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Chapter Text

Magnus….

Magnus hadn’t replied his calls and messages…..

“Magnus?” Alec tiptoed into his boyfriend’s loft and called out his name with his eyebrow raised. His boyfriend hadn’t answered and replied his messages since the lunch break and it got Alec very worried since Magnus always replied fast for him. Alec rushed to his loft as soon as his shift was over at the institute and now, he let himself in with a spare key Magnus had just given to him a few weeks ago.

“Magnus, are you there? You didn’t answer my calls and messages.” Alec looked around in the living room and Kitchen. There were no sign of him. Then, he found some Antique vases on the floor as if someone had bumped into them carelessly and it heightened his concerns. He dropped everything he was carrying and rushed out to check the remaining rooms in the loft.

“MAGNUS?” He rushed to the bedroom where he sighted his boyfriend collapsed on the floor on the way to bedroom, looking pale and unwell. Alec rushed to him, checking for his injuries first and checking his temperature as he touched his forehead with the back of his palm. There were no sign of blood injuries but he was burning up.

“Oh god,” Alec exclaimed to himself since he felt like he had just touched a burning firewood. Magnus was burning up. Magnus was sweaty and mumbling something in unconsciousness and without any hesitation, Alec slipped in one hand to his neck and the other to under his knees, carrying Magnus in bridal way to lay him down on bed gently. Magnus might be a very tall and muscular guy but Alec is a shadowhunter, one of the best, trained in sweat and blood for many years.  Lifting Magnus up and carrying to the bed was done with an ease. Alec sighed as the places where Magnus’s skin touched him left a burning hot feeling on his skin.

 What should he do? Do warlocks sometimes catch cold? Can they get cured with mundane medicine? Does Magnus have mundane medicine at home? Should he call Jace or Izzy? What should he do? What should he do?

Catarina-

Alec just remembered of Magnus's warlock best friend, Catarina. He had never met her but he heard she is one of the best healers of New York so he should ask her.

“Magnus, hang on. I am getting help.” Alec rushed out of the bedroom to draw a downworlder phonebook near the telephone. Alec flipped through the warlock lists to find Catarina. Catarina… Catarina… He finally found her name as well as her contact number. He dialed quickly with his hand phone.

“Hello, Catarina speaking.” He heard a woman answering calmly after some ringings.

“Hello. This is Alec, Alec Lightwood. I need your help. Magnus seemed to have caught a cold. He was burning up and I don’t know what to do. He was sleeping so I didn’t dare waking him up too.. he- he looked more like fainted.”  Alec rushed them out without a breath, gripping on his phone in desperation.

“Are you at his loft?” Catarina asked and Alec replied with a hurried yes.

“I got it. I will come right over after I grab some stuffs he might need.” She replied. Alec thanked her and hanged up, turning back to Magnus again. Magnus looked like he was having a nightmare and Alec tried waking him up, to no vail. Alec took off Magnus's shirt which was drenched with sweat on his body to change and replaced with another fresh light and airy shirt after he had wiped off the sweat. After he brought some water with a small towel, he soaked the towel in the water, squeezed out the excess and rubbed the towel gently on his face to reduce the temperature and make him feel better. Despite his efforts, Magnus didn’t seem like he knew what was happening. Alec heard a knock on the door as he was getting busy with the towel.

Alec opened the door and Catarina stepped in carrying a medicine bag with her. “What happened?” She asked as they headed back to the bedroom together. “He didn’t reply my texts since lunch so I came over to check him. I found him collapsed on the bedroom floor, burning up and I didn’t know what to do so I called you.” Alec replied with worries. “I couldn’t wake him up. He seemed like he is having a nightmares and sweating so I just changed the shirt and cleaned him.” Alec sighed as he watched her checking Magnus. “I- I don’t even know if mundane medicine can help.. I didn’t dare to try.” He mumbled in distressed.

“It is good that you called me, Alec. It seemed serious.” Catarina noted while gripping on Magnus’s wrist to check his temperature and heartbeats. “Anything strange of him?”

Alec took a minute to think back. “He said he had to meet with a client after lunch. Perhaps someone jinxed him?” Alec clinched his teeth. “I am calling Jace and Izzy to track the people he met today.”    

“Please do that.” She replied as she tied a string to his bicep and Alec watched her drawing out some blood sample from him.. he inhaled through as the needle sank into his vein.

Blood…

Magnus’s blood…

Of course Magnus bleeds like others do. The bright Red colour of Crimson…

Alec sighed… but frankly, there was nothing he could do with it so he had to focus on what he could do now. Catarina poured some drops of Magnus’s blood into a flask with clear solution in it. The liquid immediately turned to dark purple mixture swirling around in the container.

“Just as I thought..” Catarina exclaimed. “There are some poison mixed in his blood.”

What Catarina had just said out loud choked Alec. He was at the loss of words with his hands trembling, mixed with worries, shock and anger. His boyfriend’s life was at risk. But right now, there is nothing he could do yet. He needs to remain calm. Alec checked Magnus’s call history before he took out his phone to call Jace.

Jace picked up quite fast.

“Alec? Are you coming back to the Institute today?” Jace answered.

“Jace. I think someone had jinxed Magnus and now he got sick. I need you and Izzy to track some people he met today. I will send the details in message. ” Alec rushed out and Jace seemed to be in surprise.

“Sure. I will do that. I think the girls are coming too. They are with me now. ”

“We have to be hurry. We don’t have much time. I am afraid the longer the poison stayed in the system, the more he is slipping away. It will be harder to cure him.” Catarina warned him and Alec relayed that to Jace.

“We don’t have much time, Jace. I am trusting you with this.” Alec breathed out.

“I got your back, Alec. I will send you the updates.” He hanged up. Alec sent them the details. Magnus was on call with three people today. Nikki Luxon, Gisellia and Mr.Gregor Rilch. He sighed as the thoughts of them with a possibilities that they could  any downworlders; faerie, vampire, mermaids, demons. It is a shadow world. Every job in here is lethal and dangerous with low insurance of their lives. Catarina worked her magic to heal Magnus with soft blue sparkles coming out of her hands.

“Tell me if there is anything you need.” Alec was pacing back and forth in the room. “Any ingredients? Anything?”

He was desperate. His cheerful and cheeky powerful boyfriend,..  He didn’t want to see Magnus like this anymore. He didn’t want to see him laying lifeless, pale and weaken stuck in unconsciousness and suffering alone, which was very unlike of what he normally was. He wanted to know if there was something he could do. He wanted to know if he could help in getting Magnus better. His lover was laying pale on the bed, unconscious and the clock was ticking away. He wondered if he should stay here or if he should go join the hunt, getting information out of the one who had jinxed Magnus and making sure he would suffer the same-  No...- twice… thrice even more.

“I think I got this, Alec. I will take my eyes on him and find out what had happened to him. I will let you know if there is something I need.”

Alec inhaled with determination. “Then I will go join the investigation, Catarina. I will find out what had happened to Magnus and hopefully, we can get an antidote recipe or something. That way, I would be more helpful. I am entrusting Magnus to you. Please please, take care of him. Let me know if there was anything you need. Call me anytime.”

Alec looked at Catarina in desperation and she looked at him softly, amazed and surprised at his pleading and his way of respectful asking. The shadowhunter boy was young, very tall with his wide innocent hazel eyes shining with sincerity. Everything she could see from him was honesty and love. She kept the smile internally to herself and pleased with his words. She glanced at him with a full elegant smile of her and nodded.

