Author's Note: So sorry this has taken so long, I didn't realize how difficult of a chapter this was going to be. Band is kicking my butt with these back to back competitions over the weekend. It's one weekend after the other and it's taxing after a while. And I've decided that I don't want to grow up. These college essays and applications and work are all too much. I just want to live with Peter Pan and the Lost Boys, thwarting Captain Hook and flying with Tinkerbell and the other fairies, and never grow up. Is that really too much to ask for? I don't think so. But seriously, college stuff sucks, ACT is going to suck, I'm looking into the Navy (I need some way to pay for college), and taking a full day with 3 AP classes is not the smartest idea in the world for senior year.

At fifteen, I found the world on tv

People were out dying on the streets

I was fifteen years, I found my comfort

In the decay of the destruction

Do you want a ticket to ride the ride?

Follow through this hell with me

I know my way through here

Through broken dreams and sorrow

I'll take you through this hell with me

Bring you life and show you life's disease

It's been fifteen years for you, more for me

People are either dead or gone insane

I found the solution, sold my soul, it's the price

I'm in the comfort of disarray

Do you want a ticket, join the ride?

Who wants to live in fear

Afraid of who we are

Take my hand into this air

You can shed your fear

I can shed your fear

-Fifteen

SeptemberEnds

"I'll be back in a little bit, I won't be long, Jem wanted to talk to me about something," said Alec as he stopped to peck Magnus on the lips, laughing when Magnus pulled Alec onto his lap to deepen the kiss, "No, seriously Magnus," Alec gasped out, a little breathless, Magnus's lips trailing a path down his neck, "I've got to go," He pushed himself off and nearly laughed again at Magnus's face, lips pulled out into a mock pout.

"I'll see you in a bit, besides, I'm sure there are plenty of things you should be doing right now that could keep you busy."

"Well when you put it like that," Magnus smirked.

Alec blushed, much to Magnus's personal enjoyment, but managed to roll his eyes as he opened the door to leave.

Rose, Rose, Rose, Red

Will I ever see thee wed?

I will marry at thy will sir,

At thy will

Half way down the hall to the stairs Alec felt a hand grip his forearm from behind, pulling him to the side, caught off guard he struggled to pull away when he caught gold eyes in the darkness.

A thousand years gone by

Too late to wonder why

I'm here alone

If in my darkest hour

She rose that fell a flower

I should have known

"Jace, what are you doing here?" Alec hissed, ripping his arm away from Jace's iron grip, "How did you even get down here?" When Jace didn't immediately respond, Alec knew, "No, Jace, you didn't," he hissed, horrified at the thought of Jace being put against him.

"Alec you don't understand," Jace said, "You can't understand, not down here, surrounded by all of them."

"Who?" Alec demanded, "The people who decided not to ambush me in the middle of our apartment?"

"We just wanted to talk. You haven't heard our side of the story. You're just going to take their word without question?"

"Isabelle-"

"Isabelle is blinded. She's fallen for that demon and I don't want that happen to you. Think about it," Jace insisted, "Magnus was on Earth to get to you, he lead you on without ever telling you why he was there, or what he was - is. That isn't weird to you?"

"Jace, this isn't like you," Alec persisted, "You would never do this to me, to Isabelle. We're your family Jace," Alec's voice softened, "Is it because of Clary?" He asked quietly.

Jace stiffened, "It's about what's right. We deserve to be heard, just as much as the things that dwell down here," his voice was final, but lacking any conviction or venom in the words he spit out, like it was purely memorized and he was trying to arrange it into a habit, into what he believed.

"Jace-"

Jace gripped Alec's arms and Alec didn't have the heart to pull away.

"We've got to go," Jace held strong in his words, a hint of anxiety in his voice, "You have to come with me, I can't go back without you."

"You don't have to go back," Alec said abruptly, "You can stay here."

Jace shook his head, his gold eyes were rough and desperate under his efforts to stay composed, "I can't, and we can't. I belong up there, with Clary, and I need you to see why. It's better up there Alec. So much better. If you would only see it."

