"The cavalry has arrived." Raphael announced as he unlocked the door for Clary and Simon, Casey by his side. The teens looked confused by his presence, and the newborn vampire was the first to question it.

"Casey what are you doing here?" Simon asked, his eyes flickering between him and Raphael.

"Could ask you the same thing." Casey retorted and stuck his tongue out causing Raphael to laugh.

"What, are you two friends now or something?" Clary spoke.

Raphael grinned, showing his fangs. "A Shadowhunter friends with a vampire? Now now baby Fray, that does sound like the start of a bad joke. You'll want to use the back stairs by the way."

Casey laughed and shook his head as Clary and Simon ran ahead, confusion filling their faces.

'Thank you Raphael. For everything." Casey said and hugged him. The vampire seemed shocked by this action and Casey realised that it must have been many years since anyone had shown him any affection.

Finally, he returned the hug, wrapping his arms around the petit boy with extra care, worried that he would shatter in his arms like a porcelain doll.

Offering him a lingering smile, Casey exited through the fire door and descended the steps, looking around for Alec hoping that he had changed his mind.

"He's not here Casey." Isabelle announced, seeing the boys eyes scanning the place. "He's with Lydia. He's an idiot by the way, but he'll see the error of his ways."

"Doubt it." Casey mumbled, and kicked the dust along the ground. "How's Meliorn?" He asked and Casey could see that Isabelle appreciated the fact that the boy cared about the fate of the seelie.

"The Clave is planning on murdering him."

"What?" Clary exclaimed, and Jace explained to him how the clave believed that he had more information and had made the decision to take him to the Silent Brothers.

"We have to stop them." Clary announced.

"That's the plan." Casey confirmed and Jace nodded in agreement. "Rescue and recovery."

"We get him from the guards. In and out. No one gets hurt." Isabelle explained.

"You want us to go against the Silent Brothers and a league of Shadowhunters?" Clary spoke, widening her eyes.

"Without any back up?" Luke added.

"Got it in one." Casey grinned and Jace laughed, his eyes shining as he grinned at the raven haired boy.

"And Alec's not coming?" Clary asked, her eyes landing on Casey as did all others.

"If he did, I think I'd kick the shit out of the gorgeous little bastard at this point." Casey smiled, basically surgarcoating his pain with sarcasm.

"We can't go in alone. Not if we want to be protected." Clary objected, giving her brother a look telling her that they would talk later about the Alec situation.

"My pack will track the unit, create a distraction." Luke offered and Casey smiled at him.

"I would suggest vampires, but I doubt they'd cooperate." Simon shrugged.

"I hate to agree with Simon, but the vamps aren't exactly team players." Jace sighed.

"I can ask Raphael." Casey piped in and Jace arched his eyebrows.

"Really. You're not exactly a soft spoken person Casey." Jace commented, smirking.

"Oh bite me Wayland." Casey retorted.

"Sorry babe don't swing that way and I'm not into that kinky stuff." Jace winked and Casey snorted, grinning.

- - -

"Hi Raphael." Casey smiled and he watched as the vampire tried to keep his bad boy facade infront of the other vampires. But Casey could see his eyes twinkling in amusement. "We're offering an alliance with the Seelies."

"And the werewolves." Luke reluctantly added as Casey stared him down.

"Why should we believe you?" Rapahel questioned.

"Rude." Casey mumbled and Raphael pursed his lips to stop himself from smiling.

Everyone around them was confused and although this was a very serious situation both Casey and Raphael were resisting the urge to laugh.

"Your friends have killed our people Casey. They've violated our home." Raphael murmered, the corners of his mouth turning down at the sides.

"You kidnapped a mundane." Jace commented. "Remember?"

"That was me." Simon smiled and Casey elbowed him in the ribs. "Shut it, the both of you." He hissed.

