2004,

Los Angeles Shadow Market,

Mother Hawthorn walked through the crowded market, her stall scrambling behind her on its two feet. Trinkets and glass vials clinked together as the stall hoisted them from one side to the other. Each Market was different, from the beautiful arena in Paris to the carnivals enticing mundanes and the open aired streets of London and L.A. But tensions were brewing once again between the Nephilim, and when angels were angry it was mortals that pay with blood.

Because of this she resigned to stay in the filthy city. She was not particularly fond of these Shadow Markets, but every now and again a foolish angel will stumble upon her stall seeking her help, but instead they find themselves the victims of a little faerie trick. It was the pettiest revenge and she knew deep down that no matter how many she took it would never satisfy. Even if she ruined every Nephilim and foe of her dear Auraline, Roland the Astonishing would still be forever out of reach.

She made her way to the center of the Market where the children came to play around the campfire. Their cherubic cheeks and innocent eyes shined when they saw her and quickly gathered around her feet. Such sweet darlings all of them were. None of them yet spoiled by the way the world morphs children into incorrigible adults. For now they were guiltless things, the only blame they held was for being so small they depended on others for survival. Weak little things reaching out with hope, not yet a destroyer trampling over others and what they held dearest.

"Would you like for Mother Hawthorn to tell you a story, sweet things?" She cooed at the delighted faces looking back at her. But one child was not smiling, he stood in the back away from the other's, instead he wore a sullen expression. She had grown used to seeing his way of edging close, pretending he was much less interested then he was. His father was a despicable man, she had heard that his woman left him to care for their child, and not even that he could do properly. The poor boy was skin and bones with tattered and overgrown clothes, but his big blue eyes professed an innocence his father would have him betray, and golden curls to match the little angel's face. She had seen many children forced to grow up far too quickly and she feared this one would become just like his father.

She had heard rumors recently, for she also had a way of hearing secrets, that his father had gotten a hold of something older than time and far too dangerous for a mundane to possess. A smile spread across her wrinkled face. She decided on what story she would entertain them with.

"Settle down now children, and listen to my tale and listen well for what I tell you tonight is no lie." Excitedly, they sat down on the benches, whispering to one another. A young werewolf pup curled herself around her leg. Mother Hawthorn picked up the babe and cradled her in her arms. What she said was true, she had never come across an old tale that wasn't true, and often than naught, stories had a way of repeating themselves.

"A long time ago in a sleepy little town of Hamelin, things were not quite alright. In such a quaint town visitors may pass by the dirt roads and over the old rickety bridge to Hamelin, but no one ever stayed. The life of their poor village waned with time, soon the little town had hardly a neighbor or a grocer to its name. So, you might think when visitors came to call Hamelin home that the villagers would have rejoiced. But an answer to a wish is never all it seems, for these visitors were the likes you had never seen! Why, they were rats! Small and large, some took their places in coops while others made hats into stoops. And these rats were not happy to share their new nests. They bit and scratched and combed the streets, and as the blood of Hamelin filled their cheeks their appetites grew ever bigger.

"The people of Hamelin gathered in fear of their only fortune and future. Nothing could be reared but the children, you see, fresh and plump as a bumper crop one day they would shoot up like stalks and their small little town would grow big once again! But even the smallest of rats had outgrown a child of two, whatever should they do when their fiendish pests looked for more flesh to peck? The townsfolk did their best to trap and catch, to soothe and slay any vermin that came their way, but alas did all their attempts fail and their little hamlet fell into despair. "Desperately the people held out for hope that a lone stranger may come their way, but once again the town of Hamelin fell in disrepair.

"No one could believe their tired eyes when one day their stranger did come, he arrived with the rising sun as he skipped and hopped over that old rickety bridge, past the stone well, to their little council hall. And such a sight was this new stranger with his red and yellow coat. His sun kissed skin, his dark curls and boyish face. The townsfolk came and gawked at the young man's knowing smile and the dancing light in his eyes.

"And he said to them. 'Hello, good folk! I was just passing through and noticed your pests. If you would allow me to say, I have a charming way that can bid any creature when I play in pipes. If you note my pied coat and the pipe that I play, call me the Pied Piper if you may.'

His words too charmed the beleaguered townsfolk. For their poor sweet babes no price was too heavy to pay, or so they would say.

"'Then none would tut to put a thousand in gold in my waiting hand.'

"With a shake and a nod the deal was sealed and the Pied Piper walked with a leap to their tumbledown town square. He swayed along the beady eyed devils, tipping his feathered hat, he played. With a single pipe their feet rose to stand on two, and in a verse they danced with him too. He played for them a fetching beat as he led the merry band through the streets, past that old bridge to the wide rivers edge.

"'He means to drown them in the river's mouth!' The villagers thought, but the Piper led on further south, past the town of Hamelin and through the hills and the knolls the souls marched to the tune the Pied Piper played.

"The townsfolk rejoiced in the wake of their most detested visitants. Quickly forgotten was the savior to be as they danced and cheered, but the only music they heard through their lonesome streets was the Pied Piper's march.

"As the night wore on almost all was forgot, but the tune in their ears and the freedom from the biting at their rears. A feast was brought for all to eat in the hall of council when finally did that tickling tune cease from their ears. And as if the townsfolk were merely rats played to by a pipe did they all look up to see the Pied Piper in his pied coat and pipe. With new eyes did these villagers see this stranger. No longer was his coat charming but queer a sight and his pipe the devils flute insighting their fright . And that knowing smile knew of something wicked indeed.

The Piper strolled inside, a hand offered wide for the debt their deal did owe.

"But whispers blew like cold wind and not a penny nor a shilling was given to the Piper of Hamelin.

"Stranger did that Piper grow as he tipped his hat and said, 'No need to fret dear people of Hamelin, for I see now what I didn't before. I have come seeking my dues why my duties laid unfulfilled! No need for guilders or gold, the fortune of Hamelin is greater than I was told!

Listen well Hamelin, for when I return to play you a farewell song.'

