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Chapter 28

Jace knew the 'jig was up' so to speak when Alec and Magnus walked in, looking worried. Robert Lightwood was right behind them. ''Good, you are all here,'' he said upon seeing him, Isabelle, and Max in the library. His voice had that special Lightwood scolding tone to it, though it was different from Maryse's spin. He help up a paper. ''Any of you want to inform me why someone sent this?''

Jace's heart sank a little as Robert read off the leader. The sender was completely anonymous, and all it said was that they had seen Max Lightwood retrieve the Heavenly Sword, which the Clave already knew. What they didn't know was what he traded in exchange.

Robert slammed the paper down on the table. ''You brought Jonathan Morgenstern back to life?'' he demanded.

Max trembled under his father's gaze. ''Okay, this looks bad…''

''And you people knew about it?'' Robert asked them all. Jace and Isabelle both found a spot to stare at on the carpet. ''And none of you told me?''

''So this is where you get it from,'' Magnus mused to Alec.

Alec shook his head. ''You clearly didn't see mom in the kitchen on our way up here.''

''And you.'' Robert turned to Magnus. ''You are on the Council! How could you not have said anything?''

''What should I have said?'' Magnus asked. ''Do you understand the situation we are in?''

''Do I? Did you honestly just ask me that?''

Magnus seemed a little ashamed of his comment, but nevertheless he went on. ''If we are to announce to the world that Jonathan Morgenstern is back, it will send everyone into a panic.''

''Is your argument it shouldn't?''

''My argument is it will look bad for the Clave if you do that.'' He gestured to Max. ''It will look bad for him. Everyone has heard of the miraculous return of Max Lightwood- sent back by the Angels themselves. You announce that Jonathan Morgenstern returned with him, they won't believe the Angels sent him. They will believe it was the devil.''

Robert glanced at Max, who was smartly keeping his mouth shut. ''The Clave needs to take action.''

''Agreed. However, you act too quickly, you are sending the message to Downworld that you are afraid. That the new Counsel of Downworlders is afraid.''

''It is hardly acting quickly. He is a criminal. He needs to be tried for his crimes.''

''Yes, tried. Which means a trial; fair and calm.''

Robert scoffed. ''If you think any action- quick or slow- will not send everyone who hears of it into a spiral of emotions, then you are insane.''

''Behavior has to be modeled. The Clave acts like there is something wrong, everyone else will panic. At least if the Clave feigns calm, it will be something to add some stability to an already precarious situation.'' Magnus shook his head. ''There are some who are still wary of the new Downwrold representatives. You want to add more chaos?''

Robert pinched the bridge of his nose. ''We will discuss this later,'' he growled. He looked to his children. ''Whatever the result, Jonathan Morgenstern will be tried. And you all will have many questions to answer when he is.''

''He might not be able to,'' Max mumbled.

''What was that?''

Jace cast a sideways glance at his brother and was alarmed to see him looking close to tears. ''He might not be able to,'' he repeated.

''Why?'' Robert demanded.

Max bit his trembling lip. ''Because he might be dead.''

''What?'' Jace asked.

''Really?'' Isabelle questioned.

''Thank god,'' Alec huffed.

Robert held up a hand to silence them all. ''What do you mean, Max? Why? What happened?''

Max tearfully explained about the Seelie Queen paying Jonathan a 'visit'.

''The Seelie Queen?''

That opened up another topic. ''She was the one I traded Jonathan to.''

If possible, Robert looked even more grim. He turned to Magnus. ''I suppose this is what you meant by 'upsetting' Downworld?''

Magnus spread his hands. ''That and all my other points.''

''I have a suggestion; from now on, tell me the truth.''

''Sure Mr. Inquisitor,'' Magnus said. ''Though I don't see how knowing about the Seelie Queen's play in all this is at all useful. Drag the fairies any more in the muck, we will have another full blown war on our hands.''

Robert ran a hand over his face. Jace heard him swear. ''Max, is Jonathan Morgenstern alone?'' Max shook his head. ''Who's with him?''

''His sister.''

Clary, Jace thought in panic. Robert glared at them all.

''Oh yeah,'' Isabelle realized. ''Clary knows too. Did we not mention that?''

''Anyone else?''

''Ummm…'' they all exchanged uneasy looks. ''Jocelyn and Luke?'' Alec finally said.

Robert breathed heavily. ''Anyone else? Perhaps some more adults that should know better than to hide this information?''

''No, I think that's it,'' Jace said thoughtfully.

''You're sure?''

''Yes.''

''Good.'' Robert pointed to the door. ''Now just…leave. Magnus, you stay.''

Alec and Isabelle and Jace began making their way out of the room, but Max stayed put. ''Max?''

Max took a step forward. ''I- I know I screwed up,'' he said. ''But- but dad, please. I insisted Jonathan come too. I needed him. Otherwise I couldn't come home. And since being back, he hasn't done anything wrong. I swear on the Angel.''

''Max-''

''Please don't hurt him.'' Max's voice was a whisper through his tears. ''Please. I never would have let him out if he were the same person he was.''

