Alec awoke in a cold sweat, tears staining the blanket where his head had been. That was the first time that nightmare had come to him in a while, initially it haunted him every night but not recently. What happened with Max had changed him, made his a different person, he lost his life back there with him. Recently though he had found himself forgetting little by little, which was almost worse, but then here it was, the return of the nightmare.

He noticed Jace was still sleeping a ways away from him and suddenly wondered how long he had slept, it couldn't have been nearly long enough but he doubted he would be able to sleep again anytime soon. Rolling onto his side he noticed his sister sitting up near the fire, dozing slightly. It warmed his heart for a moment, at least she slept peacefully now, but Alec would never fully get those images from his mind. Standing up, he folded the blanket he was using as put it back with the rest, wiping residual tears with the collar of his oversized, blue sweater. He could go take over for Clary, and then she could come watch Iz for him.

He opened the door to see Clary leaning back in the chair, boots kicked up over some boxes she had piled in front of herself as she leaned back uncaring. It took her a moment to notice Alec had entered the room.

"Oh!" She said a bit too loudly in surprise. "You scared me. Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?" She let the chair fall back onto all fours and walked over to the boy. Magnus watched the two silently.

"I was sleeping, it didn't really last long." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, not really wanting to explain to her. She examined him over and seemed to understand without needing to say it. "Figured I could take over again, I think Isabelle's fallen asleep anyways, you should go keep watch for her or wake her up if you want to be mean."

"Sure, sure . . ." She muttered, walking past him. "Oh, and he hasn't spoken a word to me. I was starting to die from boredom." She glared at Magnus who actually, dramatically glared back. "Anyways, I'll go wake up Izzy. Can't believe I was sitting here bored to tears while she slept. So not fair." And with that, the short red head left the room.

"So you're not tal –

Alec was cut off by the one question he didn't want to be asked. "Why were you crying?" Magnus asked honestly, his voice held a hint of concern which for some reason did not seem out of place at all. Alec met his eyes briefly before sitting but looked away quickly after.

"I wasn't crying."

"Yes you were. Your eyes are all puffy and your cheeks are stained with tears." Magnus observed and leaned forward, offsetting his balance for a moment but he recovered, still watching the other, scrutinizing. "No use lying sweetie."

"Does it matter?" Alec raised an eyebrow, repeating the same words Magnus himself had said earlier when asked his name.

Magnus sighed; "I just don't like to see those beautiful eyes in distress." He shrugged. "Excuse me for caring."

Alec looked up, too exhausted even to blush. Magnus was trying to be personable and interested; it was quite the stretch from how he had been acting before. It didn't make sense, but then nothing really did anymore. The tanned man was watching him, expression now unreadable as he rode out the quiet moment. Eventually Alec felt compelled to ask.

"I didn't mean to offend you, it's just that you, well . . . I can't figure you out. Why would you care?" Perhaps he was just becoming bored and felt like prying into Alec's life for entertainment; even so, Alec wanted to know.

Magnus shook his head. "You answer first."

"What?"

"Why were you crying?" he asked for the second time, eyes softening. Alec didn't really want to revisit the imagery more than he already had but it was too late for that now. Honestly he couldn't quite shake it off anyways, Max was on his mind and maybe sharing would help. He doubted it, it would probably only make him cry again, but it was worth a shot.

Alec let out a sigh and Magnus leaned forward a little more, trying to balance on his bound legs properly. "I had a nightmare." Alec started; Magnus looked unimpressed with the reveal so he elaborated. "Or rather, I have a nightmare, reoccurring."

Magnus made the mistake of trying to lean too far forwards and fell from where he was perched. He recovered awkwardly and cursed under his breath, looking back up to Alec. "What happens in the nightmare?"

"It's about my younger brother . . ." Alec stood and began walking over to where Magnus was sitting. Magnus pulled backwards forcefully when Alec was about a foot away, a reaction that Alec had not expected.

"What are you doing?" Magnus asked, trying to inch away still as Alec took a knee before him.

The pale boy looking up in confusion; "I was just going to cut your ankle bindings, you keep falling. I'm not infected you know. I should be more afraid of you then you of me."

"Won't the blond be mad if he finds out you've cut my legs free?"

Alec let out a breath and reached for Magnus's legs. "Jace doesn't really do angry. Just sarcastic asshole, besides, it's not like you can escape without use of your hands." Alec looked up from his ankles to meet those green gold eyes. "I don't think you'll try to run."

