Painted, a mortal instruments fanfic

Chapter One

Blink of an Eye

Manchester, London

1992

~ Valentine~

Dark clouds rapidly filled the sky as small drops of rain hit the ground. Strong winds carried whispers of a coming storm. A lone house sat with it's windows lit in a warm glow. The fireplace inside crackled loudly and cast an eerie orange light upon the room. The living room was filled with scattered toys that were all over the hardwood floor. On the far wall, pictures cluttered up the entire space, highlighting on all the greatest moment in their lives.

"Val, come here quick!" A panicked shout came from one of the bedrooms.

A slight worry set in at the bottom of Valentine's stomach as his feet carried him up the stairs and to the bedroom. It was a mess. The once dainty room was filled with smashed furniture and wood chips from the shattered remains of Jonathan's crib. Jocelyn sat in a crumpled heap on the floor sobbing, her thin fingers holding onto the small toddler as if her life depended on it.

"Jocelyn, what happened?" His arms wrapped around her securely, trying to provide some comfort. She slowly turned to face him, her hands violently shaking with fear as she watched his face.

"I was in our bedroom when I heard some noise come from his room." Jocelyn stopped, waiting for her voice to stop shaking, catching her breath and occasionally looking down at the now completely calm toddler. "I came in to the room and this is what I saw."

"I'm sure there's an explanation, maybe a warlock is trying to toy with us." His reassuring voice tried to reason with her, not ready to tell her the truth about what she had seen. Jocelyn shook her head violently.

"No, Valentine, his eyes were black! Completely black, something is very wrong with him." He stood up slowly looking around the room fascinated by the damage. "Something is wrong with my son and I don't know what's happening."

"Look, sweetheart, look at me. I'm sure we can figure this out together. I think you're overreacting. We are shadowhunters after all, you never know what could be causing this." Jocelyn abruptly lifted herself off the flood, taking Jonathan with her. He cuddled his head into the nook of her neck and began dosing of. Completely content in his mother's arms.

"This is not me overreacting! I am concerned for our child and I don't know why you're trying to blow this off like it means nothing. I'm taking him to the Institute right now." Valentines hands jerked towards her before he could stop himself, panic beginning to rise and build uncomfortably in his chest. Grabbing her before she could walk out the door he turned her slowly to face him.

"We are not going anywhere, now let's go to the kitchen and talk this out over some coffee before we make any irrational decisions that affect our children." Her eyes filled with rage. She tried to shake his hand away from her arm and headed for the door.

"We don't have to go anywhere but I am going to the institute to see what's going on with our child." She quickly ran down the stairs holding Jonathan tightly to her.

His footsteps followed close behind until he could slip away as his wife gathered her coat and umbrella. He walked stiffly to the kitchen, where he had hid a potion a warlock made for him just in case something like this would happen. Quickly he Injected the right amount into a syringe and placed it into his side pocket carefully. It had all seemed like it was going well, according to plan in fact, but Jocelyn had to ruin it all. He hasn't expected things to start showing up in Jonathan this early, he thought he had more time. Suddenly there was a nagging in his head. His wife's voice telling him that something is wrong with their child. She couldn't understand. Nothing was wrong with Jonathan. Not anymore.

"Jocelyn, wait please." Slowly he made his way over to her, hugging her close and bringing her closer to him. His rough fingers moved the thick strands of auburn hair away from her face as he leaned down to kiss her. Their lips met and for a moment everything melted away. Valentine slowly pulled away staying close to her, whispering over her lips. "We can work through this, we don't need the doctors and the institute. All they do is a blast job half the time anyway." His hands slid down holding her face in his hand as she took a deep breath.

"Okay, you're right, I'm just scared you know? I don't want anything to happen to him or to Adele." Her eyes filled with tears as she put a now fully awake Jonathan down on the floor of the living room to play.

"There's something I have to tell you, but it won't be easy to hear. I need you to understand that I love you, I love Jonathan and I love Adele. I just want you all to be safe." Fear sparked in the air between them, crackling like a live wire.

"What are you talking about? Do you know something I don't? Valentine what the hell is going on here?" His eyes followed her as she paced back and forth looking to Jonathan then to him, her eyes pleading. Valentine tried to find the right words but his mind struggled. How could he make her understand that he made him better, that he never intended to hurt him?

"Do you remember when Jonathan was born he was very sick?" Jocelyn shook her head intently staring at him as he twitched uncomfortably not completely wanting to continue. "I had heard from some warlocks that demon blood could bring strength and healing." He glanced down, watching his feet, his eyes couldn't bare to look into Jocelyn's. He already knew what he would find in them. The anger, disappointment, disgust to what he had done to keep their son alive.

"I really hope you're not about to say what I think you're going to say because if you even allowed a drop of demon blood into our sons body then so help me Valentine!" Jocelyn's entire body shook with rage, her jaw clenched tightly and tears cascaded down her face. His legs couldn't hold out any longer, he fell onto the floor on his knees, his eyes begging her to understand.