“I will let you know if I need or find something. Go join the hunt, Shadowhunter.” She told him gently as she turned her head to Magnus, wiping away his sweat gently with a fresh towel nearby, and thinking if Magnus made an excellent choice of choosing a lover this time. They had been through together for decades and she had seen him getting new lovers, getting heartbroken and moping around in his relationships. Most of them chose him for his looks, wealth or his luxury life to get them what they wanted. Maybe- maybe this new boy is not the same as the rest. She thought to herself.   

Alec picked up his quiver and bow from the floor where he left off and flung them over his shoulder as he prepared to go out hunting for the night. He came nearby to the bed beside Catarina to take a good look of his love. Alec reached his hand on his face to stroke his cheek gently and he leaned in to place a kiss on the unconscious man’s lips. His heart ached as the voice in his head said it could be their last kiss, if- if he failed this mission to save Magnus.. if one of them or both couldn’t make it through.. He shook away those thoughts. Magnus will be fine. He is strong. He will get through it. His lips were soft, warm with his fever.. still it managed to bring a slight pleasant sting like a firework on his lips. Alec didn’t even to lift up and break the kiss.

Alec sighed as he backed away. It was a quick peak but a rather heart-aching and heart-warming one to Catarina as she had seen and witnessed. “I love you, Magnus.” Alec spoke out trying not to break his voice but he failed. There were cracks of his voice in that four words. “I will be going, Catarina. Please take care of him. Anything, call me if there is anything you need. Take care.” He gave her a small smile. She placed her hand on his arm gently. “I will try my best. You too, Alec.”

He nodded and headed to the door as the time could be running out as he stayed. The tall archer boy activated some of his runes for his advantages, gripped on his quiver string across on his chest tightly and dashed out into the dark night.

Chapter Text

The young Archer joined with the team on a rooftop of an old abandoned Church. Jace, Isabelle and Clary was there. Jace was searching for information n his phone and Izzy and Clary were guarding and checking the perimeter of the old building they were on. Alec found a thin figure near the girls.

“Excuse me, but why are you here?” Alec frowned while he questioned the pale boy.

“I- um.. I was hanging out with them when you asked so I thought I would join to help-..” Simon replied in stutters.. He had never stopped being afraid of Alec, the eldest of them, grumpy and strict shadowhunter. Alec sent a frown towards Simon.

“This could be dangerous.” Alec said in worries.

“No worries. All of us could but I want to help anyway.” Simon replied with his apologetic grin and Alec just nodded, sending appreciated look to Simon. Currently, he needed all the helps he could. Simon sighed in relief.

“Hey, Alec.” Jace came up near to them. “We checked the other clients. One was mundane and she just wanted a love spell from Magnus to get back together with her boyfriend and had nothing to do with it further. The other was Seelie. She said she just wanted a potion for her sick mother. So it was down to that man who I just found out, was a werewolf. I called Luke and I got his location. He lived 4 streets across this district.”

“Then, let’s go.” Alec nodded without wasting a second.

“H- How is Magnus?” Clary asked softly while joining in.

“Bad.. High fever and unconscious..” Alec inhaled a sharp breath. The air just stuck in his throat and almost choked him.

“Then, let’s hurry up.” Isabelle just said and jumped to the other building. “This way might be faster.” She jumped onto another building’s roof again. Everyone followed. The five of them travelled across the roofs under the moonlight and ran towards the place where the werewolf guy lived.

They finally reach to the apartment where the werewolf, Mr. Rilch, lived and Alec knocked rather impatiently, which Jace blinked, not pleasing at the Alec’s manner.

“Alec, let me do the talking.” Jace pushed Alec away from the door gently, to the girls. He trusted his brother, and believed in his leadership skill but his brother might not be in a good condition of patience when his love was in life danger.

“WHAT?!!” The door was swung opened in a furious manner and they saw a red-haired man, his face scrunched in anger was looking at them. They were taken aback by the man, which was likewise to the man, when he found a lot of shadowhunters, fully dressed in hunting gears, were standing in front of his apartment. Simon smelled the man’s fear started lingering in the air.

“Mr. Rilch, I am sorry for the intrusion. You see, one of our friends was hurt. We just need to ask some questions that’s all.” Jace casually came into the room where the rest of them followed silently, leaving the man speechless.

“Wh- why, of course.. Um.. I am not in trouble, am I?” The man let out chuckle nervously. Alec frowned with a lot of suspecting questions in his head.

“So this late afternoon, when you met with The High Warlock of Brooklyn, tell me about it.” Jace asked in a clam voice, trying to calm down the situation.

“This is downworlder business. You Nephilims have noth-..”

Alec immediately took his steps toward the man, with his fists clinching tightly that they might bleed. Isabelle stopped him quickly by grabbing his hand quickly.. The werewolf’s words were cut short as he witnessed it clearly that Alec was standing just in front of him. He swayed backward a few steps until he bumped into the cupboard.

“Alec.. I got this.” Jace rolled his eyes which Alec did the same as well.

“I know.. I know.. It is just.. ugh..”

“Mr. Rilch, some of us does not have patience. And whatever you say now stayed only between here. This is life and death situation of our friend so we are just trying to gather information.” Jace explained as he encouraged the shaken werewolf to speak up.

“Very well.. This isn’t the first time in today I saw scary shadowhunters..” He fell into a couch with a sigh. “I- I met with the High Warlock of Brooklyn for a potion. A potion.. that would make me able to control myself better when I transform..” He looked up to the shadowhunters. They nodded understandingly to his relief. “I just don’t want the Clave to label our kind as uncontrollable because of me.. So I met with him for the potion.”

“I understand. And then, did you see anything else?” Jace encouraged him on.

“We met in a valley. He gave me the potion and I paid the cash. Then we saw three shadowhunters rushing toward us.”

Alec held his breath. The rest were surprised.

“Shadowhunters?” Jace asked in surprised tone. “I don’t recall any shadowhunters group of the three left outside today. The only group left was a group of five to clear out a Demon Realm and they came back well.”

“I- I don’t know. The shadowhunters were there so it couldn’t be good. I wanted to get out of there as soon as I sighted them. They told Magnus Bane that a man was injured severely and needed to tend. He told me to go after hearing that and he followed them..”

“What? What!!! How can I know you are telling the truth?” Alec barged in, making Jace to roll his eyes again.

“Alec, Alec.. I don’t think he is lying though. What did the shadowhunters look like? Did you get who was the injured person?” Jace stopped Alec with his one hand and asked the shaking werewolf again.

“The shadowhunters were quite expressionless. The middle parted brown hair guy, short and plump. He used double swords across on his back. One bald man with beard, around 5’ 10” and one woman, Long black hair with red lipstick.”

“Sounded like the Markrovac group.” Jace wondered. “The three of them stick together.”

Mr. Rilch recalled the memories of the shadowhunters. He had only seen them as a brief moment. “The Injured man..? They said his name was Alex*(He said it wrong.) Lightwood.. That’s where Magnus Bane left as soon as he heard the name. ”

Alec froze in his place. Isabelle and Clary looked at him in worries.

“This was a fraud.” Jace sighed. “Alec Lightwood was very much alive and kicking with me this afternoon. We will go check around the area. Can you tell me where you met with Magnus Bane?”

“Sure.. It is xxx street of xxxx area.” The man replied in relieved sigh since he knew these shadowhunters were leaving, and not wanting more than the information he just gave. It was all he had.. 

