Author's Note: Enjoy this chapter and please review!

Major Author's Note: Character death.

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters.

Chapter 23: The Truth

It was late afternoon by the time Stephen returned to Herondale Manor. He and Michael had spent the afternoon lying beneath an apple tree close to the lake. Every time they thought about leaving, one or the other decided to stay. When they finally departed from one another's company, it was a long, difficult goodbye, until each mounted their horses and rode off in opposite directions. Stephen knew he would see Michael again. He just had to.

When Stephen walked into the manor house, he could smell dinner. He called a greeting to his parents, and then walked upstairs to his room. As he approached the door, he heard crying, so he pushed the door open to find Celine sitting on the bed, her hand over her mouth as she sobbed. Across her lap laid Stephen's journal. Celine looked up, and then threw the journal at Stephen, narrowly missing him.

"What the hell?" Stephen asked, but his heart wasn't in it. He instead leaned over and picked the journal. "Celine?"

"You never did love me, did you?" Celine asked. "You only said you did! You still love her and you're cheating on me with her!" Stephen closed his eyes and leaned against the bedroom door, all of the fight gone from his body. After swearing Mizpah to Michael, he couldn't bear much more emotion.

"I would never cheat on you," Stephen said.

"But you love her. Still. After everything! After…" Celine gestured to her stomach. "I'm pregnant with your son and you still won't love me!"

"My son?" Stephen asked. "How do you know?" He didn't want to find out if Celine was having a boy or a girl, simply because he didn't want to think about having a son or daughter. As long as Celine remained pregnant, Stephen remained distant from the idea of having a child. Knowing he was having a son made the whole experience feel less like a dream and more like a nightmare. Not a son. Anything but a son.

"When Jocelyn and I went to Alicante last week, we went to the Silent City. She's pregnant with a girl, you know? And I'm pregnant with your son," Celine said. "I thought we could name him William. William Marcus. Or…" Stephen shook his head and buried his face in his hands. "You don't care, do you? You never wanted a child with me! You don't even care about your son! If you cared about this baby, you would have mentioned him more in your journal!" Stephen looked at Celine, wanting to say that he felt differently, only… he didn't, because she was right. "You only want Amatis. And don't you dare deny it. It's written in your journal in your hand writing. "Dear Amatis," you wrote. "I…"

"Shut up," Stephen said. Celine stopped talking. "Do you want to know the truth? You keep asking for it, and I'm about ready to give you it."

"I already know it," Celine said.

"I never loved you, not the way I loved her. You were merely someone to be with when I needed someone. If I could do it all over again, I would never join the Circle, and I sure as hell would never be with you," Stephen said. He tossed the journal onto the bed beside Celine. "I meant every word I ever wrote. Every word. You can give me the world. You can give me a son. But you'll never give me back everything I ever lost."

Celine gasped as her eyes filled with fresh tears. Stephen turned and walked from the room.

The rest of the summer continued tensely. Valentine began showing up at Herondale Manor, bringing baby gifts, maternity clothes from Jocelyn, and a sweet, syrupy liquid for Celine to drink for strength. Stephen was initially nervous about the drink, until Celine had a few doses of it. Then her skin seemed to glow from the inside out. She was rarely, if ever, fatigued.

Whenever Valentine came to visit, Marcus avoided him. Stephen tried to see eye to eye with his father, and tried to stay close with his parents, but it was difficult when they both so clearly disapproved of the Circle. Their relationship remained fractured, even as Stephen and Celine prepared to welcome a baby. Every once in a while, Stephen would look up from a meal and find his mother or father looking at him with a heartbroken expression on their faces, never needing to say that they had expected so much more from Stephen.

The Circle continued their raiding. By August, there were hardly any vampires left in Idris. Those who did live there were either killed by the Circle or left to save themselves. There was one strong hold of vampires left near the western border of Idris, closer to the Circle Manor houses. Valentine had plans to wipe those vampires out closer to the Accords with a raid that promised to be large.

Meanwhile, plans for the Accords began in Alicante, and Marcus and Imogen began traveling there to meet with Council members. Every time Marcus and Imogen brought up the Accords at dinner Stephen lost his appetite. He longed for a time where he didn't have to fear for the lives of his parents, his friends, and yes, even Celine.

September brought with it an early fall. By the middle of the month Stephen was spending the nights with his arms around Celine, who was now uncomfortably seven months pregnant. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, Stephen would wake up to a tiny foot nudging his arm as the baby made his presence known. Stephen wanted to resent the baby for coming in the middle of the worst time in his life, and yet, he wanted to meet this baby, his son. It seemed like the baby was the one good thing left in the world.

