Ignore my rant if you value the next probably five minutes, depending on how you read. There are spoilers for the book series if you haven't read them and have only seen the TV series because you're too lazy to read. To those people, I say the TV series is nothing like the books, and the books are far superior.

I'm sorry I haven't worked on this series in a while, but I completely forgot what I planned for all my character arcs because of all the B.S. this TV show throws at me. I made a quick outline of important events that I need to document, about five lines of text/dialogue per part and it skips around across like 5 whole episodes in one because I documented the parts I cared about and omitted the parts I could care less about. I'm so upset with the series that the next unedited chapter might come out if I don't find the will to go on before people ask me if I've finished this thing.

My main Shadowhunters story is going to be The Five of Them and the sequel The Two of Them, which take place in the Dark Artifices book series. It's a long and complicated series where I ramble, but it's following the books rather than the stupid TV show so that's a bonus. If anyone wants me to redo this, maybe try and give me inspiration. PM or review, I don't care, but the plans I had for this story have gone into the depths of insanity.

Okay, after this, you may skip to the story or read my frustration and either sympathize or argue against me. I don't care, comment if you have something to say. Shameless request for comments.

:)

Please tell me there are other people out there loyal to the book series that scream at their televisions every time they see the TV series. Like, season one was okay, season two was meh but season three has just taken a dive off the deep end and has officially fallen into the category of fanfiction. And not good fanfiction at that. I hate how Clary is portrayed as a Mary Sue who makes very stupid decisions and very risky ones and is still the center of the world; I hate how Jia has now become the main villain in the Clave while I loved her in the book series for being more accepting because of Aline - she's put in the minority and does the amazing thing she does at the end of the Queen of Air and Darkness (you loyal readers know what I be talking about). Not to mention Magnus. Look at the title of this story. Not only have they taken out the High Warlock of Brooklyn part, but now they've also taken out the Warlock part in general. So yeah, the show has gone to shit but I still watch it because I torture myself, and so expect this story to go off the rails as well. If you want to be heartbroken about Malec, again read Queen of Air and Darkness and then get to the end to be like "YES WHO CARES ABOUT THE OTHER GUYS THESE TWO LIVE FOREVER!1!1!1!1!" Not to mention the Jonathan Morgenstern plotline was wrapped up nicely, Clary was not the one bonded to Jonathan, Jace was - which makes a lot more sense, Jonathan v Jonathan - and J Morgenstern was pretty much redeemed in my eyes at the end of The Mortal Instruments. Then there's wrapping up Simon's plot with the Mark of Cain which came in a bit too late and the fact that Magnus shouldn't have had to make that stupid deal and lose his magic. He never loses his magic in the book series. And let's get started on that 'dramatic' ending in Edom. In the books, Simon was the one to lose his memories and vampireness to Asmodeus in exchange for a portal out of Edom. Instead they can just portal out because Magnus had to be able to defeat his father and is stronger because he's in Edom and can therefore just portal them out? Simon's sacrifice was something that hit home because he was such a fleshed out character that we had come to know and love and see his experiences with. The bargain is great, saves Malec, doesn't kill Simon, gets everybody home, but it hurts because you have to know that Simon may permanently be gone but still there. It's one thing having a character dead, it's another taking away everything that you've experienced over five books just wiped away and reset. Then Simon has to reintegrate even when they do try to remedy the issue, and that takes a whole book that fleshes out his struggle to live up to expectations, figure out what impact he made and who he's gonna become afterwards. Also there was another character added to that who I also come to love dying. Raphael's character was destroyed, and I would've felt happier if they'd just killed the damn guy. And what the flip happened to Cain? He's kinda just betrayal and then gone? If it's somewhere in there, it was so poorly executed that I missed it or forgot about it. Is following the actual book plots a little closer to detail simply not possible? Is it a copyright issue? Is it that the guy writing the storyline for this stuff thinks he's being 'creative' just because people who had expectations from the books come in with high expectations and keep watching because of a good moment here and there and they just want to see how it keeps going. The only reason I'm still going with this series is that I don't abandon things, but this is the closest I've seriously come, and if they don't wrap up this show soon, I may yet get there. I only watch it at this point because I wanna see how messed up they can possibly get.

"There was once a time when demons and angels got along."

"Hey! You can't start a story like that!"

"Why not, Val?"

"Because you have to start with 'Once upon a time!'"

"But that's a human tradition. We're more than human."

"So we use less sense than them?"

"Let me tell my story or no more play time with Phoenix."

Val huffed and crossed her arms, motioning him to go ahead.

