The doorbell rang.

"Coming!" Magnus called.

When he opened the door, he found Raphael, carved up with wounds all across his body, a significant amount on his face.

"Oh, Raphael…"

"I didn't know where else to go," He panted.

He collapsed forward and Magnus quickly caught him. "Oh, my poor boy. Everything's gonna be all right. I'm going to take care of you. Come on."

Shu set her rose in front of the gravestone with Ragnor's picture on it.

"Hey, Rag. Good news. We…we worked things out with Alec. He's up and running, but obviously, things aren't ever that simple. Now Alec's parabatai and brother Jace is being held prisoner for helping Valentine. It's totally irrational. I mean, he's the victim. But the Clave…well, I still hate them as much as before. This guy…he accused me of disguising as Izzy and threatening him. Maybe I would've done that eventually, though maybe Izzy wouldn't be my first choice as a disguise, but that wasn't me. No matter how much I like or dislike the Clave, I wouldn't ever try to put my fellow Warlocks in danger for something I feel."

"Ah, my sweet. You've always had such a big heart," Ragnor said, sitting upon the gravestone. "There is pain within your heart and soul, and yet that has only made you kinder."

"Do you think it's worth it? All these years, trying to be the good guy, when the good guys are more corrupt than the bad?"

"You said so yourself. Long ago, you gave in to the bad side. Became the 'Demon Queen,' or something of the like?"

"Yes."

"And, when you saw things from that perspective, you still ended up where you are today. No longer with demons or Shadowhunters, but not necessarily against them."

"Well, now I've been dragged back in. Some Shadowhunters are good, but not enough. It's tiring, Ragnor. Trying to pick the side of good, but the struggle between good and evil too complicated for me to handle. I try to stay out of it, but here I am again."

"Immortality is like that. It makes sure you can never ignore something forever."

"Even death."

"Especially death. But you are here, you are alive, and you can make your own choices. You're wise, child, I know you are. You've got that look in your eyes, that deep, dark pit of knowledge that burdens you every day. And yet you still walk on, you smile, you brag, you act, and make people miss what is so evident in those dark irises. You have wisdom beyond anyone else, immortal or not, and it's up to you to use that wisdom. I'm an old man, but even I can't tell you what to do here. Look not to others for answers."

She blinked down tears and sniffled. "But what if I can't do this alone?"

"You're not alone. You should know that. You've got your brother, you've got friends, and more than friends."

"But none of them can help me with this. Not even Magnus."

"There is someone. Someone even older than you."

"You mean…?"

"Not him, for heaven's sake. Just because he's not always bad doesn't mean he isn't always being a pain in the rear. No, I mean another person who knows you even better than you do. The one who's always trying to look out for you, even though he's not very good at showing it."

"Who?"

He pointed to her chest where her necklace was.

"You mean-?"

But Ragnor was gone.

When Shu portaled back home, she found Raphael being treated by Magnus.

"Oh my gods, Raphael! What happened to you?!"

"Aldertree. He…UV ray…"

"Okay, don't speak. Let me just…"

She helped Magnus in healing the wounds on his hands, face, and neck while Raphael explained what happened. He'd been brought in regarding Camille's recent activities, and he tried in vain to explain the truth. Then, he was locked into a chair and tortured, apparently not breaking the accords because this was 'motivation,' not torture.

"Aldertree knows how I took you in," Magnus said. "How you're like a son to me. That's why he did this."

"He was looking for Camille," Raphael protested weakly.

"And punishing me at the same time."

"So, can you help me deliver Camille to the Clave?"

Magnus paused in his healing. "Raphael…"

"I know it's a lot to ask. Which is why I haven't until now. Aldertree gave me 12 hours to deliver her, or he'll burn me alive along with my entire clan."

"That…bastard…!" Shu muttered.

Then, there was a rapid knocking on the door. "Magus! Shu!" Simon called. "You there? It's me!"

Raphael gave a glare and sat up, Magnus waving his hand and snapping the door open.

"Okay, time to put your money where your mouth is about helping me find Camille, 'cause Raphael-" He cut himself off when said vampire walked into view. "Man, you are everywhere!"

"Aldertree did this to me because of you," Raphael said, pointing to the laser wounds he still had on his temple.

"Yeah, well you look like crap. Bring it on, scar-face!"

"Hey!" Shu shouted, shoving the two of them apart. "Hey! Boys, relax! Let's talk this out like civilDownworlders."

"Anyone for a martini?" Magnus offered. "I'm having a double."

He walked off, pointing to Shu and then to each of them.

"You threatened my mother," Simon said.

