Hey! I'm alive! And I wrote more than a couple hundred words! Sorry for the unintentional hiatus. Tell me what you think of this chapter and let me know what you want to see more of coming up.
Wesley woke with a start, the feeling of eyes on him had been enough to rouse him from his peaceful slumber. At first, he hadn't seen the source of the feeling that he'd had, but then his eyes focused and he could clearly see someone standing over him.
"What the -" Wesley called his magic forth, prepared to defend himself and the woman he loved, who was still sleeping soundly beside him.
"Shh!" The person hushed him and magicked a fireball into their hand to light their face enough for Wesley to see them clearly.
"Seriously, mate?" Wesley complained, eyes falling upon Alec's face. He rubbed his eyes, trying to bring himself further into consciousness and rid himself of the feeling of fear, not only for himself but for Clary as well, that had creeped up on him when he had sensed Alec.
"Get up," Alec hissed, banishing the fireball from his hand. "we have to go right now."
Wesley stood up, hearing the urgency in his best mate's tone and snapped his fingers, changing into his day clothes without needing a reason behind his best friend's request.
"Where are we going?" He asked, eyes sweeping over Alec's form.
Alec was dressed, his all black attire wasn't surprising. The lightest colored piece of attire on him was his silver wedding band. His hazel eyes cut through the dark and shone brightly, an almost mischievous vibe radiating off of him.
"I found Shaylee," Alec told him, the urgency in his voice now laced with something like excitement. "we're going to get her and we're going to finish this now."
Shock ran ice cold through Wesley's veins. Excitement and dread fought a noble battle within him. He wanted justice for his sister and her family, but having to face the woman that caused him so much pain was a reality that he quite honestly feared. On the other hand, he also wanted to ensure that Clary would be safe. He knew from Magnus' accounts of Alec meeting Camille that ex-lovers could very well cause problems for new relationships, soulmate or not.
"Where is she?" He asked a touch to loudly, Alec hushed him with a quick gesture of his head towards Clary who stirred slightly, reaching out to find Wesley in her sleep, but quickly settled with a discontented sigh when she turned up empty handed.
"London." Alec whispered, taking Wesley by the elbow and pulling him gently to the door and out of the room, afraid that his daughter might wake and realize that they were leaving in the middle of the night. "She's wreaking havoc in the Downworld community there. She burned down a few building just outside of town, too. Old houses, probably a hundred years old or more."
Wesley clenched his jaw and his eyes flashed angrily. "My sister's house." He informed Alec as they descended the stairs. He caught a glance of the clock and noticed it was just past two in the morning. "They lived just outside of London, she would know where it was, she went there the night she murdered them."
Alec patted his friend on the shoulder. "I can't imagine how you're feeling right now," He whispered as they neared the front door. "If Clary hadn't killed Valentine Morgenstern the night he'd murdered Jace, I know that I would have wanted that bastard dead. I would have been consumed with the thought of getting justice for him and I'm not sure that Magnus and I would have the life we have today. I pushed him away, after Max died and then again after Jace. If I had that anger in me, the knowledge that he was out there, alive and still working towards his goal of eradicating my boyfriend and daughter's species, I would have gone down a very different path in my life. I probably would have gotten myself killed."
Wesley gave Alec a sidelong glance before stopping right in front of the front door. "Your point?" He asked. "Besides reminding me how incredibly angry and vengeful I am, I mean."
Alec chuckled and stood a few feet away from him, directly facing him. "My point is that I have no idea how you are the person you are right now. Or were when I first met you. You are kind, intelligent, brave and so damn strong in the face of crushing loss. I couldn't have handpicked a better man for my daughter than you. I respect and admire you, not only for how you've handled your anger, but also for the kind of person you are."
Wesley smiled bashfully. "Thanks, mate."
"I hate to break up this love fest." Azazel snarked from the top of the stairs. "However, every time my child wanders out of sight, especially out of this house, it seems that he gets hurt. Therefore I will be traveling with you."
Wesley looked to Alec who was mid-eye-roll, pure exasperation coloring his face.
"Dad," Alec groaned, reminiscent of Raphael whom often said the same word in the same tone, occasionally with a similar eye roll. "We'll be fine, we won't be gone long at all."
"Oh, in that case I'll just go inform your husband that you're going out to do something safe, like shopping at the market of farmers."
"Does he mean the farmer's market?" Wesley whispered quietly to Alec who waved him off.
"Don't wake Magnus up." Alec told Azazel firmly. "There is no need to worry him for this."
"And what happens when he wakes to find his husband missing in the middle of the night?" Azazel questioned him. "You've just brought home a new son, a child that is incredibly attached to you. What happens when he wakes and finds you gone and believes that you've abandoned him just as his natural parents did?"
Alec cursed and looked to Wesley. "I didn't think about Rafael." He admitted.
"I'm sure that Shaylee will pop up again." Wesley told him. "It's alright, Jay."
"I will accompany your daughter's mate to wherever it is that you were going, so long as you promise to return to your husband's side where you are safe and protected."
Alec looked at Azazel, appearing to be thoroughly defeated. "You know I can take care of myself, right?" He defended himself weakly.
Azazel descended the stairs and stood in front of Alec with a sort of patronizing smile. "Like when the Clave came after you and deruned you? Or Jonathan Morgenstern killing you? Or perhaps -"
"Okay! Point taken, whatever." Alec started for the stairs when Azazel caught him by the arm and patted his cheek gently. "You're going to London, there's a safe house in the north, under the shopping market. She'll be there."
