Luke had noticed the girls smiling and whispering at the front counter when he went to check on them. Could also see they were distinctly displeased to see him. And when he turned around following their gaze, as someone approached the counter on remarkably silent feet, he was startled but for an entirely different reason then the two of them were probably thinking. For book in hand was a young man, handsome with a bright white grin that was holding the girls' attention, and he had taken certain measures to disguise himself – a baseball cap, gloves to cover his voyance rune, and a coat and scarf to cover the rest, along with an elegant wool peacoat. Had a pair of glasses too, most likely completely unnecessary.

Valentine must have taught him something else, for the girls were fairly skilled at detecting other members of the Shadow World, and they had not spotted him. Jonathan would have been difficult to identify anyway, with his mixed angelic and demon blood, and indeed, he physically resembled the fay: fine, elfin features, long limbs and a willowy build – far lighter than his father, but heftier and taller than Clary and his mother.

Looking at him, Luke would say he most strongly resembled Jocelyn's father, and though it pained him, he tore his focus away, acting as though it were not a complete shock to see Jocelyn's first born in his shop, lest the girls become suspicious why he was staring so intently at this stranger.

But it had the same quality, as seeing Clary for the first time. That he already knew who this was, and he wasn't just his father's son, or Jocelyn's greatest regret.

Yet he had somehow managed to combine his father's habit of being the center of attention with Jocelyn's total disregard for it. Which in effect, only amplified the pull he had on others, only making them more interested.

The girls rang him out while Luke stayed off to the side and he left the store with a jaunty wave, though Luke had a feeling he would be seeing him again shortly, and sure enough, shortly after the girls left, after their shift was over and Luke was manning the counter, Jonathan returned.

"We did not get the chance to properly meet. I have come here to remedy that. I understand you are a busy man, but I was hoping you could make an exception for me."

Luke smiled, shook his head. Cheeky. Another nightmare of Valentine's. Maintaining his proper speech, only to have it come out as pure jest.

"I've been waiting a long time to meet you. Though, any chance you're in trouble?"

"That is kind of you. I had not considered my arrival could implicate such a state. Obvious in hindsight, but no, the only trouble will be from Father, when he realizes what I have done. He is not in town with me, by the way. I came on my own."

"That answers my other question."

"Because I have some questions for you, if you are amenable. In regards to yourself, and in regards to my mother. I fear my father may not be entirely truthful, in his retelling of matters."

Interesting. Hunting for answers, just as Clary was. Of course.

"I was quite angry with Father, I will have you know. For not allowing me to simply say hello, to my own sister. Yet he insisted we keep our distance. That it would be too much of a shock. I argued with him you were alright, when he finally decided to announce himself, and once again, you do not seem particularly disturbed that I have dropped in unannounced," Jonathan carried on, as Luke switched the store sign to closed and they eventually settled at the kitchen table where he had entertained all his guests, as of late.

"I do sincerely hope you were not offended by my offer to kill you. Did word of that ever get back to you? I truly meant it as a kindness."

Word of that had not gotten back around to him – though he could clearly imagine Jonathan proposing to, even after only spending a relatively short period of time with him.

"It did not. But I am not offended. Would be rather hypocritical of me, wouldn't it."

"I am glad my service was not required."

"As I am."

"Particularly after you had helped me so, against those demons. Father gave me an earful about my recklessness – though also, no doubt in part because he enjoys the sound of his own voice – however that was why he needed to suddenly leave New York during his visits with you. I had been injured. Sloppy of me, I am afraid…" Jonathan trailed off, perhaps reminiscing upon his old injury only to abruptly switch subjects. "I cannot help notice you do not seem disquieted around me."

He was intense, without question. Had come here with confidence and clear objectives; had hardly even required Luke to speak, much less lead the way, in terms of conversation, even if he was doing so in a somewhat roundabout fashion. Testing whether Luke showed any fear of his demon blood. Whether he was taken aback by a bold young man demanding an audience with him.

"As I said, I've waited a long time to see you. Now, you said you have some questions for me?"

Jonathan's mask cracked for an instant. He was clearly puzzled by the sentiment, repeated. Luke suspected he would be, even without the effect of the demon blood. Would be difficult to understand Luke's instant familiarity: only that Luke had known his mother since childhood – had in fact received his explanation about the birds and the bees due to their constantly being out in the woods, and her father thinking they were doing an exploring of a different sort.

Amatis had cackled, after receiving an explanation why he appeared so out of sorts when she saw him next.