"Raphael, you've said it yourself. I'm part of a new generation of shadowhunters. Valentine is the threat here, and he doesn't care whether you're a vampire, seelie, werewolf, warlock, mundane or shadowhunter. He kills whom he pleases. We are all equal and we need to work together to take him down." Casey spoke, his head held high and his eyes ablaze.

From behind, Luke watched proudly as the boy whom he regarded as a son spoke with confidence and authority.

"This decision requires a concensus." Rapahel commented.

"I vote yes." Simon said, stepping forward.

"If our newest member pledges his loyalty to his new leader and joins our clan, we'll all stand beside you." Rapahel drawled, smirking.

"Simon you don't have to do this." Clary exclaimed and Casey held his hand up, silencing her.

Simon turned to Casey, looking for his opinion. "It's your choice Simon. But I trust Raphael, and you should too."

Simon nodded and turned back to Raphael. "I accept your offer." Simon said.

"Then we're in."

- - -

Casey walked through the alleyway, leading the group. His raven hair remained tousled by the wind as his facial expression remained void, Raphael by his side.

They stopped and Casey turned to the group. "Do you all know what you're supposed to do?" Casey hollered and the vampires nodded.

"Text when you're in position." Jace added, taking his position by Casey's side as Raphael stood beside his vampires.

The group went to part when Raphael whistled causing Luke to stop.

"Raphael." Casey growled in warning, but the vampire only winked at him.

"Good dog." Raphael grinned.

"Bite me." Luke retorted.

"Roll over."

"Play dead."

"Shut the hell up." Casey roared and silence fell in the alleyway. "Good boys." He smiled.

One of Luke's werewolves walked forward, nudging Simon in the process causing him to stumble. The vampires reacted to one of their own being attacked and suddenly they were all fangs. The werewolves returned the action, growling and baring their own fangs.

"Oi, Edward and Jacob down." Casey hissed, addressing all the crowd. "I will gladly kick the absolute shite out of the next person to start a fight. And trust me, with the couple of days I've just had I won't see myself hitting you, and that'll make your injuries ten times worse. All our lives are at stake, so just grow up."

Casey eyed the two sides and pointed to the left and the right. "You go that way, and you go that way. Now."

Rolling their eyes at the small shadowhunter, the crowd split and went their seperate ways.

"Be careful Casey." Raphael mumbled to the raven haired boy before following his vampires.

"Hey, what's got dracula all worried about you?" Jace questioned, crinkling his nose.

"It's called having friends Jace. You should try it sometime." Casey retorted.

"Ouch babe." Jace said dramatically, clasping his hand over his heart. "I thought what we had was special."

"You're an asshole." Casey scoffed.

"But you love me." Jace grinned.

"Yeah, beginning to regret it." Casey huffed, rolling his eyes.

"Guys." Clary said sharply and Casey held his hands up.

"Sorry, single life is a bit of a bitch." Casey laughed. "Just like Alec's new girl."

"What?" Clary asked, confused.

"Oh, didn't you hear? Alec is marrying a blonde bitch. Well most people call her Lydia. That's to her face anyway. She's a much more suitable partner for Alec. You know cause she's a woman."

"Casey I -" Clary began but Casey cut her off.

"I love him Clary and I always will. But he's marrying Lydia and that's it. I have to move on, so let's go get Meliorn."

- - -

Casey flinched slightly as Jace drew the sight rune onto the side of his neck, just as he had with Clary.

"Sorry Case." He apologised and Casey just smiled.

"Pain is becoming a regular thing." He laughed bitterly and Jace hugged him tightly.

"Casey you've become one of my closest friends, you're like family and I would die for you. What Alec has done is wrong, and he should've never let you go." Jace told the boy, causing him to genuinely smile as he spoke his thanks.

"Casey." Clary breathed. Casey turned and followed her sisters line of sight.

His eyes landed on a male with raven hair and hazel eyes, runes covering his arms and neck. This was the man whom had healed his heart and then crushed it into fragments.

Casey's stomach dropped and Jace placed his hand on the boys arm. "Casey what is it?" He asked softly.

"Alec is here."