Chloe awoke to warmth, as well as slight disorientation. She opened her eyes, trying to remember what exactly had happened, only for the events of the last twenty four hours to come rushing back to her. A blush darkened on her cheeks as she sat up rapidly, pulling up the sheets around her, and then the lack of pain in her hands surprised her. She glanced down at her palms, which she'd sliced open for the ritual, to find the slices completely gone, two designs down her palm where the scars should be.

And then she breathed out slowly and turned her hand around to find the design around her finger gone. Completely gone. Not faded. Not hard to see. Gone. Her bond with Peter was completely broken.

Swallowing down the mix of emotions that rattled her on the inside, Chloe gripped the blankets tighter and glance down at the bed next to her, surprised at the sting she felt seeing it empty. Why had she expected to see Lincoln there? Why was she disappointed he was?

Confused and conflicted, Chloe finally noticed the fact that she did not recognize this room. Where was-wait. Hadn't CeeCee appeared? Clary had said something about going through the portal…

Eyes wide, Chloe stumbled out of bed, wrapping the sheets around her as she hurried o the closest window and threw open the curtains to reveal… Alternate Reality Metropolis. Even at first view there were obvious differences between Metropolis, there were buildings that shouldn't be there, and buildings which should've been were missing.

She was in an alternate reality again.

This was the Shadowhunter reality, the one she'd been most intrigued by.

A small smile touched her lips, and then she noticed some clothes flung over the bedside table she'd somehow managed to miss. They looked her size. They were probably CeeCee's clothes, or at least her old ones, if the accents of color had anything to say about it. Every single time she'd seen CeeCee the girl had been weather black or dark leather, whereas these clothes reminded Chloe of when she was younger.

And then she paused and really thought about it. Was CeeCee younger than her? She'd thought the slight differences between them to be Downworlder related somehow, and yet… if she still had these clothes… CeeCee had to be around, what, sixteen? Seventeen? For the soon to be twenty-year-old, the thought was surprising.

So this was not only a reality jump – but a time jump as well?

Just how powerful was CeeCee?

Suddenly the world around Chloe shifted as the holographic screen she was used to lifted, more transparent than usual, and with some visible changes. She didn't concentrate on them though, no, instead she concentrated on the holographic portrayal of CeeCee being projected in the middle of the room, along with various stats accumulating around her.

A line pointed to her demon black eyes, with a note which read: Greater Demon – only Greater Demons can affect and control other lesser demons, or affect them physically in any way, as shown during video footage of subject's fight with demon. Sire is named as Lilith in vision – should be impossible as Lilith's curse leaves her unable to have children of her own. Has she managed to circumvent the curse? How? Needs more investigation.

Another line joined three different parts of CeeCee's body, one end pointing to the circle of purple light which glowed sometimes beneath the demon black, another pointed to the ring on her thumb, and the last pointed to the symbol of a broken crown which had appeared very briefly on CeeCee's forehead. The note at the crux read: (1) Unseelie Court Royal Ring. Belongs to King Auberon. Shouldn't be on anyone's finger but his. Her possessing it is an anomaly which should be investigated.(2) Unseelie Court Symbol. The broken crown. Royal family. Could account for her owning Auberon's ring. (3) Unseelie are known for their dark aura, which, while usually hidden, can be revealed in the eyes, blood (if using the right spell), and other means mostly only known to the Seelie Courts.

A new line spread out, pointing towards different runes partly visible on CeeCee's body, with a note which read: Shadowhunter runes. Shadowhunters were created by the Angel Raziel to fight demons. Yet this Shadowhunter is part Greater Demon. Should be an impossibility. Considering royal Unseelie heritage this subject has been FLAGGED. Potential first of kind. New index created for this subject.

More lines pointed to other symbols on her, noting: Demonic runes. Yet the one on her inner wrist read, in red: Demonic binding rune. Is one of two. Very powerful. Very rarely used. Connects the two marked, allowing the dominant user certain privileges, which, as of this moment, are uncategorized. First actual live subject with this marking. Should investigate further.

