Hey, everyone. Sorry for my little hiatus. I didn't intend to leave you all hanging for such a long time. Just facing some difficulties and struggles in life. Anyway, I have finally written another chapter for you. Not much action yet. Very soon we are going to learn some details about Alec's life as a captive, as well as see a change in Alec and Magnus's relationship. I am going to skip ahead a few months from time to time so you don't have to sit in boredom of all the sappy stuff. But I hope the stuff I'm currently presenting at least gives you some feels. I won't make you wait much longer than I already have. I'd love some feedback! Thanks, guys and gals.

The sudden jolt of my body lurched me to wakefulness. I sat up, breathing hard and disorientated. Upon looking around, I realized I was in the guest room. I was on the floor, and the blankets and sleeping bag were twisted around my body in a tangle. Leaning down on one elbow, I peeked under the bed to find Alec sound asleep. Carefully, so as not to wake him, I extracted myself from the sleeping linens and padded down the hallway and into the living room.

Soft illumination from the street lights drifted in through the window. Yawning, I rubbed my eye and then slid my hand back to massage the stiff muscles in my neck. I was exhausted, both physically and mentally, but after the nightmare I'd just had, I felt no desire to go back to sleep.

My feet carried me closer to the window. I stared out into the dark, empty street. It appeared as though all my neighbors were sleeping soundly, undisturbed by nightmares or a broken soul dozing nearby. I was not sure if I envied them, however. Alec had shaken my life of routine, had propelled me into new experiences. Just like him, I was starting anew.

Rustling and a soft moan resonated from the bedroom. I turned to head back before Alec woke and discovered I was gone, but before I made it into the hall, I glanced over at my shoulder at the window. In the farthest corner of my mind, I couldn't help but wonder if Alec's abductors were also looking out a window, searching the darkness for their prized possession, searching for an old life they loved far too much.

Camille snapped her fingers in front of my face. "Are you even paying attention to me?"

"Huh?" I said drowsily.

Her lips, coated in shiny hot pink gloss, pressed into a thin line. "Either make an effort, Magnus, or find yourself another tutor."

"I'm sorry." I sat up straighter. "One more time, please."

She tossed a few thin books into my lap. "Homework. For you."

"Homework?"

"I want you to read to Alec every night."

I glanced down at the children's titles and felt an awkward tingling in my gut. Reading was a fondness of mine, but I loathed reciting words from a page aloud. My narrative voice was only soothing inside my head. On another note, there was something that felt very. . . paternal about reading to Alec. I wanted him to see me as a friend, not as a parent.

"Camille—"

"Look at him."

I followed her gaze to where Alec was seated in the dining room. Writing materials were sprawled out in front of him. Camille had asked him to try and copy the letters she had written down inside a notebook, but he had not even lifted the pencil. He stared down at the open notebook, his hands in his lap.

"He hasn't even spoken to me," Camille continued in a low voice. "He's not resisting me, but he's shutting me out. We can't expect to make any progress until he trusts me. Having you read to him might get him excited enough to learn to be literate."

"And if that doesn't work?"

Camille shrugged. "I can't force knowledge into Alec's head. He has to be willing to learn these things for himself. Ultimately the decision falls in your hands. You decide whether you should be paying someone else for the possibility of better results."

I nodded and gathered the books from my lap. Alec's session with Dr. Fray started in half an hour, and I wanted to drop by the station quickly to retrieve the picture he had drawn the day before. I wished Alec could spend more than an hour and a half with Camille, but her availability was staggered throughout the week. She was generous enough to offer time early in the morning before her other student arrived. Though spending more time with Camille could impact Alec's progress positively, easing him into the learning process slowly seemed to be the better option for now.

"Alec," I called, standing up. "Ready to go?"

He pushed away from the table all too quickly and rushed to my side.

Camille looked from me down to the books in my hand pointedly, then she turned to Alec. Her smile was warm. "Great work today, Alec. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Alec gave a brief nod before hurrying out the front door ahead of me. I thanked Camille and bode her farewell before following the teenager outside. He was inside the car with his seatbelt buckled before I even had my door open. I slid in next to him and set the books in the backseat.

"Alec, do you not like Camille?"

There was a pause. "I don't know." He turned and looked out the window, avoiding answering me further.

Without another word, I started the engine and pulled out of the driveway. Traffic was growing dense as people began their commutes to work, but I weaved through the other vehicles skillfully. We reached the station in record time. I pulled into a parking space directly in front of the entrance.

"I just have to run inside for a minute. Will you be all right with waiting here?"