"But fret they did, at least at first, but the sleepy hamlet had gone far too long to rest their heads in their pest free beds. No one was left awake to stop the Pied Pipers tune, he played them no lullaby or cheery melody but a requiem in his wake. Just as the good Piper promised, up from their beds did the fortune of Hamelin spring, like little puppets on a string. In the dead of night did the Piper pipe a melody the children followed, and by whoops and the laughter the children did follow after, then to the darkest twine Hamelin was left behind twinkling after.

"Many mourned in that early morn, for a debt paid in blood instead of gold would take your heart and turn it to blackened coal. None would lay eyes on the children of Hamelin again, but if you listen well on that old rickety bridge you might hear a song rolling from the knolly hills, and laughter from a procession that had lost its way following the beat to the Pied Pipers march.

"Nevermore would their eyes lay again, thereafter, on the children of Hamelin".

Mother Hawthorn paused, looking at each little face one by one as her tale came to an end.

"Because my children, adults are misers and liars, and the passing of debt from father to child is a tale you're bound to repeat until the debt is paid. And thus my tale is told, but heed my warning of Pipers, who will seek to lead you astray."

Scared and confused faces looked back up at her, the werewolf pup she held buried herself in her bosom, a small nymph held fast to her leg, her little roots attempting to take root in the hard concrete.

"That's it for tonight, do not pout my darlings, there is always tomorrow," she cooed at the disappointed faces disconcerted about the story she told. But soon enough they dispersed. She couldn't help the knowing pit in her heart that it was all for naught in the end. Every child would find their Piper and be taken down a path they never should have known.

She watched the boy from earlier skitter away from the others, walking off in the opposite direction of the rest of the children his age, his hands in his pockets and his head held down.

"Kit," she called, making her way to him, her hands on her hips until her clumsy stall bumped into her. Her stall bounced back, leaving her to dust off her backside from dust.

He stopped in his tracks, his eyes wary at being caught.

"What do you have in your pocket?"

He frowned. "Money my dad gave me." He was a good liar, even at his tender age. His father had ruined him that much already.

"Give it back to Errie," she said sternly.

He shoved his hand back in his pocket and grabbed a charm made to bring small luck to the wearer, and shoved it into her hands. "Fine, I don't want it anyway," he said with just the slightest hint of a pout.

She shook her head in disappointment. Johnny Rook was a silver tongue Piper and his son was already caught up in his wayward path. This child never had a chance, he was already covered in dirt before he was even born.

"Did you like the story?" She asked.

He looked like he thought she was out of her mind. "I stopped believing in the bogey man years ago." He tried to shrug her off.

She chuckled darkly. "Is that so? And what is it you've seen here that makes you so sure he doesn't exist?"

Uncertainty crossed his face. It was more suited to his age then the disillusionment of an adult.

"Learn it now, there is hardly such a thing as faerie nonsense, only unwitty mortals."

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The light passed through a window of teal as Kit pushed, and then tumbled back into the material plane. Ty was right behind him, but merely walked through the portal like he was traversing from Cirenworth to the Institute in one step. Books and dust were scattered, thrown into the air as Kit fell into the desk.

"Are you okay?" Ty asked, brushing off a coalescing ball of dust and spiderwebs from Kit's hoodie. Kit hit the table with his fists trying to catch his breath before he was finally able to string a sentence together.

"I'm fine..." he straightened up, a memory he had forgotten was painted perfectly in the back of his head. "It was just like I was passing through a memory for a second there.."

"What are you talking about?" Asked Ty, who obviously had no idea what was going on.

He shook his head. "It's nothing, nevermind. I just remembered something is all."

"Anything helpful?" Ty paced around, gliding silently over the creaking floorboards.

"No, just an old story I heard once." He looked around, small, cramped, and cluttered with books and busts of Roman figures, his only memory of Arthur Blackthorn was called to the surface. "Why are we in the attic? Oh, right I'm supposed to be dead."

"Yes, it might cause a few problems if people knew we were lying." Ty abruptly stopped his pacing.

It was times like this that Kit genuinely didn't know if he was being sarcastic or not.

He wasn't completely sold on the plan either."Now we just need to get everyone up here without anyone else noticing. Any suggest-?

Kit began to say before Ty raised a foot and stomped on the loose floorboard.

"Don't you think people are going to wonder if the attic is collapsing?" Kit yelled over the noise of Ty slamming his foot down again.

Ty didn't answer immediately, giving a few more good kicks to the floor and listening to the ugly groan it made as Ty pressed down on it.

"There's too many people around to know for sure where it's coming from." Ty explained, as a loud groan escaped the floorboard, "But if Livvy hears it she will know it's me. We learned morse code when we were nine."

They both looked down, listening to the distant thuds and bands of people below and waited.

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Jaime had paced his room, with a bag clutched to his chest, a dozen times. It only dawned on him now that everything he had strove for was thrown out the window, how much he had been depending on Kit now that he was gone. Suddenly desperate, his hands grasped around in his bag until his fingers brushed against the enteindad. Entrances into Faerie were sealed, and without Kit's ability to teleport the only way there was with this. Tiny rays of light shined underneath his fingers. The magic reached out and touched his brain as it slid further down his palm, and all the doors that could be opened.

Until a knock in his room forced him back to the guest corridors.

He marched over to the door opening it to find his older brother carrying a basin with fresh water, his apron stained with blood like he had come straight from the infirmary.

Jaime huffed in irritation, of course it would be Diego.

His older brother's eyes narrowed at him. "Did I catch you about to do something reckless?"

Jaime's mouth twitched. "Reckless? Me, never."

"Please try to act like a proper member of the Clave, at least while you're on bed rest."

"I should point out that acting like a 'member of the Clave' is what got me into this position to begin with." Jaime used air quotes

Diego set the basin down unevenly as it made a loud thud against the nightstand. "I didn't know that was the trigger for your curse. But yes, I do know about it." He paused. "Jaime, I'm so sorry."

"Don't," he said sharply. "It's not the end, I'm still a Shadowhunter."

Diego looked over at him in concern. "But if you can't fight you should consider-"

"What else am I supposed to be?" Jaime demanded.