Below CeeCee were some stats, or more like theories:

Portal creation – possible Warlock? If so, file should be tentatively linked to Tessa Gray's for further correlations. Possible rune creation – Angels should be the only ones capable of this, yet runes not recorded in any Shadowhunter reality file are partially visible on her and companion. Energy consumption – when linked to Adept, subject strenuously fought against the instinct to consume Adept's energy, both physical and mystical. Through link established by a 'Fehuruz' rune, a connection has been made between subject and Adept, and evaluations are continuing. Is interesting. No soul but not soulless. Initial reports are conflictive, must rerun tests. Clearly a Vessel of some sort, though – able to keep an item as powerful as the Book of White hidden within her own body. PROGNOSTIC – murky – too many uncertainties. Subject is, however, clearly dangerous, powerful, unstable, and very powerful.

Right under that were the words:

POTENTIAL CANDIDATE.

Potential candidate for what, though?

Unlike before, her mind didn't immediately answer her question, but she didn't care, not right now. She was just blown away by just how different her ability was now that she had a permanent Anchor! It hadn't been this way when she'd been linked to Lionel. Not even in the beginning. Was it because this Anchor had been one of her own choosing?

Those questions floated in her mind as she went to the adjacent bathroom, bathed, and then changed into the clothes that had been left her. There were a little loose and a little short, which proved just how much weight she'd lost since she'd become the Adept – and the fact that she'd apparently gotten little taller. Her shoe size hadn't changed though.

Chloe stared at herself and didn't quite recognize herself, although she realized that she wasn't wearing the Suppressant anymore. The chain was there, but the thing itself was gone. She wondered whether it'd disintegrated. The last time she'd seen it it'd been glowing fiercely with the connection between her and CeeCee. Maybe it'd been too much and had overwhelmed it.

Taking in a deep breath, Chloe nodded to her reflection and stepped out of the bathroom, into the bedroom, and went towards the door, inching it open to hear voices. She slipped out of the bedroom and followed the voices to finally find the group, who were in a large living room.

Tess and Jared were still eating, both seated on the loveseat, their attention on Clary, who'd clearly just finished saying something while she paced back and forth in the middle of the floor.

Gibbs – dad – was there too. He wasn't eating, but had a glass of something that was most probably alcohol of some sort in his clenched hand. He too was eyeing Clary.

Lincoln had his back to Chloe, and seated next to him was… was that Senator Carsons?!

CeeCee sat on a comfy looking chair, and seated on the armrest of that chair was a handsome guy Chloe had never seen before. He was lean yet muscular, runes covering his body, betraying him as a Shadowhunter. His eyes were green, the same green as CeeCee's, and his hair shockingly white-blonde. Was this the brother CeeCee had mentioned? He clearly was close to her, the two of them visibly comfortable with each other.

He was the only one who'd noticed Chloe's entrance. He didn't let the others know though, instead he quietly observed Chloe, and she couldn't help but feel that he found her lacking. She wasn't sure why she felt that way, maybe it was the slight downturn of his lips and the rise of his eyebrows as he gave her a subtle onceover. He then glanced over at CeeCee, more obvious in his onceover, and then he returned that green gaze to Chloe.

"While Miss Morgenstern's worries are very valid – and I'd like to talk to you about those later if that's okay with you – I believe that an alliance between worlds would be helpful for the both of us." That was Senator Carsons, who was talking either to CeeCee or the newcomer. "There are resources we can trade, knowledge, and if there truly is a danger of… Lucifer… returning to destroy the worlds we should be united in fighting them. An alliance, and ability to communicate and share information between worlds, would be beneficial to all."

Wait. Who'd convinced Senator Carsons that Lucifer was actually a threat? How had he gone from 0 to 100 so quickly? The last time she'd talked to him he'd not only thought she was ridiculous for saying that, but he'd wanted to block all access to other realities! So what had changed his tone so quickly and drastically?

"There are things you don't want knowing your reality exists, much less that there's someone with a pathway that can be opened to it," CeeCee rubbed her head, voice strained, clearly experiencing some sort of headache. "In this reality demons can travel through worlds and do do so, destroying them in their path."

"World, not reality," Senator Carsons countered, proving he'd been getting some sort of lesson during Chloe's sleep.

"They crossed over when I made a portal though," CeeCee reminded him. "So even though it's rare, it's possible."

