Magnus thinks he can get Alec through it by using a spell that will bind the souls of his feared to him so that he can heal. The problem is whether to involve the children and what will happen to Magnus if he uses magic again.

Alec's Pain.

Chapter Three.

Johnathan Christopher Lightwood Herondale was a very cocky man. He was so cocky in fact that every one that had ever met the famous Jace Herondale, more recently not the last of his kind, had swooned for him. His confident behavior got him into a lot of trouble but it also allowed him to fight the fights that others refused. Like today when he felt a terrible fear in the pit of his stomach and he doubled over in agony. He held onto his rune for a few moments before putting it together. It was him. Alec. His parabatai. Something had happened to him and whatever it was, it was terrifying the grown man. Jace learned quickly that whatever happened to his parabatai was not the usual demon wound. It was fearful.

Clary held onto Jace's arm until the pain subsided and he came to that incredibly terrifying realization that it was not him that was hurting, but the man that he loves more than any other man in the world. He held onto Clary's hand with a realization that hit him like a punch to the face. He quickly stood and grabbed his phone, calling his brother. After the third time that Alec did not answer, he was shaking with annoyance and fear. Clary stayed on the sidelines, waiting for him to need her, to ask for her. Finally, he turned to her with a shake of his long blonde hair.

"I don't know where he is but he's really hurt," Jace says as he calls Magnus. There is again no answer. With confusion, Jace decides to check the first place that he knows Alec would be. Home. Grabbing her hand, Jace tugs on Clary as they gear up and rush out of the institute, leaving someone else in charge. Quickly they run out and into the streets of New York. With adrenaline pumping theory their veins, all they can think about is their brother that needs help and where he might be and what might be happening to him.

"Can you feel him?" Clary asks as they run.

"He's alive but he's in pain. Something's wrong," Jace says in his panicked yet controlled voice that always seems to remain cocky, even in this situation now.

Jace's phone rings so he reaches down to answer it even as he runs. Neither of them relax their pace as they run toward his apartment. But on the other end of the phone it's Magnus. His heart leaps into his throat as he trots down the streets of New York.

"What is it?" Jace asks, his voice surprisingly steady to Clary. Just when she thinks she knows everything about her lover, she learns more in an instant.

"It's important. You need to come here right away. Alec is hurt and he needs you," Magnus says.

"I'm on my way. What's going on? Is he going to be okay?" Jace begs all at once. Emotions cloud judgement. That is what Jace always used to believe. But that was before he knew how to use his emotions the right way. Now he knows that he can feel compassion and love for Alec and use it to drive what he needs to do to help his brother.

"He was in a fight with a greater demon. Agramon," he answers.

"Demon of fear. That's why I felt terrified when I thought he was hurt. What do you need us for? What can we do?"

"We need to connect the people in his greatest fear to his soul. I think that by using your energy, we can bind him to you and do two things. One: he can release the fear feeling each one of your safeties around him. Two: your safe energy can heal him."

"That sounds good. What's the problem?" Jace asks as he pushes his legs faster, feeling his brothers pain calling him through his parabatai rune. He can almost feel the tug that Alec has on him like a vice grip around his body, pulling him toward his brother.

"We have to use all of you at once. It will deplete your energy. It will also likely make you see or feel what he felt."

"Again. I'm not hearing the problem. I can survive that," Jace says with that cocky attitude that sometimes makes Magnus want to slap him across the face. Instead of doing that through the phone, he attempts to explain to the blonde.

"You can survive that but the others might not be able to."

"The others? What are you talking about? Who else needs to be a part of this?" Jace asks, suddenly putting the pieces together.

"Me. Izzy. Clary. Simon." There is a long pause and a sigh that worries Jace in a strange way that makes him uncomfortable. "Rafe and Max."

"Shit," Jace curses as he turns the corner to the apartment building. He hangs up the phone as he rushes up the stairs with Clary just behind him. She gives him a quizzical look but he does not have time to explain so they run right through the door of his apartment and into the center of it where they find two little boys sitting in the living room playing with blocks. More like Max is levitating the blocks and Rafe is trying to build the worlds largest tower with them.

"Uncle Jace!" Max shouts with a grin and runs over to him with his arms out and his big eyes looking up at him. Jace grabs him in a quick hug, putting him down quickly when he feels the pain that Alec is in. He can feel it stronger now than before.

"Jace!" Magnus calls.

Jace looks to Clary for a brief moment but he does not have to say anything. She knows what to do.

"I'll stay here with the kids," she assures.

Jace gives a nods and runs back to his brother's bedroom where he finds Magnus standing in the doorway.

"I'll call the others," Magnus says. "Stay with him."

Jace doesn't give it a second thought. He rushes into the room to find his brother sweating and pale. His strong features look softer with the sweat dripping down his face. His thick lips are slightly parted, air gasping in and out quickly. He is trembling all over, gripping the sides of his bed as he writhes in pain, calling out occasionally though it is clear that he is trying not to.

"I'm here Alec," Jace assures, reaching out to touch his parabatai. Alec takes Jace's hand easily and they hold onto each other tightly. They squeeze hands and Alec feels a rush of relief that shocks him.

"I'm glad you're here. I'm sorry for taking you away from the institute. I didn't mean for this to happen," Alec says, always afraid that he is going to hurt someone or get someone in trouble.

"Don't worry about anything. We're going to help you," Jace assures.

"Not to be rude but…can you hurry? I don't know how much longer I can hold this back," Alec says through gritted teeth. His back starts to raise up and his body shakes. The confident cocky Jace is thrown off, having no clue what Alec is talking about.

"Hold what back?"

"The fear. It's getting bad, Jace. I don't know what's going to happen when I can feel all of it," Alec says.

Fear. He doesn't want them to see him afraid. Just when Jace's brain starts to wrap around a conclusion or even a solution to this problem, Alec reaches his other hand out to grab onto Jace's arm and hold as tight as he can. Through gritted teeth his eyes look right into his brothers.

"I need my children," he says.

"We'll get them when the others get here. They're okay. Clary is with them," Jace assures, feeling a strange sense of looming over his shoulders. He looks toward the door when he hears another roaring of energy come in. Someone else just got here.

"Jace," Alec says again, turning his head as he rests on the pillow. The water in his eyes trembles until he bites a hole through his lip. "I can't. Jace. I can't."

"I've got you," Jace says.

Jace reaches down and grabs around Alec's body pulling him up into a hug as Alec breaks and the fear comes crashing down around him.

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