Powerless: Chapter Two

Clary's sleep was filled with fits of restlessness. Jace watched as she tossed and turned the crisp white sheets of the infirmary bed getting twisted between her thin legs. He ran his hand across her arm hoping that somehow his touch would sooth her and for a time it had yet not enough to truly quiet her endless movements.

He swallowed hard around the golf ball sized lump that had come to rest at the back of his throat. Sitting and doing nothing was certainly not Jace Lightwood's style. He was used to taking charge and being in control however at that very moment he knew he was anything but. It was a sensation that was completely foreign and most definitely unsettling.

Jace glanced at the door for what felt like the hundredth time waiting to see Alec and Magnus entering the infirmary. "What the hell's taking them so long?" he said to the vast emptiness of the room. He was well aware of the fact that Magnus had little use for him and admittedly the feeling was mutual but Jace knew that the Warlock had an affection for Clary. He had basically watched her grow up in the years that her mother had brought her to him so he could continue blinding her sight. Jace was confident that Magnus would show, but he was less sure that anything he might do was going to help. Jace wished he could shake the ominous feeling that clouded his every thought.

In the distance finally he heard the soft foot fall of Magnus and Alec heading towards the slightly open door. Jace immediately stood yet hadn't released Clary's hand from his own.

"I did my best to fill Magnus in on what's been happening but he wants to talk to you before he examines Clary," Alec announced. Jace looked down at his love's finally still form and Alec sensed that the last thing his parabatai wanted to do was leave Clary's side. "I'll sit with her," he said.

Jace's golden eyes toggled between the pair and then at Magnus. "It's important that I understand what you and Clary encountered," the Warlock said as though the young Shadowhunter had asked him a direct question.

He was torn, desperate to help her but just as scared to leave her. "If she wakes…"

"I'll find you," Alec answered before Jace could finish his request. Reluctantly he gently released Clary's hand from his own. Alec glanced knowingly at Magnus as Jace bent down kissing her lightly on the forehead attempting to ignore the feverish way her skin felt beneath his lips. Magnus nodded almost as if reading Alec's silent thoughts and glanced at Jocelyn Fray's daughter knowing that he would do all he could to help her.

Jace fidgeted in front of Magnus his eyes continually drawn back inside the infirmary. The demeanor that he was displaying was so un "Jace" like that Magnus couldn't but help feel for the younger man. The Warlock knew what it was like to feel as though you were about to lose the one you loved more than your own life. In his immortality, Magnus had experienced similar situations more times than he cared to recount. "Jace," Magnus snapped his delicate fingers before the other man's eyes. "I need you to focus."

"What do you want to know?" Jace rubbed his hands over his weary face feeling as though any attempt at doing what Magnus asked would be in vain.

"Everything."

Jace told Magnus Bane of the events that had lead up to their being attacked, Clary's injuries and what he had done to heal them, or at least what he thought he had done. Jace was noticeably distressed as he described how much blood she had lost that afternoon in the park and the intense pain she was in at the site of her wound.

"But the healing rune," Magnus cut him off, "it took care of Clary's wounded shoulder and she was fine?"

"Did she look fine to you!?" Jace snapped.

Magnus held his tongue for a moment realizing that even though he knew Jace to be prone to a quick wit and sharp remarks this was different - stress and fear were getting the better of him. "What I mean is that after the initial rune was placed she recovered? That's what Alec told me. Is that not the case?"

"Yes…no," Jace let out an exasperated growl.

Magnus rested his hand tentatively on the Shadowhunter's shoulder. "I know this is difficult but it's important that I fully understand what's been happening to her if I am to help her."

"You're The High Warlock of Brooklyn for God's sake!" Jace spat. "Can't you tell from just looking at her she's sick. What's all this crap about having to talk to me first. That demon did something to her, something that apparently Alec thinks only you can fix. So fix it!"

Jace clenched his fists at his sides anger welling deep from within. He hated that nothing he did was helping Clary, hated that he had to depend on Magnus Bane, hated that Clary's life was in this man's hands.

The Warlock chose to ignore the younger man's outburst and continued with his inquiry. "Once the first healing irtaze was placed on her shoulder she initially recovered from the wound."

"Yes," Jace answered.

"And Clary appeared fine?" Magnus asked with a bit of uncertainty like he was trying to wrap his mind around it all.

"Yes," Jace's tone took on a sadness. "At first."

"What happened that caused you to place the second irtaze?"

Jace wrapped his arm around his waist and swiped his calloused fingers over his chin as the earlier images danced in his mind. Clary had insisted on training saying that she didn't want to be caught off guard by another demon as they had been in Central Park. He had tried to get her to see that things like that happen from time to time and it said nothing to her abilities as a Shadowhunter, in fact Jace was repeatedly astounded to the extent of her skills. Yet she would have none of his efforts in getting her to take it easy and rest for just a little while longer. He noticed how quite pale she looked that morning even though she insisted that she was fine.

