Freedom Visible

Derek very carefully bent his head and traced a line of kisses down Chloe's neck. Chloe wrapped both her arms around Derek's shoulders and clung onto him like he was the only thing holding her to earth. She was beginning to suspect that he might be. It seemed like whenever everything was going to fall apart, like a crack in the world was going to open up and pull her in, Derek would grab her hand and drag her back. As long as Derek was there, she could hold onto her sanity.

"Chloe, are you okay?" Derek asked gruffly, lifting his face from the crook of Chloe's neck. His eyes were wide, the pupils dilated, not blinking.

He was so worried that Chloe laughed, just a little giggle. "I'm fine Derek, better than fine. Don't worry so much."

A low growl came out of Derek's throat, and it reminded Chloe of a wolf. "I don't want this to be worse for you than it has to be."

Again, Chloe wanted to laugh. "It can't be that bad as long as it's you," she said firmly. "I know you're worried about me and how this is going to turn out, but you shouldn't be. I mean, it would have happened eventually, wouldn't it?"

Derek had to give Chloe some sort of credit. She really was going to make the best she could out of this. "I like to think so, but I wish it didn't have to be this way."

Chloe decided this wasn't going to be any easier with her pausing and stopping, so she rolled her eyes playfully and pulled Derek down against her for more kissing. Derek didn't know if there was anything wrong with it, and, truthfully, was very pleased with Chloe's choice of action, so he returned to his place on her neck.

They continued like this for a while, Derek carefully kissing Chloe, and Chloe gasping and clinging to him. It seemed like this was all Derek was willing to do at the moment, and Chloe was going to ask him if he was nervous, when he suddenly drew back, panting.

"Derek, what's-"

Derek fumbled off Chloe, hitting the floor with a very heavy thud, and then rolled away making small growls and moans. Chloe sat bolt upright, adjusting the position of her shirt and clutching the blankets around her. As she watched, Derek hit the chair at the desk and curled into a tight ball. He clutched his hair and twisted it aggressively.

"Stay away, Chloe," he spat, turning his face away from her before she could see what was wrong with him.

Sharp pain was racing up Derek's spine, branching out to his legs and arms, making a horrible pain pop behind his eyes. He knew it was the change, trying to overtake him. If it was that close to the full moon, he shouldn't be anywhere near Chloe, who could easily get hurt. He tried to push himself away, but his arms were on fire and couldn't support his weight.

Distantly, he heard Chloe struggling out of the bed and over to him. He tried to push her back, but his body wasn't responding to his commands. It was almost like trying to control his arms in the rush of a powerful river current. Chloe knelt beside him and rubbed his back, trying to calm him down, but Derek started to convulse.

"It's okay, Derek," she said softly. "It's gonna be alright. You're okay. I'm here, Derek, I'm here." It was just a string of nonsense, but Chloe liked to think it was helping.

"Go…" he begged raggedly, shielding his face from her eyes.

"No, Derek," she said firmly. "I'm not leaving you now. Not after everything."

He shuddered in her arms, and a muscle spasm raked through his back. Before Derek could stop it, a painful whine escaped his throat, and Chloe gasped. It seemed like the little control Chloe had managed to give him through her words and her touch, was forcing the change to fight back.

"Get away!" Derek rasped, and shrugged his shoulders. Chloe fell back, fetching up against the bed and watching him contort his body. "It's you…"

Chloe gasped and tried to hide her hurt. What did he mean, it's you? Did he mean that she was the cause of his sudden outburst? Was she the one who was making his change so violent? Carefully, Chloe crawled closer and tried to reach out for him.

Derek arched his back and howled. "NO!"

When he turned his face on her, Chloe saw what he had been struggling so much to hide. His eyes were turned, glowing yellow like a wolf's with dilated pupils. His mouth was wide open, long, glistening, white fangs extended. Even his ears had changed, pointed at the tips.

"Oh, Derek," Chloe murmured gently. "Derek, am I doing this? Is it me?"

