Okay, so If you read my story The Challenge you already know that I had this chapter done days ago but then all but the first paragraph got deleted. It was five a.m and I thought I saved it but I didn't. After crying my eyes out for hours and grieving the lose of all the raw emotion I put into the chapter I finally rewrote it. This wasn't easy since every time I started it I would get sad but I hope you all like it.

Thanks to all of you who sent your kind words about the chapter and told me you would wait for a great result. I hope I made it worth your wait.

SAN: Last night as you commented on the challenge and asked me how BTEL was doing I was working on this chapter. Seeing you suddenly ask me about it made me happy and it helped me finish it so thank you for thinking about me :)

All my readers helped me out and you all are amazing so thank you.

Note: There's a new character named Dantes, it's pronounced like Don-tez. Sometimes it confuses people.

Born to Endless Love Chapter Ten: Unlikely friends

Max Age: 14, Alec Age: 34

Max Pov- I got ready to go to the institute with my father trying to figure out why father pretty much told me I was going instead of giving me a choice. He said today was going to be a special day for the institute and I should be there to see it. I asked for more details but he just told me to get ready and walked out. I just can't figure out what it could be.

"It's not anyone's birthday and it's not any Shadowhunter holidays. Raziel, I can't figure it out" I whined, never liking being in the dark. This was just cruelty on my father's part. Angel knows he hates being surprised but it's alright for him to spring things onto me all of a sudden.

My dad walked into the room smiling but it fell when he seen I was still in my Pajamas. "How come every time your father wants you to go somewhere I always walk in on you still in your pajamas?" I looked at him frowning "Dad do you know why father wants me to go to the institute with him?" His smiled returned showing that he did indeed know why I must go.

I pouted and batted my blue eyes at him going to use every trick in my book to make him talk. "What's the surprise daddy?" Dad laughed "calling me daddy won't get you anywhere. Hurry up and get dressed your father and you need to get going."

He walked out shutting the door behind him and I stared at that door shocked. Daddy didn't work? This is something serious if calling him daddy didn't work. This was going to be something they both know I would run from if I knew what it was.

"Calm down Max, you can do this. It's your father you're talking about here. He's the gentle caring one who never puts you in situations you can't handle. Just get dressed and leave."

I went into my walk in closet skimming through my options of the day. My fashion sense has… improved if that's really the word I want to use. I have always had my own sense of style but spending so much time with my dad kind of influenced me. I've started using the extension name Lightwood Bane, so why not add more of a Bane flare to everything I wear?

I changed into my favorite black skinny jeans, my favorite blue T-shirt with the words 'I'm Feeling Blue' written on it, and a nice black dress shirt unbuttoned and left open. I completed the look with my favorite gray sparkly boots (sadly my dad's love of glitter finally rubbed off on me), my favorite gray beanie, and I applied a light touch of black eyeliner so my blue eyes popped. Eyeliner is the only makeup I like as of late and it's the only thing father will let me wear. He thinks I'm too young for makeup which I kind of agree with.

I moved over to my full length mirror making sure I looked perfect before heading into the living room. Father looked at me scaling my outfit before a small smile appeared on his face "You look more and more like your dad every day." I rolled my eyes smiling "well you wouldn't tell me what to expect so I just dressed the way I wanted to." Dad smiled wrapping his arm across my shoulders and kissing my forehead "I think you look great blueberry."

I looked down "you don't think the shirt is a bit out of place for a Shadowhunter event?" Dad looked at my shirt smiling at the words "the play on words is nice." My 'I'm Feeling blue' shirt was a Christmas present from my uncle Simon as a pun on my blue skin. The joke was on him though because I absolutely adore this shirt and wear it whenever I can.

"You look great now let's head out. We have to catch the subway before it leaves the station." I crossed my arms "I want to know why you want me to go with you to the Institute." "Don't worry about it lets' just go" he said grabbing my arms and walking out of the flat with me.

