Not by Blood - BEING REWRITTEN IN SEPARATE STORY

Chapter Six

EDITED ON 5/30/2020

Two weeks after Clary's transference ceremony (and after Alec and Clary freed the Angel) Alec was in ops with Izzy watching footage of the Angel taking flight.

He paused the video when he saw it. "There!" He pointed. "That's the Angel."

"Are you sure it wasn't a shooting star?" Izzy asked him, peering at the streak of light.

"Are you saying you don't believe Clary and I?" Alec asked her. "I thought you'd be impressed."

"I'm not saying I don't believe you." She sighed. "It's just that no one has seen an Angel in hundreds of years." She tapped the screen, getting rid of the video as Alec turned towards her.

"Did you take my advice about Magnus?" Izzy changed the subject. Earlier that week Alec had approached her about intimacy and with his boyfriend.

Alec looked away from her awkwardly.

"You did! Didn't you?" She gasped excitedly. "Start talking!"

Alec shook his head. "Nothing to talk about."

Max Lightwood rushing into the room saved Alec from the embarrassment of Izzy's next question.

"Hey, you guys!" Max called.

"Hey, buddy! How you doing?" Alec smiled, resting a hand on Max's shoulder.

"Max!" Izzy cheered. "I missed you so much!" She crouched to wrap her arms around him. "You look so handsome. What are you doing here?"

Maryse walked in, causing the smiles to fall from her older children's faces.

"Alec. Isabelle." She greeted them formally. "It's good to see you both. Where's Clary?"

"With Luke." Alec answered.

Maryse grimaced before placing her hands on Max's shoulders. "Max has some news. Tell them sweetheart."

Max grinned up at his older siblings. "I passed my last trial. I'm ready for my rune ceremony!"

"Congratulations!" Alec beamed.

"So, you finally perfected your roundhouse kick?" Izzy asked.

"Yeah!" Max confirmed. "And I knocked out two different instructors." Izzy double fist-bumped her little brother.

"Sadly," Maryse interjected. "Your father won't be able to attend. So, Alec, as the eldest male in the family, you will oversee Max's ceremonial party."

"What do you mean he won't be here?" Alec asked in disbelief.

"He's tied up with the anti-Valentine task force in Idris."

"I can't believe that Dad would miss this." Izzy shook her head.

"He doesn't have a choice." Maryse defended stiffly. "We're all on high alert, especially after what that demon did to both of you. And Jocelyn."

Izzy rolled her eyes and stalked off, Maryse called after before following her, leaving Max with Alec.

The Lightwood boys exchanged raised eyebrows before starting to walk across the room at a leisurely pace.

"Bet you wish you were back in Idris." Alec said conversationally.

"I thought I was coming here to get away from the fighting." Max complained.

"Fighting?" Alec asked in surprise. "Mom and Dad?"

"All the time." Max told him, clearly upset.