Derek shivered and curled up defensively. "It's you…but not your fault."

"What do you mean? Can I come closer?" Chloe finally closed the distance between them and sat by his side. "Please, let me help you. I hate seeing you like this. This pain, if it's my fault, let me help you."

"Not your fault…just you!" Derek said with difficulty.

"Then it is my fault," Chloe said with determination in her eyes. "Let me help you."

Chloe stood up and went to the bed, pulling the blankets and pillows off. She piled the pillows beneath Derek's head and draped a blanket over him. He groaned something that sounded like a thank you, and curled up tighter. Chloe then went to the bathroom and wet a cloth. She found the cups the doctors had left and filled one with water. When she returned, Derek was there, panting and looking at her with a silent plea in his eyes.

"Here," she said, and then tipped Derek's head back, pouring the water down his throat. "Drink it all. It'll help with the pains and the fever. And I brought you this." Chloe produced the wet cloth and placed it on his forehead. He sighed, in pleasure for the first time.

Chloe watched him a moment, and then, with a decisive huff, she knelt down, lifted the blanket, and slipped beneath it with Derek. For a minute, he tensed, probably trying to decide if he should tell her off for coming too close or thanking her for trusting him. He gave in and wrapped both his arms around Chloe. She thought he might actually have hummed low in his throat, and then he fit Chloe against his body and tucked his face against her neck.

Chloe had to admit, she had expected a night like this…but still. She was certainly pressed against Derek in a way she had never been before. She was hyper aware of his body, touching up and down hers. Her heart was beating faster than it had in a while. And she felt like both she and Derek were seeing a part of each other they hadn't before. But she also suspected that the Edison Group wasn't going to find her version of events amusing.

A small laugh bubbled up in Chloe's throat and Derek kissed her shoulders, squeezing her closer to him.


"Mom, please," Tori whined, forcing herself to sit on her chair and not jump up in her fury. "It's just a quick trip to the mall. Please. All I need is a few new shirts and pants."

"And you expect me to take you?" Mrs. Enright asked, crossing her arms.

"No, not at all. Just send me out with one of your drones, okay?" Tori rolled her eyes for effect. "It's not like I've got anywhere to go. Plus there's a tracking chip in my arms. What could I possibly do if you sent me out for the day?"

"I don't trust you," she said flatly, glaring at her daughter. "You're too stupid to realize that I'm trying to help you, and you're more than likely to try and help those brats in the nursery."

Tori threw her head back and gave a very loud, exasperated sigh. "Those brats don't even like me! Don't you get that? Because I'm your daughter, they all hate me. Why should I bother trying to help them when they think I'm a bitch?"

Mrs. Enright raised an eyebrow at her daughter. "You're blaming me?"

"Why does it matter whose fault it is?" Tori snapped. "They don't like me. And, you know what, I don't really like them!"

Very deliberately, Mrs. Enright crossed the small room and snatched up Tori's arm. She traced her daughter's vein until she found the tracking device in her arm. She pushed down on it until Tori gasped in pain, and then took Tori's chin in her hand. Tori shuddered at the iron grip holding her up.

"Three hours," Mrs. Enright said simply. "I'll send you out with one of our operatives and they'll take you to the nearest mall. If I get wind of any type of struggle, any fight, I will personally make you wish you'd never been born. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Tori said thickly.

"You won't try to contact anyone while you are out of this compound, and if you do, maybe I'll punish one of those brats you perfuse to hate so much." She searched her daughter's face and didn't see anything in her eyes that might have given Tori away. "You will stay at all times with the operative, and they will have permission to use force on you."

"Yes," Tori sighed.

Mrs. Enright snapped up and smiled sickly. "Be ready in ten minutes."

"Yes," Tori said after her mother.

