Hey guys!

Another month or two without updating.. Sorry, about that. Heh. Well, better late than never right?

This might be shorter than my previous chapters, sorry about that too. I'm trying to figure out how to tie everything together...Anyways, thanks for being super patient, and special thanks to everyone who reviewed!I hope you guys like this next chapter - I swear, I will get to the feels soon-ish. They'll becoming at some point in time.

(Completely forgot to put this on the last chapter - no one noticed so that's alright XD)

Disclaimer: All characters and such belong to Cassandra Clare blah blah blah

Thanks!

Enjoy :)

"Izzy get out of the car."

"No. I refuse."

"Izzy please, come on, you don't want to be late on your first day do you?"

"No, but your relationship is now hanging in the balance! What if I screw up?" Isabelle moaned, and slammed the car door shut again.

Alec sighed and adjusted his crutches. He hated wearing a backpack with crutches; the shoulder straps always seemed to end up digging into his armpits.

Leaning forward on his supports, Alec tapped against the glass of the window and gave his stressed sister his best smile. She scrunched her nose at him, and turned away from the window.

Rolling his eyes Alec turned away and began his way to the building. Almost seconds later he heard the car door open and shut, followed by the tap of heels against pavement.

"Alec! Wait for me-!"

Alec glanced over his shoulder and grinned.

"I thought you weren't coming?" He teased.

She glared at him as she came to fall into step beside him.

"Shut up, I'm doing this for your relationship." Izzy said.

Alec cocked a brow. "For my relationship." He repeated.

She nodded. "Of course, we all know I was the one who set you and Magnus up, so it's my duty to make sure you don't goof it up."

"You have so much faith in me," Alec drawled, pausing at the foot of the stairs to begin his way up them slowly. "And you're sure it's not because you're being paid way above average salary and you get to be working side by side with famous models?"

Izzy shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not." She replied cryptically.

Alexander grinned as she held the door open for him. He knew she had just about fainted when he had told her the news, Simon had been with her when he had told her. He could still remember how excited they'd both been... Especially Simon. Alec scowled; some days he couldn't quite get the image of his Simon pressed up against Isabelle in the kitchen.

"'Afternoon Catarina, is Magnus in yet?" He asked the blue-haired secretary behind the desk.

Catarina looked up from the computer, her gaze moving from Alec to Isabelle.

"Is she the new assistant?" Catarina asked, her gaze sizing up Izzy next to him.

Izzy straightened up, her shoulders sliding back confidently. "That's me." She said. "Isabell Lightwood, it's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Loss."

Alec smiled as he watched his sister greet Catarina. It was a weird experience, seeing his sister off to her first job - he didn't count that one she had at sixteen as a waitress, this one was different. Just yesterday he could've sworn he had watched her squeal with excitement when she had gotten her first phone. He found it hard to believe he was seeing her off on another chapter of her life. It only made him want put an added emphasis on the small things she did that reminded him of the small toddler that Isabelle had been; the one who had crawled into his bed whenever she had been scared by the dark.

She'd grown up a lot faster than he had thought.

Alec let out a small wistful sigh and raised a hand to wave to Izzy as she followed Catarina - presumably to go and settle into her new office.

"Not regretting your decision of mentioning her to me are you?"

Startled by a deep melodic voice, Alec turned with a small smile. "Not so much," He said. "She's talented; I know she'll be fine on her own."

"Really?" Magnus drawled, coming to drape an arm around his boyfriend. "You don't mind that I'm using her to my own advantage then?"

Alec huffed, adjusting his hold on his crutches and turning a cocked eyebrow to Magnus. "Don't you have somewhere to be?" He asked. "Can you really be standing around wasting your time?"

Magnus' grin widened, gold-green eyes shining mischievously. "Wasting my time?" He purred. "If anything I think I'm making use of my time, don't you think my dear?"

Alec sighed. "Not really, no."

Magnus shook his head sadly. "Alexander, darling, you really must learn to look on the positive side sometimes, not everything is dark sweaters with holes." Magnus tugged at the edge of Alec's worn sweater where a hole has eaten its way through the elbow of the fabric.

Alec, for his part, tried not to look too miffed as he tugged his arm away from Magnus. "It's not that bad," He grumbled.

Magnus sighed tragically - something Alec had learned that only Magnus was capable of doing. "I really do think we should go shopping at some point, or even better, let me shop for you."

Alec stifled a groan. "I really don't need to go shopping Mags, the clothes I have fit me fine - and wait as second; what were you saying earlier?" He asked, realising that they had gotten dreadfully off topic.

