Sweet Little Serena (Original)

Chapter 38

They were back in the institute now.

Clary was sitting with Jocelyn, Jace with her. And Clary had handed over The Cup to Lydia, freeing Izzy of all charges and making her free to go after the Inquisitor deemed that they'd lost the case even after Lydia withdrew the charges. Magnus had defended her, free of cost, and had done a brilliant job too, the Inquisitor, however, didn't agree and hand wanted Izzy stripped of her runes and banished if The Cup wasn't returned.

Serena, on the other hand, hadn't spoken to or gone near anyone since she got back, heading straight for her room.

When Alec finally entered after telling Izzy that she was free to go, she was sitting at the edge of their bed, just staring off into space.

"Baby?" Alec called and Serena shot to her feet.

"Uh, is Izzy ok?" she asked, eyes still bloodshot.

Alec then grew concerned. "She's fine. Little shaken, but fine and free," he answered as he moved closer to her and she surprised him when she moved back.

"Serena? Everything ok? What happened?"

Alec tried to move closer, but she only backed away further.

"You can't touch me."

"Why not?"

"You can't touch me. I'm not who you thought I am," she said erratically, tears welling in her eyes, she was amazed she had any left.

"Serena, you're scaring me. And you're not making any sense. What happened?! Where's your father?! Why can't I touch you?!"

"Because Valentine's my father!" she yelled at him as she cried, and Alec's heart broke and those pieces broke.

"Jocelyn is apparently my mother and Valentine pretended to be Michael Wayland all those years that he raised me and Jace. And Clary is my sister. And- And, you can't touch me because I'm Valentine's daughter. I'm a monster. You can't touch me. You can't possibly be married to me," she sobbed as she rambled and twisted the wedding rings from her finger before setting them down on the dresser.

"Serena," Alec said as he moved closer, almost in tears himself.

"No, no! You can't touch me! No one can touch me!" she wailed as she pressed herself into the wall, but Alec didn't stop until he'd pulled her into a hug, both of them sinking to their knees as Serena cried.

The hardened Shadowhunter who normally prided himself on being able to control his emotions was helpless as tears leaked from his eyes too, salty water falling to his lips.

"How can you touch me? How can you stand to be in the same room as me when I'm Valentine's daughter?" she bawled as Alec felt the material of his shirt dampening from her tears as he pulled her face away to meet his eyes.

"Because I love you. Because I know who you are. And Jace. And while Valentine may have been a sperm donor, does not make you him. You are my Serena. And that fact that he might be your father, doesn't matter, because your name is still Lightwood. You are still that same, strong, beautiful, independent, sarcastic warrior that I fell for. And I love you."

Serena only sobbed more as Alec pulled her back to his chest, wanting nothing more than the ability to take away her pain.

"I don't care if you're Michael's daughter or Valentine's or the Angel Raziel's, you're putting those damn rings back on," he said and despite herself, Serena's sobs became mixed with laughter.

And then Izzy came rushing in.

"Is Serena ok? I can only feel sadness from her side of our bond," she explained as she walked in and closed the door, not bothering to knock again.

And then she saw Serena and Alec on the floor on the other side of the room, both their faces covered with tears as Alec reluctantly helped her up.

Serena was trembling as she awaited Izzy's words.

"Jace told me everything. I had to know if you were ok."

"Izzy...." Serena whimpered and the raven-haired girl held her arms out as her best friend and sister crashed into them, breaking into a new round of sobs.

"This doesn't change anything. You are still my sister. Still my parabatai," Izzy promised as she cradled Serena's head to her shoulder.

Serena's cries shook her entire body as Alec then moved to join the hug, holding both girls to his much taller frame.

Eventually, when Serena had quietened a little, they pulled away as Izzy held her chin up with one hand as she wiped her tears with the other.

"Who your father is, doesn't change who you are. We know who you are. And we love you for who you are. And we're not going to leave you, or your brother," Izzy promised as Alec then took her left hand.

"Four go in, four come out," he smiled as he slid her rings back onto her finger.

Serena gave them a watery smile as she wrapped them in a hug again.

She didn't know what she'd do without them.