Magnus and Max need to hurry to save Alec.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Breakfast is bagels and figuring out their next step.

Alec shrugs, "I was walking twenty or so blocks before I got to Grand Avenue, plenty of opportunities for Lamar to attack me."

Magnus sighs, "That is a lot of space to cover, plus younger you can't see either Max or I."

Max asks, "Why not?"

Alec nods, "I can't see Magnus until the nightclub."

Magnus nods, "That was the real first time we met and nothing can change that. Max, as for seeing you, that isn't a big deal but it's best if he doesn't."

Max sighs, "So how do we protect young Daddy, kill Lamar AND not get seen?"

Magnus shakes his head, "It's not about "killing" Lamar, it's about preventing him from killing Alec."

"But without letting young Daddy see us."

Magnus nods, "Exactly."

Alec groans, "By the angel, I have a headache and I'm not even at the Institute yet." He finishes his coffee and stands up. He kisses Magnus, "Let me know if you figure it out." He kisses Max's forehead, "Don't worry, blueberry." He walks out the loft.

Magnus sighs, "At least we know when."

Max nods. He turns on his laptop and taps on the keyboard waiting for it to power up, "And a location of sorts."

The laptop boots up and Max starts typing. Magnus paces and tries to think.

After an hour, they are no closer to a solution. Magnus' phone rings. Isabelle.

Magnus eyes his phone and answers it, "Yes Izzy?"

She whispers, "Magnus, Alec just had a heart attack."

Magnus slowly sits on the sofa, "Is he...?"

Max runs over to him, "Poppa, what's going on?"

"He's in the Infirmary resting, but the doctors say it's bad, especially since his Iratze rune won't activate."

Magnus closes his eyes, "Max and I are on our way." He ends the call.

Max looks at him, "Poppa, what's wrong with Daddy?"

"He had a heart attack."

Max's eyes widen, "Lamar stabbed Daddy in the heart."

Magnus stands, "First we see him, then we fix this." He creates a portal and they leave.

They walk into Alec's room. He is pale and hooked up to machines. Izzy is sitting on the left side of his bed.

Magnus walks to the bed, "Alexander?"

Alec slowly opens his eyes and mumbles, "Hey, Magnus, Max."

Magnus sits in a chair and holds his hand, "Guess we are on a time limit here."

Alec gives him a weak smile, "One minute I'm walking up the stairs and the next I'm on the floor looking up at Izzy."

Magnus touches the love rune, nothing happens. He snaps his fingers to bring magic to his fingertips and traces the rune again. Still nothing. Magnus closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, "I'm not losing you."

"Magnus, I love you."

Magnus shakes his head, "Do not say that, it sounds like 'goodbye', and I'm not letting you go."

Alec gives him a weak smile, "Sorry."

Max nods, "Poppa, we have to go back now."

Izzy looks from Magnus to Max, "Alec was saying something about Lamar attacking him when he was younger?"

Magnus nods, "Max had a nightmare that Lamar killed him when he was sixteen years old."

Max whispers, "Stabbed him in the heart."

Izzy's eyes widen, "By the angel."

Max nods.

Magnus stands, "Izzy, stay with Alec. Max and I will take care of Lamar." He kisses Alec, "Alexander, I don't care if you do see me, I'm getting you back."

Max kisses Alec's cheek, "Daddy, Lamar is a dead man."

Alec mumbles, "Good luck."

Magnus and Max leave. Izzy sits and holds Alec's hand, "They have this, Alec."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Max frantically types on his laptop as Magnus paces. Max yells, "I got it."

Magnus walks over to the kitchen table, "Good, let's go."

Max syncs up his phone and creates a portal. They walk through and find themselves on Atlantic Avenue.

They look around and all they see are mundanes. Magnus shakes his head as he rubs his thumb over his fingers, "Where's Alexander?"

Max searches frantically for his father as he rubs his thumb over his fingers, "I don't see him, Poppa. My locations are always spot on." Max looks across the street, "Poppa, over there." Sixteen year old Alec is on the other side walking away from them. They quickly cross the street and follow him.

They walk faster and pass him, allowing mundanes to walk in between so that Alec can't see them.

Max's eyes widen as he sees a portal open up further down the street, "Poppa, there!"

Magnus nods. He flips his hand and Alec stumbles over his feet, "Now Max." He and Max create energy balls and throw them at the opening portal. Lamar is pushed back into the portal as it closes. Lamar is gone.

Max and Magnus walk into the crowd of mundanes as Alec regains his footing, looks around and, with a shrug, continues walking.

Magnus sees deep sadness in his future husband's eyes and wonders what is on his favorite ShadowHunter's mind. Without thinking, he follows Alec, as Max calls out, "Poppa, what's the matter?"