Alec hesitated.

"Please." Jace whispered.

Alec nodded and closed his eyes when Jace's grip on his arm strengthened.

It wasn't like falling with Magnus. The screams were drowned out, a dull roaring in his ears, and they faded quickly. Then there were birds chirping and the resonances of a lyre being strung in the breeze.

Rose, Rose, Rose, Red

Will I ever see thee wed?

Only if you can capture me

It was a soundless noise, and that disconcerted Alec the most. The silence was something he did not hear very often anymore. There was always people up and about outside, and he had grown familiar to the steady stream of moving life that was established in Hell. They were flying overhead, and Alec knew that they were in the Heavens.

Alec opened his eyes when he felt Jace land them securely on the ground. He rapidly blinked against the harsh light that blinded him momentarily. It was a severe white brightness that caught him off guard. So used to the warm glow of light, the stark contrast hurt. When he did manage to see his surroundings it was white and green with gold trimming areas all around. The buildings where of pale marble, as were the roads, off to his left he saw rolling hills of green swaying against the dim breeze, gold flowers on pastel green stems dusting through the green. The roads were white, of the same material as the buildings the loomed over them. Golden lamps held while light the emitted a cold glow. The sky, supposedly a pale blue was whiter than any other color and it roamed over head in stillness, one shade across an expanse of a world. It could almost be considered beautiful. The lack of color, if anything made it more sterile than livable and as Alec glanced around he noticed a distinct lack of people travelling the streets. No signs that they were preparing for war against a whole other world. No signs of life at all.

"Where is everybody?" Alec asked, looking back at Jace who shrugged.

"Just a prayer, it's required that everyone be present. I'll take you to Valentine, he should be nearly finished with his sermon, and it's probably not a good idea to talk to anyone before you talk to him."

Jace started pulling Alec along, not harshly, just enough to show Alec that he wanted them to start moving, "Why not? Isn't the point of all of this to show me why I should be on your side? What about the people?" They were walking closer to a large building, a cathedral that resembled more of a, with high towers of white and gates built of gold.

"Valentine doesn't think that's such a good idea, he doesn't want any hostilities between us and you to arise. It's just a precaution."

Jace led them through a door on the side, Alec saw from the corner of his eye people, spilling out of the building, but he could hardly catch a face before Jace ushered him inside, moving them quickly through the halls, so many Alec couldn't keep track of them, until they halted, Alec jerking from the force.

"But that's not the point," Alec argued and thought back to the people he was introduced to, not even paying any attention to his surroundings. They each told him their story, their lives both before and after their deaths. He thought of Tessa, Jem, Will, even Camille. They told him because they wanted to show him how much they valued their lives there, now that they had people like them, "How do I know if everyone is willing to work with whoever loses the battle?"

"That's not exactly what we're aiming for here," Alec spun around on his heel, before steeling himself as he eyed Valentine, standing regal at the head of the church. Shifting his vision he caught sight of the area he was in, pews lined the floors, neatly in a row. All white marble.

"What do you mean, it's about peace," Alec caught a figure emerge from a side door and then Sebastian was beside Valentine, "Isn't it?"

Sebastian barked a laugh, "Is that what those mongrels told you? No, no, not here. Someone needs to control the worlds, and it has to be us, we're pure and right, that's why we're in Heaven. We've earned our right to rule over those who couldn't make it, and those who need to work to make it here."

Beside Alec, Jace looked uneasy, eyes flashing around the room.

"But who are you to choose the order of things? It's all a natural selection based on how you lived your life," Alec argued.

Tell me no more stories

And I'll tell you no lies

No one wants to hurt me

But everybody tries

This time it was Valentine who laughed, mocking Alec's words, "That's not the case, not much anymore. Death, yes, is the key to a person's place in the world, but if you can control that placement, then you control the worlds."

"And you think that you have this power?" Alec asked, incredulous.

