Magnus is concerned for his boyfriend but Alec does not want to scare the kids. He still does not know exactly why his Iratzes are not doing what they should.

Alec's Pain.

Chapter Two.

Magnus Bane was a very observant man. When it came to magic, he could feel it in every inch of his never aging body. But his observations were key in his magic. He knew even as a child that an unperceptive warlock would be a dead one. So when his lover and the father of his children went rushing from the room with his teeth gritted and his hands balled into fists, Magnus Bane knew that something was wrong. The only problem is that being observant does not mean that you always know what to do about the problem when you see it. When it came to his man, he knew almost everything about him. However, when Alec was trying to hide something, he did. In fact, he hid his own life truth for years on end.

Directly after Alec leaves Magnus feels a strange sense of discomfort surrounding him. His lover is not telling him something on purpose and that will make this dangerous for both of them. When Alexander wants to hide something, he does and he does it well. The warlock's first concern was his children, as they were both overly worried about their father's strange reaction to eating waffles and sitting at the breakfast bar. He ran out quickly, muttering a fake excuse and scaring both of his children. Though it was obvious that he was attempting to make them feel better, it was also clear that whatever battle he was fighting, he was losing it.

Magnus adjusts his robe and gives himself a quick twirl around to his children. Both Rafe and Max are looking to their Papa with fear in their eyes and confusion all over their expressions. Rafe looks as if he is mid-bite of one of the waffles with the piece still on his fork and his mouth partly open while Max looks up with watery eyes and a quivering lower lip.

"Papa, what's happening?" Max exclaims.

"Yeah, what's wrong with Daddy?" Rafe asks.

"I don't know, biscuit," Magnus says. "I'm going to go find out. I'm sure if Daddy says he's fine, it's probably nothing. But you all should stay here and have some dinner."

Neither of them respond. Both of the boys are so shocked they do not feel as if they knew how to say anything at all. Magnus gives them a final look of sympathy before turning from the room and attempting not to run to his love. Little do they know, Magnus can hear everything that goes on in that room. He put on a protective layer over their bedroom when they got Max. Anyone inside the bedroom can hear everything happening outside but no one outside, except for Magnus, can hear what is happening inside. That was mostly due to their rather loud love making. But at the moment Alec was taking advantage of that particular piece of magic to scream until his lungs burned without his children hearing.

"Alexander," Magnus says when his lover takes a long breath. He can hear him breathing heavily, practically heaving on the other side of the door. Magnus knocks a few times but there is no response, though he knows that Alec can hear him. He knocks again and then goes for the door handle but it's locked. He immediately goes to unlock it with magic but remembers the illness, the drag on his magic, the ache that he has been feeling all over his weak body lately and decides against it. Even the smallest forms of magic will add up to hurt him a great way.

"Alexander don't make me use magic right now," Magnus says on the other side, banging louder. "Open the door so that I can see what is going on, my love. Please just open the door. I can help you."

"Alec, the children are scared. You need to tell me what is going on," he says again, at a last ditch effort to get him to open the door. His fear is leading him in these moments. He bangs on the door a few more times. Finally he can hear a moan and a few gasping breaths as Alec makes his way to do the door. Finally, the door is open.

Alec raises his head as the door opens and stagers backwards, as if he is attempting to sit down but there is nothing behind him. His blank stare and his pale white mask of pain is dripping in cold sweat. He looks horrible, Magnus thinks. Magnus reaches out to the tall man and grabs under his arms, holding him as tight as he can just as Alec starts to fall, going weak all over. Magnus helps his lover back to the bed where there is a cold, damp spot from his sweating. Alec rests back on the bed, guarding his hurt and bleeding abdomen.

"Oh Alexander," he whispers in a low tone. Magnus sits down at the edge of his bed and rests his hand along his lovers face, interlocking his fingers in his dark hair. He brushes sweat off of his face.

"You have a temperature," Magnus says. "What happened to you?"

Alec shakes his head.

"I think I just need to let it take it's course."

"You don't get mundane diseases, Alexander," he counters. "What happened?"

Alec does not say anything. Through his writhing and fitful raging he manages to pull his black tee shirt up to reveal a disgusting, dark black and red cut that goes from the second of his indented abs all the way across his side and disappears beyond his back where Alec is laying on the rest of the injury. Magnus does not dare touch the wound with his hands. It looks incredibly painful. Instead, Magnus swallows hard and grasps his hands together, ready to use his magic to heal him.

"No!" Alec shouts, grabbing Magnus's hand.

"What?" Magnus asks.

"The last time you used your magic you were out for days. Whatever is happening to the warlocks, we don't know how to fix it yet," Alec says through his gritted teeth and long breaths. He bites his lower lip in agony, gripping the side of the bed for a long moment. Magnus reaches down, grazing his finger over his lovers white knuckles. He holds his hand there, attempting to soothe.

"I can't have you using your magic again," Alec says.

"I have to help you. You are injured and in pain. Why isn't the iratze working?" he asks, attempting not to sound as absolutely terrified as he actually is.

"I don't know."

"Please tell me what happened, Alexander," Magnus begs.

Alec opens his mouth as if to speak but then bites his lip and when the pain comes flashing over his body again. He grabs onto his side and leans over it, groaning in absolute pain. He screams out, though he is trying hard not to.

"Okay, we can worry about that later. Do you know what kind of demon it was?" Magnus asks.

Alec nods, groaning as he begins to catch his breath, loosening his grip on the bed and letting his lover take his hand. Their fingers interlock despite Alec's constant movement, as if he is trying to get away from the pain. He can never space it. After just a few seconds he is back writhing in pain again.

"It was Agramon," he mutters.

Confusion whirls with hate and fear inside of Magnus's head all at once. Magnus decides very quickly that he needs to get the clave involved.

"The pain of the injury is masking the fear at the moment but the fear will come and when it does…Alexander with this deep of an injury, the fear itself could kill you," Magnus explains. "When he attacked you, you must have seen something or someone. You must have seen your worst fear. What was it?"

Alec shakes his head, fear riddling his face. Magnus was right about one thing. Thinking about the pain was changing the effects of the fear. But sooner or later he will not be able to push that away.

"It may be the only way for me to reverse the effects," Magnus explains.

"Not with magic," Alec assures.

Though Magnus wants to heal him, he knows he can't. He does not have the energy or ability to heal him from a greater demon. He can heal him but he cannot take the pain away, not from this demon. Maybe Alec is right. If Magnus uses everything he has, he won't be able to take care of the children. Neither of them would be with the kids.

"Maybe not. Tell me what the memory was and I'll do my best, Alexander," he begs. Alec takes a long breath, closing his eyes in pain as he explains.

"My family. Tortured. Hurt. Bleeding. Screaming out for me and I was watching them. I couldn't help anyone. I betrayed you all," Alec says in clear pain from what he saw.

"Who was it? We need to bring them all here," Magnus says.

"Everyone. It was Everyone," he says then Alec looks directly into his lovers eyes with pain. "The kids too."