Thank you so much for the Reviews last chapter and as promised here is the next one. This scene takes place after Asmodeus sends everyone back to their natural realm in Idris… That is, except for Alec and Magnus. [My stories are all in chronological order according to the book, all I'm really doing is just adjusting the scenes a little bit]

The choice

Alec saw the despair and broken look on Isabelle's face as Asmodeus took away Simon's memories. During the times that Simon spent with them, he knew he and Isabelle had begun to develop a special relationship. One more so intimate than Clary. He didn't dare look at Clary knowing she would be worse. She knew him the longest and she was the closest to him. They were childhood friends and Asmodeus was taking it all away. Alec didn't know what that, for someone close to be alive but have no recollection of their friendship but he knew she must be hurting. And then, in a blink of an eye, Simon was gone. Then so was Clary and Jace and suddenly, his hand became empty as Isabelle too vanished bedside him. He expected to follow after them but he and Magnus remained in the Realm. Panic settled in the pit of his stomach but it was Magnus who spoke, and rather savagely at that.

"What is this? Send us back, you gave us your word." Magnus demanded, his eyes burning with rage and distrust. "You got Simon's immortality and his memories! What more do you want?" Asmodeus grinned, showing sharp white teeth.

"I want to know why this Nephilim loves you so much." Again, a look of surprise crossed Magnus's face. "As your father, it's only natural that I would want to know who's dating you." Asmodeus mocked. Magnus moved to stand in front of Alec.

"You will not touch him." Magnus warned in a deep voice. "Not without going through me." Asmodeus locked gaze with his son and he narrowed his eyes, and suddenly, Magnus fell on all fours coughing up blood. He was chocking and gagging, as if he couldn't breathe. Alec dropped beside him and placed a hand on his back.

"Magnus! What's wrong?" But the warlock shook his head and placed a hand over his stomach and moaned, as if he were in pain. A lot of pain. Alec glared at Asmodeus "Stop! Stop this!" Alec begged.

"Come over here then." Alec froze.

"What?"

"N-no Alec, don't." Magnus wheezed out and then he went into a fit of coughs. It was hardly a choice.

"I'm sorry Magnus," Alec whispered, and rose to his feet. "I'll go, just stop hurting him." He demanded. Asmodeus broke eye contact and Alec glanced down at Magnus and saw that he'd stopped coughing at least but he was taking in heavy gulps of breath. Slowly, the Shadowhunter made his way towards Asmodeus, his heart beginning to beat rapidly. He stopped just a few feet away from him, his hands clenched tightly into a fist at his side as he tried not to show any fear.

"Okay, what do you want?" He demanded trying to sound fierce but his voice shook. Asmodeus began to circle the boy slowly, as if he were studying him and reading him from the inside out. Alec felt vulnerable and exposed.

"Alec, Alexander Gideon Lightwood. How appropriate that you carry your ancestor's name. " He spoke, as if Alec was a prey that was about to be eaten. A shiver went down his spine. "It seems the generation of the Lightwoods hasn't been very auspicious." Just then, the Demon's cold hand gripped Alec's right shoulder and Asmodeus dug his long sharp nails through the fabric that Magnus had tied around Alec's shoulder and into the wound where dagger had sank. Alec bit his lip from crying out but the pain was so agonizing, his vision began to blur and his knees buckled. The only thing keeping him up was Asmodeus. "Your father did this to you." He surmised. "Yes, he became Endarkened and you killed him." Alec had this sudden urge to defend himself; that his father was going to kill Isabelle and Magnus and he had to protect them.

"I-It's not like that!" Alec said through gritted teeth. "If you're reading into my mind, then you know he was going to kill Magnus." He continued.

"True, but did you really have to take the kill shot. You could have aimed for his leg, or his arm but you chose to shoot straight for the heart without any hesitation. Why is that?" Asmodeus dug his fingers in deeper and Alec clenched his jaw and held his breath, not dare giving into Asmodeus.

"I had to!" Alec cried out both from the pain to persuade himself that he made the right choice. "I had to… He was going to…" Then Alec realized he had nothing to defend himself and that frightened him. Asmodeus was right, he'd killed his father without even a second of hesitation. Maybe, if he hadn't killed Robert, there would have been a chance to save him, find a cure to reverse the spell. Alec began to tremble as the possibilities of saving his father became nothing but an impossible 'what if'.