We glamoured ourselves before walking to the subway station in silence. Once we were on the train we each took a seat and I looked at him "Why are you doing this to me? You don't let me keep secrets from you so why are you doing this?" Father shrugged looking ahead "maybe I think it's for your own good." I glared at him "well maybe I see an umbrella full of spiders in your future."

"Do it and you'll be grounded till you're twenty years old" he said simply. I looked away crossing my arms, knowing he was serious about that. Father doesn't make empty threats. "I don't like being in the dark father."

He glanced over at me before just looking ahead again keeping completely silent. Once we got to the right station we got off the train and once again walked in silence till we got to the institute. We got off the elevator and uncle Jace was standing there waiting for us.

"Alec you're late. You were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago to greet everyone." Father smiled "sorry but my son took forever to get dressed." Uncle Jace looked over at me and skimmed my outfit. "well, look who's spending too much time with Magnus."

I frowned looking down at my outfit again. I have my own distinct sense of style but I always thought it was inspired by both my parents. I always try to have a blend of old and new, dark and light, plain yet fun. So much of myself is a blend of my parents.

I crossed my arms looking away from him. "Excuse me for wanting to look fabulous" I said before frowning hearing myself. I really did sound like my dad just now. "I rest my case" uncle Jace said looking like he was trying not to laugh.

Father looked at me smiling "you should go to the library Max. I'll come get you if I need you." My jaw dropped. "You had me come here just so I could sit in the library and read?"

"Go, go, I'll come get you soon I swear." I rolled my eyes shaking my head before walking to the library. I really don't understand what's going on with him. If he wanted me to read, I could have just done it at home.

The library was my favorite room in the institute it's true but that's only because of the portal inside it. I tend to get in trouble a lot for messing with that portal but really how can I not? I can't make my own portal till I'm sixteen and that may be two years away but it felt like ten. The least they could do is allow me to practice with that one, but no.

I stopped in front of the library and laid my forehead on the door sighing. There's no way he had me come here just to sit in the library. He was planning something and I was positive now that it was something bad. Maybe the Clave will be testing me on my magic to see if I've gotten better control.

Whatever it is father said it would be for my own good. What could possibly happen today that could be for my own good? "Stop stressing out over this Max. You'll know everything soon enough" I told myself frowning.

I grabbed the doorknob going into the library sighing. "Oh, Max you're here" an unfamiliar voice came from the desk making me look toward it. My entire body froze as my eyes linked with the boy I burned years ago. He was taller than before but that wasn't the only thing different about him.

His muscles were toned and filled out yet he still looked slimmer than most Shadowhunters. His hair and skin were still golden, and his blue eyes seemed lighter now that they weren't shrouded in hate. My eyes moved over to the burn scar running over his left eye that ruined his otherwise perfect face. I was the one who made him imperfect.

He moved away from the desk stepping closer to me "Max, I really wanted to speak with you." Him getting closer made me switch out of my frozen state and I turned running out of the library. "Max wait" he yelled running after me but I didn't stop. I didn't want to ever have to face this.

I frowned thinking about my fathers' plan and I was hit with betrayal. He knew I didn't want to face this boy. He knows that I'm being eaten away with guilt and I never wanted to see this boy again. Why did he do this to me?!

I turned the corner hoping to get on the elevator but I ended up hitting a dead end instead. I cursed under my breath before turning to run in the other direction but it was too late. The boy I burned was standing there blocking my way. I backed up against the wall looking down and closing my eyes tight.

"Please, I'm so, so sorry about burning you. I got angry and I took it out on you. I gave you that scar and made your life painful so for that I'm so sorry." Silence. I waited for him to yell at me or make fun of me but all there was, was silence. I opened my eyes looking up and he was standing right in front of me with a look of sadness and guilt.

"No Max; I should be the one apologizing to you." My eyes widened in shock. "What?" He rubbed the back of his neck glancing away "I said somethings that were harsh and I pushed you into defending yourself."

I wanted to argue that I still shouldn't have acted out but I was so shocked by his words that I couldn't speak. He looked back at me frowning "my father told me all these things about you and your family. I believed these things because he's my father and I trusted him. You knocked some much needed sense into me though and your father helped me too."

