Author's Note: Thank you for reading the last chapter. Please enjoy this one! I am going to try to start updating twice a week, but some encouragement would be nice. As I said before, this story compliments another Circle fic I wrote, Viva La Vida. If you are familiar with that fic, from time to time you'll see that a chapter echoes things that happened in that story, simply there were various things that lead up to the Accords that were experienced by the entire Circle, Michael included. This story focuses on Michael's point of view, so you will see his thoughts on these things. The hope of these stories, beyond me giving you all something fun to follow and read, is that they go together. As always, thank you again for reading and following. Enjoy!

Chapter 10

The weekend brought with it a merciful respite from the darkness before another week passed in the prison. At the end of the week an invitation arrived at Wayland Manor, for a baby shower for Jocelyn. Michael and Josie arrived mid afternoon, though Josie was feeling weak and Michael sat with her rather than socialize with anyone. Stephen and Amatis arrived some time later, and Valentine went to greet them. Being that Amatis was noticeably pregnant, their conversation immediately turned to babies.

"So are you having a boy or a girl?" Valentine asked, as Amatis held Stephen's hand and smiled. The rest of the Circle kept their distance from her.

"We're having a boy," Amatis said with a smile. "I found out for sure the other day when I went to see the Silent Brothers."

"How exciting," Valentine said, looking Amatis up and down. "Who would have ever thought that you and Stephen would be blessed with a boy?"

"Fate was on our side, I guess," Stephen said.

"Ah yes, fate," Valentine said with a nod. "Maybe if Michael and Josie have a boy, your sons can be parabatai. It's never too soon to start discussing that." Stephen looked over at Michael, shrugging.

"That would be my son's decision," Stephen said. He never had found someone to be his parabatai, not that he ever looked. For Michael and Robert it had just felt like fate. One day, they felt right together, and had continued to build on that until they were finally ready to swear as parabatai.

Now, Robert was across the patio with his arms around Maryse as he drank a beer. Earlier in the day, he and Michael had met for training, though it was back to feeling not quite right. There was something missing between them Michael noticed, and he wasn't sure what it was.

Stephen and Amatis went to get food as Valentine returned to Jocelyn's side. Amatis whispered something to Stephen, who replied, shaking his head, looking upset, briefly. He mixed a drink and had a sip, looking over at Michael and giving him a nod. Amatis stepped away, going to the other side of the patio where Maryse, Jocelyn, and Celine already sat. Josie kissed Michael on the cheek and walked over to them as Celine gave Stephen a smile, causing Stephen to blush.

"Perceptive as ever," Valentine said, moving close to Michael. "Thank the angel, at least for your parent's sake, that you waited until after you were married to conceive a child. A baby is something you should plan for, and expect. Not conceive one afternoon two months before you get married."

"What Stephen does is none of my business," Michael said. He thought about the blurry nights with Josie, the sex against the wall and on the chair. When his own child had been conceived, was what Michael had been thinking any different from what Stephen had been thinking?

Valentine smiled and dropped a few ice cubes into a glass. "I made Mrs. Herondale a drink; do you want to give it to her?" He held out a glass of pink liquid garnished with a few cherries. Stephen was already leaned against the railing of the patio, talking with Luke.

"Sure," Michael said. He took the glass and crossed the patio. "Amatis. A drink from the alpha." Amatis giggled and took the glass, popping a cherry in her mouth before having a sip.

"It's delicious, thank you," she said.

"You're welcome," Michael replied.

"We were just talking about you and Josie not wanting to find out what you're having," Jocelyn said. She was reclining on a chaise lounge, looking pale and tired as ever. "It's driving Valentine insane. He wants to plan the future, you know. The next generation."

"A girl is just as good as a boy," Josie said.

"Yes but a boy is a boy," Amatis said. "My boy is going to be a Herondale until his dying day. You know, Stephen was the last of his line, but now he won't be." She ran a hand over her stomach, smiling. Josie nodded, giving Michael a look. Michael hadn't thought about how much more he and Stephen had in common. The Wayland family had dwindled down over the years to a few old relatives scattered around the world. A girl was just as good as a boy, yes, but a boy could ensure the Wayland name wouldn't die out. "And you've no doubt heard what's been said about the Herondales."

"Don't get me started," Michael joked.

"What's been said?" Celine asked.

"Well, some say that a long time ago, a Herondale ancestor encountered an angel, and as a result, the Herondales have all had some sort of ability that sets them apart," Amatis said. "Not that it's been proven." Michael could see how this might be true. Stephen had always glowed from within with some sort of light. He was above average in everything, without even trying.

