It's Complicated Malec AU

by Yaoilover2873

Magnus Bane wants to be a serious reporter. He's promised the job of a life time if he is able to get the inside scoop of what goes on in Downtown New York. While undercover Magnus meets Alec Lightwood who was disowned by his family. Alec is everything Magnus wants to write about but the longer he gets to know him the harder he falls. Can he choose between his dream and love?

1. The Complicated assignment

Chapter one: The Complicated Assignment

Magnus Pov- I looked up at the big building I have only dreamed of entering before today. I have always wanted to be a reporter. Finding out the real story and telling the worlds secrets. It was much better than spilling celebrity gossip and following them around for a possible scandalous photo.

I finally had an interview at Circle Inc. the most hard hitting news claim in New York and I was so terrified that I was going to blow it. This was my once in a life time chance to win the CEO over with my amazing journaling skills. Once you failed an interview with Circle Inc. then that was it, you only got one chance. "Are you going to go in or are you going to stare at the building all day?" My closest friend Ragnor Fell asked standing behind me impatiently.

I looked at him frowning "What if I mess up? They might not like me." I was expecting some reassurance or compassion but of course that was too much to hope for when it came to Ragnor. Instead I he responds by saying "Well I would be surprised if that indeed didn't happen. Your clothes themselves are enough to get you thrown out. Seriously Magnus, who wears sparkly gold skinny jeans to a job interview?"

I frowned looking down at said jeans, my silver V-neck shirt, and black blazer I had on over it. I also completed the look with a matching gold sparkly scarf, some silver high-tops, and my make-up was a mix of gold and silver. "I wanted to be myself" I said finally, flipping my scarf over my shoulder in a dramatic fashion. Ragnor rolled his eyes "Whatever, just go in already or you'll be late. You're already making me regret sticking my neck out for you."

Ragnor worked at Circle Inc. and it took long hours of groveling and whining to convince him to get me an interview. It was actually surprising when he really did it. Now that it was time for said interview though all I could do was stand in front of the building staring at it. "Okay… I can do this… no problem…"

Ragnor rolled his eyes again and this time he shoved me through the doors. I fell forward almost landing on my face but caught my balance before looking at Ragnor "That was very unnecessary." Ragnor ignored me and grabbed me by the scarf half choking me as he pulled me into the elevator. "Magnus you need to focus. If you do badly on this interview then that will reflect badly on me. I will not have you making me look bad, am I understood?"

I nodded standing up straight, pulling my scarf out of his grasp "I got this." Ragnor crossed his arms "You better hope you got this Magnus." The elevator stopped and the moment the doors opened Ragnor shoved me out before pushing the button to make the doors close again. I stared at the closed elevator doors trying to catch my breath before I turned around and walked up to the secretary desk.

The secretary, a man with golden blonde hair and blue eyes, looked up from his paper work and the first thing he did was scale my outfit. Ok so maybe being myself wasn't the best idea for something this important. "Name?" He asked going back to his paperwork. "Um… Magnus Bane. I'm here for an interview with Valentine Morgenstern."

He pushed a button on a voice box saying "Valentine your four o clock is here" before looking up at me again "Have a seat he will be with you shortly." I nodded thanking him before going over to the sitting area looking around the room. There were blown up framed newspaper articles that made this company so well-known hanging all over the walls. Inside scoops in murder investigations, drug busts, even the biggest story in New York about a mob ring. The mob was causing a lot of trouble not so long ago and it was Circle Inc. who found out that the leader of the mob was only a fifteen year old boy named Raphael Santiago.

The office door opened and a man with hair so blond it almost looked white came out smiling at me. "Magnus Bane please come into my office." I quickly stood up going into his office like he asked. Once inside I smiled at him, shaking his hand "Magnus Bane, it's a privilege to meet you Mr. Morgenstern."

He smiled shaking my hand back "Just Valentine is fine. Please have a seat Magnus." I did as he said looking around his office as he poured us coffee. His office was full of more blown up framed newspapers but he also had pictures of him and I'm guessing his family.

Most of the pictures were of him and a young girl with fire orange hair but there was one where he was standing with her and another kid. It was a boy with the same blond white hair as Valentine. He had his arms crossed and didn't even look at the camera. It was if the fact that the picture was being taken at all pissed him off.

