First Fanfiction! I hope you enjoy it! (No copyright intended, all characters belong to Cassandra Clare)

CASTLES MADE OF SAND, CHAPTER EIGHT

Blackbird

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life,
you were only waiting for this moment to arise."

"Jace. Alec." Robert Lightwood, nodded his head hesitantly in their direction; as if he wasn't all too sure, if greeting them was appropriate. "Where's Izzy?" He asked timidly, and took a step forward. His hands were clasped behind him, his face a cross between serious and hesitant. Without any coherent thought, Alec instantly ran to his father, and slammed into his tall, bulky body with enough force, that it caused Robert to rock backwards on his heels. Alec latched his hands around Robert's back, and held on tight -for the life of him, he didn't want to ever let go. Robert returned the hug, and turned his cheek into Alec's dishevelled black hair; breathing a sigh of relief. Alec felt the heat of his breath flush over him, and surprisingly let out a sigh of his own that he hadn't known he had been holding in -letting the presence of his father wash over him.

Jace had made his way over to them by now, and shared in their manly embrace. Jace had one hand situated firmly upon Alec's upper back, and the other on Robert's, leaning in closely to their faces; that contact alone with Jace sent a frenzy of heat to course hotly in Alec's veins. God, Alec wished he didn't have these emotions towards Jace, it would make everything that much easier for him, if they could just dissappear. But as Alec had already realized for himself, life would never be easy. It always seemed to toy with Alec the most. Pull and taunt his emotions, feelings, and otherwise, his morals and sanity -as if none of that was important.

Robert retreated gradually from their arms, and fixed a strand of limp hair that had now fallen into Alec's eyes. "This needs to be cut, Alec."Robert commented, and Alec shrugged, not interested at all in casual conversations about hair. He was sure there were many things involving his appearance that needed to be changed, but he didn't mind. He was the carefree sibling, never updating his look to the latest trends -he was just himself in how he appeared and acted -while Jace and Isabelle always tried to fit in with everyone else. In which they flawlessly did. If ever, Alec attempted to do so, he would fail miserably; only for the simple fact that he always went for comfort -and more now then ever before back home, seeing the way the people dressed at the new school, noting that nothing about them looked comfortable. Therefore rulling out Alec's hopes on fitting in style wise. He would definitely have to try out for soccer if he wanted to be accepted somewhere in the schools hiearchy.

Alec, snapped himself back to reality, realizing that, their father had been gone, for a substantially long time, without any recognition as to why he left. They all assumed business at first, since both Maryse and Robert's jobs usually sent them on strenuous trips -but Maryse knew the actual truth; it floated in the blue depths of her eyes, once in awhile, and the way she avoided the topic of Robert, like a pro. Alec began to expect the worst of course, once they hit the three month mark; then Robert called once, and only once to check up on his family. Alec was never particularly close to his father, neither was Jace -seeing as though Robert was his adoptive father -but the lack of un-denying closeness that was held between them all, didn't seem to loosen their love for him. It only somehow strengthened that love; whenever there were those faint remarkable moments of laughter, joy, and plain happiness between them -it made those moments all that more special and cherished amongst them.

However, Alec began to rethink things in that moment, watching Robert and Jace casually banter back and forth about what sports teams he had already been eyeing at school, and simple chatter about girls. Should he have punched his father instead of hugged him? Robert was the one that left them, high and dry, without an explanation as to why; and in turn caused Maryse to go into an even deeper depressive state -not to mention that ever since the accident, Maryse was never the same. Sure, she would attempt to act her usual self, to stay assertive but delicate at all times -but over time Alec began to notice the red clouds that constantly formed in the whites of her eyes, the tired lines which pulled away from the corners of her eyes; and the mere fact that she up routed her family for a simple job promotion and or offering, spoke words to Alec.

Maryse would have never left their home on the East coast -it was where each and every one of her children took their first steps, shared fond memories of barbecues with the neighbours, and essentially grew up. Sentimental shit like that, meant a lot to Maryse; and seeing as though Robert left, she most likely couldn't bare to stay in that house any longer without his presence. So she jumped at the first job offer she got.

