As far as Jace Wayland knew, he was nothing without his parabatai. Others would say he was being dramatic because of how he had defined his relationship with his parabatai but he wasn't exaggerating at all. Only those who had their own parabatai knew how sacred the bond was. The Shadowhunter species had existed long time ago but only a few were blessed enough to find a parabatai and braved enough to undergo the parabatai training and ritual. Most Shadowhunter parents were quite doubtful when their children wanted to have a parabatai, giving excuses such as the kids were too young to make their own decision. If was true in some ways but it was the rules. The parabatai must be bonded in childhood. That they only had eighteen years of life to find a parabatai because once you turned nineteen, the ritual was no longer opened for them.

Shadowhunters that age was pure and they sought the purity of it.

He and Alec was the exact opposite of one another. He was bold, Alec was shy. He was reckless, Alec was cautious. He was the troublemaker, Alec was the emancipator. But despite their differences they cared about each other. When he told the rest of the family of his wish to become Alec's parabatai, Maryse and Izzy had been ecstatic though Robert was a bit indifferent. Alec had been thrilled too at first but then he gradually became hesitant and Robert Lightwood's explicit objections had only caused Alec to become more anxious about sharing his soul with another person but in the end, he was glad Alec had gone through with it. He was glad Alec had chosen him. Their oath was truly sanctified and they were bonded for life.

He needed Alec to wake up. Without Alec, he could barely function.

And his newborn nephew was the closest thing he got to feel Alec's presence.

Clary held out a mug to Jace, startling the tired Shadowhunter. "Here you go."

"Thanks." Jace grabbed the mug and immediately sipped the black liquid. He was a Shadowhunter, he had runes for strength and stamina but he still preferred to start his day with caffeine flooding in his system.

"I think you should lay off the caffeine for a while." Clary said sympathetically as she handed another mug to Isabelle. The dark haired Shadowhunter was seated on the round loveseat with Simon. "You're clearly exhausted and black coffee is the last thing you need right now."

"Yeah, man. Please don't kill me for saying this but you kinda look like a Forsaken to me." Simon shuddered, seemingly scared of Jace's current appearance.

"Really, Simon?" Isabelle hit Simon's arm.

"What? I'm just stating the facts." Simon shrugged.

"By comparing my brother to a Forsaken?" Isabelle narrowed her eyes. "They're the most repulsive creature ever!"

"Your brother is sort of revolting." Simon grinned, happy to be able to make Isabelle livid. His girlfriend looked so cute when she was angry. At least she wasn't sad anymore. What had happened to Alec had taken its toll on her and to him, an irritated Isabelle was better than a sad Isabelle.

Rolling her eyes at the bickering couple, Clary focused on Jace. "You've been living off coffee since you moved here, haven't you?"

The way Clary looked at him told Jace his girlfriend thought he was being stupid. And he probably was. "Coffee and mini chicken nuggets. They're the easiest to prepare and they taste divine."

Clary scoffed incredulously. "This house has the biggest well-stocked fridge in New York and you chose to eat the kids' nuggets? Can't you find something that is at least satiating for adults?"

"Those mini nuggets are really tiny, man." Simon interjected. "They aren't made for kids, they're made for elves."

"If they're good enough for Rafe and Max, they're good enough for me too." Jace winked.

"Those mini nuggets are actually delicious." Isabelle agreed, having eaten the same food as Jace. She had been there with her brother for the past couple of days after all.

"Forty-eight hours fueled by coffee and nuggets. This is unbelievable." Clary muttered under her breath.

"Nah, we're used to it. This is how we lived when we were kids." Isabelle easily made herself comfortable on Simon's lap.

"Yeah…" Jace drank his coffee, pensive. "The hard times growing up."

"Alec's the one who took care of us." Isabelle swallowed the lump in his throat. "He self-learned how to cook, always made sure we were fed. I'd never gone to bed hungry."

"Izzy…" Simon squeezed Isabelle's arm.

"That's why I learned to cook." Isabelle's small laugh was broken, with tears in her eyes. "So that Alec wouldn't have to do everything all by himself anymore."

"Except you're very terrible at cooking." Jace said without heat. His eyes were glistening with tears as well. "And in the end Alec still had to cook than letting us die of food poisoning."