"It might be a possibility only you can make happen though," the blonde male drawled as his eyes slowly traced the features of her face. "I've never heard of a demon being able to cross over realities. I didn't even know there were other realities. You're part Fae, and it is rumored that the Seelie Queen has dominion over a special place of hidden portals she guards zealously… what Valentine did to you might account for your ability."

CeeCee looked up at him in surprise while still rubbing her temples. "You think?"

Even Clary, who seemed to be constantly in a state of worry and disapproval, blinked in surprise, looking intrigued. "That would actually make sense. I mean, it's just a theory, but it's a solid one."

"Of course it is," the blonde replied smoothly before eyeing CeeCee oddly. Not brotherly. This wasn't her brother, right? But even if it wasn't it made CeeCee's comment about blonde guys and redheaded women being a stereotype even more understandable.

Should she be sleeping this long?

Chloe's eyes widened as she turned towards Lincoln, surprised at his change of topic, but no one else had even acknowledged his words.

I don't like leaving her there by herself, but I don't want to spook her or make her feel uncomfortable. After everything that's happened to her – I've got to give her space, I can't loom in too much or she'll panic. She's been – she deserves better, so much better – but Peter. There was a dark groan. I'm never going to be able to do this as seamlessly as he did! I don't even know if it's better to let her wake up by herself or to be there! Is it rude for me to have left her there or would it be creepy for her to wake up and find me there watching her?

It was then, as she watched the side of Lincoln's face, that Chloe realized he wasn't talking. His face was drawn up in a concerned, conflicted expression as he stared down at his palms, which, similarly to Chloe, bore that line of symbols instead of scars.

Was he—thinking?

Was she – hearing his thoughts?

Chloe's eyes widened even further.

Yet another thing that hadn't ever happened before! She hadn't even known this was a possibility!

"Honey." That was dad. He was on his feet and suddenly Chloe was in his arms as he hugged her tightly. "You had a worried, kiddo. I thought…" His tightening his arms around her proved what he'd thought.

"I'm fine, dad," Chloe whispered as she hugged him back with a smile. "Better than fine, actually."

"Yeah?" Gibbs pulled away and stared down at her as if trying to tell whether she was lying to him or not.

"Yeah." She smiled up at him. "I feel better than I have in a very long time."

"Good." He finally let go and cleared his throat as he led her to sit next to him. "We've been getting caught up while you've rested."

"I see." Chloe's gaze skimmed on Senator Carsons, who looked quite at home in the alternate reality, before allowing her gaze to rest on Lincoln.

Don't be weird. Don't make this weird. She doesn't need you to make this weird.

Lincoln smiled at her, not at all revealing the turmoil in his mind. "How are you feeling now? How's the head?"

"Fine," Chloe whispered, surprised at the disconnect between his mind and actions. Had he always been like this? Had she just never seen just how hard he tried? She'd thought everything came so effortlessly to him. "It doesn't hurt at all."

"Lucky you," CeeCee muttered as she continued to rub her temples. "I have a migraine that won't go away."

Clary let out a deep breath while visibly chewing on her inner cheek in an effort to keep herself from saying something.

"You helped save me," Chloe whispered as she sat down. "How did you know I was in danger?"

"I kept feeling something was wrong, and then…" CeeCee lifted her wrist, not the one with the demonic binding rune, but this one had a symbol as well – the same one on Chloe. "This burnt itself on me and I could see… I don't know… Clary and I worked really hard to make another portal to you using your rune as an Anchor. We barely made it in time to stabilize you enough for removal – and to give you and Glasses here a chance to fix the issue in privacy instead of with an audience while you're half-dead."

Chloe blushed darkly at the realization that if CeeCee and Clary hadn't done what they had she would've had to do that in front of other people – her father included. She owed them so much by now that the debt was terrifying to contemplate.

"I must apologize, Agent Gibbs," Senator Carsons sighed as he eyed her, ignoring the other Agent Gibbs in the room. "When you came to me with the danger of an upcoming apocalypse I did not take you seriously. You were right in keeping your actions to yourself, and when I return to our reality I will have all charges against you and your colleagues lifted. All record of the suspicion on them will be expunged. And I will have a very long conversation with the council – we cannot be a hindrance to the safety of our reality. We will have to come to accept that there will be things – dangers – clearly over our ability of understanding."

