EDITED 5/30/2020
Hey, all: So apparently I have not been clear for dozens of chapters, I have just been told that someone has been confused on Alec and Magnus and which one is Dad and which one is Papa. Madzie, Clary and Raphael will all stick to this, like it has been nearly the entire story (and how it is in the books) Alec: Dad/Daddy Magnus: Papa. I'm sorry, I thought I had been as clear as I possibly could have been. Please in the comments let me know so that I know to be more clear - were you confused by this?
Jem stepped into the warehouse and found Izzy, Simon and a man he didn't recognize standing in the middle of it.
"Jem?" Izzy called in confusion. "What are you doing here?"
Jem approached the group and saw that they had the Malachi configuration set up behind them.
"Clary sent me," He was staring warily at the set up. What were they up to? "She said to help you and to give you this." He handed her the paper.
"What's going on here?" Jem asked them.
"Why couldn't Clary come?" Simon ignored Jem's question.
"She collapsed in the weapons room." Jem told them. "Alec took her to the Infirmary. Whatever this is, can we get started. I don't mean to rush you, but I have a ceremony I'm participating in this afternoon."
"Yeah, sorry." Izzy shook her head. "I almost forgot, you and Alec are becoming Parabatai today."
Jem nodded and smiled at her. "So, what is this?" He gestured to the Malachi Configuration.
"We're going to summon Lilith and make her tell us how to free Clary from Jonathan." Izzy informed him.
"Excuse me?" Jem demanded. "Have you all lost it? You plan on summoning the Queen of Hell?"
"It's the only way we could think of to help Clary!" Isabelle retorted. "Now are you in or out?"
Jem sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, I suppose I'm in, aren't I?"
The smile on Izzy's face only scared him more.
Alec had wanted to put the cabinet meeting off, he really had, but he couldn't let his duties to the Institute and to the Downworld slip. So, here he was, sitting in a conference room at the table with his husband, his son, Luke and Meliorn. Alec was rather bored, listening to Meliorn drone on about the Seelie Queen's issues with Nephilim.
He often exchanged glances with either Magnus and Raphael and on occasion, Luke. He was bored out of his mind and he could tell the other men were as well. Just as he was wishing for something more interesting, the new Inquisitor, Horace Dearborn and several Shadowhunters marched in.
"Inquisitor, what . . " Alec sat up from where he was slouched.
"Alexander Lightwood," Two Shadowhunters came up to him, grabbed him by the tops of his arms and hauled him out of his seat, they cuffed his wrists behind his back. "You are under arrest for crimes against the Clave."
"What?" Alec demanded as the Downworlders at the table all jumped up and began protesting. "I haven't done anything!"
"Oh," Dearborn raised his eyebrows in false surprise. "So, you did not become part Warlock recently, without informing the Clave? If we were to take your blood it would not have demonic qualities?"
Alec stayed silent, opting to not incriminate himself further.
"That's what I thought." Dearborn said smugly. He turned to the Shadowhunters holding Alec. "Take him to the Guard. We'll hold him there until his trial." He looked back at Magnus with an air of superiority. "His private trial."
"He's my Husband." Magnus protested. "I have a right to be there."
Dearborn shook his head. "If you were a Shadowhunter." He explained, his tone like Magnus was a child. "But you are not. Your Husband will be put on trial and I will be suggesting execution. Say your goodbyes, this will likely be the last time you see him."
"Jia won't allow this." Alec told the Inquisitor. "She won't let you execute me."
"Consul Penhallow," Dearborn sneered, "Doesn't tolerate traitors. And don't try to escape, the cuffs are magic resistant."
Alec could feel the anxiety building in his chest, he looked over to Magnus who was looking at him like the world was crashing down around him.
"Magnus." He said urgently. "It's going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay. I'm going to come back to you."
Magnus stepped up to him, throwing Dearborn a glare. He cupped Alec's face in his hands. "I love you, so so much." He gave Alec a chaste kiss and he pulled back just a little. "Please don't leave me." He whimpered, his voice cracking.
"I'll try my best." Alec whispered. "I love you."
The Shadowhunters gripping his arms started to force him from the room.
"No, please don't!" Magnus cried. "Please don't take him."
Alec could hear Raphael muttering to his father and Luke shouting after the men that were escorting Alec from the conference room. What he didn't realize was that Meliorn had followed the group.
"Nephilim, wait." The group turned slightly, and Alec looked at the Seelie Knight in surprise. Meliorn gave Alec a look that apparently had meaning to man, but Alec wasn't sure what it was, he turned to Inquisitor Dearborn and addressed him. "My Queen backs Mr. Lightwood-Bane fully. Should anything happen to him I can assure you that the Seelie's will withdraw their alliance with your kind. Alexander Lightwood-Bane is by far, the best Head this Institute has ever seen. You are making a grave mistake by arresting and punishing him. In fact, you will be creating a Martyr for the entire Downworld, all of whom whole-heartedly support him."
