Disclaimer~ I don't own the Mortal Instruments.

Alert: Spoilers ahead! AFTER the City of Lost Souls.


Alec stared at the clear liquid in his glass. After he had cleared out his stuff from Magnus', Alec had bought a few bottles of vodka. The mundie drink wasn't as strong as any warlock concoction, but it still dulled his mind (and heart) enough for the agonizing pain to become a dull ache.

"Alec?" Isabelle poked her head around the door. Alec hastily tried to hide the empty vodka bottles.

"Izzy…" he slurred.

"Alec! What did you do?" Izzy's horrified voice barely penetrated Alec's mind.

Alec didn't answer and only fingered with the half-empty vodka glass.

"I'm calling Magnus," she said.

"NO!" Alec stood up, the glass falling to the floor and shattering.

Izzy stared at him in shock, "Alec…please, just let me call him."

"No" Alec repeated, more quietly.

Izzy sighed. She knew Alec had been drinking and she was worried. He had never been the one to hold his alcohol well. Quietly closing Alec's bedroom door, Isabelle went to her room and dialed Magnus' number.

"Hello?" the warlock's voice picked up on the second ring. Izzy winced, she knew her brother was a mess, but she hadn't expected the warlock to be a wreck as well.

"What is it, Isabelle?"

"It-it's Alec."

"I really don't have time for this." Magnus sounded ready to hang up.

"Wait! He's a wreck and for that matter, so are you! He went out and got himself drunk," Isabelle cried desperately.

"What?!"

"He's drunk, Magnus. And it's your fault" Isabelle snapped.

There was a sigh on the other end, "I'll come."

Isabelle breathed a sigh of relief and went back to Alec's bedroom.

"Alec" she called softly.

Receiving no answer, she pushed the door open slightly and almost had a heart attack. Alec was kneeling on the floor picking up the glass shards with bare hands.

"What are you doing!" she cried.

Alec was fingering a shard and as Isabelle shrieked, he flinched and the piece of glass slid across his palm, drawing blood.

"I-I-Izzy?" he sounded weak, even to his own ears.

"Magnus is coming over" she took a deep breath, waiting for an explosive reaction. When none came, she sighed discreetly closed the door, not noticing Alec's bleeding hand. Izzy couldn't remember a time when Alec had been this shaken, neither of them were eager to share their emotions.

No…Magnus was coming over…Izzy had called him…why…he was mad at Alec…wasn't he…and wasn't his fault? Alec's thoughts were jumbled as he stood in the middle off his bedroom, his bloody hand dripping on the floor.


"Where is he?" Magnus asked.

"Up in his bedroom…Magnus, what happened? What did he do?" Isabelle asked, following Magnus up the stairs.

Magnus didn't answer and only pushed open the door to Alec's room.

"Alec?"

"M-M-Magnus? What're you doin' here?" Alec turned, a confused look coming into his blue eyes.

"You're burning up" Magnus placed a hand on Alec's flushed and sweaty forehead.

"What?" Alec stumbled as the warlock gently maneuvered him over to his bed and sat him down.

"Shhh…" Magnus couldn't help feeling sorry for the shadowhunter (even though he had almost taken away the warlock's immortality).

Alec whimpered, "I don' feel so good" he gasped, just as he vomited into the trashcan Magnus hastily shoved under his face. The warlock wrinkled his nose in disgust and placed the wastebasket in the hallway. With any luck, Isabelle would see it and empty it.

"C'mon Alec, lie down" the warlock coaxed as Alec curled up on the bed.

"Magnus, 'm sowwy" Alec sobbed, his hands twisting the blanket into knots. Magnus suppressed a sigh and sat on the edge of the bed. Alec cried out as his injured hand tightened against the blanket.

"Let me have a look at that" Magnus gently untangled Alec's hand from the blankets.

"Isabelle" he called down the stairs.

"Is he okay?" she asked, worry lacing her voice.

"Yeah, can you just get bandages and something to calm your brother down…?"

Magnus went back to Alec's room, where the Shadowhunter was still huddled on the bed. He carefully brushed the sweaty, dark hair from the shadowhunter's forehead. He heard a quiet knock on the door, and opened it a crack. Isabelle wordlessly held out a glass of clear liquid and a pile of neatly folded gauze.

"Thanks."

"Alec, darling, sit up please" Magnus said softly.

Alec moaned and tried to curl into a tighter ball, his injured hand cradled against his chest. Magnus gently pulled the shadowhunter up against the pillows and started wrapping the gauze around Alec's slim hand. He cajoled Alec into drinking the entire glass and watched as his ex-boyfriend slowly dozed off. Magnus slowly ran his fingers through Alec's dark hair, the motion seeming to quiet Alec. He remembered Alec's look when he had walked away. He knew the shadowhunter hadn't actually accepted Camille's offer, but even so, it amazed him that Alec would actually consider that proposition. He paused for a moment, prompting Alec to stir and snuggle a little closer to him.

"Alec?" Magnus decided it was time for him to wake up.

"Mmhmm…Magnus go 'way…'m tired" Alec mumbled.

"You can go to sleep after this…" Magnus promised.

"What?" Alec sleepily blinked his remarkably blue eyes.

"Alec…" Magnus didn't get any farther as Alec's blue eyes watered with tears and he made a sort of hiccupping sob.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Magnus gasped, tilting Alec's head up.

Alec only sobbed harder, leaning forward until his head was resting against Magnus' shoulder. Magnus slid his arms around the shaking shadowhunter, rubbing one hand up and down his back.

"Alec…shhh…what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I didn't…" he choked into Magnus' shirt.

"Didn't?"

"A-a-a-accept Camille's…" Alec drew a shaky breath.

"I know you didn't" Magnus soothed, "it's alright."

"I-I-I-I didn't mean to."

Magnus only held him tighter and rocked him gently.

"I love you," he murmured into the shadowhunter's hair.

"Really?" Alec drew back.

Magnus nodded, "go back to sleep. I'll clean up the glass."

Alec nodded and nestled back against the pillows, his eyes already slipping closed. Magnus smiled and knelt down to gather the rest of the glass shards, carefully protecting his hands with one of Alec's t-shirts.


Me: Thanks for reading and please leave a review if you feel so inclined! Please note, that this is set afterCity of Lost Souls.