All Max wants to do after this long visit is have something to eat and talk to his fathers, but the universe doesn't care about what Max wants.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Max walks into the loft.

His phone only gives him length of time spent in a visit, and it takes a few minutes for it to get back to 'normal' functions once he arrives back home. Something he found out after his "Warner Prince/Owen" visit. Therefore he has no way of knowing what time it actually is back home.

He left the loft this morning after breakfast, with the sun shining and now it is dark out. But considering that it is February, it could be any time after six.

Magnus is sitting on the sofa with a martini. Max sighs, he thought coming home would be the end of his confusion.

He sits next to Magnus and hugs him, "Hi Poppa, where's Daddy?"

Magnus had seen him walk out of the portal and smiled. He hugs Max back, "He came home, we were enjoying dinner then he got called back to the Institute for an emergency meeting. That was three hours ago."

Max sighs, "Emergency meeting about what?"

Magnus shrugs, "The text came from Consul Davidson."

"Sounds serious."

Magnus sips his martini and nods, "Which is why I'm sitting here and trying not to worry."

Max rests his head on Magnus' arm, "Three hours?"

Magnus nods, "Three hours, twenty five minutes and a handful of seconds. I knew it was too good to be true when he walked into the loft just after five. Now it's almost ten and he's still at the Institute."

They sit there in silence until Magnus' phone rings. He looks at it, hoping to see his husband's name, but instead sees Jace.

Magnus and Max glance at each other, fearing the worst. Magnus puts the call on speaker, "Yes, Jace?"

"Magnus, they're gone."

Magnus and Max both stand as Magnus asks, "What do you mean, they're gone?"

"Exactly that. I'm in the conference room and everybody is gone. Except for Trevor Greene, he's dead."

Magnus creates a portal. He and Max walk into the conference room.

Jace puts away his phone and gestures to a dead body on the floor, "He's the only one here, and it appears that he was shot in the head."

Magnus glances at the dead Head of the Pennsylvania Institute for a few minutes, then walks around the table to where the Head of the NY Institute sat. That chair is overturned and a few drops of blood are on it. Magnus glances at the other chairs. Some are overturned as well, "Shot? Since when do ShadowHunters use firearms?'

"We don't, but we can figure that out when we find the others. Izzy is on her way back to the Institute and will take care of Trevor."

Magnus nods as he closes his eyes and thinks of Alec's smile. He opens them and looks at Jace, "Got him."

Jace nods and takes out his seraph blade.

Magnus creates a portal. He, Max and Jace go through and find themselves in a hallway. They walk silently, glancing in rooms as they pass by. They hear voices up ahead and stop.

"It is time for ShadowHunters to put DownWorlders in their place."

Jace rolls his eyes as he whispers, "That's Consul Davidson."

Magnus and Max nod.

A female voice asks, "And what place would that be, Consul?"

Jace whispers, "Stephanie Blackfield, Head from New Jersey."

"Subservient to ShadowHunters, of course."

Magnus sniffs as Max rolls his eyes.

A male voice answers, "Consul, that kind of talk died with Valentine."

Jace nods, "Vincent Christensen, Head from Connecticut."

"That is what some would like you to believe, but Valentine's dream lives on."

Another male voice answers, "Dream? His 'dream' goes against the Accords."

Jace nods, "Michael Drakenback, Head from Massachusetts."

"The Accords are meant to protect mundanes. DownWorlders are too powerful to be allowed to move about freely among them."

Vincent says, "It is more like closed minded thinkers like yourself, that shouldn't be allowed to move freely."

"What you call 'closed minded', we call wanting things to be simpler."

Stephanie laughs, "Simpler? DownWorlders are not our enemies."

"They have no control over themselves, of course they are our enemies."

Another male voice responds, "But you killed Trevor."

Jace whispers, "Andrew Parkerson, Head from Maine."

"Trevor's death was to show you that we mean business."

Andrew says, "You used a firearm."