Alec glanced from me to the entrance. His blue eyes darted nervously across the parking lot.

"I won't be long," I promised. "I'll lock the doors, and if you need me just come inside."

Alec's gaze grew panicked. "You're locking me in?"

Shit. I hadn't made the connection before I'd spoken. I'd meant to reassure Alec that no one would be able to get to him from the outside, but he thought I was trapping him inside, the same way he had been encaged in a locker by his abductors.

"You can still get out, but no one can get in. You'll be safe."

He seemed to relax slightly, but I guessed he was still going to request to accompany me. It surprised me when he nodded, agreeing to stay behind. I offered an encouraging smile and slid out of the car. The locking mechanism kicked in audibly when I pushed the button on the remote. Without looking over my shoulder, I slipped inside the station and made a beeline for my desk.

The drawing was stashed away in one of my drawers. It took some rifling before I found it. Seeing it again frosted my spine but I folded it and slipped it into the pocket of my jeans. I hurried for the exit, intent on getting back to Alec before he got too anxious, but stopped as I neared Luke's desk.

My partner was on the phone, one hand massaging his eyebrow where a stress headache was no doubt beginning to pound. He muttered into the receiver before hanging up and leaning back in his chair. His eyes lacked their usual gleam and his broad shoulders drooped. Defeat might as well have been written in marker across his forehead.

"What's going on?" I asked.

Luke sighed heavily. "That was the case's forensics team. Rape kits revealed traces of semen on our three victims, so we sent the samples in to be tested."

I kept my face masked and unwavering. The last thing I wanted to think about was Alec suffering through the processes of a rape kit shortly after being rescued.

"Turns out our suspects are not in the system. We're working with brand new criminals."

I felt the cloud of Luke's despondence begin to seep into my skin. "What do we do now?"

"Hodge wants to start interviewing all registered sex offenders in the city. See if they've heard anything through their perverted little grapevines. I doubt they'll be willing to negotiate and work with us, but it beats sitting around twiddling our fingers."

"You'll let me know if you find anything?"

Luke stared me in the eye. "You'll be the first."

I clapped my partner on the shoulder appreciatively and continued on my way to the car. Alec was still in his seat when I slid into the driver's side, his seatbelt still snug around his waist, but his fingers clutched his knees so tightly I could see the white of his bones through his skin. He relaxed into his seat when I started the engine, but the fear never left his eyes. I wanted to tear his clawed hand away from his knee and intertwine his fingers with mine, giving him my strength to clutch onto.

Instead, I settled for whispering, "You did great, Alec."

He turned to face me and I saw doubt brewing in the storm of fear in his eyes. He did not believe me. My words of comfort were not enough.

Would they ever be?

Dr. Fray finally emerged from her office as I finished my fifth lap of pacing the long hallway. Her expression was halfway between amusement and understanding. I knew I must have looked like some crazed, obsessed client, desperate to see his shrink and unload his endless illogical fears.

"Did he speak to you?" I asked.

"That is between me and my client." Her tone was firm but polite, completely professional.

I reached into my pocket and withdrew the folded picture. Clary hesitated a moment before taking it from my outstretched hand and unfolding it. She studied it carefully, her green eyes lingering on the rip in the top corner.

"Alec drew this yesterday. Do you know what it means?"

"He drew the smiley face as well?"

"No. I drew that. He colored over it."

"Deciphering this is beyond my expertise," Clary admitted. "I could have it sent away to be examined if you'd like."

"That won't be necessary." The less people I had poking and prodding at Alec's brain, the better. "What would be your best interpretation, Dr. Fray?"

Clary examined the picture again. "On one hand, Alec could see the face as himself. He feels smothered by darkness. The color could represent fear and the feeling of being alone. He doesn't know how to separate himself from these negative emotions.

"On the other hand, Alec could feel resentment toward the representation of happiness. That could explain why he drew hard enough to rip the paper. Perhaps in his mind, happiness doesn't or shouldn't exist. Why should others feel happiness when all he knows is darkness inside of him?"

I contemplated that. "Maybe I should ask Alec about it."

Clary handed the picture back to me. "I would advise against that. Drawing is a method for Alec to express what is going on inside his mind, and prying for details might stifle him. I'd like to wait until he is able to communicate verbally with me before discussing his artwork with him. In my experience, patience has always outdone persistence."

"You're the doctor," I said, not rudely.

Clary smiled. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I'll be better prepared for our appointment tomorrow." She turned to head back into her office but stopped when I called her softly by her first name.

"Do you know a lost cause when you see one?"

