The group sat lounged across the sofa's in the institute. The room was silent, despite the many questions Clary had. She felt sick to her stomach, everytime she moved her head spun, she felt like she kept forgetting to breathe. But she concentrated on it, in and out until her hands stopped shaking.

"You ok Clary?"

"Fine." That was a lie. The rune she had seen on the floor in the classroom was something more powerful than a rune should be, it was unnatural. Evil, she thought, resting her head on her hands; pulled tightly into fists.

Alec paced across the room, checking his phone every few seconds and Simon's gaze followed him with every step as though he was hypnotized. Jace twirled his steele in his hands next to her.

"Magnus is on his way." Alec said, finally sitting down on an armchair across from Jace, he pulled his jumper up to his nose.

"You invited Magnus? Don't you think we should talk about this first?" Jace asked, leaning forward.

"It's his business more than anyone else's and I can't hear much conversation Jace."

"By the Angel, give us a chance to process things, this isn't like raiding a few vampire hideouts. It's Magnus we're talking about here!"

"That thing wants Magnus dead," he shouted, "We don't have time to process things."

"How does it plan on even killing Magnus, he's not exactly easy to get rid of?"

"EXACTLY JACE."

Clary began to rock back and forth. Her mouth was dry but she continued.

"I know."

"You know how he is going to kill Magnus?" Simon clarified, pulling Isabelle's hand onto his lap. She nodded, Alec turned to her his eyes filled with tears. Sam sat awkwardly next to them, he smiled at Clary reassuringly.

"On the floor in the class room, there was a rune. It was like nothing I've ever seen before." She began to gag slightly and she wrapped her arms around her stomach.

"What can it do?"

"I don't know the name, but it will make his age catch up with him."

"But he's hundreds of years old." Alec said, she nodded again; the jerky movements were starting to give her a migraine.

"I don't think I'd like all that time to catch up with me." Jace said.

About an hour had passed before Magnus arrived, fashionably late, as usual. Alec sat in the armchair staring into the fire, he had to admit he was being quite lethargic and Isabelle had gotten tired of him moping about his love life; she and Simon had left to go to Taki's and get food.

Jace and Clary were hidden somewhere in the institute, probably making out, Alec thought and Sam had ventured to the library, proud of himself for conjuring the fire that Alec stared into. He was quite the pyromaniac.

Magnus swept into the room, more glitter cascading from his hair as he walked. Today his eyes were covered in dark eye shadow that made his cat eyes stand out even more against his Asian skin. The smell of sandalwood washed around the room.

"Alexander, is everything ok?" Magnus asked approaching his boyfriend with care. Was he making his mood so obvious? He was hoping to break this to him lightly but he had let his face turn to stone.

"Why didn't you tell me you had another brother?" Magnus sighed pulling off his long trench coat. Alec stood up rubbing his hands together, trying to get rid of his sweaty palms. He didn't usually get nervous, maybe it was just the heat of the fire.

"Alec, we've been through this, my family is complicated. I've lived a very long time"

"You said you had told me everything. You know I don't like being lied too, I can't handle it Magnus! You know what happened last time."

Magnus flinched, the movement made Alec's eyes prickle and he looked away, back into the fire. Suddenly he felt a cold hand on his cheek, it pulled him to look at Mangus. He stared up at him but avoided his eyes. A pang of guilt went through him.

"You're overreacting. "

That was it.

"Don't tell me what to think. You lied again to me." His voice was a shout.

"I can explain everything, if you would let me. I was scared to tell you before because it is not something I take pride in. I didn't have the strength to tell you then, I didn't want to take the risk."

Alec clutched Magnus' hand, and pulled him closer.

"Then take it, it's yours."

Magnus grasped his hand in return, but his face was confused. Alec felt his insides turn over.

"Take what?" He asked, his eyebrows raised. Alec felt a hint of annoyance that maybe he wasn't taking this seriously. Especially by the look on the warlock's face.

"You said you needed strength." He said assertively, "take mine."

Magnus smiled, a soft smile that made him warm up inside. But he noticed him begin to breathe heavily and Alec pulled him closer.

"Take it, it's yours."

"Okay."

Simon headed back down the stairs into the institute, pulling off his hoodie, careful not to drop the bag of food in his hands; he wandered towards the kitchen going over the events of the day in his head. He tripped over Church, one foot caught behind the other and he fell on his chest, saving his face with his spare hand, he hadn't managed to save Jace's order of coconut pancakes. He laughed inwardly pulling himself onto his knees.

"Simon, did you just trip over the cat?" It was Clary, her clothes rumpled and her hair stood in awkward directions, her cheeks flushed red. He raised one eyebrow at her and she began to organise her appearance self consciously.

"Yes, I did. God knows how it got there, he wasn't there when I arrived and I see everything." He wiggled a finger at Clary jokingly.

"You said God."

He smiled, "I know."

"But how?" She asked confused.

"God knows."

"You're really taking this to town aren't you?" She asked, he nodded a smirk on his face. Clary never failed to make him feel better.

"Clary, that rune you saw. Was it true, what it can do?"

"I wouldn't lie about something like that."She scowled.

"I know, I was just-" He was interrupted by Clary, whose face was now stricken with a look of panic. Simon shooed the cat out of the way that was hovering by her feet. Waiting to trip me up again, Simon thought, quickly returning his attention to Clary.

"Can warlocks even have runes? I don't know anything but I do know that I am scared for him." Simon saw her bite her lip and it began to bleed slightly. He wiped it away without thinking.

"Well that's what we need to find out."

"Obviously Simon!" She shouted at him, he smiled to himself.

"We will find out after we get you something to eat."

"I'm not hungry, I'm just anxious."

"Yes you are. I can tell." He said, "You can't figure all this out without having the occasional break and no, that does not mean having sex with Jace."

"We were not having-." She sighed, realising her attempt to persuade him otherwise was futile. "Fine."

"You get snappy when you're hungry." She hit him on the arm and it really did hurt; Simon rubbed his arm which was now numb.

A/N: Let me know what you think!