Mom? I know you're out there, you're around somewhere. I heard you. You wouldn't ever leave me, right? Listen… I'm stuck, somewhere. Its super dark, and I can't move and I'm scared, more scared than ever in my life. I don't… I don't know if I'll ever find my way out of here, you know? Like I'll be stuck here for all eternity. I've been here for so long and now… I'm just tired. I want to just let go, but it feels like if I do that I'll never come back. I miss you, mom. It feels like so long since I've seen your face… And Luke… how is he holding up? I know you can't hear me, because if you could then you'd reply, right? But… I'm so scared, and this is the only thing that's holding me here. The thoughts that if I stick this through, if I get myself out or someone figures out where I am and helps me… everything will turn out alright again, right?

Magnus strode in through the doors of the institute, swinging his arms at his sides as he turned in to the infirmary and strode up to where Brother Zachariah was sat, his head over a book. "I've got an idea. It's not bulletproof and it's really risky, but it's a plan. Want to hear?"

Spill the beans then.

"This whole thing started because Clary's soul was separated from her body by a demon blade, right? It was impregnated with dark magic?"

Yes. That's why it's proving so difficult to find a solution. Nothing of the sort has ever happened before.

"In a way, it has. We could, in theory, use the same blade- or at least a similar one, you know what I mean- to sever Clary's soul from Sebastian's body. Same goes for separating Lilith from Clary's body- though an angel blade might do a better job. If we could set up some kind of block, we could get Clary's soul back into her body, and transfer Lilith into Sebastian's. With the right kind of magic, we could destroy Lilith and Sebastian in one shot."

Brother Zachariah raised his head and removed his hood, ruffling his hair with his hands and pressing his hands over his eyes. You think so?

"Well, as a last resort it's worth something of a shot, don't you think? If we don't find anything else… before it's too late… then we might as well give it a go. Right?"

Brother Zachariah rolled his shoulders and pulled the hood of his cloak back up to hide his face. Yes, I think so. I'll have Jace continue searching for a cure while I look through the archives for stuff about Angel and Demon blades- I was looking through them just the other day so it shouldn't be too difficult…yes. I believe you could be onto something…

Jace took the steps to Simon's apartment two at a time. Smashed door, blood on the walls? What had gone on here? Why wasn't the place swarming with cops? He reached Simon's door and pounded three times with his fist, almost flying through the door on the fourth bang as it swung open before him.

"Jace?"

He looked up, his blonde hair falling out of his shining gold eyes as he looked Alec in the face. "Your eyes. They're different. Darker."

Alec turned to the mirror and examined his face once more. In a way he supposed Jace was right- the colour was slightly off, more purple than blue. "I guess it's the blood…" He mumbled, turning around to face his friend, jealousy pumping through him as he noted the black runes decorating his skin.

"It's true then." Jace said, stepping further into the apartment and walking around Alec in a circle. "You've left."

"Not out of choice." Alec said stubbornly, his feelings hurt. He had expected a warm reunion- not… whatever this was.

"Last time I saw you, your cheek was the size of an orange and you were barely breathing. You were on your deathbed. I…" He bit his lip and looked away, shaking his head. His hands shook with a mix of anger and fear as he unfastened the buttons on his shirt and pulled it to one side to reveal the scar on his chest where the parabatai rune used to be. "It hurt. A lot. I felt it when it happened. It was like I was dying alongside you." His voice cracked as he buttoned the shirt up again and looked into his friend's eyes. "It was like… when I lost you… I'd lost myself too."

Alec's face crumpled and he fell into his friend's arms. "Jace…" He shook his head and buried his face in Jace's shoulder. "I missed you, so much."

"Dude I don't think it's even been 24 hours yet…" he mumbled, patting Alec awkwardly on the back as he drew back.

"Regardless. I… I have a favour, I need to ask you."

"Funny enough, so do a couple of other people. I've been run off my feet looking for a cure for Clary…" Alec shook his head.

"It's different. Rather selfish, actually."

"You want to be like Simon. I can't see why you'd want to be like that rat but I get where you're coming from with the whole sunlight thing. Really though? You're shacking up with him now?"

"No, no. I'm moving in with Magnus tonight but that's kind of the thing. I miss it already. The sun. I can't be locked in one place all day, shut in the darkness. I want to be a daylighter. I'd ask Clary seeing as you've already done it once but…"

"Shut up, Alec. I'm your parabatai. Your brother. I don't know why you even bothered asking because let's face it you know I'm going to say yes. Are you sure though? That this is what you want? That it will even work?"

"An eternity is not worth living without you, Jace Lightwood. I… One day, I'll lose you, but this way your blood will stay with me forever. It's like a blood-brothers pact, only… you know, I'm immortal."

Jace shook his head. "This is so dumb. You really want to do it? Do you even know what kind of state Simon was in when I got to him? How are we even going to do something like that here in the middle of New York anyway?"

Alec shrugged, and Simon stepped out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. "Let's face it, with the mess Jocelyn made outside we can hardly stay here much longer. Her glamour will wear off eventually and the cops will be all over the place. Use the bathroom- if we're going to mess around with the mundanes we might as well do it in style."

Alec grinned, then turned around to face Jace. "What do you say?"

"Shit, go on then. Bloody hell, you've not changed much have you? I almost feel sorry for that nerd having to live with you for the rest of eternity." he pointed at Simon, then shrugged off his jacket and threw it over the arms of the sofa. "You just don't give up, do you? Right." He rolled his shirt sleeves up to his elbows and rubbed his hands together, rolling his head across his shoulders and cracking his knuckles. "Let's do this."