Hello, everyone!

Here is the second part of the war. The song stays the same, but I also listened to Welcome To My Life by Sunrise Avenue while writing this.

Thank you for your reviews Intoxic and Lindsey7618AwesomeasPercabeth. Thank you for your support! You guys are amazing! So, people, check out their stories! And of course thank you everyone who has favorite-d and is following this story!

Disclaimer: I don't own TMI or TID. I wish I did.

Enjoy!

Chapter 38

Alec and Magnus stepped on the field last, while holding hands, getting strength from each other to face everything that was about to follow. The field that has been chosen for the battle to take place could be beneficial. On their side there were many trees, not very tall, but they had big trunks and many branches full of leaves perfect for hiding on or behind them. On the side where the demons were supposed to be, there was a plain clearing with a few trees here and there. The trees weren't located as close as the trees around the Shadowhunters were. In other words, they could see right through them. The demons couldn't use them to hide. If you looked up, you could see the sky filling with countless stars. They seemed so close from here, away from the city lights, and yet so far away. The night was beautiful, seeming unfit for the events that were about to take place.

Alec looked around him. He saw at the front line some warlocks with closed eyes and raised hands murmuring something he was too far away to hear. They were trying to keep the glamour around them impossibly strong so that no one, demon or not, could see through it. What the outsider saw was the forest just like it was before they all arrived here, empty. His eyes followed the Shadowhunters organized in three teams taking their place for battle after they got a pendant from Magnus. Alec was worried. Their number was too little. If they went into battle like this, their defeat was set. He didn't know how many demons were going to show up and he was anxious to find out. They couldn't go like this. They needed back up. The needed the Downworlders. He hoped they'd show up. He hoped they could put aside their differences for once and for all and join them. He was hoping for the best case scenario, while trying to prepare himself for the worst.

Magnus, though, brought him back to the present when he spoke.

"Hey, are you okay?" He asked, getting closer to Alec and brushing gently with his hand the hair that had fallen into his boyfriend's eyes.

Alec went to respond with the usual 'I'm fine' before someone interrupted him.

"Alexander." The stern voice of his father rang in his ears. "Can I talk to you?" Both men were silently staring at Robert Lightwood suspiciously. They couldn't fathom what he'd like to talk to his son about, the one he had rejected, at a time like this. Alec looked at Magnus as if he was asking for his opinion, and when he nodded, he followed his father who walked just far enough to be out of earshot from the others surrounding them.

Robert had decided to talk to his son before the war, to give them a chance to start over. He was determined to make amends, but now that he was face to face with the task, he felt as if all the courage he had gathered had left his body and now he was this numb bitter man who had lost everything and was afraid he could never get them back.

When Alec saw his father stay silent for too long to be comfortable, he started the conversation. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Robert looked surprised at his son. Before, Alexander would stay silent until the grown-ups said whatever they had to say, but now he was different. Now Alexander was a grown-up himself and Robert was constantly reminded of the fact that he wasn't there to witness the transition. It was one of his biggest regrets. One he had to face and make right for everyone involved. He took a breath and said what he had been so afraid to say before now. "I want to apologize." There. He said it. But from the questioning look his son was giving him, it was not enough. "I want to apologize for the way I've treated you. It wasn't right and I want you to know I'm doing my best to accept you and understand you. I was blinded from my dreams for you that I didn't see you had made your own."

Alec sighed, not sure what to think about all these. Honestly, he didn't know what to feel. His father just told him what he's always wanted to hear, but still it didn't make him feel better. It didn't fill the chasm between them. He tried to understand what his father said, he did, but with all these thoughts already flying around his mind, it was hard to see the reason behind this conversation. It was hard to find what to say. "Why are you telling me this, Robert? Why now?"

Robert looked away thinking. "You know I really hate it when you call me by name, but I guess I don't deserve the dad-title, do I?" He looked back at his son and said "I am telling you this, because I want you to understand me as I'm trying to understand you. I want you to see that I'm sorry, not just hear it. I want you to see why I acted the way I did and where I'm coming from. I want you to see that I didn't treat you that way because I don't love you, but because I've been afraid to face my own demons." He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts and then he continued. "I have done many things that I'm not proud of, Alexander, and I'm not going to dwell on them at the moment. But one of my greatest mistakes was leaving my parabatai."

"What are you talking about?" Alec asked.

