Note: Final chapter guys! Thanks so much for sticking with this story till the end. Please make sure you go on my profile and vote (at the top of the page) for a new shadowhunter story idea so I can start working on that one.

Jace and Alec were a unified force to be reckoned with. It would seem that a few heartbreakingly tense days apart had done nothing to weaken their parabatai bond, only strengthen it. Alec separated from their human chain, shedding Magnus' cloaking magic as he went.

The shadowhunter guarding the training room doors registered the sound of footsteps too late. He turned in time to catch a glimpse of Alec before he slammed his elbow into the man's face. The shadowhunter was knocked back on his ass, hands fumbling over his bloody nose.

"Don't worry. It's not broken." Alec crouched down, hands searching through the man's pockets until he found his stele and a ring of keys. The keys he tossed behind him toward Jace and Isabelle. The shadowhunter's confusion only intensified when the keys seemingly vanished into thin air as they reached Isabelle's fingers.

"How did you get out of the infirmary? And the keys...where did the keys go?" The shadowhunter's words were distorted by his messed up nose. He searched the hall quickly, eyes lingering further down the hall where the sounds of voices and movements were audible.

Alec followed his line of sight. He closed his eyes briefly, making that face that usually meant he was constantly being disappointed by the people around him. "Don't do it. Don't scre—"

The shadowhunter was only able to utter the start of a warning cry before Alec slapped a hand over his mouth. He twisted around until he was behind the man, his free hand being used to fight off the shadowhunters attempts at freedom.

"I told you not to scream, but does anyone listen to me? Of course not."

"Jace!" Isabelle hissed. "Help him. Put him to sleep."

Jace released Isabelle's hand and lunged forward with his stele. His dropped onto his knees beside Alec, and yanked up the shadowhunter's shirt to draw the rune on the man's twisting torso. It wasn't the finest work Alec had seen from Jace, but it did the job. The shadowhunter fell limp in Alec's arms, his hands falling to his sides.

Jace glanced warily further up the hall. "Let's find someplace to hide him."

Together they hefted the man up and shuffled backwards, stashing him in an alcove, his back resting against the base of the statue Raziel.

By the time they returned Isabelle had unlocked the door to the training rooms. Jace and Alec slipped through behind her.

"Lock the door behind us," Magnus instructed. "We won't be returning that way."

The lock turned into place.

"I did say that you two were always a bad influence on Alec, but Magnus? I thought you'd have more sense?"

Alec turned to find Hodge sitting cross-legged on the floor inside a rune circle.

"On the contrary, Starkweather, after living so long a life I have too much sense as to let Shadowhunters continue their witch hunts."

"We're here to free you," said Lydia. "It isn't right what the clave is doing. You stood up to Valentine to protect Jace and Alec. You should be commended for that, not punished for it."

Hodge frowned.

"You shouldn't have come. You're risking too much going up against the clave like this."

Magnus pointed a thumb at the door. "Oh I'm sorry, are you terribly busy? Do you want us to come back later when you're feeling more up to it?"

He waved a hand. "That's fine. We only broke about...4-6 clave laws to get here. I'm sure if we head back to the infirmary and explain it to the clave really politely they'll understand completely."

Hodge scowled, but said nothing.

Magnus clapped his hands together. "That's what I thought."

Magnus circled the rune circle, eyes focused on reading the runes on the floor. Occasionally he'd extend a hand out in front of him and watch the walls of the magic prison pulse against his fingertips. Alec was standing at his shoulder, close enough for the rippling waves of magic energy to crash against him like waves in the ocean. The hairs on the back of his neck stood upright at the sensation.

Jace shifted his weight to his other foot next to him, arms crossed across his chest. "Not to rush you, but we're working on a tentative time schedule."

"Jace." Alec shook his head at his parabatai. "He knows. Leave him be. You don't see him interrupting us when we track through our parabatai bond."

Magnus was standing with his back to Alec, but he could practically see his raised eyebrows. "Even though tracking with my magic is immensely faster than your little handholding trick."

Jace looked personally offended. "Parabatai tracking is an ancient and sacred form o—"

Magnus waved a hand over his shoulder. "Yeah, you're bromance is really 'special'. Now quiet and let me focus. I think I've got it."

Lydia pressed her lips together but couldn't completely hide her smile.

Jace turned to Alec as Magnus began breaking down the barriers of the rune circle.

"Are you just going to let him say that about our bond?"

Alec crossed his arms. "It's not my job to pick sides or play mediator between the two of you. If you truly care about me," he raised his voice higher, directing his words at Magnus as well. "You'll learn to get along with each other instead of squabbling like children. That's all I'm going to say on the matter."

Jace grunted.

Hodge smiled at Alec. "You're going to make great head of the institute someday."

"I have a feeling the council will disagree with you."

