Duncan was bored, he had told Raj many times so far in their assignment how much it was a waste of time. The Lightwoods were a non-issue as far as he was concerned but whenever he tried to state that he was reprimanded by Aldertree. Now, he was just annoyed.

"They do nothing!" Duncan was irritated. "They had a funeral, they're living there in the house and nothing of any importance or supernatural has happened." He huffed, "what are we … babysitters?"

"Stop it, just stop. Enough is enough. If the Clave wants us to do this job, it has got to be important." Raj was loyal, though his friend was making sense to him. "Just follow the Lightwoods around and see what happens, that's all we gotta do."

"It's boring!" Duncan was annoyed, "how is it that the Lightwoods are such a threat!" While both Clave members and the Circle had the 'sight', the added warlock glamour kept Alec off their radar. They never noticed the shadowhunter walking around without them realizing it nor the wolves or warlocks. The small town protected itself well.

"Didn't you read the file, Andrew and Robert were the threat." Raj was equally annoyed. "We don't know what the rest of the family is capable of." The dark haired Clave member then relaxed a little, "look, if we see anything, we eliminate them. If we find others, we report it. It can't be that this Manor is the only supernatural thing in the area." Raj looked at his computer tablet, "there is more activity or beings here but it doesn't seem to be important." He shrugged, "it might be as easy as capturing and imprisoning them." Duncan agreed but it didn't help his boredom.

They monitored a radio for the sheriff's department, if something was going to happen, they hoped it would be called into the sheriff. They knew they should be doing more but both felt like the assignment was beneath them.

##

When the last of the movie marathon was finished, Alec announced that he would go home. He didn't want to stay the night.

"It's late honey, it would be best if you stayed." Jos smiled warmly at him. "Your parents wouldn't want you out at this time of night."

"It's not that far," Alec wished they drove to the home, it would have been far easier to convince them, if had taken the car he shared with Izzy. There plenty of vehicles at the manor and it took no effort to let the teens have a car.

"Alec." Izzy's tone was scolding. "We promised Mom and Luke a date night." While they considered Luke a father figure to them, it was easier calling him Luke. They still cared about their father, Robert.

"I won't interrupt date night, they won't even know I'm home." Alec was still trying to get out the Fray house, "I'll be quiet." He already planned on the silence rune, he was getting better with his runic power and he also planned on using the speed rune to get home quickly.

Dot walked to him to rub her hand down his arm to convince him but it was a gesture to check on him. Careful to not alert him to her using magic to make sure he was alright and possibly convince him to stay, it wouldn't be too hard to cast a sleep spell. Alec pulled away quickly, his eyes grew wide. He was familiar with magic users now and he didn't know what to think of this new situation. He schooled himself and nodded that he would stay. He backed away, whatever she was going to do, he wasn't having any of it.

The girls had their own shared room, and boys in another room. Jos and Dot gave the teens a warning to stay in their rooms, that it was late and time for bed and that the doors stayed open. While Jocelyn and Dot knew all of the teens would stay up late, they felt better reminding them of the rules of the house.

Jocelyn and Dot reconvened in the kitchen, "Do we need to worry about Alec?" Jos watched his reaction to her friend Dot. Clearly the Lightwood boy knew more about the Shadow World than they anticipated.

"Not sure. He is aware of warlocks." He reacted too strongly and I couldn't continue the spell. "That warlock glamour also has a 'protection' spell. I should have recognized that sooner." Dot knew then that it had to be Magnus' magic.

"Think he'll run?" Jocelyn listened as best she could to the teens, they seemed to be acting normal.

"Yes, he will run home." She sighed "I'll call Bat and have him watch out for him, make sure he makes it home." Dot found her phone and texted the wolf. Better to use texts, that way no prying ears would know anything. Bat was quick to reply, "it's done." Jocelyn nodded and the women went to the living-room to clean up.

Alec decided he'd wait everyone out. Once Jace and Simon fell asleep, he'd sneak out the window, and go home. He couldn't be in this house any longer. It was an hour before he made his escape, but it wasn't unnoticed. The wolf friend of Dot's watched from the cover of trees, he followed Lightwood to the manor before circling back to the Fray/Rollings home.

Bartholomew 'Bat' Velasquez was a werewolf who had his own place in the small town but was close to Dot, she helped him when he was turned and he looked to her as a mother figure. In turn, if she needed his special skill set, Dot could call on him. Tonight, it was to make sure the Lightwood boy got home and to nose around the area for anything out of the ordinary. He informed Dot and Jocelyn that there were 'other scents' in the area to be aware of but so far, until something happens, the place seemed to be quiet and the same as the days prior.

Alec knew how to enter the manor unnoticed and that was his best option, he chose the back of the house, using the speed and the rune that allowed him to not only jump down from high places, but he could jump up as well. His footfalls quiet due to the silence rune. He was going to thank Magnus about the book of the gray and having him read the entire thing. He was feeling exhilarated and easily made it to his room.

He changed quickly in the bathroom and crawled into his own bed. The evening wasn't great for him, it wasn't completely horrible but Clary's aunt Dot unnerved him. He dropped the stele on the nightstand and whispered goodnight to Magnus. He didn't look for him, he guessed Magnus was sleeping. Alec was nearly asleep when he felt the gentle touch of the warlock's magic brushing his hair back. The Nephilim sighed and slipped into deeper slumber.

##

Date night with Maryse and Luke wasn't exactly the truth. They were doing research, and were appalled to discover not only was the Clave in town but another faction made up of zealots who called themselves the Circle was also lurking, question was for what but they'd figure that out. They would safeguard all of Andrew and Robert's information on everything from the supernatural and shadow world. They had enough contacts to investigate, and hoped they would not be noticed.

The couple did work in a romantic dinner with wine and enjoying themselves before settling with their laptops to continue their project but kept it light. As far as they could tell, nothing to worry about yet. Other than Alec's snooping around, it seemed no alerts to be concerned about as of yet. They both agreed it was a false calm, that Maryse's ex and his father may have gotten into something far deeper than defending the shadow world and downworlders.

Maryse and Luke settled into their bed and were discussing various things and making plans when Luke got a text from Jocelyn. Luke had a liaison with her in the past before he got together with Maryse but it was still awkward. At least they tried to be cordial. The message was brief, that their son was heading home and to let them know he got there, they were worried. Luke acknowledged with a return text and explained to his wife the circumstance. Maryse snorted a bit at their concern but let it go. "I'll check on him." Luke was already out of bed.

"Alright." Maryse slid further under the covers and turned her bedside lamp off.

Luke softly padded out of their room and made his way to Alec's, he knocked on the door but didn't get a response. He opened the door to find their son in bed asleep. He was about to close the door when something caught his eye, he walked further into the room toward the nightstand and picked up the stele, and went back to his room.

Luke walked into the room he shared with Maryse, "honey, we've got a problem."

Maryse immediately sat up with a concerned look. "What is it? Is he alright?" She was about to get out of bed when Luke reassured her to not get out of bed.

"I found this in his room." He handed her the stele.

"I see." Maryse took the implement and tossed it in the drawer of the nightstand. "I guess it's time."

"Yeah, it is." Luke climbed into bed and hugged his wife. "It will be fine." She nodded and they both drifted off to sleep.