III.

Charlie was out to work the next morning when Rosalie Hale stormed up the drive way of the Swan residence. Jasper and Emmett weren't too far behind, Jasper had tried to keep his sister from leaving the house, though he had been met with an unexpected kick to the face that sent him into a tree. Emmett had rushed after his brother, giving his hell-bent wife plenty of time to leave. She was not about to let some arrogant bastard come into her home and threaten her family all for the name of some stupid brat who was mourned for almost ten years.

She stopped at the door and was prepared to break the door in when it opened. Paint littered her senses and she scrunched up her nose before her eyes look in the pair standing in the doorway. A young man on the cusp of adulthood stood with his arm wrapped around the small redhead from yesterday. His blue-green eyes stared into golden colored ones and he blinked, the specks of paint across his nose folding into each hue of purple, orange and white. He looked down at the redhead girl with curiosity.

"Are these the ones?" he asked. "Cause I don't have to leave."

The girl nodded, handing the boy a pair of keys and kissed his cheek. "Go get the art supplies, okay? I need to keep them company until the others get back."

The young frowned. "Are you sure, Clary?"

"Go Julian," the redhead smiled sweetly, giving him a shove. "I've got this."

Julian nodded and pecked her lips before heading off to the blue Volkswagen car in the drive way. He started up the car and peeled out the drive way, his eyes never leaving Clary or the three vampires in the doorway until he headed down the road. Clary cleared her throat, giving the three her attention once again.

"Bella isn't home and Liam is asleep, so whatever yelling match you planned on having with her can wait another day."

Rosalie was sure that if she could, she would be blushing from embarrassment. How dare she? This silly little human didn't know who she was or what she could do, yet she stood in front of her, green eyes cool and staring at her paint stained fingernails with interest. How old was this girl? Judging by the black symbols on her skin, she was very much like the two who had attacked her brother last night.

"You're one of them." Rosalie hissed.

Clary blinked. "Could you be a bit more specific? I mean, you are pretty much older than me, like what about a hundred now? Surely those years definitely gave you some pointers on how to lead a conversation."

Rosalie felt a twitch in her mouth as the girl spoke. Emmett stood behind her, ready to hold his wife back in case she pounced. Jasper looked at the small redhead, her green eyes filled with boredom but alert. She was a solider, he could recognize that. She looked small but she was fierce.

"We don't mean Bells any harm." Emmett spoke. "We just want to talk to her."

Clary hummed. "Hold out your arms." She instructed and pulled a silver pen-like object. Emmett was the first to move towards them, rolling up his sleeve. Clary took hold of his arm, writing out a rune. It would activate if they were a threat to anyone in her family. She did the same to Jasper and then to a glaring Rosalie. The blonde female could be angry all she wanted, Clary wasn't impressed.

She had fought demons, vampires, as well as others, including her own father and killed her brother.

"Come on in, but if you wake up my godson, I will end you." Clary warned.

"He's your godson?" Jasper asked, curious as they stepped inside.

Clary nodded and walked into the living room. "My brother Jonathon, his partner Alec and myself are his godparents." She could still hear how pissed Isabelle had been when she found out until Alec promised he would allow her to be the godmother of his first child. She had been scared, since Jonathon was also involved in that equation but when Alehc informed his sister that Clary would be carrying just Alec's sperm, she had been alright. They were going to wait a year before doing the process, since they were still young.

"Partner?" Emmett questioned. "Like a boyfriend?"

Clary snickered. "Sort of."

Jasper felt the amusement rolling off of her. He was about to ask her about it when Rosalie cut him off. "Where are the others?"

The redhead looked at her. "You mean, where is Bella? Her and Jace are off getting groceries for tonight. It's Charlie and Sue's anniversary so we're throwing them a party. The others are out getting supplies and I believe the pack will be here in a few hours to set up the tent. Hmm, I should probably go set up some protective runes before Magnus gets here."

"You're having a party with Victoria out there looking for Bella?" Rosalie was appalled. That stupid human was going to get her own father killed and invoke the wrath of a treaty for a fucking party? Was she that stupid? She shouldn't be surprised, she had sent Edward on a crazed mission to keep her alive and then she almost got herself killed over a fucking paper cut. What was next?

Aside from the Volturi basically knocking at their door.