The barrier shimmered and fell away. Magnus extended a hand towards Hodge. Hodge took it and pulled himself to his feet. Magnus, however, wasn't quick to release him. He squeezed Hodge's hand tightly and Alec had a feeling it wasn't Magnus's physical strength that had Hodge bracing himself. Magnus had the potential to be lethal if you crossed him. He stepped close and spoke quietly with Hodge. Alec was tempted to trace a quick rune to listen in, but quickly decided against it. Judging from Magnus' hostile expression whatever they were talking about, Alec was sure it wasn't for him to hear.

Alec would broach that question later when they were alone. There was no guarantee that Magnus would give him an answer, but a part of Alec thought he might already know the answer. Alec had never considered Hodge and Magnus friends, or even acquaintances, but he understood that trust had been broken on some level of their relationship.

"Alright, everyone. Grab on." said Magnus.

Alec took his spare hand, aware of Hodge's eyes on him and Jace standing next to him. Perhaps he was thinking about their relationship and how he almost broke it? Maybe he was wondering where he stood in relationship to them now? He'd hurt them… saved them… and now they were saving him. Did that make them even? Had they balanced out the bad with the good?

Alec was unsure himself. One thing was for certain, they couldn't go back to what they'd had before. And seeing as how they were currently helping Hodge escape from the Clave, Alec was certain that none of them really wanted that.

Alec shuddered as they moved forward, passing through the institute's thick stone walls as if they were nothing.

He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn't realize that they'd travelled further than a city block until Magnus and Alec simultaneously called his name.

Alec blinked and stared at the gold painted lucky cat on the counter of the Jade Wolf restaurant. He looked around at the group of shadowhunters and downworlders that were huddled around him in the middle aisle of the restaurant.

Jace grasped Alec's elbow and spoke quietly. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Alec shook off his hand. "I'm just tired. And hungry."

Alaric reached behind a pack member and picked up a stack of menus. "Can't do anything about the first one, but the second one I can definitely fix. Grab a booth and order some lunch."

Isabelle shrugged and slid into a booth. "I could eat."

Alec glowered at her. "We just broke a Clave prisoner out of the institute. I really don't think this is the time for lunch."

"I disagree." Magnus slid into the seat across from her and steepled his fingers with his elbows on the table top. "Like you said, we just broke some serious Clave laws. Whatever our next move is, it needs to be considered carefully."

Lydia shifted closer to Alec. "You know he's right. So go ahead, sit… relax. Have something to eat."

Jace nudged him towards the table with a soft smile. "Listen to your friends. Besides, we need you at your best."

Alec grunted and slide into the booth beside Isabelle. He picked up the menu in front of him, wondering if this mothering attitude was going to be a new thing with his friends and family from now on. He couldn't entirely decided if he hated it or not… he thought, it might not be so terrible to have others looking out for him.

He hunched a little lower in his seat with a small wavering smile, unused to the attention that was being focused on him.

It wasn't long until that attention was shift towards the platters of food set in front of them. They dug in eagerly.

It wasn't until their plates were being cleared away that Alec noticed more downworlders had entered the restaurant, including Luke, who pulled a chair up to their table and sat backwards in it.

"So, Hodge. You're free. What's next for you?" asked Luke.

Hodge rubbed at his beard. "I want to stay with you all. To help you fight back against Valentine's men. He's got the cup now and his army will be growing."

There was a flicker in Luke's expression that said he was thinking no thanks to you, but thankfully he kept silent.

Hodge continued. "I know I have to leave, though. I'd only be leading more trouble your way with the Clave howling for my arrest. They won't give up until they find me. Better that I'm in a different country, far away from your all, when that time comes."

"Will you go back to your family?" Alec asked, remembering their conversation while he was being held captive.

Hodge gave a sad smile. "Perhaps, though not at first. Not until it's safe."

There were no guarantees on when that would be.

"And the rest of you?" asked Luke with a glance around the table.

"We go after Valentine." stated Jace.

"Except we do it the right way, this time." Alec was quick to add in with a stern look at his parabatai. "All of us. Together. And not just Shadowhunters, but Downworlders too."

"You really think you can do that? You're talking about uniting the Shadow World?" asked Luke.

Alec shrugged. "If it's for the right cause, I don't see why not."

"I agree," said Magnus. "Valentine is threatening to destroy everything that we hold dear. It isn't just Shadowhunters who will be affected by this, it's anyone who stands in his way. If he's forming an army, let's make one of our own."

Alec shared a look with the people around him. Friends, family, a lover. The Downworlders around them clustered together in groups, their voices rising with growing excitement and concern alike. Alec couldn't help feeling the same. They would all need time to prepare themselves for the war that would inevitably come. Despite his own fears for the future, Alec was reassured of one thing; there wasn't a better group of people that he wanted to go to war with.

Jace grinned and reached across the table and grasped Alec's hand fiercely in his own. Alec knew that whatever happened next, nothing would separate them from each other ever again. "Let's get started."