Sweet Little Serena (Original)

Chapter 29

"Sweet Little Serena, how are you my dear? You look stunning," asked the one and only Valentine Morgenstern. It took everything in Serena not to kill him then and there. Especially since no one but the Downworlders called her Sweet Little Serena. She hated how his voice mangled it.

This was the man that made her an orphan, that killed her father. And he was smiling as if nothing happened.

Serena put on the best fake smile she could muster.

"Thank you, and I'm well Val," she said, having heard Alec call him that, she was praying that it was ok she did too.

"I make sure of it," came Alec's voice as he appeared behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

Valentine's smile grew bigger if that was possible. "Alec, hey, great job on the party. This looks incredible. I can't thank you enough."

Alec's proud smile was blinding. "My pleasure."

"You two must come for dinner soon. I feel as if it's been years since we've had dinner together, especially now since your brother is dating my daughter."

"Of course," Serena smiled as her husband agreed.

"Val, if you don't mind, I think my lady deserves a dance and so does yours," Alec said as he pointed to where Jocelyn had finally arrived.

Valentine's smile became one of adoration as he beheld her and he turned back to the two as he cleared his throat and said, "If you'll excuse me, I have some pressing matters to attend too."

And with him gone, Serena was instantly swept up into a small swaying dance by her husband and before she knew it, his lips were on hers.

Serena instantly responded, despite how wrong it felt. She could tell that it wasn't her Alec, the spot on her wrist where her wedded union rune should be tingling as she was reminded of him.

By some saving grace, they were interrupted by Clary.

"Sorry, but I need to borrow Serena for a bit, it's kind of an emergency," she said to Alec who smiled.

"Don't take too long, you still owe me dance," Alec smiled as he kissed her temple and Clary began pulling her away.

"As if we'd actually dance," she smirked to her husband before turning to Clary and the happy look on her face dropped.

"Where is it?! I need to get out of here. I need to get out of here right now," she asked quickly, and Magnus appeared in front of them.

"This way," he said, and they disappeared into the depths of the Institute.

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"What are we looking for?" Clary asked as they walked into the basement of the Institute.

"I'll know it when I see it," Magnus said as he examined the walls.

"And if this doesn't work?" Serena asked and Magnus stopped as he put a hand on both their shoulders about to speak before he was interrupted.

"Clary? Serena?" called Jace's voice as he followed them down the stairs and Magnus and Clary jumped away from each other.

"Little brother, now is not a good time," Serena sighed.

"You know if you were having second thoughts about us, you could've told me instead of coming down here and having and hooking up with some random guy and my sister? And you! Alec doesn't deserve this."

"Jace, this isn't exactly a good time," Clary repeated.

"Really? You know what would be a good time for me Clary? Never. Never call me again," Jace said, and a bad feeling rose in Serena's stomach as he began to walk away.

She chased after him, a second before Clary did, and a good thing too, because a demon appeared right in front of him.

Clary pulled Jace back as he let out a scream and Serena kicked it into the shelves.

"Move! Move! MOVE!" she yelled at the two of them as they ran.

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Jace was trembling and crying into his sister's arms as Clary held one of his hands, Magnus still trying to find the portal when suddenly Jace stopped crying.

He stood up straight as he quickly took in his surroundings and Serena wrapped him in a hug, knowing who he was.

"Jace?" Clary asked as he pulled away and he gave a small smirk as he wiped his face.

"Yeah? You both ok?"

And Clary sighed in relief as she realised that it was their Jace.

"Thank God it's you," Clary smiled.

"Mind filling me in? he asked, and he didn't get an answer as the demon picked him up and threw him into the storage shelves.

Serena attacked with her bare fists before Jace tossed her a broken broomstick handle, the girl using it as a staff before he and Clary joined in with the same weapons.

They had it contained when out of nowhere a tail popped out of its back, the stinger at the end embedding itself in Jace's shoulder.

Clary screamed as Serena grew angrier and pushed the demon away and scooped up her brother's fallen staff.

As Jace struggled to breath, Serena wielded the wood like she would her swords, blocking and striking before she impaled both of them through the demon's chest. 

It collapsed onto a table, the wood sticking up from its torso as she ran to her brother, Clary already at his side.

"That's going to take more than a stele to heal," Magnus commented as Serena examined the wound on Jace's neck and pulled the stinger out, making him yell out in pain.

"Will portalling him back to his own body cure him?" Clary asked as Serena tore up Jace's discarded blazer to press to the wound.

"No. Blood travels with you," Serena explained as she worked, focused on keeping her little brother alive.

"It's why your angelic powers still work here. The demon venom is in his blood," Magnus added.

"We have to get him back to our world. I can heal him there," Serena said urgently to Magnus who ran to find the portal.

"No. We have to find Valentine," Jace groaned.

"Jacey, this is not the time to play hero," Serena said to him.

"You're in no condition to fight," Clary said as she held his hand.

"We might not get another chance. This is too important. To avenge our father," he said to his sister who cupped his cheek.

"Your health is more important to me than revenge. We're going home," she said diplomatically.

"No," Jace persisted as he pushed her arm away. "Valentine."

"I found it!" Magnus called.

"Rena, please," Jace begged, and his sister sighed before she and Clary helped him up, Serena supporting most of his weight.

"Fine. But if you die, JJ, I'm going to kill you," she promised as they limped their way over to Magnus as Clary handed him the portal shard and he fired it up.

"You, you have to destroy the portal after we go through. To, sec-secure your dimension from all side," Jace gasped, and he couldn't continue as he struggled to breathe.

"If it stays open, you'll be vulnerable to more demon attacks. And take care of that body too, if you don't mind please," Serena finished and Magnus nodded.

"Thank you," Magnus said to Clary.

"We should be thanking you," Clary said.

"No. You gave me back a life. I won't forget it," Magnus smiled.

"Think of your father," Serena instructed Clary, who nodded.

And they walked through the portal.