* 14 *

Clary heard the taxi cab screech up outside and the familiar voice of Isabelle shouting at someone. She knew Izzy would come as soon as she could, in retrospect she should've done a portal for her but after seeing Jace vanish right before her own eyes she felt numb. It didn't look the same to how Alec disappeared to Magnus. When Alec left there was sort of a shimmer around him, then once he stepped (when he saw Magnus) he vanished. Jace just disappeared right in front of her. It was a lot to deal with it.

When she finished speaking to Isabelle, hearing her on the other end grabbing various weapons (Clary could hear them jangling and clashing together) she hung up Jace's phone. His background was a picture of the both of them, together and happy. Clary couldn't help but let the tears fall from her eyes. She couldn't help but think of Simon, her Simon. He'd have been here to comfort her, say the right things and still insult Jace in the process.

Hearing the buzzer, Clary automatically moved and let Isabelle in as well as open the apartment door for her. She moved back to the couch and sat down. Wiping away the tears from her eyes. She couldn't have Izzy see her like this. Not right now.

"Clary?" Isabelle voice called out as she heard Izzy's stilettos tapping on the wooden floor of Magnus's apartment.

Clary glanced up, her eyes red and sore. Isabelle instantly ran to her and threw her arms around her.

"I've really messed up haven't I?" Clary whispered into her shoulder. Doing her best not to break down.

"No, no you haven't." Isabelle gently lifted Clary's face to met hers. "You didn't know Jace would try that! I swear on the Angel he doesn't think sometimes. Then again, you can be just as bad. If not worse."

"Thanks Izzy." Clary wanted to glare at her but honestly couldn't find the energy to do so.

"Sorry... It's just, I know we all take risks but I don't understand why Jace acted so..."

"Reckless?"

"Insane..." Isabelle said. "No one, and I mean no one has never ever used a rune upon a rune. I know he didn't actually draw it upon his Parabatai rune but still. He was insane to even try it."

"Maybe it worked, after-all Connection is a connecting rune and there is nothing more solid that Parabatai, right?"

Isabelle looked at Clary, she knew Clary had been thinking about this all. Even Izzy had been, It was written all over her face. Clary new her runes had always worked, also she could create portals with no effect at all now as long as she knew where she was going. Maybe this rune was one of the most powerful she'd ever create, being able to portal yourself to the one you care about. She dreaded to think what the Clave would think of this? Let alone other Warlocks who charge huge amounts for assisting Shadowhunters with portals.

Isabelle nodded. "I think that you're right. All of your others runes had worked brilliantly in the past, I can't see how this one would fail you now."

Clary smiled, seeming more relaxed and somewhat determined. She needed Isabelle to reassure her and knowing Izzy, she would never say anything unless she believed it herself. "Do you want to go after them?"

Isabelle smiled and stood, pulling Clary up with her. "Absolutely. I grabbed something Alec brought me ages ago and I know it'll work. Just in case."

Clary felt the Morgenstern ring on the necklace around her neck press into her skin as if it was telling her to use it. She reached round and took off the ring and held it in her hand just in the dream she had. Isabelle already held her steele out ready.

"Ok... Lets do it."

After Clary showed Izzy Connection they both in unison drew the rune upon their palms. A wave rushed over them as soon the apartment seemed to dissolve and be replaced with another room... A Library, a grand one at that. They saw the place was huge and filled with hundreds, if not thousands of books as the place came into view. They also noticed the dust, the terracotta colored dust all over the floor and at the far end of the Library were 4 figures. 1 they did not recognized, which laid still and motionless in front of the fireplace. The others they did.

Clary's heart skipped a beat seeing Jace as she rushed towards him.

"Jace!" She exclaimed as she drew near to him.

Within a second Jace looked at her and her heart stopped. Isabelle too was brought to a halt seeing his face. There eyes were drawn to the others, they first saw Magnus kneeling over Alec, blue sparks rushing out of his fingers into Alec's lifeless body.

"Alec!" Isabelle screamed and rushed to her brother but Jace grabbed her before she could get a foot near him.

"Jace let me go!"

"Izzy stop!" Jace held her firmly. "You can't intervene."

"Jace, what happened?" Clary moved to her boyfriend concerned by the hurt and fear across his face. She also saw the blood, the blood that stained his Parabatai rune.

"Alec saved our lives..." Jace whispered, trying not to allow his voice to break. "We, me and Magnus, were cornered and Alec threw himself into the line of fire. That thing over there was a Warlock, someone from Magnus's past. He used dark magic..." He closed his eyes, his breathing heavy and difficult.

"What did that bastard do to Alec!" Isabelle threw her aggressive tone towards the dead Warlock. 'I might not be able to have that greater demon's head on my wall but I'd be happy to have that things there in its place' she thought.

"Izzy..." Clary tried to calm her as well as comfort Jace.

