Presenting chapter 3. Read it and weep. Or review. Whatever.

Disclaimer: Alec and Magnus are awesome? Check. Cassandra Clare owns everything? Check. I'm a sad loser? Double check.

I stormed down the street, scanning the alleyways as I passed for any sign on Alec. I cursed him under my breath as I strode through dark mazes of walls and street corners, my eyes searching for a head of dark hair, a ragged black sweater, a flash of blue eyes.

"Dammit, Alec," I growled as yet another secluded alleyway proved empty.

Where the hell could he be?

I'd checked everywhere; even called his name outside his house, which as a pretty stupid idea considering what just happened, but to no avail. I snarled in frustration and kicked a nearby garbage can in my fury.

Suddenly I had a brainwave. Recalling the spell I had used to track Sebastian for Clary, I turned around and backtracked to Alec's house. I was about to burst in the door when I realised that an unexpected might not be the best of ideas. However, I really did need to go into the house – I needed a definite possession of Alec's to track him with. Then I remembered - the adult Lightwoods would still be at the Hall, but what about Isabelle? Was there a chance she had returned home after all the upset in the Hall earlier?

I knocked gently on the door. "Isabelle?" I called softly. No answer.

"Izzy? Isabe-" The door whipped open and a pale hand pulled me inside.

I stumbled in the doorway, my un-styled hair falling into my eyes. I swept it out of the way and did a double take on sight of the person standing there.

"Clary?" I hissed in disbelief. She put a finger to her mouth, gesturing me to be quiet, and motioned for me to follow her. I nodded in understanding and walked behind her, up to where I assumed the bedrooms of the Lightwood's were.

The stairs creaked noisily with age as I climbed them and I grimaced at the noise. Clary padded swiftly ahead of me, and pointed at a door at the end of the corridor. Glancing at Clary curiously as I passed her, I pushed the door open slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible.

Inside, I looked around in uncertainty for a moment – what was so special about this room? It was simple, untidy, and very dark. Like Alec, I realised with a start. It must have been his room. Looking around again, my brow furrowed in confusion – was this an invitation for me to take something I needed, something to track Alec with?

I turned back to ask Clary for some sort of clue what to do, and she stared pointedly at the left hand side of the room. I followed her gaze to a desk, a chair, a mirror-

No, not a mirror. A Portal.

I almost laughed out loud, stunned that I had missed it. I tip toed over, and traced a finger along its to make sure it was real. Yes, I could tell. The energy surged from it with a force that not quite burnt my fingertips.

I whipped round and pointed a finger at the portal; Alec? I mouthed, and Clary nodded. I turned back around slowly. Had Clary created this Portal? If so, where had Alec used it to go? I scowled in confusion, and turned around yet again to ask Clary where had he gone, only to find the doorway empty.

"Oh, for God's sake," I muttered, "What is it with these Shadowhunters and vanishing mysteriously…"

I paced the room for a moment, only pausing for a moment to open a window to get some fresh air, clear my head. As I walked back and forth across the small space, my thoughts were in uproar.

Where was Alec? Why hadn't Clary helped me? Was I supposed to go through the Portal myself? But where would I go?

I sighed heavily and leant against the desk for a moment. My fingers curled around the edges for support – I was very tired. The desk shook as I attempted to put all my weight on it, so I sank onto the chair in front of it instead. I was in the middle of contemplating ignoring the last fifteen minutes I'd spent in Clary's company, and going ahead with the tracking spell when my eyes fell on a small white object sitting in front of me on the desk; a note.

I picked it up, and was about to open it when it struck me that this was Alec's room, and Alec's things and I probably shouldn't go rooting things that weren't mine unless I had a very good reason. However, I did have a very good reason - I needed to find Alec after all the commotion in the Hall today. I bit my lower lip and struggled between the two ideas for a moment. Finally I came to the conclusion that either way, I'd still be taking something of his in either for the tracking spell or just reading a piece of paper - that might mean nothing at all, I reminded myself - so what difference did it make?

I came to my decision and opened the note – there was only one word.

Brooklyn.

With that, I threw the paper down on the table, shut my eyes and hurled myself in the Portal.

A/N – Again, a shortie. But I'm still toying with different ideas as to what will happen next, and I know I say this after every chapter, but the next one really will be longer! Scout's honour!