"Yes, we want it to seem like the DownWorlders want to blame a mundane for Trevor's death and we will get the Accords revised to keep the mundanes safer."

Vincent says, "Mundanes being framed by DownWorlders? That makes no sense. Why would a mundane even be in the Institute in the first place, beside we all saw you kill him."

"We have ways of making you forget what you saw. This is a well thought out plan."

Another male voice says, "Oh a plan. Yes, my father had a plan that was going to work but didn't."

Jace smiles, "Alexander Lightwood, Head from New York."

Magnus and Max smile at him. They were wondering (and worrying) why their favorite ShadowHunter was silent.

"Ah, Mr. Lightwood, you decided to join us, how nice of you. Yes, Robert's plan failed because we didn't understand just how powerful that warlock's hold on you was, but this plan will work."

Magnus narrows his eyes, he whispers to Jace, "Can you see what is going on?"

Jace shakes his head, "There are guards around the corner."

Max smiles, "I got this." He sets his invisibility glamour.

Magnus tells him, "Be careful Max."

Max nods, realizes that they can't see, and says, "Yes Poppa." He walks around the corner and passes the two guards standing there.

Max sees four people in a prison cell. He sees Alec leaning against a wall. There's a man three yards away from him. There's a guard standing in between Alec and the cell.

Alec nods, "Funny, my father thought the same thing."

Max walks over to Alec. His father is pale. Max glares at the Consul.

The Consul laughs, "Like I said, Robert underestimated the warlock. That is why you were bought here, so that our plan could be set into motion. Some of you will be returned to the Institute to carry out the plan."

Stephanie asks, "What do you mean by 'some'?"

"My dear, I think it is obvious."

Max tenses, ready to protect his father.

Alec says, "Our disappearance from the Institute would have been noticed by now."

"Maybe, but they have no way of knowing where you are. They will be sent back with new memories and you will rot here." He pulls a firearm from his belt and points it at Alec, "The best thing about this weapon is that one can use it from a distance." He pulls the trigger.

Max puts up a protective barrier in front of Alec with one hand, as he flicks a ball of energy at the bullet with his other hand. The bullet is destroyed before it reaches the barrier.

Max watches as the Consul is sent flying into the wall by a fireball. He hits the wall hard. When he tries to regain his feet, another fireball hits him in the chest. He is dead.

Magnus and Jace had come around the corner. Jace killed the two guards as Magnus took out the Consul. Max turns around and breaks the nearby guard's neck before he can react.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Alec's eyes roll back and he hears Magnus scream, "Alexander". Max quickly turns around and grabs Alec as his legs go out from under him. Max sits on the floor and rests his father's head on his leg. He drops his glamour.

Magnus runs over to them as Jace goes to the cell. Jace takes out his stele and unlocks it.

Magnus sits on the floor next to Max and gently feels for Alec's pulse. Relaxing, he gently examines Alec's head and sees a bump. He touches the love rune and sits back as it glows blue.

Jace runs over to them, "How is he?"

Magnus runs his thumb over Alec's knuckles, "He probably has a concussion."

Jace takes out his stele, as Magnus pulls up Alec's shirt. Jace activates his iratze rune.

Stephanie walks over and kneels down, "Davidson hit him with the firearm when he threatened to call an end to the meeting. Then a warlock showed up with guards and marched us through a portal here."

Vincent nods, "Trevor refused to go, Davidson shot him without a word or warning."

Andrew walks over to Davidson's dead body and kicks him, "By the angel, we are supposed to be the good guys."

Michael angrily says, "He would have shot Alec in cold blood. Their hatred for DownWorlders blinds them to the evil that they do."

Max rubs Alec's back as the Heads talk. He glances at Jace, who gives him a warm smile, "You look tired, Max."

Max nods, "It has been a long day, Uncle Jace and I'm starving."

Magnus kisses his cheek, "Let's see if we can get your Daddy to open his eyes." He gently sits Alec up, "Alexander, wake up."

