Isabelle was marked up with iratze.

Alec sat in a chair beside her bed while Max sat on the foot of the bed, recounting the tale. Clary sat in the corner. Jace sat as close to her as he dared.

"-then Mr. Bane showed up with half the Clave-"

"Actually, none of the Clave," Mr. Bane said, reentering the hospital wing.

"What do you mean?" Alec asked.

"Well, no one would come," Mr. Bane said. "So improvised. It was an illusion. I had no back up."

"You had me," Jace objected.

"Yes, well, I didn't know you were there," Mr. Bane snapped.

"You went in there without any backup?" Alec asked. He sounded angry. Neither Mr. Bane or Jace responded.

"What about my parents?" Max asked. Alec's face dropped. He hadn't even thought about that. Where were their parents? Why weren't they there to help?

"They're in Alicante," Mr. Bane said, simply. "That's where they needed to be. That's where they need to be."

"What about us though?" Max asked.

"The Consul was giving orders. They were ordered to stay," Mr. Bane said. "If I didn't think I could do it alone, I would have brought them with me against their will, Max."

Max was silent. He looked back at Isabelle.

"Max, why don't you go to bed?" Alec asked. "I'll stay with Izzy for awhile."

Max nodded and disappeared.

..........

"We should probably get some sleep too," Jace said softly to Clary. She nodded and stood up.

Together, they walked through the house, trying to find an empty room. Most were taken by the young Shadowhunters and if Jace's predictions were correct, most would be orphans by the morning, if they weren't already.

Finally, they found a room with a queen sized bed.

Clary sat on the edge.

"I never thought Sebastian would do something like that," she said.

"Of course you didn't," Jace said. She looked up at him with sad eyes. "But I'm not sure you could have stopped him. He truly believed that what he was doing was right."

"He's still alive, right?"

"Everyone's still alive," Jace said, sitting beside her.

"I feel like I haven't done anything."

"You're in shock," Jace said. "No one is expecting you to do anything."

"But you knew, Jace. You knew my brother was a traitor. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want you to think any less of him," Jace said. "Or me."

"I wish he was here," she said. "Just so I could here his side of the story."

Jace was silent at that.

There was no story to here. He had gone insane, just like his father.

And Jace was proof that you didn't have to be exactly like your parents.

There was always time to do the right thing.

"Jace?"

"Yes?"

"Will you spend the night with me?"

"I don't think there's any place I'd rather be more," he sighed.

..........

"I don't think the ensuing conversation is one I'd like to have over the unconcious body of your sister," Mr. Bane said.

Alec had been glaring at him every since Jace and Clary left in silence.

"You're just as bad as he is," Alec said.

"You mean Jace?"

"Yes," Alec said. "No back up? By yourself?"

"Alexander, I am a very, very old warlock. I can handle myself against a dillusional 18 year old," he said.

"And what if you couldn't?" Alec asked.

"Then you'd go on," Mr. Bane said, sadly. "We all do."

"Maybe I wouldn't," Alec challenged.

Mr. Bane didn't bring up the fact that he had heard Abbadon's scream in Alec's voice.

He didn't mention the horror it brought him.

"I did it for you," Mr. Bane said. "To save your siblings."

"And I thank you for that but right now I'm really angry with you and I'd appreciate it if you'd just let me be furious," Alec said.

Mr. Bane tried not to laugh.

"That was a very--- mature statement," Mr. Bane said.

"You are the most annoying person---"

"Warlock."

Alec's death glare softened until he realized he couldn't remain mad.

He jumped up from his chair and kissed Mr. Bane.

Isabelle slowly came into conciousness.

"Oh, what the hell is this?!"

..........

"Leave the Clave with one final warning," Valentine said. "We will return."

"Isn't retreating weak?" Sebastian asked.

"Retreating isn't weak if you'll lose otherwise," Valentine said. "The demon towers will be down soon. We'll take them down, then leave."

"Are you mad at me?" Sebastian asked. They stood at the very back at the army on horseback, watching the battle commence. The few Shadowhunters they had on their side had done sufficient damage within the city. But the demon army couldn't enter until demon blood was on the towers.

"You failed," Valentine said. "But we all fail."

It was a lie.

Sebastian knew he had messed up.

Jace Herondale should have been dead along with every student at the Academy.