"Of course, look at Jace," Valentine raised a vial, "Just a drink of this and he received the greatest attainment in death. He became an Angel,"

And if you think that I've been waiting

For my planets to align

It's time you go on

Get your things, get up, get out

I'm doing fine, yeah yeah

Alec stared at Jace, at the guilty look that crossed his face, only there a moment before it was replaced with steel in his golden eyes.

"This isn't right."

"Oh?" Valentine mused, "And why not?" His voice moved into a saccharine flavor, "I could do the same for you, Alexander, think about it. An Angel. They're revered on Earth. Mortals worship Angels, they want to be us. Don't you want that? To be looked upon like you're a god? Forever immortal in the fantasy those below us only dream to live in."

"It's not the way of things. It's natural, and not controlled, as nature and spirits should be," he stepped forward, uncharacteristically confident, "Why did you bring me here in the first place if you were just going to repeat what you said ay my apartment?"

Someday these walls will speak

The floors beneath you creek

To call my name

Here in my web of dreams

My whispers turn to screams

And place the blame

Valentine shook his head in mock remorse, "I was so hoping that you could see that you could have it so much better here, with me, with all of us. Alexander, you have so much potential to benefit this cause. I don't want to see your blood spilt in battle because you selected to shadow the wrong side. My morals will not allow you to live while you stood by the Hellions and the Fallen. It would be such a shame to have to kill you now, to save the trouble of battle. Your death might just settle this little conflict, their resolve dead with you."

With Valentine's words Sebastian looked hopeful.

Jace cut in, his worry for his brother increasing, "But how can we win without him? The prophecy, it says that he's the deciding factor, without him we can't win, he can't die so long as he isn't on our side."

"You know, it really is too bad that Clary was too busy to join us," Sebastian sniped, Valentine waved him off.

At the mention of Clary, Jace's hand found another grip on Alec's bicep, fingers digging into his skin.

"And as I don't favor waiting an additional handful of centuries to discover the reincarnated so called "savior," I'm afraid Jace is right, we cannot kill Alexander. It would only sustain the inevitable war, and I've grown tired of dealing with lesser beings in my way," He addressed Sebastian, "Take Alexander along to one of the lowermost chambers," Valentine spoke to Alec next, "I wouldn't try to run, there's nowhere for you to run. You can't leave, not without wings, and although your aging life is at a standstill in these worlds, you are not yet able to move between the worlds without aid. A minor detail that the nature of things did not foresee as problematic, in nature there are flaws as well."

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Rose, Rose, Rose, Red

Will I ever see thee wed?

Only if you discover me

Magnus looked up lazily from where he was perched on his chair, book in his lap. Things were mild, the calm before the storm. The next battle would be the last, the defining element in this war. Until the time when a call to arms was needed, everyone was with their families and friends, celebrating, just living their lives together. Isabelle was pushing past the door, a look on her face that could either pass as concern or annoyance; it was like she couldn't choose which one she should be feeling.

"Have you seen Alec?" She asked.

Magnus set down his book, "He went to go see you," he looked out of the window, it was later than he thought, the sky a dark crimson, "A while ago by the looks of it."

"See, I thought that he just got sidetracked with something, namely you, but he always goes to meet me, late or not, and this is much too late for him." Her anxiety was increasing, "He isn't with anyone else. I ran into the others and asked if they'd seen him around, and they haven't, and I- fuck! I don't know if I'm just over reacting right now."

"We aren't in a normal situation right now. There's a perfectly good reason to be worried," Magnus hesitated, "You don't think that Jace might have come down here for him, do you?"

"Do you think that he would even fully join Valentine?"

Magnus shrugged, "You did it for your brother, and even if you won't fully admit it, a lot of your decision had to do with Simon too. The same goes for Jace. He has Clary to worry about. Denying Valentine is placing her between them both. He feels the need to protect her, and although he loves Alec as if they were really brothers, romantic love can cloud judgment even more than brotherly love."