"I am so sorry my love, I promise you I never meant any harm. He's my son, my first child, I was afraid we would lose him. We can cover this up, we can find a way around this, we can work through-"

Before he could finish he felt the sharp sting of her hand flying across his face. Tears stung at the corner of his eyes. All his worst nightmares were unfolding before him. She couldn't understand.

"Get out." Her words were flat and deathly quiet, a shiver ran through my body.

"No, I am not leaving. I love you, Jocelyn! Please don't do this to our family!" Valentine's voice shook with emotion. He didn't want this to be the way things between us ended.

"You think I wasn't afraid to? You think I wasn't afraid? Of course I was. I was absolutely terrified Valentine. But that doesn't mean I would make our son into a monster. The very monster we made it our mission to destroy! I hate you. I hate what you did to Jonathan." Valentine pulled himself up slowly from the ground, trying to meet her gaze but her mind was set.

"Don't say that, don't end things like this, you know me! You know me. I would never hurt our child." A loud crash of lightning broke through the silence followed by rumbling thunder.

"I never knew you, not really. The Valentine Morgenstern I knew would never do that to our child. Who ever is standing in front of me right now is not the husband and father I've loved." Her voice was cold and unwavering. As if she were a ghost of a person.

The tears began running down his face, he knew there would be a time that he would have to take action but this wasn't the way he envisioned it. He slowly came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist placing his chin on her shoulder. She was still now and that he could work with, her body was completely rigid and her breaths were ragged.

"I promise you, I will never let anything bad happen to them, but for me to do that I'll have to do this." Before Jocelyn could turn around he injected the serum into the crook of her neck and felt as she went limp in his arms.

He laid her slowly on the couch then kissed her forehead. The moment she wakes up she won't remember any of the events that transpired tonight. His heart ached thinking about having to go on everyday without her by his side. Knowing it was for the greater good brought him some peace but it still hurt to think about losing her. It wouldn't be long till she would come to so Valentine had to move quickly. He grabbed Jonathan off the floor and walked out into the garage, placing him in his carseat. Soon he followed with a sleeping Adele. He started the car as he pulled out his phone.

"Magnus, I need you to conjure me up a portal." His voice sounded rough to his own ears. Like it hadn't been used in months.

"Where to?"

"Anywhere. I don't care. Just get me and the kids the hell away from England." He snapped, waiting for the feeling of being pulled into a portal to overwhelm his senses.

But it didn't come. The deserted street he drove on continued to be silent and mundane. No blinding light or feeling of being submerged. Just the boring street signs and dark houses.

"What happened?" The usual snark was gone from Magnus's voice, it was now replaced with a growing unease and tangible worry.

"Jocelyn found out." He answer, hoping it would be enough but knowing better than to expect him to let it go. "I had to get out of there, I don't trust her."

"She's your wife." The warlock replied humorlessly.

"My wife or not, Adele and Jonathan come first and I don't trust her with them." He heard the deafening click on the other end of the line and for a moment he worried that Magnus had hung up on him. Before he could close react a purple light enveloped him. The car was swallowed by the shimmering puddle and Valentine slammed on the brakes as they came out on the other end of the portal.

Jonathan's scream woke up the baby and she peered up at me from the backseat, wide emerald green eyes trying to decide if it was safe. Apparently having made the decision, he watched as his daughter snuggled back against the stuffed animal on her lap and drifted back to sleep. Jonathan pulling on her hand to make sure she was okay from the harsh stop.

The tall figure of Magnus Bane stood in the middle of the abandoned street, black hair spiked up and away from his face. A sequin blazer reflecting the glitter in his hair, catlike eyes watching him in the driver's seat. He groaned as he realized the warlock wouldn't move out of the way. Stepping out of the car, he ran a nervous hand through my hair.

"What happened?" He repeated, eyes watching me with suspicion.

"I told you, Jocelyn found out."

"And?" Magnus prompted.

"And I drugged her, took my kids and got the hell out of dodge," He said in a rush, hoping he didn't hear him, but of course he did. Because when have he ever have the good fortune to avoid awkward situations like this.

Magnus glanced behind the shadowhunter at the sleeping children in the car, his eyes studying their peaceful faces before he turned back towards him. "I'm not helping you because I approve of your little experiments, but I'm helping because I can understand why you did it. I guess that makes us Downworlders better company than your Shadowhunter pals."

"Don't push your luck," He points towards his eyes. "Those make you different to them and that won't change for a long time."

Magnus smirked and rolled his yellow eyes. "You said 'them'. What? You don't consider yourself a big bad demon hunter anymore?"

"Not when those big bad demon hunters could decide to go after my children I don't." Valentine sneered at the thought of anyone trying to hurt the most important things in his life. A flash of Adele's fiery red hair and Jonathan's white blonde hair made him cringe. "Can you change their coloring? I don't want them to be recognizable."

Magnus nodded almost mutely, something that was odd to see in the normally talkative warlock. He walked over the the car opening the door to work his magic on the sleeping children.

"So what are we wanting today some blonde? Brown? I could do green but I don't know if Adele would ever forgive you for that." A smirk sat on his face as he raised an eyebrow in his direction.

