9. Benevolence.

We were bent over Isabelle trying to draw an Iraze on her hipbone. She was bleeding terribly, Adam had scooted himself into a corner with his knees up against his chest and his bound hands in between his lap and stomach. He was hiding behind his knees, just one eye peaking out to watch us cure her. Finally we got it down, the wound closed, and was nothing more than a pale line of a scar. She had stopped crying in pain, and relaxed.

I stroked her hair as she finally regained her strength, we all helped her stand up and resume her balance. Alec's leg was already healed; the knife didn't damage him as much as it damaged Isabelle. All Adam's strength, Adam's focus was on Isabelle; that part was certain. I don't know how long he was conscious, cognizant, aware of his surroundings. But he had been listening and paying more attention than I had taken him for. Isabelle was the one who instigated the idea of sending him away, Isabelle was the one whose voice was abrasive, then after her was Maryse, then came Jace. I fell asleep next to his bed, completely vulnerable. Why hadn't he attacked me?

Because he trusted me.

I guarded him.

Nourished him.

Saved him.

If I remained asleep he would've tried to finish off Isabelle, Maryse, and maybe even Jace. Maybe Alec would've still prevented it, maybe even Jace, because he would've heard her scream. However, there was another thought that I had; Adam had a teacher. That man taught him how to murder his victims, and he would become angry and kill his victims faster if they didn't cooperate the way Lory, and I did. Isabelle was defying him, and made me cry. He wanted to defend me.

When Isabelle regained her strength, she immediately darted towards Adam; his face came out from hiding behind his knees at the sight of her sprinting towards him. Her hand slapped him so hard that the sound echoed off the walls.

"Isabelle!" I shrieked and ran to Adam to examine his face, already a red mark was appearing on his left cheek, but he still wasn't reacting to it. She had slapped him pretty damn hard, but he didn't whimper, cry, not even winced at the lingering pain. In the back of my mind I found that odd. He wasn't acting catatonic anymore, so he just had to feel pain by now.

"How dare you defend that little shit!" Isabelle screamed at me. I stood up to face her, trying to get her to understand.

"I'm not!"

"Then why are you checking his poor wittle cheek to see it hurts? Huh?" She yelled.

"He didn't mean it!" I yelled.

"He didn't mean it?" She laughed with emptiness in her tone. "He stabbed me in the hip, removed the knife, and went to do it again! What part of that story sounds like an accident to you, Clary!"

"I know what he's done, but he doesn't know any better." I started to cry.

"Clary!" Jace yelled my name. "This has gone too far, we're dropping him off at a hospital!" He shouted. In between the yelling and sadness I realized that I still had Jace's stele..

"No!" I yelled back, and turned around to grab Adam, lifting him up and making a run for my room. I wasn't sure if anyone followed, and I didn't turn to look. When I arrived at my bedroom door, I darted in put down Adam and slammed it shut. I took out the steele and began thinking of phrases like "No Entry" Or "Binding". If I was able to open Jace's cuffs down in the bone city with one rune that meant 'Open' then why couldn't I create a rune to keep things closed?

Right when I finished the rune, Jace's fists were suddenly pounding behind the door, trying with all his might to open it.

"Clary! Don't be like this, open the door!"

"Go away!" I shouted through the door and went to Adam.

"Clary! I don't trust him alone with you!" I had wanted to cover Adam's ears with that one, but it was too late he already heard it. I took Adam into the bathroom, and sat him down on the floor. I closed the door behind me and slid down it until by bum was flat on the floor, and my knees to my chest.

"Adam!" I looked at him, tears running down my cheeks. "Why would you do that!" I demanded. He didn't say anything, but he looked like he felt guilty. "You don't hurt people! No matter how much they hurt you! Do you understand!" I yelled at him. His head was still down his bangs hiding his eyes from me.

"Adam!" I shouted as I crawled over to him. "Do you understand! You could've killed her!" I cried. He looked at me, his eyes looking glossy, but no tears. He opened his mouth to speak, I was shocked. I even stood back a bit waiting for his voice for the first time, but nothing came, he was trying, but nothing came. He looked frustrated, and looked as though he gave up; one tear fell from his eyes and down his cheek. Then he buried his face in his knees like before.

