In Case You Decide To Care
Prologue

AN: I know I haven't finished Coffee Date yet. Sorry, this is new! Hope you like it just as much, maybe even more. I love you all, remember that!

DON'T OWN THEM. At all. ... Not even a little bit.

(AlecPOV)

Well. That's just great. So, I walk in the door, straight into Maryse, right, and she tells me that apparently we have an aunt that we've never met, who's just died, and left us a huge house in- wait for it, Australia. That's right, bloody Australia. Half-way across the world! What was there to do down there, anyway? Spend all day drinking cheap beer, swatting flies and chasing crocodiles?

Of course when she told me, I offered my condolences to her deceased sister-in law twice removed, or whatever she had been, but she waved that off. She was more focused on being excited. Unfortunately, I hadn't actually believed she would want to move, so I had laughed and asked how much she thought it would sell for. College fees perhaps? There were four of us kids, of course.

No. I was, sadly, mistaken. She hit me (playfully) on the arm and told me to not be silly. I was blank. The order was confusing, how was I being silly? We had no use for a house in Australia! She then left, telling me over her shoulder that she was going to 'sort some things out at the realtor's', and I was immediately assaulted by Isabelle, my dear sister. She was scowling and muttering under her breath about the cost of extra luggage for her- I must have misheard, but- twelve suitcases.

But then I stopped myself short, as it hit me. Suitcases? No. No, no, no. No way was I moving. Not country, not state, not street, not even bedroom for god's sake. I had my whole life in front of me! I was in my last year of secondary school, had actual friends after years of solitude, was one of the best in my class and had a whole assortment of amazing opportunities here for my future career, in New York. There was absolutely no chance in hell that I, Alexander Lightwood, was moving.

Ever.

"Isabelle, hurry yourself up!" Maryse screamed as she loaded her youngest son's bag into the AirMOVER van that was parked in their (as Alec liked to call it,) ex-driveway. A few stray comics slipped out of his overflowing bag, and spilled onto the road. The boy paled and ran to scoop them up, before a car should come and sweep them up.

This was all very unamusing to Alec. His family was a vision of insanity. Max was kneeling in the gutter attempting to gather his magazines into his small arms, and his glasses were slipping down his little nose. His adoptive brother Jace was leaning against the van, grinning and boasting to nobody in particular that his looks would fit in well with the 'Aussie Image', what with his blonde surfer locks and tanned skin. Isabelle, who was nowhere to be seen, was presumably trying to figure out how to lug her next suitcase down the staircase, while not breaking any nails. Alec himself was sitting down. In the grass. By himself. He was refusing to help with anything that might separate himself from his real home sooner. He was also, incidentally, moping.

Maryse was doing mostly all of the work, as usual. She was actually nearly done. And Robert, well, Robert was asleep. In the van.

So, you see, the whole family was in shambles.

"ALEXANDER! Get the cat." He sighed, and stood up, brushing the damp grass from his jeans. He took one withered look at the 'SOLD' sticker flashing its way across their (old) house's advertisement sign, and trudged forlornly into the familiar brownstone.

After several minutes of calling and searching, Alec finally found the blue-grey monster hiding in an empty box in the spare guest-room.

"C'mon, Church. I want to leave just as much as you do, but if you want to be fed, you're going to have to come along. I heard they have lots of pretty cats in Australia. What with the barns and shit." If anything, the old cat looked more reluctant than before. But, on the mention of food, he obliged. Alec gingerly lifted him into the carrier, and brought him back outside.

He then helped Izzy pack the rest of her bags into the van, and once everyone was seated inside, he went and stood outside the house for the last time. His friends had already bid him farewell- and good luck, at school the previous day, along with his teachers. Many would call Alec a teacher's pet, but really he was just polite and respectful. As he stared miserably at his beloved home, he whispered his goodbye and thanks for its ability to hold his many memories, tears, smiles and complications. Alec told his house that no other would ever compare, and that it would always be his true home, in his heart. With that he pulled out a biro, scribbled his name and birthday into the wood under the stairs leading up to the front door, and climbed into the van without a second glance.

The van was spacious, he had to admit, and warm. At least he would be comfortable for the hour-long trip to the airport.
"Jace, get your god-damned feet off of me," Izzy's hand making sharp contact with the blonde's leg seemed to make a vibrating sound throughout the whole car. There was a moment's silence, then hell broke loose.
"I'm not touching you, idiot!"- Another smack, followed by "OW, what the shit was that for?"

Alec sighed. Or not.