"There was once a time when demons and angels got along. They had their quarrels, of course, but everyone has those kinds of days. But then, they started to argue against each other on grander scales. Both of them felt they were superior, many of them had ways of showing it. Angels were seen as benevolent, demons were seen as sadistic. And so the world was split forever, doomed to never be reunited. The light and the darkness can't be brought back together by anyone. Well, except maybe you and your cool big brother."

She whacked his arm. "You're not cool, Valak."

"You'd rather I be hot?"

She shoved him. "Ew! No! Blech!"

He laughed. "Well, the first step to bringing together light and darkness comes in the form of making friends from both sides. So, what do you say? You go left, I go right, we meet back here at 0600 hours?"

She giggled. "How about you go deal with the demons while I hang out with the gods?"

"Both are just as annoying. But remember, if you get in trouble-"

"Make it never have happened, yeah, yeah."

He chuckled. "Memory demons are powerful things, more powerful than we're given credit for. If you don't remember something exists, if no one does, then it brings into question if it really does. Memories make up who we are, our entire souls - the experiences we learn from, the past mistakes to avoid in the future, and the conscious or unconscious decisions we make to shape the future. But if you and I can shape the memories of enough people, we can change reality itself, no?"

"Enough with the lectures! Let's just get on with the training already!"

He booped her on the nose. "Don't be so hasty, Valaeyasha. We'll get there, one way or another. As long as we remember the golden rule."

"Don't tell anyone who we really are," She recited. "Yeah, yeah."

"Good girl."

"Magnus, let me help you," Val sighed, taking his eyeliner pencil and pushing his seat back so she could stand in front of him. "It should be odd that you wear more eyeliner than me, but luckily I'm a girl so I still know how to apply it."

"Shu only knew because I forced her to know. If not for me, she'd probably still be in the dark about it even though she's been alive longer than eyeliner has existed."

She held his head to the side so that she could catch the light properly. "Just hold still, you dunce. And look up, will ya?"

He rolled his eyes upwards as she carefully applied the makeup.

"Ah!"

Val pulled back, scared she'd hurt him, but he simply looked mad at the eyeliner pencil and snatched it back as though he could demand it magically put itself on again.

"I don't know how people do this every day," Magnus said flatly as Alec leaned down to look at him in the mirror. "It's taking me an eternity to make myself halfway presentable."

"That's why I don't do makeup," Val sighed. "Saves me so much time and I still look half-decent anyway."

"You sound like Shu."

"Perhaps that's why we get along so well."

"Oh, I don't know why you think you need it," Alec said to Magnus. "You're beautiful the way you are."

Magnus sighed and set the eyeliner down, kissing Alec on the cheek before standing. "Thank you, but…it's not about beauty. A tiger has stripes." He turned and pointed at his eyes. "I have eyeliner."

Alec couldn't help the smirk that formed across his face.

There was a knock at the door and Kandai called from across the house, "I'll get it!"

"You expecting someone?" Alec asked.

Magnus looked to the side in thought. "Oh! I am. I almost forgot."

Magnus came to the door just as Kandai closed it behind Cat and Madzie.

"Magnus!" Said young warlock exclaimed, running to hug him.

"Sweet pea!" Magnus kneeled and hugged her.

"Thank you so much for letting her stay with you," Cat said. "Especially considering all you're going through."

"Oh, don't be silly," Magnus said. "It is my unbridled pleasure."

"Hey!" Alec called.

"Hey!" Madzie echoed, running into the living room. "Alec's here!"

Alec scooped a giggling Madzie into his arms. "Hi Caterina."

Magnus and Cat followed Madzie into the living room. "Look who we have as a house guest while Caterina's off to a…nursing convention?"

"You haven't seen anything until you've seen 1000 drunk RNs bitching about doctors," Cat said.

"How about when I get home from work today, we're gonna play…Sharks and Minnows?" Madzie smiled and nodded. "Yeah? All right. Come on."

"Ah, this is the little angel, is it?" Val said, walking in.

"Ren's just prepared breakfast," Kan announced. "Have you eaten yet?"

"Well, she had a snack on the way here, but she insisted Shu made the best food."

"Well Shu's…out right now, but I assure you, Ren makes the best pancakes in existence. In fact, he probably invented them."

"Ren'ai has been getting better," Val told the wind. "Ever since you disappeared, his fever's let up and he's only recovered more and more. He's a great cook, as well as a great alchemist. He and I have been handling a lot of Magnus's previous clients who are still calling on him for help. Kandai's worried about you, so he keeps himself busy cleaning up Magnus's apartment. Magnus doesn't appreciate it, but Kan makes up for the things that Magnus is too lazy to do. Funny how grief turns your dad into a waiter."

Val sighed.