Him mentioning my father made me the most shocked. "How did my father help you?" He bit his lip glancing away "could we maybe go to the library and talk instead of being out here out in the open?" "Afraid of being seen with a Warlock" I asked watching him.

His eyes got wide and he looked at me "no that's not it at all. I'm not ashamed of being seen with you. I just plan on talking about some personal stuff and I rather not do it in the hallway." I thought about that for a moment before nodding "let's go back to the library then."

He smiled at me holding out his hand "My name is Darius Rosewood. It's a pleasure to meet you." I looked at his hand hesitantly before giving him my hand and shaking his "I'm Max Lightwood Bane." Darius smiled more but lost his smile when a familiar voice coming down the hall said "well look what we have here."

He turned around looking at his two friends from before. They were walking up to us both smirking. They obviously didn't change since the last time I seen them. Darius got in front of me protecting me from them "Joseph, Gabriel."

The Dark haired boy, I'm guessing he's Gabriel; stopped in front of us still smirking. "Look what we have here" he repeated "The fag and the monster becoming buddies."

I frowned thinking about what he just said. I was obviously the monster right? That means the fag was… I gasped before looking at Darius shocked. The guy who smirked and told me my parents were shameful for being together was gay!?

He stared them down, not denying what they called him. "Max isn't a monster. Both those words are offensive. I apologized for the last time we seen Max and I think the two of you should apologize too."

They both busted out laughing and Joseph shook his head "Does sucking dick make you brain dead Darius? Why would we apologize when we didn't do anything wrong?" Darius clenched his fists and it shocked me to see him get so worked up over them hurting me. "Max is a person just like us, you need to apologize."

Gabriel walked around Darius looking like he was thinking about apologizing. He then smirked and grabbed me by my T-shirt slamming me against the wall hard. I closed my eyes from the pain and tried not to panic. Dad says that when I'm scared the best thing to do is to act like whatever scares you doesn't bother you. "You're wrinkling my shirt" I said carelessly, pissing Gabriel off more.

"Gabriel, let him go now or else" Darius yelled making the other boys laugh. "What have you been up to monster? Been burning any of your victims lately?" Joseph looked at Darius placing his index finger on a part of his burn under his eye. "How can you defend someone who caused you so much pain and suffering?"

Darius moved away from him glaring "I'm the one who made Max hurt me. Let him go." Gabriel looked back at me smirking "Have your parents regretted adopting you yet? Do you still wonder why mommy didn't want you and why you're all alone?"

I opened my eyes looking him in the eye trying to look like his words didn't faze me. I put on my best poker face before saying "I'll have you know that my dads' both love me a lot. My mother couldn't handle loving me but I have come to accept that. I'm far from alone because I have amazing friends and two cousins who I love with all my heart. What do you have?"

All three of them looked stunned but Gabriel's shock soon turned to fury and he slammed me against the wall again "watch your mouth warlock." Joseph crossed his arms smirking again "what are you going to do Warlock? You going to lose control and burn him like you did Darius?" I glanced at him keeping up my unfazed front.

"I have great control of my magic. In fact, I could make you both go completely insane if I wanted to. I won't do that though because despite what you say I'm not a monster. If you want to keep categorizing me as one, then that's your propagative but that doesn't mean I have to prove you right."

Gabriel glared intensely at me before finally letting go of my shirt. "This isn't over Warlock" he said before turning and walking away. Joseph glared at me a moment longer before going after his friend. Darius watched them before smiling at me "by the angel Max, that was amazing."

I took a couple steps away from the wall before leaning forward and resting my head on his chest feeling all the strength I had leave me. "I was terrified" I whispered trying to get my heart to stop racing. Darius rubbed my head smiling "well I wouldn't have guessed. You did great."

I caught my breath for a few more seconds before standing up straight and looking at him. "So… you're into guys?" He laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head "um well I'm interested in one guy in particular. He's really nice, I'm sure he would like you."