"You are much more than just a fighter, Jaime. You're resourceful, and unrelenting. What of helping repair the bond between the Fae and the Rosales? Hasn't that always been your goal? You don't need to fight, you have all the skills you need. No one knows the Fae better than you do, not even Cristina."

"That's because neither of you were told the stories I was," Jaime said darkly.

Before he had a chance to shrug him off, Diego was by his side and gripping his shoulder. "You don't have anything to prove to anyone, hermano, you have always and will always be one of the bravest Shadowhunters I have ever known."

Jaime Rosales was never prepared to feel sentimental in the rare case that it happens, but he was even less prepared for the emotion he felt at hearing his older brother say those words.

He wasn't prepared for him to say that. Jaime clapped his back and gave his brother a real hug.

He had come to realize he may have lost the brother who always stood by him, Diego may start to stray far from his side, and how much comfort the knowledge his loyalty had brought him. He had never needed a reminder, it was just what he expected. But since Durendal had left him his greatest faith started to waver.

For once in his life he had to accept that his brother was right, that maybe this time he couldn't do this on his own.

"And no matter how many scars you get, you will always be Perfect Diego to me." Jaime said next to his ear.

Diego sighed.

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Livvy had flipped through every book in Ty's room searching for a memory that would ground her here. But without Ty she felt like she was floating by a thin cord in an intangible world. A ghost with a material body, but a ghost all the same. It was the same bedroom they shared when they were little, the same books and drawings hanging up on the walls, color coded in a way that was unique to Ty, and once to her. But he wasn't here, so the cord grew slack, sending her pulses beating past her as she stood amidst the living rushing past and changing, all around her while she remained the same.

She found herself drifting away. In a blink of an eye her feet had carried her out of the Institute until she found herself staring into the wide mouth of the cave where everything began.

Electricity sparked in the air putting her hair on end. Something buzzed in her head like a bee growing angrier and angrier, beckoning her further into the darkness enveloping her as she took a step was a blanket of shocking energy on her skin.

She took another step further as her senses awakened around her and continued further into the convergence. She could feel the remnants of necromancy like black mold clinging to the walls. But to her it felt familiar, like a child felt returning to their mother. It was necromancy that gave birth to her the second time, death was familiar, it was life that felt strange to her now. She waited for her other self to wake up, but even with all the magic stirring in her blood the voice stayed silent. A cord thrummed heavily at her center, and she knew it was the dark magic that linked her to Ty. It was just as strong as she had ever felt it as a ghost, a feeling she hadn't felt since she woke up in this body. Before Ty could alway pull on their connection and call her back to his side when she had been just a spirit. She was curious what would happen if she pulled on it now.

One thing was certain, something was calling her here. A strange black aura tickled her skin, unfocusing her body like smudged charcoal.

"Livia," her name was like an invocation binding her back to this plane, slamming her spirit back in her body.. Suddenly, things were less intense as the world shifted back to normal. Slowly, she turned and finally registered who had called her.

Livvy almost couldn't pick out her face in the darkness if it wasn't for the bright koi fish standing out on her cheek. The whites of her eyes grew larger, the look she was giving Livvy made her shutter.

"By the Angel you're not her, are you?" She whispered in disbelief.

Her body went rigid, her heart beat fell into shallow beats.

A light sparked to life and in an instant a seraph blade was held to her throat. She didn't even hear the name of the angel she called.

"What are you?" She snarled. "How dare you wear my friend's face!"

She tried to take a step back only for Diana to advance, her taller figure dominating over her.

"I-!"

"Was this some kind of trick? Did you possess her to gain intel on us or were you using that body to lead us to our death?"

"No! I'm me! Just me! She choked out, taking another step into the darkness, but Diana's adamas blade followed her deeper into the shadows.

"I'm getting impatient listening to your excuses demon! If it wasn't for your family I would cut you down here and now!" And she meant it. A vein throbbed in anger on her forehead but there was emotion she was swallowing back.

Livvy stopped backing away and stood her ground. She closed her eyes and thought of Ty and happiness and terror he looked at her with when she opened her eyes for the first time. "I am Livia Blackthorn." Softer, she added. "Just not the Livvy you know."

Diana jerked her hand, and Livvy closed her eyes and clenched her fists. The seraph blade slashed inches from her throat in anger before dispelling it. A long aggravated sigh dragged out of her. "Open your eyes!" She snapped.

She did, meeting Diana's glare.

"It would be more disrespectful to watch you cower then it would to slit your throat."

Livvy tilted her head up, reminding herself this wasn't her Diana either.

"That's better." She regarded her. "The magic in this cave, I heard of the ritual that happened here. I can sense it all over you too. It's the same magic that binds you here isn't it?"

It was a little dizzying to find herself finally at the end of so many lies she had lived for years now. "Ty had gotten a hold of the pages of the Black Volume after Annabeth had been resurrected."

She nodded. "I figured as much." A long pause ensued afterwards before Diana spoke again. "I can't bring myself to blame him, the Angel knows how many of us would have given anything to bring our loved ones back." She advanced on her again. "However, that doesn't mean I can forgive you for what you have done."

Livvy's nerve finally failed her. "I would apologize, but I know how hollow that would sound. But I want you to know no one could regret this more than I do."

"Not more than I do," Diana shook her head, her voice turned harsher, hinting of a threat. "And when the others find out what you are…"

"Find out about what? What's going on?" A man's voice demanded.

Livvy and Diana turned in surprise, Cameron was near the entrance holding his witchlight out, whiting out the entrance and turning him into a dark shadow himself. When he stepped forward the witchlight caught him too, turning himself into the only light she had seen in the long winding tunnels this cave had led her down.

His eyes never wavered from Diana's, surprising them with the defiance he stared her down with. Her heartbeat grew louder, ringing out around her like a bell. She looked between them, looking for any sign they could hear what she could, and the feeling of the magic in the cave growing more urgent. No one else noticed it, but she couldn't just ignore it.

