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This is inevitable. He needs to talk to the Clave, he can't postpone this anymore. Alec has to talk with the Inquisitor. They have to know from him and not rumors or someone else.
It's 4 a.m and he hasn't been able to sleep all night. He keeps thinking about Max and what the Clave will say. He wasn't embarrassed about his baby but he knows the Clave. They're going to request a full report with all the details and then they'll probably want to talk to him in person. He needs to protect his family. He knows the looks they're going to get, the rumors, the prejudice his boyfriend and son are going to face. People are going to question him and his decision. /Why a warlock child? Was his boyfriend demanding? What does he know about warlocks to think he can take care of one? Is he going to make his son hide his warlock mark?\
He looked to the other side of the bed, Magnus is still asleep. He looks so peaceful. Alec has to do this Clave thing with caution so as not to harm his family. If this isn't done correctly, they can make the process longer than it should or not even recognize Max as their son.
He got up softly so as not to wake Magnus. He needs fresh air.
He looked back at Magnus' still sleeping form. Good, he needs to rest, Max was restless all night... Maybe he could sense his nerves and fear.
Alec walked out of the bedroom and went to the nursery to make sure Max was asleep. When he opened the door Max looked right at him.
"Blueberry... why are you awake?" he asked walking to the crib "It's okay, daddy's here".
He picks him up holding him closer "Why can't you sleep? Let's change your diaper and then you're going to eat. Maybe then you can fall back asleep".
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After Max's diaper was changed and he was fed, Alec took a seat on the dining table and bounced him while singing to him. 3 songs later and Max was sleeping, holding tightly Alec's shirt as if scared to be moved from his arms.
"I know we have a battle in front of us, but I'll protect you and papa with everything I have. I won't let them take you from us. I promise..." Alec whispered getting a paper and pen ready to start his report, he looked at the clock in the kitchen "5 a.m... Better get this started".
It took more than one hour but, finally, Alec was able to finish it. It was concise, full of details, and left no space for bigoted questions. He knows the Clave will analyze it thoroughly.
He looked down and Max was still asleep.
Looking around he saw the table full of crumbled papers. The fail attempts. He read it again, just to be safe, and send it to the Inquisitor Jia Penhallow. Now they wait.
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Magnus woke up with someone giggling right next to him. 'Weird' was his first thought. He opened his eyes to have deep blue ones looking right at him "How did you get here little man?" he asked caressing Max's hair. "You were supposed to be in your bed..." he laughed when Max hid his face under the covers giggling.
"I see you're in a better mood this morning." he said looking around and noticing his missing boyfriend "And can you tell me where your daddy is?" he got up and picked him up.
Magnus left the room with the intention of searching for his boyfriend but stopped when the smell of pancakes got to him. "I guess we found him," he said kissing Max's cheek.
Alexander was shirtless, singing softly to some melody playing on the radio while flipping pancakes.
"That's what I call an amazing view..." Magnus laughed when Alec turned around blushing.
"Good Morning to you too. I'm almost finished with breakfast. The rest of the food is already on the table, go take a sit and I'll join you in a little bit." Alec said while finishing his pancakes.
"Can I have a kiss first?" Magnus asked not waiting for his answer kissing him softly.
"Now that you have your kiss... go!" Alec laughed at his boyfriend.
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"Alexander..." Magnus said getting his boyfriend out of his thoughts, "I'm sorry... What?" Alec said a little distracted.
"It's okay. I was just asked what's the next step," he said a little nervous, "I know you need to make a report but what can I do? Do I have to go to Idris and talk with the Inquisitor?"
"I already wrote it and sent it to the Inquisitor directly," he said noticing Magnus' confused face, "I couldn't sleep and I decided to get it sorted before breakfast. And to answer your question, I don't know, the Inquisitor may need to talk to you at some point since Max is a warlock. I don't know if it's going to be today or another day, but since you're the High Warlock it's most likely that that will happen soon or later."
"I can feel your stress from here. What are you not telling me? A-Are you second-guessing us?" Magnus asked scared of his answer.
Alec was shocked by his question. He got up immediately to kneel down in front of him, Alec took his hands and looked straight at him "Of course not! Magnus... I want this like I never wanted anything else in my life. Max is ours, I'm going to fight for him with everything I have. I'm going to give you the family you deserve. I love you both so much, never doubt of that."
Magnus was scared Alec might start doubting his decision. He really wanted a family with him
"I'm sorry, I'm just scared of what the Clave might say. I want Max to be part of our family so much, but you're right, we are not letting them take him from us. We are a family and I'm going to fight too. I love you!" Magnus said kissing him softly.
Suddenly Alec's phone started to ring. He got up to answer it.
"Hello? Alec Lightwood speaking," he said not recognizing the number.