Magnus strained awkwardly in a way that minimized the contact between Alec and the fabric of his pants. It wasn't uncommon to limit contact like that but Alec felt Magnus might have been taking it a bit far. "So what happened to your brother?" He asked, changing the focus, but as soon as Alec finished cutting the rope Magnus pulled his legs away and swung them back over the boxes, away from the other.

"What's all that about? Are you infected?"

It was a few moment before Magnus replied with a simple "No." It was quiet but he had said it. What reason he would have for being reluctant to say he was not infected Alec couldn't phantom. "So what happened to your brother?" He asked again, now sitting cross legged and looking interested.

"He died." Alec's thoughts accidentally drifted back to the sight of his brother, eyes closed, down the barrel of his gun. "Rather, I should say I killed him." He choked on a sob that tried to force its way from his throat. Just saying out aloud brought on such a powerful wave of emotions.

Magnus's eyes looked sympathetic. "I'm sorry." He thought for a moment. "Some crazy things have happened since the outbreak. I'm sure you had no other choice."

Alec let his head nod slightly. "He got infected. But he got infected because of my carelessness in the first place." When Alec looked up he saw Magnus visibly shiver and wondered suddenly if maybe the stranger had his own experience with that matter. "Have you lost someone?" Alec whispered.

"No, I came into this mess alone." He looked away, eyes tearing but looking angry and Alec decided it would be best not to question any further about his family.

"So you don't have a group out there then?"

"No, never found one I thought I could stay with. Not for any length of time anyways - always done better on my own." Magnus smiled to himself; "You know I haven't talked to anyone like this in a long time."

"So why are you talking to me then?" Alec asked, genuinely interested. He wondered if he was as intriguing to Magnus as Magnus was to him.

"Something about you just makes me wish I was a better person, more normal." In an almost animated fashion Alec's head tilted and Magnus let out a chuckle. "I can't really explain it."

The man before Alec confused him. Magnus seemed to have the emotional attention span of a five year old but at the same time made everything feel so complex. Alec's feelings were uplifted with the man's laugh but thrown about in a whirlwind of pain at his prodding. Alec often felt hopeless, especially when Max came to mind. Back then, had it not been for Isabelle, Alec knew would have taken his own life. That was no longer a worry to him; she had other people to rely on now. With Magnus asking about his nightmare though he didn't have quite the same feeling of impending destruction. It felt as though he had taken a football to the stomach, sure, reflections and regret will do that to a person. But something about the mysterious stranger across from him made him forget that constant little voice in the back of his head that insisted he join his brother.

"I don't think I've ever had that effect before." Alec mused. "Actually I'm fairly sure that people sometimes purposely avoid me because I drag the mood down."

"I can't believe that. You're so innocent, that was a rarity before this mess, never mind now."

"You only say that because you don't really know me, and I'm the only thing keeping you alive at the moment."

"Maybe . . ." Magnus said more to himself than Alec, trailing off a bit. "I haven't cared for a long time whether I live or die or what other's thought. I'm not about to seek out lady death herself or anything but things just seem so trivial. You make me care though, and I'm not sure why."

Alec was surprised at the honesty. "Maybe it's because I am the same." He sighed. "I've thought about it; dying." He leaned back in the chair, looking at the wall and trying not to notice the sad look Magnus was giving him.

Magnus kicked one of the box piles from where he sat. "I think we all have at one time or other –

"No." Alec interrupted quietly. "Ever since Max passed it's been a constant presence." Though in recent months it had been getting better, it was something he imagined he would always carry with him now. Some feelings you don't just forget. "If I hadn't needed to care for my sister after that, I'd be gone by now. I know it." No shadow of doubt was detectable in his tone.

Magnus squeezed his eyes shut and pursed his lips a bit; "Don't talk like that."

"Why do you care? We've only just met and I'm only being honest." Alec shrugged and for some reason that made Magnus looked mad. He supposed he could relate though. Not long ago Magnus had made the same gesture when asked about regards for his own life and that had made Alec angry as well. "You asked me about my nightmare and this is where we've gotten. I'm not ashamed of my thoughts but I'd just as soon not talk about them."

Magnus shook the stray hair from his face and unfolded his legs. "It's just distressing to meet someone who naturally runs so contrary to this whole thing. It's a beautiful thing, like finding a flower growing from cement, cliché as that may sound. There's something innately good about you and knowing that you'd welcome death is very confusing to me."

"What do you mean confusing?" Alec had begun blushing right around the time Magnus compared him to a flower but was doing his best to ignore the part of him that wondered if Magnus had been flirting, as impossible as that felt.

"Are you confused about my confusion?" Magnus smiled.

"Nevermind." The word 'confusion' tossed around too many times.