"Did you know one of your ancestors also killed his own father?" Alec had heard something of it, but he never really asked his past.

"Father stop!" Magnus warned jumping to his feet when suddenly, something rippled around Magnus and he appeared disoriented, as if he were looking at an image through water. The warlock stretched his hand out and his fingers splayed against an invisible barer.

"Magnus!" Alec struggled in Asmodeus' grip but he was in too much pain to fight him off. "What did you do?" But Magnus's father merely waved him off.

"He ought to know his fate my son." Asmodeus said, eyes glimmering with excitement as he began to make circular motions in the wound and this time, Alec couldn't hold back and screamed. "Yes, just like you Gideon Lightwood shot his father with an arrow and killed him."

"How do you know this?" Alec whispered.

"I keep a closer tab on my son than he thinks." Asmodeus grinned towards Magnus who looked away instantly. "As much as I'm having fun, let's get on to business shall we? Now I have proposition for you Alec." Asmodeus said and at last, drew his fingers out of Alec' shoulder and stepped away. His fingers were tainted in blood and some dripped onto the floor. Alec gripped his shoulder tightly and slumped to the ground, taking in deep breaths trying to take control of the pain. "I have the power to bring them back. Everyone in your family, I can bring them back. Your father, your mother," And each name he pronounced, they appeared in a separate barrier a few feet from Magnus. Asmodeus leaned in beside Alec's ear. "And Max," He whispered. At the sight of his little brother all the pain in Alec's body vanished and he ran towards his family and slammed his hands against the invisible wall.

"Dad! Dad I'm so sorry! I didn't mean- If I could, I would do it differently. Please… please forgive me." He shouted tears rolling down his eyes. When his father didn't say anything but merely smiled something snapped inside of Alec. He looked down at the younger boy and slid to his knees to be level with his baby brother.

"Max," He smiled, as more tears spilled from his eyes. His brother extended his hand and placed the palm of his hand against the wall so that is aligned with Alec's.

"You can have your brother, you can be a family again Alexander." Asmodeus declared. "However, Magnus will have to stay here with me." He bargained. It was then that Alec looked towards his partner for the first time in a while and felt dazed, as if he'd just woken up from a long dream. Looking at Magnus, he could distinguish what was real and what was a dream. Magnus was real; Magnus wasn't dead but alive and breathing. Still immortal.

The blue eyed boy looked back at his family and saw his brother and smiled once more. Then he gazed up at his mother and father. Robert had his hand wrapped around his mother's shoulder and they were smiled and that's when Alec realized it.

"I love you Max," He whispered wanting so badly to touch him and hold him. Alec pressed his forehead against the glass and closed his eyes.

"What is your decision?" Asodeus asked. Alec rose to his feet and reached for a sword at his belt.

"As much as I want us to be a happy family, this isn't real. They are merely a vessel and a dream that I want. You can't bring back the dead and even if you could, it will never be the same. They look," Alec turned around to look at his family. "They look so peaceful and… perfect. But," He turned his attention back to the Demon. "There is no such thing as a perfect family. We would never be the same. But Jace and Isabelle, and Magnus. They are my family and though we are not perfect, though there has been a lot taken away from us, we will work together to support each other, to be there for each other. They are my family and I will protect them no matter what!" And with that, Alec struck the barrier around Magnus and it shattered like glass. He took the warlock's hand and twined their fingers together. "Now send us back!" He ordered. Asmodeus' lips were pressed together but his eyes began to glow.

"You are quite interesting Alexander Gideon Lightwood."

The ground beneath Alec vanished and he braced himself for a fall, only, it didn't come. He opened his eyes and he saw that he was back in Idris. Beside him, Magnus looked tired, extremely tired but all together, he was relieved to be back. A dark fragile familiar figure crashed into Alec, sending him back. He welcomed it and embraced it.

"Isabelle." He breathed. Her long hair fell over his face and she buried her face in his neck.

"Oh Alec, I thought I'd lost you." She whispered and he was sure she was crying. "After what happened today, with mom, dad and Simon, I don't think I could bare losing you too." Tears weld in Alec's eyes.

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." He held his little sister tightly, never wanting to let her go.

Please let me know how you guys liked it in the Reviews! The next one will be about Alec finding a letter from his father.