Or at least that was Alec's theory. There was no telling what the truth was when it involved his parents really. They might have been the most secretive people he had ever met; he would never be able to pinpoint how they would react to certain situations -Maryse more so than Robert. Alec prayed to god that when he became submerged into a relationship that was meant to last -there would be the utmost trust and honesty between them. He yearned for a love that he didn't need to be afraid of, didn't need to worry about -didn't need to regret in the long run.

"Does mom know you're home?" Alec skeptically asked, interrupting Jace's rant about his classes mid-sentence. That was another thing Alec didn't understand: How did Robert know where the house was exactly located?

"No, your mother does not know. But I spoke to her a few weeks ago, to get the address of the house -"

"Where were you?" Alec blurted out, and instantly regretted it. His tone was filled with sadness and desperation somehow. He felt his lip tremble, as he gazed longingly at the man he so desperately wished was here, wherever Alec was, for the past year. Robert pursed his thin lips together, and regarded Alec with thoughtful, sympathetic black eyes only for a moment, before all emotion was wiped from his face, and in its place a hard, cold, outer shell was formed. A shell that could not be penetrated. And Alec knew that, that was Robert's defense mechanism; and in his case it was to protect his children from things which shouldn't be brought up anytime soon.

"I had... Things to take care of. Work related." Robert dismissively said. Alec was about to question him even further, but then he saw a flash of waves of black, and light ivory skin; and suddenly Isabelle bounded into their fathers arms. He held her like a fragile porcelain doll -which was the exact opposite of how she was. "Izzy," Robert smiled, the shell around him cracked faintly at the sensation of having his daughter in his arms once again. He was warm-hearted, that was something Robert could never deny about himself. Alec could clearly see now that Isabelle was tearing up, a thin line of water rimmed her dark eyes -but given how resistant Isabelle was to showing weakness, she held back the tears from spilling over.

After a few moments of long awaited greetings, they all began to make their way into the house -Robert grabbing his bags from the trunk of his sleek black car in both hands, with ease. Making it seem effortless to him. He was a tall man, with a stocky build, which potentially could appear threatening to anyone that came within a ten meter radius of him. But inside, past the steel outer exterior Robert exuded, was an unstable, breakable, warm-hearted man -that always needed to hide his true nature from his colleagues and business associates. And more recently, hide himself from his family.

In more ways than Alec could count, they resembled a lot of each other. Almost as if Robert was the older mirror image of himself. In the way they handled things, in the way they disconnected themselves from those around them when times got hard -in the way they deemed to hide important things from their family, the ones they loved. Alec was his father's son, in many ways... Except for the fact that Robert had been drawn towards women, while Alec was drawn towards his brother, and a guy with cat eyes, and shiny silken black hair. Alec could only imagine what his parents would think, if they could see and feel his thoughts about Jace and Magnus. It was less then, well, disheartening. He would never know where his parents stood, in different... More confusing aspects of life.

Wow, Alec thought briefly. He had managed to go more than a few minutes without thinking of Magnus.

Magnus. Magnus. Magnus. It was as if his name was a catchy logo tune, that was constantly being broad casted on the television -but in Alec's circumstance: was being broad casted across his mind. That fox smile, intoxicating yellow-green eyes which were perfectly lined with black eyeliner and highlighted with shimmering gold, and that taught, tall and lean body -were only a couple of the endearing images running over Alec's mind, and in front of his eyes. And the sound of Alec's name, when Magnus said Alexander in a slight sultry tone, vibrated in his ears.

What was wrong with him?

Alec hadn't realized it, until he was snapped back to reality, that Jace had been clicking his calloused fingers together in front of his face, muttering his name for a while now -Alec supposed. They were now standing in the front foyer of the bright house; faint light seaped through the grey clouds, and through the large doomed skylight overhead. Isabelle and Robert had gone of into the house -making sure that Robert could become familiar with his new surroundings.

"Huh?" Alec stupidly said, squaring his eyes in front of him, to happen upon the annoyed face of Jace Lightwood.

"I was trying to tell you that your phone was ringing, but it seems to me that your mind is definitely else where..." Jace furrowed his eyebrows, and gazed at Alec skeptically. His liquid golden eyes pointedly searching Alec's lake blue eyes for any indication as to what had been running through his mind.