Clary's eyes softened. She saw straight through the facade of my question and answered, "Do not doubt yourself, Magnus. You've done far more for Alec than you can imagine."

Alec was quiet for most of the afternoon. He paid little attention to the cartoon on the TV and poked at the soup-cracker mush that sat in the bowl beside him. His behavior concerned me, but, shamefully, I feared what his answer would be if I asked him what was wrong. I wasn't qualified like Clary to give him the answers he needed to hear. Instead, I turned the TV off and asked Alec to get his shoes and coat.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

I zipped up my own jacket and smiled. "You'll see."

The park was not far, about an eight-block walk from my house. Of course, 'not far' was a statement by my standards. Alec, who hadn't gotten much exercise for the past fifteen years, looked about ready for a nap by the time we reached our destination.

Due to the slight chill in the air, there were only a few children climbing around on the playground. They squealed as they chased each other and held races on the slides. Two women sat on a bench nearby, laughing with each other and casting loving glances at their kids.

Alec watched, his expression difficult to read. His eyes lingered on a small boy standing by himself. The faintest smile tugged at Alec's lips when a girl ran up to the boy and tagged him, thus inviting him into their game.

I touched Alec's elbow and motioned for him to follow me. His gaze shifted from me over to the kids and back to me again.

"Follow me," I said gently.

He rubbed his arm. Color flooded into his cheeks, though I knew it was not from the cold. "But. . ."

Without much thought, I reached out and took Alec's hand in mine. His eyes widened at the contact, but he did not pull away from me as I led him over to an unoccupied swing set. I instructed him to sit down and hold on to the chains on either side of him. His movements were slow and unsure but he followed my directions. I positioned myself behind him, pressed my hands against his back, and pushed.

The swing carried Alec forward before guiding him back into my waiting hands. I pushed him again, using slightly more strength to help him gain momentum.

"Swing your legs out when you go forward, and tuck them in when you come back," I instructed gently.

With a couple of tries, Alec began to fall into a rhythm. He began swinging higher, and I continued pushing him. Under my palms I began to feel the loosening of his tight muscles. A laugh even escaped him, which brought a smile to my lips.

Eventually, I seated myself on the swing beside Alec and began to copy his movements. He watched me as I worked to match his height, and a wide smile tugged at his lips when we finally reached synchronization. A glow appeared in his eyes as we swung forward and back in a perfectly matched rhythm.

Seeing him happy spread a warmth through my chest. I wanted to see that genuine smile every day, wanted to hear his laugh as an endless tune. Moreover, I was glad it was me sparking the light inside of him. It felt so rewarding to see him happy rather than trying to hold him together in my arms, trying to hold all his shattered pieces together.

When I looked over again, my brow furrowed to find Alec was barely swinging. His legs were still underneath him and his attention was diverted. Slowing my pace, I followed his line of vision and saw a man, a woman, and a small girl approaching a merry-go-round. The girl jumped onto the platform and grinned as her mother stood behind her, caging her between the bars protectively with her body. They held on, the girl shrieking with delight, as the father began to spin them. Both women laughed as they picked up speed, the father joining in when he gave the mechanism enough of a jolt to teeter his family slightly off balance.

Alec had come to a complete stop. I kicked my heels into the gravel below me to come to rest at his side. His fingers uncurled from around the chains and found their usual spot in his lap.

"Alec?"

He was quiet for a moment before he whispered, "It's my fault."

I left my spot on the swing to stand in front of Alec. He looked past me at the joyful family of three. When a tear slipped from his eye, I crouched down to look up into his face.

"What do you mean?"

"It's my fault they're dead."

I rocked back on my heels as if he'd struck me. "Who?"

"My family."

"Alec, no." I shook my head. "That wasn't your fault. That was an accident."

Alec wiped the tears now freely flowing from his eyes, washing away the happiness that had been there moments before. "It's my fault."

"Why would you think that?"

"They were trying to help me. . . Trying to help other kids like me."

The tragedy of Alec's family had only deepened the pit of hell that was his life. A charity event had been held for missing children and Alec's family had desired to attend on his behalf. Rumor had it that Jace had fallen ill and was unable to attend, but Robert, Maryse, and Isabelle remained adamant on participating. A private jet was provided for them. Halfway through their flight, the engine malfunctioned and sent the aircraft careening downward in a nosedive. The jet exploded upon impact, killing the three Lightwoods and the pilot. Investigators ruled it an accident since the aircraft had not been tampered with and it had passed a thorough inspection before takeoff. Alec, of course, hadn't been able to attend their funeral. At the time, he'd still believed his family was out looking for him, waiting for him to come home.