"So Magnus what made you interested in working for my company" Valentine asked making me look away from the picture and back at him. He handed me my coffee and I smiled a thank you at him before saying "I have always admired the work you and the reporters here do. You aren't afraid to go into danger to get the story, that's real devotion to your work."

Valentine nodded sitting in his seat "Well it is sometimes, it's hard to convince most of my writers to put themselves in danger like that. The Raphael Santiago case was very hard, no one wanted to risk the mob finding and killing them." I had to admit that sounded scary. "You got someone to do it though."

Valentine nodded "Hodge was kind enough to volunteer so at least I had someone. Your friend Ragnor is one of my photographers yes? He's one of my best." I nodded "he's always had a keen eye for photography."

Valentine leaned forward folding his hands together "I'll be frank with you Magnus I don't need just any reporter. I need one that can put themselves in the line of danger and not give me any lip about it. I need professionals who know how to do their job and above all else I need complete loyalty." I frowned slightly knowing what he was talking about.

Circle Inc. used to have four founders Valentine Morgenstern, Michael Wayland, Lucian Graymark, and lastly Robert Lightwood. It was a huge scandal when Robert Lightwood started his own company and took almost everyone with him. "I'm all about loyalty" I finally said looking at Valentine. He studied me for a moment before leaning back "I'll give you a test then Magnus Bane. To see if you can really handle being in the line of danger."

I smiled excited for getting a chance to prove myself "What is the test?" "Go undercover down town and get me the inside scoop on how the people there really live." That made me frown "Down town?" Down town was a really bad part of New York City. It was where all the homeless, drug addicts, and prostitutes lived.

"I want to know the life of someone who lives down there. If you don't think you can handle such a small task then there's no way you can handle this job." I stood up so fast I almost spilled my coffee "I can handle it, I'll do it." Valentine smiled and shook my hand "Bring me a great story Magnus Bane and you'll be my new reporter."

"You have to what now?!" My friend Tessa asked almost choking of her salad. I was out with her, Ragnor, and Catarina celebrating my possible job opportunity. "I have to go down town to find out what really goes on down there."

"It's already obvious what goes on down there Magnus. They either live on the street or in a crappy run-down apartment, the jobs they have are drug dealing and selling themselves, and when they do have money they use it to get high." Catarina shook her head "I have treated a lot of people from down town. I see a lot of people dying every day from aids or drug over dose. There's a lot of murder that happens down there too."

I looked at Catarina a little shocked. Out of all the people who would have been understanding I thought for sure it would be her. "Maybe they're not all like that" I said before taking a big bite out of my burger. "They are Magnus, I don't know what Valentine think's you're going to get but you won't get anything that people don't already know. No one will be interested in what happens down town. No one ever is" Ragnor said watching me.

"That's why they live like they do Magnus. Down town is where you go when you just want to give up on life. It's the easy way out and nothing more" Tessa said sipping at her soda. I looked at them all "You don't think I can get a great story?" They all looked at each other hesitant on hurting my feelings and I stood up "Looks like I will have to prove you wrong then. I'll come back here with a story so juicy Valentine will be begging to have me on his staff."

Alec Pov- As the morning sun shone through the window of yet another crappy hotel room I ended up at I struggled to open my eyes, heavy as led. Last night had gone on like every one of my normal nights for the past two years. I woke up around five in the evening, having drank myself into a drunken sleep the night before. Got up and dressed in the scraps of clothing I had for myself, then walked around town scouting out the best places to buy drugs where the cops wouldn't be undercover to catch me. Once I bought myself a decent amount of cocaine I made my way to my job where I entertain rich men who come down town to escape their problems.

When I first started living down town I was thrown the job as a pity bone. I hated the thought of selling myself and pretending I liked these men just to survive but now I got a thrill out of it. They used me to become less stressed and I use them to escape the pathetic life I'm living for a few hours.

I sat up in bed looking around the unfamiliar hotel room before reaching for my jeans laying on the ground. I pulled out my pack of cigarettes and lighter before pulling one out of the box and putting it in my mouth. I ended up here after leaving work with a handsome stranger who kept buying me drinks. He asked if I wanted to get a room and I accepted without even thinking about it.