"Oh shit," Alec said, before he finally heard the constant ring of his black android phone. He fumbled with the back pocket on his dark washed jeans, before pulling it out, and hastily answering it. "Hello?"

"Alec, why did it take you so long to answer?" Maryse asked, her tone conveyed that she was not amused in the least. She was always one, who worried strongly about time, and how much people continued to waist it, day by day on the utmost trivial things in life.

"I, uh, umm, uh," Alec stammered momentarily, desperatley trying to collect his thoughts. "Dad's home," Alec blurt out for no good reason, causing Jace to give him a 'what the hell?' glower, and face his palms upwards towards Alec, shrugging his shoulders forward. Alec smacked the palm of his hand to his forehead roughly, and shut his eyes. Damnit, Alec said to himself, trying to plan an escape route quickly. But what was he supposed to say? Oh, yenno, I didn't answer because I'm hopelessly day dreaming about some guy I just met today, that probably hates me, and I'm not all to sure if I even hate him back. That was not a good idea.

There was a silent eerie pause on his mothers side of the call, and Alec gulped loudly, awaiting what she was going to say. It was menacing, and pulled at the delicate strings of Alec's mind. He wanted to hand the phone over to Jace, to pass the burden of listening to Maryse yell over the phone, to him. But knowing Jace, he would probably dart away from the phone, and run to some unsuspecting part of the house. Jace only stood there in front of Alec, now, waiting to see if Alec could possibly take the word lashing Maryse was about to dish out. Cheeky bastard, Alec thought, I'd like to see him be in my spot.

"Okay Alexander," Oh, this was headed in the absolute worst direction. Just as no one else deemed to call Iz, Isabelle, or Jace, Johnathan Christopher, it was also a given to not call Alec, Alexander.

Magnus. Magnus. Magnus. Just hearing his mother call him Alexander sent an onslaught of fear throughout him, and consequently made him get lost in the image of those bright yellow-green, come-hither, cat eyes. "Could you tell, Jace, Izzy, and -" Maryse sucked in a ton of air, creating a shifty static sound on Alec's end, "-Robert, that we've been invited to dinner tomorrow night. As well Alec, a young man requested I give you his number."

That was definitely not what Alec was expecting; but it was better then the latter. He had haistly mentally prepared for accusations to fly left and right, questions which were rather yelled than hushed over the phone. He didn't expect his mother to completely disregard the topic, in stride; it wasn't like her to do that. "Wait, who?" Alec asked, slightly bewildered on who would want to give Alec their number. Although he did have his suspicions...

"Magnus Bane." Maryse replied, as Alec's stomach dropped between his legs. No, no, no, no! His mother had met Magnus? What had he said to her? Did he explain to her how rude he was in English and Biology class? Oh, Alec was going to get it when Maryse got home. That was her plan, he realized; to wait until she was in person, where he could see the dark look in her eyes as she spoke. Image and or presentation mattered in this town, it was a given, which Maryse had informed them all of, on the car ride over to the new house when they first arrived. She had made it very clear not to 'ruffle anyone feathers', and cause people to have a bad perception of you.

Alec had been so stupid to forget, he shouldn't have acted the way he did. But in all honesty he couldn't help himself, Magnus and William seemed to be un-denying forces that could, and quite possibly, would drive him absolutely insane one day. Alec had to make a choice, either to: completely devote all of his time to avoiding and shutting Magnus and William out, or attempt to make some type of amends with them just to save his name in this new town.

Whichever decision he made, he knew would only bring difficulties along the way.

A/N: To me, while reading the Mortal Instruments, I got this sense that Robert and Alec are very much alike (even if Robert is in the books a scarce amount). In later chapters, you will find out what is actually happening between Robert and Maryse, where Robert has been, and what the 'accident' was. So yeah basically, if you have a lot of questions about things, they should all be answered in the chapters to come!
I just realized that these keep getting shorter... I'm sorry ): ! But don't worry, Chapter ten is a monster in size already without editing or additions. (Usually when I'm editing on fanfiction, my chapters turn out to be like 1,700 words -but then by the end of all the things I add, they somehow turn into 2,700 words. I'm crazy I know..) Two days again (most likely) till the next chapter!

Reviews would be awesome (: and thank you kindly for the people that have reviewed thus far!

Amber,