"No one has ever seen an angel," Celine said.

"You don't know that," Amatis said. "Do you?" Maryse smiled, if not a bit uncomfortably.

There was the sound of a voice raised just above normal, and Michael turned to see Luke grab Stephen by the collar of his shirt and pull his fist back. Valentine moved quickly, grabbing Luke from behind and pulling him away from Stephen. Michael stepped between them, pushing Stephen away, though Stephen's eyes were bright, his cheeks red in the still air.

"Temper, Lucian. Temper," Valentine whispered, his lips close to Luke's ear. "He's just a boy."

"I'm a bit more than just a boy," Stephen said. Luke cursed and struggled to free himself from Valentine's grip. Valentine gave Stephen a smile, proud, the same as he had been with Robert.

"Now, Lucian, you remember what it was like being young and hot headed, don't you?" Valentine asked. "He's just seeing what you'll let him get away with." Luke pulled away from Valentine and stomped off the patio, his hands making fists. He was frustrated, Michael could tell, and more than likely confused by what seemed to be an endless string of punishments when he had done nothing wrong. "That's right, walk it off, then come back for dinner." Luke yelled something and strode off into the shadows. "Stephen. I don't condone brawling at my parties."

"I was out of line, I'm sorry. It won't happen again," Stephen said.

"I have my doubts, judging by your performances at the Academy," Valentine said. He put an arm around Stephen's shoulders and patted him on the chest. "Come and eat, son."

Dinner was served at a long picnic table. Michael sat with Josie and Stephen sat across from him, with Amatis on his right side and Celine on his left. Midway through the meal, Luke returned and sat at the end of the table, opposite Valentine, and made conversation with Robert and Maryse. Valentine made certain to keep the conversation light and ask Stephen and Michael about their jobs. After the meal, Jocelyn opened presents with Valentine, and then, everyone split off into their usual groups for more socializing.

Sometime later, as the moon rose in the sky, Celine slipped out of her dress and walked into the water, drawing everyone's eyes to her. Luke followed next, removing his pants and shirt before he stepped into the lake. The earth seemed to have absorbed the heat of the day, and when Luke called to Michael and Stephen, it was Michael who stripped off his clothes and dove into the water, splashing Celine and causing her to scream and splash back. Then Robert was in the water as well, and Maryse, all of the tension of the evening seeming to have melted away.

When Michael was finally cold he climbed from the water and walked up to a bonfire Stephen sat beside, while Amatis remained on the patio with the other wives. Michael found his pants and pulled them on as Stephen watched, then sat beside him, the warmth of the fire feeling good against his damp skin.

"I don't feel quite right swimming with Amatis here," Stephen mumbled. He had swum, before, at his last meeting, getting rid of his clothes just as easily as everyone else in the Circle had, and had stayed close to Celine for most of the evening. Michael doubted that Stephen would ever tell his wife he had been skinny dipping with a girl who wasn't her. None of them had been raised that way, to view nudity as something that didn't always lead to sex.

"It's just swimming," Michael said, nudging Stephen. So far, no one had snuck off to the woods, though it was still early. "When do we work together next?"

"Tuesday night," Stephen said. Michael adopted the same position Stephen was sitting in, by resting his weight on his hands braced behind his hips, only, he laid his left hand over Stephen's hand and then glanced up at the patio briefly. Valentine was inside the house with Hodge, and the rest of the wives were all focused on one another. With Robert and Maryse occupied, no one saw Michael lift Stephen's hand and place it over his heart, guiding his fingers over the scar that the wolf had left behind.

Stephen seemed to somehow understand. He nodded a little, looking off into the distance, getting the same expression on his face that he got whenever they were patrolling the vampire wing. Very quickly, Stephen guided Michael's hand to his wrist, to the scar that went up his forearm.

"I saw how you were with the vampires," Michael whispered. "You don't want to torture them the way the other guards do. You treat them like I treat the werewolves, like you did something awful to their kind and feel guilty about it. You aren't the only one who has killed for him," Michael whispered, his face close to Stephen's. He thought about the werewolf in the woods, and the boy he had become just before he died. He thought about fighting for his life, and taking something else's.

"It was two vampires in a clearing," Stephen whispered. "My arm… Valentine sliced it open before he pushed me towards them. They attacked me and I had to fight for my life, but I survived." Michael nodded.

"Michael!" Michael looked up to see Valentine standing on the patio and sat back, putting some distance between he and Stephen. A blush crossed Stephen's face as they focused on Valentine, both guilty as school boys at what they had been saying, and how close they were together. Valentine smirked at them. "Michael. Stephen. I need to talk to you both."

