"Alec!"

Alec Lightwood looked up from his work, at the sound of his sister's voice. Although, he was used to her entering his office at all times of the day (that too, without knocking!) the way she was shouting his name (it sounded almost jubilant?) was, for the lack of a better word, unexpected.

Because their life hasn't been the easiest or the happiest lately. The last few months, especially, have been heartbreakingly bad. There was a time when he used to think that after Valentine's death, everything would go back to how it was before they met Clary (with some obvious changes, like his relationship with Magnus, cause that was forever, thank you very much). He would take care of the Institute as he always had, and Izzy and Jace would be right there by his side. But Jace's death (fuck, just thinking about that hurt like hell) and his subsequent revival by the Angel had changed everything.

From the beginning, he felt there was something off about the story Clary and Jace were telling him. He had felt the rune disappear, he had felt the bond break. It couldn't be a hoax. But for the sake of maintaining the peace they had fought so hard for he had gone along with it. What else could he do?

Until one night, when he found Jace outside the institute, just lying on the ground, paralyzed in pain, unable to even get his stele. That was when Alec had enough and he demanded the entire story the moment Jace was able to speak properly. And so, the truth unravelled.

Jace's death (and there was the pain again) and his rebirth had left him vulnerable to dark forces, was the verdict Magnus gave them after a very thorough check up of Jace. There was nothing they could do for him here. He would have to talk to the Silent Brothers, go through the rituals for soul protection that newborn Shadowhunters are subjected to. In the process, he would have to be deruned, and then get his runes back once he was ready.

Jace, reluctant and scared, had agreed to this knowing that he had no other choice. He couldn't risk someone else having complete control over him, not ever again. And so he had left, for Idris, where the Silent Brothers would take care of him. And no matter how much Alec wished he could go to, it just wasn't possible.

That had been six months ago. And for six months, Alec had heard nothing about his parabatai. For ex-parabatai. For Jace losing his runes meant that the bond was broken, this time forever. (Unless they got it back? But Alec wasn't sure Jace would want it back. After all, Alec wasn't a very good parabatai. He never supported Jace. He wasn't even there when Jace died, he was in New York because he put his duty before his parabatai. And wasn't that just a really shitty thing to do? Jace deserved someone who put him above everything else, not someone like Alec.)

"Alec, is something wrong?"

He was brought out of his musing by his sister's voice. She was now sitting in front of him, holding a piece of paper, and looking at him with knowing eyes.

"Uh, what? No, nothing is wrong. Is everything okay with you?"

Alec grimaced. By the Angel, he was such a bad liar.

"Everything is fine. Actually it's better than fine. This just came via a fire message, have a look", Izzy said passing him the paper.

A smile spread across Alec's face (for the first time in a very long time he smiled! at something that was not Magnus related!) as he took in the contents of the paper. It was an official message from Idris, Jace's treatment was done. He was now officially cleared for active duty.

But much more importantly, he was coming back. He was coming home. Although, there was no date mentioned, it just said they would be notified about the details soon.

And as he looked at his sister's beaming face, so happy now that Jace was coming back, he felt something he hadn't felt in a long time : hope.