****

The place where the werewolf told them was a dark deserted valley where demons roamed around. They checked the area around and finally found the place where they suspected it was the place where Magnus and the shadowhunters had fought. There were some evidences of the fighting traces left in the street three blocks across it. The trashcan nearby was partly melted, abandoned furnitures were burnt to charcoal and the brick walls of the fence nearby had some blackburnt marks of magic. Alec could recognize it was Magnus’s magic in an instant.

“So this could be the place where Magnus got hurt.” Izzy breathed. “Looks like he put up a serious fight.”

“Let’s search around. Even a small brand new information would help.” Alec told everyone while he activated the night vision rune and the hearing rune.  The rest of the shadowhunters activated theirs as well.

“I wanted to know if it were really Markrovac group. It would be closer to some help if we know who they were.” Jace spoke while they looked around.

“Um, there had been some blood..” Clary yelled out and everyone reached to her. There was a patch of dry blood. “Someone got hurt here.”

“Definitely not Magnus.” Alec hurriedly reached near her. “I checked him and he collapsed with high fever. He was not cut or anything.”

“Smelled like a shadowhunter blood to me.” Simon got close to it with his nose twitching a little bit. “Sweet. It is Angelic.”

 “Not so Angelic when they hurt your boyfriend, huh?” Jace joked and tiled his head to Alec. He immediately changed back to serious expression when he met with Alec’s dagger-throwing glare. “Sorry.. Let’s get back to the topic.”

Alec placed his hand on the ground near to the blood patch. The night vision rune he had was indicating something near the ground. He was seeing all black and white and there was a white substances lying on the ground. Alec immediately picked it up and changed to normal vision which it had turned into the black powder and crumbled in his palm.

“What is this…” Clary asked in curiosity.

“I am guessing it was burnt hair.. Magnus could hit the attacker with magic. He got hit, bled and his hair was cut by the burn. Someone with long hair. Could be a Nephilim woman.” Alec calmly said.

“Guys, I found something.” Izzy picked up something from the ground and rushed to their side. She unwrapped her hands to show them what she had found. A syringe.. A used up syringe with some drops of green liquids stuck at the bottom. “I don’t think Mundanes ever use green stuffs as medication, do they?”

“This is definitely weird.” Alec grabbed it from Izzy’s hand. “We should hand it to Catarina.”

“We need to go back to the Institute too.” Jace warned him. “We can analyze the situation better and see if they were one of us in the Institute.”

“I can be a delivery boy to Catarina.” Simon offered. “I am a Vampire. Definitely faster than any of you.”

Alec thought for a second and he handed the syringe over to Simon. “Take care of that. It could be very important in helping Magnus. Tell Catarina and ask if she can get something out of the leftover liquid.”

Simon nodded and put the syringe in a safe pocket of his jacket. “Of-of course. It is definitely what I will do. I could be there in a few minutes.”

“Thank you.” Alec whispered as Simon turned around. It froze him for a few second and before he turned his face to Alec and gave an encouraging smile.

“You are welcome. We are all worried about Magnus as much as you. Magnus is very kind to us. I am glad I could help.” Simon smiled and ran off with a speed of light as a vampire and Alec stared, into the nothingness until he felt a light pat on his shoulder.

“C’mon, buddy. Let’s go check the Institute where the traitors might be there. We need some investigation to do.”

***  

The four young shadowhunters reached to the Institute again. They entered the main hall hurriedly and Jace yelled out that the Institute had been temporarily locked down.

“I want the in-and-out list of every shadowhunters who left the Institute today.” Alec yelled out in the middle of the room which scared everyone.

Clary was standing outside of the hall with Izzy when a shadowhunter woman bumped into her harshly. She fell back on her hip but she didn’t even get a ‘sorry’ or anything.

Izzy yelled out “Hey” for Clary. The woman quickly glanced back. She was hastily heading towards the entrance with the other two guys.

“ What happened to your hair?” Clary said when she noticed the hair falling onto one side of her face was unevenly shortened compared to her hair at the other side. The hair looked like accidentally torched. Both Clary and Izzy immediately got what it was all about.

“JACE!!” Clary yelled out and the three of them rushing to the main entrance. “Lock down the entrance!!!”

Everyone turned their head to them and the three of the shadowhunters hurriedly ran to the entrance before the doors automatically locked down. Clary and Izzy ran after them but stopped by when the bald man pushed his friends toward them to free himself.

 Izzy and Clarry was pushed to the ground by the two traitor shadowhunters who had picked up their weapons on them. Clary quickly rolled to the side when the woman took out an Angelic dagger and stabbed the place where her head originally was.

Jace managed to lock down the doors before they reached. The other shadowhunters surrounded them. But the two shadowhunters managed to grab Clary and Izzy in their hands.

“Come closer and we will cut their pretty throats.” The guy with brown hair threatened them with a grin as they placed their angelic swords near Izzy and Clary’s neck. Clary winced at the cold touch of the blade and Izzy looked down on the sword across her neck with a groan which made Jace and Alec froze in place.

Chapter Text

“Wait,” Alec shouted out. “Nobody moves!” Alec lifted and showed his hands, while he slowly came closer to the switch for the entrance. Everyone’s eyes were on the girls, including Alec and Jace’s. Alec put his hands on the switch while he stared into the girls. His eyes were saying something.

 On the count of three... And Alec knew they got the hint.

Alec blinked while he stared at the switch. One, two… three...

He pulled down the switch. The entrance opened suddenly and in a split second they were distracted, Izzy threw the shadowhunter over her shoulder while Clary kicked the woman’s leg to lose the balance with her head tilted to dodge the sword. They fell down together and Clary grabbed the angelic sword from the woman, pointing back to her. Izzy smirked at her while she put on her six inches heel on his throat. The bald man abandoned his friends and tried to run away through the entrance but Alec pulled an arrow from his back, aimed the guy running towards the entrance and released the string. The arrow flew swiftly in the air, pierced the man’s leg causing the man to fall down to the floor on an injured leg.  

“Arrest them.” Alec ordered and the guards ran toward the ones pinned down under the girls. Jace looked at Alec, who was looking down at them with a cold emotion. “And send them to the prisoner cell. I need to investigate them about the downworlder matter immediately!” 

“How dare you!!!” The man shouted while he was screaming from the pain from his leg. “This is against the Clave’s order. You can’t do that to us.”

“I can and I just did. There is nothing wrong with stopping a suspect from running away. You were threatening our two shadowhunter girls.I will not tolerate anyone acting rogue in my Institute.” Alec glared.

“Just because you are the Head of Institute and dating a downworlder, you can’t do it to us!! The Institute is doomed!!! This isn’t fair!! “ He screamed in struggles while the other guards grabbed him by his arms to lift him up.

Alec’s face was stiffened and all the blood had left his body. He swallowed his saliva but still put on a strong and cold face. He did the right thing. He didn’t regret a bit. He knew everyone was looking at him but he would not waver. He believed in himself and he would stand strong for himself. The Head of the New York Institute would never waver. The Lightwoods break nose and accept the consequences.

“There is nothing personal. I punish those who deserve.” Alec glared at them. “And anyone who had a problem could say it to my face now or return to your assignments.”

No one moved. Everyone shook their heads and returned to their works. Some even smiled at him, encouraging that he was right and they had no problem with it. Alec saw the sparks of admiration and respect in some shadowhunters’ eyes surprisingly and his heart felt flattered. The guards told the Rouge shadowhunters to shut up and dragged them to the cells downstairs.

 Izzy and Clary ran back to them and Jace hugged them both tightly. “I am glad you two are okay. You guys gave me a shock there.” He whispered.  

The two girls grinned to each other. “We got this!”