Money was money and sex was sex. I stopped separating the two long ago. I lit the cigarette before searching my jeans for the bag of coke I had in my back pocket cursing to myself when I didn't find it there. "Damn bastard" I muttered pulling the cigarette out of my mouth and blowing out the smoke. The man I came here with must have jacked my drugs before leaving this morning.

My cell phone rang so loud I could feel it pounding my skull, I was still slightly hung over from my previous night of drinking. Sighing I reached over to the bedside table and grabbed my phone flipping it open and putting it to my ear. It wasn't one of those fancy smart phones that everyone always seemed to be updating just because the new one has a slightly bigger screen. This was one of those flip phones that only had so many minutes on it because you got those minutes free every month from the government.

"Hello" I sighed into the phone plopping my head back on the flat as paper pillow. "Where are you at this time? I swear every time I come to your place you're never here" My best friend Sebastian Morgenstern complained loudly.

I closed my eyes rubbing my temples "Can you please lower your voice a smidge? I went to a hotel with one of my customers. The Bastard stole my cocaine and that was supposed to last me a month." The sound of a snort came from the other end of the phone "You and I both know that wouldn't have even lasted you a week."

It was true, I spent the majority of my time either getting high or being high. When you had nothing to live for you didn't really care about the possibility of over dosing or dying of aids. Well okay I shouldn't say I didn't completely care. I always made sure to go to a free clinic and check myself for aids and HIV when I'm not sure about people I sleep with. Last night's mystery lover will be added to that list.

"Why were you looking for me Sebastian" I asked balancing my phone between my ear and shoulder, while I stood up and pulled on my jeans. "I want you to reconsider the offer we were given the night before. I know you said it was risky but I think we should take a chance on it. They'll pay us thousands."

I sighed shaking my head. The offer he spoke of was from the New York mob boss Raphael Santiago. He has been in the papers a lot lately and because of this he needs to keep a low profile. Raphael has a huge drug shipment coming in and he wants Sebastian and me to be in charge of getting it and distributing it throughout the city.

"Sebastian I keep trying to tell you that we shouldn't be involved with the New York mob. Circle Inc. knows what Raphael is up to they put a huge spotlight on him. The cops will be looking out for weird activity and the last thing we need is to be involved with it. I rather not go to prison."

Sebastian sighed and I could feel the force of him rolling his eyes over the phone. "Alec you worry too much. You need this money a lot more than I do. The fact that you only had enough money for a months' worth of dope means that you haven't been getting a lot of offers to sleep with you. I for one would never belittle myself to sleeping with scum who could never afford me." I pulled on an old gray T-shirt covered in little holes. "Well yeah because you're a sugar baby" I teased knowing it always pissed him off.

Down town had four types of jobs you can have. Drug dealing where you sell any type of drug to losers like me who will buy it. Prostitution where you sell yourself for sex to get money. Sadly that was the category I was in.

Sugar baby, or in a man's case a companion. Someone who had such great looks that they didn't need to sleep around. All they did was pretend to be a rich persons date or just spend time with them and they spoil you with money and anything else you want. Then lastly, the homeless who have such a shitty life that all they can do is lay on the sidewalk waiting to die.

Sebastian was in the companion category. With his platinum blonde hair and dark cold black eyes he looked like a dark angel banished to earth because all he could do was sin. He was once part of the Morgenstern family, one of the most well-known families in New York but something happened to make his family disown him. I never really asked what happened since it wasn't my place to ask. All I know is that his name was once Jonathan Morgenstern and he hated his family.

"Speaking of which, I don't know how you can date men Alec. Every time I am forced to pretend to be a man's boyfriend it's so annoying. Rich gay guys are the worst kind of rich guy." I couldn't help but laugh at that as I slipped on my shoes "yeah I can't argue with you there. Can we agree that we aren't going to have anything to do with Raphael Santiago or the New York mob? The money's not worth the trouble."

Sebastian let out a long annoyed sighed before saying "Fine you win. I brought over some coke so I'll be here waiting. Don't take forever" He said before hanging up. I smiled putting my phone in my pocket and walked out of the room happy Sebastian had me covered. It was an understatement that I had a drug problem. Everyone who knows me knows it's true and the dealers know it also which sucks for me because they know I'll pay whatever they say to get it. I paid a good three hundred bucks just for that small bag.