Magnus laughed to himself. "Was just enjoying the un tainted version of you in my head."

"Sorry for bursting you bubble." Alec bit; "We can't all thrive on chaos." He was in the middle of many varied thoughts about how inappropriate what Magnus was saying to him was when he realized: "Wait, you were thinking about me?"

"How could I not?" The corner of Magnus's mouth came up a bit in a side smile. "You're exactly my type, and to sweeten the deal you're also my knight in oversized clothing." Magnus relished in the wide eyed look Alec was giving him. "It's like you don't belong here, in this time. It's intriguing, you make me think. It's dangerous."

Alec had either missed the end of what Magnus had said or chose to ignore it, "I'm your type?"

"Dark hair and blue eyes has always been my thing." Magnus sounded like he might be joking but his body language read serious.

"Male?"

"I do not understand where you're lost, unless you've got a surprise down there, which I would probably still be game for, not that it matters in the slightest because it's never going to happen."

Alec was confronted with a crossroads; here was this gorgeous man in front of him, telling him he was gay and for some reason Alec would never understand, he was actually interested in him. Opportunities like these were so few and far between now; it would be a shame not to make any move. Intimacy and romance were hard to come by. At the same time though, Magnus was an unknown. It was a risk no matter how he looked at it. The taller man had said he was not infected, and he showed no sign of sickness, but that could be explained in a few different ways. Alec had a hard time weighing the value of his own mortality though, since it had meant so little to him in the past year. So the logic behind that side vanished more quickly than it could come to him. The little things you take pleasure in, those are the things that keep you moving.

"Why can't it happen?" Alec asked, his voice so small it was barely a whisper. Cheeks burning a bright red and he did not look at Magnus as he spoke.

Magnus pulled up his legs, curling into a slight ball. "It just can't." Magnus bit his own lip. "I shouldn't have said anything; it was a bad flirtatious impulse left from simpler times."

Alec considered dropping it, letting the conversation move on, but now he was stuck fixating on the planes of muscle definition visible through Magnus's tight shirt. A place he should have stopped his eyes from wandering. "I don't want to drop it."

"Look, I'm telling you it isn't going to happen."

"But –

Simon burst through the door, cutting Alec off before he had the chance to start. Looking frantic, something was clearly going on. "Alec we need you."

"What's happening?" Alec stood, reaching for his gun instinctively. "Is everyone alright?" A too familiar sense of panic setting in.

Simon looked to Magnus for a moment then back towards Alec. "No one's hurt yet but you need to come now. We'll just have to leave him here." He nodded at Magnus, indicating that he would be left unsupervised. Alec realized with his legs unbound, he would likely make a run for it at the open opportunity. Magnus seemed in tune with Alec's train of thought and he lowered his head, averting his gaze.

"Yeah that's fine. Now tell me what's happening." The pair rushed out the door and Simon began leading them towards the entrance.

"There's just a group out there, they want in, they have a sob story but it smells fishy. There are eight, from what I saw. Six men and two women and they're all stacked; I'm talking big and muscular." Simon picked up the pace of their quick walk. "Jace is talking with their leader but it looked like it might break out in a fight at any moment." Simon hated confrontation nearly as much as Alec and he was much less useful in a fight. Normally he would just hang back and try not to die; if he was actually ready to participate it must look serious.

"What's the story?"

"Something about their hide out being over run and having lost a few members. They claim they want to join us, but I think they're just really after our space and supplies. We must look like an easy target; none of us look very imposing."

Ironically, of the group, though Alec hated conflict the most; he looked the most ready for it. He was the tallest and most built, but even that had a lean quality to it. Jace and Isabelle were equally as deadly but from a stranger's point of view, they looked like easy game.

"Do they have guns?" Alec asked, securing his own firearm under the loop of his belt.

Simon thought for a moment, they were almost there. "I didn't see any, but that doesn't mean they don't have. I think the problem will be staying away from them."

Alec didn't need to ask what he meant as they approached the scene ahead. Simon had not been exaggerating, it was as if to join their group you needed to be a minimum of six feet tall and be able to lift two hundred pounds. Even the women were ripped, it was quite the site. Most of their members stood back a ways but right there in the garage entry way stood Jace, in front of him were two giant men. They were seemingly negotiating. Silently, Simon and Alec joined the rest of their party which were keeping their distance a ways into the entrance, shielded by some cargo.

One of the large men, clad in obnoxious red flannel, was now waving his arms about in a threatening manner. Though the group could not hear what he was saying it was not hard to tell that things were not going well. The second large man held his companion back a little from lunging. Things were heating fast, Alec heard Izzy ready her weapon next to him.

