Las Vegas wasn't exactly where Malia planned to be today, but that was where she ended up.

Waltzing through a casino, waiting to find out about her winnings, she felt an arm suddenly grab her. She spun around, facing Magnus.

"Magnus?" Malia blurted, "Hey." Magnus said softly, before a figure appeared from behind Magnus, waving. It was Isabelle. "Hey Malia!"

"What are you guys doing here?" Malia asked, as she walked with the pair, the trio heading to the bar. "You disappeared suddenly, yesterday.. I wanted to see you. You never finished telling me about Clary." Magnus said, causing Malia to smirk, "So you were listening?" She teased.

"And.. I thought you could use a friend." Magnus added, referring to Isabelle. Malia smiled, "Thank you for not bringing me the other Lightwood sister." She said, dramatically. Isabelle rolled her eyes playfully.

"So.. cocktails?" Magnus asked, as Malia and Isabelle gave a nod, ignoring the fact that it was only just past midday. The older Bane turned away to order.

"So what is going on with you and Clary?" Isabelle asked, with a smirk. Malia thought about it, she did like Clary.. but she couldn't let the Fray suffer the same fate as Avery. She couldn't love her.

Malia swallowed thickly, before she eyed Isabelle. "Nothing is going on between me and Clary." The Bane said, a sternness in her voice.

Magnus returned, with cocktails and gave one each to the girls. "Thanks, Mags." Malia answered. "Thanks Magnus." Isabelle chirped.

"Out of all of the places in the world to visit.. what made you want to choose a casino?" Magnus asked his younger sister, curiously. "I enjoy watching the light leave people's eyes when they realise that they've lost everything over a stupid game." She shrugged darkly, before she added, "Plus I made a few bets." Both Magnus and Isabelle seemed surprised by both of her answers.

Magnus opened his mouth to say something, but sighed as his phone buzzed. Checking it, he realised he had to go. "I'll see you guys later. Izzy, take care of my sister." Magnus said as Malia raised an eyebrow at Magnus, "I don't need to be baby-sat." She huffed. Isabelle just laughed, "Roger that." She said to Magnus, before he disappeared through a portal.

The Lightwood then faced Malia, "Hey.. Do you want to come back with me to the Institute? Clary hasn't been doing so well.. Madi and Alec haven't made it easy for her. I think she could use her.. special friend." Isabelle smirked. Malia frowned, "Never call us special friends again." She huffed, "But yeah.. maybe that would be nice." The Bane decided, reminding herself that she could be friends with Clary, but had to be careful not to become more. "But we have to come back for my winnings, later."

Moments later, Malia opened up a portal. Awkwardly, she offered her hand out to Isabelle, which she grabbed, before they entered the portal.

☠︎︎

A portal opened up, and Isabelle and Malia stepped out of it, noticing Alec and Clary down the hall. "Since you've arrived, you've caused nothing but problems. My family lost their birthright. Izzy and Madi were almost deruned. And now Valentine has my parabatai. And it's all because of you." Alec snapped.

"Alec." Malia piped up, sternly as the two girls approached the pair. "I'm sorry." Clary said to Alec. Isabelle shook her head, "Alec, this isn't her fault!" She insisted.

Alec took a step back, but kept his eyes on Clary. "When are you gonna realize you don't belong here? You never have." He growled. "That is enough!" Malia snapped, her yellow eyes shining now, as magic sparked from her fingers. Alec glanced up at Malia and Isabelle, before he turned around and left.

"Alec." Isabelle called, before she raced after him. Malia blinked, her warlock mark fading and her magic relaxing at last, before she turned to face Clary who looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"You don't believe any of that, do you?" Malia asked, a sudden calmness in her voice. Clary closed her eyes, not answering. "Hey.. why don't we go back to your room?" Malia asked, feeling like Clary was only seconds away from bursting into tears, in the middle of the Institute.

☠︎︎

Clary and Malia sat together, as the Bane loosely had her arm around a hurt Clary. "Hey, Clary, all those things Alec said about you... You know I don't feel that way." Isabelle said, still pacing around the room.

"You have every right to." Clary sighed. "None of this is your fault. Alec, he's stressed out. With his parabatai gone, he's like a different person." Isabelle trailed off but Clary shook her head, "Alec's right. I'm not one of you. I'm just some girl from Brooklyn who went out to celebrate her birthday and came back with a present she never wanted. And can't return." The Fray confessed, before Izzy plonked herself beside Clary.

