Chapter Two

Eyes Have Their Own Vocabulary – What a Beautiful Language to Learn.

Magnus watched his phone ring. It was Alec on the other end of it. He wanted nothing more than to hear his boyfriend's voice, to talk to him. He wanted to see him and hug him and kiss him. He needed to tell him he loved him and to hear it back. He still didn't answer though. He couldn't stop thinking of Freeworld. Couldn't understand how he knew him, yet he didn't at the same time. He would have preferred him a perfect stranger. At least then he could be at peace. The phone stopped ringing and the screen went back to normal. Seven missed calls from Alexander. As well as some texts.

'Hey, u OK?'

'Do you want company?'

The High Warlock of Brooklyn didn't know what was wrong with him. Why was he acting like this? He wanted nothing more than to text him back, say he was OK, say yes, in fact he did want company. He craved it, and only from Alexander. It wasn't just Alec, though. He didn't make contact with Raphael yet, nor anyone else for that matter. He didn't understand those, but he did understand Alec. Alec had come so far, in every way possible. He had grown up and into the strongest man Magnus had ever known. He was trying so hard to unite the Downworld with the Clave. Magnus didn't want to be the one to destroy that. Not until he looked into Mitchell some more. He just needed to be alone. He just needed…

A knock on the door. Not Clary's persistent bashings, not Jace's single knock. Not Catarina's slow yet everlasting hammerings. This was two gentle knocks. Two knuckles on the door. This was Alec.

Magnus stood, then walked to the door. He absentmindedly fixed his collar, not that Alec would mind messy attire, but if Magnus ever wanted to teach his love the glorious art of fanciness, he needed to stick by his guns. Magnus opened the door, and straight away he smiled. Alec stood there, messy hair and grubby black gear. He was just back from a mission. His hair was wet, so he must have walked from the Institute in the rain to see him. To see his love. He was all Magnus needed right now.

"Hey, you," Alec's deep voice made Magnus' stomach leap. He opened the door and let him in.

"Hello, Alexander," he retorted, planting a kiss on Alec's lips. It was short, and not nearly enough, but Alec could sense there was something wrong.

"There's something bothering you," Alec cupped the back of Magnus' neck, eyes embedded intently into his, and Magnus played with a loose lock of Alec's hair. He could pretend, for now. He smiled.

"Nothing is bothering me," Magnus said as he kissed Alec again. It was slow and this time it lasted. It didn't last as long as either of them would have liked, though.

"You said that before…" Alec said between kisses, "…and there was something wrong."

"Alexander, I'm fine," Magnus laughed. Alec raised an eyebrow.

"You said that too."

"All that is wrong with me…" Magnus started as he gripped Alec's shirt, (which was grubby with the Angel only knew what, so it was better off of him anyway) "…is that I've missed you."

"I was gone a day," Alec said, copying his boyfriend and tugging at his clothing. Magnus shrugged off his jacket and smiled.

"To me, that's an eternity." Suddenly, he felt a twinge in his eyes. A quick flash across his vision. He knew what was happening. His glamour fell and climbed back into his eyes, despite his battle for control. One second they were human, the next they were feral. He was fighting with himself. Fighting with his demons. He didn't want to lose control, he didn't ever want to lose control, but it seemed a smaller problem now than it did before. He didn't mind showing his eyes when he was in control. Not when he was locked out of himself. When he lost himself. However, at this moment in time, he didn't know why, he remembered Max, who freaked out at the sight of his true form.

'How much demon is in you?'

He admitted it may have been frightening. One moment he was somewhat human, the next he wasn't. He was a monster.

Without noticing, he pulled away from Alec, and reached up to his eyes.

Not now! Please not now! I am in control. I am in control. I am not a monster. I am not a monster. I am not. A. Monster.