"Magnus is sort of coping with his magic loss. Things are different, but he's got enough magic in his life to still keep things interesting. You know, you told me that I should come back from Edom because I owed you the explanation of who I am. I'm still waiting to cash in that check, but now it's your turn. Oh, and Madzie is staying with us, the adorable little warlock. Alec is really good with her. It seems to be warming the mood after everything that's happened. Come to think of it, it's bedtime now for her. Be right back."

Val left the balcony and headed inside, going to the bedroom where Alec was reading a book to Madzie and Magnus was simply standing at the doorway watching with a smile.

"So…be your name Bauxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O' Shea, you're off to great places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way."

"One more?" Madzie asked.

"We can read as many as you want in the morning," Magnus promised.

Alec stood from the bed and took the book to the shelf.

"Can you make a night-light like the last time?" Madzie asked with a smile.

Alec and Magnus shared a nervous glance.

"I…can't right now, Madzie," Magnus said. "But…I can leave the light on, if you want."

"No thank you."

She waved her hand as a blue moon of shimmering magic appeared and floated past them, hovering in the air as some small clouds formed behind it.

"All right, come on," Alec urged, tucking Madzie in.

"See you later, alligator," Madzie smiled.

"After a while, crocodile," Magnus responded with a smile as he slipped out of the room, imitating a crocodile with his hands.

Alec and Val walked past as Magnus switched off the lights and gave a final wave as he closed the door. The moment Madzie was out of sight, he sighed and his smile fell away.

"You okay?" Val asked.

Magnus took a deep breath and turned to follow after Alec. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

Val sighed. "I'm gonna turn in. You know where I am if you need me."

He nodded, letting her walk down the hall and to her room - which was actually Shu's room.

"I suppose this…new, powerless reality is gonna take some time to get used to," Magnus sighed.

"Hey," Alec said, stopping Magnus from heading to their room. "Of course it is. But…I'm always here for you." He took Magnus's hand. "You know that, right?"

Magnus smiled and reached out to cup Alec's neck appreciatively. Alec stepped forward to kiss him, but Magnus made a noise or protest, looking to the door behind Alec where they'd left Madzie.

"What?" Alec asked, genuinely worried there was a threat.

"She's right behind the door," Magnus said with a serious tone.

Alec shifted from foot to foot. "So I can't kiss my boyfriend?"

"Oh, you know how we get. How about we watch a movie? I've been meaning to introduce you to the work of my friend Baz Luhrmann."

Alec shook his head in exasperation. "Baz?"

"The director?"

He nodded for Magnus to continue. "Of…?"

Magnus sighed. "You really need to hone your cinematic palette."

Magnus turned to go and get the movie, but then there was the familiar boom of a portal opening. In Madzie's room.

"Nana!"

Val staggered from the shake of a portal and hurried out of her room. Magnus had no expected visitors coming, not at this hour, and Magnus couldn't open portals anymore.

"Nana, no!"

Val sprinted down the hallway and pushed past Magnus and Alec, seeing Iris reaching out with a portal behind her towards Madzie who was scooting away to the edge of the bed.

"It's okay, honey. Nana's here to take you home."

"Iris!"

Magnus threw out his hand, but his magic didn't come. This fact was not unnoticed by Iris, but Val quickly threw a blast in her direction as Iris ducked to avoid it. Alec summoned his bow and fired off an arrow, forcing Iris to dive back through the portal she came from. It snapped closed behind her with a roar.

Madzie got to her feet off the bed and ran over to Magnus who scooped her into his arms. "It's okay, sweet pea. You're safe now."

"Iris raised Madzie since she was a newborn," Alec said. "She's not gonna stop until she gets her back."

"How was she even able to get past Magnus's wards?" Izzy demanded.

Alec and Jace shared a nervous glance.

"When Magnus lost his powers, his wards did too."

"I'll put up new wards," Val said. "I should've considered the wards, dammit. We're also protecting some very valuable people before Madzie even arrived. Not to mention that loft has basically everything that Magnus has collected over the centuries, some things slightly valuable and dangerous. But I don't have the same level of power that Magnus did. I'd love to tell you I'm a High Warlock, but I'm pretty basic in the grand scheme of things. Me and Ren will see if we can come up with anything."

Magnus walked into the war room of the Institute. "Madzie's back with Caterina. She's portalling her to the High Warlock of Estonia's castle outside of Koluvere." Magnus coughed. "His wards should keep Iris out."

"Well, they can't stay in Estonia forever," Izzy sighed. "And we can't keep hiding until Madzie's a grown up or anything."

"Which is why we need to find Iris," Alec declared.

"Well, she's most likely still in the city," Magnus said. "We should act fast."