As the door closed behind her, Mrs. Enright didn't see the small smile spread over her daughter's face. Tori jumped up from the chair and started searching through the few outfits she did have. She found something suitable, and struggled into it, her mind on fire. It seemed like everything had gone according to plan. Her mom believed she was sending her daughter out on a simple shopping trip, but what did she know?

She didn't know that Magnus Bane, the High Warlock of New York, was waiting just outside the compound with two highly trained shadowhunters for her. She didn't know they had a plan to break Tori out and modify the operatives memory, so, that when her mom called asking where she was, the operative would say Tori had demanded a proper meal at a good restaurant. She didn't know that Magnus was going to sneak into the compound with the two shadowhunters and break the rest of the children out. And she certainly didn't know it was all about to happen.

When the operative came, Tori was a little disappointed. It was just a run-of-the-mill witch who determined not to pay Tori one bit of attention. She gestured for Tori to come with her and watched her carefully as she collected her purse, which was empty. They left the room and passed down a number of halls that Tori didn't really bother to memorize. She had absolutely no intention of ever going down those hallways again.

As they were stomping down a set of stairs, the witch spoke, though she didn't look at Tori, she pointed to her pants pocket. "Your mom gave me a credit card for you to use, so when you find something, bring it to me so I can look it over."

"Yeah, alright," Tori said with a great amount of disinterest.

At the bottom of the stairs, the witch unlocked a door and directed Tori into a garage with a number of cars and vans in wait. She walked down a line of vehicles and paused before a small fuel efficient car. She gave it a once over and pulled the key out of her pocket.

"We're taking this?" Tori said loudly. "Who owns this…thing? I think my car at home could eat it and spit it out."

"If you want to go anywhere," the witch said, grinding her teeth. "It'll be in this."

"I'll look like a loser," Tori sighed dramatically. "But I suppose it'll have to do. Just don't use my mom's card to fill up your gas tank."

The witch narrowed her eyes and jerked her door open with a scowl. Tori climbed in slowly, hoping she was on time to meet Magnus. As the car started with a dull hum, Tori tried to suppress any tension in her body. She didn't know if the witch could tell, and what the witch would do if she noticed. Very carefully, Tori leaned back and pressed her hands together. She could feel the power coursing through them.

The care cruised out of the garage and into the sunlight. Tori squinted as the light touched her eyes. It had been such a long time since she'd been outside the compound, it made her skin tingle and her eyes water. She felt her blood pound as she watched the world unfurl around her, and she looked sideways at the witch. She was still focusing on the road.

Once her eyes had adjusted, Tori saw the approaching fence and prepared to move. She saw the bend in the road, just beyond the fence where her three saviors were waiting, and then studiously looked anywhere but at it.

"So, where are we going?" Tori asked with a bright smile. She had decided it was best to keep her captor busy with small talk. "I want to go to a mall. One with a shoe store and clothing stores. Maybe even a computer place. And I'll need time to look around too, just keep that in mind."

"You're a bit bossy for a teenager, you know that? I don't care who your mom is," the witch answered curtly. "You'll go where I'm taking you."

"Not if my mom pays for it," shot back Tori, losing her smile. "This is a day for me because of all the children, I'm behaving the best. So if I want to go to a mall, I think I've earned it!"

"You're the most obnoxious-"

"Watch the road!" Tori shouted, pointing to the fence and the sharp bend. "I want to live today, thanks!"

The witch swore and very deliberately slowed the car. She dug in her purse and removed a keycard, flashing it at a small screen by the door. Tori watched exactly where she put it and leaned back in her seat and rolled down her window.

"What do you think you're doing?" the witch demanded, staring at the window.

"It's been a while since I've had fresh air," was all Tori said. "That turn is coming up pretty fast. Damn, where did you learn to drive?"

In response, the witch jerked the wheel so hard Tori fell into her door, but that didn't get the angry retort the witch had been hoping for. As the car rounded the bend, a shot of blue light flashed through the car. Tori saw the inside of the car illuminated, the witch's face, the picture of shock, and felt the car suddenly shudder. The witch had slumped over the steering wheel, unconscious, and the car was heading for a ditch.