While the two stared each other down, Livvy took the opportunity to retreat further inside. She would go where the magic beckoned her, and she would leave this waking travesty behind before she ever knew the end of it. Her mind was arrested at the thought of what Diana would say to him. That smile he had given her would disappear, he would be disgusted by her, the Clave would kill her, and Ty would...Kit would…

Her hands were slipping on the wall, her feet falling over themselves as she blindly moved to answer the call that summoned her. Lightning struck her heart again and again the deeper she went. Like Frankenstein's monster she was reawakening, or maybe she was dissolving into the power that ran through like a current. Something was different about the cave. She had been here several times before to meet with the rebels, and though she could feel trace hints of necromancy it never pulled on her soul like it did now.

"Livvy!"

She stood almost catatonic as Cameron's witchlight lit up the cavern she stood in. She had reached a dead end, a place she had been to only once before. Written in blood on the rock in she read again,

"First the Fire Then The Flood…"

"Livvy? Livvy?" Cameron grabbed her shoulder and shook her.

"Cam.." The words left her lips like recalling a pleasant dream she once had, the pressure of his hand on her shoulder pulled her back from the tide she was carried away in.

"Did she say something to you? About the battle?" The words came slowly from her mouth.

The seriousness in his blue eyes pulled her back again. A storm was gathering in them, all of his features turned sharper until he was stunning to look at.

"D-did she not tell you?"

His hand fell away. "Not exactly, but it sounded pretty clear to me."

She looked away, her shame came barrelling back now that the magic no longer had a grip on her. She felt disconnected with the current of magic and now the reality of a human existence felt crushing as she felt the memories of loss fill her heart up."Yes, I wasn't exactly the leader everyone had expected."

"Stop it," he told her. "You saved my life. You tried to save your comrades parabatai, and even if you didn't succeed that's not your fault when you were fighting for your life. You were trying to keep your men together and alive, it might not be the type of leader who wins every battle but it's the kind of leader I want to follow, and I know I'm not alone."

"I..." her throat was suddenly very thick. "You don't know everything."

"If you are willing to risk your life for someone you hardly know then I know enough."

She had to fight hard against the sob trying to break free. He was too kind, she didn't deserve that. "But I do know you!" her voice came out mangled as she spoke for more than just herself.

The reassurances didn't come so fast this time as he stood uneasily.

"We knew of each other, but we didn't really ever know anything about each other, It's kind of an uncomfortable realization. The idea you've known someone all your life but they're nothing to you."

Livvy visibly flinched from the disregard he had felt and the part of her that felt a wave of devastation that he didn't know her. Because of course he didn't know of what he had meant to a girl he never met, one he thought he was looking at now.

"But even then, you aren't the girl I knew growing up either." He took a deep breath, before he reluctantly said, "I didn't know what to feel when you-she died. Of course I was sad, it was a tragedy. If anything I was more angry though, because even though I knew her since I was a boy, it was mostly sympathy I felt for the Blackthorns. I was angry because it was so senseless, none of it should have happened, but more than that it only happened because of a group of our kind with selfish outdated ideas that my own family supported that someone our family had been close with died. And they talked like it was just an unfortunate accident, collateral damage," he said in distaste.

"Is that why you're doing this now?" She whispered.

His blue eyes searched for her's, looking to see if anything he had said hurt her. But she forced herself to recover and didn't flinch when his eyes roamed over her.

"That's when I stopped pretending for my family's sake. I had tried in the past to do what I thought a Shadowhunter should do, even though I knew I had to do it in secret because of my family. But I loved them, I still do, so at first I didn't want to hurt them. But their misguided views had suddenly turned from complaining about the Clave to actively hurting people when the Cohort formed."

He was brave, Livvy thought fiercely, but he still looked ashamed when he spoke about it.

"Cam-"

He pressed his palm into his forehead. "I didn't mean to make this about me. What I wanted to say was that I want to know you now."

A torrent of emotions ripped through her. Many of them hers, and many that weren't. But she decided to stop caring if what she felt was real or not. At this moment all she knew was that they both existed, both of them standing together, both of them alive even though the slightest deviation of the past would have meant the death of them both. The two of them should never have met again, but they did.

So she put everything behind her and just did what she wanted, as if she was just a regular girl. Someone with one soul who had never been tainted with the magic that flowed around them, a girl who wasn't an imposter. Her old confidence seized her and she became the girl unafraid to reach out to a boy. Her arms wrapped around his neck, his breath hitched in sudden surprise, his eyes grew wide as he watched her. But he didn't move, he was incredibly still, watching her as she pulled herself closer.

She wasn't sure what stopped her, the nagging that everything she wanted to pretend to be was gone, the fear that he would be disgusted if he found out what she was, or just awareness of the other soul sleeping somewhere inside her that made her turn her head at the last second and kiss him on the cheek.

"Thank you," she breathed against his ear.

He let her go without any resistance, still standing still. Perplexity colored his face, leaving his mouth parted just slightly.

She smiled, holding fast to the girl she wanted to be again. "Don't worry I wont do anything to get you in trouble Julian," she winked. Her jitteriness was back, her body still thrumming with electricity from the strangeness of the cave.

His face flushed, turning his nose the same color of his hair. "I don't know which would be worse, you're brother or Emma," he joked, just a glimmer of shyness in the way his mouth curved just slightly.

"Oh, Emma would be worse," she confirmed. "She would never let you hear the end of it. She might even swap stories about you with me," she teased.

He looked so flustered now, it made her actually giggle. The light conversation actually eased her heart, even if they were both ignoring what almost happened, and even if he would have rejected her.

"Hey, how about we don't do that? I promise there are no remarkable stories worth repeating, in fact why don't we just forget me and Emma dated at all?"

She chuckled. "No remarkable stories, huh? Is that why she broke up with you?"

He shook his head before reminding her, "If that was the reason you do realize what that would mean about Emma's and your brother's long relationship, don't you?"

She waved her hands in front of her to defend herself from the thought. "Alright! You win, you never dated Emma, because Emma dosen't have a sex drive and her mutual love with Julian is completely pure."

But the smile was wiped clean off her face when something tugged hard at her cord. Her body lurched slightly, trying to yank her back in the opposite direction of the cave.

Livvy turned around, the barest of light shined after them down the long tunnel.

