Chapter 2

A/N: Yay, Izzy appears in this chapter. I will really appreciate if you review. I am really curious to know what you are thinking about my writing, about the characters. I know this is barely the beginning, but still.

Again, go listen to the songs if you want to. There are pretty good, in my humble opinion, at least.

Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I only own the plot. The characters belong to Cassandra Clare, although I wish I had a blue-eyed boy in my room. But I don't *sighs* :((

Monday 8:00 am

Song: The Passenger by Iggy Pop (because this song is perfect. Imagine this playing only when Isabelle is driving, and not when she remembers things from the past.For those scenes I have different songs :)) )

Isabelle drove very fast, thinking she might make it in time, but realizing she was fooling herself. Of course she was going to be late or even miss her first class on her very first day of school. She sighed loudly and accelerated.

It was all her parents' fault. Her parents who just decided to get a divorce. So who would they call to give all the details of their fights, who would they keep on the telephone for hours, talking about their problems and shouting at each other?

Jace was always busy with his soccer training and didn't come home until eight o'clock or sometimes even later, so Maryse and Robert didn't bother him with late night phone calls, and they both knew Alec had his own problems. This fight was the last thing Alec needed right now. He barely got on his feet again.

Isabelle thought about it for a while...Alec's years of high school were something they didn't talk about. Back then he never said a thing, but she could tell from the way he looked at that boy, Sebastian, that he was head over heels for him, and their parents, if they had noticed, kept on denying it, whispering in low voices at night that it was just a phase, and it will go away with time. And then, Alec stopped coming home with Sebastian, stopped talking with or about him. He actually didn't talk to anyone anymore. He wasn't...He just wasn't anymore. That's all.

That's when Izzy got really worried so she tried to talk to him, she kept on reassuring him she was there, not going anywhere. She was there for him no matter when he needed her.

Song: Museum of a Flight by Damien Jurado

''I am shattered, Izzy. I feel it every day, when I breathe, when I walk, when I think about him. I am trying so hard not to, but his face keeps appearing in my head. My heart is broken, and it's dark, so I can't start picking up the pieces, because I don't see them. I don't know where they are: here, there, everywhere? Nowhere... '' he said one night when they were home alone. She arrived almost at midnight and found her brother stretched on the carpet, with a bottle of wine in his left hand, the other one resting on his chest. He had a weird smile all over his face.

She looked at him with tears in her eyes. She had to help him, but she didn't know how. God, she didn't even know how to help herself.

''Come here, Alec. Get up. Get up and let's go.'' He didn't listen to her. He stayed there and kept on repeating ''I told him I love him. I did it. It's all my fault, you now? If i was better... I should have been better.''

After half an hour, she managed to take Alec into his room and placed him on the bed, taking the bottle of alcohol from his hands.

''I think you had enough of that. Go to sleep.''

He did. And she stood there, in an armchair by the window,watching her brother falling asleep and falling into pieces.

All that was a year and a half ago, but Alec was still so fragile. Even if he hid it a lot, Isabelle could see that he was so unhappy.

Song: Home by Ella Eyre

She knew she had to take care of her brothers, it was her duty, as a sister. But sometimes she got tired, and lost. Sometimes she didn't know how exactly to help them, because she was barely nineteen. You shouldn't worry about these kind of things at nineteen. You should party, and have fun. And go to college, she remembered, and have not so much fun.

She couldn't say she didn't party. Oh, yes, she did. A lot, she might add. But there were so many other things that got in the way of her teenage years. So many things she kept inside. Always trying to look like she was fine, always thinking about the ones she loved, worrying about them.

She remembered that day, years ago, when she walked in on her parents fighting.

She wanted to show them the drawing she made at school. It was a pretty good one, and the teacher complimented her work, too. She was close to the door, when she realized she forgot the piece of paper downstairs, on the table, where she had had her meal. She was on the point of turning around when she heard the shouting. She froze for a moment. What was she supposed to do? Walk in and try to stop them, or lock herself up in her room, and pretend she was asleep when someone was going to look for her?

She heard her mother screaming again. Her cry came out like a stifling sound. Izzy could tell her parents have been fighting for quite a while now, if their voices were so hoarse. She took one more step and opened the door to her parents' bedroom, hesitation still present in her movements. The image she saw frightened her.

They were screaming at each other, insulting and throwing random things. She could see her mother's tears spread all over her face, her misery, her anger. Robert was looking at her with nothing but hate. This is not how it was supposed to be. Parents should love each other. She thought back then. So she begged them to stop.