I watched him thinking. "If you don't mind me asking; what does your father think about you being gay?" He sighed dropped his hand to his side "my father and I don't really see eye to eye. I don't want to be what he wants me to be and he doesn't like what I who I want to be. I'm moving here so we can have some time apart since he said he can't even look at me right now."

I frowned "I'm sorry you're going through such a hard time." He shrugged smiling lifting his arms up to stretch them "it's no big deal. I get to learn demon hunting from my hero so it'll be a lot of fun." I blinked confused "is Jace your hero?"

He looked at me in silence for a moment before lowering his arms "um no, Alec Lightwood is my hero." My eyes widened in shock "my father is your hero? Why would he be your hero?" Darius shrugged smiling "Alec Lightwood is every gay Shadowhunters hero."

I frowned beyond confused now "why? I can never figure out what it is that people admire about my father? Do they admire him just because he's a gay war hero?" Darius was next to look shocked "Max don't you know what your parents did for the Shadowhunter world?"

I shook my head no "they told me how they met but that's pretty much it. I spent a couple stupid years trying to avoid being close to my dad so I didn't ask him a lot of questions." Darius shook his head crossing his arms "that's a shame. You don't even know how amazing your father is."

I frowned looking down and Darius quickly put his hand on my shoulder "I'm sorry Max. I wasn't trying to make you feel bad. Let's go to the library and I'll tell you all the reasons why I respect your father." I glanced up at him thinking before nodding and walking with him back to the Library.

Once we got there we both took a seat and he smiled "wow where should I start?" I thought before saying "you can start by telling me what it was that my parents supposedly did for the Shadowhunter world." Darius's smiled grew "He kissed your dad in front of everyone in the Accords Hall." I shook my head in shock "that's why everyone admires him? Because he kissed my dad in public? He does that all the time."

"It wasn't always okay for us Shadowhunters to love who ever we wanted, being gay was illegal and most Nephilim hid it from the world. Your father kissing Magnus in front of everyone was him coming out. Him coming out caused a whole domino effect of gay Shadowhunters to come out as well." "My parents kissing did all that?"

He nodded "not just that. They were the first Shadowhunter/Downworlder couple to ever get married in gold. They pushed for the law to be changed that the Clave and any other Shadowhunter had to acknowledge them as a married couple. It's not just gays that they helped, they helped mixed couples as well. So many people admire them it's not just me."

I frowned thinking about all these people that looked up to my father. I couldn't figure out what there was to admire about him but it seemed total strangers could. They practically worshiped the ground my father walked on. I really am a horrible son for not knowing any of this stuff.

"May I ask you a question" Darius asked watching me. I looked at him and nodded "sure what is it?" He hesitated before asking "why did you spend years avoiding your father? Was it something I said?"

I shook my head no "oh no it wasn't anything you did." I frowned glancing away "I couldn't face the fact that he'll die and leave my dad and I someday." He frowned and reached over putting his hand on one of mine "that must be hard to think about." I nodded "yeah so I don't make a habit of thinking about it. I avoid it as much as I can."

He frowned "that's not good though right? Do you at least talk to your dad about it? I'm sure he would understand." I shook my head frowning "dad is worse than I am about bringing up the subject."

I slouched in my chair frowning "sometimes when father isn't paying attention dad will just watch him. He'll look happy but suddenly his eyes would get sad. I think he thinks about his life without father or is trying to make sure fathers image is burned into his memory. I don't want him to have to think about it because of me."

I didn't want to continue this conversation so I asked "what other reasons is my father your hero?" Darius looked hesitant on changing the subject at first then answered "well last time your dad was in Idris he gave me a pep talk into being okay with being gay. He told me I shouldn't be ashamed of who I love." I thought back to when father last went to Idris and got wide eyed "That was four years ago! You knew you were gay at ten years old?!"

He shrugged "like I said before I like one guy. If I didn't meet him I'm sure I wouldn't have noticed that soon." I frowned pulling my knees to my chest hugging them tight "I'm fourteen and I still don't know if I even like girls, boys or both. I've never had a crush on anyone, yet everyone around me seems to like someone."