Jace shook his head, backing away a couple of steps and raising his hands to signal he was unarmed. Things were defiantly not going well; Alec pulled out his gun and felt Simon stiffen next to him. The moment Jace turned to face away the men began to charge, to make things worse they did appeared to be armed. A shot went off, the first of what would likely be many and somewhere behind their semi hidden group, the wall crumbled, dust falling. In reaction Simon ducked, covered his head and moved out of eyesight; which was exactly why he normally did not participate in these sorts of things.

"Stay here!" Isabelle squeezed Simon's shoulder and moved out into the open, running towards the next good cover point.

Alec bit his lip. "Shit, Iz . . ." He muttered under his breath, hating how impulsive she could be as he chased after her. He caught up with where she had taken cover behind a stack of cargo boxes. Jace now in hand to hand combat a ways off still, against the two front men. How he was holding them off would have been surprising to those who didn't already know him.

"Will you think for a second?" Alec snapped in a hushed tone. "We need a plan." He looked over his shoulder to where Clary was standing guard over Simon and knew she wouldn't likely be joining them or moving anytime soon.

"Like what?" His sister stared at him, a little frantic, probably worried about Jace being alone.

"Old formation, at least let me cover you!" His eyes narrowed. "Though I'd prefer you stay here and let me go . . ."

Isabelle smiled. "We both know that's not happening. You're a better shot and I'm a better fighter." She poised herself to run again, this time aiming for the next row of boxes, very close to where the brawl was taking place. The other thugs were closing in slowly from outside. "Cover me?"

Alec reluctantly smiled. "You know I will." He readied his gun, peering around the corner and watched the other's move. "Now!" The second the words left his mouth, Isabelle took off like a professional sprinter right into the action.

A couple shots went off as she ran, the other men now running into the garage entrance. Alec took aim and started taking them down one by one. Being him though, he tended to aim for the non vitals, not wanting to be the actual cause of death, no matter how wrong they may be. With each shot he took, a member from the opposing gang took a knee or fell in some painful fashion. He was good, it was undeniable. Isabelle reached the boxes she had been running for and Alec allowed himself to sigh with relief.

They were at the clear advantage now; five of the other's were on the ground due to Alec's impeccable aim. Only one, a woman, was still advancing but she appeared to be without a weapon. Then there were the two engaged in hand to hand combat with Jace and soon to be Isabelle. Alec moved from where he was hiding and made a dash for the closer boxes, seeking a better angle that might end the fighting. He reached them with ease now that the opposing gunfire was at a halt, seeing Isabelle in his peripheral vision, trying to gage her way into the fight.

From his new spot Alec took aim and brought down the last woman, hitting her foot which caused an earsplitting scream to echo through the place. If he felt any guilt it wasn't long lived. Turning to Isabelle and Jace he watched with a keen eye, waiting for an opening. He couldn't take a shot with the two so close, he would have to wait. Isabelle had jumped in at some point, drawing the attention of the red flannel man away from Jace and she wielded a rather large pipe she found, expertly.

They were winning; Jace and Isabelle now dividing the labor were individually overpowering their opponents. It looked impossible, physically speaking, but the men were slow and both of them were fast. Jace was a few good hits away from knocking the one man out and Isabelle was dodging the other, smacking him with the heavy metal in every break she received. It was starting to look like they would not need Alec after all.

Bang

Gun fire? Where had that come from? Alec looked around, searching for the source of that stray, unexpected noise. His eyes narrowing when he spotted one of the men he had gunned down earlier. The man was struggling in a sitting position, shakily holding his gun. Wasting no time, Alec took aim and fired, this time hitting the man in the head. No second chances.

"Alec!" Jace's voice bringing his focus back to the other confrontation; both large men were now bloody figures on the ground. But there was also a third figure, oh God.

Alec ran, faster than he had ever run before, right to the blond and his sister whose body was on the ground, her head now supported by Jace.

Isabelle coughed and took a struggled breath, blood splattering slightly as she tried to talk. "Alec." Almost too quiet to hear, but Alec could read her lips. He looked her body over, the shot had gone through her chest, into her lung, and she was undoubtedly bleeding internally. For the second time, Alec had failed them.

"Shh. . ." Alec gently took Jace's place, cradling his sister. "Don't try to talk. It'll be okay." His eyes watered and shoulder's slouched. Jace began walking away, towards the remaining gang members, leaving them to their privacy.

"A . . ." She tried again but nothing came, she struggled in another breath and Alec cringed at the way only one side of her chest inflated at all. He couldn't do this again, gods he could not do this again. Last time it had nearly killed him, this time it would.

