There was darkness, and in that darkness was a dim light - a small lamp that hung low from a dark ceiling, at least Alec assumed there was a ceiling; everything was dark. The lamp shone straight down, creating a cone of light in which the silhouette of a single man stood - a man he recognised. Magnus.

In the darkness, he began to stumble towards Magnus, towards the light, which seemed to distance itself away from him with every small step he took. He looked around. Darkness. Emptiness. He stopped and focused on Magnus; his face was covered in shadow and he could see were Magnus' piercing cat eyes staring back at him. Then he turned away.

Magnus, don't go, he cried but his voice was silent. He tried again and yet no sound would escape his throat, and Alec watched in alarm as Magnus retreated into the shadows and the light began to dim until there was nothing left to see. In the far distance, he could hear the familiar screeching of the subway. There was a drum of of the footsteps of subway goers, and then there was silence. And darkness. Then as if the floor beneath him gave out, he fell.

Alec awoke with a start, bathed in a pool of sweat. He sat up, slowly, the sheets pooling by his waist, revealing his bare chest to the cool night air. The faded runes on his skin seemed to twinkle and dance under the moonlight that shone brightly through the large bedroom windows. He rubbed his face a few times and sighed, running his hands through his damp hair. It took him a while to register that Magnus was no long in bed beside him; he could see the light peering through from beneath the bedroom door.

Alec shivered slightly; there was an open window near the far end of the room that was partially open, the sheer curtains billowing gently as a cool breeze entered the room. Pulling the sheets about him, he sighed and dropped back onto his pillow. It had been the same dream and it always ended the same way - him falling into darkness. He turned to look at the ornate little clock that sat on his nightstand. Magnus had bewitched the clock hands to glow whenever someone looked at it in the dark, though there were times where it would simply refuse to no matter how long he stared. It was a little past four in the morning a little groan emanated from his throat.

There was a soft click as the door handle turned and Alec had barely enough time to shield his eyes before the room was bathed in a bright light. He groaned again in annoyance which was received by a soft chuckle.

"Sorry," said Magnus. He waived a nonchalant hand towards the door and the room was once again bathed in glowing hues of moonlight. His eyes still shielded, Alec felt the bed dip and Magnus was by his side. He could feel the warmth from Magnus' body as well as the scent of sandalwood that gentle wafted in the air.

Alec pulled himself up with his elbows and turned to Magnus, all traces of sleepiness gone from the nightmare to leave nothing behind but exhaustion. "What were you doing out there?"

Magnus smiled and Alec couldn't help noticing the way his eyes lit up in the dark. "Here," Magnus said, offering him a tall glass of dark liquid that, in the darkness, could have ranged from carrot juice to blood.

Sitting up, Alec took the glass and sniffed its contents. It smelled like a strange mixture of herbs, a dash of lemon and if he'd thrusted his face into a bowl of peeled onions, his eyes began water. "What exactly is this?" he asked, wiping away the tears with the back of his hand with a frown.

Settling by Alec's side, Magnus wrapped a steady arm around Alec waist, his thumb gently caressing Alec's exposed skin, sending a little jolt up his spine. Magnus turned and pressed his lips to the younger man's shoulder with a smile. "It's to help you sleep," he whispered. "You had the same dream again, didn't you?"

Alec found himself nodding as he peered at the strange concoction in his hand. "How did you-"

"You call out to me," Magnus replied. His eyes seemed to sadden with his words and Alec felt the arm around his waist tightened.

Alec turned his head to Magnus, his brows raised in question. "I do? I don't remember anything - except falling."

"Drink," Magnus said, and after peering at the glass for a few more seconds, Alec drank, grimacing as his mouth exploded in a barrage of bitterness.

"That was disgusting," Alec replied with a face as he set the glass down on the nightstand. "Don't ever make me drink that again."

As he settled against Magnus' warm body, he felt Magnus' arms snake their way around him and smiled. The adrenaline coursing through his blood dissipated and exhaustion quickly took over as he stifled a yawn. Warm and comfortable, he nuzzled his pillow happily, and the memory of his earlier nightmare began to evaporate as he sank into slumber.

His face buried in Alec's shoulder, Magnus sighed as Alec's haggard voice wound themselves in his mind making his insides wrench. He knew. He knew that he was the cause of the nightmares; he was the malady that plagued his love's subconscious mind. Yet with all the knowledge he had amassed across his prolonged life, Magnus knew that there was but one cure - time, a constant of life over which he had no control. As if punishment for his actions, he could only watch, holding Alec tightly against him, hoping that sooner than later, time would heal the hurt he had caused.

A/N: Thanks for reading. If you loved it or hated it, please leave a review and let me know.