Chloe just stared at the man. Just what in the world had happened while she'd been asleep? She tried not to look so dumbfounded when she cleared her voice and assured him: "I accept your apology."

"Thank you." Senator Carsons nodded as he sat straighter in his seat. "Your team, and Miss Morgenstern and Miss Wayland, have filled me in on everything that you have been jointly working on. It is both impressive and terrifying to say the least."

"Before we got sidetracked with the inter-reality communication topic, I was telling your team about my impending trip to try and find Mazikeen," CeeCee announced. "It's why the portal to your world was already halfway completely. We'd planned on returning to bring you over – your team just ended up coming over as well since it really wasn't safe to leave them there with the dome and your reality's nasties – especially when they were handcuffed."

"I saw your interactions with Lindsey," Chloe admitted, a little relieved this seemed to surprise CeeCee. "The rune let me. So I know that Mazikeen will have information on Lucifer, and that's she's very dangerous." She leaned forwards in her seat. "My mind is still settling, everything rearranging, and I'm still not sure how to operate this," she tapped her temple, "but I can try and find any references to Mazikeen you might need."

"I'd really appreciate that," CeeCee responded immediately. "Once we have more concrete information on her Sebastian and I will go and pay her a visit. We still have to wait, though, I mean, the only places I know for sure where she'll be are related to certain festivals which only happen at certain times of the year."

'Sebastian', the blonde guy, had started grinning brightly the second CeeCee mentioned he'd be joining her Mazikeen search.

Clary rolled her eyes. "Stop looking so excited."

"You know I love a good hunt," he responded.

"Why Sebastian and not Clary?" Tess wanted to know, finally breaking her silence. "From what I understand, Clary and CeeCee are some sort of bonded fighting team, so why isn't Clary going with you?"

"Normally I would," Clary assured her. "But my brother's… more equipped for a hunt." She raised an eyebrow. "And I have to stay here to make sure you guys are safe. There isn't a ward I can't bypass or a sigil I can't fortify. Plus, CeeCee will be drawing from me, it helps if I'm not injured as well. Also, if something happens to them, someone is going to need to go and get reinforcements… and deal with someone's Gemini when he comes around wanting to know where his dumbass partner is and why he's getting hurt."

Sebastian ignored her pointed glare. "I've handled that, actually."

"What did you do?" CeeCee and Clary each gave Sebastian such a dark and distrusting glare that it took Chloe back. Were they friends with Sebastian or not?

With that a knock sounded on the door.

Clary hurried to her feet, let out a little whimper when she saw who was on the other side of the door, and then glared daggers and Sebastian before finally opening it to reveal two guys standing there.

One was blonde, with one who blue and the other half blue and half brown. The other was…

"Clark?" Chloe asked in surprise as they entered, the door closing behind them.

Clark froze and looked between Chloe and CeeCee. "Why are there two of you?"

The other guy looked just as dumbfounded. "Sis? Did you have a twin I was never told about?" His voice broke in panic at the very thought.

"No, you idiot, that's the Adept." Sebastian rolled his eyes. "That's why I told you, Jonny, that mom can't know. Imagine if she found out the Adept is a different version of Abigail."

Jonny went pale. "I see."

Clark wrapped his arms around Clary and pulled her in close. "There aren't two versions of you, are there?"

The redhead snorted. "You wish."

"I can't believe you told them," CeeCee growled at Sebastian.

"I can't believe you didn't!" Jonny snapped as he stormed towards her. "What part of: 'you're my sister, I'm here to protect you', didn't you get?"

She flinched. CeeCee actually flinched. And looked guilty. She lowered her gaze as she sighed. "I didn't want to put you in a position that you'd feel like you had to choose between me or her. I didn't want to do that to you, Jonny, not after all she's done for you."

Jonny's anger quickly subsided as he reached out and pulled her in close, hugging her tightly, protectively, while resting his chin on the top of her head. "Idiot."

CeeCee smiled, genuinely smiled, and hugged him back.

As she watched them, Chloe couldn't help but feel a bit envious. She'd always wanted an older brother, but she hadn't been the version of herself to get one. Instead she was getting a glimpse into what life might've been for her if she'd had one.

