Chapter 18

Alec bursts through the doors of the Institute with Magnus in his arms. He doesn’t have to say anything to get attention as Magnus’ moans and groans of pain is doing enough. “Alec, is it time?” his mother calls from the Ops Center.

“Yes!” Alec tells her running faster to get Magnus to the infirmary so he doesn’t give birth in a hallway.

“You!” his mother points to an auburn-hair girl. “Go get Jace, Isabelle, Clary, and Simon.” The younger Shadowhunter nods as Alec’s mom comes to his side. “I’ll contact Robert in Idris.”

Alec isn’t paying much attention as he just wants to get his lover to the infirmary. Reaching it his mother helps him lay Magnus down on a bed. As his mother leaves to go call his father his brother and sister come running in with Clary and Simon right behind them. On her hip Izzy is holding a two-year-old with deeply tan skin and wavy black hair wearing a blue T-shirt with a train on it, cargo shorts, and black Velcro sneakers.

Looking at the child Alec still can’t believe that Magnus gave birth to him two years ago. After getting out of Edom Magnus’ water broke a month earlier they rushed to the Institute where Magnus went into a quick labor and gave birth in record time----two hours. That’s an impressive time for anyone who has given birth.

Their son had deeply tan skin, curtesy of Magnus, and wavy black-hair, curtesy of Alec. Shortly after the birth before Magnus went to sleep they decided on a name for their son and if to make him a Shadowhunter or Warlock. They named him Rafael Santiago Lightwood-Bane after Magnus’ friend and former clan Head Raphael Santiago. Because they were naming him after a former immortal Alec wanted his son to be immortal too; Magnus, stubborn, refused to name their son anything else or make him a Warlock. Not wanting to fight Alec conceded to his lover’s wishes.

A couple of days after the birth of their son Magnus and Alec gathered all of Raphael’s friends and family gathered in a cemetery, behind Hotel DuMort, to give Raphael a proper goodbye. Magnus summoned a coffin and placed his friend’s body----which he turned into a necklace, that transformed back----inside and placed a cross in Raphael’s hands. Alec held Magnus tight during the service as everyone said their goodbyes. During the whole thing Alec also kept an eye on his sister who was leaning on Simon for support since they’re the only two (besides Magnus) who have a deep connection to Raphael without being Vampires (yes, Simon is no longer a Vampire. How it happened Alec doesn’t know, he just knows that Simon has Ascended and is the Academy in Idris).

After everyone said their goodbyes Magnus used his magic to place the coffin in the ground while Lily, the new Clan Head, Luke, Maia, Simon, and Izzy each grabbed a shovel and started pilling the dirt on slowly all hoping that Raphael would’ve banged against the lid of the coffin and somehow still be alive. According to Magnus Raphael had been Catholic when he was a mundane and, despite having no soul and being considered unholy, still continued on with his faith after being turned.

Magnus would’ve stayed longer if they didn’t have a newborn to take care of. Alec’s parents volunteered to watch Rafe but a couple of hours after the birth of Rafael, Alec found out his father was spending more time in Idris because he’s having an affair. Alec had been upset and angry when he found out and while he’s father is still there for him and his siblings Alec was still hurt and didn’t want his father anywhere near his son and he didn’t want his Mom to watch her first grandchild while still trying to get over the fact that her marriage was over.

A couple of months after Raphael was laid to rest everyone important to Magnus and Alec came together and celebrated as they wedded in Warlock Blue and Shadowhunter Gold. The Clave’s hands had been tied because Alec and Magnus hold very powerful positions in the Shadow World and marked each other as their mate. With much reluctance the Clave allowed the union and forced themselves to recognize Lightwood-Bane as an actual name among Shadowhunters.

Now two years later Alec and his friends and family are getting over another death as Magnus gives birth to his and Alec’s second child. The death of Alec’s youngest brother, Max. Max had snuck out to go into the field one night and by the time anyone knew he was missing and went to find him, it had been too late. A demon had found Max and killed him. Four days after Max’s death everyone dressed in white and went to the City of Bones. Max may have been twelve when his nephew was born and wasn’t an uncle for long, but he was a pretty damn good one.

Magnus’ scream brings Alec back to reality. “Deep breathes, squeeze my hand if you feel any pain.” Alec tells his husband.

Magnus squeezes his hand as he screams in pain. “I would like to see you telling me to take breathes if you were the one in position, Alexander! Giving birth is----ahhh!” Magnus nearly crushes his hand as a contraction, at least Alec thinks it’s a contraction, hits him.

Kneeling beside his husband Alec runs a hand through Magnus’ wet hair. “How far along is he?” Hearing a woman’s voice Alec turns to the door to see Catarina Loss in her work clothes. And she does not look happy. Who can be really when working in a mundane hospital and the only thing she looks forward to off shift is relaxing and seeing her daughter, Madzie, whom she adopted a couple of years ago when Magnus was six months along with Rafe. Madzie gets along well with Rafe and did with Max.

“We don’t know. The pain has been on and off all morning before it just didn’t leave. I rushed Magnus here as quick as I could.” Alec explains.