''Can you kiss each other and be happy again?'' she said. She tried to smile, to show them everything was alright and there was nothing to worry about, no reason to fight.

That's when her mother couldn't keep it in any longer and burst out in loud cries. The image of her innocent child, standing in the door frame and begging them to stop in a very childish was way too much for Maryse. She wanted to stop right there. To press pause and just breathe, and then run to her child and protect her. But not even she knew what to protect them from. From their own parents? From the disaster that this family was? From the world itself? From the many years of pain and difficulties that will accompany their lives? Not even a mother can protect her children from that. No matter how badly she wants to.

Isabelle's father turned to her and shouted:

''Look what you've done, you foolish child. No, we cannot kiss. I don't love your mother anymore. You hear me?'' He shouted even louder. Izzy put her hands over her tiny ears. She had tears in her eyes. Her dad reached her and slapped her hands. He leaned over, so now he was facing her. Izzy could smell the alcohol in his breath. She hated this. Hated it so much.

''Don't be rude, you stupid child. You hear me?''

''I don't love you anymore'' he shouted towards Maryse. He stepped out of the room. When he was in the hallway he shouted once more.

''I want a fucking divorce.''

Izzy started to cry. She got closer to her mother, stepping carefully, not to stab her foot in the broken glass that was scattered on their beautiful Turkish carpet. Her mother used to love this carpet, but now it had stains of red wine all over it. Those will never come out.

She hoped her mother would give her a hug. Make her feel alright like she always did when Isabelle was younger and hurt herself on the playground, or when she and Alec got in a fight and Alec always won. Or when Jace took the remote from her and switched from her cartoons to some channel which broadcast a stupid game. She headed towards her mother hoping she would find compassion.

But this time her mother pushed her way.

''Isabelle, go to your room and stay there!''

She turned around, wiping the tears from her face.

''And don't lock the door. I'll come in later.''

But she didn't. Nobody did. Alec came home near midnight, and Jace not even then.

She was all alone.

It wasn't supposed to be like this, she told herself while swerving on the highway. Parents should love each other.

The memories made her stomach ache. She wanted to puke, to take it all out. To not have it all wrapped around her heart, sanding with every beat shots of pain in every inch of her body, pumping the blood from her wounds that had never healed properly. How could they? When she was constantly reminded how broken they all were. How Maryse never stood up for them.

''She is our mother, for God's sake!'' screamed Isabelle.''She is our mother!''

She felt the anger going deeper inside her. She thought of Robert who loved them. He did. She knew that much. She saw it in his eyes many times. That night he just gave in to exasperation. He was upset. He was unhappy. Alec was unhappy. And he never talked about it. He kept it inside and it ate him alive. She was unhappy. Everybody was not happy.

She was going to change that. She was going to bring Jace back home. No matter where he was, in which corner of the world he lived right now, she was going to bring him back home. She was going to fix this. She could try, at least. Try for Max, her little blueberry. Her little brother who brought light into her life. When he smiled, her all world filled with joy. He didn't deserve this. He shouldn't be all alone. Nobody should. Not like her.

Switching to Iggy Pop again

She pushed those memories in a dark corner of her mind. She didn't want to deal with that right now. She had to focus on the road, if she wanted to make it in time for her second class.

She turned up the volume. Iggy Pop's voice filled her ears.

''It's going to be fine,'' she whispered for herself.

She had to tell Alec, at some point, about their family situation. Maybe they will meet for a coffee between classes and she would take it all off her chest. That was selfish, she thought for a moment, but then realized Alec might have become upset if he found out she 'd been hiding such a huge thing from him. She would tell him, she decided, but first she had to make it to the college. She was already very late.

La la la la la la la la

She smiled.

La la la la la la la la

''I don't love you anymore'', he said, she heard.

Magnus was determined not to let this chance slip through his fingers. He was going to talk with that blue-eyed god. And he was going to do it now, before it was too late! So he ran after the young man who exited the class like he was chased by a herd of zombies. Magnus had to admit, he was very shy. The way he tried to become one with the chair when Magnus caught his stare, and how he froze when the entire class turned toward him. Magnus had an odd feeling in that moment, like he wanted to hug him, to protect him from the curious looks of their classmates. Those blue, blue eyes..

He hurried down the hall.

Five seconds after he left the class, Alec heard a voice calling his name. Such a beautiful voice! It tickled his ears. How long had it been? Five, six months?

