"Where are they!?" Jace demanded as he and Isabelle stormed into Clary's loft.

"Where's Serena? I can feel nothing but pain coming from her side of our bond," Izzy said and Alec looked as if he wanted to die.

"They were taken, while I was securing the fire escape. 5 guys. They handcuffed Simon and Clary, but they have to be Downworlders because they had no runes and no mundane is capable of knocking Serena out in a fight."

"The mundane was here?!" Jace asked, but whether it was anger or annoyance at the revelation of Simon's presence, they couldn't tell.

"They put them in 2 unmarked cars. I don't know where they were headed," Alec finished and Izzy moved over to her brother.

"We'll find her," she promised as Jace stormed out. "She'll be ok."

"I can't feel her," he muttered, the connection he had with Serena absolutely numb. This had never happened before. Granted, they'd only been married and bonded for a year but still, he'd never experienced this hollow feeling where she should be. He didn't like it. Not at all. Not one bit. He needed her back and he needed her back now.

Izzy pushed her hair from her shoulder as she showed him her parabatai rune. "She's alive. She's okay."

And she took his hand as she scooped up Clary's messenger bag and left.

********************************

"Try harder, Alec!"

"I am trying! Neither of them are showing up!"

"It's your fault she's gone!" Jace bellowed, and Alec couldn't help but wonder which 'she' he meant as they failed to track both Serena and Clary.

"I did my best, Jace."

"Maybe your mother was right, and your best isn't good enough."

"JACE!" Izzy shrieked. "His wife was also taken too. Your sister. Remember her?"

"Or are you so blinded by your feelings for Clary that you've forgotten us?" Alec asked. "Clary was the one that snuck out. My wife and I went out to protect her after we did the right thing and got permission. We did nothing you haven't done a thousand times -"

"Yes, you did! You lost her."

"And which 'her' do you mean Jace?" Alec asked as he took a step closer to Jace, looking down at him slightly. Alec may have been worried for his wife but his entire body radiated fury as he waited for Jace's answer.

"Enough both of you!" Izzy scolded, unused to the sensation because normally Serena was the one who would 'mother' them for fighting over something trivial as she embraced her big sister role. "Whoever took them must be holding them over a body of water, which is why your tracking runes won't work, nor my parabatai tracking or Alec's wedded union rune."

It was then that Clary's phone started ringing from where she'd stashed it inside her backpack along with the box.

Jace answered after ripping it from the bag and putting it on speaker. "Hello?" he asked.

"I never thought I'd utter these words, but thank god it's you!" came Simon's voice on the other end. "It's me, Simon."

"Where are you?! Where are Clary and Serena?"

"I don't know I think we're in some Chinese restaurant. Clary is being interrogated by these fake cops who say that they'll kill her if they don't tell her where the Cup is!"

"Where's Serena?!" Alec asked.

"Oh, Alec, you're there too. Uh, she's here. She's with me in a holding cell, but she's unconscious. She was really badass, you know? When she fought them off before. And when she came to, she broke out of her cuffs and was able to take down three of them before they knocked her out again. She's bleeding from her head and stomach, and it's bad."

Izzy slipped her hand into her brother's in a comforting gesture, for both her and him.

"Look calm down, tell us what you can see," Jace instructed.

"We're definitely on a pier, I see a ton of water. And there are lockers. Oh, I'm in some sort of torture chamber, there's claw marks all over the walls."

"Werewolves," Izzy voiced.

"That's possible," Alec said, recalling the creatures that had darted by him earlier.

"Simon, you need to get more specific, tell us what you see. Help us find you," Jace said.

"There's nothing else that can help Jace - wait, hold on, hold on." There was heavy breathing and the rustling of paper before Simon yelled out, "I'm at the Jade Wolf Chinese restaurant at the pier on Greene Street. They have really inexpensive cocktails. Just hurry, just hurry!"