"Not that this isn't all heartwarming and everything," Clark drawled from where he was, arms tightly around Chloe, most definitely staking his claim to the males in the room. "But I heard there's a hunt involved, and if I'm being honest, I thought Clary's skulking around might mean she was cheating on me so I've got all sorts of pent up aggression in me I need letting out."

Clary's eyes widened in horror as she peered back up at him. "I would never cheat on you, you idiot!"

He smirked yet didn't say anything.

"Well, the hunt for Mazikeen isn't going to happen yet, we still have a while for that," CeeCee informed him as she and Jonny finally pulled away. "You'll have to find other ways of relieving your tension, and I'm sure you two assholes will figure something out."

Clark grinned slyly.

So did Clary.

CeeCee merely rolled her eyes and mumbled darkly under her breath about horn-dog Geminis.

Senator Carsons cleared his throat, bringing the topic back to something more appropriate. "I suppose there is nothing that can be done right now."

"Actually," Chloe countered, and suddenly all eyes in the room were on her. She cleared her throat, still hating being the center of attention. "There was something I was going to say before you dismissed everything I was saying and told us we'd be locked up pending a tribunal hearing."

Senator Carsons had the grace to look very embarrassed and contrite.

"I made a deal back in my reality, which was the reason my division and I were handcuffed when you guys came for us." Chloe shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I let a certain group leave containment in exchange for information which had to do with a light which would destroy the world."

"Lucifer, the light-bearer," Jonny whispered, making the connection very quickly.

"Exactly," Chloe agreed, deciding then and there to get to know the brother she might've had had things been different. "My source told me that the Mother of All was the one who'd prophesied about the light that would destroy the worlds, so I traded their freedom for all information about her and her prophecy. I discovered that she's Eve."

"Eve." Lincoln's voice was choked. "As in the First Woman?"

"Yes." Chloe was still trying to digest that news herself. "And I also discovered that she's in Purgatory."

"Purgatory is real." Jared looked very shaken about that. "I've got to change certain things in my life right now."

Senator Carsons appeared to be in agreement with Jared.

"Actually, Purgatory is a place for the souls of monsters who have died, it's not meant for humans at all," Chloe was quick to explain. "God created it as a place to imprison the Mother of All, as well as other extremely powerful an dangerous creatures which would've destroyed the world had they been free." She cleared her throat. "Eve is a very ancient and powerful being, able to pierce through Purgatory enough to send messages to the Alphas of the monsters. That's how she's telling them to hide from what's coming, but she hasn't told them anything other than the light will destroy the worlds."

"We can't really do much with that information," Tess announced softly, disappointedly.

"So we go straight to the source," Sebastian declared as he stood, that sly smile on his face as he yanked out a blade from… somewhere… and sliced it across the air. "We should meet this Mother of All and ask her ourselves."

"She said it isn't meant for humans though." And then Clary's eyes widened. "Ah. Riiiiiiiight. Nephilim, ET, Hybrids, Adept and Anchor. All technically 'other'. It could work."

"I'm not letting you go to Purgatory," Gibbs declared in horror as he stared at Chloe.

"Dad, I have to go," Chloe pressed, having known he'd object to this.

"What if you get stuck there?"

"There's a way out for humans," Chloe hurried on to assure him. "It was a backdoor entrance that was made just incase a human got trapped inside of Purgatory. I know where it is. I'm the only one who can lead them out once we find the Mother of All and get all the information we need out of her."

"But Clary just said-," Jonny began.

"I'm human. No matter what else I am, that still remains true. It'll let me through." Chloe took in a deep breath. "And Purgatory isn't a place for Angels or Demons, that's where Hell and Heaven come in."

"Kal isn't any of that," Sebastian pointed out lazily.

"Where Clary goes, I go," Clark (Kal?) responded immediately.

"Not if it means you getting trapped in there!" Clary snapped.

"There's a ritual, just in case – we can get him out." Chloe frowned at the information she'd gleaned from John Scott's head. "It'll hurt though, for the both of you."

Kal and Clary nodded they were willing.

Chloe turned to Tess, who was clearly just as unhappy with this as her father was. "I'm going to need you to protect Senator Carsons while I'm gone. Make sure he's safe, please."

