Sorry for later update but this chapter is a long one! over 13 pages , and 7000 words.. hope you guys are enjoying it :)

The last few beams of the sunshine rising down, shinned up the dark street light as Bella made her way home from the hospital. It was days like these that she was grateful they had a house just around the corner from work. Having being ordered to go home after overstaying yet another work shift, her footsteps quickened, in a hurry to finally lay down and perhaps take a shower. The shift had been long and after Alec's surprise visit and Mr Johnston crashing multiple times over the past hours she was glad to leave the hospitals white rooms behind her for today. There was only so much death on person can see before it finally gets to you.

Within minutes she made it home, a dark house greeting her. She wasn't taken back by it, not really. After the little tantrum she had thrown at Alec, she wasn't expecting him to be up at this late to have another argument about truths and whatnots.

Relief came washing over her as she closed the front door, feeling the protecting from the rest of the world behind the dark wooden door. The exhausting finally hit her as she sank down on the sofa, feet weary from hard work and her body aching from the stress and exhausting. The realization hit her that she had been gone over 48 hours as her head hit the headrest on the sofa, one hand coming to rest on her forehead as she brushed a few strands of red hair away from her face. The events coming back as she closed her eyes, swallowing hard to keep all the emotions at bay. It had been a bad day even within the normal standards, and she could already feel the guilty, the blame and the hopelessness she had kept at bay all day. Sighting, she tried to push the thoughts away, ignoring the small tear threatening to escape slowly on the side of her face. Bella always did this, worked her way into exhausting and just when her body was at its most tiredness, the wave of the rest of her emotions hit her. She was only human after all.

Hearing a familiar creak from the staircase, Bella shot up as quick as she had at down, one hand coming up quickly to whip the small tear that had escaped anyway. "Alec" She greeted, now sitting up straight, one leg crossed underneath the other. She watched him walk the last few steps down until he was in the living room too, watching is face clearly trying to see where the conversation would lead. He looked tired too.

"I thought you had gone to bed" She stated, quietly, avoiding this gaze. The shame was coming, she was regretting the silliness in the exam room.

"I wanted to wait up. I got a bit worried. You didn't text like you normally do." He replied.

"Got busy"

"Yeah I figured. Mr Johnston, right?" He nodded, and sat down in the armchair tucked by the corner. "Looking at how tired you look it must have been bad"

Bella nodded, her voice quiet. "Very bad" She sighted, closing her eyes, the images of Mrs Johnston tears still there as she cried when they thought he had died, and the endless hugs and thanks as she had once again brought him back from the brink of death. That had been the process for a few good hours. She had to admire the loyalty of the wife, who had never left his side, but each time they got the paddles out and shocked him to bring his heart back to rhythm, she could see the pain in Mrs Johnston eyes, until it seemed he was still hanging in there and Bella could escape out of the room.

Alec watched her for a while. "Is he alive?" He hesitated but the words came out anyway.

Bella nodded. "Yeah, barely. I don't know how much time he has left to be honest. I mean to be able to hang on for 6 months with covid, to see his lungs get deprived of oxygen, and see him fight, and fight. He is remarkable, but there is only so much I can do. He's fought so hard and so bravely for so long, and I just want one patient to survive this. Just one."

Alec could hear the desperation in her voice, see the sadness and tiredness in her eyes, along with that never ending fighting spirit she carried. He had seen her come home countless of times, seen her fall apart the second those front doors closed, and he had seen her collect herself, let her feel, even if only for a moment and then just carried on. It that way, they were both similar. That's how Alec had been. You do the job, regardless, and wait for a time and a place, if you need to fall apart.

