreed Clary firmly, angry as she pulled out her stele. "No, no more risks. I will deactivate it, as the Soul Sword had been deactivated, just to be sure."
But as Clary drew the rune, the Mirror turned to ashes in her hand. It felt oddly like a good way of summing up this entire mess. Them, trying to protect something, to keep it safe – and it turning to ashes to slip through their fingers. Alec leaned heavily against Jace, the blonde gladly wrapping an arm around his parabatai and lover. Jace just wanted to return to the loft, curl together with Magnus and Alec and not leave the bed for the next five to ten years.
/break\
Clary's suspicion had come out of nowhere. Lake Lyn being the Mortal Mirror. It sounded ridiculous. But it also made more sense to Alec than the small little pocket mirror they had found. He had always expected something glorious, worthy of the title.
"How are you feeling, Max?", asked Alec softly as he sat down next to his brother.
"You caught him because of me, right?", asked Max with a small smile in return.
"Don't let that get to your head!", stated Maryse firmly, grasping Max's hand firmly.
"Yes, your behavior was reckless. More reckless than even Jace has ever been", agreed Robert.
Alec would have quirked a lip if the overall situation wasn't so serious. That their parents agreed on this showed just how much they had been worried about Max. All of them had.
"They're right, Max", whispered Alec when his brother looked at him for support. "You had your training, you were supposed to go on your first mission. You should know that going after Jonathan Morgenstern all on your own without anyone even knowing what you were doing was reckless, stupid and dangerous. It nearly got you killed. If you had taken backup with you, or at least informed one of us about what you were up to, then this whole mess could have been avoided. You would not be in the infirmary right now, we might have been able to capture Jonathan in time."
He heaved a sigh and leaned down to kiss Max's forehead. "I love you. Never do that again."
"I'm sorry", mumbled Max, clinging onto his older brother.
/break\
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for lying about the Soul Sword. I'm sorry for making the wrong decision, but... it was one wrong decision. Don't throw you and me and what we have away because of one mistake", pleaded Alec as he stood outside the infirmary, staring at Magnus. "You and I, we're good. The three of us are good. Please give me another chance, Magnus."
Magnus shifted, well aware of the blonde standing behind him, mismatched eyes burning into the back of his head. Part of Magnus wanted to end it, to cut their romantic relationship so they could be professional. Part of Magnus also knew he was far too gone on both of his Shadowhunters to let one go and break both their hearts. He took a shaky breath as he made a decision, stepped up to Alec and resting a firm hand in the archer's neck to pull him closer.
"I love you, Alexander", whispered Magnus. "I love you and I understand why you made the call you did. For your people. But... our professional relationship can never come in the way of our romantic relationship again. If you ever lie to me again, Alexander, then I do never want to see you again, outside of work. Have I made myself clear?"
"Yes", nodded Alec hastily, practically clinging onto Magnus. "Yes. I promise."
"He'll grovel", added Jace helpfully ad he walked over to them to kiss them on the cheeks. "Right, Alec? Totally groveling. Oh. We could do that thing you like so much, Mag."
"You could?", drawled Magnus intrigued, eyes flashing golden.
Jace smirked wickedly while Alec made a small sound of protest. "Well, I mean maybe we should discuss what we're going to do about the Mortal Mirror first?"
"We're not doing anything about it for now", offered Alec as Magnus opened a portal for them. "We'll keep its location a secret for now. Lay in waiting for the Morgensterns to make a move."
"And for now, we'll return home together", nodded Jace pleased, tugging on both their hands.
~*~ The End ~*~
Author's note: HOLY SHIT THAT EPISODE. *takes breath*
Okay. Lemme start... somewhere. Dunno where, need to sort my brain first.
BAT. I am so happy to finally meet him. I've been eager for Maia's werewolf bf for ages now. But now with this show's track-record I am afraid that Bat and Maia will start before Simon and Maia end properly and it'll be a fucking mess again. But daw, poor baby.
I'm kind of really salty about this episode stuffing ALL the good Malec moments into flashbacks while most Malec moments we did get this season were about miscommunication, or one of them being miserable, or both of them being miserable. Like. Why you rarely give us sweet Malec moments? You were all about Malec in season 1, so much so that partially it was easy to forget that it was not a rom-drama show but actually about something else aside from Malec. And this season... just... misery and pain.
MAX IS ALIVE. Holy shit. I am. I... fuck me, I was holding my breath for half the episode and chanting nonononono. But I had to include a serious chiding in this fic, because fuck was Max being an utter DUMBASS. For being so trained and well-raised and all, the decision to go after Jonathan all alone was sooo fucking idiotic. Also, I never thought I'd be happy to see Robert and Maryse but when Isabelle was getting up and ready to leave Sebastian with Max, I was thanking all the gods watching that their parents arrived.
I like that Clary like... did a clever thing today. She's been so ridiculously reckless and dumb this ENTIRE season so far. This was a nice change. But I think that "Oh yeah, Lake Lyn is the mirror!" was... going too far. For how incredibly slow they ALL were on the intake this season, that realization came way too fast and out of context, to be honest. I mean. Legit no one suspected Sebastian to be Jonathan. The ONLY guy who joined the Institute when things got messy. The ONLY person to get extra up and cozy to our main characters. The ONLY guy who pushed himself into every bigger Mortal Instruments related mission. But nooo one suspected that Sebastian might be Jonathan? Really? But figuring out that hey if this mirror turns to ash, then the lake must be the mirror. If she had suspected that maybe the mirror might be hidden IN the lake, that would have been a logic-jump I would have bought. But this was... too much too sudden, especially with the characters' track-record of missing the obvious.
And if Magnus actually joins the Seelie Queen, I will throw something out the window. Maybe Magnus.
Last note for now - I am so in love with Lyzzy. They are just so... good and pure and wonderful. I totally fell in love with that ship at this point. There will definitely be more Lyzzy in my fics from now on. Just so much yes.