"So let's get this straight." Jace and Magnus had been going at it for hours, throwing out ideas about why he was there, what they needed to do. They had thought of everything, and yet the seemed no closer to coming up with any real idea of what to do about the situation. "You're still here, and we have no idea what we have to do to help you 'cross over' or whatever."

Putting his head in his hands, Magnus sighed deeply. "Yes, Jace. After three hours we still have no idea what to do."

There was a terribly long pause, and Magnus didn't have the nerve to keep Jace from his thinking. But what Jace said next, made him the speechless one. "Do you want to cross over?"

Magnus knew it was a simple question. He knew he shouldn't be intimidated by answering it, but for some unknown reason, he had no idea what he would say in response. He looked down at his feet as he began speaking, unable to bring himself to look at Jace. "I honestly have no idea. I mean, of course I want to be with Alec again. But if I come back now, then I will lose him in the end. If I cross over now, then he and I can be together in that way."

"But you're here still for a reason, we do know that much, right?"

With a soft smile, Magnus nodded. "Yes, that is something we both agree on. I'm still here for a reason. What that reason might be, however, I have no idea."

After another long pause, Jace finally spoke again. "I have an idea," he simply announced. This caused Magnus to groan internally. Jace's ideas were never good things.

"I think you should go to your father about this." Before Magnus could say anything, Jace continued speaking, knowing that there would be automatic rejection of this idea. "You're dead, Magnus. What have you got to lose?"

Magnus knew very well what his father could do to him, dead or alive, but he refrained from mentioning that to Jace.

Now I'm the one who's insane, Magnus thought. Since when have I ever listened to Jace?

Summoning his father had been the easy part, but now he was trying to keep Jace from being his typical self and insulting Asmodeus in a way that would surely get him killed. It was very likely that Asmodeus would kill Jace out of boredom rather than helping them in any conceivable way.

"I am failing to see," his father was saying, "what exactly you want from me."

Seeing his opportunity to properly intervene, Magnus spoke up before Jace had the chance to this time. "I'm not exactly sure myself, Father. I don't really know what's going on, or rather, why I'm still here and not, you know, with you or whatever."

Chills ran down Magnus's spine when his father smiled at him, a terrible, evil smile. A smile he knew all too well. "You've obviously got some unfinished business, son. But I think you simply need to decide what you want to do. Either you want my help, or you don't."

"Now it's your turn to explain something to me. You're offering me help, but what I fail to see is what you are going to offer me." Magnus attempted to swallow the lump that was forming in his throat, but this was in vain.

When Asmodeus answered, there was some amusement in his voice, never a good sign from him. "I am offering to bring you back to life, Magnus. Honestly, how dense can you be?"

Magnus felt a bit lightheaded, but he knew that he couldn't possibly be, as he was already dead, there was no blood rushing through him. He knew that his father couldn't possibly be offering what he had just said, that was too good to be true.

"What's the catch, then?" He kept his voice as calm and as even as he could, not wanting to give away the hope that was building up inside him.

Jace jumped when Asmodeus let out a sharp laugh. "Why do you assume I am going to add a twist to the end, son? You wound me."

When Magnus didn't answer, Asmodeus flashed another smile, and Magnus began to feel sick. "Well, you may wound me, but you do know me very well. There is a catch, son."

Asmodeus seemed to know that he would have Magnus trapped by what he said next, as his smile only widened as he said it. "I will bring you back to life, and you will be healthy again. But I will take away your immortality." He looked Magnus straight in the eye as he finished speaking. "Your immortality, and your powers."