Some mornings Stephen woke up and imagined sending Michael a letter before they packed up their families and left Idris from somewhere far away, where no one had ever heard of The Circle. Other mornings he woke up and knew that he helped started this; he had to stay to end it. The worst part was not knowing what was going to happen. Stephen knew Jocelyn and Celine were part of the Uprising, as was Luke, and Michael could go either way, but Valentine had many more followers all focused on the Accords. It was going to be a battle, one way or another, and Stephen was unable to predict the outcome.

The first week of October, nearly a year after he proposed to Celine, Stephen prepared to go raid the vampire stronghold. It was late into the evening, past dinner time. Celine lay on the bed, now eight months pregnant. After their argument in the spring, their relationship had been forever changed. In some ways it was better: Stephen didn't have to hide his feelings anymore, and Celine understood the nights he could not sleep after waking from a nightmare about losing Amatis. They were almost happy together, as happy as they could be, anyway.

"Can I talk to you?" Stephen asked. He had just finished his runes and buttoned his shirt and was now preparing his weapons for the evening. He sat down on the edge of the bed and Celine came over to sit beside him. Since his conversation with Michael back in the spring, something had remained in the back of Stephen's mind. It was an innate sense of mortality; that he might not always live to see the sun rise on another day. "I just wanted to let you know… if something should ever happened to me, go to Michael. He's been on the fence with the Circle since the spring. He wants to leave, and if he does leave, I want you to go with him. He'll take care of you and… the baby."

"Do you think something is going to happen?" Celine asked. She took Stephen's hand and rested it on her stomach. The baby was moving slowly, only half heartedly kicking. He was always more active in the middle of the night.

Stephen didn't want to tell Celine that ever since that night in the cellar with Michael and Valentine, he had felt marked for death. He couldn't bear to worry his wife. Not when she was so nervous as it was.

"Just go to him. He loves me and he'll take care of you and the baby as if you were his own," Stephen said.

"I refuse to discuss any of this," Celine said. "I would rather die than live without you. I still love you. Even if you don't love me, I still love you."

Stephen stood up and went over to his weapons trunk. When the conversation moved to this topic, it was always best to focus on battle and weaponry. The truth was, Stephen wasn't sure of any of his feelings anymore. He imagined that should he survive the Accords, he and Celine would go start over somewhere. Maybe then, he could feel the right away for her.

"I loved you," Stephen said. "You were and are what I needed, when I needed it. I just thought we deserved different things. You deserved Luke. Amatis deserved someone who loved her faithfully, who didn't walk away when things got hard. I… I've done terrible things. I don't know what I deserve."

"You deserve to be loved," Celine said. She climbed off the bed and came over to Stephen.

"I love you," he said. "I know sometimes I didn't, but right now, I do."

"Right now is the only thing that matters," Celine said. She ran her fingers down his cheek and looked into his eyes. "Be safe tonight. Come home." Stephen only nodded.

"Don't wait up," he said. He kissed her lips and stepped away just as there was a knock at the door. Marcus stood there, looking Stephen and Celine over with a mournful look in his eye. "Is something the matter?"

"We need to talk," Marcus said.

"Be right there," Stephen said. He turned back to Celine. "Get some sleep. I'll wake you up when I get back so you know I'm home." Celine nodded and wiped some tears from her eyes. Stephen gave her a rueful smile and left the room.

"Say nothing. Only listen," Marcus said. "The Mortal Cup has gone missing, Valentine Morgenstern plans to raise an army and kill all of the Downworlders at the Accords, and there is a group of people within the Circle known as the Uprising who plan to take the Circle down from the inside."

"How do you know?" Stephen asked.

"Celine," Marcus replied. Stephen wanted to roll his eyes. Just when he thought his wife had stopped being impressive, she did something else amazing. "Why didn't you tell me any of this?"

"I don't know," Stephen said. "It was such a good idea in the beginning. Now… I've lost so much, father, and I don't think any of the loss was worth being in the Circle." Stephen remembered Amatis asking that question in the Silent City: Would any of this be worth it, in the end?

"You made a mistake," Marcus said. He didn't have to say how big of a mistake Stephen made. After all, Stephen lived through his mistakes. "Everything is going to be alright. The Clave knows and they have a plan of their own. We'll stop Valentine, Stephen. One way or another, we'll stop him. You just stay safe. You've got a son on the way, who is going to need a father."

"I have Michael. He has my back," Stephen said. He was nearly at the front foyer. "Tell Mum I love her, okay?" Imogen could never bear watching Stephen leave for a hunt. She had been the same with Marcus, so Stephen didn't mind. It was better this way.

"I'll tell her," Marcus said. He patted Stephen on the shoulder as Stephen opened the front door. "I love you, son. I know we had our differences, but… I love you."

"Thank you, father," Stephen said.

"You come home tonight," Marcus said. "Do you hear me?" Stephen remembered leaving the London Institute when he was fifteen and hearing Marcus say those same words. It was his way of saying good bye without having to say goodbye.