But he could also not explain, despite his unrequited feelings, he had highly anticipated meeting Valentine and Jocelyn's child. One of the many things he'd been robbed of when he was turned.

However Jonathan was content to move forward. "I do not hold my mother's decisions in high regard. Father has explained but I believe he altered what he said, in favor of her. Clarissa is biased as well, and not fond of Father – though I think she warmed up to him after our last visit, did she tell you about that?

"But it is difficult to imagine forging any sort of bond with my mother, when one, she is clearly terrified of me, and two, I find her choices so difficult to understand. Even in regards to yourself: why did she risk coming to you, in Brocelind Forest, only to abandon you when it was all over? My sister and father seem to consider that somehow noble, that she followed her heart, did what she thought needed to be done.

"I on the other hand, am not so easily convinced. It looks rather selfish, from where I stand. Mother enlisted you in her effort to overturn Father's plans, and when it was all over left you. It seems doubly a betrayal, considering you and she were in fact friends. For the sake of her unborn child even, she did not allow you to stay? And instead saved herself?

"And you returned, after all that, to try again? What is it so much, that you cherish about my mother? And please, do not say love."

Luke appreciated Jonathan's ability to speak succinctly about topics others wouldn't dare touch. Had picked up all his father's talent for oratory, yet put it to a much different use. Also sensed the only response Jonathan would respect would have to be direct. Fortunately, it was something he had already given much thought.

"The answer has two parts. The first, I'll sum up as what she did for me. The second is more about who she is. But when your mom and I were young, we'd hang out in the forest around our village, mostly. I wandered around a lot on my own, too, but when I was with her, she'd bring her paper and pencils, we'd find a place to sit, and when she was done, she'd show me what she'd drawn. I'd get to see the world through her eyes, and it was really quite beautiful.

"When I saw her, when she came to me in Brocelind Forest, I'd all but forgotten that. Seeing her again reminded me. I was in love with her – I'm sure you've pieced this together, if you weren't outright told. And this might sound strange, because as you've also no doubt pieced together, my feelings were not reciprocated – but seeing her made me remember I was capable of that. Of loving someone, and that in itself can be invigorating.

"Wait here a moment; there's something I want to give you."

Amatis had recently returned to him a few of his effects she had saved, one of those being a small sketchbook that Jocelyn had given to him as a birthday present. He retrieved it from his office, then returned to the kitchen and placed it on the table in front of Jonathan.

"There's a date in there, but your mother drew in this when she was ten. I'd like you to have it. Maybe you can catch a glimpse of her, looking at that."

Jonathan stared at the booklet, almost as though he didn't want to touch it, before solemnly nodding. "Thank you. I will take this."

"And as for the second part, who she is, well, I suppose it's a gift or a curse: she doesn't really care what other people think. She's herself: whether you love her or hate her, she's going to say and do what she wants to. If she deems you worthy of her trust, she'll let you know, and you'll never doubt it. Doesn't mean she'll be with you, though. She's… remarkably free, and it's inspiring to be around her.

"I know it's hard between the two of you. You probably think she abandoned you. Or that she was weak and couldn't handle the demon blood. All I can tell you, Jonathan, is that your mother intended to run away with you that night, and raise you herself and Clary together, on her own. Just like your father took off with you, come hell or high water. Your parents are… uncompromising, in their beliefs, to say the least.

"Which is also how I know, that cap with that coat drives your father mad."

"He fails to understand, I pair them on purpose, because they clash. That I enjoy that." Jonathan grinned, then closed his eyes, before concluding, "It has been illuminating speaking with you, Lucian. May I call you, Lucian?"

"Sure. Nice pun." Luke had always found his name unfitting; hadn't felt much of a light.

"Thank you for noticing. Farewell, for now."

"Until next time. You know where to find me."

"Father will be so displeased, I introduced myself to his parabatai without him. Yet as you said, it was a long time coming." Jonathan no doubt meant it as a throwaway comment, another small amount of mischief on his way out the door. Yet it was the first time in what seemed like forever that someone else had considered Valentine to be his parabatai, in the present tense.

The fact that it came from his son, however, was only the tip of the iceberg, of what a mess all of this truly was.

And shortly after Jonathan's visit, Clary's requested meeting with her father arrived. And Luke walked into Magnus' warehouse late, held up by pack business – a last minute dispute about bunks and roommates, only to find everyone else, including Magnus, already seated at a table: Clary trying to hide the fact she was staring at her father; Simon sitting next to her, trying to, by the looks of it, prevent himself from hyperventilating; Valentine across from them, remaining relatively calm, conversing with Magnus to his right, who no doubt pitied Clary and Simon and joined in on the conversation, at least until Luke appeared to keep the peace.

