Summary: The new Council

Alec let Magnus push him through the Institute's halls, it had been two weeks since he had woken up and while Alec's body no longer protested any movement by screaming in pain he was still not fully recovered and it was only the need for him to pick the new Clave representatives that had convinced him to leave the safety of the loft.

Over the last two weeks Catarina and Magnus had worked on teaching Alec sign language because, although they had managed to get him his voice back it would never be able to reach the volume it once had, his vocal cords had been too torn up, not by Valentine's knife but the screaming he had done, and if Alec talked for too long his voice would just fade away to nothing.

Alec had been frightened to find out that Catarina had worried that he would be paralyzed due to the damage done to his back and that the bones in his legs wouldn't heal right enough for him to walk but those worries had proven, so far at least, to be unfounded, Alec could feel his legs and though they would not know about his ability to walk until his legs were fully healed in about twelve weeks, although, due to the complex nature of his broken bones Catarina had told him that it might take longer.

"Hey, Alec." Clary smiled at him as she plopped herself in his lap.

That made him smiled, of all the things he had expected when the others had been told about his new mode of transport, that they just accepted it as part of him was not one of them. Even fellow Shadowhunters that had sneered at him after his coming out had been kind about Alec's new transportation, treating him as they had before, at least when they had been working, they were kinder to him when they were off duty now and no one had actually commented on the wheelchair that Magnus had modified with magic to allow Alec to go up stairs without help if he needed to.

Simon had nearly pissed himself when he had seen Alec's chair and refused to call it anything but a Hover Chair since the wheels only appeared to touch the ground for the Mundanes' sake.

"Hello, Clary, where is Jace?" Alec asked.

"He got pulled aside by Lydia, he wanted to meet you but they are just going to head to the meeting, I think he just wanted a ride, the lazy child."

"Like you?" Alec teased the girl in his lap.

"Moi?" Clary grinned, "I just wanted the snuggles, Jace and Magnus have been stealing all of them."

Alec shook his head, the last two weeks had been interesting with the rotation of people who had kept him company, during this time Clary and Alec had somehow become friends and Simon too, they had watched Star Wars and the entirety of Star Trek and half a dozen other shows that Alec couldn't remember the names of but he totally understood why Simon called his chair a Hover Chair, and they had fallen asleep on the couch so many times in a pile of limbs that Magnus had widened the couch to allow napping to be more comfortable for Alec's healing body and the people that ended up cuddling the man.

Over the last two weeks Alec had never been left alone, if Alec hadn't been recovering he might have found it annoying but he found himself grateful that these people care for him so much that they wanted to make sure he wasn't taken again.

Jace had been the most clingy, going so far as to cuddle up with Magnus and Alec in their bed, Magnus had been surprisingly tolerant of the invasion, especially when Izzy and Max had found their way to the bed and then Clary and Simon and Alec was sure the Luke and Raphael just sat in the dark watching them like creepers, though he hadn't caught them at it yet.

Honestly given the circumstances Alec couldn't bring himself to blame them for their reluctance to let him out of sight, though he was glad that they had yet to insist the bathroom door stay open but then again Alec couldn't really go to the bathroom by himself with his legs the way they were Catarina really didn't want him to be standing at all. When it was just him and Magnus, Magnus would hold him up with his magic as he did his business and Jace would close his eyes as he held Alec up, Simon, Simon, the one time he had to take Alec to the bathroom had babbled the entire time, complemented Alec and then tried to convince himself that he wasn't gay but three days later he told Alec that he and Raphael were dating. Alec tried very hard to never have Simon take him to the bathroom again.

"You had a nap with me and Madzie yesterday." Alec said.

Madzie staying with Alec most days was also a thing that had started happening, because Catarina was busy she hadn't had time to re-find a babysitter for the little Warlock she had been surprised when Alec had offered.

'I mean it's not like I can go any place, and I like the little Fish.' Alec had said.

Madzie had adored the nickname Alec had given her, Little Fish and had even gone through Maia's biology books when the Werewolf had been dragged over to stay with Alec when Clary had had to help Luke with a Demon hoard.

She had stopped at a picture of a bright blue and purple flair finned fish and had said, 'This one, I'm this fish.'

Alec had looked at the name and called her Halfmoon if he wasn't calling her Fish, after the fish she had pointed at, the halfmoon Betta Fish.

"For an Hour and then Jace and Isabelle woke us up."

Alec rolled his eyes as Magnus watched them fondly, Alec met his eyes briefly and saw the smile that Magnus tried to hide.

"Here we are." Magnus said as they entered the meeting room.

Clary bounced off of Alec and kissed Jace quickly and Alec found himself frowning.

"You can go now, Bane." Herondale said, shortly.

Alec's frown deepened, "Magnus stay."

"Mr. Lightwood..." Herondale began.