"Dammit!" Tori cried, and lunged for the wheel. She caught it, and spun it the other way, swerving into the opposite lane. "You idiot, Magnus!" she called.

But it didn't matter. In the course of twenty seconds, Tori had grabbed the witch's purse, chucked it out the window with a cry of, "check the front pocket", and was then steering the car safely onto the curb to resituate the witch. Tori checked to make sure she was beyond the bend before getting out of the car and dragging the witch into the trunk.

Tori had just had time to realize she was free, when her mind jumped into hyper active survival. She dropped to the ground, scrabbling until she found a sharp stone. With a nervous whine, Tori placed the pointed side to the inside of her arm and sliced her skin open. As tears started to course down her cheeks, Tori dug in her arm until she found the tracking chip and pulled it out.

"Suck it, mom," Tori said through gritted teeth, and tossed the chip in the car.

Tori knew she didn't have much time before someone noticed that her chip wasn't moving in the direction of the mall, but she had to turn back just once. She and Magnus had agreed that she would drive to the mall and use her mom's credit card to buy supplies for the others, so it appeared that she was still under the watchful eyes of the witch. She would return after four hours, but, if all went according to plan Magnus would meet her outside the compound with all the others. Together, they would escape in the car with the credit card her mom had so kindly given her.

But, first, Tori had to resolve her curiosity.

Like a small rabbit, Tori poked her head around the bend once, pulled back, poked her face out again, and drew back again. On the third time, she stayed pressed against a tree, hidden in the shadows of the forest, her dark eyes scanning the front of the compound. She saw nothing amiss, not a single thing wrong, not even an alarm.

"Good on you," Tori murmured, and then turned back and slid into the car. She checked the clock, which read four in the evening. At eight she would be sitting right here, hopefully with Magnus, the shadowhunters, Chloe, Derek, Simon, Rae, Jace, and Clary with her. Tori turned the key and slammed her foot on the gas, shooting out toward freedom and leaving nothing but a cloud of dust behind her.

Magnus, who was leaning against the front of the compound building, caught the trail of dust and grinned. He turned in the direction of Isabelle, Alec and Max, all of whom were invisible, and checked that even with his second sight he couldn't see them. They were nothing but air. He then looked down to where he knew his hands should be, and saw nothing.

"Well, good, we're all very much invisible," Magnus whispered. "And I've got that witch's entrance card, so we should be able to get around easily enough. Just don't wander off. We have no idea where we're going, or what else could be guarding this place, so stick together."

"You hear that Max?" Isabelle said firmly. "You stay with me and don't make a sound."

"I won't!" Max yapped.

"Max!" Isabelle hissed.

"Both of you," Alec snarled. "Isabelle, keep your temper, Max, you can't be loud. Even if you see Jace, don't say a thing. It could give us away."

"But we're getting Jace," Isabelle said helpfully, giving Max's hand a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry."

"I'll be quiet," Max murmured, and looked up sourly at the building.

"Right then." Magnus snapped his fingers and the key card popped into mid air. Very quickly, he scanned it by the door, and then waved his hand over it. The card vanished. "Now, we're going to have to be rather quiet in here, so keep it together."

The four of them stood before the open doors, thinking they looked like nothing so much as an open mouth. The darkness of the building looked so complete compared to the world outside that they paused on the threshold. But the fear that held them all suddenly broke when they reminded themselves that their friends, their family, were trapped in there. If they were afraid, how were the other children dealing with it?

The moment passed and the four passed through the doors, utter silence descending on them.

At first, they saw nothing but tiled floors and grey walls, and it seemed like the entire place was devoid of life. Then, they turned a corner and were met with a pair of locked double doors. None of them spoke, but Magnus drew the key card out of air and flashed it past the scanner. The door lock clicked and the doors slid open, connecting the bare hall to a stairwell.