I walked out of the hotel looking up at the cloudy sky that threatened rain. It's hard to believe that there was a time where my life didn't suck, where I actually enjoyed being alive. Seems like a dream now but it was real. I was Alexander Lightwood, the eldest son of Robert and Maryse Lightwood and people expected great things to come from me.

My father was one of the founders of circle Inc. and when he betrayed Valentine by making his own company I was supposed to run it in the future after he retires. Those plans changed when I finally told my parents that I was not only gay, but was also in love with my adoptive brother Jace. My parents, the people who raised me and said they would love me no matter what turned their backs on me then. My father told me I was disgusting and I needed to clean up my act or else.

I pretended it was a phase living the next three years acting like I was over it. I had gotten over my crush on Jace, that was a phase but my liking boys was not. When I told my parents that, they finally showed me what 'or else' meant. They threw me out of the house making me have to escape to down town where I had to fight to survive every day. If Sebastian hadn't found me half dead and starving on the street I might not have survived.

I looked around as I walked frowning at all the people laying on the sidewalk shaking from either the cold or withdraw. It was the beginning of fall but winter was approaching fast. New York winters were brutal especially down town. Half of the homeless die during the winters and you would think the police or a homeless shelter would help with that but that's not the case. The police see it as lowering the homeless rating in New York. Letting them die is better than helping them live.

The homeless weren't the only ones down town who were affected by the winters. Not a single apartment had heat down here and the buildings installation did little to keep out the cold. Business slowed down since the rich go to warmer places during the winter and drug sales also vanish since the dealers don't want to stand in the cold. Winter was hard for all of us and we dreaded it for when it came.

Once I got to my apartment I went inside not needing to unlock any doors. No locks worked in this place and it's shocking that no one has broken in yet, well no one but Sebastian. I pushed my front door open and like promised Sebastian was sitting on my old dirty couch waiting for me. The couch was maybe sixteen years old and I suppose it was white once. Now it was a mix of yellow and brown and springs were sticking out of it from every angle.

Sadly though the couch was the nicest thing in my apartment. I had no TV which never really bothered me because I'm rarely home anyway. The walls had cracks and the wallpaper peeled revealing moldy warped wood behind it. Lastly the frig didn't work so If I wanted to buy food that needed to be cold I will end up with something soupy or chunky.

"I really think you should invest in a new couch" Sebastian said pulling one of the many springs out of the couch and throwing it across the room. I walked over to him rolling my eyes "Not everyone is like you and can get rich girls to buy me expensive stuff." He smirked at me "You jealous? I keep telling you with that black hair and those blue eyes you could be a companion. You wouldn't even have to sleep with them unless you wanted to."

I leaned into the back of my couch, wincing when a piece of metal poked my back "I don't do charity you know that. Speaking of all of your nice stuff, I do hope you locked up your house this time. They cleaned out your whole house last weekend."

Sebastian lit a cigarette, inhaling before breathing out the smoke in a long sigh "I bet it was that Maia bitch. You have to watch your back with her she's a sneaky one." I nodded scratching my arms, they were really starting to irritate me. My entire body was itchy and I was getting restless.

Sebastian noticed "When was the last time you got high dude?" I shrugged still itching my arms "two days ago." His shocked look wasn't surprising. I never went more than a day without doing some kind of drug.

When I first started using I only did it once a month, but the harder my life got the more I used. Eventually I got to the point where I needed to be high all the time or else I'll break. I know it's gotten bad, I can't even be sober for an hour without feeling withdraw. That's what was happening to me right now, my body was on edge needing to relax but that bastard stole my stash.

Sebastian shook his head pulling a bag of thick white powder out of his pocket "I keep telling you that you need to stop taking your drugs with you on the job. You seriously can't have sex while sober?" I looked at the powder my entire body now fidgeting with need "I can but I rather not." Sebastian shrugged spreading the powder onto my coffee table before handing me a straw "Go at it."

Magnus Pov- "Why would you want to go to that dirty hobble?" My best friend Camille asked sprawling out on my bed with a magazine in hand. She invited herself over like always and once I told her my plan she shot it down hard. "I have to do this to get my dream job Camille, why don't any of you understand how important this is to me?"

She sighed sitting up on the bed "Magnus, Ragnor works for Circle Inc. as well and he has never had to go downtown. I think you need to back up and think about what you're risking. You could get mugged or gang raped. Not to mention if you for some reason meet a guy down there he will be a total mess."