Clary seemed to notice the blonde's anger but said nothing. She simply disappeared into the hallway, her footsteps heading upstairs. The Cullens stood in the living room, each of them thinking something completely different. Emmett was torn, he was happy Bella was continuing on with her life, she had a boyfriend and child. She was probably owner of a bookstore, she had always been the kind of person to want one. He has been sad when he thought she died. Once he and Rosalie had moved out, he had gone searching for clues. Rose never knew about it. She assumed he went to hunt for grizzles to grieve.

He never stopped believing she was alive. Bella was young when they life, naive and wanting new experiences. It would make sense that she wanted to be adventurous. Suicide, though? No, that wasn't his little sister.

Jasper was sorting through all the emotions in the house, mostly the ones from Rosalie. She was pissed at Bella, pissed at Clary for being so damn sassy and angry at Edward for dragging them back to Forks in the first place. He was happy for Bella. From what he saw and felt, she was happy. She had a man who absolutely adored and loved her. He had felt Jace's emotions for his little sister. Their son absolutely loved his mother. The people who surrounded her absolutely saw her as family.

"Clarrisa!" called a voice, sing-song and filled with mirth. The vampires turned to see the silver-blonde male from the other day, trailed by his partner and a young woman. The two held similar features: same black hair and fair skin, their facial structures also seemed similar. But the young woman had dark eyes while the male had blue colored eyes. The two men stood close, the raven haired one holding the other one's hand. They had bags hanging off their arms while the young woman had a few bags in her arms.

The gentleman in Jasper took over at that point. He zipped over to her and took the bags. His eyes met hers and he felt a soft buzz sing through him. This was different how he felt with Alice. This young woman stood like a warrior, her eyes steeled but he could feel her emotions. She was hurting from something, something old and haunting. He wanted to comfort her, not just through emotions. He wanted to hold her.

He blinked. Where had that come from?

"Thank you," the woman purred, a smile gracing her lips.

"You're welcome, ma'am." He spoke, his Southern drawl coming out with full force. He heard her heart skip a beat, as well as another one. He glanced over and saw the raven haired male was slightly pink in the cheeks.

"Well Isabelle's arms are empty," the silver-blonde muttered.

"I can always make them full again." Isabelle spoke, her eyes bright with fire. "Maybe with your head. You wouldn't happen to have a hammer, would you Jonathon?"

Rage filled Jasper, though it wasn't his own. Clary seems to come down the stairs at that moment, a sleeping Liam in her arms at that moment. Jonathon's eyes flashed black and both Clary and Alec tensed at that moment, the redhead stepping back into a defensive and reaching for her knife. Alec was glaring at his sister.

"Isabelle," he warned and stepped forward, though he hadn't let go of Jonathon's hand. "I'm going to ask you to please, lay off that."

Isabelle growled, deep in her throat. "Lay off it? You're shacking up with the monster that murdered our little brother. Our ten year old brother, Alec."

Alec winched. "Izzy..."

Jonathon pulled Alec back into his chest, pressing a kiss to his temple. He whispered a word, ancient and thick on his tongue into Alec's ear. "I'll be back later," he promised and moved away from his partner. Alec's arm shot out, blue eyes blazing as he stared down his lover.

"Call Jace, spar with him if you must. I will personally kill you if you hurt my parabatai and I will drag you through hell and then back if you hurt him or let that seal break."

Jonathon simply nodded, kissing his nose. "Have some faith in me, love.'"

"Sadly, I do." Alec muttered and watched as his lover disappeared before his eyes. He turned his gaze back on his sister, his eyes cold. "You overstepped a line, Isabelle."

Clary laid her godson on the couch, taking a seat next to him. "He's right, Izzy."

"You're siding with him?" Isabelle looked hurt.

"Izzy," the redhead looked at her friend. "I know he killed Max, he knows that."

"We all grieved," Alec sighed. "We're still grieving. Max was our brother, Isabelle."

"You're sleeping with his murderer." Isabelle shot back.

"Alec knew what would happen when I tied his life with Jonathon's." Clary sighed. "My brother, my actual brother - Not Valentine's crazed experiment with a very strong sister complex and issues up the ass - is who you're angry at. Sebastian caused us nothing but hell."

The air between the three was thick. Clary was reliving her most painful memories, the night she killed her brother. She had run him through with a sword and as the Heavenly Fire consumed his body, he had begun to relieve all the horrible acts he had done. Every single one, from killing Hodge to his murder of Max and the slaughter of all the Shadowhunters he had turned. He had reached out, grabbing a hold of Clary's hand and begged her to save him. End him or save him, either way he wanted the pain to end. She had seen the black bleed from his eyes, until only emerald green remained.