"You know what, Magnus, we can go." Alec made sure to stress the 'we' in that sentence, "The Nephilim obviously don't fine it necessary to have a new Clave Council."

"Now wait just a minute." Herondale said, trying to save some kind of face and Alec was not having it.

"I recall, Herondale that I asked that the Downworld attend this meeting as they are not here I will not remain." Alec told her, his soft voice managing to carry through the large room.

Several Shadowhunters turned to glare at Herondale, "You said that this was what he wanted."

"And you didn't discuss this meeting with me or Lydia, now I know why." Jace growled.

"You will name the new representatives now, Lightwood." Herondale said, sternly.

"I could but I can guarantee that you won't like the list at all." Alec assured her, "Magnus, let's go get dinner."

Magnus grinned as he turned Alec and they began to leave.

"Fine, call the Downworld." Herondale sneered.

An hour later and one small meal later and Alec was smiling at the people present, though they could hardly fit the entirety of the Downworld at the Institute they had called all of the leaders from around the world, some Alec had met and some he hadn't.

Magnus stood next to Alec and held his hand.

"We are here to choose a new representation for the Clave Council." Isabelle began, "As per the demands of the Downworld, Alexander Lightwood will now name them."

Alec smiled, "Hello, everybody."

Most of the people smiled or rolled their eyes.

"The Clave Council is a body that enforces and holds our Laws, they are the judge and they have been, historically, Shadowhunters, Nephilim, but there is no Law that demands such." Alec began and saw Herondale's eyes widen in horror, "Today, today I call on Lucian Greymark to take a place on the Clave Council, a former Shadowhunter, he knows our laws and as a Werewolf he knows also the prejudice they face. I call on Maia Roberts to take a place on the Clave Council,, though she does not know what it is to be a Shadowhunter she knows what it is to be hated merely for what she was turned into by no choice of her own." Alec took the juice Magnus handed him with a smiled, "I call on Meliorn to take a place on the Council, to remind us that death is not known to all of us and so that the memory of the past remains. I call Clarissa Fray to the Council, not for her Father but her mother who chose to raise her daughter a better way than was offered by her people. I call Tessa Gray to the Council, a child of a Demon and an unmarked Shadowhunter she binds the Shadow World as one. And I call Maryse Lightwood to the Council, to remind us that the dealings in our past may define us but we do not have to let that definition remain as it was, that there is always room to grow and change, to become better than we were.

"I call Simon Lewis to the Council, though odd and strange, he was bone a mundane and still sees much of our world through their eyes, let him remind us what we protect. And I call Madzie Loss to the Council, to be replaced when she turns thirteen, as a reminder that some things must be seen through a child's eyes, eyes that are have not yet been taught to hate." Alec finished.

"How dare you!" Herondale began.

"How dare I what?" Alec asked, "How dare I make a council that is not made entirely of Shadowhunters? How dare I not give you your position back? Your Council had Valentine's spy among them for how long, he fed you lies about my death, I was tortured and still I did not fall to Valentine's Ideals, tell me Hereondale, what did he offer you to lie about my death?"

Herondale looked shocked and then her face twisted, "He shouldn't have let you live so long, he should have killed you as soon as Jace woke up."

"Ah, he offered you your grandson." Alec said softly, "You know that Jace and I are bound, do you understand what that means?"

Herondale sneered at Alec even as Raj and Lydia took her into custody.

"It means that I would gladly follow him into death to rejoin our souls." Jace said as he stepped up to stand next to Alec, "And as soon as I avenged his death I would."

Herondale gaped and then she was gone as Tessa made a portal for Lydia and Raj take her away.

"You and I are going to talk when my throat no longer feels like it's on fire." Alec told Jace as his voice began to fade in and out a little.

"Of course, but I have a new Council to organize with Isabelle." Jace grinned down at Alec, "You go relax with Magnus and explain to Catarina that you placed a child on the Clave Council."

"I already got her permission, as Madzie's guardian she's permitted to accompany her to meetings and may offer opinions but Catarina's not on the Council." Alec told him.

"Alright, go on, I have Laws and procedures to explain." Jace shooed Alec and Magnus away.

Alec made a rude gesture but wasn't going to talk anymore, his throat hurt too much, he'd talked too much and now he was paying for it.

"I can sooth your throat, Alexander." Magnus offered.

Alec smiled and nodded.

Magnus put his hands around Alec's neck gently and pushed magic into the man's vocal cords, "Catarina is going to insist you not speak any more for a few days."

Alec nodded easily and began signing, "Can we go home now, then?"

"Of course, Alexander, we have to pick Madzie up from the DuMort." Magnus reminded as they left the room and headed out of the Institute.

The New Clave Council

Lucian Greymark

Maia Roberts

Meliorn

Clary Fray

Tessa Gray

Maryse Lightwood

Simon Lewis

Madzie Loss

I gave Madzie Catarina's last name because there is none listed for her