I rolled my eyes at that "I won't fall in love while I'm down there this is strictly work." She looked at me, her eyes serious now "I know you Magnus. You love broken things and I know you will meet some poor broken soul down there and assume you can fix them. Don't go downtown Magnus."

I crossed my arms over my chest "You all are unbelievable, since when are you so judgmental?" Camille raised an eyebrow at that question and I nodded "Okay you have always been judgmental I'll give you that but the others aren't. I thought for sure Catarina would understand but she was just as bad as the others. What is so bad about downtown?"

She sighed pulling out her phone "You haven't been down there Magnus so you don't know what it's like. My father took me down there once to teach me to appreciate money. I acted cool about it but I would never admit to him that it down right scared me. I make sure I don't spend money carelessly, I don't want to end up like them."

"Raphael Santiago is one of the richest men alive and he lives downtown" I argued but I knew it wasn't a very strong argument. "He's also a mob boss. If you were doing illegal activity wouldn't you live where you can hide it behind even more illegal activity? Face it Magnus you have nothing to fight with."

I shrugged plopping down on my bed and turning on the TV "Doesn't change my mind. I'm still going downtown and I'll get the scoop I need to get into Circle Inc." She sighed shaking her head before looking at the TV when they mentioned the Lightwood family. I grabbed the remote turning up the volume and a news reporter put a mic up to Robert Lightwood the man who betrayed Valentine and made his own company.

"Mr. Lightwood is it true that you're going to be giving the business to one of your children at the end of the month?" Robert Lightwood smiled charmingly at the news reporter. You could tell by that smile that he was good at tricking people, then again most of the Lightwoods were good at that from what I was told. "Yes, my only daughter Isabelle Lightwood will be taking over for me. I'm very proud of her for stepping up and taking the position."

The camera zoomed out showing a girl, not even seventeen standing next to him. She was a vision of loveliness that was for sure. She had the signature Lightwood black hair but not the blue eyes they were so famous for. "He's doing a great power move" Camille said looking back at her magazine.

I looked back at her "what do you mean?" She shrugged flipping a page "This is the twenty first century. The fact that he doesn't bat an eye at his daughter running his company means he's not a sexist pig." I glanced at her thinking about that before looking back at the screen.

The reporter lady looked confused "Excuse me for asking Mr. Lightwood but what happened to your eldest son Alexander Lightwood running your company. A few years ago you announced that he would be your successor. What changed?" Robert's poker face faltered a little, you had to have a trained eye like me to see it but there was a look of disgust in his eyes. Was that look for his son? Who looked that way about their own child?

"Alexander decided he wanted to pursue other… interests. Isabelle is fully capable of running my company." I looked at Isabelle and saw many emotions in her eyes. Sadness, guilt, hatred. Was it toward her brother or was it for someone else? It seemed directed at her father which made me wonder if there was more behind this story.

"You have your reporter face on Magnus. What are you seeing that no one else is seeing?" Camille asked glancing up at me. I looked back at her "There's more going on with this Alexander fellow. 'Pursuing other interests' I don't believe it for a second. There's more going on there you can see it in Isabelle Lightwoods eyes."

Camille let out a long exaggerated sigh "Magnus stop being such a nerd. I get it, you have a special eye for these things but you don't need to stick your nose in everyone's problems. Just leave it alone and become a fashion designer like everyone expected you to." I looked back at the TV "though I love fashion my heart belongs to revealing every ones secrets. After I'm done downtown I'll set my sights on the Lightwood family and getting the scoop on them for Valentine."

I spent two hours trying to hail a cab that would even consider going downtown. Most of the failed phone calls ended with some course words and them asking me if I'm crazy. I must have been crazy because I didn't see what all the fuss was about. Was I seriously the only person in New York who hasn't been downtown?

My parents weren't like most parents. They didn't care where I went or what I did, they just gave me money and told me to do what I wanted. They never took me downtown to scare me into handling money the right way.

Finally when tailing a cab became impossible I made arrangements for Valentine himself to take me. I was in a limo with him now looking around it suspiciously. "Should we really be this flashy? We're going downtown after all."

Valentine pushed over a suitcase to me "You're going to need this" he said not answering my question. I took it opening it up and stared down at the case full of hundred dollar bills "Why would I need this?" Valentine leaned back in the leather seat "You have to appear to be a rich man to get the vermin of the streets to talk to you. People who live here will do anything for money."

