Sweet Little Serena (Original)

Chapter 8

"I thought summoning the demon was payment?" Serena questioned as Magnus held the red jewel in front of her, the ruby necklace that Izzy had been so in love with.

"For fighting off the Shadowhunters yes, but not for saving Zoey," the warlock clarified, and Serena knew what she was going to do the second he had held out that necklace to her.

"It would be rude not to accept your gift, but I hope you wouldn't mind if I regift it to a Lightwood who makes that necklace look so damn good?"

Isabelle's eyes widened, her lips trying not to strain into an ear-to-ear grin as Magnus smiled at the heart of his friend, at the selflessness in her.

"But of course," he said as he spun around and tied the necklace around Izzy's neck, the girl speechless.

"Magnus, would you mind if I use your bathroom to freshen up a bit?" Serena asked, wanting to wash the smeared make-up from her face.

The warlock smiled. "Of course, Angel, you know where it is."

Serena walked from the room, but she didn't get more than halfway down the hall before she stopped and turned to face the person that had followed her.

"What Alec?" she asked tiredly.

"I'm sorry, ok? I hate fighting with you. With Jace and Izzy too, but especially you. And I don't like being this distant with you."

"I don't like fighting with you either, but a mission is only ever as good as our mission leader. And when our mission leader gets all angry and pessimistic, everybody gets angry and pessimistic. And I get that the reason why you're like that is that you don't trust Clary, and neither do I, but it is innocent until proven guilty. So far I've seen nothing from her other than that selfish desire to get her memories back and find her mother."

Alec stepped closer to her. "I'll try. You know I try. You know optimism isn't my strong suit. And you know how defensive I get when you're put in danger unnecessarily. I just don't want to lose any of you, least of all you," he said softly as his hand cupped her cheek.

"I love you too," she said as she held his hand and a breath of relief washed over Alec as he pulled Serena into a hug.

For a second, they just let the world fade away, forgetting all their problems as they held each other, warm, loved and at home.

But it only lasted a second before reality came knocking in the form of Jace, calling his parabatai to help prepare for the summoning ritual as Serena continued on her trek to the bathroom, but not before kissing her husband.

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"My darling Angel, you'll be sitting this one out, I'm afraid," Magnus said as everyone took their places on the pentagram that Clary had drawn.

She would've protested but a look from Alec had her raising her hands in surrender. "Fine. Fine. I'll sit this one out," she relented as she moved to stand in the corner, seraph blade in hand as Magnus began to explain how the ceremony would work.

"We must initiate a bond. Once this bond is sealed, it cannot be broken until the demon retreats. No matter what happens, we must not let go of each other's hands."

Magnus then extended his hand toward Alec, who spared a quick glance at his wife, a last check that she was ok, before taking his hand and power jolted through him.

And one by one, they joined hands and formed a sealed ring of power to keep the demon bound.

"I will lead the ceremony and you all must do exactly as I say," Magnus instructed. "The demon's name is Valak. And at some point, he will ask for payment in exchange for Clary's memories."

"What do you mean? What kind of payment?" Jace questioned.

"We shall see," Magnus said as he planted his feet. "Let us begin."

And all the warmth was sucked from the air as Magnus began to chant and Isabelle's new necklace began to pulse.

Serena's grip tightened on her blade as a swirling tornado of black smoke came down from the ceiling and Magnus yelled over the roar of the wind, "Valak is among us! Do not break the bond!"

And they struggled to keep their hands together.

"It is time. The demon demands payment!" Magnus revealed.

"What does it want?" asked Alec as he squinted his eyes, the bright light being emitted from the dark plume of smoke to be too much to gaze at.

"We must each relinquish a beloved memory of the one we love the most," Magnus explained, and Isabelle was first.

A ball of silvery energy was pulled from her into the smoke as it took the visage of her brother. Of Alec smiling and laughing with her.

Clary was next, her memory, that of her mother.

Alec followed. His memory of his wife on their wedding day. Of the smile on her face as she stood in her gold dress and marked him with the wedded union rune before he marked her, and she also drew the anti-tracking rune on her neck as all the Lightwoods had it.

Penultimate was Jace.

But where his memory was expected to be of Serena, or even of Alec or Isabelle, the memory that was taken from him was one of Clary. Her bright red hair her distinguishing feature as she smiled at Jace for the first time.

"No! No, it's not true! The demon deceived me!" Jace yelled over the smoke.

"Do not break the bond!" Magnus yelled at the same time as Isabelle yelled,

"Jace, it's ok!"

"No!" Jace persisted.

And he let go.