Luke apologized for his tardiness, quickly took the seat at the only empty side of the table, and Magnus replied, "No need. We were just discussing Alexander and Jace."

A tense topic considering the assemblage. Simon was still not keen discussing Jace; Clary and Magnus had both expressed to him resentment at losing their respective partner's attention, and he and Valentine's own history with the rune.

"Have they come to a decision?" Luke asked.

"Unfortunately, not yet." said Magnus.

"Jace is all for it; says it's like he's known Alec for years. I wish Alec would just hurry up and say yes."

"Honestly, at this point, so would I," Magnus concurred. "It's clear as day he wants to, he's simply… exercising extreme caution, in the matter. Sometimes he is too serious for his own good."

"Hey Luke, how long did it take for you and… Father, to decide?"

Clary's unnatural address threatened to break Simon out of his anxiety into laughter, which Clary noticed and did not appreciate, judging by the elbow she lodged into his side. "I'm sorry, it's just, when you do that, you sound like Luke Skywalker… and oh crap, I didn't mean to say that out loud."

"Great, Simon. Just great. Call my dad Darth Vader, right in front of him."

"Told you I shouldn't be here. You're the one who insisted."

"Well, this is going swimmingly," Magnus quipped, seemingly unable to find a way forward, and probably trying to prevent a fight breaking out between Clary and Simon, except Luke decided to take the heat off them, place it on himself. Made eye contact with Valentine, then asked, "Do you know who Darth Vader is?"

Valentine kept his expression serious, but his eyes were light when he answered, "Vaguely aware, I suppose." To which Luke could not help but chuckle, only to have Clary burst out with, "Oh my god, you two really were friends! Are friends? Whatever, I don't know."

"And you wanted to know, how long we took to decide?" Luke returned, and Clary nodded, still flustered.

"We'd known each other about a year, before we considered it. Then we waited still a few months, before telling anyone our decision."

"They don't have that long. They've got to decide sooner, rather than later. Alec's reaching the upper limit."

"Yeah, they need to speed up their dating," Simon said, to the shared horror of both Clary and Magnus, to which Simon immediately noticed and hastened to add, "Just trying to make a joke. No offense intended."

"Well, speaking of dating, Father, how did you and Mom go about dating?" Clary asked.

"We were young, as your mother surely already told you. I seventeen, she sixteen. Simple things, at first: a walk, dinner, attending dances together. We married two years later."

"Were you nervous, when you asked her?"

"I was confident she would say yes. We had been courting exclusively for the year prior."

Clary's befuddlement was clear, as well as her distaste. "You were two-timing Mom?"

"People often saw multiple partners. Jocelyn went on dates with others as well. There was no implied commitment, until a pair agreed upon one."

"I'm totally asking her about that next time I see her," said Clary. "How did you propose? Did you get down on one knee?"

"No."

"Did you ask her dad for permission?"

"No. That is not a common practice in Idris."

"Did you have a ring?"

"Yes, my grandmother's engagement ring. I also brought flowers."

"Was Mom impressed?"

"She agreed to marry me that night. Sometimes people would propose, then give their partner a few days to decide."

"That's kind of like what Jace did with Alec, right?" Simon piped in, once again to Magnus and Clary's dismay. "The way you explained parabatai to me, it's like getting married, just platonically, right? A pair of bonded warriors. Jace and Alec have been – forgive me – courting, trying to figure out if this is what they want. Jace has pretty much already proposed, and now Alec's thinking about it."

"People don't talk about it like that, Simon," Clary tried to sound stern, but ended up smiling anyway.

"But it makes sense, right?" Simon asked.

"Yeah, it does," she conceded. "Maybe they need to read the classic, Are You Considering Entering Into the Sacred Institution of Parabatai?"

"Or, Parabatai: Is it Right For You?" Simon added.

"So Luke, you didn't go around declaring to everyone that you wanted Father to be your parabatai? Because that's what Jace is doing, and now that I think about it, it's pretty hilarious."

"It's the equivalent of Jace outside Alec's window with a boombox. I don't like him, but I gotta give him props for style," Simon said, before he and Clary started laughing; even Magnus was amused.

However for Luke, he could not escape his culture, not completely, even after living in exile. He still placed great importance, upon the ritual and ceremony of becoming parabatai. Knew what Jace was trying to express for Alec; even if his expression was ostentatious. Knew what Alec was weighing out: the magnitude of the vow.