Alec sighed as he stared the three rouge shadowhunters being taken to the prisoner cell past beside him and Jace patted his shoulder gently. “That was awesome. Are you okay, buddy?”

“I am fine. But Magnus- We have to get the answers fast.”

“Let’s do it.” Jace gave out an encouraging smile. The two girls surrounded them.

“Let’s do it.” Alec nodded.”

***

Jace banged his hand onto the table, being impatient by the middle parted brown hair shadowhunter who was messing with him.

“Stop bullshitting me. Where were you today? I know you three are out all day under no order.” Jace groaned.

“Any proof?” The man smirked.

“ANY PROOF? I WILL SEARCH ALL THE CCTV FOOTAGE AND GET BACK TO YOU LATER? SCREW THIS. I AM NOT WASTING MY TIME.” Jace shouted at him, who looked uninterested and unfazed.

“Then, you are accusing me. I demand justice.” The man attempted again.

“There is no accusing when you all put a sword to my sister and girlfriend’s throats. That is also a crime. I will definitely add it to the report to the Clave.”

“It was self-defence..” He proclaimed.

Jace shook his head. “No, No. Hear me out. I have proof you three out of the Institute today. I even have the DNA of the woman in your group on the crime scene. How about we activated some agony runes on her and let her confess? I am guessing it was her who hurt our warlock friend. Or not, we will see. The soul sword will arrive later. But we can test with Agony rune first.”

“Rosie? Fuck. NO. NO. Don’t touch her.” The guy spitted in front of Jace. Jace raised a brow.

“I am sorry. What? It wasn’t exactly like this earlier.” He grinned. “The burnt hair of her was on the crime scene. So it is hers, isn’t it? She injected the stuffs in the syringe to the Warlock. Tsk tsk, The Clave will put all the blame on her. Death sentence maybe?” He grinned in mockery.

“It was Armand! Okay? The other guy. He injected the vaccine into the warlock!!! It was all of us under Valentine’s order. Don’t hurt her. Promise you don’t hurt her.” The man desperately begged him but Jace looked down at him.

“He was Alec’s love. But you hurt both of them.”

***

Alec stared at the bald guy he just shot. He was staring at him back with all the anger. He was given first-aid but the angelic arrow runed by Alec could not be cured so easily. And Alec, he stared as intensely right back at him, anger fuming in his eyes and his lips tightly shut.

 “Pretty daring of you to attempt murder to the High Warlock of Brooklyn. Or should I say pretty daring of Valentine..” Alec spoke out finally.

“There is nothing of us to protect the downworlder. Kill them all and the world will be a better place.” He replied with anger.

“You are wrong. There are downworlders who helps us, mundanes and others. They are one of the most kind hearted people I’ve ever seen. Even from the shadowhunters.” He replied.

“Which era do we live in? The Head completely had fallen under the spell of a Warlock.”

“Don’t speak to him like this! I am not! He did not!!! It is all your fear. What you did was wrong. Now all the peaceful downworlders will lose the trust on the Clave and it will lead to a downworlder rampage.” Alec spat.

“See? You are crazy. The person in Charge is crazy. Valentine is always right.”

“What did you give to Magnus?” Alec narrowed his eyes, grabbing on his stele tightly.

“Valentine is a master-mind. He had planned everything for us. For a better world. Not like you, the Head of Institute.”

“You are salty because I shot you.” Alec smirked, mocking the man in front of him. As expected, he backed away a few steps to dodge the fist flew around his face by a few inches. He was stopped by the chains on his hands to the chair.

“Your Warlock is done. There is nothing you can do to save him.” He grinned.

Alec froze, stunned and bit his lips, trying not to shoot him again. He couldn’t, Jace took his bow and quiver away before he let him in.

“Our master is experimenting. We were just testing, also messing with you, yes. He is the High Warlock of Brooklyn and your boyfriend. You will be affected, the whole downworlders will get affected.”

Alec took the steps to punch him. Jace hurriedly rushed over to stop him from physically hurting him.

“Alec, you can’t. You will be in trouble with the Clave!” Jace held down the struggling Alec.

“I’d tell you what was in there. It is a mix of experimented Seelie blood. Not that it gonna help anything. In a few days, he’d be gone. Specially made by Valentine.” The man smirked and Alec leashed to him again , unsuccessful as Jace dragged him to the outside.

“Alec!! ALEC!! Calm down!! “ Jace shouted to him. “Hey hey, Buddy. Deep breath.”

Alec breathed in with his mouth opened. Jace was there, in front of him, understanding and concerned. Clary and Izzy were looking at them with concern.

“We heard that..” Izzy spoke. “We will get through it. We all will.” Izzy reassured him.

“Seelies are half-angel and half-demon. The angelic blood may be causing the problem in his body... which is just my assumption…” Clary spoke out hesitantly.. 

Alec nodded and picked up his phone. “At least we know what was in. I gonna tell Cat and stay with Magnus again. Jace, you can handle them,right?”

Jace nodded. “Don’t worry. I got this. I will inspect some more and arrange them to Idris. I will stop by once I finished this.”

***

Alec greeted Cat as he entered the loft. He brought some fastfoods for breakfast and put them on the table uninterestedly. It was early, 7 in the morning when he pulled a chair and sat down tiredly on the chair beside Magnus. Magnus was still unconscious, paler than anytimes Alec remembered and it actually scared him. His boyfriend was powerful, cheerful and full of live, always sweet and kind towards him.. towards others… He was saddened by the fact that Magnus was suffering by the fact of simply being a downworlder. Magnus deserved to live, more than he ever did…

Alec grabbed Magnus’s hand in his, locking their fingers together and pressed on his cheek. His hand was hot, feverish but soft.. just as he remembered. He was lying on his bed, unconscious and fighting for his life.. but still truly beautiful and graceful in Alec’s eyes. He remembered when he was being witty and cuddly beside Alec, just how he’d liked it.. he missed it. Alec tried to swallow a lump in his throat. He was not ready to lose him. He would never be.

“Mags…Wake up.. I miss you so much..” Alec let out a sad chuckle and run his thumb along Magnus’s cheekbone. “Yesterday was a tiring day.. I was thinking of celebrating with you when I came back. Then, the last night was even more eventful.. but if it means I could help you, everything is worth it. Come back to me.” He sobbed.

“I promise I will keep fighting. You have to, too, Magnus. Promise me you will fight this and get back to me. Because- Because I am not ready to lose you. I will never be ready. I love you, Magnus. I love you with all my heart. I-I don’t think I can live without you.” Alec sobbed holding onto Magnus’s hand. The tears rolled from his hazel eyes onto the sweet caramel-skin. He didn’t move, he didn’t even twitch. Magnus would never let him cry,right? He would have wiped away his tears with his gentle fingers and pulled him into his strong arms. He would have whispered comforting words into his ears and rubbed his back, if he knew.

That time, all of his emotions broke down.. Him running on the streets all night long with worries, Him searching around the Institute, Him acting strong towards the rouge and fellow shadowhunters, Him trying to pulling back everything of himself together… Everything broke down and he cried, pressing his face into Magnus’s hand, scaring that his boyfriend might leave him without saying good bye... No NO NO.. He will never let it happen. He can’t live without him.

