Chapter Five: Wake Up World

AN: If you're uncomfortable with a little slash... well, prepare to be kind of uncomfortable...

Clary had managed to stay up the entire night. Her stomach churned a bit as she opened the thick curtains to take a peek at the world outside.

The skies were a bleak white-grey color, covering the entire sky. No clouds, no color. New York, of all places, had a dead feel to it.

Clary looked at the clock, eight twenty-three. Jace was surely up and worried sick. Maybe as much as she was. Clary took one more look outside and saw a black crow fly by the window, cawing.

Clary's nervousness multiplied a tenfold. She made her way outside, grabbing her jacket, bracing herself for the ominous weather. She didn't wait to hail a cab, she took Luke's keys and hijacked his truck. Clary looked around as she made her way to the Institute, shocked. She saw the usual, people riding bikes or walking, people in cars and cabs. But the unusual thing was the lifelessness to it all. Everything and everyone was so... lackluster.

When she arrived at the Institute, she tried to take off it's strange glamour, but it didn't work. She concentrated until her head hurt, then she relaxed. She opened her eyes, expecting to see the old Institute, but, no... What kind of glamour was this? Clary tried taking it off again until she realized it was no glamour. The Institute just seemed... broken. Dead. Which increased her anxiety even more. She knew something bad had happened or something bad was going to happen. Only one person came to her mind.

Jace.

She parked recklessly outside of the Institute's gates, and hurried her way in. She threw open the doors and collided with Jace.

"Oh, Jace, thank God," Clary said, holding onto him for dear life.

"It's okay, Clary, it's okay," Jace said, stroking Clary's hair, comforting her. She knew how mad he must be for her just leaving, but his relief and compassion stifled his anger and worry.

"I'm so sorry," Clary whispered into Jace's chest.

Jace rubbed Clary's back. "No, I'm sorry. I don't own you, I'm not your father... or your brother, thank God, and you shouldn't have to tell me where you're going to be every second."

"Jace," Clary said, pulling back some. "There's something I need to tell you."

Jace looked worried for a moment, nodding for her to continue.

"I... I've been having dreams, if you could even call them that. It's more like horrible messages being sent to me while being unconscious. They're taking over my life, Jace. I can't even sleep anymore, I'm too afraid they won't let me wake up. I just... I don't know what to do. And I wish someone, Luke or my mom was here, at least."

"Did you even go to sleep last night, Clary?" She shook her head no. "I don't like this. But you're not alone. You have me, you have Marys and Robert, who aren't the most... compassionate people in the world, but they truly do care for you. You have Isabelle and Alec. Hell, you've even got Simon, the damn leech who'll let you Mark on him, risking death, just to placate you. And you have Maia who's becoming strangely attached to you, probably because she knows how much you mean to Simon. And you've got Magnus, who you've only known for a little while, but he's known you almost your entire life."

"I know," Clary said, "but there's something else you need to see."

"Hold on, I'm going to ask Marys and Robert if we can skip training," Jace said, taking Clary's hand and leading her upstairs.

Jace knocked lightly on his parent's door.

"Come in," they heard and slowly opened the door.

The gasped as they saw Marys sitting upright, leaning on her headboard of her bed. Her eyes were dull and weary, and there were heavy bags under her eyes. Robert lay sleeping beside her, oblivious of all around him.

"Um, Marys, are you alright?" Clary asked. She'd never seen Marys like this before.

"I'm fine, dear. Is there something you two needed?"

Dear? Clary thought. She'd never heard Marys use any term of endearment before. Something really must be wrong.

"Would it be alright if we missed training today?" Jace asked. "Clary hasn't gotten much sleep lately, and she didn't go to sleep last night."

Marys raised her right eyebrow questioningly, looking back and fourth between Clary and Jace.

"Nothing happened, she's just been having nightmares," Jace explained. "I was hoping she could get some sleep. She's in no shape to train, and frankly, neither am I."

"It's fine, I was thinking of giving you kids a day off today anyway," Marys said, dismissing them with a small smile.

"Thank you," Jace said, closing the door behind him.

"That was strange," Clary said, shaking her head.

"And everything else is just so normal?" Jace asked, making his way to Luke's truck.

Clary got in the driver's side and sped off to Luke's.

*~~*~~*~~*

"Now are you going to tell me what's so life altering important?" Jace asked as he stepped out of the truck. "Or are we now going to play a game of twenty questions for me to find out?"

Clary rolled her eyes at him, not even trying to placate his impatience.

"Is it life or death? Will the world implode if we don't do something about it? Is there a secret passage way to another dimension in Luke's fucking bookstore? Do we have to pull out the right book to get there?"

"Typically, while playing twenty questions, you wait until the person answers, or all you're accomplishing is being a major pain in the ass," Clary snapped, her lack of sleep obviously getting to her.

"At least I'm accomplishing something," Jace scoffed, following her inside.

Clary rushed him over to the statue of Kali, the Indian Goddess.

