The Scarlet Letter

Chapter One

A/N: So I've been wanting to write more Malec recently, especially with Shadowhunters Season 2 being just around the corner, I've just been waiting for the right inspiration. Then I saw a video on Youtube that jumped started my brain and planted an idea in my head. So here it is! Chapter one of The Scarlet Letter!

This will be a darker fic than my last Malec story, so please be warned of the following triggers:

Abuse; prostitution; mentions of suicide and self-harm; forced participation; blackmail; and broken home.

Disclaimer: I don't own The Mortal Instruments or Shadowhunters. They belong to Cassandra Clare and Freeform.

Enjoy!

The Scarlet Letter

Chapter One

Alec hated airports. The flocks of people, all too caught up in their own business to even so much as look where they're going; he could deal with. The bored; exhausted; and rude receptionists, he could deal with. He could even deal with the multiple bags he would trip over in the waiting areas just to get to the gates. But what he could not handle, nor understand, was airport security. Anything with even a whiff of an accent is an apparent threat, and stripping down to your bare essentials just to prove you're not a terrorist gets exhausting. It was one of the reasons that Alec avoided visiting his family as much as possible. That, and he had university to contend with . . .

When the security finally stopped the awkward chit chat (once they discovered that he wasn't a drug dealer, the usual painfully uncomfortable 'so why are you visiting our country? Holiday or Business?' followed) and released Alec from their clutches, he practically ran to the exit. To keep it casual he walked at a brisk pace as the last thing he needed was security deciding that he was hiding something by bolting away.

The sun attacked his eyes as soon as he set foot outside. Alec lifted his hand to rest above his eyes shrugged his bag back up his arm, scanning the carpark for his sister. She said she'd come pick him up, and he had definitely told her the right time to arrive at. Alec wasn't surprised. Isabelle had a body clock that worked five hours slower than everyone else's. He should have had the forethought to tell her to come at least two hours before his arrival time. At least then there was a possibility of her being on time.

He was pleasantly surprised when he saw Isabelle leaning against a car not far from the entrance. A pair of massive sunglasses took up at least 45% of her face but Alec couldn't mistake her anywhere. Maybe it was the way she dressed; or the makeup she wore; or just the simple fact that he was her sister; whatever the reason, Alec could probably spot her out of a crowd of millions.

Isabelle looked up from her phone as she sensed her brother approaching. "Salut frêre!" she grinned, closing the final couple of paces and throwing her arms around Alec's neck.

"Salut Isabelle," Alec replied into his sister's hair. She had it done up in a messy bouffant; a sign that she would be working tonight.

"God, it's been too long," Isabelle complained as she released him from her embrace. "You need to visit more often."

"University doesn't give much room for long distance travel," Alec shrugged apologetically.

Isabelle tutted. She knew that travel wasn't the complete reason why Alec didn't visit LA too often but didn't comment any further. "Mum and Dad are away for the evening however they will be here tomorrow morning so hopefully we should be able to get breakfast together."

Alec nodded as they headed towards the car. The driver in the front seat wore no expression, his face as animated as a block of wood. Alec found it extremely unnerving as Isabelle clamoured into the back seat. He dumped his bag into the trunk of the car and got in beside her. He wasn't a fan of being driven around, especially since he wasn't the one paying for it, and couldn't wait to get home to gain access to his car.