"Magnus, we have this covered," Alec said, causing Magnus to frown at him. "All right? Iris is extremely dangerous. She's already escaped from the Gard, and she's more than willing to kill for Madzie."

"So am I," Magnus said firmly. "Powers or no powers, I need to be a part of this." Alec opened his mouth to protest, but Magnus continued. "I know Iris. I know how she thinks."

Alec glanced around the table, meeting the eyes of Izzy, Jace, and Val, before sighing. "All right."

Magnus nodded. "Okay. We can start with a sweep around her brownstone. She's lived there for over a century."

"She was nowhere near her old brownstone," Izzy announced. "What makes you think she's gonna be around here?"

"Well, this herbal shop is a front for warlock supplies. No doubt Iris would need to restock. Maybe she's been here."

"Besides, her brownstone would be an obvious place, right?" Val pointed out. "Why hide in the first place people would look for you?"

"Reverse psychology?"

She nodded. "Fair enough. But it was worth checking anyway, just in case."

Alec looked into the window of the store with Izzy close behind. Magnus pulled out a sword from its scabbard that he had on his hip and tested it out, swinging it around and then practicing a stabbing motion.

"Well, I do have to say, I do like the feel of this thing."

"Careful," Izzy warned. "It may not be made of Adamas, but I made sure it's sharp enough to cut straight through bone."

"I like your style, lady," Val said.

Magnus sheathed the sword once more.

"There's nothing in here but a bunch of tea and stuff," Alec announced.

"Yeah, to anyone but a warlock," Magnus countered.

Just as he said that a portal flashed open behind him to reveal Iris, fuming.

"Iris, wait!"

Alec's plea was in vain because she charged her magic and flung out energy from both her hands with fury. Magnus and Val ducked, but the oh-so-mighty Shadowhunters took the blasts instead, throwing them into the tea shop. Magnus drew his sword and deflected Iris's magic blasts with practiced skill and began advancing on her. Iris realized this problem and instead focused her energy on grabbing Magnus's weapon and flinging it away. She then wrapped a whip of energy around him and pulled him back with her.

"Magnus!"

Val dived and grabbed onto Magnus just as they disappeared through the portal.

"Valak, do humans hate us?"

"No, Val, they don't hate us."

"Then why do they cower? Why do they speak with fear in their voices and terror in their eyes?"

"Because we're different. They don't like different. Maybe they fear us, but fear is not hatred."

"How so?"

"Fear is a lack of understanding, a chance of disaster. Hatred is knowing that we are only disaster. But we are not disaster, are we? We are creation. We can hold the entire world in our palms, make it into whatever we want. Or at least, maybe one day you'll be able to."

"Hey! I can do just fine! Just because you're big and great under him doesn't mean you're better than me."

"Of course not, Valaeyasha. I'm sure that even if I'm gone, you're sure to end up doing both of our jobs all on your own."

"Why would you be gone?"

"Not gone, but I have a big important mission I've gotta go on soon. And you know what the protocol is for when you're on your own."

She gave a salute. "Do whatever you want as long as it doesn't end the world!"

"Atta girl! Now, are we gonna go play with the Inferians or are we just gonna sit around here forever?"

She snorted. "Maybe you can sit around here forever."

There was something about Magnus that no one had ever known. There were hundreds of years worth of memory within him, yes. Centuries' worth of pain and suffering, love and loss. But he also had a sister. A sister whose memories spanned millennia. And those memories didn't like being touched.

Iris flashed through hundreds of memories all at once, more than Iris could handle, but Magnus was not so cruel as to show her the true magnitude of his mind. Shu's memories did that on their own.

"Hello, Iris."

Iris gasped and broke the connection, leaving Magnus sweating and breathing hard on the floor.

"Are we done yet?" Magnus spat. "I've got a lot more where that came from."

Iris frowned, circling around the magical cage he was in. "If you don't cooperate, you're of no use to me. Let's see…" She waved her hand a summoned her spellbook. "Hmm. Should I use my suffocation spell? Or perhaps electrocution suits you better. You always did have an electric personality."

"One prayer is all it takes for Magnus's death to be seen as war against Asmodeus. Just one prayer: an apology. All Asmodeus ever wanted from him. Magnus could give him that, and I would gladly bring Asmodeus to this realm just to see the fear in your eyes when you see him mad. Because when he gets mad…well, he gets mad."

"And I wonder what we should do with the girl?"

She looked to Val, passed out in the cage beside Magnus, sleeping almost contently on the ground.

"I suppose I should congratulate her on being able to block her mind like that. But she really must have some things in there that she doesn't want anyone to see. Too bad she left you out here, abandoned you, the moment I tried to take a peak."