"Shut up." Isabelle playfully shoved Jace with one of her feet, smiling a bit.

"Don't we all know that already?" Simon hugged his girlfriend close. "I love you, Izzy…but you really can't cook even if your life depends on it."

"I'll cook something for us then. We can't just rely on caffeine to function. We need a proper breakfast." Clary said resolutely but only seconds later she frowned. "Wait…will Magnus join us?"

Jace scoffed. "Don't bother. He won't be gracing us with his presence anytime soon."

Clary's expression turned gloomy. "Magnus hasn't left Alec's side at all?"

Isabelle's look matched Clary's. "No. He had only left the bedroom once or twice and that was just to yell at me and Jace."

Clary let her empathy win. "We can't just— Hey, kiddos!"

Simon and Isabelle were stunned when Clary's tone got a few octave higher. Jace who was sitting with the redhead on the other hand suddenly appeared wide awake, making the Shadowhunter and the vampire couple turned their heads to share their line of view. They finally smiled when they saw the newly awake Rafael and Max Lightwood-Bane. Though the boys were pacing toward them, they still appeared sleepy. They certainly didn't look alert at all and they most likely had missed their Aunt Clary's faux cheery greet.

Rafael Santiago Lightwood-Bane strode lazily, rubbing his eyes his with fists as he entered the living room. His brown hair was disheveled and his penguin pajamas crinkled badly. Next to his small body was his little brother. Maxwell Michael Lightwood-Bane's much smaller body was pressed close to his big brother. He followed Rafael's steps with his eyes sealed shut and totally relied on his hold onto his brother, one-hundred percent trusting the older boy to keep him safe. Just like Rafael, Max's hair was also unkempt to the point where it had successfully hidden his two little horns.

"So the sleeping spell took roughly forty-eight hours to wear off." Jace informed himself as he watched his nephews and locked the information inside his mind.

"Good morning my two precious nephews!" Isabelle greeted Max and Rafael after Clary's fail attempt. The sleepy boys finally reached the living room where everyone else were sprawled on the couches.

"Aun' Izzy?" Rafael squinted under the bright light, his words were slurred. "Whataya doin' here so early in da mornin'?"

"Can't I come over to see my handsome nephews?" Isabelle asked softly, decided not to tell Rafael that it was almost noon.

"We miss you and Max, buddy." Simon said afterward. "So here we are!"

"Where's Daddy? And Ayah?" Rafael blinked a few times, looking more awake.

"Ayah…" The sluggish Max mumbled. "Want Ayah…"

"Come here, you." Isabelle gently peeled Max off from Rafael's side and the little boy let himself being manhandled into his aunt's embrace. He didn't go back to sleep but simply lied there contentedly.

The eldest of the Lightwood-Bane siblings walked toward his Uncle Jace but he stopped abruptly when he saw the tiny human near to his uncle, secluded by the coffee table. "Who's that?"

Jace seemed conflicted on what to say to Rafael. "Uh…a baby?"

Rafael rolled his eyes at his uncle's answer, something he obviously learned from his Daddy and it made Jace's heart clenched. The boy dropped to the floor and peered down at the sleeping infant with interest. "It's cute."

Max wriggled in Isabelle's hold, causing the dark haired beauty to put him down. He was all of a sudden wide awake and interested as he rushed to his big brother's side. "Wanna see! Wanna see!"

Simon cringed at Max's loud voice. Not that he hated it, he actually loved it when Rafael or Max got excited but from what he heard from Jace and Isabelle, the newborn was quite a fussy baby. "Max, please lower your voice."

Max ultimately scowled, not at Simon but at the baby. His disappointment was clear. "It's not cute. It looks weird…and wrinkly."

Isabelle shot Jace a glance, asking for a sign of approval and when he nodded, she crouched near her nephews. There was plenty of space between the sofa and the coffee table and the infant seemed unperturbed by the number of people circling him. "Rafe, Max…this little guy here is your baby brother."

Max seemed taken aback. "What?"

Rafael appeared in awe. "Really?"

Isabelle looked at Clary as she sat down next to Simon while Jace scooted nearer to her and their nephews. "You know that your Daddy's pregnant, right?"

Rafael nodded. "Ayah said there's a baby in Daddy's tummy. And…And the baby is made from a seed and an egg! It doesn't turn into a tree or a chick but it becomes a baby! It's so funny!"