I frowned looking at him. I figured he wanted to find out the truth about these people but it seemed he was as narrow minded as the rest of them. "What am I looking for exactly Mr. Valentine?" He shrugged "A great reporter can go into a situation and get a great story without knowing what he's looking for. I'm expecting you to be able to do that for me."

I nodded closing the suitcase "Yes sir… do you know what happened to Alexander Lightwood?" That caught Valentine by surprise "what?" I shrugged "I saw the news the other night and Robert Lightwood named his daughter his successor but the reporter said Alexander was supposed to be. Do you know why he isn't?"

Valentine shook his head no "I stay out of Lightwood affairs." I watched him thinking before saying "If you approve of what I find down here I would like my next work to be finding out the Lightwoods secrets for you. They betrayed you so I think you should get even." Valentine met my eyes, a peek on interest in his own. "We'll see what you come up with before we go into next time."

I nodded and the limo stopped in front of a run-down building with bright florescent lights flicking on and off. "What's this place" I asked confused. Valentine shrugged "It's where you'll meet someone to talk to. I'm sure it won't be hard to find someone especially if you fling your money around." If there was one thing I was good at it was flinging money around.

I nodded thanking him before getting out of the limo looking around. The moment I stepped out of the safety of the limo I felt the full force of downtown. People wearing scraps of clothing lying in the street, a group of guys beating up a smaller guy across the street, and the sound of babies crying and couples screaming at each other filling the air. This was really far from what I expected, so far my friends were all right about this place.

I took a deep breath clinging to the suitcase before going inside the building. The inside wasn't as run-down as he outside. There were booths and tables full of people in all kinds of different clothes. You could tell who the rich were and who the poor were. The rich men and woman were in brand named suits and glamourous dresses. The poor were in dirty jeans, old holy clothes and dirty dresses.

"Can I help you sir?" A girl with dirty blond hair wearing a ripped up crop top and some black shorts walked up to me. I was sure she was a gorgeous girl once before life broke her down. Now her skin was covered in bruises from obvious needle injections and her teeth were rotting from chewing tobacco. "Yes um… I would like to have an audience with your number one guy here." Just because I was undercover didn't mean I couldn't get the best I could get.

She looked over my outfit questionably as if wondering if I could afford the best. I chose the wrong day to wear leather rainbow pants, a purple sequence unisex tang top, and my knee high boots. My make-up was a simple liquid eyeliner and I had glitter… well everywhere. The girls' eyes trailed over all of these things before her gaze stopped on the briefcase in my hand.

"Very well sir, come this way." She led me passed all of booths and chairs and into a room in the back. It must have been a private VIP room where the richest ones got alone time with the workers. The room was pretty cozy, there was a big plush booth covered in white fur and overhead were florescent lighting that could be dimmed if needed.

It wasn't hard to tell what happened in rooms like these. The girl pulled some wine out of the little frig in the corner before putting it on the little table in front of the booth. "He will be with you in a moment" She said putting down two glasses before walking out. I watched her before looking around the room again now feeling nervous.

I didn't know what to expect coming to a place like this but this is where Valentine said I would be able to talk to someone. I put the case on the table drumming my fingers on it nervously. All I had to do was give this person this money and pray to god that he lets me follow him around for a little while.

The door opened and my head shot up to see who was entering. I was surprised to see it was a boy about my age. I could have sworn it would have been some old man. He locked the door mumbling to himself and I couldn't help but smile at the fact that he had black hair.

Black hair was one of my must haves… well that and blue eyes. The boy turned to me smiling a dazzling smile but all I noticed was his gorgeous ocean blue eyes. I felt like I needed to be slapped out of a dream. It was so rare to find my special blend I loved so much.

The closest I ever came to it was my old friend Will Herondale. Sadly he ended up falling for his other friend Tessa Gray so that relationship was doomed from the start. But the fact that this blue eyed beauty was here meant he played for my team. It also meant he lived around here which wasn't as appealing.

"Um… Is something on my face" He asked wiping at his nose. I shook my head no "No sorry… you have amazing eyes." The boy smiled and walked over sitting next to me "Thank you sir, I could say the same about you. Gold and green isn't a normal eye color."