Dearborn looked around, seeing how the entire Institute was watching the scene with rapt attention. Alec looked over and saw Underhill, Clary, Wesley, Catarina, Tessa and Madzie at the very front of the crowd, all the adults looking extremely concerned. Behind Meliorn, the other Council Members had gathered. Magnus was watching Alec with tears collecting in his eyes, Raphael had a carefully composed expression on his face, but was looking at Alec with a look that Alec had never seen in his son's eyes before.
"Well, if so, many people adore Mr. Lightwood-Bane, then the news should travel far and wide; never go against the Clave. There are extreme consequences." With that, he gestured to the men that had restrained Alec and they left the Institute, a portal opening for them and taking them to Idris.
The group came out of the portal into a cell block. There were several cells that were occupied, Alec tried not to look, but ended up making eye contact with several prisoners, including Iris Rouse, Heidi McKenzie and Camille Belcourt. Alec took a deep breath and allowed himself to be steered into the cell directly across from Camille.
"Hello, darling." She crooned.
Alec repressed a shudder as one guard stood in the doorway of the cell and the other moved his cuffs to the front of his body and then connected them to a chain hanging from the ceiling so that his toes were just barely touching the ground.
"For the record, sir." The Shadowhunter said as he placed shackles around Alec's ankles. "We didn't want to do this. No one on the team that Inquisitor Dearborn sent wanted to apprehend you."
"Then why did you?" Alec asked. "Why did no one stand up to him?"
"He's the Inquisitor, Sir."
That was enough? Alec's mind was screaming to him. That was enough to stand by while injustice was done? The man's rank within the government was enough reason to stand by the man while he executed an innocent for his species. That was the world that he lived in. The world that his children had to grow up and live in. The world that Magnus had to endure without his soulmate by his side. Another one lost, so soon after he had promised to stay forever.
"And that is enough for you, his rank, to stand by while he executes an innocent man. To take a husband, a father, a brother, a son away? Both of my brothers recently died. My parents will be left with only one child, my sister with no siblings, my husband a widower only two months after our wedding, my children will lose their father. I was supposed to have my Parabatai ceremony this afternoon, my best friend will lose his Parabatai before he ever got him. That is what you are doing today. Not justice, not the will of the Angels. You are murdering an innocent and ruining several lives. I hope you are proud of yourselves."
"What is there that we can do?" The man in the doorway asked.
"Does the Consul know about this? Did she approve the arrest?" Alec asked, desperately hoping that Jia didn't actually know what had taken place. He liked to think of her as an ally, but he supposed that you couldn't always be sure who your friends were in a world like theirs.
"No, sir." They shook their heads.
"Inform her." He said. "I've known her all my life. Hopefully she will intervene."
The pair left him alone with the promise that they would do as he asked. With a quick, intense, glare at Camille, Alec closed his eyes and let sleep claim him.
"It's going to be alright, darling." Magnus patted Clary on the shoulder. "Don't you worry about it."
"Then why do you look worried?" She asked. Wesley wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into his chest.
"I'm sure everything will work out." Wesley told the father-daughter duo.
"Papa." Madzie walked up to Magnus. He kneeled down in front of her and she gripped his sleeve. "Is Daddy going to be okay?"
Magnus looked down at her and just couldn't lie to her. "I hope so, darling." He scooped her up into his arms. "I really hope so." He stood up and turned to look at his children and friends. "Has someone contacted Isabelle? Or Jem? I do believe that the Parabatai ceremony will have to be cancelled."
"I'll call Jem." Tessa said quietly. "Why don't you and your children return home? We can handle things here."
"I'll try and get in touch with the Clave." Underhill moved quickly, running upstairs, likely to Alec's office.
"I can't go home without him." Magnus' voice broke and Raphael plucked Madzie from his arms. Catarina took him by the crook of his arm and pulled him to a quiet hallway.
"Magnus." She whispered.
"I can't lose him this time." The tears fell from his eyes and streamed down his cheeks. "It's so different this time. He isn't just my Soulmate, he's my husband, the father of my three children. We live together, we have a life together. A good life. We have so many people, so many friends. Our children, you, Isabelle, Maryse, Wesley, Tessa and Jem, even that stupid Shadowhunter, Underhill, Simon, Maia. We have a life together." Magnus started to sob.
"I don't want them to take my husband." He cried. "I can't lose my husband. My husband."
Catarina wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled him into a hug. "We will do what we can, Magnus. We won't stop fighting for you and Alec."
Alec didn't know how long it had been. He drifted in and out of consciousness, occasionally getting into it with Camille, spitting obscenities at her and trying not to let her get to him and failing.
He hadn't been brought any food or water, neither had she. He had an inkling that it had been over a day, maybe two. He was tired, he was hungry, he was thirsty. He had long since soiled his pants and he was ready for something to happen. He wanted to know what was going on.