''Alec! Alec, wait a minute!''

Izzy? His Izzy? Oh my God. Izzy! Alec turned around and almost got run over by a tall girl, with dark raven hair falling in cascades over her shoulders, with dark eyes shining from tears and joy. He pulled her closer, showing her how much he missed his little sister. He didn't want to let go. He wanted to keep her there, near him, to hear her heartbeat next to his, knowing she is alright.

''I love you, Izzy. God, how much I've missed you!'' Alec rarely said these words out loud.

''Stop it, you. Or else I am going to cry.''

''You already are.''

She let out a strange laughter. But she was thrilled to see him too. It was written all over her face.

''I've missed you too, but I'm here now. And I want to talk to you about..''

Isabelle was interrupted by another voice shouting in the hallway.

''Hey, blue-eyed boy!''

Alec froze. No! This was not happening! This was a nightmare. Someone wake him up! Please, God, wake me up!, was all he could think in that second. He glanced over his sister looking for some sort of clue, to show him all this was in his imagination. But the moment he did it, he saw the smirk on her face and knew this was going to end very badly.

''I think he is talking to you. I mean...''

''No. No, he is not! Let's keep on walking''

''Hey, hey! Wait a minute!'' the guy kept on shouting.

''Alec, I'm telling you! He is talking about you. Let's wait for him!''

''No!'' Alec shouted so loud people passing through the hallway stopped to see what was going on.

The shiny boy was pushing now some students who were on his way, but the path was in rest cleared by the other people who stepped aside to let the hasty young man reach his destination. Some of them were smiling, and some were muttering something under their breath, disapproving this kind of behaviour, and some of them just didn't care, disturbed just for a second by the loud noise.

''Sorry,'' mumbled Alec toward the crowd of students. ''Just keep on walking, Izzy. Keep. On Walking!''.

Alec tried to reach the door near him. He had only two more steps, when he felt a hot breath close to his ear. A shiver went down his spine.

''Didn't you hear me? I am sorry for the nickname, but I really didn't want to call you Mr Lightwood. I am Magnus,by the way.'' The boy was talking very fast and didn't even stop to catch his breath. Like it was more important for him to let Alec know what his name was than to breathe. This made Alec feel insecure. He didn't know how to react or even if he should. So instead of heading off to the door, as his initial plane was, he kept on staring at the man in front of him, like he was some kind of miracle, some kind of magic. In fact, to Alec, it really was. All this glitter, all this make-up and his beautiful smile which revealed his white and sharp teeth. His complexion was brown like the chocolate and he had a lean, tall body. He was even taller than Alec, which rarely happened. Alec also noticed he had a somewhat Asian appearance, due to the curve of his eyes. God, those eyes! Alec could get lost in all that light!

''Magnus Ba... '' the boy attempted to continue but he stopped for a minute, his eyes spotting Izzy, who was holding Alec by his elbow.

''Oh, oh. I am sorry. I mean not really, because you actually seemed to be...you know, back in our class, you really seemed...I thought you were, you know. But I must have been wrong...'' Now the boy looked shocked and somewhat amused by the awkward situation he found himself in. He tried to find his words, but nothing came.

''I am his sister,'' replied Izzy smiling knowingly to the two boys standing in front of her. Magnus let out a low Oh, but the relief could definitely be spotted on his figure.

''And I was just leaving'' she added. ''I'll call you, okay?'' She spoke to her brother.

''No. No. I mean yes,'' completed Alec to his sister quizzical look. ''What I am saying is that you don't have to leave. You can stay. Please stay, said the look on his face.

''Nonsense. Don't you see this handsome man over here wants to talk to you?''

''Don't you dare!'', whispered he so only his sister could hear his threat. But Izzy already took off, not before she winked to her brother.

''So sorry for interrupting your conversation with your gorgeous sister, but..."

''Is this why you shouted like that? You wanted a date with her? You should have said so, because she just left and I am not going to give you her number.'' Alec was talking too loud, drawing attention to them again. Magnus sensed a bit of anger in his tone, and didn't understand why.

''I don't want a date with anyone. I was just...'' He stopped for a minute not knowing how to continue. Was that disappointment in the other boy's eyes?

He was waiting for him, Magnus realized. He was waiting for Magnus to continue, staring at him like he did only minutes ago, in class. Magnus put on his heart breakable smile.

