Sweet Little Serena (Original)

Chapter 32

 After a startling reunion between Luke and Michael Serena turned to Clary and Simon with tears still running down her face.

"You two need to go to Raphael. Tell him I sent you and that I need human blood. Type O negative, a universal donor, five pints. If he disagrees, tell him, Rosa."

"But Serena-" Clary began.

"My brother is dying! Just go!"

And the two ran out the back door, Clary giving Jace a last look before going as Luke returned with a bowl and bandages.

"Luke, I need Alec," Serena said as she passed bandages to her father to press on Jace's wound. "His parabatai bond can help strengthen Jace's runes enough that they can hold until Simon and Clary are back with blood."

"I'll call him," Luke said as he left, and Serena and Michael stripped Jace of his jacket as she pushed her hair behind her ears and inspected the wound, taking a breath as she pushed away her emotions, namely the worry at how bad it looked.

"Jacey," Serena began as Jace jerked back into consciousness, coughing lightly. "This is going to hurt, so I'm going to put you to sleep, ok?"

The sound that came out of Jace's mouth was incomprehensible as Serena drew a Somno rune, a sleeping rune, onto her brother's chest and he collapsed against his father's shoulder as Serena worked on his wound.

"You take good care of him," Michael observed as she quickly wiped her nose, eyes still red and bloodshot.

"Well, if I don't, who else will?" Serena chuckled as she began to clean the wound of any leftover poison.

"And who takes care of you?" he asked, and Serena laughed.

"Surprisingly, I have two people who help take care of me. One is my parabatai and the other is -"

"Your husband?"

Serena stiffened as her hands slowed their work.

"Your ring is kind of hard to miss, honey," Michael said and Serena tried not to recoil. "Who is he?'

"Both of them," she began, resuming her work, not having the guts to look at him. "Are Lightwoods. Robert and Maryse took us in after we thought you died. They've been so good to us. Their daughter, Isabelle, is my parabatai. And their eldest son, Alec, he's Jace's. And he's the one I'm married to."

"And he treats you well? Your marriage and emotions don't get in the way of missions?"

Serena's next breath was difficult to draw in.

"Yes, Father, he treats me well. No, it has never gotten in the way."

"Good. And hey."

Serena looked at him.

"I am so sorry."

Her brows furrowed. "What do you have to be sorry for, Father?"

"What you both saw...what you thought Valentine did to me. It shaped your lives in a way it was never supposed to. And for that, I am sorry."

"It was not your fault."

"I know," he gripped her hand. "But know that I am proud of you. Even if you work with Downworlders."

The look on her face was surprised and confused and Michael had to laugh.

"The way you were talking about Raphael Santiago, I remember him, told me that you work in close with them. And the way Lucien helps you, not for Clary, but helps you. I am so proud of you. Of you both."

Serena smiled at him as she resumed her work, sniffling every so often, but she couldn't ignore the twisting feeling in her gut that something was wrong.

Because never, ever, had Michael Wayland ever said that he was proud of his children before.

Never.