Hey !

To all you Disney lovers, this chapter's for you. And I love you reviews guys, you make me smile and blush^^ There's no better motivation than that!

Love,

Lilly

Chapter Eleven: The Imaginarium of Magnus Bane

Clary thought it was a wonderful idea to celebrate Tabitha's birthday outside. However her 'outside' was obviously different from Magnus' 'outside'. Clary's outside was a nice dinner in Central Park, next to the Alice in Wonderland statue that her little sister loved so much, with music and friends and a big cake. But Jocelyn had put Magnus in charge of Tabitha's party.

Clary and Isabelle had arrived early at the address Magnus had texted them in order to help their best friend set up, but it seemed that Magnus didn't need any help at all.

They were standing on the roof of an Upper West Side building with a breathtaking view of Central Park. But the view was the last things on their minds.

The terrace was huge and completely covered with spring-green grass. In the far middle, against the low stone wall – which had been hidden under small young trees – stood a thatched cottage with bright blue walls. There were no doors, only a large wooden door frame and looked empty inside. Around the house laid flowerbeds of purple roses, blue tulips, pink daisies, and green daffodils. Picnic tables and benches were arranged on the left and on the right. Randomly positioned around the terrace stood plastic animals: baby deer next to trees, blue birds on the cottage's window sills, and rabbits on the benches.

Clary gasped and she heard Isabelle sigh as she had to take her stilettos off. Feeling supportive, Clary took her All Stars off as well. Together, they took a step forward and moaned. The grass was cool and smooth.

"Welcome to Snow White's meadow," Magnus sang as soon as he spotted them.

"Are you crazy?" Clary asked.

"It's beautiful, Mags," Isabelle cheered.

"Well, of course it is," Clary agreed, feeling herself blush under the eyes of Magnus. "But this is madness."

"Tabitha is going to love it!" Isabelle exclaimed.

"How did you even –"

"I've been on it for over a month," Magnus explained. "Your mother helped me a lot. And so did you."

"I did?" Clary asked.

"Of course! You're the one who told me that Snow White was her favorite Disney princess. Which is perfect since I've designed special outfits for you guys, which in turn inspired me for the next collection of WolfsBane."

"Should we be scared?" Isabelle asked. Magnus made a face. "Sorry."

"I took all Disney princesses and modernized them. Izzy, tonight you'll be Sleeping Beauty, Clary –"

"Rapunzel," they said together. Magnus laughed. "Jocelyn will be Jasmine and, finally, Tabitha will be Snow White."

"Do we really have to put costumes on?" Isabelle asked.

"That's the best part: they're not costumes." He grabbed his sketchpad and laid it on one of the tables. "There, you see?"

"Oh my God," Clary and Isabelle whispered together.

"I know," Magnus grinned.

"Please tell me that you've prepared the same for the boys?" Isabelle asked.

For a minute, Clary tried picture Jace as Flynn Rider and she burst out laughing. No, Jace would be better as Prince Charming or John Smith from Pocahontas, she thought. She made a mental list. Jace would be John Smith, Alec would be Eric from the Little Mermaid and Simon would definitely be Milo Thatch from Atlantis.

"Unfortunately, no," Magnus said. "I didn't have time. But I got the seven dwarves, they'll be here tonight. But, given Tab's size, I think we should name the scrapbook album Snow White and the Seven Giants, what do you think?"

Clary smiled, distancing herself from Izzy and Magnus who were starting to argue. The place was really beautiful and she almost believed she was in Snow White's world. She couldn't wait for tonight and to see her family.

Since she had moved to New York, they didn't spend as much time together and Clary missed that. She missed having Tab around, running after her, begging her to paint her something with those huge green puppy-dog eyes of hers. She missed waking up to the smell of Luke's coffee and seeing his mouth perked up in the most gentle of smiles when he saw her messy red-haired face in the morning. She missed Jocelyn's protectiveness and her unlimited creativity, and how, out of the blue, she would sneak up to her and hug her tight against her chest.

"Clary!" Magnus called.

"Sorry, what?" She shook her head and saw Magnus and Isabelle watching her. She had walked inside the cottage without realizing it and they were standing in the doorway.

"I said: that's where the chocolate fountain is going to be," Magnus said and she saw sparkles in both his and Isabelle's eyes.