"And if you'd even lifted half a finger to find Camille-"

"Lifted half a finger? I portaled to freaking India and had to face off with a cobra! And all I got was this stupid box of hers!"

Raphael snatched up the box from Simon. "This stupid box is sacred. You know why? It contains Camille's grave dirt."

"Grave dirt?" Magnus asked. "I thought maybe diamonds, or that gold ring she stole from Cleopatra's tomb."

"So we're excited about a box of dirt?" Simon asked. "Anyone wanna clue me in?"

"If you have a vampire's grave dirt, you can use it to summon them," Shu explained.

"Great. Except, not that it means anything, but that thing's harder to open than the Lost Ark."

Raphael took the little plastic thing from Magnus's martini and took Simon's hand. He then slashed a long cut across his palm.

"Ouch! What the hell?!"

"To open the box, you need Camille's blood," Raphael explained. "And since she's your sire…"

He squeezed some of the blood onto the box and it popped open, the top sliding off easily to reveal that there was indeed dirt inside.

"Okay, now what?" Simon asked.

Simon came out onto the balcony where Shu was staring out to the city and Magnus was sitting in a chair with his drink.

"Cold feet?" Simon asked. "Listen, I get this can't be easy, Magnus, considering you and Camille used to…you know…But, if you're feeling guilty about handing her over to the Clave, I can show you phone shots of the den she created. Cause it's…it's messed up. Plus she…she killed me too. So there's that."

"I admit she's gotten more reckless over the last 200 years, a-and I can't defend anything she's done," Magnus said quickly. "But she isn't pure evil."

"Not to doubt your word, but I need proof of concept on that one."

"Look, I may not like Camille for breaking Magnus's heart and being a real pain in the arse, but even I can admit that there's some good in her," Shu said. "Or, at least, there had been."

Magnus hesitated. "Not too many people know this, but…when we were living in London in the early 1870's…we were both in a bad place. Each of us usually managed to comfort each other or snap each other out of things, but this time…neither of us could do something when we were the same way."

"No matter how hard we tried…we couldn't see our way out," Shu continued. "Then, on one…particularly stormy night…we got as far as the ledge of Blackfriars Bridge. And if…if it wasn't for Camille and…and…we wouldn't be here right now."

"She was the only one who cared enough to stop us," Magnus said. "She saved us."

Simon hesitated. "Wow…I always thought you were, like, the Energizer Bunny of Warlocks."

"Most of the time, I am. But in my moments of weakness, I have my rock. When even my rock has a moment of weakness as well…we each have to learn to accept other's help as well. Just as you have yours."

"Clary."

"So now you see why it's not so simple," Shu said. "I hate Camille, but I know what the Clave does is worse than what even she deserves. Breaking her nose is one thing…actually, breaking many bones, is one thing, but what they'll do to her…they'll make her feel that real death will be a mercy."

Simon tapped his hands on the chair impatiently while Magnus and Shu ran around mixing things together.

"Hey, no pressure, just I promised my mom I'd be home for dinner at 8:00, so if you could…"

Magnus froze and gave him a look.

"I can wait. It's…it's fine."

Raphael walked in, having been fully healed from his wounds. "So, ready to do this?"

"Almost," Shu said.

Magnus grabbed a piece of paper and handed it to Raphael. "I need you two to go to this address. My friend, Catarina, has some ingredients I need for extra fortification."

The two vampires looked between each other.

"I thought the trap for Camille was finished," Raphael said.

"Yeah, and I figured you'd have something to hold Hannibal Lector and a few of his friends," Simon agreed.

"Don't underestimate Camille's strength," Shu warned seriously.

"Off to Catarina," Simon agreed.

Raphael reluctantly followed him out.

Once the door was closed, Shu turned to Magnus. "Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment," She warned. "I'll let you handle her alone. You need to do this okay? I've got the wards up in case she escapes the cage, but you had a stronger connection to Camille than I did."

She walked off into another room, while Magnus walked over and grabbed Camille's graveyard soil. "My dearest Camille," He sighed.

Taking a deep breath, and a handful of dirt, he flung some of the soil out in front of him. In a flash, Camille appeared.

"What the hell?" She demanded.

"It's only me," Magus assured her.

She smiled and walked forward. "Magnus…"

"I'm so sorry."

He reached over and tossed some more dust her way, a cage appearing around her.

"Magnus, let me out of here…" She threatened.

"Don't tell me you're doing the Clave's bidding because of your silly infatuation with that boy-toy Shadowhunter," Camille snapped.

"Leave Alec out of this. This is between you and me."

"The same you and me who crashed Queen Victoria's coronation glamoured as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge?"