"They did want to help you, and they wanted to prevent other families from going through the same heartbreak. But their deaths were not your fault, Alec. That was an accident beyond your control. No one could have prevented it."

Alec's eyes, suddenly hollow, fell down to me. "They'd be alive if I hadn't been taken. . . or if I was dead."

I lurched to my feet, barely stifling a gasp. The abrupt movement startled Alec slightly, but he only wiped his eyes again and shrank into himself. My fingers clenched and unclenched as I composed myself. Crouching slightly again, I took Alec's face in my hands and forced him to look at me.

"Don't you ever blame yourself for being taken, Alec. The fault lies with those who decided to snatch a defenceless four-year-old away from his family. I promise you they will be punished for that. But I need you to promise me something. Don't you ever think that you being dead would be better off. Your death would have torn your family to pieces. They would be so proud if they could see you now, so proud of your bravery and the love you showed in protecting Jordan and Simon. A lot would be different if you weren't here now, but not necessarily for the better."

"I won't ever feel their love again."

I wiped his cheeks with my thumbs, the gesture gentle but not intimate. "Their love is reflected in the eyes of others. Other people love you, Alec. Jordan, Simon, Jace. They're your family, and they'll always be there for you."

"Will you be here for me, Magnus?"

I smiled sadly. "For as long as you need me."

The walk to and from the park had successfully exhausted Alec for the remainder of the evening. We spent the last few hours of the day's light watching cartoons and eating soup and crackers. To take Alec's mind off our discussion in the park, I gave him a small cup of ginger ale and a couple spoonfuls of flavored rice to try. He complained that the soda burned his nose but he shovelled the rice down without protest. I watched him carefully for any signs of digestive discomfort but his stomach seemed to adjust to the new foods well.

It was still early into the night when I caught Alec dozing off on the couch. I gathered the plates and took them to the kitchen. When I returned Alec had snapped awake at the clanking dinnerware and was trying to watch the TV with drowsy eyes.

"Ready for bed?" I asked him.

He hesitated only a moment before nodding. I helped him up from the couch and guided him to the bedroom. As he moved to crawl under the bed, I touched his arm.

"Can we try something different tonight?"

Alec's body snapped to full alert. He whirled to face me, his shoulders tight and his jaw line hard and working. Moving slowly, I crossed the room and grabbed one of Camille's books I had placed on the bedside table.

"I thought we could read a book."

The teenager could not have looked more taken aback. He stared at the book in confusion, trying to piece together the puzzle I had presented him with.

Without waiting for him to answer, I hopped onto the bed and scooted myself until my back rested comfortably against the headboard. Alec eventually let his fear dissipate and crawled onto the mattress beside me. There was space between us, but I could feel Alec's body heat slithering across my skin. Ignoring it, I opened the book on my lap and began to read:

"'The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.'" I turned the page and felt Alec's eyes follow the direction of my voice as I read the words on the crisp paper. "'Once there was a tree. . . and she loved a little boy. And the boy would come and he would gather her leaves. And make them into crowns and play king of the forest. He would climb up her trunk and swing from her branches and eat apples. And they would play hide and go seek. And when he was tired, he would sleep in her shade. And the boy loved the tree. . . very much. And the tree was happy. But time went by. And the boy grew older. And the tree was often alone.'"

I continued on, as invested in the story as Alec was. He did not criticize how monotonous my voice sounded, nor how my reading was choppy and boring. He followed along intently. Occasionally, out of the corner of my eye, I caught his lips moving as he tried to mimic the sounds of familiar tiny words or single letters. I intentionally kept my pace slow so that he could keep up, but farther into the story he fell silent, neither speaking nor moving.

"'"I am sorry," sighed the tree. "I wish I could give you something. . . But have nothing left. I am just an old stump. I am sorry. . ."

"'"I don't need very much now," said the boy, "just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired."

"'"Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as she could, "well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest." And the boy did. And the tree was happy. . . The end.'"

As I closed the book, I suddenly became aware of the head resting on my shoulder. I glanced down and found Alec leaning against me, sound asleep. His close proximity astounded me; I thought for sure he wouldn't be able to sleep until he was hidden away under the bed. But I didn't have the heart to wake him. The warmth of him against my side was soothing.

Don't get too attached, my conscience warned.

That was advice worth heeding. It was only a matter of time before Jace came back for his brother. Alec would be placed into Jace's care and they would fall back into a life of routine, a life that did not involve me.

Still. . .

Even if it was only temporary, it was nice to feel needed.