"Max you're fourteen, you have so much time to get interested in someone. You have thousands of years so you shouldn't be stressed over it." I looked at him surprised by his understanding. "You've changed a lot since we last seen each other."

He smiled "well your father isn't my only hero. You are too." My jaw dropped "me?!" He laughed and shoved me slightly "yes you, silly you. You helped me see the error in the way my father was teaching me."

I closed my mouth looking at his burn mark frowning "how bad was it growing up with that scar?" He shrugged "it hurts sometimes but besides that it doesn't really bother me." I turned my head to the side curious. "What does your boyfriend think about the burn?"

He laughed nervously glancing away "um well, he's sort of a crush for now. I don't have the guts to ask him out just yet. As for the burn, he thinks it's cool and gives me character." He put his hand over his left eyes smiling sweetly "he's the one who made me comfortable with this burn."

I stared at him stunned by the sweetness of his smile and the fondness in his eyes. I've seen that look somewhere before. "Darius where are you" an almost musical male voice asked from the hallway. I looked at the door confused and Darius gasped excitedly before calling out "I'm in the library Dantes."

The door opened and a boy walked in looking at us "There you are Darius. You know I hate when you leave me alone with your awful friends. They say such horrible things to me" he said walking up to us. The closer he got to us the more stunned I got from looking at him.

He was stunning. His hair was the color of dark chocolate yet his skin was so pale it almost looked like snow. The features that stood out on him though were his dazzling violet eyes, and his slightly pointed ears that reminded me of aunt Helen's. "Part Fay" I whispered to myself.

Darius nodded smiling "Max this is Dantes Crossheart, he's part Faerie. His mother was a Faerie and his father is a Shadowhunter." Dantes looked at me smiling a smile that was so dazzling it was blinding. "I'm so glad to finally get to meet the famous Max Lightwood. Darius is always talking about you and your father."

I shook his hand smiling back "I've actually been going by Lightwood Bane now, I figured I should show who both my parents are." Dantes let go of my hand still smiling "well that's sweet of you to consider both your parents' feelings like that." He looked back at Darius "like I was saying when I walked in; you left me with your horrible friends." Darius sighed "they're not my friends anymore remember? They turned their backs on me when I decided to be myself."

Dantes nodded smiling up at him "well you still have me." The fondness in Darius's eyes heightened as he smiled down at Dantes. "I wouldn't ever want to lose you." Dantes glanced away, his pale face being colored in pink.

I looked between them finally remembering where I have seen that look Darius has in his eyes. That's the look of undying love my dad gives my father. Father gives dad the look right back. That must mean that Darius is madly in love with Dantes; and Dantes seems to be quite smitten with him as well.

"I came to find you because Isabelle Lightwood wanted us to meet her outside for she can start the tour of the institute." Darius nodded before looking at me "Dantes and I are both moving here so I hope we'll all become great friends." I nodded "I would like that a lot… maybe you could meet my friends. I'm sure they would like you."

He smiled "that sounds like fun. I would love to meet your friends… I'm sorry I was too stupid to realize how awesome a friend you would be." I smiled at him "how about we just start fresh from now on?" He nodded before walking away with Dantes.

I watched them before catching my breath; going through everything that just happened to me. Once I was done going through everything I stormed out of the library and went to the weapons room to find my father. This may have turned out well but he tricked me into a situation that could have backfired badly. He had no right to do what he did and he was going to hear it.

I slammed the weapons room door open making both father and uncle Jace looked at me confused. "Hello Max" father said raising an eyebrow in question. "Don't you 'hello Max me'. Uncle Jace out now" I said pointing to the door.

Father looked stunned in shock and uncle Jace laughed saying "ooooo, you're in trouble" before walking out. Once he was out I kicked the door shut before walking up to my father. "How could you trick me like that? You knew I didn't want to ever see Darius Rosewood again."

