Monster or Angel - Alec Lightwood

14 - Hi, Dad

"Daddy?"

My father stumbles out of the crate and I don't give him even a moment before I chuck myself at him. I wrap my arms around his neck and I cry. He lets out a content sigh as he holds me, one hand around my waist, the other on the back of my head, gently stroking my hair just like he always did when I was upset. 

"My child," he breathes. I sniff and draw back to allow Jace his turn to hug our father. "Oh, Jace," I hear him mutter into Jace's neck. Jace is his height now, it's weird to see. 

"I can't believe it," Jace says. I blink, rapidly, trying to figure out if my father truly is here. Am I still in the other dimension or is this real? I can't even tell anymore. I don't know anything it seems. 

"Son, you're hurt. How did you find me?" Dad asks. 

"You're dead. Valentine killed you," Jace stammers out. 

"Is this real?" My voice sounds. Dad takes my hand and brings me closer towards him and Jace.

"It's me, I'm Michael Wayland. I'm Jace's," he puts his hand on his shoulder, "and Maelys' father," he continues cupping my cheek with his other hand. He wipes my cheeks of my tears and I blink a couple more times. Dad watches me closely for a moment before turning to Clary. "Look, I know what you've been told, but I've been here for ten years. Valentine took off and left me."

"And Jocelyn Fairchild?" Clary asks.

"He took her with him," My dad answers.

"Is this real?" I question, not sure if I have got my answer yet.

"Yes, my child, I'm real, this is real," he says with a soft smile. I blink a couple of times and I feel my father kiss the side of my head before returning his attention to Clary. "Who are you?"

"I'm Clary, Jocelyn's daughter. Meliorn, the Seelie, told me that he was here with her," she begins to say, but as Jace falls, she stops to cry out for him. Dad lets go of me and catches Jace quickly. Dad is here to look after us again, he's going to look after us. 

"It's Ravener venom. He kept telling me he was all right," Clary stresses. I blink a couple of times when my vision blurs again. 

"We have to find your father, not my father," Jace stammers and I can hear his pain. What's wrong with Jace? Jace... venom, Ravener vemon. That's what's wrong. I blink again. 

"His stele. Where is it?" Dad asks patting Jace's jacket, pulling out a card rather than the stele. Clary quickly takes it back and if my mind was clear I would have realised that she is now holding the card containing the Cup.

I blink. And then I blink again. I'm not sure what any of them are saying anymore, my focus is just stuck on Dad. He looks just how I remember him. My vision is still foggy, but he is so clear. I don't understand how he's here, he shouldn't be here, it doesn't make sense. I saw him die. He died. This means this can't be real, none of this is real.

"Maelys," Dad says bringing me from my thoughts, "what's wrong?" He is holding Jace up and Clary is looking more worried than usual. I only realise time has passed because they have moved positions, they're further away from me now. I blink again and walk towards them. I notice Clary bite her lower lip nervously as she watches me. 

"Jace thinks she got a concussion in the other dimension," Clary answers for him. Dad looks at me closely and he tightens his grip on Jace. 

"And you haven't thought to activate her Iratze rune?" He huffs in anger. He fishes Jace's stele out of his pocket and turns to me again. "Maelys, come here." I take a step towards him as Jace groans and I watch as Dad looks between the two of us.