Notes: This is not actually connected to the previous fic; it just takes place in the same 'verse (in which Jace and Alec were already in a relationship when canon started), which is why it's here. Hope you enjoy it and, as always, feedback is welcome!

It had been stupid, so stupid. In hindsight, it was obvious. All Jace had wanted was to help with whatever it was that Clary had heard in her vision, but things had slipped out of control so quickly that he'd barely managed to keep track of what was happening.

It wasn't an ideal situation, to put it lightly; just him and Clary and Luke downstairs – Luke, who was too busy trying to find his sister and dealing with Valentine. He'd called Alec on their way to his father's new hiding place and he'd given him the address over the phone, but his parabatai hadn't turned up just yet. Jace had been in too much of a hurry to tell him the whole story and he wasn't sure how he would take the news. The vague perspective of having the opportunity to take the Mortal Sword again was one thing, especially if it would help them regain their positions in the Institute, but he had no way of knowing what Alec would do if he had learnt the truth about Valentine's latest plan too early on.

Valentine... Jace was used to expecting anything and everything from his father, but even he hadn't considered the possibility of him capturing an angel. It was unthinkable, unfathomable, to try and trap a higher being in this dimension and despite Clary's warnings, Jace had been shaken to the core at the sight of him chained and weakened as he was.

He was surrounded by so many guards, too. Jace focused on them for now, unwilling to approach the angel on his own. He hadn't really thought far ahead enough to think about what he would do when it was just the three of them left, but he'd figure something out eventually. For now, Clary could handle this on her own. She'd done well enough so far and it was clearly her that the angel had wanted to communicate with in the first place, after all, so there was no point in intruding.

"Jace!"

Jace turned on his heel just in time to see another attacker – one he hadn't seen approaching, still too busy with the Circle member he'd already been fighting with – fall at his feet under the impact of Alec's arrow. He'd been the last one, from what he could see, and no one else was coming.

Jace let the thought sink in for a moment. For now, they were done; alone in this little corner, invisible to the rest of the world under the clouds of the oncoming storm. Backup would arrive eventually and Valentine would learn what had happened sooner rather than later, but it didn't matter now. Setting the angel free was their first priority and he was just about to tell Alec that when his parabatai let his bow dematerialise once again and brought him in for a kiss.

It wasn't much of a surprise. If anything, it was typical – battles usually made them both less likely to control themselves and they never managed it when it was just the two of them – and Jace forgot about the where and when of their current situation for a moment or two, wrapping his arms around Alec's neck to draw him even closer. It was a quick, reassuring gesture – I'm fine, you have nothing to worry about – but it had become almost essential for them the more they delved into this relationship. One day, it might prove to be a disadvantage but for now, it felt like a gift, their bond intertwining their souls as deeply as it could, seemingly rejoicing at this new reunion.

It was only when they separated that Jace remembered where they actually were. Alec hadn't noticed much of his surrounding after he'd killed the last of the guards, so he had no way of knowing. Clary had probably been too preoccupied dealing with the chains to pay attention to them, and even if she hadn't been, that wasn't the issue – a long time ago, before the war had even started, she'd connected some of the dots and Jace had finally told her about his relationship with Alec and why it had to be kept a secret. No, it was the angel; the one that Jace had most definitely not forgotten about and who had most definitely seen him disobey one of the most ancient vows ever granted to the Nephilim.

"Alec," he spoke, voice barely audible to his own ears as he disentangled himself from his parabatai's embrace until only their hands were linked together. This was allowed and it was safe. It was the only safe thing in the world right now, as far as Jace was concerned. "I think Clary might need help."

They turned the corner that had hidden the angel from Alec's field of vision until now and Jace could feel his parabatai freeze under his touch, his grip on his hand tightening even more as he made a few cautious steps. His expression was unreadable and the emotions coming through their bond were a mess; apprehension and awe and guilt and shock all mashed into one until Jace couldn't quite tell them apart.

From what he could see, Clary was actually doing fine. Despite the fact that the unlocking runes they'd tried before hadn't worked, she had apparently managed to think of something because the angel was free now and she was standing next to him, caught up in a wordless conversation that no one else was made privy to. Jace could still feel that strange pull from before, though; the one that had made him trust Clary's theory about Valentine's plan no matter how outlandish it had sounded at the time.

And it wasn't just that. The angel was looking at him now and while he'd stopped expecting to be punished for his demonic blood (it wasn't his doing and someone so powerful had to know that already and either way, angels weren't capable of hate no matter what his father had said), the realisation that he'd been arrogant enough to kiss his parabatai of all people in front of him still weighed him down, the trepidation strong enough to make him hesitant.

It was ironic, really, that they'd ended up here. Ever since the day he and Alec had finally confessed their feelings to one another, there had been the unspoken fear of some divine intervention. The stories about parabatai falling in love that the Clave used as an example always ended in tragedy and death and everything they'd been told always had an undercurrent of a sentence to it. This is what happens to the ones who disobey the Law. Putting the blame on the Angel and the decisions he'd made for them over a thousand years ago had only made sense and it was almost overwhelming to not be punished now.

"Go," Alec said, pulling Jace out of his trance. "I think he wants to speak to you." He seemed calmer already, the surprise gone from his eyes and replaced by something just as mystifying; just as new. He was still straying away from the angel, but it was more respect than anything else now, which was to be expected – he'd been raised with the stories of Raziel and his brothers since early childhood, but nothing had ever prepared him for this. "Go!" he urged again and Jace complied this time, still not letting go of Alec's hand as he reached for Ithuriel's.