Magnus simply waved his hand in the air, dismissing the question. "Never the matter," Magnus murmured, leaning over to place a kiss on Alec's cheek. "I have an appointment to keep; do you need a ride home at all darling? I can always call you a cab..."

Alec shook his head not wanting to inconvenience Magnus. "It's alright, I can find my own way home, just let Izzy know that I left would you? She gets worried when I don't let her know."

Magnus nodded, "Good bye kiss at the least?" He asked a playful pout on his lips.

Alec had to stop himself from smiling as he leaned forward.

How could he resist?

Crutching down any street was a pain, Alec despised crutches. Most kids were always excited for them, but when Alec had broken his legs in high school he had quickly discovered that crutches were nowhere near as exciting as he had first thought. If anything they were twice as annoying as he would've liked. Getting anywhere in crutches was a pain, even on public transportation there were issues. There always that one jackass that never would give up his seat for the cripple.

Alec sighed as he tried to maneuver around a large puddle in the middle of the sidewalk. He cursed quietly under his breath as he moved around it. At first he had decided to walk back home for the exercise and the fresh air. He spent a lot more time indoors rather than outside while on crutches, and a little sun never hurt anyone.

Alec headed down the street, absentmindedly trying to step in each square of pavement and avoiding the cracks.

He could remember skipping down the street with his mother and father as a child; he'd always try to walk in between them so they could lift him off the ground and swing him over the cracks in the pavement.

Alec smiled at the memory, trying not to dwell too much on the fact that his father couldn't even look at him without disgust any more. It was hard to believe how different things were now that he was out of the closet.

Coming out had been the hardest thing he had ever done. It had been more terrifying than putting his life on the line, losing his leg had been easier than coming out of the closet.

He had always assumed the worst of his parents - better that than think highly and be disappointed later on. Robert had proved all of Alec's worst fears; his mother on the other hand had been surprisingly supportive and accepting. She hadn't even asked any probing questions.

Things could be better, things could be worse.

Life was rather mediocre for Alec.

He couldn't complain, he had an amazing boyfriend, three loving siblings and a loving mother. He had friends; he had a place to live, food, clothes on his back, and a roof over his head. Albeit he was missing part of his leg, but that was something he couldn't really control. His panic attacks and nightmares weren't as bad as they could be...

He was happy.

Alec smiled at the sky, dark grey clouds were crowding in overhead but he wasn't bothered by them.

When Alec finally reached the large looming mansion he felt instant relief. The first thing he did was shuck off his bag and collapse on the couch. The pain in his good leg and through his shoulders was enough to make him want to stay on the couch forever. Maybe he could take a nap? No one was home; he could get away with passing out on the couch for a few hours-

"Maryse?"

Alec shot up at the sound of a deep voice resonating through the house.

No.

He could feel the blood draining from his face.

What was he doing here?

"Maryse are you in here?"

Alec scrambled to get his crutches, exhaustion and pain forgotten. He managed to get to his feet just as Robert entered the room.

Time froze for Alec; he felt his breath cut off short, the palms of his hands turned clammy as he swayed slightly where he stood.

Alec, still a little sweaty from his long walk home set his jaw as his father entered the room.

"Mom isn't here." He said tone cold and distant. Robert looked exactly the same as he had when Alec had seen him at the restaurant on his and Magnus' first date.

Robert was still as imposing as always, tall, as tall as Alec, but with broader shoulders and harder lines. Stubble ran along his jaw, grey and black mixed together. Alec swallowed as he forced himself to meet Robert's dark gaze. He wasn't surprised to find that it was as disapproving as always.

Disgust, and maybe a little surprised - that's what Alec saw. All of his own flaws became so much more apparent whenever Robert looked at him. Alec resisted the urge to slouch.

Alec licked his lips, breaking eye contact. "What are you doing here?" He demanded. "I thought you and Mom had already signed the divorce papers."

Silence.

"Does Mom know you're here?" He asked. "Or are you breaking and entering?"

Alec's questions were met with stony silence. He didn't know which was worse; the fact that he wasn't getting a response or that when he looked up there was nothing but repulsion in his father's eyes.

He would not cry.

Alec bit his lip, his hands tightening on the handles of his crutches until his hands began to cramp. Anger rolled through him, he despised this. The feelings of absolute worthlessness that his father could make him feel with a simple glance.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" He demanded hotly, not caring if he sounded childish and petulant. "Dad-"

"Maxwell shouldn't you be at school?" Robert's voice rang out loud and clear, he cut off Alec's words without flinching. Alec froze, his eyes gone wide as he processed the situation taking place around him.

Alec turned, looking over his shoulder to find his younger brother standing stock still in the doorway.