Azazel nodded and pressed a kiss to Alec''s forehead. "Go back to your bed and your husband. Don't disappoint your children by going missing in the middle of the night. Wellsey and I have this."
"Wesley." Wes grumbled.
Alec chuckled and jogged up the stairs, waving a hand to change back into his soft silk pajama pants that Magnus bought him after he was deruned. In fact, Magnus had bought him dozens of those pants in different colors, and all sorts of articles of clothing, blankets, and pillows that were all incredibly soft and of the finest quality.
"Only the best for my husband," Magnus had said, easing him back onto a giant fluffy pillow and covering him with a blanket so soft that it felt like Magnus was covering him with a piece of cloud.
Alec entered their bedroom quietly and crossed the room to climb into bed next to Magnus. Magnus rolled over and placed a hand on Alec's bare chest, his head landing on Alec's shoulder.
"Why'd you leave?" Magnus murmured sleepily. "It was cold without you."
"I was going to go to London with Wesley." Alec admitted hesitantly, feeling Magnus become a little more alert. "But Dad stepped in and volunteered to go instead so that I could be here for you and so that Rafe wouldn't get scared that I was gone. So that you wouldn't get scared that I had disappeared in the middle of the night."
"I'm glad that you stayed." Magnus stroked a hand down Alec's chest, twirling his fingers in the hair there. "What's in London?"
"Shaylee." Alec murmured as he turned onto his side and buried his face into Magnus' neck.
He felt Magnus' fingers find their way into his hair and tug lightly. "I'm glad you stayed." His husband repeated.
Alec smiled and sighed contentedly, wrapping his arms firmly around Magnus' waist holding him against his body snugly. "So am I." He whispered into Magnus' neck. "I love you." His eyes drooped and he could feel his body start to relax and fall into sleep.
"I love you, too, darling." Magnus replied, sounding just as far gone as Alec felt.
Alec hummed and let his eyes fall shut just as the door to their room creaked open.
"Alec?" A tiny accented voice called from the doorway.
Alec and Magnus both sat up and looked at the little boy standing in the doorway. Rafael held the fuzzy blanket from his bed in one hand so it dragged on the floor and a stuffed rabbit which he held by one long ear in the other.
His eyes were fixated on Alec and were filled with tears which slowly dripped from his eyes and left tracks on his cheeks while his lower lip wobbled.
"Alec." He repeated pitifully, a wobble in his voice.
"Hey buddy," Alec said softly, "wanna come here and sleep with Dad and Papa?"
Rafael shook his head stubbornly. "Mi Cama." (My bed)
Alec sighed and looked over at Magnus. "I'm gonna go with him, okay? Go back to sleep."
Magnus placed a hand on the side of Alec's face and smiled, looking exhausted before planting his lips on top of Alec's. "Go take care of our son, darling. As long as you're here and safe, and not in London, I'm happy. Our baby needs you."
"No soy un bebé." Rafael complained. (I'm not a baby)
Alec chuckled. "Eres nuestro bebé." (You're our baby)
Alec slid out of bed and grabbed a shirt off the back of the vanity chair and slid it on over his head before moving to the doorway and scooping Rafael into his arms. Rafael's head immediately dropped onto Alec's shoulder.
"Say night-night to Papa?" Alec asked. Rafael waved tiredly at Magnus which Magnus reciprocated and Alec professed his love one last time before moving swiftly out of the room and into the room they'd allocated to Rafael.
—
"She wasn't there?" Alec asked as he shut the door to his office as Wesley paced the length of it. "What do you mean she wasn't there?"
"She wasn't there!" Wesley exclaimed. "Jay, I can't live like this, in fear of her. In fear of her coming after Clary!"
"We'll get her. We'll find her." Alec promised.
"Alec." Wesley said seriously. "I want to marry Clary. I want to propose."
Alec nodded. "Okay." He shrugged. "What's stopping you?"
"Shaylee." Wesley reasoned as if it was obvious. "When I marry her, I want to promise her that I will protect her, that I can protect her, just like you and Magnus promised each other. I can't promise that if Shaylee is still out there. I can't promise that Clary will be safe. Because every second that monster is still breathing, is another second that my soulmate is still in danger."
Alec sighed and nodded. "I waited to propose to Magnus, remember? And then made him wait to get married? Because I was mourning my brothers, because I was carrying my grief with me everyday. I was putting my future at risk because I was too consumed by my past. Don't get me wrong, I miss my brothers. I'll always love them, but they aren't here anymore. I am, my husband is, my children are. Clary is here, Wesley. And she has plenty of people here willing to go down fighting for her. Two fathers, a soulmate, an older brother, his boyfriend who is her best friend, my parabatai, and her and Underhill have been getting close as well. If you want to propose to Clary, if you want to be her husband, then there is no time like the present. Tomorrow isn't guaranteed, so you never know whether or not you're going to get another chance to tell her how much you love her."
"Carpe diem?" Wesley snorted. "That's your advice?"
Alec just shrugged.
"I guess this means I have your blessing?" Wesley asked with a sigh.
Alec laughed. "Yeah, you have mine. But I'm not Clary's only father. You're going to have to talk to Magnus too."
Wesley groaned as Alec laughed and left the room.