"Oh my god," Clary sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. Those two were worse than children.

"Tonight's gonna be EPIC!" they screamed together.

xXx

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Alec asked.

"For the last time Alec, I'm sure," Jace repeated. "This is our last chance."

"Emil will see you now," Malachi said, opening the massive door.

Jace obviously noticed the gun inside his jacket, this one was for show, he thought, so that everyone who would see it would think twice about trying to double cross him. What Malachi probably didn't know is that Jace also noticed the gun hidden in his right boot tied around his ankle. If needed, that's the one he would need to get his hands on.

Emil Pangborn's desk looked exactly as he would expect it to look: expensive desk and furniture, leather desk chair, priceless - and undoubtedly stolen - art hanging on the walls, family portraits on the desk facing them and of course six bodyguards standing straight around the room, their arms crossed behind their backs.

"Jace Wayland!" Emil greeted him, pushing back his chair to stand up. "And Alec Carstairs. What a pleasure to finally meet you."

They shook hands and Jace caught Alec's confused eyes, but it vanished immediately.

"What can I do for you gentlemen?" Emil asked, lighting up a cigar.

"I think you know exactly why we're here," Jace grinned. It had always amazed Alec how good he was at playing the part, at being charming and pleasant and respectful, when Alec knew all he wanted was to cut Emil's fingers one by one with the man's cigar-cutter on the desk until he talked. "We were just in the neighborhood thinking you might know where Valentine was, since you two are so close." He leaned back into the chair.

"Want a drink?" Emil offered.

"Don't mind if I do." Jace smiled as Emil poured the brown liquid into two glasses. Jace took one of them.

"You know, it's been a long time since I've received a visit from the Agency," Emil began. "It hadn't gone as they had planned, unfortunately for them."

Malachi chuckled softly as if it was a joke.

"I bet it has, but I'm not like the rest of them."

"I know," Emil said. "You and Alec are the best, I'm told. Should I be afraid?"

"I think you know better than that," Jace smirked.

"Just tell us where Valentine is and we'll leave," Alec declared.

"No hard feelings," Jace added.

Emil's smile widened. "And if I don't?"

Jace reached into his jacket pocket. Suddenly six guns were pointed at him. He smiled, slowly taking a phone out.

"Put away your toys, boys," Emil ordered. "Jace and Alec aren't suicidal, are you?" he asked them.

"Certainly not," Jace agreed.

"So what is it you want to show me? Or you know what? Don't bother, I don't think there's anything that would make me rat to the feds," Emil spat. "Please leave. You're wasting my time and, believe it or not, it's precious."

"Oh, we will," Jace assured him. "In just a minute."

Alec tensed next to him.

"You see, we knew you would say that," Jace smiled. "And you're right, it would be pretty stupid of us to try to force you physically. So we did something else."

"And what is that?" Emil asked, a mocking smile on his lips.

"Look," Jace said and he pressed a button on his phone that played the video of Tatiana being taken away by the extraction team. Emil's knuckled whitened. "Still think we're wasting your precious time?"

"What do you want?" Emil asked. His face was getting redder by the second.

"Valentine Morgenstern," Alec said, slowly pronouncing each syllable.

"And Jonathan, if you have him too," Jace added. "Here's how it's going to go: you're going to call Valentine once we leave and tell him you want to meet him at Pandemonium tomorrow night."

"And what would be my excuse?" Emil asked, faking a smile. "You know better than I do, he gets very suspicious."

"Don't play dumb with me," Jace said. "We know he wants something from you. I don't care if you have it or not, but you're gonna tell him you do. I'm sure he'll be pleased. Make sure he's here at nine. You don't even have to show up."

"We'll take care of the rest," Alec finished.

"And Tatiana?"

"We'll let her go as soon as Valentine and Jonathan are in custody," Alec assured him.

"And you promise nothing will happen to her?" Emil asked. His voice shook and for a split second Jace saw that the love for your child was unconditional, that you'd do everything.

"Of course," Jace said and something in his voice convinced Emil.

"I'll do it."

Jace handed him the phone. "There's only one number in it and it's mine. Call me after you reach Valentine."

xXx

"So it was just all pretending?" Tatiana asked. "You never really liked me?"