Knowing there were very few words that could probably comfort Bella, Alec got up and sat next to her and drew her into a half hug, a small laugh escaping from her lips. "I'm sorry for yesterday by the way" She murmured low, her face resting against Alec's chest, taking in the comfort from someone else. She needed it more then she thought. "I was way out of line with you and Magnus in that exam room. I just got so frustrated with you, and I wanted to get back at you somehow, and I overstepped. We both agreed if he ever came back I would leave it to you to talk to him, and explain everything. I don't think I did a very good job at it"

"It's okay" Alec gave her a light squeeze again. "I know. To be fair, I probably didn't help the situation by kissing him like that."

"Looks like he liked it" Bella pointed out.

"You think?"

Bella grinned back at him. "Oh yeah, he liked it alright"

"I tried to catch up with him after you left, but seems I was too late" Alec admitted.

"I'm sure he'll come back" Bella reassured and gave Alec a little light poke. "He would be mad not to, after a kiss like that"

"I hope you're right"

"He'll be knocking on that door in no time"

As if on cue, there was a knock on door, making both Alec and Bella shoot up from the sofa.

"Okay, that a bit creepy" Bella whispered, as she urged Alec to answer the door. "We never get visitors"

"It's probably just the neighbours" Alec reassured.

"What, at this time?"

Sighting at the silliness, Alec took the remaining steps through the living room and opened the door. The knocks grew impatient and louder as Alec reached out and turned the doorknob, mouth wide open at the sight greeting him.

"Jesus" Bella gasped as she too looked at the new arrival in the doorway, only recognizing the one currently covered in what looked like blood, a lot of it. "Put him on the sofa" She ordered, the medical training kicking in quickly as she rose up and rushed forward to help. It was strange seeing a stranger she had only seen less then a day ago, standing in her living room. Being covered in blood didn't suit Magnus, and Bella pushed the feelings that made her hair stand back at the back of her neck as she looked at him. There was multiple cuts on him, some long and small, other thicker and short, but each one looking ugly enough. The one she was most concerned with was the one on stretching at his stomach, the redness pouring out much quicker then she liked. Someone had attempted to stop it, with what looked like a scarf tied around his waist, applying a little pressure. It didn't seem to do much, she noted as she reached out and untied it to have a better look at what was in front of her. A thousand questions were running through her head, first and perhaps foremost, who had done this? She wanted to say someone had stabbed him, but they looked awfully similar to the same cuts she had treated Alec with hours before, all though these were more severe and deeper.

"What happened?" She asked, hands trying to work quickly. The man currently holding him glanced at Bella and then to Alec who was hovering over her. She couldn't make out the look they shared.

Alec's whole face looked pale as he took in what was going on in front of him. "Jace..." He trailed off, unable to find the words as he looked at his parabati dead in the eye. He glanced at Bella for a second who was still working franticly, too busy to ask any more questions that she didn't seem to get any answers to. Not risking it, he quickly pulled Jace into the hallway, hoping it was far enough way for Bella not to hear them. "What happened?" He hissed, his eyes once again wandering to Magnus who seems non-response.

Jace, looking as pale as Alec shook his head. "I don't know man, they just came out of the darkness. I didn't even see it coming.. " He shook his head again. Even thought the connection between them was weak, Alec could feel his fear. He didn't need to though, it was written all over Jace's face. "I have no idea Alec, I've never seen anything like it"

"What are you doing here?" Why didn't Magnus just heal himself?"

"He couldn't. I know know why, neither does he. Its never happened before, but whatever that thing was, did that to him in just seconds Alec."

"Okay" Alec swallowed, still sensing the fear in the man who he had once called brother. "But why are you here?" He asked again. "What are you doing in my house?"

"I didn't know where else to go Alec"

"Why didn't you just take him to the institute?" He questioned, knowing the monks could probably heal Magnus in a matter of seconds.