"Simon, you need to create a diversion," Alec instructed, his mind focused on a plan to get his wife from the second he got her location. "Stall them."

"How? All I have are clothes and a lighter."

"Start a fire, Simon!" Jace yelled.

"That never works. Have you never seen an action movie?!"

"We're on our way," Jace announced before hanging up.

And they were off on another rescue mission, this one more dire than the last.

********************************

Simon was struggling to breathe through the extinguishing chemicals that came from the ceiling as he held Serena in his arms so she wasn't lying in the knee-high cloud of halon that rested on the ground.

A loud bang then drew his attention to where Isabelle stood outside the small window, using her whip to break down the bars. "I'm getting seriously tired of saving your life," she smirked.

"I am not," Simon grinned and Isabelle smiled before her gaze fell on her parabatai.

"Pass her to me. Gently."

"Alec..." she muttered gently as Isabelle cradled her head, activating her iratze rune as Simon climbed out of the window.

"Can you carry her? We have to move," she asked, and the boy nodded as he effortlessly scooped up the blonde Shadowhunter.

As they walked through the misty pier, an unmistakable voice bellowed, "Serena!" and Alec came rushing forward as he took his wife from Simon who ran over to hug Clary.

"Did you activate her iratze?" Jace asked Izzy as Alec assessed the amount of blood coming from her head and abdomen.

"She's lost a lot of blood, I don't know if it'll heal her in time," Izzy said and Alec's heart rate doubled.

"We have to get her to Magnus," Alec said as he fumbled with the necklaces around her neck to find the right one. The glowing blue pendant, the same blue as Magnus's magic, the same pendant she and Izzy used to track him. Alec crushed it with his fist and his wife disappeared from his arms in a golden flash.

It took a second before the others realised what had happened.

"Where did she go?!" Jace asked in shock, Izzy barely processing what she just saw.

"Portal Pendant," Alec explained. "Magnus gave it to her as a wedding gift. Break it in times of emergency she'd be Portalled straight to him."

"Wait, my backpack, I think I left it back at the loft!" Clary exclaimed.

"We've got it," Izzy assured her.

"Ok, then let's get out of here!" Simon exclaimed and was about to run off when Isabelle stopped him.

"Don't make any fast movements," she warned, and pairs of green eyes began to appear through the fog as the wolves made themselves known.

"This can't be good," Jace whispered.

Alec drew his bow and arrows and Izzy brandished her whip as Jace drew his seraph blade.

"We're surrounded," Alec announced as he stood on their six. "Stay together."

"Believe me, I am not going anywhere," Simon said.

"Everyone get back! That's the alpha leader!" Jace yelled as the biggest wolf charged at them.

"Jace behind-" Clary began to scream before another wolf appeared out of nowhere and tackled the alpha.

"He's challenging the alpha," Alec explained as the two fought viciously.

"He's trying to help us," Clary said.

"Or cutting in line to kill us," Simon pointed out.

It was then that the bright flash of white light signalled that the fight was over, and someone had shifted back.

"The alpha's dead," Izzy announced as she looked at the dead body on the floor. The other wolf, the new alpha then appeared, transforming back into Lucien Greymark, also known as Luke Garroway. His shirt was torn, and his abdomen was slashed and bleeding.

"Luke," Clary said in disbelief and the wolves howled for their new alpha.

While Jace explained what was happening to Clary, Alec turned to his brother. "We have to get Clary back to the Institute."

"She wants to help Luke and I'm going to help her," Jace declared as he shook Alec's hand off him.

Alec only looked at him in disgust. "I have to report to Mom, See you at home," he said before storming off, his clothes still sticky with his wife's blood.

Izzy brandished her whip before it coiled back up her arm and her eyes landed on Jace. "Get your act together. You're hurting all of us."

*****************************************************************

Despite her wounds being healed, Serena was supposed to be out of it for a few more hours but she woke as the entire apartment began to shake as if an earthquake was rocking them and only them.