"I...I forgot about something..," she took a step away from Cameron when a thought suddenly occurred to her.

"Why did you come all the way out here?"

The question caught him off guard letting down a shield that was protecting the hurt that she saw now.

Livvy's face softened. "She's not here Cam, she never was. Go get some rest."

Cameron's shoulders slumped, he looked like the breath had been knocked out of him except he sighed with relief. "Thank you for that."

She nodded. She had meant to tell him earlier so he didn't have to go looking, she couldn't imagine how afraid he must have been knowing he would have to look at the bodies lying in the dirt and tabletops lined with sheets waiting for the Silent brothers, for his little sister.

"She's alive, wherever she is."

"Ty is too, wherever he is," He told her.

For the first time in days it was easy to smile without a shadow of a doubt clouding her. "I know." She turned to leave, the words etched on the wall behind Cameron caught her eye sending a shiver down her spine.

'But in the end it's Blackthorn blood.'

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As soon as she exited the cave the magic finally released her. She couldn't feel the cord pulling her anymore but she knew in her heart she needed to get back to the Institute. After sprinting as fast as she could she finally made it back to the corridor. A few faces looked around from the repairs they were helping with, but Livvy was too busy scanning the room. Nothing was there besides sounds of hammers and drills, so she ran up the stairs to Ty's room. But she didn't make it that far when she heard something else. At first she just thought someone was moving a dresser, or really clumsily dropping several paint buckets when she noticed the pattern.

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It was almost uncanny to be sitting in her room, her skull candles lit in the dark with their comforting glow sending creepy shadows against the walls, the smell of dragon's blood incense burning throughout the room. She could hear the reparations down downstairs, yet up here in her room it was almost as if it existed in a plane of its own, untouched by what had just happened. With Mia and Mason sitting on her bed with her she felt just like a kid again. At least she would have if it wasn't for the deep slashes running up Mia's forearm.

"You shouldn't be so reckless!" Mason worried out loud, his hands shaking as he tried to spread the ointment to clean out the cut.

"I wasn't being reckless." Mia objected.

Dru gave Mason a consolatory pat on the back. They both knew Mia was more cautious than anyone, she really didn't even like fighting. But when it came time to perform her duty as a Shadowhunter she was fierce.

"Tell her she's being reckless," Mason pleaded. Dru almost laughed. How had she not noticed they were destined to be parabatai before? Mason always had a way of fussing over Mia, and Mia did the same, constantly scolding him with worry.

"I think you're overreacting, it's not that bad."

Mason started accusingly at her. "Oh, sure, like you haven't been walking back and forth in front of Jaime's door all day in case he wakes up."

Mia jerked her hand away from Mason's grasp so she could slap him on the arm. "Mason!" She hissed.

Dru looked down at her lap, noticing that she had twisted the gauze she held in her hands.

"Ah! I said that wrong..I didn't mean to sound like...I mean he really was in bad condition…"

Mia gave him a look that could only mean shut up before she interrupted.

"Do you..? Do you know how he's doing?" She asked timidly. It made Dru feel guilty, usually she talked to Mia about things like this even if it was not always in detail. Lately though, it must have been obvious that the last thing she wanted was to talk about Jaime.

"Cristina said he was going to be fine, but no one still had any idea how to lift the curse," she told them. She felt her heart drop everytime she thought of it, what would Jaime do if he couldn't fight? She couldn't imagine him giving it up, it would kill him. Of course it looked like it might kill him either way. A sharp pain in her heart replaced her concern with anger that he hadn't trusted her enough to tell her. No, she told herself, that was wrong, Jaime didn't think to tell her, like always he decided to deal with it on his own.

"Maybe true love's kiss? That's how it always goes right?" Mason joked, completely misreading the mood as usual. Mia sighed in defeat.

Dru squirmed uncomfortably, terribly aware of how hot her face was getting. They had kissed, just the one time but since then everything had been so confusing.

"Did something happen?" Mia asked, curiosity peaking her voice.

"So much has happened," she groaned into her hands.

Both of them exchanged nervous glances, she knew being vague was just worrying them, but how much could she tell them?

She swallowed hard. "Um, I did kiss him."

Suddenly they were both in her face.

"Whaaaat?"

"What happened?

"When did this happen?"

"Actually, he kissed me, but I asked him out.." She corrected, her face was scorching hot now.

"Wait, so are you dating now?" Mia asked.

Dru shook her head. "I don't think so…" She peered up at their impatient faces. "I don't know how to feel anymore," she voiced for the first time. She bit down on her lip, shying away from her own weak convictions.

Mia placed her hand on top of Dru's. "Are you sure it's really that complicated, or is this really about someone else?"

Confused, she looked up but before she could ask what she meant something caught her eye in the doorway. Running past the room in almost a sprint was Livvy.

"I…!"

The bed rocked as Dru abruptly stood up. She started scrambling her way to the doorway before she even got a word out to either of them.

"Something just came up!" She called over her shoulder, they didn't protest, they had already accepted her absence. And instead of heading out into the hallway she paused. It was only for a second but it felt like an eternity. She was seized by a sudden desire to memorize them, to etch every bit of this memory into her brain so she could remember it forever. It made no sense, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she had finally found the tip of the knife and she was about to take her last step before the fall.

Mia's blue eyes full of concern, Mason's dark hair already growing too long to stay out of his face. Suddenly, she was accosted by the memories of the first time she met them. Mia standing timidly, half hiding behind her older brother as he took her to the institute, half trying to stand tall and proud. Mason sitting in a metal fold-up chair alone in a Shadowhunter Downworlder Alliance meeting surrounded by adults he had never met, and the excited look on his face when Dru went to sit next to him.

She wished wherever she was going next that she could just stay alongside them for a little while longer, but instead she closed her eyes and swallowed the feeling of foreboding and left.

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Dru flung herself across a corner and slammed right into a pair of familiar, but unexpecting arms.

"Jaime!" Dru gasped.

