The kids had just finished their breakfast at their favorite diner and were on their way back to the Institute. Clary held on to Simon's arm as they walked down the street. After the way Clary reacted when she thought Simon would burst into flames and be gone forever, she knew she truly did feel more than a brotherly sisterly connection with him. All she ever wanted to do was make sure no harm came his way, which was silly being that Simon was a vampire and could probably defend himself better than little ol'Clary. Still, it's the thought that counts. And even though she acknowledged her feelings towards Simon, she still felt something she could not explain for her brother, Jace. So to keep things simple Clary decided to just be friends with Simon, the way it was before. Isabelle and Alec walked along side each other straight ahead of Clary and Simon. They were bickering about whose turn it was to tutor Max, their younger brother, in the arts of Shadowhunting. Both were very good in fights but used different weapons to get the job done. Poor Max was always left out of the loop since he was so young; so every time tutor day came along he was more than excited to be able to hang out with the "older kids". At the very front of the group was Jace. Jace had such a light step he almost looked as if he was gliding across the floor. He walked with his hands in his pockets, head held high, with his chest pumped out. Kind of… arrogant like. And he was. He was too proud and thought too much of himself and not others. But he had some reason to. He was an amazing Shadowhunter, he was agile, very knowledgeable, and to top it off he was extremely handsome. It was no wonder Clary was so intrigued.

As all except Simon stepped foot into the Institute, Hodge ran up to them trying to catch his breath as he leaned against the wall. "Children, you must hurry…. It's Max…. Max went looking for you…. He's been attacked" said a hyperventilating Hodge. Isabelle turned red and teary eyed at the thought of her little brother being attacked, but hesitated no longer than a few seconds before she yanked open the front door of the Institute and ran out to the sidewalk. "Isabelle!" As she whipped around to see who was calling her name she saw her two brothers Alec and Jace trotting after her. It was Alec who spoke first, "Isabelle, we cannot just go running around looking for Max without knowing what we're up against." Isabelle couldn't believe her ears. How could he say such a thing? Max is our brother. "Well what do you suggest we do then hm? Just wait and see if he shows up on his own? Or maybe we should wait until someone finds and brings us his dead body" she said with enough venom in her voice to wipe out a whole nation. Isabelle turned back around to continue walking when suddenly she felt a yank at her wrist. It was Jace. "Alec is right; we cannot just walk around the city in hopes of finding Max when we have not the first idea as to where he can be found. Plus, if Hodge has been notified that Max was attacked then someone must have found him." Isabelle calmed down enough to notice Clary and Simon, who had been getting more information about Max's whereabouts from Hodge, jogging down the path leading up to the sidewalk. "He's been taken to Luke's." she said trying hard not to sound worried for Isabelle's sake. "Right, then let's get moving" said Alec as he grabbed his sister's hand pulling her in the direction of Luke's house while dialing the number for a taxi.

Before the taxi fully reached a stop, Isabelle was jumping out the back seat and sprinting to Luke's front door. Jace paid the driver and ran out with the others, sprinting full force after Isabelle. "Luke!... LUKE!" she screamed as she banged on the front door. Clary pushed through the boys to get to Isabelle and grabbed her hands right before she whipped out her key. She had been staying with Luke to get away from seeing Jace all day and every day. Clary opened the door to the house and tripped over Isabelle who was pushing her way through before the knob was even turned. "Shh." Following the sound of the hushing, they found Luke standing at the door of his room. The door was slightly cracked open and all you could see was a blue shimmer in the air. Magnus. As if he had heard the millions of questions swarming Isabelle's mind, Luke answered "He was walking through the alley by the Hunter's Moon and was attacked by a demon. I heard him scream and ran outside to find him lying on the ground…." He stopped before he gave the gruesome details of what he saw. Instead, he decided not to say anything out loud and pulled Alec and Jace aside and away from Isabelle, hoping she wouldn't hear what he was about to say. They went into the living room down the hall from Luke's bedroom and he sat down on the foot rest placed in front of an old, tattered armchair. Luke took a deep breath and started to talk, "He had four slashes going from his right shoulder down to the left side of his stomach. His blood…. His blood was all over the place…" Luke looked as if he was going to pass out from the thought if what he saw. "He's just a child… who would do such a thing to a small child…" Luke choked back a cry, but couldn't hold back a couple tears that managed to escape his tightly shut eyes. Luke had known the Lightwoods a very long time, and the thought of something like that happening to someone as young as Max really struck a nerve. Alec looked as if someone had just punched him several times in the stomach while Jace had an intensified look of anger mixed with pain chiseled into his face. Alec slightly bent over with a hand on his knee, wiped sweat off his forehead and dried a few stray tears he let fall himself before heading back to Isabelle, Clary, and Simon. Isabelle was staring into the room sniffling as she watched the high warlock of Brooklyn work on the small mutilated body. "Come", Alec said as he wrapped his arms around his sister has she fell to pieces. No one ever saw her cry, because she never did. Neither of them ever cried. All three were tough as nails and were always taught not to let their emotions get the best of them. Especially Jace.

A few hours had gone by and everyone was waiting in the living room including Max's parents, Maryse and Robert, who had arrived shortly after the others did. "I leave you two in charge of one thing, which is to take care of Max while we're gone and THIS happens" said an angry and worried Maryse. "Now dear, this could've happened to Max even under OUR supervision. You know how adventurous that boy is" stated Robert as he chuckled and stared down at his shoes while the memories of his youngest son always wanting to go along on their trips ran though his head like an old film strip. Maryse quickly stood up startling everyone in the room and briskly walked over to the hallway. As they all leaned in the direction most suited for them to see what was happening, they noticed Magnus walking towards Maryse. A small smirk appeared on the warlocks face. Maryse squealed and crushed Magnus in a strong embrace. Surprised at the actions taking place, everyone else including Magnus just stared at each other waiting for Maryse to let go. "Thank you so much , you saved my boy and I will never be able to repay you" said Maryse, tears and all. Normally the Lightwoods would want nothing to do with a Downworlder, but this particular Downworlder saved their son's life. The others except for Robert chuckled at the new name she'd given Magnus…. . "Please, call me Magnus. And it was my pleasure. After all, he is family…" he said looking at Alec with a mischievous look on his face. Jace looked confused. Clary, Simon, and Isabelle all looked at Alec in horror while Alec looked back at him absolutely shocked. Just as confused as Jace, both Robert and Maryse in unison said "Family?" Silence. Awkward silence. Then a sweet child's voice shattered the silence making everyone freeze and stare down the hallway. "Mother?"