"You wouldn't get it, but Alec it's not what it was once were. It's not like I can just stroll in with Magnus in tow and ask someone to heal him. It doesn't work like that any more, not since Lydia decided to follow the law" Jace replied, his voice turning sour at the name of their so called leader. "As she always says, the law is hard, but the law is the law, and she follows it to the letter Alec. " He warned, as he too glanced at Magnus. "If we just strolled in with him in tow, he would be thrown into the detention cells, and then god knows what else would happen to him. The only reason why I took him here is because he muttered something about you knowing a doctor and well.." Jace hesitate for a moment, wanting to choose his words carefully. "I could sense you" he admitted. "Look I know you are probably still pissed off at me, but I knew you were near by so we took a chance and knocked. So." He trailed off, shrugging a little bit as he looked around. "Here we are. "

"Here you are" Alec said back, dryly. He wasn't sure how to react or what to say, but he knew what he felt, and as annoying it was, their parabatai bond was still there, and it was telling him that what Jace was feeling and saying was the truth. For whatever reason, he had felt he had no choice but to find Alec.

Both men fell into a short silence, neither sure what to say, but both feeling what the other one was thinking, a small proof that perhaps their bond wasn't as broken as they both thought.

"Alec!" Bella shouted from the living room, forcing the boys to focus more at the task at hand, both rushing in at the sound of her voice. "Get in here, I need you."

"Alec, go and be useful, and get my spare medical kit underneath the kitchen sink. "Bella ordered, focusing on the task in front of her. It was bad, really bad, the red thick blood was dripping everywhere no matter how much pressure she was putting on it. She was glad that he seemed out of it, as it made it easier to put as much force into the wound as she could, to try and stop the bleeding. The other cuts didn't seemed as bad as this one which took the sense of panic away for a little while.

Alec couldn't help but to stare at Magnus who was lying in front of him, not moving. It was unreal seeing him like this. Magnus didn't get hurt, he didn't bleed. Not him. He was the high warlock of Brooklyn, he was 800 years old. Quick and quirky. Or at least not when he had known him. He was strong, and had such a flourish movements to him Alec had never even seen so much as a mark on him. Now he was lying there in his living room, covered in blood, scraps and marks. He wanted to wake him up and ask why he wasn't healing himself, but judging by the fear of Jace's and Clary's faces as they had knocked on his door, he knew there must be a reason behind it. In the space of just a matter of moments, things weren't so simple any more, but this was Magnus. His Magnus. Well not his, but it was Magnus non the less, who had drawn out secrets out him none else had.

"Alec!" Bella was shouting now, snapping Alec out of it. "Unless you want your boyfriend to bleed out here in the middle of my living room floor, run to the kitchen and get me that kit. "She was pushing down as hard as she could, desperately trying to slow down the blood pouring out. It always fascinated and scared her how quick blood could flow when it wanted to, and how could it be everywhere?

"He isn't my boyfriend"

"I don't care what he is or isn't but if we don't stop this bleeding within the next few minutes he will he a dead one, whatever he is to you. So if you care about him, get a bloody move on. Now!" She growled, hands busy and covered with red thick blood. She wanted to be kind, but knowing that every little second counted, she had no time to spare anyone's feeling, least of all Alec. "And you GI Joe, run into the bathroom and get me the basket by the door. "She looked and pointed at Jace who had been leaning against the living room wall, hands unsure what to do as he look at the scene in front of him.

"Me?" He asked, pointing and himself, confused.

"Yes, you!" Bella puffed, as she squeezed down hard on Magnus stomach, stopping the blood flow a bit. " Both of you, get a move on! " Groaning out loud, she glared at Alec, who still hadn't moved from the spot he was still standing at. " Alec for god's sake, I love you, but right now I am not you best friend, I am a doctor, go and run and get me that stuff and then get the hell out of this living room. I can't work with you starring at every move I make. I got this. " She knew she was being bossy, but knowing what she did, there simply was no time to sugar coat things.

"Come on" Alec's voice was low and tired as he nudged Jace's arm. "Bathroom is this way, let her get to work. She knows what she's doing and if we bother her any more she might just kick me out of the house. She will look after him" He wasn't sure who he was trying to reassure, him or jace. Perhaps both of them as he looked at Bella, franticly working on him.

He took a quick glanced at Magnus and then hurried along, dragging Jace with him.

