There had been a time when Magnus was resentful of humanity. Living a childhood the way he had could do that to someone. Being abused by his step father and unloved by his mother. Seeing his mother hang herself and then being almost killed by his step-father. Living in multiple foster homes and being bullied at school…It could take it's toll on anyone.

But now, looking directly into his son's eyes, he could only see hope. Hope for a better life, for a bright future.

Magnus had found Rafael a year ago. He was just a 10-year-old kid living on the streets. Magnus was 28 years old at that time. He had been on his way home late at night when he found Rafael digging for food in a dumpster. Magnus had given him a place to stay for the night. The next day he called the NYPD. They found out Rafael was an orphan and had been living on the streets for years now. Magnus decided to adopt him then. It had taken months of paperwork, but it was all worth it. Rafael loved Magnus, saw him as his hero, an now he was proud to wear his last name.

Things had just gotten so much better since then. Rafael was healthy and happy. The two of them were a small family, but they were all they needed. They helped each other, completed each other, and were as happy as they could.

Magnus was a teacher in an art's school. It was a very prestigious school, where only kids with very artistic talents attended. Be either performing arts, or painting, or writing…that school helped them all develop their talents and make a good use of them. Magnus himself was a good performer. Through all his high school years his dream had been to go to broadway. He had been a theatre kid. He loved the plays. He loved acting and singing and dancing and just performing. He lived with that. As he grew up and went to college, he didn't get to actually go to broadway. He was part of many plays here and there and then he decided he would rather teach kids the art of theatre. So when he found out the Academy of Arts needed teachers, he applied and got the job almost immediately.

Rafael himself was an artist, in a much quiet way compared to his father. He loved painting and drawing. He could spend hours with a sketchbook just doodling and he would be happy. Of course, he was accepted immediately at the school. Not only because his father was a teacher, but because of his great talent.

"Rafe" Magnus called loudly "If you're not ready I'm leaving without you"

"Coming!" Rafael called.

Soon Rafael came running out of his room. He was pulling a sweater over his shoulders and he didn't have any shoes on. Magnus shook his head at his son. His clothes were messy and wrinkled, his hair was not combed and he still had toothpaste on his chin.

"Seriously Rafe" Magnus sighed reaching to fix Rafael's shirt and helping him into his sweater. "You take hours getting ready, and still are unable to be presentable"

"Sorry Dad" Rafe mumbled.

"Where are your shoes?" Magnus asked.

"By the front door" Rafael said, trying to move his fingers through his tangled curls.

"Get a napkin from the kitchen and clean your face" Magnus instructed "I'll get your shoes and then we leave"

"Okay" Rafael grinned.

Rafe skipped towards the kitchen while Magnus moved towards the entrance to get Rafael's shoes. He found them standing next to each other. Taking them, Magnus walked back to the main area and found Rafe scrubbing his mouth furiously with a napkin.

"Don't do it too hard" Magnus said "You'll hurt yourself"

"Is it clean?" Rafael asked, looking up at his father.

"Perfect" Magnus kissed his forehead and then kneeled in front of him to put on his shoes.

They walked to the school together every single time. Magnus owned a car, but he almost didn't use it. He lived at a walking distance to everything, so he preferred to walk. Car was only used when it was snowing or raining or it was really necessary. Rafael didn't complain. He loved going on walks with his father. Holding hands and walking together, it was something both of them enjoyed.

"Are you excited for your first day of classes?" Magnus asked as they walked hand in hand.

"Yes!" Rafe grinned.

"Oh yes!" Magnus grinned back at him "What class are you most excited about?"

"Music class!" Rafael answered immediately "Uncle Jem will be my teacher this year!"

"What about your friends?" Magnus asked "Are you excited to see your friends again?"

"Yes" Rafe nodded "But I wanna make new friends as well...are there any new kids coming?"

"I'm not sure" Magnus answered honestly "Let's hope there are"

"I can show them around!" Rafael exclaimed "And tell them everything about the school!"

