Chapter 7: Miserable Payback and The Smile

Thanks for the reviews! All characters belong to Cassandra Clare.

I pulled my curly red hair in a messy bun just as Jace came out of the steamy bathroom with a towel around his waist. I changed Luke`s diaper while he dressed and we headed downstairs to breakfast. Thankfully, breakfast was not made by Isabelle. We both sat down as Izzy came, wearing the new high-heeled boots and long blue dress we had gotten her in return for babysitting.

"You still owe me," She said in a sing-song voice, as she removed her boots and propped her feet up on a chair. "I`d like a foot rub." I rolled my eyes and rubbed her feet while she smirked and dug into her pancakes.

Jace sighed. "We`re in debt for the rest of our lives." I nodded and Izzy put her boots back on, and I finally began to eat. Jace was on his 6th piece of bacon when Alec and Magnus came and sat down. Magnus was covered in the glitter we had given him in return for watching Luke. Alec on the other hand, was still in his and wrapped in a blanket, looked like a zombie. The baby began to wail and Magnus groaned. Jace calmly fixed the child a bottle and fed him, the cries ceased.

"Since you still owe me for watching that little monster," Magnus said smiling at Luke. "I wouldn't mind a shopping trip." Jace sighed.

"Anything you want Alec?" I asked my brother-in-law, knowing he would want payback as well. He shrugged sleepily and nibbled on a cracker, since he was still sick.

"Nothing?" Jace said cheerfully. "You rock, brother." Alec sipped a glass of ginger ale and scrunched up his forehead thoughtfully. He coughed.

"Well," he said, grinning shyly. "You could wait on me hand and foot until I`m better."

Jace choked on his orange juice. "Oh no," He said, shaking his head. "No way." Alec put on his 'puppy dog face.'

"Fine," I snapped. "But if you get all of us sick, you`re dead." Alec paled. Jace groaned as his brother staggered to the restroom and returned, white as a ghost and soaked in sweat.

"Wonderful."

123123123

As soon as we returned to our room Alec passed out on our bed. Luke began to wail and quickly removed his wet diaper before he could wake his uncle.

"As long as Alec doesn`t make us give him a sponge bath, we`re good." Jace said and I glared at him.

"Don`t jinx it," I told him as I coated our son`s rash-ridden bum in ointment. "I have a feeling this day can only get worse." Boy was I right. Just as I buttoned up the baby`s clothes someone knocked on the door. A queasy looking Isabelle stood outside our room.

"I think Alec gave me the flu." She muttered and held her hand to her head. "Since you owe me do you think you could…" Jace nodded. I handed him the baby, led Izzy in our restroom and held back her long black hair as her breakfast came up. She mumbled a thank-you and flopped on our bed beside Alec. I walked over to Jace who leaned against the wall away from his siblings, rocking a fussy Luke back and forth. I gently took the baby from him and patted his back gently, trying to calm him down. My hand froze as it contacted his skin. His dark eyes welled up with tears and he screamed. I turned to Jace.

"I think he`s sick too," I said with a sigh. "Feel him he`s burning up." He placed as hand on Luke head and nodded in agreement.

"I`ll take his temperature." I mumbled to Jace as I dipped the thermometer in petroleum jelly.

"Alec is awake." He informed me as I removed Luke`s diaper and inserted the thermometer. He walked over to his brother.

"What do you want" Jace asked him as I read the thermometer. Sure enough, he had a fever. I redressed the baby and walked over to Alec.

"Another blanket," he replied. "And some orange juice." Jace turned to me.

"Luke has a fever," I told him and handed him our son. "I can go get Alec the juice and extra blanket." He nodded and looked down at the now quiet baby sympathetically. I head downstairs and poured a glass of OJ and grabbed another blankie. I turned around and was face to face with Magnus.

"Need some help?" He asked.

"Yeah," I replied. "Isabelle and the baby are sick as well."

He followed me back to our room. Magnus handed the blanket and juice to his boyfriend. Izzy was awake and wiping the vomit off Luke. I glanced around.

"Where is Jace?" I asked her.

"In the bathroom." She replied sleepily. I heard loud retching noises and my husband came out, looking terrible.

"You too?" I asked tiredly. He nodded and took the baby from his sister. Luke screamed and Magnus covered his ears and I grabbed a bottle and shoved it in his mouth, instantly shushing him.

"Well," I said sadly to Magnus. "I guess we`re the only ones not sick."

"For now," He replied gravely. Alec sat up and stumbled to the bathroom and he followed him, patting his boyfriend on the back until the shadowhunter had emptied his stomach. Magnus then hugged Alec, rubbing the boy`s sweaty back and stroking his messy dark hair.

"What do you think you`re doing?" I snapped. "Do you want to get sick too?" The warlock shook his head and let go of him. He returned to the bed and conjured up two hot bowels of soup for Jace and Isabelle. While the two ate, I gave Alec a sponge bath (scary), burped Luke and then changed my soiled shirt, suddenly not feeling well. I turned to Magnus, who didn`t look much better. Alec however was sitting up, and looking fine. We both glared at him.

"Pay back."

123123123

By the time the week was over, we had all gotten over the flu. I took me a lot longer to get the memory of giving Alec a bath out of my head. Alec took care of us in return, and having the roles reversed certainly cheered us up. One morning Jace was holding our son in his arms and talking to him in a baby voice.

"Who`s your Dada? Am I you Dada? Oh yes I am, Oh yes I am." And then something happened. Something that made Jace yell for me to come. Because when his daddy told him that he was his dad, Luke smiled. And a child`s laughter could be heard throughout the Institute, bright and clear, filled with joy.