Disclaimer: Two words. Sadly, no.

Summary: As far as Alec Fairchild is concerned, life goes on even if he's adopted and can't bleed. But when the Lightwoods move into the neighbourhood and his best friend Jace makes an enemy in Magnus Bane, he might be bleeding in ways more than one, literally.

He was drowning.

"Hang on to me!"

A hand? He couldn't tell. It was all murky, and he was sinking, sinking more…

"Alexander!"

Alexander? Yes, that was his name. But he tried to hold on to the name, to that name…

"Alexander!"

He was slipping, drowning, a wordless scream and water rushing into his lungs…

And he choked on the metallic taste of blood.

"ALEXANDER FAIRCHILD!"

With a strangled cry in his throat, he bolted upright, shaking, heaving.

It was that dream again. Burying his face into his hand, barely aware of the sweat that covered his body, he took several long breaths.

"Alec are you-" he jumped as the door to his room was opened none too gently, and a half-crossed Jocelyn Fairchild found her temper receding as she took in the sight of her shaken, sweat-covered son. "Alec? What's wrong?" she sat down on the bed, her hand flying to his head. "No fever… are you alright? Why are you sweating so much?"

It took a while for Alec to settle down before he managed a weak 'nightmare'. Jocelyn let out a soft sigh. "Is it about…" she swallowed. "what we told you days before?" Alec looked up at his mother, confusion in his pale features. "Your eighteen birthday…me and Luke, well…"

"You told me nothing would change right?" Jocelyn looked up to her son's face. "That no matter what, you are still my mother?" She nodded. "Then its fine."

"Then what-"

"I don't know." He cut in, his head falling into his hand again. "All I remember was drowning and the taste of blood." He felt Jocelyn stiffen.

"Do you want Jem to-"

"Mom! Alec! Are you two coming down? We're going to be late for school!" a female voice rang out, obviously frustrated. Jocelyn rolled her eyes. "And someone was whining about it last night." Turning back to her son, she grasped his hand gently, cerulean eyes looking up to face her. "Take a shower and freshen up. You don't want to be late now, do you?"

Alec felt a smile tug onto his lips, remnants of the nightmare fading away. "As if."

"Anddddd this year, the Fairchilds are once again in the last position!" a series of whooping cheers greeted the Fairchilds as Clary and Michael all but dragged Alec out of the house. "Oh shut it," Clary whined. "It's because Alec was being a sleeping beauty again!"

"Indeed." Michael agreed, earning him a glare from Alec. "It's for a fact, Snow White." He teased.

"Oh quit it." Alec huffed. "I hate that nickname."

"Unfortunately Alec dear, you fit the description of Snow White so well, sans red blood lips and all." He had barely time to turn before Cecily Herondale back-hugged him. "Morning Alec dear!"

"Morning Cecy." He chuckled, and turned to look at the rest of the group. "Shall we go then?"

Well, it technically wasn't a group, more like an entire army, if he had to say it nicely. As far as he remembered, all of them Fairchilds had grown up alongside their neighbours, consisting of the Herondales, the Blackthorns and the Carstairs.

As such, it came as no surprise that all of them went to the same school together, had family gatherings together…and also went to school together.

Alec was pretty sure he would never get used to the stares as all of them walked into school together, like a party that had arrived on foot.

"Still nervous about the stares?" Alec blinked. "Helen…well, its weird…" Helen Blackthorn snorted softly and slung an arm around him. "Ever the blushing maiden."

"Am not!" he scowled at her. Helen only laughed and pulled out her phone. "Okay, say Cheese!"

"Wha-" he barely had time to react before he heard the sound of the camera snapping away. "Helen!"

"Loosen up, Snow White! It's our second year into college with advanced standing," Alec snorted at the smug undertone in her voice, "and we should make full use of it!"

"By taking unglam shots?" Alec retorted back. "I would rather Clary did a half-assed portrait of me." He hissed as a punch landed onto his shoulder.

"I heard that!" Clary huffed at him. "And I do not do half-assed portraits!"

"You mean the Van Gogh-esque style of art she was trying last time?" Helen grinned. "Right."

"Helen!" Clary whined. Helen merely laughed as Alec patted his sister's head, chuckling.

"If you three are done insulting Van Gogh, the bell's gonna ring!" James Herondale yelled, looking half amused. "Sure you wanna be late on the first day?"

"Hell no! Wouldn't want Mr Whitelaw breathing down my neck!" Helen yelled back as the three of them, half laughing, ran to join back their little group before they split for the day towards their own classes, not before they all agreed to meet again during lunch. As he headed towards his History class with Helen, Alec took a deep breath as he looked outside at the school grounds.

Today was a fine day. Yeap, this year would be a good one.

A/N: So this is like a prologue kinda~ it's a little messed up, but I'll fix this accordingly as it goes on. Can I get at least 5 reviews for this chapter? If not I've no idea if I'm any good at writing at all. X'DD Honest opinions please! And thank you for reading! ^^