"I'm sure you would be a terrific guide" Magnus grinned "But we'll see if that can be possible"

Alec Lightwood never thought he would become a father at the age of 19. It happened through a series of unplanned events and suddenly Max was left under his care. He did not regret a thing about it, however he wished it had been under different circumstances. He has just graduated from his Senior year in college and had moved to England for a few years to study. He had stayed with some cousins there and met many new people. There was a girl, Lydia Branwell, who he had gotten close to. They were very good friends and were studying on the same career. Alec's parents had thought they would end up together. They were never very accepting of their son's sexuality, and after Alec had come out to them they thought it was just a phase and were happy when Lydia came. Of course, Lydia's and Alec's relationship was never like that. They were good friends, almost like siblings. A few months into their second year in college, Lydia got pregnant. She used to have a boyfriend whom she had been dating since high school. However, he was killed in a car accident. She was heartbroken. Alec helped her get through the pregnancy. However, once Lydia gave birth to the baby, she left. She just disappeared and left her son behind. Alec didn't know where she went and never heard back from her. Alec found Lydia's baby on the doorstep of his apartment, wrapped in a blanket Lydia had bought a few months back for him. The baby didn't have a name or anything on him. Once Alec realised Lydia was not coming back, he adopted the baby. Named him after his brother, Max, and raised him as his own. He never heard back form his friend.

Of course, the adoption of baby Max caused some commotion in his family. They thought he was Alec's biological son and were upset he had not told them about him. However, after Alec explained what had happened with Lydia, they accepted Max as their own. Alec returned to America when he finished his college career, Max was four at that time, and then got his own apartment on the area of Manhattan, near his siblings and parents.

He loved Max with everything in his heart. Max was his son, no matter what other people said. They were family. They loved each other and that's all that mattered. Alec was all Max had, and he would give his life for his son.

And so everything that he did was to make Max's life better. He worked two jobs back when he was in college to pay for Max's clothes and food. He actually had to drop out of college in order to take care of his son and get a decent place to live. But things had turned better. Once Max started school, Alec was able to get some time to study online. He got his degree and he started writing on the mean time. He published a series of three books since then and he's working on the fourth one in the series.

"Max" Alec said softly, shaking his son's shoulder. "It's time to wake up"

"'on wanna" Max mumbled against his pillow.

"Come on" Alec shook him one more time "You have to get up buddy"

"Daddy" Max moaned, rubbing his eyes with his little hands.

"I've got your breakfast ready" Alec said with a chuckle "Come on buddy"

Max nodded and, with his father's help, he got up and walked towards the kitchen. Alec had prepared waffles, which were Max's favourite thing to eat as breakfast. They ate together, Max retelling Alec about what he had dreamed that night. Alec listened carefully and commented now and then.

"Are you excited for your new school?" Alec asked.

Max just nodded and continued eating his waffles. Alec frowned at how Max had quieted down. Growing concerned about his son, Alec asked if everything was alright.

"Daddy?" Max asked, instead of answering.

"Yes Max?" Alec asked

"Do….do you think they'll like me?" Max asked softly.

"They'll love you" Alec said immediately "You'll make good friends, I'm sure of it"

"You promise?" Max asked

"Absolutely" Alec nodded "You are a very talented boy. You're funny and nice. Everyone will want to be friends with you"

Max giggled, but still seemed a bit hesitant. Once all of their things were ready, Alec led Max towards the car and together they made their way towards Max's new school.

"I don't want to go" Max whimpered on the back seat of Alec's car, after they were half way there.

"I know buddy" Alec sighed "But it's going to be fun! I promise"

"Why do I have to go?" Max asked with a pout.

"Because you have to go to school" Alec explained "You have to learns lots of stuff! This school will be fun! Your Aunt Clary works there and they have lots of fun classes and things you will like"

"Like what?" Max asked with a frown.

"You have art classes with Aunt Clary. You have dance classes, and music, and singing, and many other classes" Alec explained

"I can dance?" Max grinned

"Of course. If you're a good boy" Alec nodded.