Alec had felt for him in that moment. Clary had held her brother close as he slowly began to die, but in the last moment, had ripped open his shirt. Determined with tears in her eyes and a urge, a need to give her brother an actual chance at life, she done all she could-drawn a seal over his heart. It would keep the demon blood in his system at bay. Then, she sliced open her hand, and Alec had seem the flecks of gold in her eyes as her blood dripped into his mouth and then had rushed over to her before Jace could. He had met her eyes, something passing between them.

Binding Alec to Jonathon, having him be the moral compass he needed in life, the light to guide him had been something they decided in that moment. It had been a off chance. But that off chance had worked, she had drawn the same runes on their rib cages, though the seal on Jonathon's heart hadn't been copied. She had warned once Alec and Jonathon awoke a few days later, that they were bound together.

When Jonathon had opened his eyes, emerald green stared into blue and he had cried. He dropped to his knees and apologized to him for Max's death. He had done the same to Robert, Maryse and Isabelle. But they all knew: it would take more than an apology for them to get over that tragedy.

Years later, Alec and Jonathon had entered into a relationship. Magnus had seen how deeply they had cared for each other and ended things with Alec, telling him to think things over. They were still friends, but even Jonathon knew that they still loved each other. Robert and Maryse were civil around Jonathon, something he was fine with. Isabelle however, she was pissed at him. And it would take a while before they were civil.

The door opened and Julian came in, helping Bella with groceries. They were having a conversation about a portrait Julian and Clary were working on, although Jasper and Emmett were a bit shocked at the sexual undertones of their conversation.

"You sure you used enough paint?" Bella snickered as she came into the living room. Clary turned a shade of pink and then cleared her throat before she turned her gaze on her boyfriend and friend. Bella grinned, "Hey Clare, quick question. Is there a sky blue hand print on your ass?"

The flustered expression on Clary's expression eased some of the tension in the room. Bella seemed to pick up on it in an instant. "Izzy, you have to stop trying to get Jonathon to show how much of a demon he is. He has that resigned for threatening or killing people who are a threat to his family or when he is really in a horny mood with Alec. I mean, we've seen the hickeys."

Emmett snickered and Bella sent him a smile. "Hello Em."

"Bells," he greeted in return.

Bella turned her gaze on Rosalie. "Did you come all the way here to scream at me? Because I can save you the trouble. I was eighteen, an idiot and so deep up your brother's ass it was embarrassing. Trust me, my boyfriend loves to remind me, same with Clare over here. Anywho, no I did not try and kill myself. I was trying to move on. Jake took me cliff jumping and I didn't think Victoria was a threat. I hit my head on the back of a rock when I saw her in the water. There as a bit of blood, so Jake rushed me to the hospital. Anywho, after that I started taking self defense and learned how to use a baton. I'm not a fan of guns, and my dad had been letting me take kickboxing classes after I woke up out my stupor of "Why did Edward leave me?" So, I am sorry if your family grieved me instead of actually coming to check up on me. That was your fault. My life, however, isn't. And do tell you idiot brother, I am happy with my partner and my son. I don't need him getting it in his head that I'm going to jump into his arms."

Rosalie blinked. "You don't want to be a vampire?"

Bella snorted. "Hell no. I actually like my life, and I do plan on having more children with Jace, so my body needs to remain human."

Jasper smiled at his little sister. He definitely liked this knew Bella, she was very well aware of what she wanted in her life. He noticed Isabelle smirking as she held out a hand to Clary. "Pay up, she admitted it."

Clary grumbled and slipped Isabelle a $50. "She didn't say how many, so I only owe you half."

Isabelle shrugged, "I'll take what I can get. Now Bella, what are we making?"

Alec blanched. "Please tell you you've improved her skills?" he asked Bella.

"Who do you think made the lasagna the other night? I was busy soothing Liam from being scared of his grandpa." Bella smiled and addressed Isabelle. "We're going to making a feast, so you and Magnus are definitely helping me. Clary and Jules have their hands full with the portrait and each other."

Julian smirked. "She's more than a handful."

Clary threw a baseball that had been sitting on the counter at him. He caught it with ease. "I will end you, Julian Blackthorn."

"I hope that's code for you're finally down for S&M." Julian snickered at his girlfriend, who threw her knife at him this time. He dodged and it lodged into the wall, barely missing the picture that held Bella's high school graduation photo.

Bella shook her head and turned towards the Cullens. "You're welcome to stay and help out. I just hope you're alright with werewolves and shape shifters."

Emmett stepped forward. "Where do you need us?"