Magnus cleared his throat compelling Jace from his memories. He continued on explaining that they spent a few hours training and everything with Clary appeared well. She was able to counter each and every one of his moves. Jace told of how the last thing she wanted to work on was balance and flips. She felt that if she had had better control in those areas she would have been able to avoid the Croucher Demon's protruding claws. So they scaled to the catwalk that led to large wooden rafters, where she and Jace began a sparring of sorts that would let her practice keeping her footing even under the most tenuous of circumstances. At first things were going well, Clary had been able to hold herself steady even after some rather difficult evasions but all of the sudden Jace watched as her steps faltered and he instantly reached to steady her. He felt the shakiness in her frame and gave her a quizzical look as if to ask if she was alright. Let's go again she had said forcing him to shake off the uneasy sensation that quickly settled into the pit of his stomach when she jabbed at him with the seraph blade. His reaction was quick and when Clary went for him again he was unable to catch her when her foot slipped off the side of the thick wooden beam.

Jace saw the glimpse of shock pass over her features as she fell towards the floor below with a great swiftness. Instantly he flipped off the rafter hoping to hit the ground before she did but that hadn't been the case. He landed mere moments after her and scrambled to where she lay motionless. He remembered yelling her name and was relieved when he was able to hear moan as she tried to right herself. Even now in retelling the events, Jace felt his pulse quicken with panic.

"She hit her head?" Magnus questioned.

"She told me no." Jace answered. "She claimed to just have had the wind knocked out of her."

"What happened next?"

"What do you think? I told her we were done training for the day." Jace's tone again was harsh and nearly caustic.

"Why the need for the second rune?" Magnus asked once more.

"She passed out in my arms," Jace's voice was full of anguish now. "I didn't know what else to do."

The Warlock could hear the desperation in the other man's tone. He could only imagine what this had to be like for Jace Lightwood. Magnus Bane knew very well the reputation the young Shadowhunter had and the fact that at the moment he wasn't able to do a thing to right his situation, to make Clary better, Magnus knew it had to be eating him alive. "I'd like to see Clary now."

"I would hope so," Jace spat.

Alec stood when he saw the pair returning to the confines of the infirmary. Clary's eyes were still closed and her body lay motionless on the bed. Joining Jace at the foot of the bed they both watched as Magnus' hands gently guided across Clary's slender frame. Alec felt Jace stiffen beside him when she let out a soft moan.

"What are you doing to her?" he said through clenched teeth. Magnus turned glancing at Jace with his cat like eyes giving him a look of warning.

"Jace." Alec touched his best friend's forearm as if to say Magnus was not hurting Clary.

"There still seems to be a far amount of demon poison in her veins. I will need you to collect a few things for me." Quickly he scribbled a list of various items and handed them to Jace.

"I'll go," Alec said reaching for the paper in Magnus' outstretched hand knowing full well that Jace wouldn't be going anywhere.

Alec returned quickly with the needed ingredients and the Warlock went about creating a potion of sorts. "She will need to drink this," he stated.

Jace moved to the side of the bed and softly sat down next to Clary brushing away the mated stands of crimson hair that fell against her face. "Clary," he whispered gently in her ear. "Clary, I need you to wake up." She stirred slightly. "Magnus is here and he has something that is going to help you."

He leaned forward and brushed his lips to hers and almost as if she had been sleeping beauty being awakened by the kiss of her prince Clary's eyes fluttered and slowly opened. She had a difficult time bringing her vision into focus at first but gradually the figures of Alec, Magnus and Jace came into view. "Jace," she said her voice nothing above a raspy whisper.

"I'm right here," he replied reaching immediately for her hand needing to have the feel of her skin next to his own.

"My head hurts," she announced for the first time acknowledging that she was anything less than fine.

"Magnus has something to help. Do you think you can sit up?" She nodded but as she tried to prop herself up on her elbows the room spun around her and felt as if she wanted to vomit. "Clary," the panic in Jace's tone filled the room.

"Here," Magnus handed Jace the small bowl containing the mixture he had prepared. "She needs to drink it all."

"Clary, Clary, stay with me," Jace instructed as he watched her eyelids begin to fall. He put his arm around her shoulders supporting most of her body weight and brought the white bowl to her lips. Jace watched as she consumed the concoction then laid her head gently on the pillow again.

"The best thing for her now is to rest," Magnus stated.

Jace reclaimed his position in the chair next to the bed and began stroking her cheek and running his fingers through the fiery red fan of Clary's hair.

"Thank you, Magnus," Alec said for both himself and Jace who was too centered on Clary to even look up.

"Walk me out?"

"Of course," Alec answered leaving Jace alone with Clary.