He rubbed his eyes so hard they hurt, his head down, as if in shame. Maybe it was. He felt as if he was underwater. Everything sounded distorted as he fought with himself. As he fought with his demons. He was vaguely aware of his name being called. He was spun back to face Alec, Alec holding Magnus by both shoulders. His hearing restored, but his he could still feel his eyes. They were still animal. They were still feral. He didn't want to show them. He never wanted to show them. Not like this.

"Magnus! Stop! Magnus!" Alec pulled him closer, and to his dismay, Magnus did what he was asked. He dropped his hands from his eyes, and Alec grabbed the right one, holding it and stroking his thumb over the warlock's soft skin in crescent moons. He moved his other hand to Magnus' face, cupping his cheek and running through the same motions. Magnus tried to smile, but his eyes stayed staring at the floor. He would not look into Alec's eyes. "Magnus, please, look at me." Alec pulled him closer. The only recognition on Magnus' behalf was a smile. He reached up to Alec's hand on his cheek, holding it in place. He still wasn't in control. Perhaps he didn't need to be. "Magnus…" The warlock raised his eyes. Amber, fiery cat eyes met soft brown pools. Alec smiled. "There," he smiled. "Just as they always are. Beautiful." He leaned forward, leaning his forehead against Magnus'. He wondered what he would do without this particular Lightwood. Like neither of his parents, and so much better.

Alec pulled him into a tight hug, one they both needed. Magnus buried his head into his boyfriend's shoulder. Alec could smell the sandalwood in Magnus' styled hair, and wanted nothing more than to stay like this forever. When they pulled away, Magnus was smiling again. His eyes were human, and while that gave Magnus back his sense of control, it disappointed Alec. He loved his cat eyes. They were a part of Magnus, and even though Magnus was not proud of them, Alec felt he should have been. They were his mark. It was what made him what he was - a warlock. Why was he ashamed of that? For what some cunning demon did hundreds of years ago? Something that wasn't even his fault?

For the moment however, Alec was just happy to see that Magnus had calmed down. In fact, in place on his face was his cheeky grin.

"Now, Alexander. Where were we?"

Clary and Isabelle tried their best to shield themselves from the rain. They wished they hired a taxi, but at least this gave the girls a chance to talk.

"Both our parents were ex-Circle members, Izzy," Clary said as she trotted behind Isabelle. "As were many others. We don't have to fear this guy. Plus, he left before the Uprising…"

"You didn't see him though," Izzy almost hissed, her black hair shining under the street lamps. The moon was full tonight, so Clary presumed Luke was with Maia and the pack. She turned her attention back to Izzy. "There's something about him. He's...weird. I tried to check him up on the records, but all it says is that he was in the Circle before the Uprising, but never took part in the battle. Therefore he was never punished. My parents were punished, Hodge was punished. Freeworld doesn't have clean hands, I know it. Even the way he spoke of Magnus…he thinks of Downworlders as half-breeds. Demonic half-breeds. Well, warlocks anyway."

"So what's our plan then? Go in there, tell Magnus some guy hates him and leave?" Izzy rolled her eyes and was about to retort when something caught her eye. A flash in the shadows. She stopped and reached for her seraph blade, her hand hovering over the hilt. Clary gripped her stele tightly, so tightly her fingers turned white. There hadn't been much demonic activity since Valentine was defeated and the rift was sealed. An occasional demon here and there, but nothing too exciting. Even the mission Jace and Alec were on earlier that day had led to nothing but a few minor demons. Izzy wanted excitement, she wanted her Nephilim spark, she wanted…

Raphael stepped quietly out of the shadows, hands held out in surrender. Clary never lost her grip on the stele as she watched him. He was one vampire that she cared not to trust. Izzy, on the other hand, dropped her hostility. He gave a smile directed at the raven haired girl, and simply nodded his head in Clary's direction.

"You're going to see Magnus?" he asked. His voice seemed to purr and lilt at the same time. She nodded, but couldn't hold back her smile. He simply gave a quick upturn of his lips, but something about him was off. "Then I'll come with you."