''I just wanted to introduce myself. You kind of cut me off earlier and we didn't get a chance to meet properly.''

''You ran down the hallway just to introduce yourself?''

Yes. Yes he did, Magnus thought. He did. And then he realized how stupid it sounded and he shuddered . And then he laughed.

''Of course not.'' He saw disappointment again on the other guy's face. Just for a second. Then it was replaced with resignation and maybe, if you looked harder, like Magnus was now, you could see relief. Relief that everything was exactly like it was suppose to be: ordinary, steady. ''I was hoping we could work together for the project the teacher was mentioning.''

''Yeah? I mean...That sounds...We could...'' The boy seemed very scared.

Magnus had a feeling that he wasn't watching a boy talking to him, but a bird locked in a cage. The young man looked terrified. He kept on pulling his sweater's sleeves and he was continuously checking the surroundings, checking if anyone was within earshot.

Everything was wrong, Magnus thought. The boy looked like the words hurt him. His expression showed that it took everything he had to keep this conversation going. A challenging he was certainly failing.

God, what is his problem? mused Magnus. This was wrong, he concluded.

''Look. You seem like you put in a lot of effort only to talk to me. If this makes you so uncomfortable, I will leave. I just-I don't want to push you or anything. It was a simple suggestion. You probably already have someone else in mind for the project. Just forget about it, okay? God...'' Magnus was perplexed. He always charmed the people around him with only a smile, but now, even if the boy had stared at his beauty for a long time, he felt insecure. He felt that his appearance was not enough. Not this time. No matter how hard he rose the corners of his mouth, in an attempt to win the inner battle his brain and soul were fighting in those moments, and trying in the same time to look as confident as he could, he didn't succeed. He looked at the boy in front of him who was scrutinizing Magnus. He was frowning as though he had a struggle of his own, not knowing how to act around such an exuberant person. But he was also watching Magnus with so much attention and for the first time he felt as though he needed to take it all off. Layers off, a voice whispered in his brain.

But he knew he couldn't deal with these tricky feelings. He had had complicated. He didn't want it anymore. So he backed out, for the first time. Maybe this was not worth it.

Magnus laughed, a laughter full of sarcasm and turned around towards the door only two feet way from him. He was stopped by a hand grabbing his upper arm. The other man looked hurt and still frightened.

''Alec. My name is Alec,'' he whispered as though his words were too precious for anyone to hear but Magnus.

''Alec,'' repeated Magnus. He loved the way this word wrapped itself around his tongue, struggling to come out way too soon then Magnus would have wanted. He wished he could keep it in him, only for him. ''Okay.'' And...the shield was off. And Magnus knew it shouldn't have been.

''And yes, we could work together for the project. If you still want to.''

''Okay. Okay.'' Magnus sounded so stupid. He knew that, but he couldn't think of anything else to say. Just as he couldn't thing of a way to wipe that silly smile which seemed to be stuck on his face. He gave himself a mental slap, realizing he might scare the guy if he kept that going.

''Tomorrow at five o'clock in the library?'' Alec asked.

''This week I am kind of busy. I just moved in this city and I have to unpack and clean my apartment and all that stuff. But maybe next week? Next Thursday?''

''Sounds good. Look, I really have to go now. My sister is waiting for me.''

''Yeah, sorry for that again. You go. See you.''

And with that he left, leaving behind a puzzled Alec.

Magnus didn't know how to feel about all of this. The way Alec had grabbed his elbow, he kept on holding it like Magnus was an anchor. If only he knew... Magnus shuddered again and dialed one on his phone.

''Hey, sweetheart. Coming over after classes?''

''Of course.''

Catarina was standing in the kitchen, going through some old recipes she found back home, when they were packing their last things, before they left from Santa Monica.

Magnus arrived home home a good half an hour ago, took a shower and started to complain about the lack of food while narrated to Catarina how his first day of school was.

''So what did you say to him?''

''I told him I had to unpack and pushed our meeting for next Thursday.''

''Magnus, you and I both know that's a lie. You finished unpacking everything last week. Believe me, I've noticed. I couldn't take a step in here, afraid not to brake my neck. And that mess was also the reason you had to cancel your party, and had it rescheduled for this week. So what's up? You never miss a chance of sleeping with a...good looking guy, you say?''

''Oh, no, dear. No. Good looking doesn't do him justice. He is a god. I think Aphrodite herself created him. And he doesn't know it, or he does, I can't really tell, because he seemed so struck that I was talking to him. He even asked me if I wanted his sister's phone number. He is that type of rolled-out-of-bed-sexy-shy boy, you know?''