"Magnus? What's happening?!" Serena asked worriedly as she stumbled her way into the living room.

"Angel, help Clary!" he pleaded as his blue magic surrounded the body of Lucien Greymark.

Serena knew full well what he was doing and she didn't go to Clary who was frantically stirring at something. "Sparkles, take what you need," she said as she knelt next to him and held out a hand.

"Angel -"

"You'll die otherwise! It was not a request." And she didn't wait for him as she took his hand and the tiniest shred of relief flowed through him as the burden of fighting Death to hold onto Luke's life became a little easier. But the building still shook as Alec came running in, Serena groaning in pain as her eyes closed and Magnus used her strength.

Alec had felt it and he wasted no time in taking Serena's hand and holding her up, as their collective strength was funnelled into Magnus.

All three of them were concerned with trying to breathe through the pain of having their strength sapped as Jace and Simon handed Clary the last ingredients for the potion. She dumped all of it into the liquid before giving it a quick stir, straining it, and running back over to Luke. Clary fed Luke the liquid as his writhing ceased and Serena fell onto Alec's chest.

"Are you ok?" Serena asked Magnus as Jace helped the exhausted warlock into a chair after he had nodded yes.

Alec then took his wife in his arms. "I thought you promised to stop scaring me like that?" he said as he brushed the hair from her face.

She gave him a teasing smile. "In my defence, I never said I promise, I said I'll try not to."

He just rolled his eyes at her before pressing her lips to his.

********************************

"So, what have I missed?" Serena asked her husband, both of them lying on her bed at Magnus' house. The man had many rooms and one was exclusively dedicated to her after all she'd done for him.

"Dad is back, and so is Max. Both of them were asking for you. Mom was worried when she found out that you hadn't returned home. Clary thanked me for helping save Luke, even though I only did it for you and Magnus, still, it was weird. But the Clave has lost faith in us. The Lightwood name has lost its' honour after all the missions I authorized without permission from the Clave."

Serena looked up at Alec, cupping his cheek. "I authorized those missions with you. We are both acting heads of the Institute. It was not your fault." Alec just pressed a slow kiss to her lips before she settled back on his chest. "I'm assuming Maryse has a plan, though?"

"For once she doesn't."

Serena met his eyes. "Maryse Lightwood doesn't have a plan to get back on top?"

"Nope. I'd imagine she'd arrange a marriage for Izzy and me but, seeing as I'm already married and most Shadowhunters aren't too fond of Izzy's Downworld connections, it doesn't look like it's going to happen."

"I have Downworld connections though."

"Yes, but your connections are strictly professional and political unless you're sleeping with Raphael or someone else behind my back?"

Her laugh was a welcome sound as she laid back down on his chest. "Please, he's too cold to sleep with." Alec only shook his head at her and she continued speaking. "We'll find a way to restore our family name."

Alec played with the ends of her blonde locks absentmindedly. "You know sometimes I forget that you have the same last name as me. It always seemed like a dream that would never come true."

She smiled into his chest, holding him closer.

"But if you're looking for a way to restore the family honour, you could find a way to keep the Seelies on our side. They think Valentine could win seeing as he killed their scouts. They're considering defecting."

Her eyes widened but it resolved into an expression of determination. "I'll contact Meliorn and get a conference with the Queen. It may take a while, but I might be able to convince her. If anyone can I can."

Alec bit his lip. "I have every faith in you, but still, I don't like you going alone to the Seelie Realm. Let me come with you."

"Alec, you've never met her before. I don't think this meeting will make a good first impression."

"I know the risks, but I want to help you. And I want to keep you safe."

Her heart warmed at his words but before she could protest or reward him for his sweet words, someone knocked on the door and they both looked up to see Jace standing there. And he looked decidedly nervous.

"Hey, uh, Alec can I have a moment with Rena?"

Alec looked to Serena for confirmation that it was okay to leave her with her brother. She gave him a quick kiss before Alec reluctantly slid his shoes on and left the room.

