With what Alec knew of the Iron Sisters, he could imagine how difficult it might be for Luke to know his mother was out there, alive and well, but out of reach. That she'd essentially abandoned him for a job. It was an important, immensely respected job but it was a job, a duty, a responsibility. While his own mother was distant and aloof, she was still present and Alec could take comfort from that, at least. He knew if she was ill and or injured whereas Luke's mother wouldn't know what might be happening to Luke. Luke had, in essence, lost his mother of her own volition.

"It's a good thing you had your sister," Alec said, not apologizing for what Luke's mother had done. It hadn't been his fault and apologies wouldn't mend the relationship between mother and son. Luke had recovered from his mother's departure and if it still hurt, he hid it admirably. "I sometimes feel like Isabelle and I do the same thing for Max. My parents take him along when they go on trips to Idris but if they're in New York, we tend to make sure he eats and sleeps and doesn't get into too much trouble."

Though, with Max, trouble wasn't much of an issue. If he had books and a light, he'd be quiet and calm for hours on end. The thought of his younger brother, eyes hidden behind too large eyeglasses, made him smile.

"Maybe we don't have to keep him out of trouble as much as we have to keep him from acting like Jace. No one but Jace needs to act like Jace."