Chapter Six

"WHAT?!" Alec almost fainted with the rush of shock and anger,

"We're so sorry," was Isabelle's fifth apology,

"How in the world could you lose them?!" Magnus exclaimed with clenched fists as he took a step forward.

Clary, Izzy and Jace took a simultaneous step back and stood looking at each other in guilty silence, but the silence only made Alec more convulsed. He had trusted the three of them with secrets, his bow and arrow and his life, but it seemed the one thing he couldn't trust them with was his children.

"If you carry on making those moronic blank expressions, I swear I'll-" Magnus was so close to completely losing it, but Alec's hand on his shoulder calmed him down a fraction,

"Erm," Clary finally found the courage to speak,

"Please, out of the three of you, tell me it wasn't your fault Clarissa,"

"Erm, well," Clary stuttered as she watched Magnus and Alec try not to kill her, "I made a portal as a trick to impress Rafael and I kinda left it there and erm, we played hide and seek," she knew she didn't have to say anything else.

This was one of Alec's worst nightmares come true and he seriously wished he was dreaming. He and Magnus had made a promise to the boys that they'd always be there when they needed them, and right now, they were most likely lost and needing their parents, but neither of them were there.

"I'm sure they're okay," Jace stated,

"How do you know that? They could be on a deserted island or in the middle of a jungle or in a burning building or a sinking ship," Alec had to stop before he started imagining the worst possible scenario,

"They're most definitely not on the titanic," Jace attempted a joke and the silence matched with the growing rage on Magnus's face let him know that he failed.

As Magus ranted at the irresponsible three like a grandfather, Alec heard the phone ring and ran to it, praying that it would be Rafael or Max. At first, he was deeply disappointed to hear a French woman's voice, but when she carried on, he became elated and relieved. After spending a brief minute on the phone, he returned to the group. All the anger and worry had completely drained him and he fell onto Magnus with his head on his chest.

"They're okay," Alec sighed with relief and everyone else joined him,

"Thank god. Where are they?" Magnus put his arms around Alec,

"The Paris institute. We promised to take them to Paris,"

"Max doesn't have his teddy," Magnus realized.

Alec watched as Magnus's hand disappeared for a second and then came back holding a teddy bear with only one button eye and patch work pieces on its stomach. A tear fell down Alec's cheek as he thought of Max and Rafael going to sleep without being tucked in or getting a night kiss or having their night light on near them. Magnus's face had lost all colour and his eyes were dim, making Alec not only worry for Rafael and Max, but his boyfriend as he looked so very close to passing out.

"I'll create a portal and we'll be there in no time, okay?" Magnus kissed Alec's head,

"I want them back," Alec whispered,

"So do I."

Magnus kept one arm around Alec as he created a portal and Clary insisted on the rest of them coming. Alec had never felt so helpless and the only thing keeping him together was the comfort of Magnus's arm around him. When the portal was ready, Alec took a deep breath and looked up at Magnus.

"Think of the Paris Institute or Paris in general," Magnus instructed,

"Will there be time for sightseeing?" Jace tried to lighten the mood again,

"I would happily strangle you right now, but I promised Tessa that I wouldn't," Magnus grabbed Jace's top, "but I wouldn't mind breaking that promise just once, so don't push it."

Alec squeezed Magnus's hand as he watched everyone else enter the portal. How could he possibly lose his children? That was something bad parents did, maybe Alec's best at being a dad wasn't good enough. As they entered the portal, he saw Magnus kiss Max's teddy bear and close his eyes.

They stepped out of the portal in front of the Paris Institute and with Alec's hand firmly clasped in Magnus's. When in a foreign place, Alec would usually take time to take in the beauty of the architecture, but this time, he pushed past everyone else and went straight to the Institute door with Magnus being dragged behind him. He slammed the golden knocker three times.

"What if-" Alec started,

"No, they're fine," Magnus interrupted and squeezed his hand.

The door creaked open to reveal a very tall and striking blonde man. His eyes were a pool of chocolate, his cheeks looked like they had been naturally sucked in, his blonde curls were perfectly arranged on his head and you couldn't help but let your eyes gaze over his prominent biceps.

"Well bonjour," Izzy sang flirtatiously,

"Bonsoir, je m'appelle Magnus Bane," Magnus introduced himself and the man instantly let them in.

Alec saw him go outside and scan the area before coming inside, slamming the door shut, locking it and adding an extra lock rune to the door.

"I am Theo, I speak little English," Theo said in one smooth tone as he led them through the Institute.

The amount of relics, portraits, landscapes and sculptures in the place made it feel much more regal and slightly like a museum. They walked through many candle rimmed corridors until finally turning into the study which was a grand affair of dark wooden panelled walls, a rouge carpet and of course, a spectacular fireplace. Sitting at the desk towards the hack of the study was a woman with the same golden hair as Theo, piercing blue eyes and rosy cheeks. As she got up, she fixed her chin length hair and made her way over to them.

"You must be from the New York Institute," she smiled,

"Where are Rafael and Max?" Alec instantly asked,

"They've just fallen asleep in one of the chambers. Which of you are the parents?"

"We are," Alec pointed to Magnus,

"I wouldn't wake them up if I were you,"

"We'll wait."

Alec sat down and the others joined him. The phone soon rang and Theo ran to it, but it only took a couple of seconds of being on the phone for him to nod and then hang up.

"Tant de demons, si peu de temps," Theo muttered as he put a long leather jacket on,

"We have a demon problem to fix, so make yourselves at home. Oh, my name is Esme by the way," Esme smiled as she got out a seraph blade from underneath the desk,

"Nice to meet you, I'm Clary," Clary made Esme freeze,

"You are, aren't you?! And you're the Lightwoods and you're Magnus Bane and you're Jace Herondale. This is an honour. I've always wanted to meet you and when I called, I thought they'd just send normal Shadowhunters, but not you. Wow, your eyes really are a luminous gold," Esme got so excited that Theo had to pull her away, "we'll be back," she waved as she left.

Alec knew they had all gone down in Shadowhunter history, he just never experienced someone fangirl over them. But, right now, he was annoyed that he had been left in the Institute, waiting for the boys to wake up and he didn't even know where exactly they were. Magnus pulled Alec into him as he sensed everything that was running through his head.

"Esme seems lovely," Izzy broke the silence,

"And Theo is very nice to look at," Clary giggled,

"Excuse me?" Jace looked at her with wide eyes,

"Oh please! You flirt with girls all the time and in front of me,"

"Yeah, to get us discount off our bill or movie tickets,"

"Don't worry Clary," Alec said, "Magnus does it too."

Alec laughed and they all joined in as he found something to stop his mind from worrying.

"One of us had to be the flirty one and you're not very good at it," Magnus laughed,

"He has a point," Izzy commented, "out of us, I'm the one mum and dad thought would get married first, because you're so… Alec,"

"I can flirt. I got Magnus didn't I?"

"Actually, it's clear that it was Magnus who got you," Jace grinned.

They ended up arguing over what Alec was and wasn't as well as who was the sneakiest, messiest, cutest and other things to pass the time as they waited for the two sleepy boys to wake up.