"My parabatai was Michael Wayland and he was my best friend. We were really close. He was the one I could honestly confide in. He was the one that knew me the best. However, one day he told me he was in love with me. At first I thought he was joking, but when I realized he was telling the truth, I was disgusted by him. I was ashamed to be his parabatai. I thought of him the way my parents had taught me to think of people like him. I thought he was an abomination. I thought he had a disease. I offered to get him help, but he didn't want to change. He said he wanted to be with me, but if I didn't feel the same, he was okay with staying friends, staying parabatai. But it was not okay with me. I stayed away from him. I avoided him for so long that we became estranged. It hurt, by the Angel did it hurt for me to be away from him, but I couldn't be near him. When he died, I felt as if my soul had been ripped out of my body. I felt empty. I felt the biggest regret possible that my parabatai was gone and I hadn't spent all the time I could with him. I felt disgusted with myself, that I judged him for his sexual preference that wouldn't involve me in any way since I said no, instead of seeing him for who he really is, my parabatai."

As he finished retelling his story, a tear fell from his eye. Alec was shocked. He had never seen Robert Lightwood cry before. He had always been the strong collected one.

Before Alec had a chance to say something, Robert continued looking at his son right in the eye. "I don't want to make the same mistake with you, son. I don't want to see you for who you choose to share your life with. I want to see you for who you are. I want to see the great Shadowhunter you are. I was wrong before. You are not a disgrace to the family name; you are actually the one who makes it better. I know it's not easy to forgive me, but I hope you will one day. I just want you to know that I am sorry for any pain I have caused you. I am sorry I wasn't there when you needed me. And I want you to know, that I am proud of you. No matter what the outcome is tonight, I am proud of you."

Alec felt like all of these were just too much. Sure, he felt closer than ever to his father, but this confession was also life changing for him. It was as if it showed him his father in a new light. He was not anymore the absent homophobic small-minded person, but he was now just a man who had too many fears bottled up inside that he had yet to face. "Thank you for telling me. But I can't forgive you just like that. You hurt me and pain doesn't go away like that. I-I need time." He said, hoping his father would understand.

Robert nodded and accepted what his son had to say. "I understand." He said. He had brought this all to himself, but at least he had a chance to make it right this time around.

Alec walked away, trying to shake of the memory of what had just happened. It was time to focus on a more burning matter. He walked to Magnus and as his boyfriend saw him, he immediately asked if he was okay. "I'm fine," Alec said, with a silent promise of talking about it later "has everyone gotten a white-stoned necklace?"

Magnus didn't push the subject more. He had seen that they had had a civil conversation, even though he saw Robert Lightwood shed a tear. At least, they didn't have a fight. He let his boyfriend focus on the task at hand and assured him that everyone had their necklace on.

"Then it's time to set this plan into motion." He turned away from Magnus looking for his parabatai and when he found him he shouted "Jace! The flag!" Thankfully, Jace understood what he meant right away and he ran to put the flag in place before the first flock of demons arrived. Then, Alec turned to his boyfriend and asked "Mag, will you wear the black-stoned necklace?"

Magnus loved the fact that Alec had a special nickname for him, a special way to call him that was only his. Alec was not the kind of guy that used terms of endearments, not just with Magnus, but with anyone. He avoided them, so every time the word 'Mag' left his boyfriend's lips, it made his heart skip a beat. However, he hated when he had to say no to those beautiful blue eyes. "You know I can't, Alexander. Lucifer still has access into my mind and I won't let him screw this up. We can't risk this." Magnus said shaking his head sadly.

"Right." Alec nodded, understanding what Magnus was talking about. "I'll do it." He said, more to himself rather than as a response to his boyfriend. He took the black-stoned necklace from Magnus's hands and put it on. "So, how does this work?" Alec asked, not feeling any different with it on.

"You need some of my magic, so after we use the binding rune, all you have to do is concentrate and speak. You don't have to speak out loud, but you can if it helps you."

Alec only nodded in response and started looking around. It was almost time for the demons to arrive and the only people there to fight were the Shadowhunters. They were not enough, though. Even if they could fight eight demons at once each and every one of them, they were still not enough. And anyway, not many of them had such expertise to face eight demons at the same time. Alec hadn't realized he had been silently cursing and shaking his head, until he felt Magnus touch his arm.