"Then, if Jace came down here for Alec, we need to find a way up there immediately. "

Line Break/ Line Break/ Line Break/ Line Break/ Line Break/ Line Break/ Line Break/ Line Break

Tell me no more stories

And I'll tell you no lies

No one wants to hurt me

But everybody tries

Alec's head fell back against the wall, his body following the impact on the hard cement. He struggled to catch his breath as an arm dug into his neck, restricting his air flow. He took in Sebastian, he too was breathing deeply, harsh breathes puffing past his lip and Alec felt a spike of pride when he was the blood dripping from his nose and the bruises that had formed on Sebastian's face. They would heal, but until then Sebastian would feel them stinging his skin, and his own pride.

"You really do think that you're better than them don't you? You're so lost up here in this supposed perfect world and strung up in Valentine's delusions and serious god complex that you honestly believe that don't you?" Alec asked,

Alec slid to the ground and Sebastian left the room, the door swinging shut, the locking sounding in place, an echo in the hollow room.

Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/

Alec didn't know how long he had sat, curled on himself on the floor. He was trying to formulate a way, anyway to contact Magnus, anybody in Hell. He knew that once they realized he wasn't there, Magnus would come to find him, but Alec didn't want to think about what might happen to Magnus, or Isabelle, anybody, if they were caught in Heaven.

The lock clicked and clanked until the door swung open, a silhouette from the light of the outside before the figure stepped forward in the open space.

"Jace!"

He nodded to Alec.

"What-"

"Why are you doing this?" Jace asked, tired.

Alec blinked, "What do you mean?"

"Defying Valentine, siding with those demons?" Again, the word was spat with weak venom.

"I told you," Alec replied, "In the cathedral I told you; in front of Valentine I said it all. And the reception I've met here isn't doing much to convince me that I'm wrong about my belief in the Hellions and Fallen.

"Jace, why can't you understand what is happening? You have to know what Valentine is doing to you, to Clary, to everyone. I know you're better than this," Alec appealed, "If you can convince Clary-"

Get your things, get up, get out

I'm doing fine, yeah yeah

Tell me no more stories

And I'll tell you no lies

No one wants to hurt me

But everybody tries

"What?!" Demanded Jace forcefully, "What is going to happen? Alec, don't you see, we'll be hated down there, and up here we can have a future, a bright one," Jace's words lacked conviction, and Alec could hear it, Jace's eyes darting

around the room, never looking Alec straight in the eye.

Alec scoffed, "Now that is something that you cannot believe. You and her both will be living in fear, even if Valentine wins, especially if he wins. Angels fall Jace, and they are taken in and treated with respect. Yes, they will be untrusting at first, but you would be Fallen, don't you see that? You could never go back, so they would know that you belong with them," he thought of Magnus, and his wings. If Alec thought hard about it, he could almost see them immaculate white, gracefully arched in the sky, wind fluttering them about, but they would always look off, as if they never should have been there, like the Fallen wings were what really told his story, and they did. Nobody looked at him any differently, if anything, they saw him as a leading light, most Hellions saw the Fallen that way.

"Alec-"

"It is that simple Jace. Fall. That's all it is. There will be pain, I won't lie about that, but there will be freedom where you can't get it here," he hesitated, letting a beat of silence pass, "Clary could draw again. Make her art like she used to. I know they don't allow that anymore."

And if you think that I've been waiting

For my planets to align

It's time you go on

Get your things, get up, get out

I'm doing fine, yeah yeah

He watched in half agony when Jace turned on his heel and left, the door swinging shut, leaving Alec in silence.

Silence.

Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/

For this freedom

I have given all I had

For this darkness

I gave my light

For this wisdom

I have lost my innocence

Take my petals

And cover me with the night

Magnus and Isabelle slipped through the corridors, watching with cautious eyes so as not to become lost in the labyrinth of white. They were nearing the bottom level of the building, both hoping that they would find Alec there, as they had heard nothing of him being in the upper levels. That would be a signal that Alec had agreed to Valentine's terms, or was negotiating those terms. Neither Isabelle, nor Magnus had any suspicion that it would be the case.