“All right,” Cat snaps her fingers and changes Magnus out of his regular clothes into and into a green hospital gown. She turns to face the others. “Unless either of you are also a third parent, or have been given permission to be in her by the two fathers, I suggest you leave.” None of them says a word as they leave the room. Cat turns back to Alec and Magnus, grabbing a stool and placing a blanket over her fellow Warlock. Lifting the end of the blanket towards her up she looks to see how far dilated Magnus is. It doesn’t take her long before she pops her head back up. “Okay, Magnus, you’re six centimeters along, if you want I can give you an epidural and something to induce your labor. Would you like any of those?”

“The----gnaw----epidural----ahhh----please,” Magnus grunts out in spouts of pain. Nodding Cat flicks her wrist summoning a syringe with some liquid inside.

“Alec, help Magnus sit up so I can place this in the proper place.” Alec nods, doing what she says. (Magnus has advised him that if Catarina Loss tells someone to do something, they do it. Otherwise the person ends up regretting it. (Magnus has been on the end of that hundreds of times over, according to Cat.))

Helping Magnus sit up Alec gently pushes him forward so Cat has a better view of Magnus’ spine so she can inject the needle. Cat cleans the spot she plans for injection with a cotton ball and rubbing alcohol. As she injects it Magnus’ screams increase a little before dying down. Cat uses her magic to bandage the injection spot before Alec places Magnus back on his back, the bone crushing hold Magnus has on his hand loosens.

“Thanks,” Alec tells her as Magnus’ head hits the pillow voice gone hoarse, breath coming out in heavy pants. “Where’s Madzie? Do you have a sitter watching her?”

Cat shakes her head. “No. No, my sitter is at her wits end so I picked her up before coming here. I left her outside with your parents before I came in here.”

Alec whips his head to look at her. “My Dad is here?” Magnus hasn’t even been in labor that long nor has it been that long since his Mom went out into the hall to call him.

“Yes. It seems that both of your parents are very excited for the birth of their second grandchild. In fact everyone appears to be happy for you and Magnus and the birth of your second child, except Madzie.”

“Why isn’t she happy?”

“She still misses Max. I haven’t told her the full details because she’s so young, all she’s knows is that Raziel and his brothers have asked Max to go with them and he accepted. She knows that means he isn’t coming back, she was at his funeral. She just wishes to have him back so she has someone to play with.”

“We all want him back.” Alec states.

“I know.” Hearing Magnus grunt in pain Alec and Cat stop talking and turn their attention back to them. Cat goes back under to check Magnus’ status. “Okay, Magnus, you’re at ten centimeters. You need to start pushing.” Magnus does as told, even squeezing Alec’s hand again, with Cat telling him when to push and when not too.

With one final push and a loud cry from Magnus the head of their child pops out followed by the rest of the body. As Cat brings their son out Alec sees that his and Magnus’ second child has blue-hair and blue skin. Alec lets go of Magnus’ hand as he goes to the end of the bed and cuts the umbilical cord. Cat takes their child away to bathe their son or daughter before bringing the newborn in a pink blanket.

“Congratulations, you have another son.” Cat tells them as she hands the newborn to Magnus. Alec looks at his husband, both have smiles on their faces. “I can come back later and take a name so you two have time to discuss----”

“No, we have a name all ready.” Magnus says. “Max Michael Lightwood-Bane.”

“Max?” Alec’s in disbelief, not believing his ears.

“Yes. After your brother. I also know your father hasn’t been the best and I know Jace has gone through a lot, but I figured we could give Michael as a middle name for your father.”

“Are you sure about this, Magnus?”

“I am, Darling.” Magnus says as he yawns, his eyes drifting close as he goes to sleep.

Alec takes Max out of Magnus’ arms as Cat lets the others in. His parents, siblings, Clary, and Simon are all gushing and speaking in baby voices around the newborn. Rafe is in awe of his little brother and Madzie seems to have mixed emotions. She looks happy and upset around the baby. Alec can’t blame her, it’s only been a year since Max died and to Madzie it must feel like an eternity since she lost her best friend and quite sudden that he and Magnus are having another child.

“What’s his name?” Madzie asks.

“Max. We named him after my brother.” Alec replies.

“Why?” Madzie may be young and not fully understand and comprehend her emotions yet, but Alec doesn’t miss the slight anger in her voice.

“Magnus and I thought it would be a good way to honor him, make sure that a little bit of him lives on.”

“That’s enough questions for now, Madzie,” Cat tells her daughter. “Please go out with the others. Brother Zachariah is here and we need to talk about Max.” Madzie nods at her mother’s words, taking Izzy’s hand as they leave the room; leaving Alec, Magnus, Cat, and the Silent Brother.

“Have you decided on the species of your child?” the Brother asks.

“Yes. We’ve chosen for him to be a Warlock.” Magnus answers in a tired voice after Alec gently shook him awake.

Cat and Brother Zachariah look at each other before nodding Cat raises her hands and starts an incantation to take away Max’s ability to bare runes. When it’s done Cat and the Silent Brother leave, with the others peaking their heads in and congratulating the married couple before leaving.

Later that night as everyone is asleep Magnus is still sleeping on the bed in the infirmary, Max in his arms, and Rafael curled at his side. Alec looks at his family and can’t believe that he has something that he never thought he’d have, children and a husband/mate that he loves more than anything and will die for. All his life Alec never thought that he would have this and now that he does he isn’t going to let it go.

The End.

Gosh,this story was amazing to share, special thanks again to uniquecellest for creating an amazing story that everyone love. I sure love it :>