Jaime stood looking more haggard then she had ever seen him. His curls were a mess, his eyes blown wide in surprise with dark circles underneath. Reflexively she started to move out of his hands that caught her and strengthened their grasp. her eyes still glided over his arms and his neck. Indentions like veins wrapped around him from where the thorns that tried to kill him. It wasn't that long ago he had held his hands in hers and she grasped it tightly for comfort. The only scars he wore then were from his marks or the callous on his hand. Like the institute around them, a place she had found home, a safe harbour to return to. A place, a person she had woven into her childhood dreams, something she would always carry sacred in her heart, but something she couldn't stay with.

"Dru, I wanted to talk to you." His gaze turned steely and intense. She looked away, shrugging him off.

"I know, I know, but not right now." She wasn't avoiding it, not exactly, there was just no way she was going to have this conversation in the ruins of her home. "I just saw Livvy take off down the hall, I'm worried something happened."

And just like that desperate look was gone, replaced with sharp focus. His unpredictable moods was almost predictable.

"Where do you think she's going?"

"Well, it's Livvy so the first thing that comes to mind is Ty.." She answered abashedly.

To her confusion his face darkened.

"The only way Ty could get here is with Kit, and what if he's not Kit," he emphasized.

"Oh, oh no."

Jaime nodded. "You got any weapons on you?"

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Livvy had flung herself up attic stairs before her and Jaime caught up, but they didn't dare shout out. They were running hot on her heels, bursting into the room seconds afterwards, Dru drawing Phaesporos, and Jaime ready with a dagger in hand. Livvy had already thrown her arms around Ty, but Jaime didn't hesitate to send his dagger sailing through the air straight at the Kit sitting warily on a cardboard box. Everyone held their breath, until Kit easily plucked the knife from the air and twirled it between his two fingers.

"I guess that answers my question if that was a knife in your pocket or if you're just happy to see me," he said.

"Why the hell are you still alive?" Jaime demanded in outrage, startling everyone but Kit, "I heard you were dead, again!"

"And how relieved you seem to find me whole and healthy," Kit said back, pissing Jaime even more.

"The next time you come back from the dead, I'm going to kill you myself."

Dru's legs went weak. It was Kit, and they were back and alive.

"Look, sorry but I don't think the Garden of Eden had any post cards to send you." Then more to himself he muttered, "Wish you were here, the locals aren't fans of tourists but the scenery is to die for….also everything's on fire."

Everyone started shooting off questions.

"The Garden of Eden?"

"What do you mean by locals?"

"What did you do?"

Kit held up a hand to answer. "Yes the Garden of Eden, don't ask how I don't know either. And we didn't do anything, it's not our fault the community watch was so uptight they would rather set the place on fire then let visitors in. You know how gated communities are."

"Wait," Dru said, thinking back to the beginning of the conversation. "What do you mean you heard Kit was dead?"
Ty perked up, looking positively delighted instead of horrified at the thought of Kit dead. "You have? Oh good."

All of them except Kit turned to stare at Ty.

"That means our decoy is working," Ty mostly said to Kit. "Which means we don't have much time left."

Dru noticed the pained look on Livvy's face that even she was in the dark at whatever was going on here. She couldn't remember a time they were both on the outside of whatever was going on with Ty.

"Ty-Ty, what plan?" Livvy asked. "What happened to Rook?" The words sounded like they were dragged out from her.

Kit looked pale, but Ty looked indifferent. "Dead. We're using his body as a decoy."

"From who?"

Ty sighed, Dru knew how annoying it was for him to try to explain everything. "The Clave has to believe that Kit is dead because they know he has the Wicked Powers, and so does Sammael. We need to buy time at least."

"But for what?" Jaime asked impatiently. Dru frowned, Jaime had all but admitted to having a part in Ty's disappearance, she would have expected him to be more grateful at his return. But sincerity never was one of Jaime's strong points.

Ty turned slightly uneasy when Kit spoke up to explain the rest. "We need to steal the Black Volume, it obviously has some control over the Wicked Powers and we can't let Sammael take control of it or Ash first."

"Or we could just destroy it instead of waiting for that to and come bite us in the ass." Jaime suggested.

Dru's stomach dropped.

"It's my heart-Because of this my life force is bound to it. It is a permanent part of me."

"Who knows what destroying it would do!" Her voice shot up an octave, grabbing their attention. "Would it undo all of the spells from the Black Volume?"

Everyone shot Livvy furtive glances, her mouth turned into a slight frown.

Jaime raised an eyebrow at Kit, grinning about some secret between the two. Kit's face reddened as he shot him a reproachful look.

Jaime and Kit had the weirdest friendship, but as long as it was functioning she guessed she couldn't complain, well, almost functioning.

Ty continued on, unfazed by the other two with a look of long suffering. "We will only secure it then." Troubled by something he glanced at his twin. For once, she wasn't mirroring his expression, but was staring as if she was seeing through him.

Ty finally tore his eyes from Livvy and looked over in Dru's direction. "This means we will need your help. I don't think we can do this without you," he said earnestly.

Out of everything that had happened lately this was what shocked her the most. This is what she had really always wanted, for people to see what she had to offer, especially her family. To be treated like a Shadowhunter, not someone who couldn't be trusted on her own.

She knew Ty meant well, that him being so protective only showed how much he really did care about her, but it had always made her feel alone.

But now, she had real responsibility and it wasn't about proving herself anymore, she couldn't do things just to be seen if it put others in harm's way. She knew now the importance she had in the smaller things she did. And just like that her eyes were watering, she blinked a few times to fight them back and smiled back at him. "I wasn't going to let you two disappear again, not without me." But it wasn't that simple, she couldn't just leave. "But I can't just leave, there is something strange going on with the convergences here and I'm sure-"

Livvy stood up, a strange expression on her face. "I'll do it."

Dru bit her lip, that was the only option wasn't it? She didn't want to ask. Since she was brought back, she had hardly been able to see Ty and couldn't do anything as he went out on dangerous missions after another.

Livvy noticed the odd looks she was getting. "I actually stumbled on the problem myself so I guess I'm just invested now," she laughed.

