A/N: Sorry if this seems a little short. Still, it's out in fairly good time, so that's pretty good. Also I've realised that since the release of COHF, a lot of the details of this fic are inaccurate. I may try to fit the events of COHF around it, but tweaks will have to be made. Oh well, that's the joy of fanfiction. Enjoy!

Isabelle POV

I lay sprawled over my bed, running my fingertips over the runes carved into the elegant bow in my hands. Alec's bow. Except... He couldn't use it anymore. I'd taken it from Jace's room. I wasn't sure why, but I wanted it. Just to hold it in my hands. The wood was smooth, well worn. Well loved. It seemed sad that my brother's most reliable, most favourite weapon would never be used by him again. Still... It could be worse. I remembered the pain I'd felt when I realised he was dead. Holding his body in my arms, the second brother I'd lost. He was so cold. Like he'd been dead for days, not minutes. I couldn't believe it when I came face to face with him at Magnus's apartment. I still found it hard to get my head around.

I twanged the string, glancing up at the clock. Ten to nine. Almost time to meet him down in the Sanctuary. I decided to go down early. I'd take his bow, maybe try my hand at a few shots. I thought he'd like to see it being used.

I got up and made my way through the Institute. I heard talking from Jace's bedroom. I still found it astounding that Clary managed to evade Jocelyn almost every evening. I didn't know how she did it- that woman was intimidating. Still, I supposed she was busy with wedding preparations, and Luke probably helped keep her pacified. Walking on past, I headed down to the corridor leading to the Sanctuary.

"Isabelle," I stopped, looking over my shoulder. "Where are you going?" My mother was standing behind me, looking stern.

"Training."

"In the Sanctuary, not the training hall?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I wanted peace from Jace and Clary and their sickening adoration." I lied smoothly, adding in a grimace for good measure.

"But they're not training right now. And if I'm not mistaken, they've been coming down here with you every night for a while. What's going on?"

I swallowed. She wasn't going to leave this alone. "It's a larger space. Soundproofed, too. We can do different types of training to the stuff we do in the Institute."

"Yeah? What sort of training?"

"Uh..." I looked down at the bow in my hand. "Long range shooting. I realised that I'm not very good with that, and we don't... We don't have a long range fighter anymore." I stroked the weapon, looking sombre. I hated using Alec's death to get her off my tail, but I had a promise to keep. She sighed.

"Can I watch?"

I blinked. "Sorry?"

"Can I watch you shoot? Surely you wouldn't mind me watching."

Damn. She really wouldn't let this go. "Um... I'd rather not."

"Why? You're not the sort to get embarrassed. Unless you're hiding something from me." She narrowed her eyes. "You're not messing about with that Downworlder boyfriend of yours, are you?"

I felt myself flush, shocked. "No! Simon... He's not like that. He's... Decent." More decent than the majority of my dating history, anyway.

"What are you hiding from me, Isabelle?" She stepped towards me. "If you don't tell me, I'm going to find out." When I failed to answer, she strode past me, to the door. As she opened it, I could only hope Alec wasn't there, that he was late or decided not to come.

"Mom! There's nothing down here!"

"If there's nothing down here, then you won't mind me taking a look." The room beyond was dark, but it didn't take a night vision enhancing rune to see the figure heading towards the door which lead outside. Shit. There was nothing I could do except hope she took the news well. "I just want to know why you three have been coming down here every nigh-" she stopped short as she spotted him. "HEY!" I cringed at the tone of her voice. The figure that was unmistakeably Alec froze. "SHOW YOURSELF!" Slowly, he turned to face us. His familiar blue eyes looked afraid, but resigned. Beside me, my mother paled, and for a second I thought she was going to pass out. "A... Alec...?" She stammered. He smiled softly.

"Hi mom."

I saw conflicting emotions flash over her face. Confusion, sadness, anger, relief, fear. She seemed to be lost for words.

"Oh... Oh Angel..." Before he could react, she had run towards him and embraced him, holding him tightly. He looked shocked, but returned the hug. "Oh Alec... It can't be... Is it really you? My son..." I could hear the tears in her voice. When she finally pulled away, she rested a hand on his cheek, stroking his face gently with her thumb. "You look exactly the same..." Her voice faltered. "Am I dreaming again?"

Alec blinked. "No, mom... You dream about me?"

She nodded. "Every night."

"Oh..." He stepped back, looking ashamed. "...Sorry." Now it was my mother's turn to blink, incredulous.

"For what? Dying? Alec, that wasn't something you could control. You can't blame yourself."

"I was reckless. And now everything's... Messed up."

"What do you mean?"

"I..." He faltered off, looking awkward.