"Good morning Mr.Lightwood, I received your report. I already talked to the rest of the Council, and we would like for you and Mr.Bane to come to Idris so we can talk personally." she said sounding tense.
"Of course Inquisitor Penhallow, we will be there." he said smiling reassuringly at Magnus, "When should we meet?" he asked putting his hand on Magnus' shoulder.
"Well, it would be better as soon as possible," she said.
"Of course, in an hour?" he asked almost laughing at the panicked look on his boyfriend's face.
"Perfect, one more thing... please bring the child too." she said making him tense, "Why?" he asked.
"Mr.Lightwood we just want to see if he's okay in your presence and if he needs special care or attention. You probably can understand, that this is a first for us. Never before have a shadowhunter applied to adopt a downworlder child. We just want to understand the matter better. I will be waiting for all three of you in my office in an hour. Goodbye." and she hung up, without any more information.
"What did she say for you to be this tense? Alexander, you're worrying me!" Magnus said starting to panic.
"They want you, me... and Max in Idris in an hour." he said apprehensive and a little scared.
"What?! Why?! Max doesn't need to go!" he was already making a plan in his head as to where he was going to take Max. The Clave would never find him.
"Hey... Magnus, babe, take a deep breath! No one is going to take him from us. I promise! They just want to see how Max behaves in our presence... to see if he's happy and comfortable with us. Just that!" Alec said holding his shoulders trying to calm him down.
Magnus closed his eyes and took a deep breath, smelling Max's natural baby scent. He then felt Alec's arms surrounding him and kissing his forehead.
"Everything will be okay... I'm going to protect you both. Come on, calm down." Alec whispered.
"You're right... I just panicked for a little bit. But if they try to harm me or our son I'm not going to stay still. I'll kill anyone who crosses my path." he warned him showing his cat eyes.
"If I feel yours or Max's safety is at risk, I will take you out of there. But we need them to recognize us as his fathers. I want them to see that he's safe and that we can take care of him." Ale said kissing the top of Max's head.
"Okay... Let's go get dressed, I want everyone to see how beautiful my baby is." Magnus said already excited to show everyone his fashionable son. Maybe he can even convince Alec in using a colored shirt.
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"Ready?" Alec said holding Magnus' hand while he adjusted Max on his hip.
"I guess..." he sighed, "I just want to get this over with and go back home." Magnus was nervous and apprehensive about all this ordeal.
"I understand, the sooner we get this done the sooner we can go home and enjoy our life as a family. Just take a deep breath and remember we are doing this to protect Max." Alec said trying not to show how scared he was with the possibility of not being able to keep Max or the Clave not recognizing them as his parents.
"You're right, let's go," Magnus said opening a portal.
They got through and step out of it a few meters from the Inquisitor's office door.
Looking around Magnus noticed that everything was almost the same since he was last here. The same superiority in the Shadowhunters' eyes. The same decor. 'Maybe they should worry more about their decor than chasing after innocent downworlders' Magnus thought, laughing softly in his head.
Alec could feel the eyes on them. Everyone must know already about his intention to start a family with Magnus. He couldn't care less about their opinion. He only needs the Inquisitor's approval and the promise that the Clave won't harm his baby.
They knocked on the door and waited for permission to enter.
"Came in!" they heard her say and then they walked in.
"Good Morning, please have a seat." she said smiling, "I know you must be apprehensive about this request to bring the baby here but I promise you I just want to meet him and see if he's healthy and comfortable with you," she reassured them.
"To be honest I was a little worried, but I'm going to trust you," Magnus said, making eye contact with the Inquisitor.
"I know after everything the Clave and the prior Inquisitor, Imogen Herondel, made you go through... you won't trust us blindly, but I'm trying to change things here. I'm the Inquisitor temporarily, but we will talk about that later..." she said sincerely.
"You're right, after everything my people went through, we don't trust the Clave. Yes, we know that this new generation of Shadowhunters is better, but you still have a long way to go."
"Mr.Bane, I know we still have a long way to go to make things right with your people but I promise we are trying. Now let's talk about your request," she said holding a file full of documents.
Alec explained everything. He told her, with every detail, about the day they found Max, not leaving anything untold. Magnus told her what he got from the exam he performed on Max as soon as he held him. They spent almost an hour going through all the events of the day. Max in the meantime fell asleep in Alec's lap.
"Very well gentleman... Now I would like to talk to Mr.Lightwood alone." she said smiling reassuringly at Magnus, "It's just protocol," she said seeing the protest start in Magnus's eyes.
"It's okay Magnus," Alec said smiling at him.
Magnus got up and left the room.
"Mr.Lightwood this is not a joke. Taking care of a child is hard, are you sure you want to do this?" she asked.