I smiled "I wear contacts… I like to look like a cat." The boy laughed and his laugh made his slightly dirty face brighten up "I love cats." He held out a hand to me "My name is Alec Lightwood." I frowned slightly, grabbing his hand shaking it. "Lightwood… like Alexander Lightwood?"

He frowned letting go of my hand "How do you know my name?" I dropped my hand shrugging "Your father is very well known… wait, why are you here?" Alec grabbed the wine starting to pour it into the glasses "I don't talk about my personal life sorry sir." "You can call me Magnus. Magnus Bane."

He handed me one of the glasses of wine "Well Magnus Bane what made you ask for me?" I shrugged "I asked for the best and they brought me you." He nodded "I'm the most recommended since I'm the youngest guy here." "And what is it you do here Alec?"

This time Alec smirked "You really can't tell?" I glanced around the room again before nodding "Yeah I can tell, it's not too hard to figure it out." Deciding that this conversation was taking an awkward turn I reached over for my suitcase "I have a job offer for you Alec, I would really like your help."

I opened the case revealing all of the money and Alec choked on his wine coughing roughly "That's a lot of money." I nodded "I need your assistance and I'm willing to give you all of this when it's over." Alec looked at the money in silence for a moment before looking at me "So you want my services?" I nodded "That's right."

He put his wine glass down before getting closer to me crawling into my lap "what 'services would you like?" I just stared at him stunned "Excuse me?" He looked into my eyes with intense blue ones. They had a glossy sheen over them as if he was high. Perhaps he was.

I put my hand on his shoulder pushing him slightly away "Wait Alexander that's not what I meant. I don't want to sleep with you." Alec blinked confused before moving back onto the couch "Then what do you want from me?" "I want to know what the average week for someone who lives downtown is. I want to maybe follow you around and take some mental notes."

He looked at me like I was crazy "you serious?" I nodded "completely." This couldn't have worked out any better. Alexander Lightwood was here downtown. If I could figure out how and why then I can tell Valentine and he can use the information to bring down Robert Lightwood.

Alec looked at his wine glass on the table thinking before looking over at the case of money. He drummed his fingers on his knees, fidgeting as he stared at it. He wanted that money and he wanted it bad. You could see it all over his face.

"Very well Magnus" Alec finally said looking back at me. "I'll let you follow me around but you might regret it. I don't intend to hold back my life style just to make you feel comfortable." I shook my head "I want you to be completely yourself as if I'm not even there."

Alec nodded reaching over for the money but I quickly closed the suitcase pulling it off the table "You'll get this once the week is over." I couldn't trust him not to run off with the money without holding his end of the bargain. Alec sighed at this but nodded "Whatever you say." He looked at the clock on the wall before standing up "if we aren't sleeping together then that means I can go home. My shift is pretty much over."

I stood up following him out of the room "Great, where are we going?" Alec stopped walking and looked back at me "I hope you don't think you're living with me." I frowned at that "That's part of the deal, I have to see where you live." Alec rolled his eyes at that "I'm not much of a roommate kind of guy."

He looked down at the suitcase of money in my hand before sighing again and starting to walk "You'll be sleeping on my couch got it?" I nodded following him "Of course." We made our way down the street and I tried not to look around at all the people sitting on the sidewalks. There really were a lot of homeless and they were all shaking and sickly.

"I would stop staring if I was you. They don't take kindly to rich guys looking at them." I looked at Alec frowning "You don't live on the street do you?" "I told you I have a couch didn't I? I was homeless once and I'm not going back."

I wanted to ask him why he was homeless and what had happened between him and his family but he already made it clear that he wasn't going to talk to me yet. Instead I asked "What did you do to stay warm when you lived on the street?" He glanced back at me before looking forward "I didn't do anything. The police and homeless shelter turned me away. They said I was young and the shelter were for the old people who couldn't handle the cold. Now a days though not even the old get brought in to the shelters. Everyone just lays on the sidewalk freezing to death. I would have died if I wasn't saved."

I frowned at that "Who saved you?" He shrugged "A good friend. I'm sure you'll meet him at some point but I don't feel comfortable telling you about him without his permission." We turned a corner and before I could ask any other questions we were stopped by two teens stepping in front of us.