"Yeah. It's Luke's statue," Jace said, worried that his girlfriend had actually lost her mind.

"Yeah, now look at it's wrist," Clary said, thrusting the small statue out to him.

Jace looked at the statue's wrist noticing a few small scratches. "Yeah, we can get these polished right off, Clary, I assure you, it's nothing to freak out about."

"Look closer, you moron," Clary said, pushing his head closer, almost making his nose collide with it. If she couldn't take a scratch on it, Jace couldn't even imagine how she'd react to blood on it. He did look closer, though, and the scratches seemed too... intricate to just be scratches. If he didn't know any better, he'd say they were some kind of runes...

"I don't recognize these," Jace mumbled, looking at the statue from all angles.

"Luckily, I do," Clary spat, causing Jace to look up from the statue and to his girlfriend. "They're some strange form of the simple runes Sightless, Soundless, and Scentless."

"Are these what have been keeping you up?" Jace asked, wondering what these runes could possibly have done to make Clary so anxious and irritable and, most importantly, scared.

"Hardly," she said, rolling her eyes, like Jace could have known any better. "The one that's been keeping me up, I don't think has ever been seen before. Those, on her wrist, are unknown, but not like the fourth one... I could at least read those. This one, all I can get out of it is how sickeningly dangerous and mysterious it is."

"Can you show it to me?" Jace asked, curious what sort of rune could have Clary in this much of a mess.

"I'm afraid, Jace," Clary admitted. "I don't know what will happen."

"And we can't know until we try," Jace said firmly. "We'll try it together. We'll get through this together."

*~~*~~*~~*

Alec's mother gave him the day off. But... why? It was so out of character for her to do such a thing. He worried weather or not she was okay, if there was something Alec should know.

He decided to go to Magnus's. He hadn't been in a while and Magnus was like a drug to him. How Jace and Clary could live without it, Alec would never know... if only Clary really knew why...

I took the subway to Magnus's place, noticing how mundane the mundanes actually were today. They certainly lived up to their names. Whatever, their problems aren't mine, so really, I couldn't give a shit.

I walked the rest of the way, noting the bleak sky to match the day. I heard the weather had more effect on people then they even knew... maybe that was true. Hopefully it wasn't effecting Magnus. Depressed Magnus is... pretty scary. Alec remembered when Magnus was upset because Alec would age and he wouldn't, and Alec would die, and he wouldn't, and how his days were never ending, and all that. It eventually got Alec pretty depressed, too.

"Alec, my lover, to what do I owe this pleasant surprise?" Magnus asked, opening the door.

"My mom canceled training," Alec said, following Magnus into his... originally decorated home. His place just shouted Magnus Bane!

"You're an adult Shadowhunter, and you still live with your parents and siblings, and go to training on your mother's watch," Magnus stated, closing the door. "Honestly, darling, that's kind of sad."

"I can move out, quit, or skip training any time I want. I may be an adult, but I'm still working on being a better, responsible Shadowhunter."

"Trust me, Alec, being more responsible is the last thing you should be focusing on. Live it up, you're getting to be a little dull sometimes," Magnus said, rolling his eyes. "You're like the anti-Magnus."

"Well, opposites do attract," Alec said, grinning a little.

"You're thinking of magnets, not Magnus," Magnus said, pouting a little. "I find myself very attractive, hence, I would be attracted to someone exactly like me."

"So you don't find me attractive?" Alec mumbled, looking at his feet.

"Of course I find you attractive, I'm just arguing with you for the hell of it," Magnus grinned. "It's rather entertaining."

"So you are attracted to me...?" Alec asked.

"Yes, you lovable idiot."

"So you're admitting that opposites do attract," Alec said, smirking.

"I'm gay, you fool. If you were truly my opposite your name would be Alice rather than Alec, and your hard Shadowhunter muscles would be replaced with slightly squishy, hairless flesh and D-cups."

"D-cups," Alec scoffed. "In your dreams, warlock."

"Trust me," Magnus said flatly. "I don't dream of D-cups. If I did, you'd be in trouble, Shadowhunter."

Alec could tell there was something Magnus wanted to talk about, but was avoiding.

"Are you okay?" Alec asked tentatively.

"I'm fine," Magnus said a little too enthusiastically.

"If you say so..." Alec said, not believing it. But Alec knew if there was something bothering Magnus, to just wait until he finally cracks and spills everything.

"I do say so. I also say we make our way to the bedroom."

Alec smiled as Magnus dragged him to his room. His very Magnus-y room.

As soon as the door was closed, Magnus attacked Alec with his lips, avoiding the conversation that was bound to happen, whatever that conversation may be. Not that Alec minded, though. He didn't mind one bit...

Magnus's lips made their way over Alec's skin frantically, covering every exposed inch of it. It wasn't long before his shirt was being unbuttoned, so Magnus could reach even more of Alec's lean body.