Bella was panting hard as she watched the two boys exit the living room, feeling slightly relieved to have less eyes on her as she tried her best to treat Magnus. None liked an audience, at least of all Bella, and not anything involving Alec.

"You, miss Carrot Cake" She pointed at Clary who was still standing by the door and hadn't made any movements since they first came knocking."Go and run into the kitchen and get me some hot water". Bella said as she took a better look at the girl, who looked like she was about to throw up at any moment. She didn't really need the hot water, but she didn't need a second patient to pass out in front of her. Without any protests, Clary hurried along after Alec and grabbed whatever was requested. All three returned nearly at the same time.

"Great" Bella puffed as she swiftly grabbed the medical bag from Alec. Quickly dipping her hands in the bowl of hot water, she rinsed her already bloody hands and began to work. Gloves came on quickly as so did the scalpel.

"Alec, I thought I told you to get out" Her hands didn't stop working as she looked up and glared at him. He was standing there with his arms to his side, helpless and worry across his face. "I got this, but I can't work with you breathing down my neck. If you care about this man, leave me to it. I promise he will be fine." She wanted to stand up and nudge him out of the room, but leaving the bleeding Magnus even for a second wasn't really an option. "Alec.." She was pleading now. "I wouldn't let a family member stand next to me in an operation room, so I will be damned if I let you hoover over me while I try and save this man's life. If you love me, you will trust me, and if you value your friends life, you will go back into the kitchen. I will come and fetch you when I'm finished" Bella tried to keep her voice as calm and gentle as she could, trying to pour as much reassurance into it as she could muster, as if she was talking to a small scary child. Right now, that was like Alec was looking in front of her. Small, sad, scared and so damn innocent. "Please" She begged, and Alec looked down at her, really looked at her. She tried to ignore the fear she was feeling, and praying her face and voice was showing that radiant of confidence she managed to keep at work, the professional doctor.

"Okay, Okay" He replied, voice flat but his feet shuffled towards the kitchen.

With a sight of relief, as she watched him and the two others head with him, she looked down on the unconscious man. "You'll be fine. We got this" She nodded to herself, as her muscles and mind took over as she tirelessly began working into the night on the wounds, cuts and gradually, the bleeding slowed down and came to halt. "I got this.." She kept saying to herself, with every stitch and cut. She did. She stopped counting stitches after a while, once the bigger bleeding had stopped. There must have been more then thirty of them, but it hadn't mattered. Her hand had grown numb, but worked tirelessly nonetheless. Bella had treated plenty of people before, but never anyone Alec knew, and never anyone that meant something to him. She shuddered at the thought if she hadn't been able to save this man for him.

Glancing at her handy work, a sense of relief washed over with each bandage being put over on the less severe cuts. Making a final check she grabbed the quilt on the arm chair and tucked Magnus in and headed for the kitchen.

It was quiet. Alec was sitting by the kitchen table, a cup of coffee in his hand. Jace and Clary was leaning against the kitchen counter, close together, Jace hugging her gently, trying to reassure her that Magnus was going to be fine. All three straighten as Bella walked into the kitchen.

Glancing at the welcome, Bella couldn't help to feel like once again she had walked out of an operating room. "He'll be fine" She stated as she made her way to the bin, throwing the bloody gloves in the bin before finding the sink to wash the rest of the blood covering her arms, off. She could feel Alec starring at her, waiting for her to speak up. "He lost quite a lot of blood, but I managed to stop the bleeding, and he should be just fine. I gave him something for the pain, and a mild sedative for a while so he can rest a bit without realizing what has happened to him. "The hot water was a welcome feeling against her hands. She always forgot just how cold the human body could be, especially blood. Letting out a shaky breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, she turned back around and sat down next to Alec, one hand coming out to give his a light squeeze. "He'll be fine" Bella let out a small smile, hoping that would be reassuring enough for him. She could see it wash over his face, and whatever bad thoughts he had a few moments before, were more or less gone. Alec could only nob back in reply, but they both knew he was grateful, and in his own way he was saying thank you.