Iris was distracted as a fire message flew in and landed in her hand. She snatched it up eagerly and read it with a gasp.

"Looks like I can save my strength. It's a letter from Caterina Loss. Your Shadowhunter friends contacted her. She agrees with everything I have been saying." Magnus rose to his feet in shock. "I am the closest thing to a mother Madzie has ever had. Being with me…is the best thing for her."

Iris turned the message so that Magnus could see it. "That is Caterina's handwriting."

"Madzie will finally have her Nana back."

Iris and Magnus came through the portal, Magnus carrying Val on his back. They appeared to have ended up somewhere in the city, Chinatown, in an empty alleyway. This was the location that they'd been given, but there was no one there. As the portal snapped shut behind them, Iris looked around eagerly.

"Where is she?"

At the end of the alley, a small girl that had to be Madzie stood staring at a cloud of smoke in front of her.

Magnus's eyes widened in shock while Iris hurried forward. "Oh, sweetheart…Madzie! Madzie! It's okay, Nana's here."

As Iris attempted to embrace Madzie, she dissolved into nothing but magic dust.

"Seelie magic…clever."

She charged her magic and shot a blast at Magnus. Val was light on his back, but he was only able to dodge one hit before he was right in the firing line, unable to dodge. Luckily, he didn't have to, as he was shielded by a barrier of magic in front of him.

"Sorry," Val said. "But you will be doing no more harm to him."

Iris shot another wave of magic, but this time, she missed entirely. Val dropped her barrier, allowing Magnus to put her down.

"The thing about reality is that your perception is the only thing that connects you to it."

Iris waved both of her hands forward, but her blast went wide in either direction. Though there were some trash can casualties, Magnus and Val were completely unharmed.

"If you can't perceive it correctly, then you're in the dark."

Another blast, another miss.

"And you can only perceive it correctly, if you remember it correctly."

Iris tried to grab into Val with her magic, but she ended up grabbing a manhole cover instead. She raised it, taking advantage of the situation, and flung it towards them, but it sailed clean over their heads.

"I've been told I'm not a very good warlock," Val admitted. "I can do the basics, sure, I know how to blast stuff and levitate stuff, I know how to make brews and follow a spellbook. But I've been told I can manipulate reality itself if I just show you whatever I want you to remember."

Val reached down and grabbed a rock, tossing it up into the air. Iris's eyes instinctively followed it up and then right back down into Val's hand. Instead of something happening with the rock, Iris found that Magnus and Val were now standing on the opposite side of the alley that they had been, right where Madzie had stood. Iris herself had turned 180 degrees to face them as well.

"Think fast."

Val tossed the rock towards Iris, making her hold her hands up to catch it with her magic since Val had tossed it almost too fast for Iris to process.

"Made you look."

Iris's hands were suddenly wrapped together tight in a silver adamas snake thrown from behind Val, who was tossing the rock in her hand, up and down, as though she had never thrown it. Isabelle sauntered through the cloud of smoke that had concealed her and stood beside Val.

"Sorry we're late."

"Hey!"

Iris turned just in time to see Alec fire his arrow right between her hands and Izzy's snake white, throwing her back and pinning her against the concrete wall.

"I hope you enjoyed your freedom," Izzy said, "cause you're going right back to the Gard."

Magnus struggled to his feet and surged forward only to be caught by Alec.

"I tried to stop her, but-"

"It's okay," Alec assured him. "We've got her. It's okay."

It took a few moments, but Magnus finally calmed down, nodding to Alec and regaining control of his breath.

Iris gave Alec one final glare as she was taken through the portal and it was snapped closed behind her.

"Mr. Lightwood," Jia greeted.

"Consul," He reciprocated.

"Nice job…rounding up the escapees in New York City," She said with a very rapid pace in her tone.

"We do our best," Alec said flatly. "But something tells me you didn't come all this way to pat us on the back."

Jia's face remained stoic. "You're right. I have come to officially inform Clary Fairchild's Institute that I am posthumously pardoning her of her crimes against the Clave."

Alec's head fell and he shifted his weight from foot to foot. "That means a great deal to all of us."

"The young woman saved my life. May the Angel bless her soul." He nodded, but then Jia quickly switched gears. "You, on the other hand, should be made to pay for your insubordination."

"I understand."

"Unfortunately, many in Alicante consider you and your Insitute heroes for taking down Lilith, which means going after you would be a political minefield for me. But make no mistake: from here on out, I'm watching your every move."

She turned to leave, but Izzy interrupted. "Consul Penhallow! May I have a word? I've spoken to several captured Downworlder escapees, and there's been a troubling trend in what they're reporting."

