Chapter 10: First Steps and Missing

Sorry I didn't update yesterday, I was super busy! I`ve now decided to update every other day instead of daily. I know this stinks, but it`s so I can have a life outside fanfiction. All characters belong to Cassandra Clare.

When 11-month-old Luke Lightwood took his first wobbly steps, we were ready. Jace caught it all on video. We were both proud and worried. Now that Luke could walk, he`d be a lot easier to get lost. He had already crawled out the Institute 5 times. I smiled tearfully at Jace, who was crying as well. Luke toddled over to us. He stared at our watery eyes and he scrunched up his forehead in confusion.

"What?"

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Luke`s Spaghetti-o`s had finally cooled off. I went over to the playpin I had left him I while I fixed dinner. It was empty. I walked down the hall and checked the restroom, knowing he sometimes liked to unroll the toilet paper for fun. Nobody was in there. I ran to the weapons room, figuring he was in there with Jace. I entered the room.

"Honey, is Luke with you?" I asked. Jace lazily tossed a dagger, imbedding it in the wall.

"No. Wasn`t he in his playpin while you made him dinner?" He replied, and did a perfect flip.

"He was," I replied in a panicky voice. "But now I can`t find him."

Jace froze, almost falling off the beam. He jumped off, and ran over.

"What? Luke`s missing?" He struggled to catch his breath.

"Yeah. I`ve checked the playpin, the bathroom, and here." I told him, and he sighed.

"Well first let`s check our room," Jace said calmly and we both head down the hall and opened the door. We made a huge mess as we called out his name.

"Let`s try Mayrse," I suggested. "Luke absolutely adores her." Jace nodded and we went to his mom`s room. We glanced around, disappointed.

"Maybe he`s in her bathroom." Jace said. I shugged and jiggled the doorknob.

"Go away, I`m in the tub!" My mother-in-law snapped. Jace and I quickly left, horrified.

"Let`s try Alec`s room," Jace said.

"It`s worth a try." I told him as we entered his brother`s room. Alec was fast asleep on his bed. His hair stuck up in all directions and he was wearing only a pair of boxers covered in ducks.

"No Izzy, no, don`t make me try your pepperoni muffins, please." Alec mumbled. He rolled over and farted loudly. Jace and I cracked up, forgetting for a moment about Luke. And then we heard Isabelle scream. Alec jumped out of bed, woken by the noise, and ran to her room with us, in nothing but his underwear. All three of us gasped at the sight. Luke sat on the floor, grinning. His blond curls were coated with glitter, and his forehead was streaked with eyeliner. Luke had messily put mascara and eye shadow on his lashes and it was on half of his face. Lipstick was smeared on his chin. His aunt stomped around irritably, mourning the loss of her makeup. We couldn`t take it anymore. Jace, Alec, and I doubled over laughing. When we finally managed to stop me and my husband sighed with relief. Isabelle had calmed down and laughed as she finished wiping off his face. Jace picked up Luke and smiled.

"Time for dinner, Lucy."