Ty was worrying at his sleeves again, even Kit looked suspicious. Dru didn't say anything. She couldn't stay behind when they planned on stealing Ash's 'heart', but neither did anyone else.

Ty was lost in thought Kit spoke for him instead. "Everyone, get ready to go, then we'll split into teams."

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It was just him and Livvy left in the attic, Jaime had gone to get his bag and Dru had volunteered to help smuggle Kit into his room so he could change. Livvy had removed the distance between them and took his hand in hers.

"Me and Kit have to go back to Lyonesse, that's why I didn't want you to come," Ty told her.

She nodded. "I thought it was something like that. But Ty…" She hesitated, as if she wasn't sure she wanted to tell him anything.

He hated that. "You should tell me if something is wrong."

"Diana knows about me, Thule Diana."

His fingers clenched around hers reflexively. "Are you in danger staying here? Does Jules know?"

She shook her head. "No, I think it's best I handle this on my own, the more people involved would make it worse I think."

"I don't like it. I don't like that I'm not here with you, I should be, this is my fault."

Livvy wrapped him in a tight hug, the kind that they shared since his earliest memories. "Don't think that Ty-Ty."

Ty hugged her back as tightly as he could, crushing her into himself. "But are you happy?"

Her grip loosened slightly. "I'm happy I could tell Julian how much I love him. I'm happy I've got to spend so much time with Mark and Helen, and to be a part of Emma's and Julian's happiness. I'm relieved I could protect our home, and I'm so proud of you Ty. I wouldn't have been able to see you grow into the man you were, or the leader Dru would be if it weren't for you. Even if I never got the chance to fall in love myself, I can't tell you what it means to watch you falling in love with someone who loves you so much. I know you're going to be okay, everyone will."

Ty's chest was breaking, bone by bone crushing his heart. "Why are you speaking like that? Are you saying goodbye?"

She looked at him, and Ty raised his eyes to her's, wishing he could see past the intensity to see what she was thinking. But he knew it anyway, even if he wished for once that he couldn't see. Her face, older than it should be, lined with scars and hardened from harsher elements, was still Livvy. So he knew what it meant when she smiled like that without teeth, her eyebrows knitting up apologetically.

"I want to go with you," she said, "but I was never going to be with you all the time, you were okay with that once, remember?"

Ty tried to speak, to tell her that going to the Scholomance without wasn't the same as losing her to death.

"We were always going to part ways, one way or another, I think. I just don't want to make the same mistake as last time and tell you that so you know no matter what happens next."

"I'll always need you," Ty promised her.

"Even when I'm gone I won't disappear, Ty I promise."

Ty wished he could believe that promise. "I want the Black Volume to fix everything," he hastened to say. "I want you to stay-with me and Kit."She opened her mouth to say something then stopped. "Okay. But if it gets either of you killed then it's not worth it, not to me. Remember I'm the one who's supposed to be dead." She was holding back, but for the first time ever Ty didn't know if he wanted to know what else she had to say.

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After Dru had successfully sneaked him into his room and he changed, Dru decided to go her own way for a while while he made his way back to the attic. He had almost reached the stairs when the door opened. Livvy clambered down the stairs, he waited to see Ty following after but he didn't come.

"Livvy-?" He stammered before realizing he had nothing to say. The last conversation they had ran through his head, but how much of that did she remember from when she was a ghost? She looked him over detached. Then her focus sharpened when she looked him in the eye.

"How are you doing keeping that promise I asked you?" She gave a weak smile.

"Terribly, actually," he smiled back.

She sighed like he was hopeless, and Kit saw a glimmer of the old Livvy again. Seeing it now made him realize how different she had been acting since she came back.

"You are the absolute worst Kit Herondale."

"But," and she let herself smile. "You are still here."

He should have been relieved by that, she was forgiving him, but something else was bothering him.

"See you around, Kit, take care of Ty for me." She gave him a wave and began to walk off.

Kit grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Livvy what's been going on with you?"

She looked back at him in surprise, but she hadn't turned all the way back around, her hand still in Kit's.

"We're friends, remember?"

She hesitated, he could tell when he looked in her eyes something was holding her back, but when she smiled at him, Kit was reminded of the day she died. He had been looking at her just like this, her back towards him, her head turned towards him as she smiled at him in relief.

"Always." She turned to fully face him but she didn't let go of his hand.

"You know, there is a part of me that wants nothing more than to break your hand and make sure you never touch my family again."

Her fingers brushed against the groove in his hands, he felt his breathing stall in his lungs.

"But lucky for you I'm not her."

"Wait," Kit said, "are you saying the other Livvy is still there?"

She nodded, both hands now gripping onto his, it reminded him of Ty seeking for comfort.

"Does Ty know that?" His voice dropped.

"I think he already knows, I never could keep anything from him," she smiled softly at the thought of her twin.

"But what does that mean for you? What are you going to do?" Kit knew his question would fall flat. It was probably pretty pointless to ask her what she would do, what about any of this does she have control over.

She took a deep breath and said. "I know why you and Ty want the Black Volume of The Dead. And we both know it probably won't work, not the way Ty wants it to. This time you need to stop him from doing anything dangerous. Fix your mistake."

"But that means that you would… you would die."

She finally let go of his hands. "Maybe it should be my choice this time."

Kit hated himself for not arguing, for not telling her that he wanted her to stay. But she was right about him, he knew this couldn't last either.

"And you're really okay with that?"

She looked away, her eyes gliding away to look at nothing. "Not yet, but there's still time."

"I should tell you, I miss you." Kit told her, torn by letting her walk away and going back upstairs to Ty before he worried.

Her face brightened, and she looked much longer, like the girl he remembered. "Nice try Herondale, but you missed your chance," she winked.

Kit couldn't help but grin even while a knife was cutting away to his heart. This was a reminder of the friendship he could have had if she had lived, his very first friend. He knew once they both leave here, they would finally be at their end.

The only thing left to say was the one thing she was waiting to hear. "I promise, I won't let him make the same mistake, I won't make the same mistake this time."

The tension he didn't even realize she was holding fell from her shoulders.

"I know, you won't let Ty down. And you better not let me down either as your best friend," she said in mock seriousness.