"Oh? And what is that?"

"Multiple prisoners have described being systematically tortured in the Gard."

Jia's face remained stoic, her reaction to the knowledge having an effect - so this wasn't something that she was prepared and ready to counter - but all the same, she kept herself neutral enough so that her face couldn't be read.

"I can assure you, the Clave does not engage in torture."

With that, she turned and Val waved open a portal for her as she left.

Val sighed. "I hate the way she said that. I've dealt with faeries before, and that statement screamed 'we don't consider it torture.'"

Alec sighed. "I've had enough of this for today. Let's head back."

Val waved open another portal and the two of them walked through to Magnus's apartment.

"I've started to use my powers to their fullest," Val said. "I have fun with it, you know? Being able to bend the world to be seen how I want it. But sometimes it gets scary, you know? Sometimes I feel like I might forget what reality is and…maybe one day I'll fall for my own illusion. What if everything I knew about myself is a lie? What if Valak was a lie? What if you were a lie? And I am a lie? And we're all living inside one big bubble of lies?" She chuckled. "I grow so nihilistic when I think too hard about my powers. See why I don't like using them? I sense you there, inside of Magnus. You're still connected to him. And it's painful. To wonder where you are, and wonder if you know something, somewhere, that I don't."

Val sighed.

"If you ever want to come back, you're gonna have to listen to a lot of rambling. Maybe that's why you're not back already. Or I guess you still have something to do out there. Whatever it is, hurry. I have some things I want to ask you about Valak."

"You know, I'm proud of you," Alec said.

Magnus rubbed his palm angrily, as though maybe if he hit the right spot his magic would snap back to life. "Oh, for what? For being so powerless that I was able to not only get kidnapped but…injured as well?"

"You were powerful enough to hold your ground. And keep your memories of Madzie's true location from Iris."

Magnus looked up to meet Alec's eyes. "That's not power."

He turned and walked around his desk, but Alec followed.

"Yes it is, Magnus. Your power doesn't just come from your magic. It comes from your inner strength…" Alec pulled Magnus so that he turned around to face him. "…which you are overflowing with."

Magnus's gaze softened and Alec sighed to lean down and kiss him. Of course, that lightened Magnu's mood a little bit. But only a little. Magnus sighed and turned away again.

"I just…I still feel so humiliated."

"Why?"

"Having you and Isabelle and Val rescue me, and…healed by Caterina. I hate that feeling. Of having to rely on others to take care of me."

"You've been taking care of others your whole life. Sometimes it's okay to let others take care of you."

Alec put his hand on Magnus's shoulder, and Magnus tried for a smile as he rested his hand on Alec's.

"Well, I'll tell you one thing. This is the last time I plan on getting beaten up. It's time I learn how to fight without my magic."

"Well I know a thing or two about fighting. So what do you say I help you out?"

"Oh, I thought you'd never ask."

"Wow, he's doing better than I thought," Ren commented as he, Kan, and Val watched Magnus and Alec spar.

"Shu told me she did most of the combat stuff when it came to their duo, but he naturally learned a little thanks to their connection and since after 400 years you pick up a few things," Val explained.

Ren ran his hand over his puppy's head. Tidus hummed appreciatively.

"Ooo, he's got him pinned," Kan exclaimed.

"Nope, not for long," Ren muttered.

"You call that not for long?"

"Oh yeah, I call that for long."

"Ouch, that one would hurt if they were serious."

"Boom, he's up again."

"And he's down again."

At that point, Val had lost track of what was happening - mostly Ren and Kan's commentary above everything else. Since both Magnus and Alec were male, every 'he' could be relating to either one of them.

It was only when Alec and Magnus started making out and then headed out that Ren and Kan exchanged trinkets that Val assumed they got from the apartment and had been using as currency. After that, anything interesting that would happen that day was officially over. Magnus and Alec went on a date and such where Alec would hopefully teach Magnus the meaning of slowing down, while Kan and Ren went off to do their own thing, probably obsessing over Tidus all day.

That left Val all alone with her thoughts.

She headed back to Shu's room and looked around. She found a hidden box of things from ex-lovers or friends that she didn't want to forget about because they were mortal. She found a list of things Shu got annoyed about on a day-to-day basis, labeled "If I Ever Go Crazy and Take Over the World By Force, Things I Must Make Sure to Change:" which made Val laugh. She laughed even more as she read the list.