"I know Iz. . ." He whispered, running his fingers through her hair, trying his best not to fall to pieces. "I'm so sorry, I failed you, I failed, you – because I didn't take the kill shot – because I'm a coward – I – I love you, I'm so sorry." He ducked, trying to hide his tears, but Isabelle looked up at him, wide eyed. He knew that if she could speak, she would re-assure him that it was not his fault. But it was, everything was, it was entirely his fault and he knew it. He wanted to give her piece of mind though. "I know you don't blame me." Her eyes calmed a little, he knew her so well. "I'll never stop loving you okay?" He hugged her limp figure, the scene before him bringing about all too familiar feelings.

Isabelle's eyes began to flutter, she was losing lots of blood, too much blood, and she was losing it fast. It stained her clothing and pooled beneath her. The colour in her cheeks was becoming unnaturally pale and she looked tired, almost peaceful. If Alec could be thankful for anything, it was that she did not appear to be in too much pain, though with each breath she shook. She was trying to fight it; each time her eyes began to close she forced them open.

"It's okay." He tried to sooth her. "If you're tired, it's okay." He choked a little on his next words; "You're going to be with Max. Mom and Dad too, you'll be with them, it's okay." He didn't know who he was trying to convince more, her or himself.

Her eyes slipped shut and they just stayed that way for an unmeasured amount of time. Her chest slowly rose less and less as time passed and the heat left her body. After everything stilled Alec couldn't bring himself to move. The world was muted to him, as though he were under water. He couldn't leave her, not yet, logically he knew she was gone, he knew what he had done and he knew that their other companions were watching from some distance. But he could not move, he could not see or hear. Nothing mattered now, nothing.

There was a hand over his, pulling it from where it rested over Isabelle's lifeless body. While it did not draw him back into reality, he did look up and he was met with sad brown eyes; Simon. Without a word Alec got to his feet, not saying anything to the rest of them and he walked back into the distant darkness of the warehouse.

He didn't know where he was walking; he was just headed aimlessly towards the back of the place. He wound up in front of the office door, it should be empty now, and he could be alone.

The door made an unpleasant noise as Alec pushed his way into the lit room. His suspicions had been correct, Magnus was no where in sight and the leftover rope was loose on the ground, he must have found a way to untie himself. At least that would be one death Alec wouldn't need to worry about being responsible for, the other was free and probably long gone now. Once the door was shut entirely he doubled over, clutching his stomach, his knees going weak as he fell to the floor. Cycles of negative thought looping in his head causing him to hyperventilate as he openly cried. The ground was both cold and dirty but Alec did not care, he did not care about anything at the moment. He couldn't get the image of Isabelle from his mind, her pale death face. And when he fought his thoughts elsewhere they would stray to Max, this was it, and he was the only Lightwood left.

His shoulder was warm, it was a sudden and unexpected heat, but in the state Alec was in it took him much longer than it would have otherwise to look up for the source.

"M - agnus?" The tall man was hovering behind him, holding his shoulder as he cried. Suddenly very aware of what he was doing Alec tried to sit upright, rubbing his face with his arm. He couldn't stop the tears though; trying otherwise would be an effort in futility. "Why are you still here?" His voice croaked.

Taking a knee, Magnus moved to look Alec in the eyes and removed his hand from his shoulder, their faces only a foot from each other, he said nothing.

"I thought you would have left . . ." Alec bit the inside of his cheek to stop a loud sob.

Magnus raised his hand, as if he wanted to physically comfort him but then dropped it. "I did leave."

"Then why are you back?" There was no emotion left in his tone, his brain was at a disconnect from his body, which was still crying.

Magnus let out a sigh. "I – I saw what happened. I was trying to sneak past you all in the commotion and I saw."

"That doesn't explain why you're here." It physically hurt, his body hurt. But Magnus was distracting, and Alec figured distracting was probably good at the moment, lest his attention wander to the weapon at his disposal.

Magnus looked thoughtful; "I don't know myself. I saw what happened and just felt the need to be with you, I tried to ignore it but I just wound up back here. . ."

Great, and now if things went badly, Alec would be indirectly responsible for Magnus's death as well. It seemed to be all he was good for; getting people killed. "You shouldn't have come back." Alec locked eyes with the other. "You know you're not safe here." He was struggling with whether he was secretly appreciative for Magnus's presence or if he did want to be alone. Of course, there was no telling what either of those would bring at the moment, what with the thoughts he was having.