"When can we move him?" Jace asked, arms now crossed, once again looking like he was ready to spring into action.

Bella glared up at him. "He needs rest" she said with a stern voice. "I've just stitched him back up as if he were a rag doll. He has multiple cuts everywhere, and if you move him now you'll risk cutting up the stitches that I've spent the last hour patching up.

"When can we move him?" Jace asked again.

"When I say so, GI Joe"

Neither spoke for a moment, Jace clearly thinking he could win over a doctor, as he glared at her, as if she was one of the many normal mundane he meet on a regular basis, who simply obeyed whenever he used his stern voice.

Bella lifted her head, not back down either as she looked back at Jace. "You know, those were some interesting cuts on him."

"He got stabbed"

"Looks odd for a stab wound. They are normally short but deep. No, this look like it could have been made by some sort of animal. Now, as a doctor, I've seen a lot of cuts and bruises, and a few more things on top of that, but I've never seen anything quite like that" Bella crossed her arms, as she dared Jace. "Feels like someone should start telling me the truth here." She glanced at Alec who was still sitting next to her, but he shifted at her words, and so did Jace, who opened his mouth to speak.

"It's a bad idea Jace" Alec said, trying to stop him, knowing he was about to do just that.

"Do you have a better one Alec?"

Frowning, Alec shook his head. "No, but I thought we had rules for this sort of thing" He muttered, suddenly feeling a bit silly.

"You and your rules Alec. I have a feeling we are way over our heads, and if Magnus needs more medical help, we will need her. Keeping her in the dark will not keep her safe."

"And why do you think she would believe us?"

"She doesn't have to believe it, but seeing as she just saved Magnus, without questing my motives, she deserved to know. If she doesn't believe, well then that's her choice, but she should be allowed to form her own opinions and make up her mind herself, if she wishes it."

"If I believe what?" Bella looked from one man to the other, confused and puzzled at he cryptic words.

Jace opened his mouth, ready to explain.

"Jace, don't" Alec pleaded. "Don't drag her into this. Not into our world."

Crossing his arms, Jace looked from Bella to Alec. "If she is to help us, she needs to know Alec. Keeping people in the dark never ends well. You should know that better then anyone, look at where that got you" He reminded his parabati, seeing the look of defeat in Alec's eyes. He couldn't argue with that. Alec knew better then anyone what lies, and secrets could do to people. Neither of the two would be where they were, if only they both would have been honest with each other. If Jace hadn't decided to lie about Valentine and his alliance, if Alec had been upfront the deals he had made with Lydia in exchange for marriage, and the position as the head of the institute, everything would have been very different. They both knew this, such an unspoken truth.

He glanced at Alec once more and sat down next to Bella and began telling her about them. Shadowhunters, half angels, greater demons. The list was endless, but when telling something it is always best to start at the beginning. She didn't say much, only listened as she poured herself a cup a coffee, her hands gripping the cup a little bit harder at certain words. They left out what had happened for Alec to be where he was now. She didn't need to know anything.

"That's it" Jace said, going quiet, trying to figure out the girl in front of him.

Bella nodded and got up to put the empty cup in the sink. She could feel Alec watching her, waiting for her reaction, as well as Jace. "Okay" She finally said, turning around and leaning against the kitchen counter. "Perhaps we should all go to bed, looks like we could all use the rest. Jace, Clary, you're welcome to use the guest bedroom on the bottom floor at the end of the corridor, if you wish. I wouldn't advise to move Magnus just yet"

Alec glared at her. "That's it?" He wondered, awaiting some sort of reaction, that wasn't coming.

"Yeah that's it."

"I just told you I am half human, half angel, and all you have got to say it's lets go to bed?" Alec asked, puzzled. This wasn't what he had been expecting. Questions, yes lots of them perhaps. Some anger at behind lied to perhaps, disbelief, for sure, but as he looked at Bella, not of it was there. She looked, calm.