Father lost the shocked look and now just looked irritated, crossing his arms. "I did what I thought was best for you. I couldn't let you hide from your fears for the rest of your life. You needed to face Darius and he wanted to apologize to you as well."

I glared up at him "It was a dirty trick and you know it. I didn't want to see him and I thought you respected that." He raised an eyebrow in question again "and now that you have seen him again? How do you feel?"

I frowned losing some of my anger "the happiest I have felt in a long while. That's not the point though; the point is that this could have gone badly. This was the kind of trickery that I would expect from dad. You aren't supposed to be like dad; you're supposed to be the kind caring parent that doesn't force me into things."

He gave me one of his sweet fatherly smiles before running his hand through my hair "listen Max. I won't always be able to be that kind of parent for you. I don't want you to hide from your fears. I know how scary facing your fears can be, believe me but facing them could change your life or even the world."

I looked up at him meeting his eyes "like how you facing your fears changed the world for gay Shadowhunters and mixed couples?" He looked a little surprised that I knew about that but he nodded "that's right." "What would have happened if you didn't face your fears?" He rubbed his chin thinking about that.

"Well I guess I would have never come out, I would have never pursued your dad, and I would still have a crush on your uncle Jace. I wouldn't have kissed your dad in the Accords hall and the world would have never changed." I got wide eyed "you had a crush on uncle Jace?" He sighed crossing his arms "out of everything I said that's what you got out of it? Yes, I had a very, very, very stupid crush on Jace."

I hide my mouth under my hand not being able to stop myself from laughing. "What would that have been; Jalec?" Dad shook his head "by the angel please don't give us a couple name. It was a long time ago and it was stupid." I laughed again shaking my head "uncle Jace could have been daddy Jace."

Father rolled his eyes and put his hand on my shoulder "the point is Max; I don't want you to hide from things that scare you. Life gets hard sometimes but we can't run away from it. We have to fight it head on no matter what okay?" I frowned nodding "yeah… I'm still mad at you."

He smiled at me before running his hand through my hair again. Father was really the only person I liked doing that. "Do you know what the best outcome of me facing my fears is?" I shook my head no "what?"

He smiled sweetly before kissing my forehead "If I never faced my fears I wouldn't have gotten the greatest son of all time." I looked up at him shocked and I could feel the burn of tears stinging at my eyes. I hugged my father around his waist hiding my face in his shirt. "I'm happy you faced your fears too… if you didn't I wouldn't have gotten the most amazing father in the world."

Father pressed his lips to the top of my head and I could feel him smiling against my scalp "thank you for saying that Max." I smiled closing my eyes enjoying my father's warmth. It was moments like these that makes me wish I could freeze time. I won't always have these moments so I have to treasure them forever and never forget them.

Father pulled his face away from me smiling "Come on, we should go home and celebrate you facing your fears." I smiled nodding but didn't let him go "can I hold onto you a little bit longer?" He nodded smiling moving his arm around my shoulders holding me close to him as we walked out of the weapons room and headed home.

I hope you all liked it. now it's time for me to rant a little because I feel like I should explain why losing the chapter bothered me the way it did. You all know I have been waiting for Max and Darius to become friends. I hinted at it in almost every chapter and I so excited for this chap. I squeeze every drop of my love into every one of these chapters for you all and I felt like since I was so excited I squeezed out even more love then usual. Then... it was gone. All that love and emotion between Darius and Max, Max and Alec, Darius and Dantes was just gone. It was like my heart vanished with it and I didn't think I would be able to put the amount of love I did before in. Well... I couldn't repeat the amount of love but all of your reviews and supportive words on the matter sure did help. I don't think I would have been able to do it without you guys so thank you so, so much. I love you guys and I swear to put in even more love into my next chapter :)

NOTE: The next chapter is going to be all about Darius. I want to show just how Max and Alec saved his life so I thought I would focus a chap on how Darius lived his life up till now. It's another chapter I'm excited about so lets hope nothing happens to it.

Sorry for the long rant guys, love you :)