Alec threaded his fingers through Magnus's hair, tugging a little. Magnus unbuttoned the last button and hastily pushed it off Alec's muscular shoulders. Alec's thin undershirt didn't leave much to the imagination. Although, Magnus didn't need imagination to know what Alec's body looked like...

Magnus tore the undershirt right down the middle, in no mood to take his time. In all honesty, it turned Alec on even more so.

Alec bit his lip in attempt to stop any embarrassing noises from escaping him. He almost drew blood when Magnus kissed, licked, and nipped his way down to just below his bellybutton. Making his way back up,he flicked his tongue over each of Alec's nipples. Alec let out a repressed grunt-sigh noise, clenching his jaw afterward.

"Alec, it's perfectly normal to make a little noise. It's a little abnormal not to, actually," Magnus pointed out.

"Living in an echo-y, old house with five other people, I'm accustomed to not making any noises," Alec panted.

"Are you insinuating that you do things that cause you to make noise?" Magnus teased, raising an eyebrow.

"Are you surprised...?" Alec asked, raising an eyebrow to match Magnus. He'd been an in-the-closet gay for as long as he could remember, what the hell else did Magnus expect he would do?

"No," he stated simply. "You know... I think I'd like to watch."

"Uh," Alec said, nervous all of a sudden. He croaked the next word like he'd been without water for days. "Watch?

"Yes, you know, as in seeing, looking, observing, any of those ring a bell?"

"Why do you want to watch?" Alec asked in almost a whisper.

"Because it'd be pretty hot."

"Um, okay," Alec said, taking a deep breath. Alec had never really been one for voyeurism of any kind, but he'd be willing to try... thousands of worry-filled thoughts and 'what-ifs' coursed though his mind, but he pushed those thoughts aside. Well, he tried to, at least. He fumbled awkwardly with his belt, finally getting it undone. He unbuttoned and shoved his pants down, until he was in his underwear only.

"Take it off!" Magnus called out, followed by a whistle. Alec blushed and smiled at that, pulling his underwear down, stepping out of them.

Alec wrapped his hand around his member, like he'd dome so many times before, though this was so different.

It wasn't so bad actually... he started out slowly, working his way up and down, making sure to let his thumb rub over his sensitive head every time he reached it. He closed his eyes, his head leaning back, like he usually did. He let a soft, low moan escape fro his throat. This really wasn't so bad after all... it was actually pretty good... really good. Surprisingly enough, Alec found it kind of hot to be watched. They'd have to do this more often.

Alec started going a little faster, his breaths becoming more shallow. He faintly realized Magnus coming closer to him, but his release was the first thing on his mind. Alec knew he was getting closer, his grip tightening just a little bit. Grunts and moans were escaping his lips, and he didn't care.

He was on edge, getting closer and closer. The next thing he knew, Magnus's lips wrapped around his tip, sending him over the edge. He came in Magnus's mouth, spurt after spurt. That was the most he'd come in a long time.

Magnus stood up, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Alec looked at him with sheer amazement. "What? I wasn't going to risk you staining my carpet."

*~~*~~*~~*

Clary curled up with Jace on the couch, watching V for Vendetta. Good movie, but Clary could barely keep her eyes open. She yawned a few times, snuggling into Jace's chest, before he picked her up and carried her to her room in Luke's apartment.

"You finally ready to get some sleep?" Jace asked, setting her down, throwing the covers over her.

"If you join me," Clary yawned. She felt so much safer with Jace near her. "And I'm not implying anything sexual, I literally just want you to sleep with me. You know, non-sexually."

"Of course," Jace said, taking his jacket and pants off before getting in.

Normally, Clary would have made some sort of remark about him undressing after she said she just wanted to sleep, but she was out cold before he even got under the covers.

Jace wrapped his arms around Clary, pulling her to him. She obliged, even in her sleep, practically laying on top of him. Not that he minded.

He alternated between stroking her hair and lightly rubbing her back, getting a little tired himself. He was just about to fall asleep when he heard Clary moaning in her sleep. Before he got too excited, he realized it wasn't the good kind of moaning.

"No... please," Clary mumbled against Jace's chest. "Stop... no... it hurts."

Jace didn't want to wake her up, he wasn't sure how easily she'd fall back asleep, but he didn't want her having nightmares either.

Jace felt warm drops of moisture soak through his shirt, he looked down to realize Clary was crying in her sleep.

"Shh..." Jace whispered, trying to comfort her. "It's okay, baby, I'm here. It's okay."

"Jace..." she muttered, sounding a little less stressed out. "Jace."

"Go to sleep, baby, it's okay," he whispered, a warm feeling spreading inside his chest. He liked the fact that he could comfort her. "It's okay, I'm here."

AN: There you have it, chapter five. I hope you enjoyed it :-)

Now, please, please, please take just a few seconds of your time and hit the little green button below this groveling author's note, and tell me what you think... seriously, it's a little upsetting how many people favorite or alert this story without reviewing. To those of you who do review, thank you so much, they mean so much to me ") which is kind of pathetic, but I'm okay with that.