Tess nodded. "Of course, ma'am."

Chloe then turned to her father. "You and Lincoln-."

"I'm going too," Lincoln interrupted as he stood.

Chloe opened her mouth to tell him there was no way in hell she'd allow him to put himself in danger like that.

There's no way in hell she's going to put herself in danger like that! Not with me to watch her back at least! I don't trust these people, I don't know these people, and even if I did, I'm her Anchor now, aren't I? I'm supposed to be there for her. I will be there for her. Whether she thinks I'm a nuisance or not!

Chloe stared up at Lincoln's defiant expression, at the way he visibly prepared for a fight. Her voice was soft as she spoke: "Okay."

His eyes widened. "O-okay?"

She nodded.

He smiled and then cleared his throat. "Good. Yes. It's settled then."

"No, it's not," CeeCee countered with a shake of her head. "Someone from my team needs to stay behind too. If something goes wrong we need someone from this reality who knows who to go to for help."

"I vote Clary," Jared joked as his hand shot up in the air.

Kal raised an eyebrow. "You like having that hand attached to your body?" he asked casually.

Jared's hand lowered immediately.

"I agree with him," Sebastian surprised them all by saying.

"What?" Clary and Kal snapped simultaneously.

"Clary, you're the only one with a runic skill level high enough to actually be able to do something should we get trapped in there." Sebastian turned his green gaze on his sister, his expression solemn. "I'm not saying you are not a valuable fighter, you have learnt a lot under our tutelage, but like Abigail, your true skill lies in your stele. You're Abigail's Gemini, you know things only the two if you know. If anyone could find a loophole to get us out it'd be you – and you're also the only one who could find us by using the connection between the two of you."

"He's right," Jonny agreed. "I know it's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth." He hesitated, and then, when CeeCee was distracted scowling at Sebastian, he leaned towards Clary and softly added: "And, if things go spectacularly badly… you're the only one she allows in without an invitation."

Clary's face immediately went blank, all protest gone. She sighed, glanced towards CeeCee, and then turned to Jonny and nodded.

"So, what's the plan, Adept?" Sebastian wanted to know, an arm around CeeCee's shoulder, eyes expectant, seeming oblivious to the surprised looks on his friends' faces. "How do we get in?"

Everyone else turned to look at her expectantly as well.

Clearly her throat, a little nervous, Chloe stumbled as she tried to collect herself and not make an utter fool of herself.

You can do it. Just calm down, collect yourself. This is just like debriefing. You've got this.

Her green eyes found Lincoln's grey and she smiled softly before taking in a very deep breath and nodded. "The ritual to get in doesn't matter, we need to have an idea of what we'll be coming up against while up in there. Remember, Purgatory is a large prison for creatures so powerful God had to cage them - which means he himself had problems controlling them."

Sebastian and Jonny shared excited looks before high giving each other over CeeCee's head. They were obviously very excited at the thought of coming across these creatures, of fighting them.

Clary and CeeCee rolled their eyes at their brothers' eagerness - clearly they were the saner of the two pairs of Gemini.

"We also know how we can help from over here," Jared surprised them by pipping up. "We mightn't be able to go there, but there's got to be something we can do."

"Yes." Senator Carsons agreed. "I do not plan on sitting down and not doing anything either. Just say the word, Agent Gibbs."

See? You can do this. Just have faith in yourself.

Taking Lincoln's unknown advice, Chloe squared her shoulders, raised her chin, and took command.

Peter just stared at the scene of the crime. Everything was upturned but nothing was rattled enough to prove that something so monumental had happened here. He looked down at his design-less hand and breathed heavily as he rubbed his other hand over it.

When he'd awoken to the pain he'd been terrified. Something had been wrong. Somehow he'd known the bond wasn't being transferred, it was being broken. Which meant she hadn't found a replacement before their bond had completely broken.

He'd killed her.

Peter slammed his fist into the wall and fought the darkness filing him.

He'd thought he was saving her - forcing her to step out of the comfort he provided her and give her the push to find the person who would - could - save her. And yet he'd killed her. He should've stayed with her! Damn it! He should've been here!

Maybe he could've stopped whatever had happened to get the whole team arrested - could've kept her from dying!