"Way to invite yourself," Clary mumbled as she put her stele back in her pocket. He raised an eyebrow in her direction, but said nothing.

"I take it you know about the Consul then?" Izzy asked, taking a step closer to him. Their eyes met for a brief moment, before Raphael looked down. He nodded, his eyes fixated on her shoes.

"I knew about the Consul before the Consul did," he fixed on a smile. Clary was glad to see his fangs weren't out. She still didn't trust him. "Vampires are very…informative."

"I can only imagine," Izzy smiled. Their eyes met again, this time for longer. Clary didn't like the intimacy of others. She found it awkward. She coughed.

"Eh-hem," she muttered. "Magnus?" Raphael simply rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. If looks could kill, Isabelle would have murdered Clary seven times before she hit the ground.

"Magnus," he repeated.

Clary's persistent bashings echoed through the loft. Isabelle realized at this very moment, with Clary's innocence and Raphael's sober persona standing at both sides of her in the small corridor outside of Magnus' door, a minor detail. Alec might be in there. Alec might be with Magnus. In the loft. Wanting privacy. It was a sudden wash of humorous horror. Had she been there on her own, it would have been funny, cute even, but she felt both embarrassment and guilty as Clary knocked. She was interrupting a moment to deliver bad news. With someone at her side that Alec didn't particularly like…actually, with two people Alec didn't particularly like. The door swung open. Alec stood in the doorway. He was completely dressed, thank the Angel, though his hair was ruffled. He saw Izzy (raised an eyebrow) and saw Clary (raised the other eyebrow). His eyes then landed on Raphael, who stifled a smile, glancing at Alec's messy hair and grubby, rumpled clothes. Alec scowled.

"The hell are you doing here?" Alec growled. Izzy didn't know who he was talking to, but Clary answered.

"Sorry to intrude…" she began.

"We've just got something to tell you, being the Head of the Institute we thought you should know…" Izzy finished, but Alec's eyes were still glued to the offending vampire standing right next to Izzy. Too close to Izzy.

"And this couldn't have waited an hour?" Alec grumbled peeling his eyes away from him and turning to glare at the girls.

"I sense hostility," purred a voice from behind him. Alec's face instantly softened, turning to the side to look back at his love. Izzy squeezed in, whipping her hair into her big brother's face.

"Hey, Magnus," she smiled, adding an air of extra friendliness to her tone. The warlock emerged from his study, courteous and accommodating as always. Unlike Alec, he was perfect. His hair remained styled and his clothes without a crease. It was amazing what magic could do. Izzy bit her lip to stop her smile.

"Isabelle," he nodded, walking towards her and the door. Alec left to join him, with his signature scent of bitterness and frustration lingering behind him. "Biscuit." Clary rolled her eyes at the pet name, but smiled. "And…Raphael. Don't just stand there. I want to close my door." Raphael stalked past Alec, his scent of superiority and pride intoxicating Alec. He restrained himself from banging the door shut.

"This is about…?" Alec huffed, crossing his arms and standing next to his boyfriend.

"The new Consul," Magnus finished, his tone low and defeated. He glanced down. That uneasy feeling in his stomach was back, like a hangover after a night's worth of drinking. Alec had been a blissful distraction, but now he was forced to think about it again. It wrecked his head. Freeworld…Freeworld. Where had he heard that name?! Alec looked blank. He was the Head of the Institute. Shouldn't he have known?

"A new Consul? For Manhattan?" To Alec's utter annoyance, Raphael answered.

"Mitchell Freeworld. Hardly a worthy candidate. Ex-Circle member. As discriminatory to Downworlders as they come. Surely you knew, Shadowhunter?" Alec's blood boiled at Raphael's smugness.

"Play nice," Magnus uttered. Raphael still smiled.

"We didn't know either, if it makes you feel better," Clary offered. It didn't make him feel better. It made him feel worse, actually. Clary turned to Raphael and Magnus, stepping back to look at both at the same time. "How did you guys know?"