The conversation moved on, after Clary and Simon agreed that chocolates should also be bought and presented when asking someone to be their parabatai. Magnus soon departed, said he had business to attend to. Luke was glad their shared humor had eased the tension between Clary and Simon. And the fact Simon was here at all was testament to how much he cared. And the fact Clary wanted him here, was hers. Their small spat would pass.

And despite her awkwardness with Valentine, she was wearing the same earrings she'd shown Luke, though despite her best efforts, to maintain some etiquette with him, she slipped into her normal, much more casual habit – or perhaps it was bluster – speaking to him almost as though he were her peer.

Clary had repeatedly shared with him, she wasn't really sure what to make of her father, that his formality was borderline frightening. They were very different people, raised in very different situations, but Luke wasn't sure how to convey to her, she would never have the friendly, open relationship she shared with her mother with him, whether he had been part of her upbringing or not, and that was no fault of hers, or coldness on Valentine's part towards her.

Still, Clary fumbled with Valentine's questions about how her schooling was going, as did Simon, when Valentine asked the same of him, while Luke struggled to mediate without being overly controlling, and under such conditions, they didn't linger terribly long. The mission had been accomplished. Everyone tested the waters.

Clary and Simon departed first, had plans for dinner and a movie, and Clary shuffled over to him to say goodbye. Luke embraced her, tried to encourage her that it had gone well, but wasn't able to convince her. She only thanked him for coming. Then it was Simon shuffling over, as though he wasn't sure how he'd ended up here, after shaking hands with Valentine.

"Only reason I agreed is because you were here. Don't tell Clary. Actually, pretty sure she already knows. Tell me the truth, was that a complete disaster or not? I'm not sure how to read aristocratic angel descendants. Oh, wow, Clary's an aristocrat, that's so weird…" Simon confided in a rushed whisper.

Luke hugged him too, told him he did fine, while Clary slowly approached her father. Without Simon beside her, she looked so small. Noticed Valentine doing most of the talking, with Clary giving short answers, or nodding her head in return. Though at the end, Valentine, in lieu of a handshake brushed back a lock of her hair, tucking it behind her ear, highlighting the emerald stud he'd given her and smiled, and Clary walked away smiling too.

Waved as the two went out the door, leaving him and Valentine alone.

"Jonathan sends his regards. That is high praise from him."

"He didn't want to be here?"

"Clarissa seemed to believe it would be too distressing to her friend Simon. Preferred small steps forward."

"Somehow I don't think that bothers Jonathan much."

"On the contrary, he takes it as a compliment, all the more anticipation for when he finally does appear – however I heard from Magnus when I arrived, that Jocelyn became aware of the two of us. Are you alright?"

Luke scratched the top of his head, unsure how to answer. "She wasn't… she said she'd thought of us before. Like this."

"I cannot say she ever expressed that sentiment to me directly. If she had of course, I would have called it preposterous. How times change, but can you get away from the city?"

Luke was finding it increasingly difficult to think. All these comings and goings, joining and separations.

"With you?" he asked, and it came out hopeful.

"Yes. A vacation of sorts. A cabin in the woods. For full disclosure, it is another property of Rita's, but she has promised not to disturb us there."

"She offered this to you? To us?"

"Said to enjoy the peace and quiet."

"...That's not how she phrased it, is it."

"No, it is not – though she truly believed you would enjoy the place. I have never been there myself."

Life had always been an adventure with Valentine, so Luke nodded, unable to put any words, to this fantastic future trip of theirs, something he could never have conceived.

Just the two of them.

Away briefly, from everyone and everything.

It made him want to shake, to stutter; instead, he and Valentine sat for a time, hidden in Magnus' warehouse, before Valentine made use of Rita's portal at Renwick's to leave. It was Magnus who told Luke of its existence.

Rita was quite the warlock, and Luke could not help wonder – with her power and glamor and their previous relationship – if she and Valentine were not a better match than Luke with his worn jeans, his worn appearance, and his beat up pickup.

But that was another thing Valentine had always advocated: seize the moment. And if this was going to end, Luke wanted to play it out to the end. Didn't want unanswered questions, didn't want to wonder if things could have been different, like he had in Idris, if he'd never been bit.

Could put it to rest, it wouldn't be some outside event, that broke them apart.

"I'd like that," Luke answered, and Valentine smiled, then soon enough, kissed him goodbye.