Jace closed his eyes, tried to regain his breathing. "He created a spell, a dark and violent spell that had been banned by all High Warlocks from around the world..." He reopened his eyes and looked back at Alec and Magnus. "Alec knew what it was, he and I had both read about it from books in the Institute. He threw himself into it before it hit both Magnus and I."

Isabelle began to cry as her body shook. Clary didn't need to ask what this spell was she could see the damage it was causing itself. Seeing Alec lying so still yet she could see things happening to his body. She looked away quickly.

"Clary!"

Magnus had called her name, more of a plea than an demand. Clary moved from Jace and Isabelle to Magnus's side, it hurt more than she thought trying not to look at Alec and concentrated on Magnus. Magnus did not acknowledge her as she knelt next to him but kept his attention upon healing Alec. Blue sparks poured from his hands into Alec's body.

"You need to make a Portal." His voice drained. Clary could see the shear strain Magnus was under.

She instantly pulled out her steele. "Institute or City of Bones?"

Magnus's lip almost twitched into a smile but he shook his head. "They can't help. Our apartment and hurry."

Our apartment, the words hurt just hearing them. But it was Alec's home now, she just hoped they would get there in time. Not wasting another minute Clary ran to a wall and started to create the portal. She heard Magnus call for Jace to help him as the portal opened. She turned as she saw Jace carrying him and made his way through the portal. Magnus too needed help as Isabelle had to help him up to the portal.

As they returned to the apartment Clary noticed neither Alec or Jace were in the living room.

"They're in the bedroom." Magnus spoke, his voice rough and sore sounding, answering Clary's unspoken question. "I've done all I can do."

"What do you mean?" Isabelle asked, concerned.

"What I mean is the spell has caused a lot of damage to Alec, I won't go into all the details but there is nothing else I can do. It's the worse of all spells any Warlock could cause upon someone. A Mundane would instantly of died."

"Will he be ok?" Clary asked.

Magnus looked at her with sad eyes. "I got to him quickly, but Alec took the full force of the spell which was meant for both me and Jace... Alec is strong, the strongest person I have ever known. If he does return to us, it could be weeks, maybe months before he's back to normal."

Isabelle wanted to say something but stopped as Magnus stumbled as he tried to get up. Both Clary and Isabelle grabbed him and took him to the couch.

"No, I need to be with Alec."

Not arguing, even seeing Magnus in this state, they took him carefully into his and Alec's bedroom. Clary noted that Chairman Meow had been removed from the bed, sitting on the windowsill, as it watched Jace. With sheer delicacy Jace was putting Alec to bed. He had removed some of his clothing, Clary saw them on the floor with Alec's boots, and was tucking him into the bed just as Jocelyn had done for her when she had been ill as a child.

Quickly seeing Isabelle's gaze, not upon her brothers, but on a chair in the room Clary gradually let Izzy take Magnus as she moved to the chair and drew it next to the bed. Isabelle helped Magnus into it. Magnus instantly took Alec's hand closest to him and held it as well as monitoring his palse.

Once Jace had finished fussing he moved to Clary and held her. More for his benefit that for hers. She could feel how uneasy he was. She gently moved her arms above his and gently squeezed his hands. Jace returned the favor.

"Is there anything else we can do?" He asked firmly.

Magnus shook his head. "It's a waiting game now. I'll call you when anything happens."

Feeling Jace tense Clary knew he didn't want to hear that. "I'm not leaving Magnus, not until I know he's at least 99% back to us."

"We might not be that lucky."

"Like hell, we're not leaving him." Isabelle spoke out already ready to have a fight if needed. Magnus looked at her and closed his eyes in pain. Clary could see the strain not in him but all of them. This wasn't helping Alec.

Picking up the courage to be the voice of reason another voice, a soft whisper, spoke ending the tension building.

Alec had mumbled something.

Jace stiffened as Isabelle starred at her brother while Magnus, eyes wide open, nudged closer to him.

"Alec, Alec can you hear me?" He asked gently, stroking Alec's hair.

"Magnus" Alec spoke softly as his body, no longer stiff seemed to relax hearing his voice. Magnus almost gasped when he felt Alec move his fingers to hold Magnus's hand.

Isabelle let go of the breath she was holding while Magnus, overcome with joy, cried bringing up Alec's hand to his lips and kissed his lover's fingers. It was obvious Magnus hadn't expected this much of a recovery. Even Jace relaxed in Clary's embrace seeing Alec's chest rising and falling gently in his sleep.

Alec was going to be ok.

"Alright you lot." Magnus said, still clutching onto Alec's hand. "You know where the spare rooms are, but you'll have to contact Marsye. I'm not leaving Alec for anyone."

Clary went to volunteer to call until Izzy stopped her.

"I'll call mom in the morning. She said she wasn't feeling too great after the dinner I made. She must have been tired from traveling."

Clary starred at her and she could feel, she knew Jace wanted to say something but he too was stopped in his tracks.

In his sleep, it sounded as if Alec had laughed.