"Everything necessary in life needs to be explained on an instruction board
Shadowhunters should be sorted out immediately for the good and bad apples
I should be allowed to shower for as long as I want
Magnus must be un-banished from Peru
Camille should be locked up for insubordination
I need an infinite taco supply
Magnus needs infinite makeup
Magnus needs to get a job (warlocking does not count as a job)
Faeries need more respect
Faeries need to be less cryptic
Gwyn should give me his hounds (they love me more, he just won't admit it)
Magnus must get proper music lessons
Ragnar needs more friends
Veon needs a girlfriend/boyfriend (maybe I should just hook him up with Andraeus)
Cat shall be worshiped as a saint
Raisin cookies shall be banished to the depths of Edom
All cookies should be soft cookies
Cake should not have frosting
Brownies are superior to cake
I should be able to play music as loud as I please
Magnus should have an 'off' switch
Malcolm needs to be limited to one romantic movie per week"

She had crossed out 'week' and replaced it with 'month' but then crossed out 'month' and replaced it with 'year' but then apparently found that too cruel so she changed it back to 'month.'

Val set the list aside and continued her search around the room before finding a small jewelry box that held basically all of her jewelry - which wasn't a lot. She found a couple of necklaces, one or two bracelets, a bunch of earrings that looked brand new like she hadn't opened them (probably gifts, Val guessed). She found a couple of basic rings - obviously not from Magnus's collection - and Ren'ai's enchanted one that transformed demonic magic into angelic-safe magic with Kanda's opposing one beside it.

That made Val pause.

They'd given that ring to Namir, right? Before she had disappeared along with Shu. There was no way that it could've been there.

"Could be a fake," Val theorized.

But Val had a photographic memory. She knew that if this was a fake, it had every little detail correct - little details that most wouldn't even think of. An engraving inside in the same font, the runes were perfect to the shade of black, the inside wasn't as shiny as the outside but there were still some signs of use from it being put on and removed.

"Only one way to find out."

Val went to Kan and Ren. Only for her phone to go off halfway to their room.

"We can confirm that the apartment jumped again early this morning," Jace said.

"And we have good reason to believe Clary was in it," Luke finished.

"The problem is, she could be…anywhere."

"Well, not anywhere," Magnus interjected.

"What do you mean?" Alec asked.

Magnus tapped the screen on the table of the war room and swept his hand across it, pulling up a map.

"Inter-dimensional domiciles run along ley line grids. Based on the apartment's size and power, there are only a handful of habitable regions with grid junctions large enough to support it."

"Basically you can only land this TARDIS in a few places," Val summarized. "Got it."

"All right," Alec said, letting that comment fly past him. "Well, let's get a list of all places that fit the profile and check any nearby Institutes for unusual activity. Magnus, you must have some international warlock friends who can…keep an eye out for us?"

"Well, I'm not one to name drop, but…I'll make a few calls."

"Even if we check all these places, it's still like finding a needle in a haystack," Luke said.

"You could always burn the haystack away with fire," Val said. "But if that metaphor were to transfer to real life, it wouldn't be pretty."

"Just be glad that it's not a piece of hay in a needle stack," Magnus pointed out.

"I think I've got something," Alec announced. "A Shadowhunter in Paris just reported his stele missing."

"Wow, that's pretty detailed," Val commented.

"Do they have any suspects?"

"They think it's a rogue Shadowhunter. A young woman."

"Clary," Jace summarized.

"I think we all need a good long nap," Val sighed.

"We need to find another magic sword?" Ace complained. "It was bad enough when the entire Shadow World was complaining about the Mortal Sword."

"I didn't call you here to say we needed the sword found immediately. I wanted to know how you two were doing after the whole final battle thingy."

"We're fine, Valaeyasha," Rios said. "Granted, I feel I've had enough end-of-the-world action for this year. The slaughters that have been happening in Faerie need to be recovered from. I can see why the gods and the angels stay out of human business. It's exhausting."

"It was hardly a challenge," Ace muttered. "If anything, it was too much drama for too little reward. Anyway, that sword? The Mourning Star - of course it would be called the 'Mourning Star.' They're the Morgensterns - we'll see if our people are willing to seek it out. Not a lot of gods meddle in human affairs, so we'll see how much help we get."

"And Asushunamir?"

"How could we forget about her? The entire Astral world is looking for clues on them right now anyway. She's wanted because of her danger to the entire Astral and mortal world. With her split in half, we kinda just kept her on a watch list, but if she and her other half come together, she has the power to do things we can never imagine. If she goes out of control, the Hexatheon will have to intervene, and that will be a nightmare."

"Just tell me if you get any updates on her," Val said quietly.

"We will. See you soon, Valaeyasha."

"So they removed the Mark of Cain from Simon then," Ren sighed. "Well, good for him."

"You want to try it too?" Kan asked.