Alec slowly blinks his eyes until they focus on his husband, "Magnus?"

Magnus smiles, "Hello, beautiful. If Max and I help you, can you stand up?"

Alec looks at him confused, "I'm not standing?"

Magnus shakes his head, "No my angel, you are not."

"Oh, then okay."

Magnus and Max slowly help Alec to his feet. Jace helps as well. Alec looks at his parabatai, "Hey, Jace is here."

Max glances at Magnus, "Poppa?"

Magnus nods, "Alec, we are taking you to the Infirmary to get checked out."

Alec looks at him confused. He notices the Heads standing around, "Did I miss a meeting or something?"

Stephanie says, "Is he going to be okay?"

Magnus nods, "We just need to get him in a warm bed so he can get some rest."

Jace glances at the dead bodies of Davidson and the guards, "This can wait until tomorrow."

Magnus nods, "We all need to get some rest." He looks at Alec, "I have you."

Alec smiles and kisses him, "Always."

Max relaxes and stays close to him as Magnus creates a portal and everybody goes through to the Infirmary.

Magnus and Max guide Alec to a room as Jace gets a doctor. The doctor goes into the room and examines Alec as Max stands by the wall. Magnus leaves the room to speak to the Heads and Jace.

Max watches as the doctor touches the bump on his father's head. Alec cries out in pain. Max runs to his father's side, a fireball in hand but he is stopped by his Poppa yelling, "No Max."

Magnus' eyes are gentle, "Max, it's okay. You can relax." He holds his son and smiles at the terrified doctor, "I got him."

Alec looks from the doctor to his husband, "Magnus, what is going on?"

Magnus smiles at him, "You got hit on the head pretty hard, just let the doctor look at you."

Alec nods, "Okay, I guess". He sighs, "Blueberry, come here."

Max pulls away from Magnus and sits next to Alec on the bed. Alec smiles at him and rests his head against Max's. Max holds his arm. The doctor continues his examination, keeping an eye on Max. Magnus sighs.

The doctor finishes and walks over to Magnus, "From what Jace told me, he was hit pretty hard. Let him stay here overnight and see how he feels in the morning."

Magnus nods, "Okay, thank you, Doctor."

Max helps Alec lay down and get comfortable. Once Alec is done, Max lays next to him.

Magnus asks gently, "Max, I thought you were starving?"

Max kisses Alec's cheek, "I'd rather stay with Daddy." He rests his head on Alec's arm.

Magnus walks over to the bed. Alec smiles at him, "Hey Magnus."

Magnus kisses his lips, "Hey yourself. How do you feel?"

"My head hurts."

Magnus nods. Alec looks at Max, "Let's make room for Poppa."

Max nods and moves over. He helps Alec move. Alec smiles at Magnus, "Join us."

Magnus laughs, "It would have been easier for me to make the bed wider."

"Maybe."

Magnus lays down and rests his head on Alec's chest. He strokes Max's cheek, "You okay?"

Max nods, "Yes."

"You sure?"

Max holds Alec's arm, "Poppa, people better stop hurting my Daddy."

Magnus holds Alec and Max. He glances up and sees that Alec is sleeping. He asks Max, "Where did you visit?"

"It was a bunch of places, but Daddy was hurt too much."

Magnus nods, "At one time, I thought I was the cause of him getting hurt, but it's because he is a ShadowHunter and the Head of the Institute."

"Then Daddy needs a new job."

Magnus smiles, "We've had this conversation before, and your Daddy loves his job. So we have to take the good with the bad."

Max sighs, "Even when he isn't a ShadowHunter he gets hurt. Or killed."

Magnus nods, "Yes, but lucky our Alec has two powerful warlocks at his side who love him to pieces and would kill anybody that hurts him."

Max smiles, "Damn right."

"Try to get some sleep, Max."

Max nods, "Okay, Poppa. Good night."

"Good night."

-tbc-

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

And the day is finally over for Max.

I really should stop hurting Alec, but I do love protective Magnus and Max.