"I'll be back before sunrise," Stephen said. He gave his father one last smile and walked out the door.

Stephen met up with Michael for a nearly silent ride to the appointed meeting area close to a lake, less than a mile from the manor house where a large gathering of vampires lived. As Stephen and Michael crested a hill, the full weight of the night came crashing down upon them. There were close to thirty Shadowhunters assembled, all dressed in gear and armed with weapons. It was the largest gathering of Circle members Stephen had seen, for this purpose. Valentine was in the middle of them, mounted on a large horse and looking imposing in his gear. Hodge was beside him, quietly talking as Valentine nodded.

"You're late," Valentine said.

"I'm sorry," Stephen said. Valentine looked him over, a scowl on his face. It was the same way Marcus used to look at Stephen whenever his son disappointed him. "What's the plan?"

"Well, it's a raid, so we'll storm the house, kill everyone inside, and leave no survivors," Valentine said. "You'll ride with me, Stephen." Valentine started down the hill and Stephen sent his horse down after him as everyone fell into line. "You've come along way, you know."

"Yeah, there are a lot of hills with the way I had to come," Stephen said.

"No, I mean within the Circle. You've really made something of yourself," Valentine said. He patted Stephen on the knee. "You've done everything I ever asked of you. You have been a faithful, loyal servant. Just like Lucian was."

"I aim to please," Stephen said.

"And you're having son. He's due to arrive any day now, isn't he?" Valentine asked.

"Yes, any day now," Stephen said. He attempted to smile convincingly.

"You've done good work," Valentine said. "I'm proud to have you as my second in command. You must know that, Stephen. I'm proud of you."

"I'm just happy to be your second in command," Stephen said. "We are going to do great things together, right, Valentine?"

"We most certainly are," Valentine said.

Not long after, they arrived on a hill overlooking a large manor house which stood in the darkness. The moon was almost full as it rose over the horizon, cast in an orange glow.

"Half of us will go upstairs, the other half will stay on the main floor. Kill them all, do you hear me? Kill them all. Last two out will torch the house," Valentine said. "Be safe. Be relentless. These creatures are demons and they don't deserve to live. They deserve to die." Stephen shivered and met Michael's eyes. Who was Valentine, to determine who lived and who died?

They approached the manor on foot. Valentine was in first, followed by Stephen and Hodge. Stephen went to a side room and found two vampire girls reading in some candle light. He shoved a dagger through the neck of one, and then stabbed the other in the chest with a seraph blade. He moved onto another room where Michael was already battling three vampires. These vampires were older, and they put up more of a fight. Stephen had his face sliced open by one of their finger nails. Blood dripped into his eyes and whipped the vampires into more of a frenzy, and then Stephen wasn't just battling, but fighting for his life, the way he had on the night of his Initiation.

When they left that room, there was a cry from upstairs, so Stephen and Michael ran up the steps to find more of the vampires on the second floor. There was such an overwhelming amount; every time they killed a few, more appeared, all bearing their teeth and nails and using lightning quick movements to leap in front of and behind Stephens and Michael. Stephen took a blade to the back of his shoulder and he fell to the floor, hurt, but not dead.

"Take my stele!" Michael cried. He offered his stele and Stephen went to grab it, only to have it knocked out of his hand by another vampire. Stephen lifted a blade and shoved it through the vampire's chest, killing it instantly.

"I'm fine," Stephen said. Michael killed the last vampire and turned to Stephen, his eyes looking scared and near tears. He grabbed Stephen by the waist and pulled him close, so their faces were inches apart.

"Let's just go," he whispered. "Please, Stephen. Let's just leave."

"Okay," Stephen said. He touched Michael's cheek and looked into Michael's huge blue eyes. "Okay, we'll go." Michael dropped his blade to the floor and started for the door.

"Stephen!" Hodge cried. "Stephen, help me!" Michael grabbed Stephen by the hand and shook his head.

"Go downstairs. I'll be right there," Stephen said. He pulled away from Michael and walked into the hallway to find a breathless Hodge. Together, they walked down a long, dark hallway as vampires screamed all around. The house was in utter pandemonium as Shadowhunters battled vampires, but the upstairs was suddenly quiet. Stephen knew this had to be a trap, and yet, he knew if he turned back, it would be obvious that he was against Valentine. His only hope was to fight Valentine to the death. It could all end tonight.

Hodge led Stephen to a room and pushed him inside, slamming the door closed behind him. Despite the battle going on, Valentine sat on a window seat beside a large window. There was a mirror close to him that reflected the moon, which was now high in the sky.

"Stephen, you came to me," Valentine said, standing up.

"Are you hurt?" Stephen asked.

"Somewhat," Valentine said. "It has become clear to me that you are not the man I thought you were. You've shown me one face and kept another hidden."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Stephen said. Valentine smiled.