"I'm one hundred percent sure I want this. I know raising a child is hard. I took care of my siblings since I was a child myself. I want to start a family with the man I love, I want this like I never wanted anything in my life." he said with fire in his eyes. The fire only a father protecting his child is able to have.
"Very well, knowing you as well as I do," they smiled remembering all the playdates he had with her daughter Aline when they were younger, "I know you have requests and questions..." she called Magnus back to the room.
Magnus looked at both of them taking the seat he previously occupied.
"I already talked with Mr.Lightwood about his desire to adopt Max, now I want to know both of your requests".
He looked at Alec, a little apprehensive when he started talking.
"First, the most important... when the Clave recognizes us as Max's parents, I want a birth certificate with all the right information, I want it to say that we're BOTH his parents. If something happens to me," he said taking a deep breath looking softly at Magnus seeing the scared look in his boyfriend's eyes, "I want Magnus to keep Max with no 'but's' from the Clave, Magnus will forever be recognized as Max father and no one can take him from him when I'm no longer here." he said.
Magnus was in tears... His wonderful boyfriend was making sure Max stays with him no matter what.
" Second, I want Max to have full access to the Lightwood house and everything in it. And lastly, I want Max forever recognized as a Lightwood. When I die he will be one of my heirs. No questioning from the Clave or any other Shadowhunter.
Magnus didn't knew Alec wanted to make Max one of his heirs. With this request, he's making sure Max will be a Lightwood and that no one could ever question it.
"Mr. Bane do you have any request?" she asked a little touched by Alec's words. She knew he was an amazing man but now she's sure he will be an extraordinary father.
"Y-Yes... I want Max to be allowed to enter Alicante. My baby has a father who is a shadowhunter. I want him to have permission to walk these streets with his head held high and be treated like every shadowhunter child" he said.
"Very well" she smiled, " I need to go and retrieve some papers for you. I'll be right back." she said leaving the room.
"I love you so much!" Magnus said as soon as they were alone.
"I love you too... I want to make sure Max stays safe with you. Even when I won't be here to protect you both." Alec said with tears in his eyes.
Magnus couldn't help but lean forth and kiss his boyfriend softly. He loves this man so much.
"Please don't talk like I'm going to lose you tomorrow. I don't want to think about the day you will part from me. Please..." Magnus said crying, not containing himself when the topic was Alec's mortality.
"Mags..." Alec said caressing his cheek, "I'm sorry to bring this up, but I need to make sure the Clave won't come after you and Max. I love you and our boy so much." he said kissing him with too much emotion for Magnus to handle.
__________
Thirty minutes later the door opened and the Inquisitor walked through.
"I'm sorry for the time you have been waiting but I was making sure every detail was perfect," she said seating down in front of them.
She passed them a file and smiled. Alec looked at Magnus and opened it. Inside was a birth certificate with all the right information about Max, only missing the last name and the Inquisitor's signature. Alec looked up.
"I don't know what the last name is going to be..." she said waiting for them to tell her.
Alec looked at Magnus "It's Maxwell Ragnor Lightwood-Bane"
"Verry well..." she said putting her signature on the end of the page, "Maxwell Ragnor Lightwood-Bane, son of Alexander Lightwood and Magnus Bane." she read it out loud.
At that very moment Max woke up and giggled.
Alec looked down and smiled "That's right, you are officially a Lightwood-Bane. You are officially o-ours." he said with so much emotion in his voice.
"Thank you," Magnus said to the Inquisitor while caressing Max's small hand.
"I have one more thing to discuss with you." she said a little tense, "As you may know I'm the Inquisitor, for now. The Council and I have been talking since the death of Imogen Herondale and we think that you, Mr.Lightwood, would be perfect for the position of Inquisitor."
"What? Me?" Alec said surprised.
Magnus was truly speechless. That meant moving to Idris. 'Is the Clave testing Alexander and making him choose between them and his new family'. That was the only thing Magnus could think about.
"Mr.Lightwood, we know this is a big decision. You have one week to think about it. We really think you are perfect for this job, you're young but wise, full of hope for a better future, you know the downworlders better than us, you understand our problems, and you're smart and resilient. We genuinely think you are our best option." she said and Alec could see the sincerity in her eyes.
"This is a big responsibility, accepting this would mean moving here. I know the restrictions the Clave has over downworlders not being allowed here. I'm not leaving my family behind." Alec said making sure she understood that he would refuse the promotion immediately if it meant he was going to be in one place and his family in another.
"We knew you wouldn't accept this promotion lightly. Of course, we don't want to keep you away from your family, so we thought of a solution. If you accept, we will open the doors of Alicante to Mr. Bane. We will, slowly, and with your help welcome all downworlders here. For that we have one more request..." she said
Magnus couldn't believe what he was hearing. The Clave was...
"We would like to offer Mr.Bane the position of High Warlock of Alicante..."