A/N: What's this? An early chapter? Oh! It must be your lucky day! Thanks to all of you reviewers and favorites and followers as always and I hope you enjoy this chapter (tis one of my favorites!)

. 11 .

Dinner had been one of the most awkward situations Alec had ever been in, he'd decided. He had been rudely awoken by the sweet aroma of whatever soup Magnus had conjured up and listened through the entire meal about how Magnus was dying to go shopping again and how he was pondering changing the color scheme of their apartment, how Alec needed a new wardrobe so he would "stop drowning in those baggy sweatshirts" and "get some clothes that fit his style." Alec didn't even know what his style was. Once he had made it halfway through his bowl of soup and deemed it good enough, he finally spoke, interrupting the warlock midsentence.

"I think I'm going to go to bed," he said.

Magnus stopped, taken aback by the small voice. He immediately set down his spoon and stood as Alexander did the same. He rushed to his Shadowhunter's side to aid him, but the boy waived a hand dismissively at him and shook his head slightly with a small wince.

"I'm fine," Alec said. "I'm just tired."

The warlock frowned. He had expected Alec to be exhausted, but it was worrying him. Sighing, he wetted his lips before saying, "I understand. Why don't I clean up and then we can turn in for the night? Besides, we have breakfast at Taki's tomorrow with your family…"

Alexander said nothing, but made his way silently to the bedroom once again.

oooOOOooo

Jace entered the Institute in a dead sprint, the rainwater dripping off of his skin. He ran into the library where the rest of his family resided. He set the bow on the table with a thud and stood tall.

"He wasn't alone."

Robert's eyes narrowed as he peered over his glasses, book still in hand. "What are you raging about now, Jace?"

Jace glared ferociously at him, his hands curling into fists. "He wasn't alone in the rafters. Someone else was up there with him."

"What are you saying?" Maryse questioned.

Isabelle stood and moved in front of Jace, her eyes clear and unblinking. "Jace…"

"I think he was attacked, pushed. Someone caught him off guard."

"Who would be up there in the rafters, Jace? It was probably another demon that saw him and decided to extinguish the threat," Robert answered nonchalantly. "Let's not fuss about what has already happened. The past is the past and we can only move forward."

Jace slammed his fist on the table. "Don't you get it? He was attacked! There were footprints leading both to him and away from where he fell. Someone pushed Alec off of those rafters. It only makes sense that it would be another Shadowhunter! No human could see us nor would they be in that old warehouse! Besides, Alec would have heard them! This person would had to have been very quiet and exquisitely trained…"

Isabelle's eyes widened in realization.

"Get to the point, Jace," Maryse said solemnly.

"I think Jonathan Morgenstern is in New York," he said, "It makes sense that he would try to kill Alec. He tried to make me his brother last time, why would he want me to already have a parabatai? It makes sense for him to want Alec dead, out of the way. And I don't think he is going to rest until he is just that. Dead."

Isabelle whipped out her phone, "We have to tell Magnus. He has to bring Alec back to the Institute, it's the only place Alec will be safe—"

"No, tell him to keep Alec there. Magnus has wards on his apartment and the Angel knows he would never let Alec be harmed under his care. Call him and let him know. Until we know for sure that Alec is safe he needs to stay either with Magnus or here."

Robert stood and moved for the door, "I'll contact the Clave."

"If this is true and Jonathan Morgenstern is in New York," Maryse stated, "Then I want the both of you to remain here. I want to know your whereabouts at all times." She glared at Jace and wagged a finger in his face, "And no exceptions!"

Jace rolled his eyes in annoyance as Maryse followed her husband out the door. As it banged closed Isabelle sighed, "You're going out, aren't you?"

"Not tonight," Jace replied. "But soon. No one who hurts my parabatai just walks away."

Isabelle smiled, taking up her brother's bow. "Well, you can't fight the demon alone, now can you? What's the plan?"

Jace grinned and sighed. "First we call Magnus."

"And then?"

Smirking, Jace shook his head. "Alec. He's still a Shadowhunter. We have to at least show him how to protect himself incase worse comes to worse when we go."

"Agreed. I'll call Magnus."

"Yah," Jace sighed, moving his gaze to the droplets hitting the glass of the window. "Who knows when Jonathan will strike again…Maybe we'll get lucky and he doesn't know that Alec is still alive…"

Isabelle frowned and squeezed her adoptive brother's shoulder, "You and I both know that isn't true, Jace."

"I can hope, can't I? I don't know what I'd do if I lost Alec. It hurt too bad when he was in a coma…I can't imagine what it feels like when he's really gone."

A wince passed over the Shadowhunter's face at the mere thought.

oooOOOooo

Magnus hastily cleaned up and had to restrain from running back into the bedroom. He heard both his phone and Alexander's buzzing but dismissed it easily. Alexander needed his attention now and that was more important than answering a phone call from the Shadowhunters at the moment.

When he walked through the doorway, all of the lights were already off and Alexander was tucked in bed. Magnus stood still a long moment simply watching his lover. Sighing softly, he undressed and reluctantly pulled on some of the sweatpants he had took from Alec's side of the closet. Looking at Alexander, he held back tears as he resigned to sleep on the couch for the night. Grasping the doorknob of the door to close behind him, he froze as the small, sleepy voice came again.

"Where are you going?"

Magnus turned to see Alexander propped on his elbows watching him with wide eyes that showed the fear he would never admit. Magnus gave a small smile, "It's alright, angel. I'm just going to be out on the couch."

"Oh…" He swallowed nervously and refused to meet Magnus's gaze, "I just thought that…maybe…maybe you could, um…sleep in…here…with me…"

Leaving the door open, Magnus returned to the bed—on the right side—and maneuvered himself under the duvet with Alexander. He lay close enough to feel his warmth, but not close enough to startle the Shadowhunter. Alec faced away from Magnus, but his small voice reached his ears as if it were thunder in a storm.

"I like that one."

"Which one?" the warlock whispered to the dark.

"The nickname. I like that one."

Magnus smiled to himself and let a silent tear slip down his cheek. "Go to sleep, angel. I'll be here when you wake."

A/N: Awwwww! Thanks for reading! Please review?

May post another chapter tomorrow…not definite yet…but possibly.