Magnus had, had a lot of strange thinks happen to him and little took him by surprise, that was, until Alexander came into his life. With his shadowhunter around he was always being surprised and the events of the day past day were definitely one of the bigger surprises.

Jonathan was crying softly against Alec's chest, awakening from a nightmare that was probably a memory, it broke his heart because in truth the boy had always been a victim. Then there was Alec in nothing but his underwear, gently singing to the little one as they walked around the living room.

His voice was soft and soothing, not superstar quality but it was just like him, naturally warm and safe. It wrapped around you and made it feel as if the world couldn't touch you.

Magnus stayed there, silently watching his lover as he bounced slightly, soothing the child until he settled, small round face buried against Alec's neck, little hands curling into tiny fists and he found himself wondering how young the child really was, he'd assumed about seven or eight months given how mobile he was, but he thought that may be wrong.

"Mags." He met hazel eyes. "What are you doing up?"

"You weren't there." He watched Alexander blush and chuckled to himself, finding it adorable as always. "You're a natural."

"Practice. I really did raise Max, half raised Izzy as well." The last part came out as a sigh and Magnus had to wonder what happened earlier today, he only had the bare bones story after all. It must have shown on his face however because the other began to speak.

"When I told the Institute Clary came up to me. She was furious that I hadn't told her everything immediately and demanded I hand Jonathan over. I said no. How could I do anything else? She's eighteen, rash and easily angered all the while having her world flipped on it's head. She may be strong but she's still unstable and raising a baby is not fair to either of them."

Alec sat on the sofa, cradling the toddler close and Magnus sat on the opposite end, both of them turned sideways.

"I'm not saying that I'm going to cut them off but can you honestly see her taking care of a four month old baby? One with this kind of trauma?"

The warlock nodded his head, he agreed. One day Clary would make a wonderful mother, but with all that had happened and how young and fiery she was, a child in the mix was a recipe for disaster.

"After I told her no she turned bright red, ready to start screaming but Izzy cut in. She said I was selfish. That just because I couldn't have kids I was stealing from Clary out of spite."

There was a deep hurt in his lover at that, and a rare fury welled up in him, one he never thought would be directed at Isabelle but it was almost all consuming.

"Don't bother, it won't help. She's mad she's wrong and went for the weak point. She's more like our mother than either of them will ever admit. She used Rosa against Raphael. Used Meliorn's own nature against him and she's controlling in a way that can border on abusive. She rebelled against our mother and turned into a different version of her." Alec smiled sadly, giving a slight shrug of his shoulder. "Don't ever think I don't love her. She is brilliantly smart and so beautiful with a big heart but thanks to Robert she never learnt that no means no and actions have consequences, what she did learn was to exploit weakness and get her own way whether or not she realises it."

And the warlock could see his point, he wasn't entirely sure he agreed but then again, he wasn't with her through every step of her life, and learning that she'd used Rosa against Raphael was like a kick to the gut.

"The teens, they got a little pissed off. They've been trained by both of us and I guess I'm the favourite." And he sounded so unsure there. "So before either of them could blink they were picked and carried off into one of the study rooms with a promise they'd be let out before midnight."

They both chuckled at that, those kids were fire crackers but they probably had their heads on better than anyone else in the Institute.

"I want Jonathan to know Clary and the last thing I want to do is take him away from her, but he is my priority. Purification ritual or not he's going to have to deal with a lot, memorise that became nightmares. People judging him for his father, and to a degree his mother and sister. I need to make sure he's in as stable place as possible and as far away as Valentine's memory as possible."

And with Clary he wouldn't get that, they both knew. To everyone she was still Valentine's daughter and she would be to focused on the idea of Jonathan being her brother. Alec knew personally how that messed things up, that was the difference between Izzy and Max, Max called him Dad when others weren't listening.

"He's going to need Clary, but as his sister, not as something else. And thankfully Imogen wants to stay in Jace's good books and I can be 'trusted' or they'd probably have locked him up." Alec sighed, tilting his head back and settling into the sofa.

He looked so tired. Tired of the responsibility, of having to make the hard choices and even of his own people, both the Shadowhunters and his family.

"Magnus."

"Yes Alexander?"

"I love you."

The warlock smiled, soft and full of warmth and in return, he saw just the same.

"I love you too." Leaning over he placed a gentle to kiss to soft, intoxicating lips. "Now my darling, perhaps we should go back to out room. Even as comfy as this sofa is, it can not be good for your back."

Alexander chuckled and took the hand offered to him, using an impressive amount of strength and control to pull himself up smoothly, gently cradling the young child to him.

It was not going to be easy for the next few days if not weeks but Magnus had faith in his lover, even when Alexander didn't.

XXXXShadowhuntersXXXX

The next few days were oddly peaceful but Alec had no doubt as to why. Whenever Izzy or Clary tried to talk with him the teens re-directed them, Jace had been helping with that as well and he'd caught his parabatai in several deep conversations with the red-head.

It was over a week after Jon had come into his care and there was a gentle knock on the door and Jon crawled to the edge of his play pen, trying to climb it, it wouldn't be long before he could. Shadowhunters always developed quicker physically than Mundanes in the first six months.

Clary poked her head around the door, looking uncomfortable.

"Can we talk, please?"

Alec merely nodded, gesturing to the chair opposite his desk. She shifted in place, avoiding his eye and glancing over her shoulder at her brother.

"Jace has been talking to me and, and, you're right, I'm not the best person to raise him." Clary sighed and bowed her head, looking upset at herself.

"We all have our flaws. Looks at Jace, he's cocky, vain and reckless while I'm self-deprecating, anti-social and I can't deal with my own emotions." Alec replied making Clary snort.

"Isn't their irony in calling yourself Self-deprecating as a flaw when your technically doing just that?"

Alec chuckled in agreement.

"But we both know it's true, but I've gotten better since I met Magnus, and you'll change as you get older, that's how things work." Alec smiled, waiting for her to look at him again. "I want what is best for him, you Jon should know you, but as the sister he should have had growing up."

Clary nodded her head, smiling slightly.

"Can I play with him?" She asked softly.

"Of course, just remember Shadowhunter kids are incredibly active." And watching Clary grimace he laughed make her beam, but he was happy to see they'd come to an agreement, at least for now.