"Well, I'm tired. it's been a long day with a lot of stuff going on, so yeah on doctor's orders, I suggest that we all try and get some sleep, and then we can deal with all, this, tomorrow."

"That's all you've got to say?"

Sighting, Bella shifted her weight a little. "What do you want to say Alec?" It's a lot to take in yeah, but I feel like perhaps this isn't my biggest concern right now. The man that nearly bled out in our living room, yeah that's a big concern. Wherever Mr Johnston is going to still be alive in the next twenty four hours, that's a worry for me. This, this isn't. So you're in some sort of cult, and you got kicked out. Big deal."

"It's not a cult, it's a bit more then that. " Alec corrected her. "We are talking about creatures and magic, and things you couldn't even believe exits."

"Unless they all come storming this house in the next few hours, I don't really care, and I still say we all need to sleep a little bit." Bella sighted, the tiredness evident in her voice. "Either way, I bit you good night. Alec, Magnus will be out for the next few hours too so there isn't really any point starring at him, hoping for him to wake up. If I were you, I would make sure you get some proper sleep. You look like you need it more then me" She mumbled and made her way upstairs, not waiting for any more replies or questions. She thought she could hear more hissed voices for a while and the creak of bedroom doors being opened and shut. Seemed their guests were staying after all, and as no footsteps were heard coming up the stairs, she knew all to well that Alec would be spending the next few hours right next to Magnus either way.

Too tired to try and process all the new information she had been given, or try and make any sense of it Bella let her tired mind and body drift off to a restless sleep. Her head hit the pillow and she welcomed it gladly.

A light shake woke Bella up. It felt like her head just hit the pillow, but glancing on her phone that was resting on the table, it showed it was just past nine in the morning. The sunshine was coming in through the still opened window. Disoriented and tired, the events of last night came back quickly, and Bella rushed up to tend to her newest patient. Looking around to see what had woken her, she saw nothing. Shrugging, she made her way downstairs. The house shook again, making her shift off balance, as she grabbed on the wall of the bottom of the stairs.

"Alec?" She shouted out. "What the hell is going on?" She shouted out as she tried to make her way to the living room, a vibration coming through the floorboards. "Is it an earthquake?" She asked, finally reaching the living room. Magnus was still on the sofa, but a bit more awake then the last time she had seen him, both Jace and Alec was hoovering over him, whispering in low hurried voices. She couldn't quite make it out. "What's going on?" She demanded to know, now reaching the little group. Even tired, Magnus glared at her presence.

"Not the bloody wife" He muttered, low enough for everyone to hear.

"Yes, the bloody wife" Bella replied back, just as sour as he. "Who happened to save your life yesterday" She informed him.

Both men turned around at the sound of Bella's presence.

"You're up!" Alex exclaimed, but his voice was low and the worry in his eyes was clear as day. The house shook again, this time more violently, causing Bella to grab a hold of Alec in order not to fall over.

"Ow. What is going on?" She asked, as she tried to steady herself.

"It's the house." Alec replied, glancing around the room, as if he was looking for someone, or something.

"The house? What about the house?"

"It's protecting us"

Bella's eyes widened at the reply. "From what?" She asked, suddenly feeling scared, as it shook once again.

"I don't know" He mumbled quiet. "I didn't even know the house could protect us like this. I mean, I know there were some protection runes put in place for my sake but this is taking it to a whole new level."

"That would be me" Magnus piped up from the sofa. "I put some wards up a few years back" He groaned as he attempted to shift on the sofa.

"What for?" Alec turned around, now looking at Magnus, his face softening at the words.

"Protection." Magnus answered back, looking away, a small shade of pink burning on his cheeks. Alec wasn't suppose to find that little detail out, but even with all the hatred in the world, even back then Magnus hadn't been able to live with himself, if anything would have happened to Alec, so he had sneak around on evening, when Alec had just moved it and made sure that if anything, or anything tried to hurt him, the wards would keep him safe without Alec actually knowing.