"Honestly, I'm a little scared for you." Magnus sat back, crossing his legs. "Worried you might do something stupid, I saw the look on your face – "

"Why do you care?!" Alec yelled at him not caring if the other's heard. Magnus had known exactly what he was thinking. "What is it to you, you hardly know me." Alec began sobbing again. "My parents, my brother, my sister. . ." He trailed off.

"You're not alone. You have friends and people who care. You shouldn't think you're alone." Magnus struggled with his posturing again. "I care because the world can't afford to lose someone as pure hearted as you, it can't. This is a place filled with hate, but you still love. I know it hurts, but you can't really want to – "

"Do not tell me what I do and do not want." Alec cut him off, making sure to speak evenly. "You do not know me, do not know how I've failed, or how I've hurt. You can not tell me that I should want to live, because I do not." There, the elephant in the room, right out in the open.

Flinching at Alec's words Magnus squeezed his eyes and tried to even his own breath. "You can't mean it."

"I do."

Alec had not noticed when he stopped crying. A numbness set in, like this was not real. So this is what emptiness felt like, it was hard even to be lost in the captivating stranger who was acting like he knew him, he didn't know shit.

"You do." Magnus repeated, more to himself than to Alec.

Alec's body ached, he leaned forward, curling into himself and while the tears did not come again he felt as though his skin was on fire and began struggling to breathe again. Like emotion was trying to escape through his pores and failing. It hurt, his heart hurt, everything hurt. When he finally took a large inhale, he noticed how violently he was shaking, he was sure he looked crazed but he didn't glance up to gage Magnus.

Constricted; suddenly he felt a tightness, but instead of frightening him, it made him feel safe. Opening his ocean eyes, Alec saw something he couldn't not quite explain. Magnus was hugging him, more accurately he was holding him tightly to his chest. It felt better though and Alec didn't want to question it, he gripped the material of Magnus's muscle shirt and pulled closer, still shaking slightly but it was slowing. Magnus smelt of sweat, but Alec didn't care, it was closeness his body craved and now he could think of nothing else. His attention grasping for anything less painful than his siblings and Magnus's warmth filling the void. The taller had apparently let go of his reluctance to touch him, which at least was helpful. When Alec finally raised his gaze to properly see the other, Magnus sat back slightly and tentatively brushed his knuckles Alec's cheek.

They sat like that for a while, staring into each other eyes, not really searching but just looking. Alec couldn't make heads of tails of his feelings anymore, the ground had fallen from beneath him and here Magnus was, holding him in place. A residual sob worked it way out of the back of Alec's throat, to which Magnus's eyes narrowed, now studying. After a few more seconds of his intense gaze, Magnus moved in, Alec felt the other's heat against his lips.

Kissing, they were kissing. Alec was momentarily overwhelmed, his brain working over time trying to catch up to this twist of events. Slowly he returned the kiss though, liking the softness of the other's mouth against his. When Magnus noticed his responsiveness, the kiss picked up pace and roughness, intensifying. Like someone deprived of food being allowed to eat for the first time in weeks. Though that likely was the case, much like Alec, Magnus had probably not been in this sort of situation with anyone for a long time.

If there was anything blatantly inappropriate about this course of action taking place directly after his sister's death, Alec couldn't make himself care, he was broken. He couldn't really do much of anything really, other than give over to his baser instincts, which only wanted more.

It started as a nip, just a light bite on Magnus's lower lip, but then so much more. Magnus took control, pushing the smaller man until his back hit the wall and they sat tangled together, tongues exploring and teeth grazing. One of Alec's wrists was pinned to the wall behind him but the other found its way into Magnus's unbelievably soft hair. Magnus was pushing against him in a rather rough manner, in any other situation he might have needed to tell him to back off or calm down, but this was right and this was the welcome distraction he needed.

The cool wall behind them was slowly heating to the touch where Alec was pinned, becoming less uncomfortable and cold as Magnus began pulling at the bottom of Alec's sweater. They locked eyes again and Magnus need only say one word. "Off" It was husky and commanding. The sound made Alec shiver.

Pulling the sweater up over his head, Alec threw it a ways away from them and watched as Magnus began stripping his own top layers. First the leather jacket, and God, he had nice arms. Alec had not seen them before but they were perfectly defined, strong. Then came off the tight undershirt which left little to the imagination in the first place. Without any pause, Magnus was back on him, biting along his collar bone, licking and marking him. Hand rubbing everywhere along Alec's pale torso, Magnus caressed the skin beneath it before gripping it, kneading. Alec's own hands traveled up and down Magnus's upper arms, watching as the other bit and sucked his skin with a surprising desperation and a sense of urgency.