It had been a few hours since he had woken, Camille was across the little walkway, sitting by the bars and trying to goad him into arguing with her when he heard high-heeled shoes clicking towards them. Jia Penhallow came into view, looking defeated.
"Alec." She sighed. "You've put me in a difficult position."
"Jia." He breathed. "How long have I been here?"
"Four days." She replied. "I've been fighting to have you released with no punishment, but that is not the way that this is going to go."
"You can only survive three to four days without water." Alec rasped.
Jia picked a pitcher of water up from a table outside the cell, poured a cup of water and entered the cell with a quick unlocking rune. "You haven't been given meals?" She asked, then looked him up or down. "Or allowed the bathroom either, I suppose."
"No." He tipped his head as she held the cup to his lips. He downed it eagerly. "I haven't seen anyone since they left me here."
She pursed her lips and set the cup down. "You will not be executed." She told him, an air of finality in her tone. Alec sagged in relief. "You will, however, be deruned."
Alec looked at her in shock. "What?" He breathed. "What about my wedded union rune?"
"All runes will have to be removed." Jia told him regretfully. "I'm so sorry, Alec. This was the best I could do, they wanted you dead. You'll still be married to Magnus; you just won't have your rune."
"Magnus' rune will disappear." Alec told her. "He'll think that I'm dead. Can you at least inform him of what is happening?"
"You know I can't." Jia said. "Once the procedure is over, you are no longer the Clave's responsibility. We will portal you to New York, you will have to figure out what to do next. Your sister or Clary can collect your things from the Institute, but then you may not see Isabelle or your father again. You are being exiled from the Nephilim."
"My daughter," Alec started to say.
"My advice?" Jia interrupted. "Take Clary and leave. If she continues to return to the New York Institute I will have to implement the same policy for her. Once you make it back home, take your Husband, take your children and go. I care for you, Alec. I've known you for your entire life, I don't want to do this to you, but I am doing it to save you and your family from something far worse. Your husband will still have you; your children will not lose their father. I hope that one day, you see this my way."
"Thank you, Jia." Alec whispered. "You've saved my life."
Jia nodded sadly. "Let's get this over with." She turned and called for guards to come and release him. The men from the day he was arrested walked in and unlocked his cuffs from the chain on the ceiling. They carefully brought his arms down and lowered Alec so that his feet laid flat on the floor.
He was ashamed to say that he stumbled and leaned against one of the Shadowhunters as his arms and legs both protested.
"Take the cuffs off, let him use his magic to change his clothes." Jia instructed. "We can at least give this man his dignity."
One of the men pulled out his stele and took the cuffs off of Alec's wrist using an unlock rune. Alec rubbed his raw wrists and waved a hand, cleaning himself and changing his clothing to something more comfortable. He didn't heal his wrists, instead choosing to save his magic for when he was dropped off in New York. He knew that he would need it with all the pain he was about to go through.
Once he was in cleaner clothes, the men each placed his arms over their shoulders and helped him walk out of the cell and into a room just down the hall. Alec didn't even have the energy to snap at Camille as she trilled in delight as he was basically dragged away.
"Too-da-loo!" She called.
Jia opened the door of a room about a hundred feet away from any cells, she stepped aside and let the three men enter ahead of her. Alec glanced up and saw a small couch against one wall and a few chairs around the room.
The guards laid him across the couch and promptly left, but not without giving him some sad looks. Jia helped him sit up and pull his shirt off before pulling a chair up next to him.
"Let's start with the Wedded Union rune, hmm?" She asked. "Spare Magnus any residual pain that may slip through."
Alec nodded and allowed himself a moment to bask in the feeling of being bonded to Magnus before Jia placed her stele over the rune. He screamed; he knew that he did. The pain was horrible, blinding. And then it was over. He panted and Jia moved on to the next one.
Stealth, Strength, Stamina, Promise, Agility, Deflect, Soundless, Fortitude, Equilibrium, Accuracy, Recall, Angelic Power. Clary's rune.
He barely remembered flipping over so that she could reach his back.
Flexibility, Calm Anger, Courage in Combat, Talent, Endurance.
They were all gone. He felt naked without them. He knew he could survive without them, he had in previous lives, but not in this one. The men came back into the room and helped Alec stand once more. He wouldn't have been able to without them.
"Alexander Gideon Lightwood-Bane." Jia started, sounding hesitant. "You are hereby exiled from Nephilim society. You are forbidden to return to any Institutes that belong to the Clave. You may not see Isabelle Lightwood or Robert Lightwood again. You may not return to Idris. You cannot hold a position on the Downworld council or within the Clave. You are now under the jurisdiction of the High Warlock of Brooklyn, your husband, Magnus Lightwood-Bane. All of this is the result, and punishment of your failure to report the fact that you underwent a transformation to become part warlock. Thank you for service to the Clave, we appreciate what you have done for our society. We wish you well in all future endeavors."
She motioned with her hand and he was escorted out of the room and down the hall. He was taken through a portal and left on a street in New York.
He had to get to Magnus.