It was a beautiful Asian girl with short bluish black hair and a guy with dreadlocks. Alec didn't even seem slightly surprised to see them "Lily, Eliot. Can I help you two?" The girl, lily, put her hands on her hips "Who do you think you are rejecting Raphael's offer like that Lightwood? You and Sebastian have some explaining to do."

I could feel my blood freeze under my skin. Of course I would get involved with someone involved with Raphael Santiago. Alec just calmly crossed his arms "I won't risk going to prison over your boss's stupid ideas. I have better things to do than spread drugs around for a mob boss."

"Better things to do?" Lily asked before her eyes went on me. She scaled my outfit before smirking "Is he what you're going to do?" "No!" I yelled not meaning to sound as offended but that's how it came out.

Elliot whistled before snickering "What's this Lightwood? Finally found someone who could resist your blue eyes? It's too bad he seems better than the old bastards I'm always seeing you with." Alec glared at them both "How about you both move along? Tell Raphael that Sebastian and I won't change our minds no matter how much money he throws at us."

They both glared back at him before turning and walking away. I watched them before looking at Alec "So you have some self-value after all." Alec looked back at me his blue eyes a blaze of fury "are you saying I have no self-worth?" I backed up slightly "Um well… you were ready to sleep with me for this money and you're letting me come home with you. That doesn't seem like self-worth to me."

Alec watched me for a moment before turning away continuing to walk "You're an ass." I hesitated before following him "I'm sorry you think so." Alec glanced back at me before looking ahead again "I don't need to be respected, I just need what I need to survive." I cocked my head to the side curious "And what is it you need to survive?"

He turned around smirking at me "A man in my bed and a buzz in my blood. Sex and drugs that's all." I frowned at that "That's surviving?" Alec shrugged turning around again and starting to walk "To me it is. I don't expect you to understand rich boy."

Alec walked up some old creaky stairs leading up to an apartment and I watched him before looking over the complex. The entire building looked like it could collapse at any moment. There were cracks in the exterior and loud arguing coming from other complexes. "Are you coming or not" Alec asked looking at me from the top of the stairs.

I nodded and quickly ran up the stairs and as I did my foot fell through the board making me scream out. Alec quickly grabbed my arm pulling me up off the staircase. "Damn you're annoying" He said before letting me go and pushing his door open going inside. "You don't need a key" I called after him, not having the guts to see the inside of the place yet.

"None of the locks work here. The neighbors are pretty chill about not going into other people's homes. Are you coming in or not?" I hesitated for a long moment before walking into the house, closing the door behind me.

The inside wasn't any better than the outside. The walls were cracking at every corner, yellowing from old age, and wallpaper hung off the walls showing the moldy wall behind it. I shuddered not able to help myself. This was just downright nasty.

Alec walked out of his bedroom holding a blanket and pillow "You will sleep here" He said dropping them on the floor next to the couch. I couldn't help the gasp of horror that escaped my mouth once I got sight of the couch. It was yellow and crusty from who knows what and springs were sticking out in every direction. "There's a metal shard that likes to poke your back so I would be careful of that" Alec said walking to the kitchen.

I looked at the couch again before looking at the floor "I think I'll sleep on the floor." Alec came back out with an open beer in his hand. He leaned on the wall shrugging "Sure if you're okay with the rats nesting in your pretty hair" He said before taking a drink. I quickly jumped onto the couch "Did you say rats?"

Alec smirked obviously amused by my horror "At night you can hear them running in the walls." "Knock It off" I whined hugging my knees. Alec rolled his eyes before chugging down his beer "I'm going to go to bed. We'll start your weird experiment tomorrow."

He walked into his bedroom slamming the door shut and I flinched slightly "Cranky" I mumbled before standing up to make up my bed. It seemed impossible to make this couch comfy even if I had a thousand blankets. Once I managed to shove down the springs I sat back on the couch looking around again. The coffee table caught my attention right away. There was the remains of something white and powdery scattered on it.

I thought back to when I first saw Alec. When he asked what was on his face he wiped his nose as if something would be there. He also sniffed a lot but I assumed he had a cold. Now it was obvious that he had been snorting cocaine.

I shook my head leaning my back against the back of the couch. He was such a beautiful man and he was wasting his life away sleeping with strangers and doing drugs. I laid down on the pillow letting out a long exhausted sigh. "This is going to be the longest week of my life."