 Catarina was walking back to Magnus’s room when she wanted a spell book inside of his bedroom, stopped by Alec’s sobbing pleads.. She quietly magicked the book into her hand without entering, leaned on the door’s frame and watched Alec gently stroking Magnus’s cheek and crying.. The boy was so in love with him.. And she had never seen Magnus with a lover who was looking at him with such loving and caring eyes. She remembered she was mad when Magnus happily told her he had found a lover, a shadowhunter boy, shy and sweet from she was told. Everyone wanted something from Magnus, and abandoned him with selfish reasons. But the boy... This boy… He clung onto Magnus when he was at his weakest.. even going against his kind for him. His eyes never left him every since she saw him, not afraid to show him love in front of others and not afraid to admit. The boy was in love, madly.. and honestly.. the pure love Magnus had wished for a long long time.. Cat sighed and left the room in silence, returning to the kitchen counter for breakfast. She opened the spell book and ran through the spells and potions while she had her coffee. She would never let her best friend die. She had lost one as she couldn’t be there at that time, but this time.. she would do whatever she could to help them.  

***

Chapter Text

Magnus followed the three shadowhunters until they entered near a deserted valley. He had never trusted shadowhunters but if his Alexander’s life was in danger, then he should stop with his trust issues and hurry up.

“Just asking, how badly was Alexander hurt?” Magnus frowned and he couldn’t help but noticed their movement suddenly became stiffened. They turned their face back to him as Magnus stopped walking.

“Pretty serious. He is dying… Soon..” Magnus’s cat eyes followed the three of them who were now circling around him. “We just planted a lot of bombs in the Institute-…” The tallest brunette grinned.

***

“Alexander!!!” Magnus screamed in his sleep. He was squirming in his grand king-sized bed, sweaty and being wrapped around in silk blanket. Alec shot up from the chair nearby and sat down on the bed beside Magnus, gently pushing up his raven hair sticking on his forehead as it was drenched in his sweat. He also peeled the silk blanket off from his boyfriend’s body which didn’t seem to be helping at all but scaring him as it was restraining him. Alec tried to coax his boyfriend who seemed to be having a really bad nightmare in his high fever.

“Shhhhhh, Magnus.. it is okay.. it is okay, Magnus. I am here. You are home..” Alec whispered softly as he wiped off the sweat from his face. Magnus gripped on Alec’s T-shirt tightly in his hand, eyes squeezing shut and teeth gritting tightly. His breaths were sharp and heavy as if they were straining him. Alec tried to wipe off the sweat from his bare chest as he took off the shirt from Magnus. His unconscious boyfriend was now bare chested in his arms.

“Alexander…” Magnus whined in his sleep. It pained Alec with a dull stab in his heart when he saw tears falling down from Magnus’s shut eyes. “Explosives…” Magus tried to catch his breaths. Alec felt the grip on his T-shirt was tightened more. “Explosives… in.. the… In- Institute...” It had caught him surprised and Alec quickly took out his phone to call Jace, not letting go of his crying boyfriend in his arms. 

“Yeah? Alec, how is Magnus?” He heard Jace answered.

“Pretty bad. Listen, Jace. Magnus is murmuring something about explosives in the Institute. You need to check. And Don’t transport the prisoners yet. I am worried they might blow the Institute up as soon as they leave.”

“Oh shit.. I will check. Don’t worry. I will work on here.”

“Be careful. Be safe.” Alec sighed. The worries of his sick boyfriend and the worries for the safety of his siblings and people.. Alec’s heart was burning up.

***

“Alexander!” He exclaimed in the realization and glared at the shadowhunters who were smirking at him. They had planned to kill the whole Institute and Magnus knew he had to fight them off if he wanted to get to Alec as soon as possible.

“You know it is pretty stupid of you to challenge the High warlock of Brooklyn. Do you think you can win this?” Magnus formed a blue fire ball in his hand, his squinted eyes following around the shadowhunters, readied to aim at any time.

“Oh, no. We’ve come prepared.” The shadowhunters laughed as one of them pulled out a remote control. She waved it around in front of Magnus with an evil grin proudly. “One press of this and the Institute would go boomed!” She sneered as they all came into attack him.

At that time, Magnus’s mind was filled with terror, the terror of his love dying, the terror of innocent shadowhunters dying.. Biscuit, Isabelle.. Jace… And the countless innocent mundane lives they could save... Three against one was quite handful, especially when they were trained shadowhunters and it was hard when Magnus had only planned on knocking them out. He put up a fight, creating a shield for him and throwing magic at them to knock them off. One of his fireballs almost hit the woman and brushed on her hand causing the remote control to drop... She screamed in pain and reached out for it. At that time, Magnus’s focus was all over it, throwing a dash of destructive power to the object, as precise as he could.. The other two shadowhunters took advantage of it, kicking Magnus’s knee joint which caused him to fall down. Magnus kneeled onto the road when the red fire ball hit the remote on the ground, blasting it off into pieces.. He felt a small sharp pain in his neck which one shadowhunter abruptly grabbed his neck and injected a syringe full of green liquids. Magnus bit his lips in pain as the liquids entered his body, burning everything in the path inside and causing his vision to blur.

“Shit, the remote was destroyed..” The woman spat in anger. Magnus felt his two hands being held forcefully by the two men.

“It leaves us no choice. We should go back to the Institute. We can manually destroy it. Let’s hurry up and set the timer. He wanted it gone in three days.”

Magnus tried to shake them off but the force on his hands became stronger and he was pushed down into the ground again. “After we hand out the warlock.” They laughed again and their laughter burned in his ears like a mockery. He was the powerful High warlock of Brooklyn. He could have been able to shake it off but currently, his energy was being drained off and his body was burning. Magnus inhaled the air and it passed through his lungs like sharp cold knives. Magnus started chanting a spell, causing the shadows to creep on the shadowhunters’s body and wrap them tightly.

He felt his hands were free and he tried to get up, leading his body to stagger. He felt the spell on shadows was weakened and the shadowhunters coming onto him again with their seraph swords lighting up so he had to strengthen the spell again, resulting the shadowhunters struggling under the shadow vines wrapping them with no mercy. He had to hurry up and warn Alexander. Magnus quickly analyzed himself and found out his magic was almost depleting. He had to give up on the vine if he wanted to create a portal. He wondered if he still had energy to create a portal… Magnus cut off his spell on the shadows and quickly created a portal.. his energy was running out..

“Stop.. He’d be dead soon so don’t bother.” He heard a shadowhunter shouting at his comrades. He had to go to Alexander.. Alexander… home…. Magnus rushed into the portal and found himself stumbled over their cushion in their bedroom again… He felt sick.. Alexander… the love of his life… the pretty boy.. He wanted to see him if he was dying. Oh shit, he had to warn him too... Magnus cursed himself as his legs gave out.. the last time he saw a shy smile of Alec and he fell… fell into darkness.….

***

 Alec was staring at his sleeping boyfriend sadly who seemed to be in nightmares with a high fever and stroking his hair gently when Magnus started struggling in bed. His breaths were quickened and heavy as he fought to get air into his lungs. He unconsciously tried to get up and Alec held onto Magnus, trying to sooth him as he was struggling in their bed. Magnus seemed to be in a lot of pain and he tried to press him down on the bed again while he screamed out Catarina’s name helplessly. Catarina rushed in with a book in her hands and she checked him quickly, pulling out a bottle of potion to make him drink all.

“This could only help him with the pain. We don’t have much time.” Catarina rushed him and Alec nodded helplessly still holding onto Magnus in his arms.

“I found something. It seemed that the extra angel and demon blood is fighting his demon and human blood which can kill him soon enough. I need demon blood. Fresh demon blood and we can transfuse the blood while I draw out the seelie blood.” Catarina looked at Alec.

“I-I can get it. I will.” Alec nodded. “Demon blood?”