Robert looked at him in bewilderment. ''Maxwell Jospeh Lightwood, he is a murderer. A murderer who hurt my own family. Justice will be served.''

Tears fell freely on Max's face. ''He's sorry.''

'' 'Sorry' will never get the memory of holding your dead body out of my head!'' Robert shouted at him. ''Or our of your mother's! Now leave!''

Max sobbed. Isabelle grabbed his arm and dragged him out after Jace and Alec.

….

Jonathan sat back down on his bed, gasping for breath. Really? He, the great warrior, became breathless after getting dressed? Stupid, human weakness.

He leaned back on his hands and blinked the spots out of his eyes. Frowning, he realized his leg was bouncing of it's own accord. Trembling. He was trembling. God, what next? This and cold he felt and his injures… Was there anything else that wanted to fall apart in him?

''Jonathan?''

The sudden presence in his mind startled him. ''Max?''

''Are- are you okay?''

Jonathan put a hand on his knee, leaning forward to make it stand still. ''Never better. Why?''

''Is Clary still there?''

''Why?''

He could sense Max's hesitation. And then he told him.

Jonathan wasn't a fool. He had expected this. Well, something like this. There was no other option for him. ''Okay, Max. Thanks for the warning.''

''What are you going to do?''

Jonathan debated being sarcastic, but there was something about Max's manner that told him to do that wouldn't be good. He wasn't good at emotions even when the person was in front of him, never mind when he couldn't see them. ''What's to do? 'Que Sera' and all that crap.''

Max was silent. ''See you soon, I expect,'' Jonathan told him. He blocked any response before Max had the chance to speak.

Jonathan paused a moment, gathering his strength. Then he stood and carefully, painstakingly slow, made his way into the hall.

He reached the stairs and started down, hissing through the pain as he did so. Damn two story house, he thought as he felt his hand go numb from gripping the railing too tight.

He reached the the bottom and blinked in surprise at the living room. Other than the missing coffee table and much barer kitchen shelves, there was no trace of his and the Seelie Queen's 'interaction'. ''How'd you do this so fast?''

''Oh, you know.'' Clary stood by the kitchen counter. Her posture suggested she was uncomfortable. ''Nothing else to do.''

''I suppose going home didn't occur to you?'' he asked her. Talking hurt. There was this pressure in his chest, urging him not to speak. He pushed the feeling down.

''You okay?'' Clary asked, avoiding the question.

''Considering I died, I can't complain.'' And will no doubt be dead again soon.

Clary scoffed. Jonathan took the opportunity to study her. She wasn't much bigger from when he knew her four years ago, though the Shadowhunter training definitely left her more fit than she would have been otherwise. Her hair was longer, and no more worn in simple pigtails. She was older. She was grown up. She had a life and didn't need him in it.

He swallowed the bitter taste in his mouth. He supposed it was time to try something foreign to him. Something human. Something brotherly. It was time to be selfless. ''You need to go home.''

Clary cocked her head to the side. Confusion. ''I'm not leaving you.''

''Max talked to me.''

''How? Oh, that's right. The mind link.''

''It seems the Inquisitor received a letter. From a looking-for-mercy fairy, no doubt. But the point is…he knows. The Clave knows.''

Clary's eyes got wide. Jonathan saw her clench her fists. Fear. ''No.''

''He says he heard Robert and Magnus talking. They decided to come for me, Clary. They're on their way.''

''No.'' Clary shook her head as if that decided it. ''They wouldn't just give you up-''

''Alec's leading them here.'' He shook his head at her look of anger. ''He didn't give me up. It's right. It's better-''

''No.''

''Yes.'' He spread his hands. ''This is what has to happen, Clary. It's okay.''

''You can go,'' she said as if he hadn't spoken. ''When did they leave? You have time before-''

Jonathan couldn't hold back a laugh. ''Reunited for a few days and I've already got you ready for life as a fugitive?''

''It's not fair!''

''Life isn't.''

''Stop arguing with me!'' She demanded. ''You shouldn't want this. You should want to live.''

''I do.''

''Then why-''

''Because this is my life.'' Jonathan told her. ''I lived, Clary. And I lived badly. When Max told me why he asked for me, he said- he said it was because he knew I got what I wanted. And that I would do anything for it.'' He stared at her. ''I want redemption, Clary. I want to be redeemed. And this…this is how I can get it.''

Her eyes were bright. Tears. Sadness. ''It's not fair.''

Jonathan sighed. ''Life-''

''It's not fair,'' she spat again. ''Not to me, not to Max. It's not fair.''

Jonathan was silent. He wasn't going to convince her. So he needed another stupid human tactic. Understanding. ''It's not fair,'' he admitted. He watched as she buried her face in her hands. If he was a good brother, one who had not hurt her, he would be able to comfort her. ''I'm sorry it's not.''

…

Me: another chapter will be coming shortly because I split one chapter into two because I like the idea of chapter 30 being when we get to a new arc and I don't know but it had to be this way.

If you have time, please leave a review!

Happy Writing!