"You know what? There's clearly a lot to talk about. Why don't we go into the Institute and find somewhere more comfortable to talk?"

I saw Alec flinch, and spoke up. "Mom, I don't think that's a good idea." She frowned at me.

"Why not?"

"Well... What would Dad say if he wandered into the living room and saw you casually chatting to your dead son? There's got to be a better way to tell him."

"Izzy..." Alec's voice was quiet. "I appreciate the effort, but... I might as well tell her."

"Tell me what?" Mom narrowed her eyes.

"I can't go in the Institute..." He ran his fingers through his dark hair, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"...Are you a vampire?" She was instantly checking for signs of vampirism on him. "I don't know how that would have worked, but-"

"No, I'm not a vampire."

"But... Only vampires and demons can't get in the Institute..."

"Yeah."

There was a brief silence as she seemed to put two and two together somewhat reluctantly. "You're not... It's not possible, is it?" She took a step away from him. He gave her a sad look.

"Neither is coming back from the dead. But here I am." Seeing the barely disguised repulsion on my mother's face, and the hurt look in Alec's eyes, I went to his side, taking his hand.

"Mom, he's still the same! He can do some cool new things, but that's all that changed. He's not like other demons. He's good. He's on our side." He gave me a grateful smile. I returned it.

"Isabelle, come here. How do we know he's safe? How do we know it's really him?!"

I felt cold rage in my chest. "No. I'm staying by my brother's side. You want to know why we've been coming here? It's so we can see him. And that's been going on for a while now. If anything bad was gonna happen, it would have already. I trust him, even if he is a demon. And don't you dare do this to him again. He's taken enough shit from you in his life!"

"Isabelle!" She looked shocked. "I am your mother! You can't talk to me like that!"

"I can talk to you however I damn well please. Do you know how much he's been hurting?"

"Izzy..." Alec looked at me worriedly. "Don't." I ignored him, too angry to let it go.

"He thought you and Dad didn't love him any more, because of his sexuality. He's been really broken up about it. And the reason he didn't want to see you sooner was because he didn't want to see your reaction, the looks on your faces. The look you're wearing right now." My voice was coldly furious, and had the desired effect. Her expression of barely contained disgust turned to sadness, then shame. Beside me, Alec shifted uncomfortably. I knew he was torn between comforting her and standing by what I'd said. Standing by the truth.

"Alec... Is that true?" For once, her voice was quiet. Not dangerously quiet. Hurt.

"I... Appreciate that you tried. Having a disappointment of a son can't be easy. At least you put up with me. Father's probably happy I'm dead." Even I flinched at that.

"Your father still loves you, even if he... Doesn't agree with your life decisions."

"See, it's things like that. It's not a decision. I didn't choose this, and honestly I wouldn't if I could, because it just causes so much trouble. It's who I am. And every time someone denies that it hurts. I once told Izzy that it was like a million little paper cuts every day. Every time someone ignores what I have to say, turns their back on me or comments about how I can't continue the Lightwood line, or that I should consider rethinking my choices, it's another blow to my self esteem. And I never had that much to start with, especially living in Jace's shadow. Even the little things get to me pretty badly. So yeah, I guess it is a little true. Sometimes I feel like you only love me because you're obliged to." I couldn't remember the last time he'd said so much at one time. It was like once he'd started he just couldn't stop. And whilst I was proud that he'd mustered up the courage to say it, I couldn't deny that it was almost cruel. In true Alec fashion, he hadn't even tried to soften the blow, his words blunt and his tone matter-of-fact. And I could tell how much it had hurt Mom.

"I'm... So sorry..."

"Sorry's just a word. If you meant it you'd act differently from now on."

"I... Suppose you're right. I mean, you didn't choose this- any of it. But I don't understand. People don't just come back from the dead. And I know you were dead. Honestly, I'm still not sure if I can believe it's really you." She frowned. "How long did you say you've been back?"

"I... Uh... I didn't. It's been..." He looked at me, questioning. I shrugged. "Just under two months?" I saw Mom mouth the words incredulously.

"And... How did it happen?"

"I don't know exactly... It was Magnus. He-"

"Magnus Bane?! Alexander, I thought you'd learnt your lesson about that man!" Alec winced. "He's a warlock. He can't be trusted. He probably made some heinous deal with a demon that both of you will later regret!"

"It was his father."

She stopped. "What?"

"The demon. It was Magnus's father."

"What does that matter?"

"That's the only reason it worked. His father seemed to find it amusing or something. That's why I'm a demon. Just to make his life difficult. Twisted gifts and all that."

"So... There was no price to pay?"

Alec frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Every deal made with a demon calls for a price to be paid."