"You and I both know what I'm talking about," Valentine said. "I'm talking about how you never were on board with the Circle. Even at your Initiation, I knew, you weren't right for my purposes, yet I kept you on, because you were so eager to please, and you did everything I asked. But the truth of the matter is, every time I questioned your loyalty, you lied to my face. You only wanted to be known for something, as my second in command. You never suffered for the Circle…"

"I lost my wife. I lost a son. I have done horrible things for your Circle," Stephen said. "You cannot question my loyalty-"

"Yes, I can," Valentine said. "You've betrayed me. You let me believe I could count on you, but you are just like Lucian. You'll turn your back on me when things don't go your way. Tell me you won't. Look me in the eyes and tell me you won't."

Stephen opened his mouth, prepared to give Valentine what he wanted, and stopped, because he could no longer give Valentine what he wanted. Giving Valentine what he wanted never got Stephen anything in return, it only caused him to lose everything that was precious to him. Stephen thought he could do great things with the Circle, but nothing he ever did was good or great.

"No," Stephen said. Valentine took a step back, shocked that someone was telling him no.

"Then you have betrayed me," Valentine said. "You are nothing to me now. You're nothing to your wife, your family, anyone. We could have been something great, you and I."

"You're wrong," Stephen said. "You are wrong." Valentine smirked.

"So what do you think is going to happen next? You think you'll walk out of this manor house and go live happily ever after with your precious Michael?" Valentine asked. "You've killed people. You've killed things. You've burned bridges. Nothing can ever go back to the way it was before. You should kill yourself."

"Why?" Stephen asked.

"You should let people believe you died a hero's death. I'll tell them all how you died killing vampires. They'll believe me." Valentine twisted his fingers into Stephen's hair and looked into his eyes. "Give your son a reason not to hate you when he gets old enough to find out what sort of man you were. You can end it all tonight." Valentine took a dagger off his belt and offered it to Stephen. Stephen took the dagger and looked down at it.

"That was my plan," Stephen said. He raised the dagger and swung it towards Valentine's neck.

There was a flash of silver in the moonlight as Valentine lifted his left hand to reveal a long, silver blade. Stephen cried out as the blade slammed into his chest, ripped through skin, muscle, and bone, and pierced his heart.

"I always doubted you. Always," Valentine said. He pulled the blade out, ripping a hole in Stephen's chest. Blood sprayed out as the knife exited the wound. Stephen felt heat on his chest as he fell to the floor. His hand was suddenly covered in hot blood that wouldn't stop, no matter how hard he pressed down on the wound. His lungs became heavy and painful. Stephen took one breath, then another. He coughed as blood welled into his throat and burst from his mouth and nose. He looked down, once, to see his shirt stained black with blood. "You're nothing to me, Stephen. You never were anything; you were just a pawn in my game of chess."

"Fuck you," Stephen managed. Valentine grabbed a chair and threw it through the window. Glass shattered everywhere, and in the aftermath, Valentine ran to the door and pulled it open.

"Michael!" he screamed. "Michael, come quick!" There was pounding footsteps in the hallway. Stephen saw Valentine once more as he slipped out of the room. Michael appeared at the door, gave a low cry, and fell to his knees beside Stephen.

"We can fix this," Michael said. Stephen closed his eyes. There was no fixing this, not now, not ever.

"Hold me," Stephen whispered. Michael moaned, and then pulled Stephen into his lap. He wrapped his arms tightly around Stephen's shoulders and rested his cheek against Stephen's forehead. Michael laced his fingers into Stephen's fingers, which lay over his heart. "Celine."

"What?" Michael asked.

"Celine," Stephen said again. "Take care of her. She'll need you. Take her and run, Michael. Run." Stephen's eyes flickered open and closed as he remembered Jocelyn telling him to run. She told him that no one should have to die for what only Valentine believed was right.

"You're going to be fine," Michael said. "Don't worry about her. You'll be just fine."

"Talk to Jocelyn. She'll tell you everything you need to know," Stephen said. His lungs were starting to hurt worse, as if there was a pressure inside of him waiting to burst, but he felt good in Michael's arms.

"Jocelyn? Why?" Michael asked. Stephen closed his eyes and groaned, knowing he didn't have much time left to tell Michael everything he had to know.

"Celine," Stephen whispered. He looked up into Michael's eyes once last time.

"Okay, yes, Celine," Michael said. "Stephen! Stay with me!" Michael's eyes filled with tears. One dripped onto Stephen's face, and Stephen couldn't help but think that this was how love was supposed to be. It was unconditional devotion, until the very end. Michael loved Stephen, and Celine loved Stephen as well.

"Celine," Stephen whispered, and died with his wife's name on his lips.

Author's Note: Epilogue to follow. Please review. Come on. Don't just pass this chapter by without at least telling me if you loved or hated the story. Please?