“Yes, blood from alive demon.. But It is dangerous, Alec. No demon will willingly give their blood-..”

“It is fine. I will get it.” Alec nodded with determination. “This sounds like something I could do, Cat. I couldn’t stand watching him suffer anymore.”

Catarina looked at Alec and slowly nodded. Dealing with demons was dangerous. Getting something from Demon was more dangerous, especially when it was fresh blood from a demon alive. Catarina sighed as she handed out an enchanted bottle to him.

“Take this. This will collect the blood and keep it fresh for you. It will save the trouble..”    

Alec thanked her, quickly calling Jace again to inquire about the Institute. It seemed Jace had the Institute under control and the team led by Clary and Isabelle found out the explosives hidden under the Institute. He asked Jace to find out about the nearest demon next, especially one with a greater demon. Jace’s mouth was hung open when he heard they needed to get fresh blood from a greater demon, which sounded nearly impossible..

“Alec, this is madness-…” Jace sighed on the phone as his hands working on the screen about the location.

“Do you find a location of a demon nearby?” Alec asked in impatience.. the silence from the other side let Alec knew he had found one.. “JACE?!”

“Fine.. I found one, Alec.. But- but it is too dangerous..”

“Tell me..”

Jace sighed again.. “A Ravener nest is just beside the Pandemonium-... I am coming with you.”

“What?! No, Jace. Don’t. The Institute needs you guys. I will be fine.”

“Don’t think I will let you go alone, Alec. It is a nest. By the angel, only god knows how many demons are there. This is suicide. I am coming along. Meet me at the bridge in 20 minutes.” Jace shouted at the phone and hung up which made Alec rolled his eyes as he began to take off from Magnus’s loft again.

***

Jace knew how stubborn his brother was and once his mind was set, there was nothing he could do to change him. He knew Alec was planning to take on the demons alone so he decided to tag along, together with Izzy and Clary. He tried to sneak out alone but the girls argued furiously despite his attempts to explain how dangerous and suicidal it was. Now they were standing at the entrance of the demon nest, Alec looking inside the abandoned building with unwavering determination and it was now Jace’s turn to worry about them. 

“Perhaps I will go in alone.. You guys wait here-..” Alec started again, scratching the back of his neck as he felt responsibility about the rest of his siblings and Clary’s life. Jace snapped and wanted to speak out but the girls beat him in it again and fought for their right to go inside together. Alec rolled his eyes towards the girls’ furious protests and pressed his index finger and thumbs on his temple, massaging from his growing headache.

“Fine, Fine.. We are all going in.” Alec snapped, silencing the girls who just smirked with their victory.

“I will go front, Alec. Just like old time. Clary and Izzy at the sides.. You take the back. Cover us.” Jace suggested their routine hunt and Alec felt powerless as he had to depend on others, especially when it was his problem.

“Alec, look. You have nothing to feel bad about. We are here because we wanted to help. You are my family, my brother, Alec. And Magnus is our friend. Even if it weren’t for you, we’d still help for Magnus.” Jace put his hand on Alec’s shoulder and reassured him. Alec looked into his mismatched eyes, nodded as they went inside the building. They had already sensed movements of the demons swifting in the dark and eyeing them as they waited for an opening.

“How many of them do you think there are?” Jace grinned as they slowly walked into the building. The building was getting darker and darker as they walked inside it. Thanks to the runes they activated it earlier that they could still see and hear very well in the dark. Izzy took out her whip and Clary’s activated Angelic sword was shining in the air, scaring demons to faze.

“Twenty.. Thirty or more.…” Alec replied. The swift sounds were getting close and the demons were getting excited since they were deeper into their territory.

“Right. This is more than any nest we have recently cleared so far. And they are Ravener demons, the assassins demons!” Jace smirked and Alec couldn’t help but put a smile on his face.

“To Magnus’s health!” Jace shouted and as he saw a demon launching towards him and stabbed it with his Seraph blade. The girls laughed and shouted the same as the demons started coming towards them and they prepared to fight.

“To Magnus’s health it is.” Alec mumbled the same shyly as he drew an arrow from his quiver, aiming at the demon. He kept shooting at the demons which were approaching Jace, Izzy and Clary. His shots were all bull eyes but the demons were just too many. They were taking out the demons fast but the more demons were appearing and Alec was worried since his arrows were almost running out. He took extra three seconds of aiming, shot it in one go and hitting three demons in one shoot.

“Woah, This is badass, Alec!!!” Jace shouted from stabbing a demon as he just witnessed that.

“Jace. Look out!!” Alec shot another arrow near Jace, hitting the demon directly in the heart which was just behind Jace to stun his neck. The demon screamed and exploded, splashing and showering Jace with its blood. Jace groaned and wiped away the demon blood on his face as he continued with wiping out.

“Perhaps we take out most and leave some to get the blood.” Jace shouted from afar. Alec agreed but he was worried since they were just killing the demons and not getting the blood which was the main reason they came there for. Alec found Jace took out almost all the demons near him and was open so he threw a bottle at Jace which Jace caught with much confusion.

“Catarina gave it to me. She said it would collect the blood for us.” Alec shouted, his hands busy as he fought with his Seraph blade now that he was completely out of arrows. Jace stabbed the demon nearest from him and opened the stopper from the bottle. As he pulled out the sword from the demon, the blood from the wound flew right into the bottle. The realization hit them and they were impressed with the convenience magic could provide. The only thing that worried Alec now, apart from their exhaustion and the constant danger of getting injured, was the demons were appearing more in numbers now, just as the ants coming out of the nest in sight of food. Alec was starting to get worried if they all could make it out alive.

Alec gasped and didn’t have the time to react when a demon jumped onto him. He was slammed backward and his back hit the wall, groaning from the pain in his shoulder that the demon just pierced.

“ALEC?!” Jace screamed and rushed towards him.

“JACE!! The bottle!! Hand me the bottle.” Alec hurriedly screamed back like his life depended on it. Jace threw the bottle into Alec’s hand and he caught it, finally cutting the demon in its abdomen to gather the blood. The demon screeched and struggled around violently, its tentacle piercing deeper into Alec’s shoulder. Jace felt the pain and he hurriedly pulled the demon from his parabatai, throwing it to the side. Alec groaned when the tentacle left his shoulder again, slided onto the ground from the wall. Alec looked at the bottle which was full with blood now and Jace quickly secured with the stopper again. Alec knew he was going to have to face with the eyes of angry siblings.

“ARE YOU AN IDIOT? ARE YOU STUPID?” Jace shouted as he quickly kneeled beside him, drawing iratze on his parabatai’s body. Alec tried to breath but the pain and the poison started to crawl up and choked him. His shoulder was pierced into a hole thoroughly and the blood was gushing down to his shirt, onto Jace’s hand pressing on his wound.

“I don’t know. Are you?” he laughed but quickly turned into coughs and Jace hurriedly drew other iratzes on him again.

“It is enough talking. Let’s get out of here.” Jace said while he kept on drawing iratze runes. Izzy and Clary got closer to them again since they saw Alec got hurt. “Shit, there are too many of them.”

“Jace,..” Alec tried to speak. “Leave me. Take it to Catarina. I will hold them off.”

“Alec, what the hell are you saying? I am not leaving you.” Jace looked at him as if it was unbelievable. He looked worried and agonized..

“Listen to me. Magnus needs it urgently. There- there are too many. I will hold them off and you guys get out of here.” Alec argued. If he was hurt and being a burden, he rather not slow them down and would let his siblings have the chance of surviving and so was to Magnus.