"Magnus didn't mention any price..." A flicker of confusion, then anger crossed his face. I knew he'd had issues with Magnus keeping things from him in the past. In fact, I was fairly sure that was what had split them up eventually, although he hadn't spoken about it much. "Well, I trust him. I owe him my life, quite literally, so I have to believe that if he'd done something that bad he'd tell me."

"Can you really trust him though? He's a Downworlder. And he broke your heart. Are you really willing to go back to him after that?"

"Yes." The conviction in his voice made me smile despite myself. Mom sighed.

"Alright. It's your decision. But there's still the matter of the fact that necromancy is dark magic. It's illegal." Both Alec and I gasped.

"Mom... You wouldn't." She looked at me sadly.

"You know the rules, Isabelle. Sed lex dura lex. If the Clave were to find out-"

"Screw the Clave!" I stared at Alec, his outburst shocking me. He'd always been so conservative, so... Law-abiding. Then again, it was his lover's head on the line. And technically Shadowhunter law didn't apply to him any more. "You can't tell them. You know what happens to Downworlders who break the law!"

"Alec... If I keep this from them, when they find out they'll take the Institute away from us. They may strip our marks. And I know that doesn't concern you any more-"

"MOM." I yelled, stunned. How could she say that?! "Of course it concerns him! Do you think he doesn't care?!"

"Mom, I know. But that's not a certainty. They don't have to know you know. Please. Don't tell them. Don't get Magnus killed."

"Alec, I can't do that. I'm sorry..."

"HE GAVE YOU YOUR SON BACK. HE BROUGHT ALEC BACK TO LIFE AND YOU ARE WILLING TO LET THE CLAVE MURDER HIM FOR FEAR OF YOUR OWN HEAD?!" I was fuming, having dropped Alec's hand and advanced on her.

"Isabelle, please..." She pleaded.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" I screamed.

"ISABELLE LIGHTWOOD." Her tone was harsh enough that I shut up. "I can't promise I won't. But unless they come asking I'll keep his secret. But only for Alec." Her eyes rested on him. "I'm sorry, but I abide by the law. Laws can be bent, but not broken. Not by me. I hope it doesn't come to that." She turned away. "Go back to him. Don't come here. You put risk on us and yourself. If you want to see each other do it somewhere other than here." With that she left. Just left. Leaving Alec and I alone to think about what she'd said.

"...This is what I was afraid of." He half mumbled.

"Alec, we don't know what will happen. You might stay safe. She might not say a word."

"But what if she does?" His eyes met mine, and they were filled with a sort of cold fear. "I remember what the previous Inquisitor did to Simon. And that was just to get information. Who knows what Father will do to Magnus because of this? He never did like him. What if they torture him? Kill him?"

"Calm down. Magnus can defend himself, and he's got you by his side. You won't let them hurt him and you know it."

"If it comes to a fight... I don't know if I can. They're Shadowhunters. They used to be my family."

"Trust me, Alec. When someone you love is in danger, it doesn't matter who you're fighting. Just that you're protecting that person. Magnus is your true love, and that bond is clearly stronger than any you might have had to people you barely know in a previous life." He paused, then nodded.

"You're right. Protecting is what I do. I can protect him."

I smiled. "Good. Now go back to him. Have an evening in. I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

"Yeah... Thanks Izzy." He pulled me into a hug, which I returned. "Tell Jace I'm sorry. Not that he'll mind. He gets extra alone time with Clary." His sombre expression broke for a second to allow a small smile. "See you."

"Bye." I watched as he left, then went back into the Institute. Jace was alone in the main hall. "Clary had to leave?" I enquired.

"We heard shouting. She decided to leave before things got messy. What happened?" I debriefed him on our conversation with Mom, to which he replied, "Well, at least she knows. And hey, our track record with the Clave is a little tarnished already. We can cope."

"I hope Alec believes that. We can't let him worry about this. You know what he's like." He nodded.

"No training tonight then?"

"Nope. You've got the evening off."

"Damn. I shouldn't have let Clary leave."

I smirked. "I knew you'd say that."

"Oh well. I need to spend time with my other true love once in a while- the mirror has been sadly neglected recently." I just rolled my eyes at him.

"Goodnight, Jace." I returned to my room. As much as I knew Alec would worry, I couldn't deny there was a tightness in my stomach that I knew meant something bad would happen. I could only hope it wouldn't result in any more death. I don't think any of us could take that.

Sorry if this seems hurried. I kinda can't wait for the next 'big event', so this is probably not my best, since I'm just trying to cover middle ground atm. I hope you guys still like it. Drop a review to tell me what you want to read! I aim to please.