Alec thanks everyone and bids them goodbye before he puts his kids to bed.
Chapter Twelve.
Rafael Santiago Lightwood Bane was a very content boy. He felt finally as if his life was going to go back to normal once again. Though he knew Papa was going to need a lot of rest and might even still be sick when he wakes up, at least he knows that Daddy will take care of him just like he always does and that maybe his Papa will be okay in the end. Now that Dad was alright again, everything could go back to normal because Dad always protected everyone. He was not worried about Max at all. Sometimes when he uses too much magic just playing around, he falls asleep like this. He is so out of control when it comes to his magic that Rafe is almost never worried about his brother. Max is so soundly asleep that his arm has been hanging off of the couch and his face was slack to one side.
Rafe had been sitting on the other side of the couch with his arms crossed over his chest, waiting for his dad to emerge from the back room. Uncle Jace just ran out of the room, which meant that of course Clary followed him and Simon remained back, staring at Rafe with an awkward expression. Just moments later, his dad finally came through into the living room looking tired and pale and weak. He is walking with great weight on both of his feet. He drug them along the floor as he walked, looking tired. He moved across the floor until he reached the couch. He sat down with a loud thud and leaned back against the backboard, staring across at his son.
"Come here," Rafe's dad begs. Rafe looks over at him, still wondering if he wants someone else more than him. He looks around the room and then points to himself. "Por favor, Rafe."
Rafe stands up and walks over to his Dad. He pushes himself up on his Dad's lap and curls up there, letting his head and hand fall to his chest, resting down on his body. Rafe hears a loud sigh of relief from his father as his arms wrap around his son easily and their bodies rest together.
"Te adoro, Rafael," Dad promises. He doesn't know much but he does know a few terms that are important.
"I love you too, Dad," Rafe says in a long sigh.
After a long moment of quiet, Jace and Clary walk back in together looking better. The color is back to their faces and their hands are no longer shaking. They walk over to the others, looking down at Alec. Uncle Jace looks a lot less like a ticking time bomb and a lot more like he needs a really long nap. It is very clear that the only reason he is still here is because his parabatai rune is glowing. Clary is the only thing keeping him standing, which it is clear Uncle Jace is trying to hide.
"Before you go," Dad starts. "I want to thank you guys for being here. I know that it was hard and that you all hurt a lot and that you're probably tired by now but seriously, it means everything to me and to the kids that you were here to help us."
"Of course, Alec," Clary says. "You're family."
"We're always here for you, big brother," Izzy assures.
Uncle Jace walks over, looking particularly drained and tired and reaches out toward Alec. They interlock hands and squeeze hard, looking right into each other's eyes. There is a look there that passes in a strange, quick glance. It is something that clearly only the two of them understand and no one else in the room comes anywhere close to.
"I can feel pretty much everything you're feeling right now. So if you could keep it on the down low tonight, I'd appreciate it," Jace says. Rafe has absolutely no idea what he is talking about but Dad puts his hands on his ears for a brief moment. He does not hear what he says but he can bet that it was something not nice that Uncle Jace gives a quick laugh at.
"I'm here for you, for anything that you need. Call me, Alec. Seriously," Jace says, changing the tone.
"I will. I promise. I might take you up on that if Magnus is still like this tomorrow morning," Alec says.
Uncle Jace gives a nod and then walks back toward Clary, taking her hand as they walk out the door.
"Let us know if you need anything," Simon says before taking Izzy out with him.
"Thank you for coming," Alec says, surprised to see that Simon is still here. Alec lifts, more like pushes, Rafe from his lap so that he is standing up on the floor. Alec pushes himself to stand slowly and with effort before dragging his feet along the floor.
"Let's just go to bed, Rafe," Dad says and grabs his hand. "I would carry you but I don't think I can right now."
"That's okay, Dad," Rafe says in a tone that clearly relaxes his father. They take hands and walk back to his bedroom ordained in red satin and Indonesian curtains and patterns on the walls. It was something Papa whipped up two months ago. It has not changed since because he hasn't had the ability to use extra magic recently.
Once in his room, Rafe lays down on his bed with his Dad sitting by his side, holding his hand. Slowly but surely Rafe can feel the relaxation come over his entire body as his Dad presses his hand along his forehead and across his hair, down his arm and into his hand.
"I love you," Dad says. "You were very brave today. You were so strong. I know that you must have been afraid and hurt but you were brave. You're getting to be more and more like a shadowhunter everyday. You will be a great warrior one day because a great warrior has a great heart and knows when to use it."
"I was afraid for you, Daddy," he says. "I didn't want you to be hurt."
"And I will be fine. I will heal because of you. But you saw what happened to me. That is not uncommon. Nephlim get hurt. We hurt others when we have to and we get injured or captured. It gets hard but when we use our hearts and our heads together, we can make great decisions. We can be strong and brave. We can be good Shadowhunters," Dad explains.
"But we have to be brave," he repeats.
"Yes and sometimes we get hurt."
"But we can help each other like I helped you today," Rafe says with a small smile, feeling good about himself.
"Yes. Definitely yes. I'm sure you're very tired. You should go to sleep, Rafe. I'll be back in my room with Papa if you need us. Don't be afraid to come in no matter what you need," Dad explains.
It is just moments before Rafe can feel his body relaxing and his eyes closing to the soothing feeling of his Dad resting his hands against his hair.
"Okay Dad," Rafe says just as he falls asleep.