“Shut up. Shut up. I will punch you when we get out of here. Stay here and don’t die before I kill them off.” Jace grabbed on the seraph blade and got up. Jace was so angry at his brother that he thought he could kill all the demons in sight now even though there were too many.

“Actually, I got something. We got enough of the blood now?” Clary suddenly beamed as if she had a solution and Jace answered they got enough of demon blood in confusion. Clary drew something in the air and activated it with her stele, as it blasted off brightly like an explosion of the Sun. Jace covered Alec protectively with his body but all he felt was a gentle warmth just like a soft sun ray despite its powerful eye-blinding explosion.

“It worked! By the angel, it worked!” Clary grinned and jumped happily like a shrimp in the air. The demon were all burned and vanished into the air as the bright explosion hit them, leaving the exhausted shadowhunters alone. The siblings were in awed and confused. They were just surrounded by a hundred of demons and life-endangering situation earlier, but now that was just them alone- in the abandoned building.. all cleared as the demons were burned into ashes.

“Clary, this is amazing! Oh my god!!” Izzy squealed and happily hugged Clary. Clary smiled and hugged her friend in delight. “I saw a rune everytime I looked at the demons. So I thought I would gave it a shot!!!”

Izzy sat beside Jace and Alec. “Alec! Jace!! How is it now?”

 “He is responding to the healing runes. We will ask Catarina to look after him. He will live for now.” Jace glared at Alec who could just faintly return a weak smile on his lips. Clary helped him draw some healing runes including the ones especially for the poison and blood replacement. “You owe me a punch. I will- I swear I will.”

“Oh no...” Alec chuckled and tried to get up, managing to but with a little wobbly stumbling. Jace protectively supported his waist. “It is not nice to punch your elder brother, Jace. C’mon. Let’s get out of here. We need to get back to Magnus’s loft.”

The four of them walked outside of the building. The fresh air hit them again and they inhaled gratefully, thanking the angels that they got out alive and well. They started on their way to Magnus’s loft, glamouring theirselves invisible since they were all covered with blood. They could swear the mundanes could smell them though. They all stinked.. awefully…

“Mom is going to be so pleased when she found out we just wiped out the Ravenor nest. She had been planning to take it out for months but it was too risky and nobody dared to.” Izzy giggled.

The rest of them laughed. “Or mad. Since, we were strictly told not to since it is suicidal and she will be so angry when all of her children took on the most dangerous nest alone.” Jace pointed and Alec just twisted his lips as he shrugged.

“We are getting killed later..” He sighed with a grin. “Mom is going to kill us all. We survived the demon nest but pretty sure we are going to die if she knows.”

“Which gave us like 1hours and 24 minutes before she wakes up. The nest is definitely wiped off from the demon radar and she gonna rage.” Izzy added in and they all just laughed.

The night was over and they could see the dawn as the sun coming out of the dark sky, coyly yet. The air was cold but refreshing after a night in the abandoned building with foul air and all the dust. Alec still needed Jace to support him in walking and Jace protectively hanged onto him. Alec looked up to the sky as they walked to Brooklyn. The rebelling felt good. The sound of Mom raging for taking down a demon nest by theirselves seemed funny. They got the demon blood which was much needed to cure Magnus. Alec laughed out loud and so did everyone else, as they were all glad they had survived and accomplished the mission.   

***  

Chapter Text

***

“That should work.” Catarina said while she held up a bottle. Alec looked up with hopeful eyes before he followed her to Magnus’s room. Jace and everyone had headed back to the Institute, leaving him in Magnus’s loft to look after him. Jace made him promised he would ask Catarina for the injury but he hadn’t told her yet. As Catarina walked in, he helped her held up Magnus to sitting position as he made his unconscious boyfriend lean against him. Catarina opened his mouth slightly and poured down the antidote potion into him and Alec laid him down gently back to the bed, covering him with the warm duvet again. It seemed from the effect of the potion Magnus started struggling, his hands searching for a grip, touching Alec’s thigh nearby beside him. Alec held his hand, locking them together with a fond smile as his thumb gently rubbed over the back of the caramel hand to comfort him. Catarina couldn’t help but impressed with the archer’s sincere loving eyes again.

“You love him, don’t you?” She spoke softly, as he picked up the bottles into her medical case.

That made Alec looked up, surprised and shocked before he nodded shyly as a reply.

“Very much..” he muttered very softly, as there were red blushes flushed on his cheeks.

“Magnus is lucky to have found you.” She smiled. “It had been a really long time he was this happy. Everytime he visited my place, he spoke very highly of how adorable you are, which is what I have never heard of in our longer than human’s life friendship. He is madly in love with you. It is true. I am so glad for you two.” 

Alec looked up again, happy and surprised. She could see the blushes on his cheek which were really distinct on his deadly pale skin.

“R-really?” He stuttered. “I- I am the lucky one. He pulled me out of the closet and helped me become who I am today. I- I don’t think I would be where I am now without him.” His sentence ended with a soft smile. It was the smile of someone terribly in love, she knew it for sure.  As things were finally calming down, she could finally glance at him. Alec was still holding hands with Magnus, sweat droplets hanging on his forehead. Something seemed wrong. Catarina eyed him suspiciously.

“Alec, are you alright?..”

“Um.. I am fine..”

“It doesn’t look like you are fine to me, Alec. Did you get injured? Let me see, Alec.”

Alec wanted to protest. “I.. Magnus.. please take care of Magnus first.”

Catarina sighed.  “Magnus just took the antidote, Alec. Now the only thing we have to do is to wait.” She sent a glare at him, gesturing him to tell her.

Alec couldn’t find any words. He just gave Catarina a small nod to take care of him and shiver when Catarina’s cold hands touched his forehead.

“Oh my god, Alec. You are burning.”

Alec took off his jacket. Under it was a torn patch on his shirt oozing with blood where there was a deep terribly torn bleeding wound on his shoulder with purple dark veins branching to his arteries which were also dyed black.. showing signs of severe infection…  Catarina was worried, she hurriedly rushed over beside him. There was a shy blush as Catarina examined his shoulder carefully. He wasn’t very much used to interactions yet.

“Alec, you should have told me immediately!!” Catarina spoke out with a sigh, with half scolding tune in her voice. “I would have been able to heal it in an instance!”

“I- I am sorry, Catarina.. I was so worried about Magnus. We didn’t have much time and he needed you more.”

“Alec…” She sighed as she took out some bottles and got up. “Let him rest. Let’s go to the living room and I will heal you?”

“Thank you.” He nodded as an appreciation before following her.

Catarina was mad... mad with the two. Two Idiots.. She cursed them and inhaled a sharp breath. He should have told her when they arrived back again and she would give him an easy antidote first before taking care of it later in a much gentler way. She knew exactly how to cure a prolonged neglected demon wound infection and it was never pretty. She had treated people a lot of times and she prayed that she wouldn’t have to anymore all the time. He wouldn’t have to go through the suffering if he had told him earlier. Alec sat down on one of the couches and took off his shirt. Catarina started to clean the wound with a clean towel wetted with warm water. Alec’s breaths were sharp as he bore down the pain. The wound was seriously bad, almost hollowing his shoulder out. No wonder he was so paled.. the bleeding wasn’t properly stopped.

“Alec, Alec.. I want you to draw some blood replacement runes. I am going to need my magic as much as I can to heal you. And you need to be strong enough to endure that. Okay?” Alec complied, his hands shaking in shivers as he took out his stele and drew them. He drew a couple of runes and felt extremely tired as if he used a lot of energy trying to draw. He felt the instant effects of the blood rune though.