The cement wall scratched against Alec's back as Magnus pushed up against him, scraping against his bare skin and still the other shoved him back harder, grinding against him with one knee bent between his legs. The skin must have been rubbing raw but neither slowed, locked in an alternative reality which consisted of only their bodies and intense sweltering heat that formed between them as they moved.

Magnus bit hard against Alec's neck, bringing a cry from the other's lips. His hands fumbling with the button and zipper of Alec's pants, tugging them with little care for the straining member underneath, yanking the fabric roughly down and freeing him. Alec kicked the pants down further, letting them fall to the floor forgotten and arching up to grind against Magnus, now bare. Something that sounded like a growl came from Magnus's throat as he came back down fast against Alec's lips, sucking in the slighter man's bottom lip and nibbling at it, hips rolling down against him as the fell into a horizontal tangle.

Alec was more than willing to be dominated, Magnus trapped him to the ground, relentless in his mission to mark every inch of his upper body. Erection at full glory though, Alec was becoming impatient. Whining, he tried to pull his arms from their pinned position above his head but failed. Magnus under stood well enough so he crossed Alec's wrists, using only one hand to hold them he reached the other down to work his own pants off a ways, his own impressive length springing free. Lowering his body, he rocked his hips against Alec, moaning at the friction as the slighter bent into him.

Alec was losing it, he wanted to feel Magnus everywhere and he wanted it now, but the other seemed to have torturous prolonging ideas. The tanned man pulled away, reaching away for something and letting Alec's wrists go for a moment but when he came back he was holding the leftover rope from his captivity. Alec felt his eyes widen as he realized the implication, then an intense anticipation set in as Magnus came back down on him, yanking his wrists back into position and making quick work of tying them. With Magnus's hands now free to do other things, his nails raked down Alec's chest, leaving faint red lines before reaching beneath him and pulling him upwards roughly, greedily gripping his pale ass, yanking him forward by the bottoms of this milky thighs.

Not a word was spoken between the two of them; somehow speaking now would feel horribly out of place. But they shared a gaze, a knowing one that spoke volumes about longing and lust. Everything about this had been raw and filled with pleasurable pain, this would be no different. The numbness Alec was experiencing made each moment of sensation desirable. Tomorrow maybe he would feel the full consequence of his carelessness but right in the moment, he could not care less.

Magnus stroked him a few times, slowly, and then rubbed the palm of his hand over Alec's tip, placing pressure then to the whole of his shaft. In response Alec bucked and Magnus could not stop himself any longer, he lined up his own throbbing erection with Alec's entrance and pushed his way in at quick slide, sucking in a pained breath at the discomfort he was obviously feeling. There had been no preparation, no stretching and no lubricant. It hurt, there was no way around that but both men were so caught up and lost in their physical desire to meld.

Alec stirred uncomfortably beneath Magnus, whimpering involuntarily but willing himself to calm. This is what he had wanted, this fullness, the pain was what kept him present. He thrust his hips upward to take more of Magnus in and Alec's whimpering turned to a moan. The man above him, though he had entered roughly was waiting. Magnus sat still, visually taking in the sight before him and allowing Alec to adjust, whether the pale man seemed to want to or not.

It was not his first time. Alec knew he was likely torn a bit, bleeding, but he didn't care. He wanted Magnus to move but he wasn't, the tall man was busy being courteous, if only he knew how little it mattered, how much Alec wanted him to wreck him. Trying again, Alec bucked upward, pushing Magnus's length deeper inside then falling to feel it drag against his hole with a burning pain. He fought the rope that held his wrists, rubbing the skin there raw like the rest of him. He liked the constricted feeling, the loss of control, but all he wanted now was Magnus everywhere, to touch him and be touched by him. His beautiful distraction.

Magnus shot him a concerned look but seemed to shake the apprehension off, leaning back in and giving an experimental long thrust, pushing Alec back down. Alec's blue eyes shot open, his lips parted, gasping, and his body screaming with mixed feelings better to not to be analyzed.

Claiming his lips once more, Magnus began thrusting against the smaller man. Only the sound of skin hitting skin and their shared moans filled the room. The air stale, the colour pallet grey and the illumination was fluorescent business lighting, but none of that mattered. They were living in their own world, feeling only each other's heat, Alec basking in the green and gold animalistic look Magnus fixated on him, and Magnus sucked deeply into the blues, infinite as the night sky that begged him to stay like this forever. Their scents mixed between them, it was a raw, musky and reeked of sex.