Max's eyes were wide behind his glasses, his gaze darting from Alec to their father. "I-" Max stopped. "No, we had a day off today."

Alec was still watching his younger brother when Robert strolled forward and walked right past Alec.

Like he didn't even exist.

He had passed so close to Alec that he could smell the lingering scent of the cologne that his father always wore. The smell only managed to blur Alec's vision more and send q sickening feeling straight into his gut.

It was as if he wasn't even there.

Invisible.

Tears burned at the back of his eyes, and Alec turned away, not wanting to let either of them see the water gathering there. He took steady breaths, trying to regain his composure as he shook.

"Dad- why aren't you talking to Alec?" Max asked.

Alec remained where he was, waiting for an answer. He was curious if he was to be acknowledged, or if he was to be discarded and swept under the rug long forgotten.

"Is your Mother home?" Robert asked, completely ignoring Max's question. Alec closed his eyes. "She called me to ask that I come over today."

Pain clenched at Alec's chest. He far preferred being yelled at, being insulted than being treated as if he wasn't even there. This was far worse than anything else his father had called him, a greater punishment and a cruel one at that. Oh the irony of it all….

"Dad, Alec is right there! Why aren't you- You can't just ignore him!" Max's voice rose in pitch, and Alec could hear the barely restrained anger behind it. "You didn't even-"

"Max," Alec said, he didn't turn around. He loathed how defeated his own voice sounded, how tired it was. Pretty pathetic. "Don't."

"Alec-"

"No."

Alec shook his head, and moved away leaving his younger brother and his father in the room.

This was worse than he had imagined. At least when he was being yelled at and scandalised he was being acknowledged, his presence had been there. Now there was just.. nothing.

Something was better than nothing.

Anything was better than nothing.

Alec moved slowly, his joints sore as he climbed each stair one by one.

Max didn't follow him. There was no call of his name, nothing.

Alec replayed the one-sided conversation with his father as he climbed each step, arms shaking from the effort.

What was he; the gay crippled son that Robert refused to acknowledge anymore?

Alec closed his eyes, trying to control his breathing. He tried to summon positive thoughts, anything to take his mind off of the incident that had just happened. Anything at all.

He stopped at the top of the stairs and slide down the wall with the help of crutches. He lay them beside him and let his head fall back against the wall.

It was difficult to remember what had made him so happy before this incident. It was hard to remember what he had been smiling about, if there had been anything to smile about at all.

He wondered why all of sudden there was a pain in chest that felt like he was suffocating. He wondered why he felt so destroyed when he had already told himself he didn't care what Robert thought. He was over this; he was above this, wasn't he? Or was it all in his head? Had he just continuously been trying to convince his head when his heart hadn't been swayed at all?

Was that why he felt as if he couldn't remember when Robert had been his hero? It was hard to remember the little boy of six who had sworn his Dad was a hero, that his Dad could make everything right, that as long as Dad was around nothing could go wrong.

It was hard to remember that Robert was the same person who used to tuck him into bed at night and read him and Izzy stories. It was hard to remember that Robert and the man that was his hero was the same person at all. Not when his hero looked at him like he was a problem, an issue.

Like he was worthless. A waste of space.

Alec put his head in his hands, whishing he was still small enough that he didn't have to deal with it all.

He didn't even notice the time that had passed until he heard footsteps coming up the stairs. For a terrifying second he thought it was Robert, than he looked up and heard the soft intake of breath that could only belong to one person; Max.

"Alec?"

Alec looked up, a strained smile on his face. His brother was silhouetted against the soft light streaming through the window behind him. His black curls were more of a soft brown in the light.

"Hey Max," He said, trying to sound happier than he looked. "I got tired while climbing the stairs..." He trailed off unsure of where he was headed with this topic.

Max said nothing and for terrifying moment Alec was worried that Max wouldn't speak to him anymore either.

"Alec... I'm sorry about Dad, I don't know why he..." Max's voice cracked, and Alec watched his brother's shoulders slump with defeat.

"Jace should be coming by for a visit soon." Alec blurted out, desperate to change the topic.

Max had always idolised Jace. Jace was and always would be Max's hero. His younger brother loved hanging out with Jace; the two of them had spent a lot of time together while Alec had been away at war. They had formed a bond Alec had never managed to achieve with anyone.

Max pursed his lips and looked away but thankfully dropped the subject. "I know," He said. "You think he'll actually show this time?"

Alec forced a smile. "For time with you? Definitely."

Max nodded. "Yeah," He looked back at Alec. "I'm going to get ready, if you need something just shout, alright?"

"Yes of course," He started but Max was already heading down the hall. "I'll shout." Alec finished, speaking to the empty space where Max had once been.

I'll shout.