“Alec, I am going to give you an antidote. And the next step gonna hurt. I will have to disinfect and put some medicine on your shoulder. It will kill the demon’s poison but it will hurt a lot. Do you hear me? Do you want me to knock you out?”

“No. Do it, Catarina.” He wanted to be there awake when Magnus woke up. He just wanted to make this fast and get back to Magnus. She handed her a cup of antidote which burned through his throat and burned through the body as it entered his system. He groaned and leaned onto the cushion of the couch. The feeling wasn’t so pleasant and he started seeing the galaxies in his eyes, feeling immediately weakened as the potion fought the poison.

“Okay, you might want to bite down something..” Catarina spoke in distress. She had never liked sick or injured people that becoming a nurse and helping them became one of her professions. She knew the next step would bring a lot of pain to Alec and there wasn’t any way out. A soft t-shirt was conjured up out their closet and she stuffed it in his mouth. Alec let out a muff but the clothes was securely placed inside of mouth.

“Ready? It’s gonna hurt, Alec. Remember to bare down.” She warned the pale boy, holding up a bottle and another towel each in her hands. Alec nodded quickly, staring at the ceiling for the coming pain. Catarina poured down the medicine on his shoulder and Alec’s body tensed up in pain. He screamed and screamed, but no sound came out there was the t-shirt in his mouth to his annoyance that he was glad he had it when he unconsciously bit down. The pain was excruciatingly burning til his eyes watered.

Catarina kept pouring down to empty out the bottle and quickly pressed on the top of the wound with the new towel to reduce the medicine leaking. The medicine sank into his wound again, burning his whole shoulder to the level of unbearable. His whole body arched on the couch and trembled in pain until he collapsed back again. It hurt so much that his tears are falling and he was gasping. At some point, his body decided that he couldn’t take it anymore and his eyes rolled back in pain, drifting to unconscious as everything went black.    

***

The next time when Alec woke up, it was like late evening. He was still lying on the couch he was on when Catarina healed him. A blanket was thoughtfully tucked in on his body. He still felt a small pain throbbing under his shoulder and his head was spinning but he was much better. He groaned as he pressed his hand on his shoulder, trying to get up. There were some voices talking and he tried to listen if they were from his siblings or maybe from…. Magnus and Catarina?

“You both are idiots!!!” he heard Catarina shouting in anger and he quickly got up, gripping on the couch as his vision also rotated with him. Nevertheless, he tried to make his way to Magnus’s bedroom.

“He was injured seriously and still all he cared about was you!!”

“…………..”                                                         

“He didn’t tell me earlier which I had to go the hard way to heal him since the poison spreaded badly. He had an infection fever too.”

“…..……..”

“Oh, he is fine now. He was so stubborn and wanted to be there when you wake up. He lost unconscious in healing and now he is just sleeping.”

He found them in there, Magnus was asking Catarina questions softly and Catarina, fuming in anger with both of them, was doing all the shouting works as she answered them. Catrina was sitting on a chair beside Magnus’s bed and Magnus was lying on his bed with the support of pillows behind his back, awake and looking good with more healthy colours on his face. He almost let out a sob and his tears rolled down with relief and happiness. He quickly covered his mouth with his hand before he let out any other sobs. He leaned on the door of Magnus’s room, couldn’t move his eyes anywhere but at his gorgeous boyfriend being awake and gaining his liveliness back and it was the best thing in the world he could ask for when he woke up.

Magnus’s head looked up to the door and saw Alec standing near the door. His eyes brightened up immediately with a smile on his face as he lifted up one hand towards Alec, gesturing him to come to him. Alec rushed to Magnus, throwing himself at his boyfriend on bed, sobbing while he hid his head on his broad sweet caramel chest. Magnus was surprised but softened, his one hand gently caressing his black hair gently and the other rubbing his back to comfort him. Alec held onto his man, his hands wrapping around his waist as if he would disappear. Catarina looked at Magnus, signing she would be in the living room and Magnus nodded, silently thanking her. Touched by their love, there were some glistening in her eyes and she knew she immediately have to leave them alone for now.

“Oh, Alexander…” Magnus made a small sound and his hands kept caressing him gently.. “I am so sorry..”

Why are you sorry for? Alec thought in anger, wanting to shout back or talk back but he couldn’t stop crying. His lips wouldn’t stop trembling and he knew he was no good for talking now so he just shook his head hard and buried his face into Magnus’s chest deeper. If Alec would look up, he would Magnus’s eyes were glistening as well, letting a few rolled down on his cheeks as he pressed a soft kiss into Alec’s hair, being glad that he was alive.

Magnus waited a few moments for Alec to calm down, whispering soft and comforting words into his ears reassuring that he was fine now. Alec knew his boyfriend had just recovered and needed rest but he couldn’t stop clinging to him. He almost lost him a few days back and finally, he was his again. He needed to make sure of that. He finally moved his face from his chest, looking up at his boyfriend and stunned by a dazzling smile of him he had missed so much. Magnus’s hands gently cupped his face and rubbed away his tears. Magnus was silently crying as well. He pressed their forehead together and closed their eyes. The moment was theirs and theirs only for now.

“Oh Alexander, you are still burning up..” Magnus spoke up, holding him in place when Alec tried to shrink away. He stared at his face carefully, grimacing when he found out how pale and sick his beloved was.. “You needed rest, Alexander. Tell me you had some sleep earlier days too. This one you fainted. It didn’t count.”

Alec shook his head, not breaking the eye contacts. “I don’t mind. I needed to watch you.” Magnus smiled thankfully before he pulled his boyfriend into his arms again. He held him tightly and Alec returned it. They stayed like that for a while before Magnus pulled himself to the side, making room for Alec. Alec complied, kicking his boots off and getting under the blanket. He softly asked Magnus, “How are you now?” with his big hazel eyes staring up to his soul.

“I am all better thanks to you, Love. As much as I don’t like to admit it, the demon blood was really helpful to me. It cured me and I felt good, powerful.. It really did a good turn to me, Alexander.” Magnus replied, leaning to press a kiss on Alec’s cheek as a thank you.

Alec closed his eyes as he accepted the kiss with a small smile on his face. “I am glad. Magnus.. I would kill all the demons for you if they would make you feel better.”

Magnus chuckled. “My shining knight in armor, Alexander.. you keep saying you are not good with words but you have gotten my heart with them..” He smiled as he stroked the paler man cheek gently.

“I love you..” Alec mumbled and finally relaxed himself into the bed. Now he looked sicker than Magnus was and he was barely pulling together to stay awake. Alec leaned on Magnus’s shoulder, sighed contently before he dozed off. Magnus scoped him over to him, gently wrapping his hands around his Alexander and watched his shadowhunter dozed off eventually from his fever and fatigue. Magnus gently healed some of his injuries in silence as he was feeling better enough, in fact, feeling the greatest of his life. He felt recovered and loved, extremely touched by Alexander. He pulled up the blanket over them. This boy sincerely loved him all his heart, just as much as he did so. Sincere love returned was rare to Magnus and he needed to treasure it. He needed to treasure this boy. When he woke up, Catarina and he would heal the rest of Alec’s injuries and fever, made him take some sick days off from the Institute and get the well rest he deserved. He planned to spoil him rotten, to bring all his favourite food all the time, to cuddle with him as much as he wanted and to take him to places wherever Alexander wanted to be when he recovered from the fever.

“I love you so much, Love.” He kissed his sleeping boyfriend softly on the lips before he closed his eyes again and whispered... “Thank you for saving me.”

***