Magnus sees that Alec's attention is on a couple of men waiting to cross Atlantic. The men seem to be in a world of their own, smiling at each other and holding hands. Magnus smiles knowingly, he knows that feeling.

Alec wipes away tears as the couple cross the street. Magnus walks with him, his heart breaking for his future husband. Magnus wonders what would happen if he grabbed sixteen year old Alec's arm and held him. At this time, Magnus has no idea if Alec knows who "Magnus Bane" is, but Magnus just wants Alec to smile. The sadness in his eye is too upsetting for Magnus to handle. He walks with the teenager until they get to Grand and he watches as Alec takes a deep breath, puts his shoulders back, instantly going into ShadowHunter mode.

Magnus sighs as Alec walks over to Jace and they walk down Grand Avenue. Max catches up to Magnus, "Poppa, everything okay?"

Magnus sadly nods, "Everything is fine."

"Then why are you crying?"

Magnus wipes his face and is shocked to find it wet, "Your Daddy had so much weight on his shoulders and for a minute there, I was ready to change our history."

"Why didn't you?"

Magnus coldly laughs, "Because I'm an idiot."

Max hugs him, "Is Daddy okay now?"

Magnus holds him tight, "He should be."

"And Lamar?"

Magnus' eyes are cold, "He's alive. We kept him away from Alec but he will show up again."

"And maybe next time we will kill him?"

Magnus nods, "Eventually he will die. Right now, my only concern was keeping him from touching my angel."

"We did that."

"Yes, we did, Max."

"Can we check on Daddy?"

Magnus kisses his forehead, "Yes, let's get back."

Max creates a portal and they return to the Institute.

Izzy is sitting in the chair, her head resting on Alec's arm, she smiles as they walk in the room, "Mission accomplished I assume."

Magnus notices that Alec's color has improved and he is no longer hooked up to the machines, "Yes."

"He got better, instantly and I was able to activate his Iratze rune." She stands up as Magnus walks over to the bed.

Magnus traces the love rune and relaxes as it glows blue. He sits on the bed, and smiles as Alec opens his eyes and looks up at him, "Magnus."

Magnus leans down and kisses him, "Hello Alexander, feeling better?"

Alec smiles, "Yes." He looks at Max, "Hey blueberry, another job well done."

Max giggles as he walks to the bed and kisses Alec's cheek, "Yes Daddy."

Izzy smiles, "The doctor still wants Alec to stay overnight, just to be on the safe side."

Magnus sighs, "Fine." Alec rests his head on Magnus' leg and closes his eyes. Magnus plays with Alec's hair.

Max pouts, "The bed is too frigging small."

Magnus smiles and flicks his hand. The bed widens two feet. Max giggles and lays down behind Alec. He rests his head against his father's back, wraps his arms around Alec and smiles.

Izzy laughs, "I wish I had a camera."

Max giggles, "Daddy and Poppa reclaimed their title?"

She laughs, "Yes, with an assist from you."

Max giggles as Magnus nods, "I knew we would."

Alec whispers, "I'm trying to sleep here."

Izzy smiles. She kisses his cheek, "I got the Institute." She kisses Magnus' cheek, "Take care of my big brother."

Magnus smiles, "You know it."

She squeezes Max's leg, "Later you."

Max giggles, "Bye Aunt Izzy." She leaves the room.

Magnus slides down until he is laying next to Alec. Alec opens his eyes and smiles at him, "Magnus."

Magnus kisses him, "I love you."

Alec rests his head against Magnus' on the pillow, "Love you."

"You looked so sad."

Alec looks at him confused, "When?"

"Back then."

Alec sighs and puts his arms around Magnus. Max pouts and moves closer to Alec. Alec whispers, "You're talking about the couple?"

Magnus nods, "I wanted so much to hold you but I didn't want to change anything, so I just watched and it broke my heart." He puts his arms around Alec and Max.

"I saw them and I knew, or I thought I knew, that wasn't available to me. I would never be happy like that. Then I met you." He rests his head on Magnus' chest.

Magnus nods and kisses the top of his head, "We saved each other from a life of loneliness."

Max whispers, "And me."

Alec squeezes Max's hand, "Yes, the three of us were meant to be together."

Magnus smiles, "And together we are invincible."

Max smiles, "Damn right."

Alec smiles, "And we deserve a nap."

Max giggles as Magnus nods, "It has been a stressful day."

The Lightwood-Bane family fall asleep holding each other.

-tbc-

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

You knew they would reclaim their title.

I have a special treat in store for chapter 4, my lovelies. xoxo