"Fascinating," Walter whispered to himself as he eyed a two-way mirror.

"It's a mirror, Walter," Peter replied a little harsher than he needs to. "There's nothing special about it."

He still couldn't understand what had happened here, and if the way everyone was acting was anything to go by, they didn't either. Had Chloe exploded and killed everyone?

From what he'd been told - very reluctantly - a dome of some sort had come over the room, after which they're been attacked by demons, and then… and then some explosion of light which fried everything electrical in the building… and then, when the light was gone, so was everyone in the room except for a few security men, who were shaken up and not saying anything useful, all clearly in shock. They'd said something about Senator Carsons running into the light, and Chloe splitting into two.

I should've never left you.

Peter closed his eyes and ran his hand down his face.

"Peter, Peter, are you okay?" Walter asked curiously, not seeming to understand what was wrong with Peter, why this would affect him like this. "It isn't like the Adept hasn't travelled before, maybe not this one, but how else are they to collect data?"

And then, suddenly, Peter yanked his hand down as his body froze, every instinct in him on high alert. "You think she's alive."

"Isn't it obvious?" Walter wanted to know as he pointed to the two-way mirror once more. "Look at the edges." He then started spouting out something rapidly that Peter couldn't really catch. "Very faint. Reminds me of when you were kid." He laughed. "You remember that road trip we went on when you were eight? You complained the whole way. Were utterly miserable!" He laughed some more and shook his head.

"Walter, what are you talking about?" Peter joined his father's side as he eyed the two-way mirror, trying to see what Walter was pointing to, but he honestly couldn't see anything.

"I'd told you to bring something along to read, but you were always so stubborn, stuck in your ways, you get that from me." Walter reached out with his hand towards the edge of the mirror… and all the hairs on his arm stood on end.

Peter's eyes widened.

"Do we have ice cream at home?" Walter suddenly asked as he turned his back on the mirror. "I want some." He rubbed his tummy. "Really want some. Can we have? I haven't had really good ice cream in a long time. They only gave you really cheap stuff back at—-."

"What? Yes. Sure. Whatever you want. When we get back." Peter fought back his irritation as he motioned to the mirror. "Why did did it react to you like that? What happened with that?"

"Huh?" Walter looked back behind him in confusion before his eyes widened in surprise. "Oh. Right." He chuckled and turned to face the two-way mirror once more. "You were such an impatient kid, never good keep still. Then again, your mind was always working. Shows you got my brains."

Considering Walter had been a psychiatrist hospital all these years, Peter was force to bite back his initial reaction to that comment.

"Since you couldn't find anything to write in…" Walter leant in and breathed on the mirror… revealing a handprint and half of a symbol which seemed to have been drawn on the mirror itself.

Peter hurried to his father's side and breathed on the mirror, revealing more and more symbols, incredibly intricate ones which were visibly fading away, disappearing slowly without a trace.

"Travel." He whispered to himself. "She didn't die… the security detail said Senator Carsons ran into the light - they didn't mean into the explosion - they meant into some sort of portal." He turned to his father. "She's alive. She's just not here!"

He looked down at his hand. It gave every indication she was dead, and yet… THey'd said Chloe had split in two, and he could ether take it literally, or meaning that another version of Chloe had come through the portal to take this one, and if she had… it meant that somehow, somehow, Chloe was alive.

Somewhere.

Letting out a deep breath of relief, Peter placed his hand on the mirror and stared at his own reflection.

I'll find you, he promised Chloe. I brought you back once, I'll bring you back again.

Walter turned to him. "Ice cream now?"

Peter sighed and nodded. "Okay. Let's get ice cream."

"I can't believe you're taking orders from someone." Kal leaned in the darkest corner, hands over his chest, expression betraying his dislike of this plan.

"I'm not taking orders," Sebastian snorted as he shifted to lean against the wall next to Kal, his gaze on the group. "For now we need the Adept, she has information which would be very difficult for us to get on our own without raising any suspicions. I'm using her."

"Your mother can never know we kept this from her," Kal muttered darkly. "She'd want the Adept and would never forgive us for keeping her from her." He eyed the Adept. "I'm still not sure we shouldn't just get all we need from her, and then hand her in."