"How about black, that's always a safe choice right?" He crossed my arms uncomfortably feeling slightly intimidated by the fashion forward warlock. "And blue eyes, they can't ever overstep the emerald, but it would be better than something dull." Magnus rolled his eyes then began whispering under his breath. Adele didn't have much hair on her head so the difference was very subtle but Jonathans thick mop of white hair was now a dark black. Valentine noticed the locks in front of my eyes had also darkened.

"You still have to look like their father you know." Magnus stept slowly away approaching him again. "You'll have to change their names too, just in case they ever come in contact with someone from the shadowhunter world." He nodded his head agreeing with him, already knowing the names he would choose.

"Thank you, I don't know what I would've done without your help." Valentine's eyes met his, speaking a deeper thanks through the few moments of silence than his words could ever say.

"Hm. Yet you thought it was a good idea to kill all of us about a year ago." The warlock sent a smirk in his direction then placed an arm on his shoulder. "My services always come at a cost don't think your off the hook" with a flick of his wrist Magnus brought up a portal.

"Magnus! Wait!" His voice shouted out to him before he could leave. "Where are we." Valentine watched as his cat eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Bulgaria." The warlocks feet stepped through the portal and there they were. All alone. Three travelers with nowhere to go but forward.

3 days later

~Jocelyn~

The Institution was chaos. Everyone was talking and it seemed, to Jocelyn at least, like they were all talking at once. Maybe it was because of the fact she hasn't slept for 3 days, or maybe it's from the gallons of caffeine her body was running on. Either way she decided she wouldn't focus on it. Jocelyn squeezed herself through the crowds to find Hodge standing over the entire scene simply watching. Never speaking out unless directly addressed. She studied him for a moment. It was odd to her that he seemed to be at complete ease while everyone around him was on the edge of insanity.

"Hodge, I need to speak with you immediately." His eyes slowly traveled down to meet mine. After acknowledging that he had seen and heard her his eyes traveled back up to watch the scene in front of him.

"Doesn't everyone." She watched as his stiff form came down the stairs to stand next to her. Without saying a word she followed as he traveled toward his office. Normally his behaviour and the blinding panic that everyone on the premises emitted would have raised questions but the only thing on her mind was her family. Or more accurately, her lack of one.

"What solution have you come up with, it better be something good." He raised his eyebrows waiting for her reply. The worried mothers hands shook as she brought myself closer to the mahogany desk that was overflowing with books and papers. She couldn't figure out why he would want her to have a solution. If she had thought of one she wouldn't have been in his office in the first place.

"Valentine is gone and so are the children, I don't know what happened. I woke up and they weren't home, at first I just assumed Val had taken them somewhere but it's been three days and he hasn't returned any of my calls." Hodge suddenly stood up, walking around the desk to face her.

"Jocelyn! You actually brought me a solution." He beamed at her as she cluelessly stared up at him.

"Did you hear me right? My husband and my kids are missing and you're congratulating me for bringing a solution?" She couldn't believe the way he was acting.

"Have you not heard?" Suddenly his face morphed into one of surprise as she helplessly lowered herself into a chair.

"No, Hodge, please do tell what could be worse or more important to me than my entire family missing." She watched as his feet paced back and forth. She stare up at him blankly, silently praying for the willpower to not reach up and strangle him for his insensitivity.

"The Mortal Cup went missing exactly three days ago." Her head sprang up. She didn't need him to tell her anything else, she knew exactly what he was accusing Valentine of doing.

"My husband has done nothing but be a loyal shadowhunter and an amazing father to his children yet here you are accusing him of stealing a Mortal Instrument. How could you?" Rage filled her as she stormed out of the office. She didn't dare to look back out of fear, not of Hodge, but of what she might do to him if he continued to speak ill of her family.

"Jocelyn, please, it's protocol. You can't take these things to heart." She could hear his footsteps following her out of the Institute.

"I have nothing to say to you Hodge Starkweather and you had better hope it stays that way, this isn't the way you treat a family member." Her hands fumbled with the keys to her car.

"I am very sorry for the way this played out but unfortunately we can't allow you to leave. You must stay at the Institute till we find Valentine." Hodge placed his hand on her shoulder leading her away from the car and toward the building. Pocketing her car keys in the process.

"This isn't fair, he didn't do it. I know he didn't. And while you're sitting there accusing him- my children are missing and so is he. Since when do we prosecute someone without evidence or his presence?" She couldn't hold back the tears as they ran down her flushed cheeks, not only did she lose her whole family but now Valentine is being accused of a horrible crime he could be killed for.

"If you know he didn't do it why are you so worked up? Worst case scenario, we find him and he turns out to be innocent then you get your husband back." Her head shook up and down agreeing with him but inside she knew the reason she was suddenly so worried. It wasn't because her family was missing. Not that she wasn't, of course Jocelyn was being tortured by the unknown whereabouts of her family. But mostly the sickening feeling in her stomach was because she knew exactly who would steal the Mortal Cup. And that person was the very one she was defending.