"Will it hold?" Alec asked, still eyeing the room with caution.

Magnus didn't reply.

"Right, we need to go" Jace ordered. "Whatever this thing is, it might be what attacked Magnus, and it might have followed us here. We can't stay here. Alec, you should come too, I don't think this its safe here any more."

"And where do you suggest we go?" Alec raised an eyebrow as he watched Jace gathered himself, shifting himself closer to Magnus, who had a hard look on his face, bracing himself for the pain that was about to come, with the movements.

"The institute"

"Are you mad? I can't go there!"

"We'll have to take that risk, or would you rather stay here and get scratched to death by whatever this thing in?"

The house shook again, and this time Bella was sure the sealing would fall in. somehow it seemed to hold, but it was bad enough to tell them that whatever they choose to do, they would have to make that choice now.

"Bella is coming with us" Alec demanded, and to make his point clear he strode over and grabbed her hand. "I am not leaving her behind"

"She is a mundane, she'll be fine. They never go for them anyway" Jace reassurance him.

"You don't know that" Alec protested, grabbing Bella's hand a little harder. "You don't even know what this thing is, and I am not leaving her behind. If I go, she goes. Besides, we need someone to drive there, and well last time I checked, you don't know how to do mundade driving. If this thing doesn't kill us, you will for sure! "

Jace glanced at him, seeing the stubbornness set into Alec. He had that look he knew all to well, the look that you couldn't argue with. Alec's mind was made up and there was no changing it.

"Fine" He gave it. "But we are leaving now, before the whole roof falls in"

"Bella get the car keys and me and Jace will get Magnus£ Bella who was still half scared, and confused, just nodded at Alec and followed the orders with no protest. The house shook harder now, each on making them all nearly fall over as they tried to move an injured Magnus into the garage. Bella had already rushed out to start the engine, her face unreadable as she gripped the steering wheel hard. It helped to grab onto something. With quite a lot of finesse they all squeezed into the car, the men in the back and Bella and Clary in the front seats.

"Okay" Bella said, trying to take a deep breath to calm herself somewhat. The conversation from last night about demons and angels came rushing back, and suddenly felt a lot more real then when Jace had been telling it yesterday. "Where are we going?" She tried to keep her voice low and calm, as the car pulled out of the garage.

Jace gave directions as they drove in mostly silence. Bella glanced in the back view mirror now and again, seeing Magnus looking pale again, leaning against Alec, his head resting on his shoulder. She thought she could see one hand grabbing Alec's too.

"Pull over here" Jace instructed, and the short drive had taken them right in front of the institute.

All five of them got of the car quietly. Bella looked up at the old church, it wasn't what she had expected. When people said institute, she thought of taller building, labs, that short of things. Not old , and almost fallen churches.

"Hang on a minute" Jace suddenly said, looking around the car before slamming door shut. "Here, put this one" He said and pulled a baseball cap over Bella's head.

"That's not really going to help Jace" Alec said as he realized what Jace was trying to do. "They will be able to tell.."

Jace seemed to think for a moment, before he shrugged his jacket off, and his hoodie and pulled the black, over big hoodie over Bella's shoulders, making her look even smaller then she would normally. "Listen to me. Stay quiet, and don't draw any attention to yourself. If they realize you are a mundane, the welcome you'll receive won't be warm. We are breaking all kinds of rules right now. Just keep your head down, and stay behind me, and we might get away with it.

Bella nodded, that feeling of behind over her head not going away, but seeing the choices had been the roof falling over them, in her own house, and this, this surely couldn't been that bad. Alec reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a light squeeze. She realized it was for comfort and support, and somehow that sacred her even more. Alec didn't do things like this. Pulling the hood over the baseball cap, Bella truly wished she was looking as small and unimportant as possible as they headed through the gates. She could feel Alec squeezing her hand once more as she tried to shrink behind the three men. Jace and Alec was doing their best to support Magnus who was in obvious pain, at the same time trying to hide her from unwanted eyes.