"Don't let Jaime hear you say that, I think he's made up his mind that if he can't kill me he's going to claim to be my best friend so he can annoy me for the rest of my life," he was dragging it out, but so was she.

"Maybe, but you know, I always thought that if I hadn't died then besides Ty you and I would have been best friends," she said, smiling wistfully.

"Me too," he told her, because it was true. He didn't know her for very long but that didn't matter to him, when he needed a friend most, when he had given up on someone ever liking him, she gave him that, he couldn't forget something like that, even if it was more painful to remember he wouldn't ever forget her.

If the worst happened, if he never saw her again he wouldn't just be there for Ty. This time he would mourn with him and he wouldn't be afraid to let himself be hurt.

"Just tell me it's what you want." He searched her face, looking for any hint of doubt, he couldn't do this unless she knew for certain.

She held her breath. "I can't live my life knowing I'm taking it from someone else, Kit. If that's how I have to live then I really shouldn't be alive, but Ty has to believe that too. So, please just be there for him when he realizes it too."

He swallowed back the pain in his throat and forced himself to speak as it constricted around his words. "I'll do it then, I promise."

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"That's it then for the teams if no one has any objections. Kit and Jaime will be responsible for finding the Black Volume," Ty sighed. "and henceforth be called team Name-A-More-Iconic-Duo."

Jaime and Kit fist bumped. Whatever hostility Jaime had towards Kit had evaporated in an instant. Ty came to expect that from him and decided it was just easier to ignore his outbursts for the most part.

"And me and Dru will go to the prison to find Clary, as Team….Blood Thorn."

Dru shook her head vigorously in agreement, Ty would feel too bad to decide to name the teams himself now, even if it was apparent it a mistake to entrust naming conventions to the others.

Ty glanced around the room for the fifth time. "Livvy's not back yet?"

"She's acting as a lookout downstairs," Kit said, looking at his hands.

Ty nodded, he had a feeling she wouldn't be coming back up, he did his best to move past the uneasiness he felt. "Then we're ready to go. Jaime, the entinedad."

Jaime walked across the floor and placed the small entwined twig into his sister's hand. Dru clutched tightly around Jaime's fingers, the two of them making eye contact before she finally pulled away with the entinedad. Ty couldn't help but notice how her jaw clenched, and there were already sweat droplets rolling down her cheek.

"Remember," Dru turned to Kit. "When you get to his room make sure you are the only one he can see if he runs into you. He'll take you as a prisoner without alerting anyone, and if you tell him you're looking for Ty he won't know me or Jaime is there."

"Why wouldn't he suspect it's only the two of them?" Jaime asked.

She took a deep breath. "Because I told him they were both missing, possibly in Faerie." She looked away from Jaime, her eyes hardly visible lidded by her dark lashes. "He promised he would return them to me if he found them."

Jaime made a guttural sound in the back of his throat. She turned pale but didn't say anything else.

"We got it, don't worry Dru." Kit clasped her on the shoulder. "Too bad we're not partners, it would have been cool to be team Prison Break and see what you learned."

"Never needed your help before, Herondale, maybe the student has outclassed the teacher," she joked back.

Ty was watching the exchange when Jaime's voice boomed loudly next to his ear.

"Hey!" Ty flinched, and found he had gotten unusually close to him.

"Don't worry about sleeping beauty over here, I'll bail him out as usual," Jaime said in what Ty assumed was an attempt to be reassuring.

Kit elbowed him hard in the side. "Who do you think is going to bail you out? I'll give you guess, it sounds a lot like somebody but way more pathetic."

Ty was sure the word he was hinting at was nobody, though he was pretty sure Kit would in fact bail him out and enjoy it.

"Yeah?" Jaime rubbed his side. "And I have a suggestion for an activity you should go do."

Ty heard Jaime suggest this to Kit with rather creative methods many times before.

Dru placed her hands on her hips. "I have a few adjectives I'd like to call you, and none of them are very flattering if you two don't shut up."

Many words, several apt descriptors even, could fill in the blanks here.

Ty rubbed his temples. "I don't care what words you use as long as you say once we are on our missions." Then backtracked, "and quietly."

Everyone stopped, Jaime folded his arms across his chest. "Why is it that when it's Ty scolding me, I actually feel bad?"

"That's because Ty gives off major hot teacher vibes that does not have time for your bullshit."

Everyone turned their heads to stare at Kit.

"Is that why you didn't run away from the Institute?" Ty asked, his face burning red, "because I told you not to?"

"Correction, if you remember I did try to run away but you sat on me and wouldn't let me go until I promised to play detective with you," said Kit.

"You didn't have to agree, you could have said no," Ty mumbled.

"Forgive me if I may not have felt the boy currently pinning me to the ground who had previously held a knife to my throat may not be that into giving me options."

Ty frowned, "Is that really why you agreed?"

Kit snorted, "No, the reason I said yes was because you are extremely hot and you were sitting on me. I probably would have said yes to anything you said."

Jaime and Dru looked at each other, their eyes growing wider and wider.

Ty blushed a deep scarlet. "In the future please refrain from making decisions based on how attractive you find your adversaries."

"Don't worry I only fall victim when you are the said hot adversary, it's my condition remember?" Kit said with a smirk.

"Oh, well, that's okay then." Ty's face was now entirely red.

Jaime and Dru stared, blinking in silence and glanced at each other.

"Ooookay, I'm ready to go now," said Jaime.

Ty took his sister's hand in his, Jaime grabbed Kit's shoulder. Light erupted from both Kit and artifact in Dru's hand, slowly swallowing them all. Light bleached the color from Kit's eyes, turning them into crystalline stone. His blond hair almost turned platinum as it rushed around him, power wrapped around him and transformed him into something dangerous. Ty's body was being erased, a faint imprint washing away, but kept Ty staring into the blinding light determined to glimpse a lingering vision of Kit. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Dru looking straight ahead, her lips moving soundlessly.


It's gonna be real awkward when at Kit's actual funeral Jaime breaks open the coffin to make sure he's still dead, a sword in hand to get the job done himself if need be.