Pater Amissus

~~~1~~~

8 Days Earlier

Rafael had just gotten back from patrol, covered head to toe in demon ichor. When he entered the New York Institute, Max was right there to laugh at them. The boy just rolled his eyes and hit the shower to get cleaned up. He was on the last patrol of the night, so now he was free to return to Idris.

"You still have some ichor in your hair, Rafe." Max pointed out.

"I could care less. I just want sleep." The older boy just let himself fall through the portal his brother made and onto the couch, Max stepping out behind him. As much as the warlocks loved to tease their shadowhunter siblings, Max and Natalia knew how hard the job was. Rafael, Thomas, and their dad didn't have the immortality and magic aid that they and their papa had.

"You're getting it on the couch," Max said, still referring to the ichor in the oldest's hair.

"Can you please just take care of it? I'm too tired to do anything," Rafe complained.

"How very un-Shadowhunter like of you. Are you sure you are one?" Natalia laughed as she and Thomas came out from the kitchen.

"I would hope so, seeing as he's my son." Alec had just walked through the door and caught the tail end of their conversation. Natalia, Max, and Thomas hugged their dad, while Rafe raised a lazy hand in greeting.

"Where's Papa?" Rafael asked. "I could use one of his post-patrol smoothies."

"He's at a meeting with the other High Warlocks," Alec said. "He should be home soon."

Alexander 'Alec' Gideon Lightwood-Bane and Magnus Lightwood-Bane had been married for three years when they adopted Max at the age of one. Two years later, Rafeael joined their family at age five. After another three years, Thomas was placed in their care at age four by the Clave. Natalia joined them another three years later when Magnus and his friend Catarina stumbled upon her while making a delivery. Now the couple had been married for 18 years, with a two-year age gap between all their children and Rafael being just as old as their marriage. Thomas was eager for the day he'd be able to join the eldest of the four on missions and patrol. The training routines at Idris were starting to get boring.

An hour later, Magnus had yet to return. Natalia and Thomas were starting to get nervous, but Max and Rafael did their best to keep them occupied. Alec had already called Magnus several times but hadn't received an answer. Izzy, Jace, Catarina, Raphael, Simon, Clary, Luke, and everyone else Alec knew had Magnus's contact had also been called, but no answer had been given. Getting the younger ones into bed, Rafael and Max sat on the couch, watching their dad pace. "He should be home by now, or at least have contacted someone."

"Papa can handle himself," Rafael said calmly.

"But this is very unlike him, you have to admit." Max countered.

"I just wish I knew where he was." Alec sat down in the chair across from the boys.

"People know he's missing, so someone will have told the Clave," Rafael supplied. "We'll find him if he doesn't come home tonight."

"Rafe's right. You need sleep, we'll look for him tomorrow."

Alec nodded and stood up. Kissing his sons on the forehead, the Inquisitor went to bed. As soon as the door clicked closed, Rafael and Max sprung into action. Magnus' office was locked, but that didn't really matter with three warlocks and three Shadowhunters in the house. The office was very orderly and clean, with bottles on the shelves, ingredients on the table, and books, files, and other papers on the desk. Nothing amiss, and after having looked through everything, the boys found nothing that would give a hint as to why their papa hadn't returned from his meeting yet. After putting everything back to the way it was and locking it behind them, they returned to their shared bedroom to brainstorm other ideas. Thomas was asleep on the top of the bunk bed he shared with Rafael, so the two older boys had to be quiet.

"Is it a special occasion?" Max asked.

"No." Rafe shook his head. "Does he have something after the meeting?"

"If he did, Dad would've told us and wouldn't be freaking out."

"Then where is he?"

"I don't know."