Sebastian was sitting on the window seat, as far away from the bed as he could. The Carlyle's suite was beautiful but he couldn't enjoy it. He was looking through the window, turning his phone over and over in his hands, waiting for Jace's call, waiting to free Tatiana and never hear from her again.

"I did," he whispered. "But it doesn't matter."

"It's about my dad isn't it?" she guessed. "What do you want? Money? Is that why you slept with me over and over again?"

You didn't seem to mind, Sebastian thought.

Aline barged into the room and Sebastian found himself jumping up and hugging her. She frowned but didn't push him away. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm really glad you're here," he explained and let her go. "You have no idea how I need the friendly face right now."

"Are you sleeping with her too?" Tatiana spat.

Aline ignored her. "Jace called."

"And?"

"He and Alec went to see Pangborn."

"Did he take the bait?" Sebastian asked.

"Let me finish," Aline ordered. "If everything goes according to plan, Valentine will be in the Agency's custody tomorrow night. Then you'll let her go."

"Okay," Sebastian said reluctantly. The idea of spending a night in the room with Tatiana wasn't very appealing.

"Do you want me to stay?" Aline suggested. "Sebastian!" She shook him slightly and his eyes snapped back into focus.

"Sorry," he apologized.

"Sebastian?" Tatiana repeated. "Your name isn't Declan? What didn't you lie about?"

"Oh, shut the fuck up!" Aline shouted at her.

Tatiana bit down her lips hard and kicked angrily in the air.

Sebastian looked at Aline as if he saw her for the first time. "Come," she ordered him and opened the window to the balcony.

"Thank you," Sebastian said.

"She's really going crazy in there," Aline laughed.

"Wouldn't you?" he snapped. "If you were betrayed and then tied up to a stupid bed?"

"I guess." Aline shrugged.

"I'm sorry – I – I feel like crap."

"No kidding!" Aline mocked.

"Dinner was nice, though," Sebastian said, lost in thought. "Yesterday, I mean."

"I know. I thought it was nice too."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, if it'll take your mind off things, go ahead." Aline smiled.

"Why Jace?"

Aline's face darkened. She looked away, blushing deeply.

From this height, New York's traffic was just a hum in the background. Sebastian could hear his breathing, his crazy heart beating and Aline short breaths. He could even hear Tatiana's screams. He put a hand on her shoulder with the conviction that she would shake it off and yell at him. But she rested her hand on his.

"I don't – he's everything I want. He's smart, funny, beautiful –"

"Arrogant, crazy," Sebastian interrupted.

"Nobody's perfect."

"You know Clary, don't you?" he asked. "You saw how he is when she's around, as if she was the center of his world or something."

"That's what I want," Aline said, spinning around to face him. "I want someone whose face will light up when I come into the room, someone who'd do anything for me."

"You know what I think?" Aline rolled her eyes. "I think that if you would let someone in, that someone might actually like you."

"If you knew me at all, you'd see that I'm a very difficult girl to put up with," Aline sighed.

"The least you could do is let me try."

xXx

There were so many of them, so many bright colors and intriguing shapes that Tabitha did not know where to start. Her chubby cheeks had turned red with delight, making the freckles on her face pop on like tiny light bulbs. She wanted to try them all at the same time, to taste that explosion of sweetness and tickling in her mouth and to feel the anticipated melting and fizzling on her tongue. Tabitha did not know the whole world – she was way too young for that, after all – but she was positively certain that there was nothing like candy. It was humanity's best creation, its greater achievement. Her trembling hands were touching frenetically the thick plastic glass that was keeping her away from this treasure she was kneeling before. She could still hear, not for real of course, but in her mind, the mellowing voice of Magnus inviting her to anything she would like, along with a passionate yet fake gospel choir she was imagining thanking him for existing and putting a dazzling halo above his head. All of her efforts were directed in keeping her eyes from blinking because, she was sure that if she did, she would undoubtedly wake up in her bed, her stomach empty and rumbling for breakfast. It felt too real to be real, but it was. Tonight was her birthday and anything was possible.

Anything.

So a few things here quickly.

Magnus' new collection was inspired by the drawings Fashion princesses by viria13 on deviantart so I encourage you to check it out if you want an idea of what everyone is going to wear.

I'll post the next chapter also today! Yay

Review!

Lilly