Catarina laughed and kept going with her questioning.

''Okay. Okay. I get it. He is very hot. But why the adjournment, then?''

''I don't know. I just..''

But Magnus knew. He delayed it because he felt he needed some space. Being around Alec left him exhausted and he didn't know why. That's why he sort of hated the feeling. Still, he wanted that gorgeous man in his bed, and soon. But Alec was so frightened in the hallway, like the air itself hurt him.

''Hey, Magnus. Are you still there?''

''Yeah, I just zoned out for a little bit.'' He turned his eyes back to the woman standing in the kitchen and remembered how good it felt to have someone taking care of you all the time. He realized how lucky he was to have Catarina as his friend. She helped him overcome the worst time oh his life. Of course, it was still there, at least pieces of it, which will never go away, not completely, but her smile, her presence changed his mood instantly. He felt safe around her.

She leaned over the countertop and he could see her dark eyes, full of concern and love, trying to break through the shallow shell he always wore. But Magnus realized long ago she didn't have to try anymore. She was already tangled deep inside his soul.

''Magnus...'' Catarina's tone suddenly became very serious. ''I am warning you. I have a strange feeling about this. Just, be careful, okay?''

She had a concerning look all over her face. Magnus felt a rush of feelings taking control over him. He surrounded the countertop and came closer to her. He pulled Catarina into a very strong embrace.

''I will. I promise. Thank you for... being you.''

''Oh, sweetheart.'' She let go of him in order to look him in the eye. ''You know you don't have to thank me for anything. What are friends for?'' She smiled and turned to the kitchen cabinet looking for a pan.

''Now, don't tell me you'll actually be studying!''

''Oh, dear, of course we are. But i was thinking, instead of our history project, we could learn some anatomy...''

They both burst out in loud laughters and stopped only after ten minutes. The mood was light again, happiness floating in the air. Nothing could compare with having your best friend with you.

''Pancakes sounds good?''

''So, how did it go? Did you ask him out?''

Alec took a seat next to Izzy. He reached for the menu standing in the middle of the table. They were in a little Cafe just around the corner from the place where he parked his car this morning, on his way to his first class. After he talked to Magnus, he called Izzy and decided to meet with her in his lunch break. He had a two hour window between his classes. So here they were.

It took him a moment to realize what she was talking about.

''What?'' Alec looked a little frightened when she spoke the words, then turned around anxiously, checking if anyone heard his sister.

She noticed his reaction.

''Alec, nobody cares. Calm down. It's not like anyone in here is listening to us. They all mind their own businesses.'' She paused for a moment, waiting for Alec to relax.

But he didn't. He was still very tensed and kept on pulling his sweater's sleeves. She reached for his hands. They were colder than ice. She squeezed his wrists trying to reassure him everything was alright. The corners of his mouth barely moved, but the beginning of a smile was there, so that was a step forward. She kept on talking.

''So spill it. How was it?'' She lowered her voice just to please Alec.

''Was what?''

She raised her eyebrows.

''Izzy, he didn't want a date or anything. He wanted to talk about the history project. That's all.''

''It didn't look like that. And even if it did, the way he called for you in the hallway. What was it? I can't remember...''

''Blue-eyed boy. He called me blue-eyed boy.'' As he spoke, Alec's face turned red and his stomach made all kind of turns. In that moment, he could swear that butterflies were living inside him.

She smiled, but this time it was nothing mischievous about it. It was a pure smile, showing him how happy she really was.

Alec's shoulders dropped, indicating he had finally relaxed. And then he frowned, remembering something.

''Why are you here, anyway?''

Isabelle's expression changed.

''I'm here to talk to you about something. About our family.''

A/N: Okay. I hope you liked it, and I know the ending is kind of cheesy, but this chapter has already 4k+ words, so I had to end it.

One more important thing. Magnus shuddered for five times in the last chapter. He did not shrugged, as I wrote. But yeah. This happens when you don't actually speak English. Lol. :))) I promise I will go back to the first chapter and rectify that later, because now I am so so tired. Hard week at school.

Sorry it took this long to update, but better later than shittier, right? :)))) Again, I am sorry if there are any mistakes, but my native language is not English. This is a big challenge for me. Hope I won't fail. I am open to suggestions and you can review and tell me what you think. I am actually asking you to do it. :))