They walked up to the house and followed Valentine inside. Valentine held a glass out to Stephen. On the counter was an old volume of potions, the pages turned to an elixir for sobriety. Not all Shadowhunters had knowledge of potions, and even fewer used potions.

"Drink this. You're drunk and I want you sober," Valentine said. Stephen downed the drink before Michael grabbed his hand and pulled him from the kitchen, in pursuit of Valentine. They went down a hallway and took a set of steps downstairs to the basement. In a room at the bottom of the steps was a desk and three chairs. Valentine sat behind the desk.

"You two seem to have hit it off quite nicely," Valentine said. Stephen blushed and stepped away from Michael. "I guess there isn't a whole lot to do for 12 hours in a prison besides… getting to know one another. Which is good. You're parabatai now."

"But Robert-" Michael said. This was another thing Valentine just couldn't do when the mood struck him. The Institution of parabatai was sacred. Michael hadn't sworn to Robert in the hopes that something better would come along; he and Robert would weather the storm and come out on the other side of it stronger. Yet there was Stephen sitting beside Michael, Stephen, dear, sweet, lovely Stephen, who had been a friend for so many years, Michael had lost count, and not Robert.

"Not officially. But you're a matched team of warriors, bound together in the name of one cause. Parabatai," Valentine said.

"As you wish, Valentine," Michael said, hating himself, just a little.

"We're down here because you have each proven to me that you'll stop at nothing to accomplish what I ask of you," Valentine said. "You have scars that bind you together, and secrets to keep. You may think that what I am about to ask of you is wrong, that it shouldn't be done, but you're loyal. You won't disappoint me. I will ask you to do something, and you will do it. Right?" Valentine asked. Stephen and Michael nodded. "Good. I want you to steal the Mortal Cup."

"I beg your pardon?" Stephen asked.

The Mortal Cup was kept at the Accords Hall. The Angel Raziel had given the Mortal Cup and Sword to Jonathan Shadowhunter, who used the Instruments to make the Shadowhunters. The Mortal Cup was kept in a shrine in the Accords Hall, surrounded by candles. Each of the two known Mortal Instruments were considered sacred artifacts by the Nephilim. The Silent Brothers guarded the Mortal Sword, while the Cup was guarded 24 hours a day by two guards.

Michael knew this information because one night in the prison locker room, two other guards were discussing how nice it would be to guard the cup, rather than prisoners. Guarding the Cup was a simple job, in fact, the guard that was discussing it said that half the time, the men whose duty it was to watch the Cup were asleep on the job. None of this information would have been easy to come by, had Stephen and Michael not already worked with guards.

"How?" Michael asked.

"We're going to walk in and take it," Stephen said. "No one expects anyone to take it, so we will."

"It will teach everyone a lesson," Valentine said. He rubbed his hands together, the smirk returning to his face. "None of us are safe, not with our world the way it is."

"Why do you want the Cup?" Michael asked.

"That's information on a need to know basis," Valentine said. "Right now, Michael, you don't need to know."

The party broke up not long after Michael and Stephen came back upstairs, each unable to find words to say to one another. They were charged with stealing the Cup, and were to steal it when Valentine asked them to. Until then, they were to go about their daily lives as if they weren't plotting to steal one of the Mortal Instruments.

Michael was feeling sick by the time he returned to Josie's side. He wasn't the only one, as Amatis was feeling ill and took Stephen from the party shortly thereafter. Michael and Josie returned home and went to bed, sleeping so soundly, neither of them dreamt.

Hours later, they awoke to the sun high in the sky and a crisp knock on their bedroom door. A note had been delivered by the housekeeper. It was Michael who took it and read it, and Michael who returned to the bed and crawled in beside Josie, reaching over to place a hand on her stomach, over the place where their son or daughter was growing, bit by bit, each day.

"What is it?" Josie whispered.

"Amatis," Michael said. "She fell ill last night, according to Luke. Terribly sick. There's no explanation. She gave birth early this morning, and the baby died soon after." Josie covered her mouth with her hand as she made a low, pained noise. Michael would have been devastated if Josie had a miscarriage as early on as she was, but Amatis had been much further along, nearly 20 weeks, and had appeared to have had a perfectly normal pregnancy, up until last night.

All Michael could think about was the glass of pink juice garnished with cherries. A drink prepared by Valentine, just for Amatis, and Michael had brought it to her, handing it to her himself. Everything had been fine before she had readily taken the glass and drank from it, having no idea what it might have contained.

Author's Note: Thank you for reading! Here is a teaser for the next chapter!

"Are you making the girls cry, Michael?" Valentine asked.