"Which I did not approve of!" Shu called from the other room.

"Believe me, this wasn't an easy decision, but you crossed the line. I won't let Raphael suffer for your bad deeds."

"So this is about one little insubordinate vamp?"

Magnus looked to her in disbelief. "You've sired hundreds of vampires. Your children. But as a Warlock, I can have none. The Downworlders I take under my wing, they are my children. My family. I'm sorry, Camille. I'll do whatever it takes to protect them."

Magnus tried to turn away, but Camille smiled. "The fear of loneliness…has always been your Achilles heel."

"Don't," He demanded.

"You don't do well losing those you love…do you? I'm the only one you can count on to be here for you forever. Even your sister will get tired of you one day. You know that. That's why you love me. And you always will. Choose…me."

Magnus walked up to her, looking through the bars. "Enjoy Idris. I hear the weather's a delight."

He stepped back and summoned a portal.

"How could you?" Camille called. "I thought you loved me. Don't do this-"

But he pushed the portal forward and teleported her away.

Shu walked out of the other room as Magnus's magic faded from his hand. "You okay?" She asked.

He merely swallowed and let his hand fall.

"I'll always be there for you, okay? She didn't know the extent of the soul bond's properties."

"We see them keep dying all around us, Shu."

"You think I don't know that? You know where I went today. The graveyard we made for the Warlocks that died in the Circle's attack? Warlocks don't die in great numbers very often, but right now…there aren't many of us left. So we made it to honor and remember immortal lives cut short. Including Ragnor. I know Magnus. I've been alive way longer than you. I know."

"Absolutely not," Shu declared.

"Is it possible?" Clary demanded. "Tell me, can it be done? Yes or no?"

"Sure, there are Warlocks who have done this sort of thing, but what you're talking about is dark, dark magic. It's wildly unpredictable."

"Have you ever done it before?" Simon asked.

Shu took a deep breath and gave Simon a glare.

"No," Magnus said honestly. "And don't encourage this. Biscuit, I'm sorry. I know how important she was to you."

"She was my mom. If you were me, if we were talking about your mom-"

"I wouldn't bring her back."

Clary looked to him in disbelief. "I don't understand."

Magnus sighed. "I was nine years old when my mother realized what my cat eyes meant. She couldn't live with the fact that she bore the son of a demon. So she took her life. With this very keris."

He motioned to the blade that Magnus had recovered from Camille's place.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"It was a long time ago. And over time, it…it got easier. Never easy. But easier."

"Your mother was a special woman," Shu said. "She only wanted to protect you at all costs. So much so that she had us remove your memories. Since we can't get those back…"

Shu closed her eyes and snapped, before a picture appeared in her hand. "Take one of mine."

Clary looked at the picture in shock. "Oh my god. When was this?"

"The day we met you," Magnus explained. "The first thing I noticed was that you both shared the same laugh."

Clary chuckled and looked back to the picture of her and her mother.

"Losing your mom…it's not something you make better with magic. You just…head straight into it and cry your eyes out."

Clary swallowed before turning and walking off, Simon trailing behind her.

Shu sighed and sat down on the couch. "Missing your mom. Sounds like a luxury to me."

Magnus sat on the chair beside her. "You don't talk about her much. I know you don't like to. Even with the soul bond, I don't pry."

"There was nothing to like about her. The first few days I was born, she nearly threw me into a river to drown. She abused a baby, and if it wasn't for my healing factor and 'father' looking out for me, she would've killed me a million times over in the first month of my birth. She was so angry."

"For what?"

Shu sighed and leaned back. "My mother was treasured by the demons as the only woman who survived more than three months of pregnancy with a…me inside her. I was the key to all their hopes and dreams, or whatever, and so she was taken to their domain, protected with the most advanced life that existed at the time. She was treated like a queen, but the moment I was born, suddenly the attention was all moved to me, and she meant nothing to them. She noticed the change instantly, and knew I was the reason for her sudden misfortune. She hated me for it. Hated me enough to kill me a million times over.

"So the day I was old enough, when 'father' came to get me and move on to phase two, she didn't stop him. I wanted my mother to love me, but who was I kidding? So I let her burn. I killed her with everything I had. That was the first time I unlocked the power that they wanted from me, and well…I've told you the rest before. I would never bring that woman back. Sometimes, I'm afraid that she's been reborn somewhere, that she's either out there tormenting people once more, or she's getting a better life without facing the consequences of what she did to me."

"Whatever the case, she's gone now. You've, like it or not, grown stronger because of what happened with her."

"I hope you're right, Mags. I hope you're right."