"What's up?" Serena asked as she hugged her knees.

"I'd have figured you had more to say to me," Jace admitted as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"I do. But yelling at you won't solve anything. You know that," she said pointedly and something in Jace seemed to break.

"Rena, I am so sorry. For everything. I almost got you killed. And I- I'm just sorry. I've been a terrible brother lately, and I've hurt you and Alec, and Izzy. I just didn't want Clary to end up orphans like us."

Serena scooted closer to her brother. "Family doesn't end in blood. We can choose our family too. And while our birth parents may be dead, Robert and Maryse raised us, they are just as much our parents. And Izzy, Alec, and Max are our family. And while I agree that you've been a terrible brother lately, I understand why you acted the way you did."

Jace looked at the floor. "I don't deserve to be forgiven. I almost killed you."

Serena put her hands on his shoulders. "All those close calls with death come with the job. And you were already forgiven, little brother. I just wanted to hear you apologise first."

Jace laughed as his eyes fogged up. "I am sorry," he said as a tear dripped down his face, she was the only person he ever cried in front of. The only person on a planet with 7 billion other people. The only person.

"It's ok," she promised as she hugged him and Jace shuddered with relief. He had really missed his big sister even if it was his fault that she was driven away.

"So, tell me about this thing that you have for Clary. If you're gonna be with her then I suppose I can learn to tolerate her, but I make no promises for my husband," she joked as she pulled away, resting her chin on her palm.

"What thing?" Jace asked, playing dumb.

She scoffed. "If you think that you can lie to me you have another thing coming, Jacey."

Jace sighed as he wiped his eyes. Talking about his feelings wasn't really something he did either. "Well, I-I like her. I don't know what that demon memory thing was but, I-I I'm attracted to her. Wait, no, why am I telling you this? My big sister should be the last person I'm telling this to," Jace said as he stood, brushing a gloved hand through his hair.

"I'm the only person you should be telling this to. Except Alec. I'll just get the information out of him later."

"That is unfair," Jace said as he pointed a finger at her and she grinned innocently.

"Hey, it's not my fault that my husband is impervious to my charm," she said as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. "And as for Clary, maybe it was love at first sight?"

"You know I don't believe in that crap," Jace snapped.

"Yeah and neither do I, but maybe, just maybe, the mundanes might be onto something. Not with the loving someone from the second you see them but maybe with a ridiculous amount of infatuation and lust at the sight of someone you see yourself in. In a weird way, it makes sense."

"Maybe to you," Jace sighed and Serena reached out to cup his cheek.

"You, my JJ, have never known that kind of love. So yes, it makes sense."

Jace reached up and laced their fingers together, her ring scratching into his skin. "Rena, what does it feel like?" he whispered and she gave a content sigh as she squeezed his hand.

"It feels...right. It is everything. It's someone making you lunch when they know you always skip it. It's someone knowing that you double knot your shoelaces. Or that you prefer the left side of the bed. Or that you don't like it when people yell so they warn everyone around you not to yell. It's all the little things. The little things that make you feel seen and understood. Having someone see that and understand that, it's everything. It's what love is. At least to me. It might be different for other people. I mean, before Alec, I was as clueless as you are. Maybe Clary is your Alec and Valak was the angels' way of telling you that."

"That's a warped but kind of beautiful way of looking at it, Rena," he admitted. "And at least I know that Alec treats you well."

Her laugh was musical. "He does. And you have nothing to worry about, little brother, at least with me. With Clary, it looks like you've got a lot to worry about."

Jace gave her a tired sigh. "Thanks for the reminder."

She leaned forward as she wrapped her arms around him, her chin resting on his shoulder. "I have no doubt you'll figure it out, JJ," she assured him as she kissed his cheek and Jace tried to let all his problems fade away as he simply hugged his sister.

But it was all too soon that their hug was over and their problems came crashing back.