Magnus found a steady pace, thrusting into Alec rhythmically at a comfortably quick pace. Alec, having adjusted now was a mass of whimpers and moans beneath him, his hands still bound and cradled against the dip in his pale chest. Puling at his waist, Magnus brought them together over and over, and then rested a hand over Alec's upper abdomen, feeling the tensed muscle and applying pressure, balancing himself better.

Alec pulled against his wrist bindings hard, biting his own lip to keep from crying out as Magnus propped him up a bit, finding a better angle. Pushing his heels into the back of Magnus's thighs, Alec pulled him in closer, relishing in the feel of his silky skin dragging back and forth against his own body.

"Fuck . . ." Magnus said through gritted teeth, gripping Alec's shoulder hard and pulling back against him for a final hard thrust before pulling out. Just as Alec began to whimper, clearly not finished, Magnus continued. "Roll over." There was a flame burning behind his eyes.

Alec rolled over, happy to oblige, kneeling and spreading his own legs, ass poised in the air and the dip in his back making Magnus involuntarily lick his lips. Before a heart beat Magnus was back on him, squeezing his hips, pulling back forcefully. Alec tried to look back over his shoulder, tried to sit up further, but Magnus's large hand made its way into the back of Alec's raven hair, making a fist and pushing him back forward. Picking up speed, Magnus leaned forward to trail kisses across Alec's shoulder blade, sending additional shivers through the smaller man's body. Neither would last much longer and both knew it. Magnus reached around, finding Alec's hardened member and began pumping it in time with his own thrusts, using his other hand to pull Alec's head back for another shared kiss, biting and tugging the smaller man's lip once more, forcing his tongue into his mouth and feeling the vibrations of their shared moans.

Alec felt his release coming, he pushing back against Magnus trying to make every last thrust count, until the familiar tightening in his stomach alerted him to the end. "Magnus I'm . . .ah!" Alec's seed began spilling on the floor beneath him, coming over Magnus's hand, his warning a bit late. Not a moment later he felt Magnus spasm, and then a warm sensation spread further within him as Magnus found his own release. They rode out their respective orgasms still connected, slowly working each other until there was nothing left.

Magnus pulled out of him, the loss feeling cold somehow and Alec desired contact once more. Luckily he didn't need to ask, Magnus sprawled across the cold floor, bunching their discarded clothing under his head and pulled Alec down to him. After untying the rope he wrapped his arms around Alec, holding him, not speaking. Though the ground was dirty and cold, on top of Magnus it did not seem so bad. Alec was so focused on this strange moment and all that lead up to it, not daring to let his thoughts wander any further back than that first kiss. Magnus was being quiet, and his body was tense, but Alec didn't see any reason to pry into the reasoning at that moment, sleep threatening to claim him at any time now.

Curling into Magnus more, Alec nuzzled against the warm man, his eyes heavy and nearly closed. He was almost unconscious when he heard something, a whisper that sounded like the word "Sorry" but he soon after drifted into a surprisingly peaceful sleep on top of the former stranger.

The Truth

When Alec awoke he felt a sting, everything hurt. Sitting, he scratched the back of his head, not yet opening his eyes. His body felt raw, sore, impossibly so and it took a few moments for the memories to rush back to him. His eyes shot open and he looked around, Magnus was nowhere in sight, the rope lying on the floor a few feet away from where they had slept. He reached down, knowing that he had been lying on something soft and felt Magnus's leather jacket bunched where his head had been.

So he was gone, Magnus left him. Once upon a time Alec would have cried but frankly he was out of tears for a lifetime. Magnus had been what he needed yesterday, who knew what today would bring but the gift of today was enough. Pulling the jacket up and over his bare shoulders he saw a piece of paper fall from the inside of the left pocket, it was folded carefully and looked worn. Slowly he began unfolding it, seeing a message written in delicate script over the back of what appeared to be a print advertisement, he didn't really look at it. He spread it, looking at the back. The message was clearly new and it read; "You will never know how sorry I am, my flower."

Alec didn't understand, sure Magnus had been rough, but that had been the situation and Alec did not regret that. He looked at the message again, puzzled but eventually turned it over to see whatever was on the other side properly. His heart skipped a beat when he saw a very familiar set of exotic eyes looking back at him. The face was a bit younger, his head shaved, but those were the eyes of his escape. It was a picture of Magnus on the paper. He stared at the younger Magnus for a while longer than necessary before finally registering in the words printed across it:

Patient Zero: Magnus Bane

Patient Zero

Magnus Bane

In that moment Alec knew two things; He was going to see his siblings again, and Magnus had been the one to grant his passage.

The End

Reviews are appreciated, I would love to hear what you have to say!

Mo