Magnus was walking through the upper floors when he saw Alec standing out on the roof. He opened the door and walked to him slowly, having heard what happened with the possessing demon that made him kill Joselyn.

"You okay?"

"I can't be in that Institute."

"Oh, Alec…"

"Heard you turned in Camille. How'd that go?"

"Honestly? It was awful. We had a lot of history, she and I. I'm sorry if that's weird."

"It's not weird. You say what you think."

He fiddled with his hand, which was blistered an injured. "Too busy to use a healing rune?"

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You're hurting. Badly. You hope the pain here-" He motioned to his hand "-will overpower the pain there." He pointed to his chest. "I wish it were that simple."

"I let a demon in, Magnus."

"That wasn't your fault."

"I don't know what to say to Clary. I can't face her."

"But you will. Because that's what you do, Alexander. It may take you a minute, but I've seen it up close. I went to your wedding. You'll blow up the very ground you stand on to make something right."

"Alec and Clary went to a Warlock that might be able to revive her mother?" Shu recapped.

"We need your help," Jace agreed. "If she's able to bring back the dead, she has to be a powerful Warlock. According to the records, she's older than Magnus. Better safe than sorry."

She sighed. "Fine. Let's go. I have a few choice words for dear old Iris."

Iris threw Alec back, up to the ceiling and then slammed him down to the floor.

"You've gotta do better than that, cheekbones."

"Iris!"

Shu sent a wave of energy her way, and Iris had to turn her attention to her attacker in order to block such a powerful wave. Though they were in a confined space, the two of them moved to circle each other, Shu moving to Alec and keeping him in sight at al times.

"You heard the man. Where is Clary Fairchild?"

"The redhead who came in asking for me to revive her mother? She's helping to restore the Warlock population, helping build our numbers again."

"Unwillingly. Besides, true Warlocks can't be grown artificially."

"A Shadowhunter mothering a generation of Warlocks. Can you imagine how powerful our kind would become? Valentine threatens to destroy all Warlocks, a good deal of them killed because they trusted you and Magnus to protect them. We need to grow our numbers once more."

"Quality over quantity. Even if a Shadowhunter were to breed your new generation of Warlocks, they'd never compare to pure, demon-bred ones. All you're making are monsters that look like people, and against someone's will, no less. Demon and angel blood don't mix, there's no way for you to create something like that without it being nothing but a monster. You'd shame the title of Warlock."

She sent out a wave of energy, but Shu blocked it easily.

"So what plan do you have? Wait it out until all Warlocks are hunted and killed before you take action?"

"I am responsible for those deaths, there is no argument. I wasn't there to protect them when I should have. But that doesn't mean I'm going to defile the line of future Warlocks just for the sake of speed!"

She kicked her foot out and sent Iris flying back into the wall, her magic the only reason she managed to stay conscious.

"You may be older than Magnus, woman, but I am older than you. I am shutting this disgusting plot down now!"

A door beside Iris opened, and a small girl walked out. "Nana!"

Iris instantly focused her attention on the child, kneeling down to her and putting on a smile. "Oh, hi, honeybun. Why don't you go back inside? And don't worry. I'm just playing with them."

"Playtime's over," Izzy declared, having come down the stairs.

She snapped her whip forward, and Iris sent out a blast of storm magic at her. Izzy dodge-rolled under it and moved to strike once more, but Iris picked up the girl and Izzy pulled her whip back before it hit them.

"Put the girl down," She demanded.

"Her name is Madzie, and she's better off with me than left to fend for herself in this cruel world."

Iris turned and opened a portal.

"You can save the redhead, but she still owes me a favor."

With that, she walked through, and the portal closed behind her.

"Izzy…" Alec muttered.

"Alec. You okay?" She asked.

He nodded, pulling himself up. "We have to find Clary."

They rushed through the halls, Shu leading them down the stairs. "Iris has lived here for a while now. I know her well enough to know she keeps a few dungeons on hand in the same place no matter where she moves. Keeps things organized, at least."

They found Clary with Jace, who had made it a little earlier.

"There you are."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm…I'm fine," Clary said, though she didn't seem too sure.

"Shadowhunters wear white to funerals?" Shu clarified.

"They wear black every other time, so really, white is for special occasions," Magnus pointed out. "Downworlders aren't invited, you know."

"I never miss a funeral, Shadowhunter or not. I'll just slip in as one. Besides, Joselyn is one of the deceased. I'll say goodbye for both of us. Simon and Luke can't go either, and they knew Joselyn well too. I'll be a secret Downworlder advocate. And Alec's probably shaken up too. If you connect with me, you can try and be there for him too. Besides, too many people have been lost so recently. I give my respect to the dead who never deserved this."