Mission: The Parent Trap

Prologue

A/N: I know I shouldn't start a new fanfiction when I have a lot of incomplete works, but I've been working on this one for so long and I really wanted to post it. So...hope everyone enjoys it.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Mortal Instruments.

Seventeen months has passed since Alec gave birth to the twins, and things had been tense in the Lightwood-Bane household for the last few weeks. Magnus knew that Alec was stressed out, with the babies, and his Masters degree. He helped out as much as he could with the twins and household chores, but sometimes, he still had to walk on eggshells around Alec. His husband was young, heck, both of them were young—still in their early twenties—with Alec two years younger than him. He was Alec's first, official relationship and some might say they tied the knot too quickly.

Times like this made him think that they were right. Alec was still new at this, still so insecure and unsure in their relationship, even though they had been married for almost two years now. It didn't help when he had to work together with Camille Belacourt, and Alec had to find out from the French model that the two of them was in a long-term relationship when they were in form school, or high school to the Americans. Alec had snapped more often then, always suspicious and jealous.

And by the time the collaboration with Camille was over a few weeks later, his family was in shambles. Alec had moved out of their home, temporarily stayed at his cousin's, Gabriel Lightwood, place and took one of the babies with him.

Alec said nothing when his adopted brother, Jace, came to pick him up at the JFK Airport, and Jace didn't ask him why he decided to return to New York from London without telling anyone, and less one baby and a husband. It started raining heavily as Jace drove them home to Idris, Connecticut, and Alec thought that it was apt, considering his situation. Other than the baby's light snores, the car ride was silent. But that was okay, because Alec knew that when they arrive to their family home, everyone will start bombarding him with questions he didn't even want to think about.

By the time they reached Idris, Alec was surprised when Jace headed to his apartment in town instead of the Lightwood's suburban home. He found out that Jace hadn't told anyone about his return, and said that he probably wouldn't want to face anyone else right now. Which was why Jace took them to his apartment instead. Grateful, he softly thanked his brother.

Surprisingly, it took four days before anyone realized he was back in Idris. It wouldn't be that long if their sister, Isabelle was there too, but she was out on a job in Prague. She was furious for the first few minutes about the situation, before just feeling sad. Never pity though, because she knew he hated that. Fortunately, their parents didn't ask any questions either, or they probably wanted to wait until a more appropriate time to ask.

After moving back into the Lightwood's home, and hours after the baby fell asleep, Alec—although he would deny it later—and Isabelle were cuddling in the lounge, watching some late night TV show while drinking hot chocolate, Isabelle's guilty pleasure. They sat together for hours, shoulder-to-shoulder as his sister comforted him by just being there and not asking more questions than he was willing to answer, and giving him her silent support.

Magnus was very drunk by the time Clary sent him home. Catarina and Tessa had come to visit him, and he had left his daughter at home with two of his long-time best friends. He wanted to get a drink or two—or more—alone, and had ignored the text messages and phone calls from them and Ragnor, and Will and Jem for the whole night. It was a coincidence that Clary found him, and the redhead, who he treated like a younger sister, just couldn't leave him alone in that state. She sat with him, drank with him, and listened to him as he talked and cried his heart out.

After months, he had finally heard from Alec, and not in a good way. His husband has sent him divorce papers, with all the terms and other legal shit. With those papers, it finally dawned on him that everything was so final now. It finally dawned on him that he would no longer be married to this sweet, and beautiful man with the most beautiful eyes. It finally dawned on him that he would never see his other daughter again. It finally dawned on him that every time he looked at the daughter in his custody, there would be an ache in his heart knowing he wouldn't see the other one grow.

The next morning, Catarina, who stayed over, found him in the twins' room. Only Cecily's now, he thought. He had a hangover, which was the norm for him after drinking the way he did the night before, but he really wanted to see his daughter. He wanted to make sure that Cecily was indeed still there, that his last connection to all he loved hadn't been taken away from him too. By the time Catarina found him, he was crying his heart out next to Cecily's crib, the baby happily babbling away not knowing that she would never know her dad and sister.

Alec has started avoiding everyone again, and was becoming a recluse. It had been a week since Magnus sent back the divorce papers to him, and he felt the last bit of his heart that hadn't break shattered into pieces. His parents, who were supposed to be in D.C. for a charity gala, reluctantly left. Isabelle and Jace stayed over during that time, not wanting to leave him alone in a big house without anyone there with him. Normally, he would feel affronted about it, but right now, he couldn't bring himself to care.

He was nursing Maxine when a stray thought came to him. He would never nurse Cecily like this ever again. He felt the familiar lump in his throat. He looked down, and saw that Maxine was finally asleep, and she didn't try to resist when he unlatched her from him. Carefully, he lay her down in her crib before returning to his room.

As soon as he was in bed, a sob caught in his throat, escaping in a strangled cry. Then, the tears came, and before long, he was bawling. He vaguely realized Isabelle slipping into the room and joined him on the bed, pulling him into a hug and giving him a shoulder to cry on. He must have fallen asleep, hours later, after exhausting himself emotionally and mentally, but when he woke up, there was food and water for him on his nightstand, and a note telling not to worry about Maxine, that they had things under control. He gripped the note, thankful for his siblings' presence. He didn't know what to do, how he was going to raise Maxine alone, but he was glad that his family was there to help when he needed it.

tbc

A/N: So, tell me what you think about it. :)