Clary chuckled softly while Jace and Simon tried their best not to laugh. The blonde Shadowhunter grinned and patted Rafael's back. "You're adorable."

Isabelle hummed in contentment. "Remember when you felt the baby kicked?"

Rafael beamed. "It was saying hi to me and Max because we're its big brothers!"

Isabelle clapped inaudibly, excited that Rafael did remember such little details Alec and Magnus had once told him and Max. "Clever boy!"

Jace glanced at Max who was quiet and so out of character and placed him on his lap. "Why so quiet, buddy?"

Max didn't reply. He kept on staring at Rafael and then at the baby, seemingly affronted by the view before him.

Isabelle offered a smile at Max but the boy remained stoic. She then put her hand on the newborn's head and affectionately caressing the soft hair. "This sleeping little guy is the one you've felt kicking in Daddy's tummy before. Daddy's given birth to him two days ago. Wanna say hello to your baby brother, Max? Rafe?"

The door of the master bedroom was suddenly opened, causing everyone to turn and shortly a very haggard looking Magnus Bane stumbled out into the open area. He must have felt his enchantment had faded and decided it was warranted to see the aftereffects. The spell was put upon his beloved children after all.

In truth, Magnus looked worse than he was two days ago. Everything about him didn't scream Magnus Bane the way it used to be. He was wearing an old grey sweater and a pair of worn sweatpants which were no doubt belonged to Alec. The clothes didn't fit him at all. They were too big on him and too dull for someone who was the High Warlock of Brooklyn. His face was also void of any makeup and because of that, everyone could see how pale he was at the moment. The dark smudges below his eyes weren't because of eyeshadow or eyeliner but due to his lack of sleep. The way he brought himself, hunching like there was a huge, heavy burden on his back was harrowing.

From his appearance to his behavior, he looked off.

"Ayah!" Rafael screamed as he and Max who didn't aware how thick the air or how serious their current predicament was threw themselves at their father.

"Hello, darlings." Magnus smiled, lifting his sons up and hugging them tightly. It was the first time he smiled in two days. "Did you two get a good night sleep?"

"Yes!" Rafael was the one answered. "Happy dreams!"

"Maxwell?" Magnus prodded gently but Max remained quiet. He turned away and buried his face in the crook of Magnus' neck.

Rafael started to squirm and Magnus had no other option than to put the boy down. He narrowed his eyes when he noticed the other occupants inside his loft. "I don't recall hosting a party for the likes of you."

"Ouch." Simon was genuinely hurt.

"I may have adopted several Downworlders but this loft is my personal sanctuary." Magnus said coldly. "Nobody is allowed to enter without my consent. Leave."

"We're here to help you taking care of your newborn. You know, the one you have neglected." Jace said sarcastically.

As if he only seen the sleeping baby on floor, Magnus' face turned cold and rigid instantly. "Didn't I tell you I want it gone?!"

Jace stood up and squared his shoulder. "I'm not your servant, Bane. Clean up your own mess."

Simon was shaking in his seat. "Clary, this can't be good. We should leave."

Clary squeezed Simon's hand. "We're here to protect the baby. He's angry but Magnus won't hurt us."

Simon dreadfully watched Magnus. "I'm not so sure about that right now."

"Fine." Magnus eyed Jace challengingly. "I'll send it straight to hell then."

"No!" Isabelle ran to Magnus. She grasped his hand and curled his fingers into a fist to stop him from using his magic. "We can't take the baby and leave, Magnus. He needs to be close to Alec or he'll be restless for hours."

"Not my problem." Magnus yanked his hand away.

"Alec's son is my main concern." Jace spat. "But if you think I'll leave my parabatai under your care alone, you're so wrong."

"Come, Ayah!" Rafael unexpectedly tugged on his Ayah's sweater before Magnus could hiss back at Jace. The boy had a big smile on his face. "I wanna show you my new baby brother! He's right there!"

"Not now, Rafael." Magnus tried to dismiss Rafael's request but the boy didn't want to let go of his hand.

"Is the baby bad, Ayah?" Max suddenly asked, slowly peeking out of his hiding. "Is he like the lady we met that night? You hated her…and I can feel you hate the baby too."

A/N: What have you done, Magnus? :(