"No." Sebastian shook his head, voice resolute. "I promised Abigail we wouldn't harm her little Adept."

Kal's lips twitched. "Still trying to get her forgiveness for pretending to be Jace that one time in Wayland Manor, huh?"

"She holds a grudge like none other," Sebastian mumbled, clearly unhappy, before he shook his head and glanced over towards where Abigail and Seraphina - or Chloe and Clary as they preferred to be called - were in deep conversation with the Adept and her redhead.

Jonny eased over to where they were and stood facing them. "How long are we planning on playing along with this? I mean, sure, Purgatory sounds like loads of fun" the three boys grinned at the very thought "but this brings a whole crap full of other problems."

"We're going to play nice," Sebastian informed both Jonny and Kal. "They're aiming for Lucifer. Imagine." He could barely hold in his excitement. "He's the only demon higher up than Asmosdeus and Lilith. If we topple him—-."

"They have all the power, permanently," Jonny agreed. "And we don't have to worry about some ancient Angel with a grudge coming along and screwing everything." His fists clenched. "I nearly lost my sister the last time one of those were around."

"Exactly." Sebastian nodded, having known this would be enough to get Jonny to join their side fully despite his extreme loyalty to Lilith, who had not only saved his father and him, but had raised him and trained him as if he were her own. "And when it's done the Adept will go back to her own reality and we hopefully never have to even hear about her again."

"Are you not even slightly tempted to keep her?" Kal wanted to know, proving he was tempted. "We could use the knowledge the Adept has. It'd give us a big advantage in… the future."

Sebastian glanced over at the Adept and sneered before returning his attention to his comrades. "She goes back, Kal. They all do. You don't want her influencing Abigail, do you?"

Jonny flinched. "What do you mean?"

Kal frowned. "I hadn't thought of that, but you're right. She's always been very stubborn, and if anyone could put thoughts in her mind, it would be herself."

Sebastian nodded. "We play nice with the Adept, we have fun in Purgatory, we kill ourselves a Demon King, and then we kick the Adept and her friends back to their reality before she has the chance to ruin anything for us."

Kal and Jonny shared looks before nodding their agreement.

They didn't need the Adept coming in and ruining what they'd spent so long forging, cultivating.

As soon as she wasn't needed, she needed to go.

A muscle jumped in Kal's cheek.

One way or the other.

Chloe watched the group working together and couldn't help but feel overwhelmed yet excited. Senator Carsons was very involved, which was good as it would take a while for CeeCee and Clary to get the energy to open the portal back. It was best he kept busy.

Dad was going to be an issue. She could tell he still wasn't happy with not being a part of the group to go to Purgatory, and if he ever discovered that she'd kept hidden that technically a human could go to Purgatory - just that they weren't meant to go to Purgatory - well, it wouldn't be very good at all if he or Tess found out!

Both Chloe's and CeeCee's group were integrating. That was good. If things worked out they might be able to work closer in the future.

If they pulled off saving the world, that is.

Her gaze landed on Lincoln, who was finishing talking to Jared, who went over to where Gibbs was.

Chloe cleared her throat and moved to Lincoln's side. This would be the first time they'd spoken to each other since they'd, uh.

A blush tinted her cheeks. "Hey."

"Hey." His eyes widened as he stared down at her. "You're, uh, you're doing really great."

She smiled up at him, knowing she'd have to tell him soon that she got snippets of his thoughts, but for right now she merely cleared her throat, took in a deep breath, and hugged him.

Lincoln froze before slowly, carefully, wrapping his arms around her.

Not too tight. Don't make her feel trapped. Let her see she can get away if she wants to - that she's in control of this. That you won't hurt her.

She smiled into his shirt. "Thank you."

"For what?" He asked oddly.

"For being you."

He sputtered, clearly embarrassed and speechless, yet his fingers curled a little more securely around her.

There was a lot that was happening to Chloe, they were going to travel to Purgatory and go after Lucifer himself for crying out loud! But as she stood there, in Lincoln's very careful arms, Chloe had a very good feeling about everything.

They could do this.

They could.

This is really nice.

She smiled brighter and hid her face in Lincoln's shirt.

She'd tell him about the whole reading his thoughts… later.

End of The Selection