A/N: Vwala, chapter twenty five! Wow. Chapter twenty five. Yeesh.

Sorry it is a bit later in the day, but—hey—it's still Sunday technically ;)

Enjoy as always and please review!

. 25 .

Magnus screamed himself hoarse as the portal vanished before him. He wouldn't—couldn't fire anything after Jonathan in fear of accidentally hitting Alexander. He would never be able to live with himself if something like that happened. Scrambling, Magnus fumbled for his phone and frantically dialed Isabelle's number.

"Izzy," Magnus rasped once she answered. "Alec…Alec's gone."

oooOOOooo

Part of Alexander didn't want to open his eyes. He could tell that he was lying somewhere soft and warm which was a major contrast to what he had expected. He had expected a cell, or more so death, but judging from the soft sound of flames licking the air and coals crackling he knew that was not the case. He felt the cool feel of metal on his left wrist and when he moved it slightly he could feel the chain attached to it grow taut.

"I see you are awake," an all too familiar voice remarked. Alec opened his eyes and stared at the white ceiling. He lay on a king sized bed in a room that could be considered bland and desolate to some as it only contained a bed, chair which the monster himself now occupied, and dresser, but to him it was better than a cell. Far better.

When the lightwood boy refused to say anything Jonathan went on, setting his book aside and instead folding his hands in his lap. "Opting for silence now are we?"

He was met once again with silence.

"Very well then. You should be thanking me, you know."

Alexander sent daggers at the ceiling, unwilling to even look at the monster beside him. He felt unnerved to be this close to him. He wanted nothing more than for it to be Magnus beside him and not him. Alexander refused to speak or look at the monster responsible for his suffering.

"I suppose you would like to know what the rest of your life is going to consist of, hm?" Jonathan pondered aloud.

Alec swallowed nervously, unsure if he really wanted to know.

"You will remain here at my manor. Until you are trusted you will remain in this room. The only person you will ever come into contact with will be myself or a personal servant."

What? No torture? No cell? Simply being Jonathan Morgenstern's personal little pet. What, was he going to train him to sit, stay, and lie down? Not if Alec had anything to do with it!

"I realize it may take some time for you to adjust to these arrangements. However, it would be in your best interest to drop your little act of silence and cooperate as much as possible. I'm sure Magnus would appreciate it."

"Don't you dare touch him!" Alec cried, yanking on the chain and grabbing at Jonathan violently but never coming close due to his lack of mobility.

Jonathan didn't even flinch.

Instead he smiled almost fondly. "Ah, there's that voice of yours. Not to mention that Shadowhunter fighting spirit. I was beginning you lost it along with your memory."

Alexander was now struggling to control his rapid breathing. "If you hurt Magnus I swear—"

"What?" Jonathan snapped. "What do you swear? That you'll end my life? Frankly, Alexander, you are in no way in a position to do so. The only way for you to protect your precious warlock is to heed my wishes and words. The sooner you learn your place the better."

A hard glare settled on Alexander's face as he fell silent and attempted to slow his rapid breath. He thought over what had been said and decided that for now silence would be his best play. For now he just had to bide his time until Magnus found him.

And Magnus would find him. He had no doubt about that. It was just a matter of time. Alec just had to last.

Jonathan seemed to take hi silence as acceptance and stood, brushing himself off and smoothing his clothes. "I do hope you take my words to heart, Alexander. I'd hate to strip you of your Marks."

Alec's heart stopped.

"Please," the word escaped his lips before he could think to stop it. "Please, no. You can't—"

"I can," Jonathan assured, "And I will. Do not force my hand and I will not push for it to be done. I'd like for you to keep your Marks." His eyes narrowed on Alexander's, "Do not take my words lightly. I will not hesitate if you present me with the reason to do so. From now on your Marks are a privilege, not a right."

Alexander only mutely nodded, his eyes cast to the floor opposite the room from the other Shadowhunter. His heart was hammering in his chest as a whole new level of fear consumed him.

"I will be back in a few hours with your dinner." Jonathan informed him. "I suggest you sleep. Perhaps if you do I will allow you to wander about your bedroom once I return."

