Chapter 11:
Maryse and Robert were in Idris trying to get the Clave caught up on what was going on. They passed along all the information that they had so far. Telling them it was Sebastian and what his plans are. It had been a long day. She was ready to go home but it was late. She sent word that they would be staying in Idris.
She unlocked the house. It had been a long time since she'd been here. She turned to Robert who looked as tired as she felt. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Let's go to bed." He nodded and there was a flash of lust of her husband's eyes.
Jace helped Alec get Magnus onto a bed in the infirmary. "I'm going to go find Clary, maybe she'll be able to help until Maryse gets back."
It didn't make sense that Maureen hadn't even been there. Simon thought about this as they all surrounded Magnus. Something fishy was going on. He was trying to think of what it could mean. He wouldn't have wanted to get rid of her. Maybe something happened and the blood still killed her. He couldn't think of any other reason she wouldn't have been in there it was light outside. Unless, Simon thought, could the blood make her able to withstand the power of the sun? The one to ask was not able to answer right now.
Everyone took a seat but Alec who flitted about trying to fluff the pillows and tucking him in. He was cooing to him. "Stay with me, baby."
Then all Hell broke loose. "She's gone. They're both gone." Jace was screaming as he burst through the doors. "Clary and Arella are gone."
They passed the alleyway. "Where are we going?" Clary asked.
"You don't think you followed Maureen without her knowing do you?" He tsked. "Don't worry about her though. She was just a fling filling my time, but you know all about that. You had brother dearest to fill you… your time." He laughed. "Maureen and I moved to a new location while Bayard waited for your friends to come to us."
"Just one person?"
"Not just a person but a warlock, who had drunk demon blood for a little extra kick. I am sure he had no trouble taking out that crew." He took her hand. "But we can go to our new home now. Remember how things were when we were traveling?" He was looking distant. "We had some good times. Too bad Jace won't be joining us this time."
He stopped suddenly. Clary tried to take in their surroundings. It was an old abandoned warehouse. How clichéd, she thought. He said something, she assumed in Latin again, and turned the knob.
"Maureen, I'm home! And we have company!"
The inside of the building was nicely set up. It was more like a home than a warehouse.
"Like what I did with the place?" He said noting her looking around the room. She nodded. "Want to see the nursery?" He was actually giddy about it.
"Sure." She followed him. He was still holding Arella. The room was decorated with toys all around the walls. The floor was covered with a purple rug that was soft under their feet. Arella struggled to get down. Her hand itched to play with all the new toys. Sebastian sat her down, and then to Clary's surprise, he sat with her and played. He seemed almost childlike. He laughed when she did.
Clary's heart ached. He could have been a normal person. He could have been a great uncle who would want to play with his niece. Clary was so furious that Valentine had taken that away. Her father had ruined her life and his. Her heart ached for what might have been, but she needed to find a way out of this. She needed a way to communicate where they were.
He set them up. Jace was furious that they fell for it. They had probably killed the one creature that could have told them where he moved to. He had killed him. After Magnus had fallen, he was not just avenging Clary. He was avenging his brother. Bayard had been all too happy to let him win after he thought he'd killed Magnus. And, hell, he might still die. They had no one to heal him.
But now he couldn't even help them try. He had to find his wife and his children. He just needed to stop and think like Sebastian would. He had to think where he might have taken them. Of course it was going to be somewhere that wouldn't look like he was hiding in.
He'd been one with him before; he needed to draw on that now. He knew how he thought. He could figure this out.
He paced in the Library, trying to clear his head so he could think. He didn't have the warlock's help now. He was going to be on his own for this one.
Alec put a cold cloth on his boyfriend's head. He was sweating as if he was breaking a fever. Maybe he was, Alec had no idea what that bastard had done to him. He felt hot, his cheeks were flush, and he murmured in his unconscious.
Isabelle had gone to see if she could contact the silent brothers. They had helped Magnus before since he does help the clave so much. They were very good about finding solutions to things like this. It probably had something to do with the fact that they could get into your head.
In fact, that ability reminded him of his niece. He had never thought of it before because the brothers didn't have to touch you, but she communicated a lot like they did. Maybe she'd grow up like her uncle Magnus and be a healer.
"I need you to make it. I can't live without you in the world." He kissed the feverish head of his boyfriend. "I swear if you wake up from this, I am going to marry you." He rested his head on Magnus's shoulder. Tears slid down his cheeks.
"I will hold you to that promise." A weak voice said. Alec Jerked up. Magnus was staring at him a grimace of a smile on his face.
"Magnus, thank the angel." He planted a kiss on his boyfriend's lips. "What can I do?"
"This will just have to run its course, my love." Magnus tried to look brave, but he was far from feeling it right now. "Bayard knew what he was doing. He wanted me dead."
"Don't say this is going to kill you." Alec choked on the tears that threatened. One slipped out then others followed.
"Oh not for some time I bet." Magnus took Alec's hand. "He took what he thought was most important to me, but he didn't because you are here."
Alec looked at him, confused.
"He took my immortality. When I get rid of this fever, I will be aging daily, just like you do."
"No." Alec was in disbelief. It was something he himself had thought about at one time, but he never thought it would happen. His life was filled of thoughts of Magnus vibrant and alive for all time. They made him smile and made him cry but there was no other way.
Magnus looked broken. "I understand if you don't want to be with me anymore." The thought of him as old might not be appealing. Maybe that was part of his appeal, knowing he would always look like a trophy boy toy no matter how old Alec got. He wouldn't care how Alec looks when he gets old, he would always see those clear blue eyes and know it was the man he loved, wrinkles or gray hair wouldn't matter.
"Magnus, I would never leave you. I am just so sorry he took that from you." Alec looked at him dead in the eyes. "The thought that one day, this world won't have you in it-that makes me sad. To me, you are the sun and the air."
"I thought this was what you wanted?"
"Never." Alec shook his head. "You know how she was. She twisted everything. I hate her. She planted the thought in my mind, but I was more interested in finding a way to become like you. Never aging so you wouldn't be disgusted with me when I got old and ugly."
"Alexander Gideon Lightwood, you will never be ugly. You can live to 100, have cataracts clouding those beautiful blue eyes-God forbid that- and be covered in age spots like an overripe banana and you will still be the most gorgeous man I have ever met." Magnus grabbed him and brought him to the bed. He snuggled him close. "I have had a long life, love. I don't think growing old with you will be the worst ending I could have. I think we will live happily ever after."
A/N: I had to add a little sappy to cut the tension. Ok guys! Let me have it. Tell me what you think!
