A/N: The final episodes of season 3 A… left me thinking. And as sometimes happens when I'm left thinking, I produce a story. Because I could immediately see another way it could've ended. (grins evilly)

DISCLAIMER: ME… NO… OWN. Seriously. There'd be WAY more Malec (and especially Magnus) on the show if I did. And while we're at the topic of disclaimers…

THIS STORY CONTAINS SOME DIRECT QUOTES FROM THE SERIES. THEY'RE / BETWEEN LINES LIKE THIS / (Just mentioning it so the proper people get the credit.)

Awkay… Are you ready for this? No? Well, let's go, anyway! I REALLY hope that you'll enjoy the ride.

Erchomai

There are moments in a person's life when their mind flashes back to the days of the past. And memories come out, as clear as if they only just happened. Alec faced one such moment when he stared at the flames engulfing Magnus, unable to look away no matter how much he wanted to.

He remembered their very first kiss, the fire they'd felt from the start bursting to full flame.

He remembered their first time, the giggles that were as nervous as they were excited, the eager hands that found their way everywhere. And most of all the utter trust and affection they both felt. Safe in each other's arms.

And he remembered the night after Valentine was defeated, when he finally had Magnus back in his arms and decided that he'd never, ever let go again.

/ "You're beautiful." /

/ "I don't think I can live without you." /

Complete, utter horror struck through Alec's whole body, tearing its way through him as painfully as Magnus' cries of anguish. His eyes widened, a searing sensation taking over them. "Magnus, wait…!"

But it was too late. Alec stared at the spot where his boyfriend stood only seconds ago. "Wait…!"

/ "Tell me Jace isn't worth it." /

"Come back…!"

Magnus literally going to hell somehow wasn't the worst part of the whole ordeal. Even if it tore Alec's heart to pieces. Hurt far more than a monster in his parabatai's body breaking his arm and holding one of his own arrows against him.

"… begging me not to do this …"

The worst happened so quickly that even with his Speed rune and well-trained reflexes, Alec would've had no hope of stopping it.

When the arrow was less than a breath from his chest something struck. He was jostled violently to the side, rolled over his injured arm and gasped when black spots danced in his line of vision. It took far longer than it should've before he recovered enough to realize that the arrow hadn't harmed him. His eyes widened while his gaze turned to the side. If he'd imagined that his heart broke before… Well, he was wrong.

The Owl had Magnus pinned against the ground – and the arrow which once threatened him was sticking from the wheezing, barely conscious warlock's stomach.

Jace's face sneered at him, the foreign expression looking horribly wrong. "You have no idea how loudly the boy is screaming right now. Because he knows. Of course he does, he's not stupid." The monster made his parabatai's fingers tighten around the arrow. "Even if you'd somehow manage to break the spell… And even if you both somehow lived through this… You will never, ever forget his body doing this. You will see it every time you look at him." Before Alec could even twitch the arrow was plunged deeper.

Magnus' groan was louder to Alec than the distant explosion. His mouth opened but in the end nothing came out. He didn't see clarity returning to Jace's eyes, the hold of Lilith's magic fading away with her body. He didn't see Jace letting go of the arrow as though it burned, with a horrible wounded yelp. He was blind to those wide eyes staring at him, begging desperately for forgiveness. All he could see was the droplets of blood rising to Magnus' lips while the warlock fought to breathe, to stay awake.

Alec's reeling mind pushed him back to when Jace activated the Soul Sword accidentally. The sheer terror he felt then… It pulsated through his veins now, when after all his worrying about growing old and leaving Magnus behind he realized that this was how it might all end.

/ "I love you." /

Finally Jace's voice registered to him. "Alec…!" The look on his parabatai's face was an eerie echo from that other horrible day.

Just like then, Alec could only shake his head while tears gathered to his eyes. His legs barely carried him and his broken arm screamed from agony, but none of that slowed him down as he scrambled to his boyfriend. His hand trembled when he ran it gently, almost cautiously, down the warlock's face. "Magnus?" He sounded desperate but it failed to bother him.

With a great deal of difficulty Magnus managed to focus on him. Even tried to smile but it didn't come out right. "… knew I'd… make a dramatic entrance…"

A brief laugh that sounded teary and hysterical slipped from Alec. He sobered instantly when he noticed how Magnus' eyelids fluttered, barely staying open. "No, no, no…Magnus, hey, stay with me. Stay with me." His mind whirred chaotically while he grabbed his boyfriend's almost limp hand and held on tightly, with all his might, for the both of them. "Remember… Remember how I gave you my strength when you healed Luke? Take it! Take…" He choked on his words and the tears he was trying to hold back. "Take anything you need, just… Just don't…" Just don't leave me, please!

Something like apology appeared to Magnus' pained eyes. A feeble hand brushed Alec's cheek before falling down. "… sorry, Alexander … I can't…"

Alec tried to hold the warlock's gaze but it was slipping away. "What do you mean, you can't?" He actually cried out when Magnus' eyes closed, feeling vaguely like his heart was being carved from his chest. "Magnus!"

By some miracle Magnus managed to open his eyes halfway, locked them with his as though trying to memorize every detail. For just a little while longer. The softly murmured words were barely audible. "My magic… It's gone…"

/ "I will use the last drop of my power if it's the death of me." /

Yet again, Alec wished from the bottom of the heart he'd kept hidden for so long that he would've been able to scream. He stared at his boyfriend. Who probably still didn't fully understand just how much he meant to him. Who was wheezing horribly, possibly dying, no matter how desperately Alec's fervent whispers pleaded him to hold on. And like that wasn't enough torture, his mind conjured up his own voice, snapping viciously.

/ "Even if I did feel the something for you, would I give up my life for you? You just don't get it. I could lose my family, my career, everything! But at the end of the day… What do you risk?" /

X

A/N: Oh boy… The was a bit mean of me. (winces)

SO, HERE'S WHAT I'M THINKING… I'm considering making a full story out of this next year. Do you think I should?

AND, was this good, at all? Thoughts, comments, rants…? PLEASE, do le me hear from you!

In any case, THANK YOU, so much, for reading this! Whoever knows. Maybe we'll meet again.

Take care!