An echoing of footsteps sounded their alarm, both stiffening at the sound before swiftly slipping through a side hall, wary of the person approaching. Magnus kept one eye on the hall, as to determine who it was that was walking by. Earlier they had stumbled upon Jace, who looked on edge as he emerged from the lowest level, eyes scurrying one way and another, as if he were being followed, or suspicious of being followed. It took a strong glance from Magnus to stop Isabelle from running to Jace, her brother whom she remembered so fondly. It killed him inside to watch as her shoulders slumped and her posture deflated.

Tell me no more stories

And I'll tell you no lies

No one wants to hurt me

But everybody tries

And if you think that I've been waiting

For my planets to align

It's time you go on

A shock of black hair and the glint of blue eyes was all Magnus needed to reach out just far enough to pull Alec into where Isabelle and Magnus were concealed.

"Magnus! Isabelle!" Alec whispered, not willing to let his voice carry out too far and get caught.

"How did you get up here?" Izzy asked, "We thought you would be-"She hesitated when she caught his slit lip and the contusions that were darkening on his neck and cheekbone.

"I was, but Jace," he hesitated, "I think he's going to leave. He left the door unlocked, on purpose. I think I convinced him Izzy," he looked up at Magnus and kissed him chastely on the mouth, "I knew you'd come."

Get your things, get up, get out, get out, get out

I'm doing fine, yeah yeah

Tell me no more stories

And I'll tell you no lies

No one wants to hurt me

But everybody tries

And if you think that I've been waiting

For my planets to align

It's time you go on

Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/

"You realize what you're saying, don't you Jace? It's near treason, and it's, I can't believe this, I thought this was what you wanted," Clary was watching as Jace paced the floor, eyes green and wide.

"I think Alec's right. And I know what's going to happen once we do it but," Jace stopped and walked over to where Clary was sitting on their bed, he took her hands in his, "Are you happy here?" He seriously asked.

Clary hesitated, "I-I don't know. There are things I miss that I can't-"

"Your art," Jace said in understanding.

Clary nodded, "I miss drawing, and painting, but I don't need them if it's not what's-"

"Clary," Jace breathed, "You loved art, so much. You were so good at it, amazing. You- you wouldn't have to give that up. Even if the Hellions win, there's no sure way to know that you could do that again. I want you to be happy."

"Alec and Isabelle are there."

Jace nodded.

"I miss them too."

Jace nodded again, and they both squeezed each other's hands.

Clary nodded, "Okay then," she exhaled out, "Okay," a smile, "Let's do this."

Get your things, get up, get out

I'm doing fine, yeah yeah

Tell me no more stories

And I'll tell you no lies

No one wants to hurt me

But everybody tries

And if you think that I've been waiting

For my planets to align

It's time you go on

Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/

Heavy footsteps sounded in the halls above them, shouts of orders resonating to their level.

"Magnus, Isabelle, we've got to go now," Alec said, gripping onto Magnus's arm when they both nodded.

"Don't worry, we'll find Jace and Clary if they fall. They'll need time to recuperate and get used to the new feeling of their wings," Alec only nodded and let himself be transported back."

Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/Line Break/

Get your things, get up, get out

I'm doing fine, yeah yeah

Tell me no more stories

And I'll tell you no lies

No one wants to hurt me

But everybody tries

Their wings were pulled back from the force of gravity, the wind lacerating their skin while it sang Heaven in their ears. Any conscious movement to right themselves snapped bone. Feathers danced around them like a cyclone, blackening and burning as they were ripped from their place. The warm liquid dripping from their backs grew in intensity as it was heated with the fires from Hell, boiling and scarring flesh and bone.

And if you think that I've been waiting

For my planets to align

It's time you go on

Get your things, get up, get out

I'm doing fine, yeah yeah

Yeah, yeah

-Rose Red

Emilie Autumn

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