"Vampires are very informative," Raphael repeated. Magnus rolled his eyes.

"The thing is, I've heard of the Freeworld's before. I just can't place it," the warlock ran a hand through his hair. Clary was sure she could see glitter on the strands as he carried out the motion. "I've researched. I've read. I've asked everyone. But I know it. I know I've dealt with them before. I just don't understand it." Alec understood now why Magnus seemed out of character earlier. He wished he had told him. He could have helped him. He was about to speak when Raphael interjected.

"My clan are unhappy," he purred. "Too many of us have died helping the Shadowhunters, defending against Shadowhunters and even minding our own damn business from Shadowhunters. All past positions of power in the New York Institute have been nothing if not aggressive towards us. Aldertree, Herondale, the Lightwoods…no offence." He turned to Izzy. "Finally, though I hate to admit it, you have a half-decent Head, and you throw in another goddamn Circle member!" Magnus was silent. He remembered the fear in Catarina's eyes, and now he could see Raphael's.

"You're worried about the vampires?" Clary asked. Raphael locked eyes with Magnus, as if to ask 'is this not the most stupid Nephilim in all of New York?' Magnus looked away.

"He's worried about Downworlders," Magnus muttered as he walked towards his desk. He traced his fingers along the cover of a book lying on top of it. It was the last thing Ragnor ever gave him. Everything was written in Hebrew, so Magnus could struggle through it, but not fantastically well. He preferred not to read it, to just have it. His heart plummeted. The Circle had killed Ragnor, and his death would never be avenged. His death was for nothing.

"You OK?" Magnus could hear Alec ask him, but he had no answer. He couldn't stop a man becoming elected if he couldn't even remember his blasted name. He spun, keeping his gaze focused on the boots of the Shadowhunters, not raising his eyes to anyone else's.

"For now," he answered eventually. "There is nothing we can do. We can't stop a man with no charges. As far as the Clave is concerned, he is innocent. Even more innocent than Hodge and the Lightwoods. Even more innocent than Luke." Magnus was about to mention Jocelyn, but held back when he saw Clary. She understood.

"Innocent? Dios, are you kidding me?" Raphael all but shouted. His hands were balled into fists by his side and he all but shook with rage. "How innocent can he be if he was in the Circle? How does one claim innocence when they willingly join a Downworld hate club? No, actually, a Downworld murder club. Throwing silver on lycanthropes, tying iron onto faeries, all but frying the Night's Children…and the warlocks weren't safe either. You must have heard tales, Magnus, of the rowan whips? And that's just the training. Even if he left before the Uprising, we was still a part of that. Even though they may not be dead, there are disfigured, maimed Downworlders walking all over the world baring the cruel marks of the Circle. And what's even more sickening, is that they are the lucky ones. They are alive." Raphael finished his rant with an exhale. Clary, Alec and Izzy avoided the gaze of the Downworlders. Clary must have heard of the punishments, the murders. The torture. She and the Lightwoods at her left were innocent. It wasn't their fault who their parents were before they were born. Robert and Maryse, both ex-Circle members. Jocelyn, and even Luke, both ex-Circle members. Her father was the founder of the Circle. She wondered why Magnus didn't hate them. Why Raphael didn't kill them the first change he got. How were the Downworlders so forgiving?

The answer? They had to be. Rogue Downworlders died.

"I understand, Raphael." Magnus sought out his eyes, and intentionally, his glamour fell. His amber cat eyes glinted with the same sadness and frustration as Raphael's. This man, centuries younger than Magnus, though decades older than anyone else in this room, was like a son to him. He was blunt and stubborn and made rash decisions, but he was not a bad person, and Magnus would always feel the need to protect him. "I understand."

Those words, however simple, however cliché, were enough to send self-awareness, soberness, back into the Night's Child. He looked down as Magnus' eyes shifted back to human. With a curt nod, he sighed.

"I know."