"You don't wanna return that present. It's a blessing." Isabelle said, before gently taking Clary's hand. Tears fell down the Fray's cheeks now, "Not for me. I just... I wanna feel normal again, Isabelle. I... I want my old life back." She cried out. Malia removed her arm from Clary, taking a moment to process her words before she realised, she completely understood the feeling. The warlock herself wanted her old life back, pre-Edom... pre-Camille.

"I'm sure. But don't you get it? You have a target on your back. The Institute is the safest place for you. You have a new life now. You have me. And that's not gonna change." Isabelle said, with a smile before she stood up and left.

☠︎︎

Sometime later

Now at the Brooklyn academy of arts, Clary was drawing a cityscape with, pencils on a large sheet of paper leant up against an easel. Malia stood by another easel, as she absolutely splattered paint all over a canvas, whilst also getting it everywhere else.

The Bane stood back and looked at it proudly, before she realised her hands were covered in paint now too.

"Hey, kiddo."

Both girls turn to see Luke and Jocelyn, Luke being the one that'd spoken. Clary just shook her head and went back to the drawing. "You have to come back to the Institute. It's not safe." Jocelyn insisted.

"So, wait, are you on her side now?" Clary asked, facing Luke. Malia eyed the Garroway, curiously. "There are no sides." The werewolf insisted. "So you're okay with her trying to kill Jace?" The younger Fray demanded. "I didn't say that. But your mother's right. You need to get back to the Institute."

Clary shook her head, "I'm safe here, I'm with Malia." She stated, before Jocelyn and Luke glanced up at the Bane for a moment, who waved her fingers for a moment, to show off her magic.

"Besides, I can't help Jace. I don't have enough training. And even if I did, I'm Valentine's daughter. Nobody there trusts me." Clary continued, before she stared at her mother. "For 18 years, you made me believe that I could live a normal life." She said, as she threw her hands up in the air. "This life. But I can't, can I? No. 'Cause I'm not a mundane. I'm not a Shadowhunter. I'm not anything."

Clary threw the pencils on the ground and walked out of the room, but not before she grabbed Malia's hand and dragged the warlock along with her.

The girls ran out of the Academy and suddenly stop as they encounter Dot there.

"Dot?" Clary asked. "Dorothea?" Malia blurted, recognising the girl, but she hadn't seen her for decades. Dark veins ran across Dot's face.

"I thought you were dead. What happened to you?" Clary asked, as Malia frowned. "Magnus can't feel your magic anymore."

Jocelyn and Luke ran out of the academy and spotted Malia, Clary and Dot. "Clary!" Jocelyn cried out. Noticing them, Dot quickly opened a portal.

"Dot, what's going on?" Clary asked, as Dot didn't say anything but grabbed Clary's arm. "Oh hell no!" Malia blurted, quickly grabbing Clary's hand again, refusing to leave Clary alone, before Dot dragged them both into the portal. The Portal closed, leaving a worried Jocelyn and Luke behind.

☠︎︎

"Where the hell are we?" Malia asked, as they were now inside Valentine's ship. "I.. I don't know." Clary confessed, before Dot turned to face them. "We're in Valentines ship." She clarified.

Malia stepped infront of Clary protectively, before she eyed Dot. "Dorothea, why are we here?" She asked, sternly. "Because, there's something that I want Clary to see. Please step aside, Malia." Dot said. Malia shook her head, "Over my dead body." She hissed. Dot shrugged, "If you wish."

Dot's hands sparked with magic, before she fired balls of energy at Malia. The Bane easily evaded them, keeping Clary behind her as she dodged the attacks. Malia charged forward, her hands glowing brightly with power, before she struck Dot in the face, causing her to fall.

Dot got to her feet, rubbing the side of her face, before her eyes darkened over. "Dot!?" Clary cried out. Using magic, suddenly much darker than her own, Dot telekinetically placed Malia in a chokehold, causing her to lose oxygen.

"Dot no! You have to let her go!" Clary cried out. "Malia!! No!"

Once unconscious, Dot flung the younger warlock against the wall of the ship. "I'll deal with her after, but first Clary.." Dot began, before she walked towards the Fray girl. "There are things that you can do as a Shadowhunter, but there's so much more you're capable of. Let me show you."