Alexander curled in on himself as the door shut with a loud and possibly most final sound that he had ever heard. Tears flowed freely down the boy's cheeks leaving wet streaks and stains on his clothes. For a while, Alexander pulled at the cuff around his wrist and the chain but had no success. The chain was connected to a bolted metal plate attached to the wall. When he felt and saw blood begin to run on his skin Alec stopped his tugging, instead opting to lie down and attempt to get some rest before Jonathan returned. He was going to need his strength.

Much to Alexander's disappointment, sleep evaded him relentlessly.

oooOOOooo

Magnus paced relentlessly at the Institute as the Lightwood family remained still in various areas of the living room. The shock had passed now as the hours began to tick by, leaving them all shell-shocked unknowing what to do.

They had no knowledge of where Jonathan was residing or where he possibly could have gone. He could be near Idris or anywhere in the world for all they knew. The possibilities were endless.

"We have to do something," Jace said for the thousandth time. "Who knows what that bastard is doing to him right now?"

Maryse remained quiet, her trembling hand covering her mouth as she stared blankly ahead. Robert, however, whirled on Magnus for the third time since the warlock had arrived and pointed his finger Magnus furiously.

"This is all your fault!" Robert snarled. "I said from the beginning that Alexander should remain here at the Institute where he would be safe! How did Jonathan even get in your apartment? Weren't there wards preventing anyone entrance?"

Magnus couldn't even yell back he felt so defeated. He might as well have been two inches tall. His jaw throbbed from where Robert had hit him when he'd first arrived and his voice was as broken as it was shaken when he replied, "He must have had another warlock with him. The wards had been changed when I got there. The warlock had made it so that my own wards relented against me. I couldn't get inside until it was too late."

Robert stomped away from him as if being close to the warlock would burn him. The Lightwood family all looked on, but none of them came to the warlock's defense. Isabelle sat with her mother while Jace remained alone by the window, absently rubbing his wrist as he gazed outside at the rain. Magnus' gaze narrowed and he moved closer to the boy.

"Something wrong with your wrist?" the warlock questioned.

Jace jumped slightly, as if he had been so lost that Magnus had startled him. He opened his mouth and looked to his wrist that was still held in his opposite hand as he tried to come up with an answer. Finally, he shook his head. "No, no. It just…throbs. I don't know why."

Magnus took Jace's wrist in his hands and began to inspect the appendage.

"You don't think…"

Magnus didn't look up when he answered, "Since Alec is your parabatai it is possible that you are in a sense feeling what he is feeling—however, much less of the intensity. Is there anything else you are feeling?"

Jace paled. "I feel awful."

"Try to be more specific," Magnus stated, though inwardly he cringed. Part of him didn't want to know.

The Shadowhunter swallowed, now successfully having everyone's attention. "Um…Besides the wrist, I feel tired and fatigued. But probably the worst is the sense of loss, of dread. It's almost unbearable…"

Magnus winced but managed to keep his voice even when he spoke. "It will probably feel very much like when he was in the coma except with sparks of pain given his current…situation…"

Jace only nodded numbly while the rest of the family remained still and silent. A stiff, uneasy silence fell over the room for several long moments until Magnus turned to face them. "I should probably get back to the apartment. I need to replace the wards and look for any more clues as to where they could have possibly taken him…I'll…I'll contact you if I find anything." He looked to Jace, "I trust you'll do the same? And keep a log of all the feelings you have. They may be helpful later on."

The Shadowhunter nodded, his hand unconsciously going to his wrist again. "I will. What are we supposed to do now? We have no leads…"

"We just have to wait," Magnus replied solemnly, tears prickling at his eyes. "That's all there is to do. Wait."

oooOOOooo

When Magnus finally closed the door behind him he felt an overwhelming sense of loss and heartbreak. He'd made a promise…and he hadn't been able to keep his word.

He fell to his knees in the doorway and simply stared down at his hands for what could have been hours, silent tears falling down his cheeks.

Magnus watched the shadows on the floor slowly grow until it consumed the entire room in darkness. Only then did he realize that the fireplace was lit, its flames licking at the darkness. Turning his gaze to the sight, he frowned at the small piece of parchment lying on the bricks before the fire. Crawling over to it, Magnus turned the paper over numerous times before unfolding it. Scrawled on the parchment was only one phrase:

You know who I want.

And indeed Magnus did.