Alec reached the parking lot of the new school Max would be studying at. It was a two-story building, made of brick walls and big windows that let the sunlight inside the classrooms. Alec had been there before, when he came to look at the school to sign in Max. The classes were spacious and comfortable. They had a big green area in the backyard with safe games for the kids and a green park filled with trees and grass and a few benches for the kids to connect with nature. The place was amazing. It was specially equipped, it suited every kid's necessities and it was the best place Alec had seen. He was comfortable leaving his son there, and that spoke volumes of the place. Not to mention his sister-in-law worked there, but that was not the point.

"Are you ready Max?" Alec asked

"Yes!" Max nodded.

Alec moved towards the backseat and unbuckled him from his seat. He helped him climb off the car and held her backpack and lunch box for him. Max took them and looked towards the big building in front of them. Instantly, he reached his hand to grab his, and Alec took it gently.

There were a few families dropping off the kids at the school. Kids from different ages, some were the same age as Max and others were older. Max tried to get as close to Alec as he could, he was shy around people he didn't know. Alec already knew it would be hard to get him to stay there.

They had reached the front steps of the Academy when they stopped. Alec kneeled down in front of Max and grabbed his shoulders gently.

"You're going to be fine" Alec told him gently.

"I don't wanna go daddy" Max shook her head, tears already forming in his eyes.

"Hey, none of that" Alec shushed, brushing his hair away from his face "You'll be fine, it's going to be fun!"

"Stay with me Daddy" Max pleaded, sniffing.

"I can't do that" Alec apologised "But Aunt Clary will be here. And you'll make new friends and meet your teacher! And it'll be great! I promise you"

"You will come back?" Max asked

"Of course" Alec nodded "Once classes end, I will be out here, waiting for you and we can get home"

"O-Okay" Max nodded "I love you daddy"

"I love you too"

Alec kissed his forehead and stood up, guiding him towards the entrance. Alec walked him inside, they needed to go to the main office and find where Max's class would be at on the first period. When they reached the main office, they saw other parents talking to the receptionist, so Alec guessed they would need to wait a bit.

Just then a kid came running inside the room, a blur of energy running around the place and greeting every teacher or staff member in there. A man soon followed him, but Alec's eyes were focused on the kid who was grinning happily at everyone around the room. Max giggled a little when the kid tripped over his shoe-laces.

"Rafael! Seriously" The man who had walked inside the room with him said exasperated "I cannot leave you alone for one minute!"

"Sorry dad" The kid grinned up at the man.

Alec turned his eyes towards the man and his eyes widened when he saw him. He was tall and lean, with caramel-colored skin, almond shaped eyes colored honey with shades of green, and black hair. His clothes were colorful, but in a subtle way. Not unprofessional, but still not serious enough to be taken as a businessman and to catch the attention of some people.

However, that is not what surprised Alec. What surprised Alec was that he recognised the man. He knew that voice, he knew those looks. And suddenly Alec was not standing in a main office of a Elementary school, Alec was standing at the airport of New York, being called to his flight and staring at golden eyes filled with tears.

"Daddy!" Max broke him from his flashback.

"Yes Max?" Alec asked, shaking his head and looking down at him.

"When I am going to class?" He asked.

"You're new here?" Suddenly the kid was in front of them, looking at Max with wide eyes and a bright grin.

"Y-yes" Max nodded, trying to hide behind Alec but still smiling shyly at the boy

"I can show you around!" He said brightly.

"Rafael Santiago Bane!" The man snapped "Seriously! You've got to stop!"

"Sorry dad" Rafe muttered looking down at his feet "But you said I could show the new kids around!"

"I said we would see if that was possible" the man pointed out and then turned to look at them "Please excuse my son, he's a bit hyperactive"

"It's no problem" Alec smiled at the man, and their eyes met.

And it was as if they were standing back at the airport, those 10 years ago. Back when they were just two young men in love and about to be separated.

"Alexander" Magnus whispered.