She gasped as they crossed the threshold through the barrier, and the old church was no longer an old church any-more. Suddenly the stories from last night was being made more and more real. Grabbing a tighter grip on Alec's hand, she pushed away the fear and uncertainty,

"Since when does the institute have guards?" Alec whispered low as he watched the two guards observe them with caution and curiosity.

"A lot has changed since you've been gone Alec. Don't worry about it" Jace said as they made their way through them, Bella not daring to even look them in the eyes. She felt like an unwanted guest, and she had to resist the urge to run back to the car.

They finally reached the halls of the institute, Alec's grip on Bella's hand still in a firm hold as the other was still supporting Magnus. They didn't get further then that, as familiar face was already waiting for them.

"Aaaa. Jace, finally" Lydia was standing on the steps, clearly expecting them. "What took you so long?"

"We ran into some trouble" He nodded to the pale Magnus.

"The warlock. I thought we had made it clear they aren't welcome here any more" Lydia's voice was stern as she looked the newcomers. She clearly wasn't happy with them, and it was becoming more and more clear to Bella, how much trouble they were actually in, and how bad of an idea this was starting to look like.

"Magnus saved my life" Jace straightened, clearly trying to not become intimidated by her. "I owe him the same, that he has done for me"

"Very well" Lydia agreed, hands behind her back, clearly deciding her next decisions."I see you have graced our prescience with my ex husband as well , any reason for this?"

"Something attacked us and Alec was kind enough to offer us safe haven, but whatever attacked us, came back, and now I am offering him the same. This is according to the law, is it not?" He challenged, choosing his words carefully.

"Indeed it is. We have to offer what we receive"

Nodding Jace, made a move to walk past her, the little group following along.

"And what about the mundane?"

Bella froze, knowing this woman was refereeing to her.

"What is a mundane doing in my institute?"

The room went silent.

"The law is hard, but the law is the law Jace" Lydia stated, her voice cold as she glared at Bella. With a nod, and before anyone had time to react, two guards had grabbed a hold of her, separating her from the rest of the group. "Take her to the dentition cells for now, until I have decided what punishment to give to her"

Bella caught Alec's gaze, and he looked as scared for her as she felt, but they both knew it was better to stay silent then to break out a fight. It had been their choice after all to do this. She could hear the protest from Jace as the guards lead her away, but right now fighting anyone wouldn't do anyone any good.

The guards clearly had little feelings for mundanes, as they threw her into a cell, which looked like it was all made of glass, with a hard shove. Bella turned around, glaring at her guards with as much confidence she could muster.

"You can't do this! I have rights!"

The guards laughter at her reply. "Not here you don't love" the taller man shook his head, and before Bella could say anything else, they had both turned around and left her.

Suddenly feeling alone, Bella looked around. It was just glass, glass that can break she thought as she glanced around her cell. Curious, she raised a hand to touch it. A jolt of electricity rushed through as her finger tips touched the cold hard surface, and she jumped back, grabbing her hand. It was pulsing, and aching at the sudden shock. Bad idea.

Sitting down on the hard cold floor, Bella submitted to the defeat and to the revelation. The story she had heard last night, had in fact been real. As silly it had sounded sitting in that kitchen, with demons and angels, runes that held power, it had perhaps in fact been the truth after all. Glaring at the glass that seemed to almost be mocking her she wrapped the hoodie Jace had lent her, around her a little bit tighter.

"I have a feeling I am not in Kansas any more" She whispered out into the glass cell, half expecting someone to answer her back. It did not, and as she leaned against the wall, she could only hope that Alec had some kind of plan to get her out of here. She shuddered at thinking of what kind of punishment this Lydia person could conjure up. People that felt the need to surround their prisoners with electrocuted walls, couldn't mean well.