"Hey," Magnus said, seeing his boyfriend getting lost in his head made him worried, "what's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Alec asked. "We're about to walk into a death trap and you're asking me what's wrong?" he snapped.

Magnus could see that there were two ways this conversation could go. One is that Alec's anger would get the best of him which would lead to a fight and a tense atmosphere, or he could talk to him and Magnus would just listen and be there for him until his destructive frustration was out of his system. He took one step closer to Alec and asked "Where is all of this coming from?" referring to his little outburst and his aggressively tense body posture.

Alec sighed, and put his hands through his hair in a frustrating manner. "I'm sorry. It's just- They're not here. We can't do this alone. We're going to-" Alec stopped for a second, closing his eyes and he prepared himself to say the most selfish thing he had ever thought of "I- I don't want to die," he said looking into those cat-like eyes he adored, "I'm not ready to die. I don't want us to die. I don't want my family to die. And I don't want to leave in a world without you either. How- How can we go through with this if it means the end of everything?" Alec asked in a small broken voice.

Magnus understood what Alec was feeling. Lilith, he felt the same way ever since he met Alexander Lightwood. Alec had given his life meaning when he was on the edge of Tartarus. He had given him a reason to live, a reason to be selfish and tell Death that today was not going to be his day. Alec is the reason Magnus was still standing and now they were about to be an inch away from Death's territory and no one knew who the Horseman was going to take with him. For the first time, there was nothing Magnus could say to make it all better. There was no way to know if everything was going to be alright and he was not about to lie. "You know, darling, the thing with wars is that there are always losses we are not prepared for, there are always consequences we believe we are unable to face, and there is also a winner in the end, if you can call them that. The catch is that even the winner suffers through unbearable things. My point is you can't win without suffering. No matter how much you try, you can't skip the pain. And I may not know if I'll get to live another day, but what I do know is that I'm happy to suffer with you rather than without you. I'm happy that I got to spent all the time I got with you the way we did. To others our time may seem small, but to me it means more than anything I've ever gotten to experience. Whatever tomorrow brings, just know that you will never lose me. I'll always be right here" Magnus said, putting his palm over Alec's heart, feeling it beat under his fingertips "right here with you."

Alec had tears in his eyes when Magnus finished speaking. He just couldn't believe he was so lucky to have met him and have him in his life. He loved him so much, his whole body warmed up to just a touch of his fingertip. When Magnus touched his chest, his heart started beating faster. Not because of what was about to come or because of any other worries that could have been in Alec's mind, but because of him. Because he was touching him, because he was close to him, because they were one and not even death could change that. He wrapped his arms around his waist and brought him closer, every inch of their bodies touching and he kissed him with all he had and all he wanted to say, but couldn't find the right words for them. He wanted to hold him and kiss him before he had to let go for what could be the last time. He clung to him as if he was his lifeline, as if without him he would be lost. And maybe he would be; he just hoped he'd never have to find out.

When they came up for air, they looked into each other's eyes, but reality had other plans for them. They heard everyone start moving around, whispers were coming and going, the Shadowhunters were getting antsy for some reason. When they looked back, they saw why. The Downworlders had arrived. Vampires, werewolves and warlocks were all marching together, heading towards the battlefield, with Raphael, Luke and Catarina Loss on the lead. Not far to their right Shadowhunters with dark robes were striding through the woods. They were so gracious; they looked as if they were floating. First in the line was Jem Carstairs. The Silent Brothers had arrived.

Alec disentangled himself from Magnus's arms, bracing himself to meet the newly-arrived fighters and preparing himself mentally for what they were about to face. It was obvious that he was nervous, but Magnus didn't worry. The last look he got of Alec's eyes showed him all he ever needed to believe in them. It showed him the determination and love he needed to go on. It showed him that even though he couldn't know if they were going to win or not, he knew Alec was their best chance at victory.

So what did you think? What about Robert's story? I don't remember how it happened in the books, so I wrote it in my own way. And finally the Downworlders arrived! Do you think they'll be able to collaborate?

Just so you know this story is coming to an end. I don't know how many chapters the war-scene will be, but I know that after that there will be a couple of chapters left including the epilogue. So, if there's a something you'd like to happen, or if there's a scene that hasn't been mentioned and you think it should, just tell me and I'll see what I can do.

No spoilers! It's a war! Nothing is set in stone!

Thank you!