"Onward and upward," Magnus sniggered, before falling back into silence and heading up.

The stairs took them up two floors of grey walls and flickering lights before they met another person. Isabelle felt a surge of hate at the sight of young woman dressed in a white coat. She looked normal, completely human, but Isabelle still hated the sight of her. The woman didn't even see them, didn't even have enough sense to know something was amiss. She just walked right past them, flicking through a file of notes.

After meeting the woman, they found themselves on a landing that had single door. Alec tested the handle, and it gave way under his grasp, so they entered the first level. They didn't know what to expect, but the first level wasn't it. For almost twenty minutes, they walked in a circle past small offices where human men and women were typing away on computers. It was nothing but an office building.

Alec sighed and wondered how long it could take for them to find Jace and Clary in this mess. When he spotted the door, he made a small impatient noise and lunged for it. He had just laid his hand on it when Magnus hissed and dragged him back.

"Someone's watching!" he snarled. "Wait!"

"We can't wait," Alec groaned. "We need to find Jace and Clary. How much time do we have?"

"Enough," answered Magnus curtly, and then waited until the man walking by them passed around a corner. "Now go."

They all seemed to sense the added tension of lost time, and the next set of stairs was gone in seconds. On the second landing, Max and Isabelle jerked the door open and they found themselves in a very different setting. Isabelle had to clamp a hand over Max's mouth to stop him shouting.

There were men and woman, obviously not human, who were all wearing doctor's coats and hurrying about in a large laboratory. The walls were sterile white, and covered in an assortment of different things. One wall was stacked with books. One housed all sorts of medical tools that made the shadowhunters shiver. The worst wall by far had a line of cages with locks. Though none of the cages was filled, it reminded Max of his nightmares. He shuddered and clung to Isabelle.

Magnus checked first that they were all still invisible, and then allowed them to pass into the laboratory. It was nerve-racking to pass so close to people who could very quickly do them harm and not want to draw a weapon. Isabelle and Alec both laid they hands on daggers, and tried to avoid the doctors as much as they could.

On a few of the tables, were open books, and men and women were muttering to each other over them. They heard the occasional name like Chloe or Rae or Simon, and knew they had to be close to the children. But they couldn't move quickly. Magnus was almost positive that if they ran through the laboratory, at the very least, the draft of air would alert the doctors to their presence. Their slow pace, though, chafed at the shadowhunters, who felt they were drawing their search for Clary and Jace to a close.

They reached the door on the opposite wall and waited, watching the doctors move here and there. Finally, someone opened the door and they rushed through into another blank hall. The lighting here was worse, flickering and frail, and it made them worry. This wasn't a good place to be.

"Do you think-?" Isabelle began, but Magnus pinched her arm.

"Don't speak!" he hissed. "Something is watching this place."

Isabelle swallowed her angry yelp and looked around, gripping her knife even more. She didn't really sense any demonic presence, but she wasn't going to doubt Magnus. Very carefully, Isabelle drew Max against her and then swung him up into her arms. They continued on, past locked doors and blank walls, and began to worry they had chosen the wrong floor again.

Just as Alec was about to suggest risking a trip back through the lab, Max made an excited squeak. "There! Look at those stairs. It says nursery above them!"

A sliver of excitement unfurled in Alec, and they rushed toward the stairwell. It had a key card scanner, which was blinking away steadily. As they neared it, it occurred to Magnus that the card they had might not have the clearance to open this door. He drew the card out of air, and, pressing his lips together worriedly, pressed it against the scanner. For just a moment, the scanner continued to flicker, then it turned green and the doors creaked open.

There was a rush of joy that flooded through all of them as they ran up the stairs. It was the end of their search. The end of waiting. The end of loneliness. Up at the top of the steps, they reached a small plateau and a window that gave a view into a very strange room. Max pressed his nose against the window and gaped, while Isabelle blinked repeatedly.

"I didn't think it really was a nursery," Alec murmured softly.