"No. Not in this lifetime. I'm fine with the Mark. Unlike humans, having such angelic power doesn't control me. I can switch the Mark on and off, or at least control the amount of power that it reflects back at attackers. Someone tries to stab me and at most they'll get knocked back off their feet."

"Good for you and them then."

Kan poured the tea that he'd made. Tea was always a common thing the two liked to share during pensive, quiet moments.

"So what are we gonna do now?" Ren asked, his voice quiet in the empty apartment.

"We could stay here looking through a dead-end case for Shu. Beyond that, we can leave. Go into hiding again."

Ren smiled. "That was nice. But we don't know about this world."

"We can get some friends to show us the ropes."

"Maybe. The warlock community is filled with the helpful type. Granted a lot of them want to be paid for their stuff."

"Lorenzo being in charge of the Brooklyn Warlocks isn't gonna help with that. Magnus went to see Lorenzo, didn't he?"

Kan snorted. "Of course I remember. I'd sooner eat the man alive than grovel. Magnus has been put in a vulnerable position and Lorenzo just has to gloat about it."

"Magnus has to get him to help and then pay the price that he wants from Magnus. It's not ideal, but neither of us can give him magic."

"Perhaps I could."

"But at what cost, Kan? You and I are just alchemists. We're the ones who were never destined for great power, blessings and deals. We're just there to be on the sidelines."

"But we're smarter than anyone else of our kind. They're the muscle, so we're the brains. We're looking for a rune that connects Jonathan and Clary, right? You would know most about angelic runes."

He sighed. "Did we get a picture of it from Alec?"

"Yeah, I'll go get it."

A moment later they had the rune that was now on Clary's shoulder on a piece of paper in front of them.

"I recognize this," Ren declared. "My brothers once had this rune."

"Which ones?"

"Michael and Lucifer."

Kan blinked. "The Michael and Lucifer?"

"Which other angels are named Michael and Lucifer?"

"Fair point. But they had a rune that connects their life force? Michael slew Lucifer, didn't he? Or at least banish him to Hell?"

"Yeah. Meaning Michael found a way to remove the rune. It means there's still hope of removing it from Clary."

"Well that's great and all, but do you have any idea how it was done?"

He sighed and looked down in thought. "I'm sure that he consulted me on it at one point. It was a long time ago. I've got an ocean's worth of memories and can only summon a teacup's worth at a time. Without going insane, of course, and needing to go back to Heaven to stabilize myself. Just another reason angels don't come to the mortal realm that often. Being too human can be painful at times."

"Well…is it too painful to be human enough to search for a new place to live. Not that I don't love my daughter and her family, but…it's a new world out there since we've last been out and about. I wanna go see it, and I wanna go live in it without all the drama of the Shadowhunter world getting in our way."

Ren smiled. "I certainly don't wanna be living at a Nephilim Institute."

"We should get a place with a big open area for Tidus."

"We should get more puppies!"

Kan laughed. "Definitely."

As they began to plan out their future, Val hopped through a portal into the living room. "Oh good, you're here."

"Something wrong?" Kan asked. "Any word on Shu?"

"The price for Magnus's magic returning is that he has to give this entire place to Lorenzo. I'm looking for a warlock willing to help me move all the magic stuff out. As for Shu, I'm looking into it. I've been recommended a warlock that'll be able to help us on both fronts."

Kan and Ren shared a glance.

"Looks like that new hone hunt is gonna be sooner than we thought."

"He's hurting."

"He is always hurting now."

"His magic is not his own. He can't expect it to be perfect instantly. To have a magic infusion means that he would have to wait. He'd have to receive it little by little. Instead, Lorenzo gave it all at once."

"Meaning that he would have no hope."

"If I had been there, perhaps I could've changed it."

"We can change nothing. We never have, we never can. Because we are perfect. And perfection never lasts long on this planet."

"Perhaps not. But we keep trying anyway."

Shu picked up Charon and walked toward the portal.

"Let's go."

Namir smiled. "Let's go raise some hell."

"First we have somewhere to be."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Just hurry this along. You're so boring, you know that?"

"And you're too excitable."

"I make up for your lack of grace."

"I'm very graceful, thank you very much."

The banter continued as the two girls walked through a portal.

I'm voiding a lot of the story right now because I just don't have the heart to transcribe it. If anyone else wants to transcribe it for me, be my guest, but I'm just going to finish out this series as fast as possible because at this point I no longer care enough. I might muster the energy one day, but it's been a very long time now and my muse for this story has long since left me. Apologies for anyone who loved it that much, but if anyone wants to help me, I'd welcome it. Until then, the ending of this is going to be pretty broken up bits about the story and it makes the assumption that you've seen the show.