"Adam." He looked up at me, he wasn't making any noise, but his tears were still falling from his face. He felt remorse; that was a good sign. Sociopaths don't feel any remorse, they don't make friends, they make victims. I was sure that he felt that Isabelle was a one of his victims, but he didn't look at me like that. He cared about me, that much was clear. He knew he has disappointed me, and it hurts him to know that. I pulled him into a hug and held him tight. "I promised you that wouldn't give up, and I wont!" I pulled back, and wiped his tears.

"You need a bath." I smiled at him, and looked down at the bloodstains that covered his shirt. "And new clothes." I added, and laughed. He didn't smile, but I knew he was still feeling bad that he made me angry. Suddenly, I heard the bedroom door open and close. Both Adam and my heads both looked in the direction of the bathroom door. How did he get in? I questioned myself.

"Adam, stay behind me!" I told him and went to the bathroom door, when a soft knock sounded and a sweet voice came from the other side.

"Clary, it's Magnus sweetie, please let me in." Oh, well no wonder he was able to get in, he's a freaking warlock.

"Are you alone?" I asked him.

"Yes." He said assuring. For some reason I believed him. I walked to the door and carefully unlocked and opened it revealing the colorful friend I have come to know, and he was telling the truth, he was alone.

"Everything okay?" He asked.

"It's been better." I said. Magnus looked passed me at Adam.

"What about him?" He asked.

"Oddly…" I said with an unsure voice. "Better. He is actually showing emotion in his face." I said. "He even cried." Magnus's eye widened, then he smiled and stepped into the bathroom, and walked towards Adam. I became a little nervous. I was afraid Adam would strike out at him out of fear, oh duh! His hands and feet were bound by duct tape. He can't do much.

"I have the slightest suspicion…" Magnus said before getting on one knee, and taking Adam's hands and rolling up a sleeve. He then pulled out a sewing needle, and was about to poke him with it.

"What are you doing!" I shrieked at him.

"Relax, dear." He said softly. "I am only going to poke him a bit, to see if he has a reaction to the pain."

"Why?"

"Because I think something else is going on here." And like that he poked the top of Adam's palm, but no reaction, not a twitch, not a wince. Magnus's brow furrowed together, and he looked at me. "Your boy here, cannot feel pain… at all."

"How is that possible?" But I knew it was true, he didn't respond to any pain inflicted on him what so ever.

"He has CIPA." He said.

"What's that?"

"Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis." He put the sewing needle away and stood back up. "It's a very rare genetic mutation that some people can be born with. Mundanes." He said that last part to make it clearer. "This boy… he can break a bone playing, and just… continue to play without realizing his leg is broken. He could bite his own tongue off without knowing. No cuts, bruises, headaches, sore throats, even the sensation to having to urinate is hard to feel. I was curious because the whole time I was fixing his hand he acted like he didn't feel a thing. I was thinking that possibly his mental condition was the reason, but there were instances where I felt he was more aware than he looked. So I researched it, and that was what I found. Usually they don't have sweat glands, so it's very easy for them to catch hypothermia, which makes me wonder… if he was living with a mad-man for five years, how did hypothermia not come into play?"

"He does sweat." I said. "He was sweating when I found him with the knife in his hand. But I think he only sweats on his head."

"Ah!" Magnus smiled. "It does vary, some of them have it much worse than others, outside temperatures can kill them easily, but he seems to be okay on that level."

"So he literally cannot feel pain?"

"Not even a pinch." That explains a whole fucking lot! I thought. He didn't react to the man cutting his arm, he didn't react to the knife in his hand, or when I pulled it out. Not when Izzy smacked him, or when I washed his cuts. He felt nothing.

"So he cannot feel at all?"

"No, he can feel natural touch, just not pain." I stood there feeling dumbfounded, I never knew such a disorder could exist, it's like finding out there's a disease that makes you look younger, not older. The disorder was an advantage, as well as a disadvantage. He was able to make it through his sufferings without feeling pain, but anything could be wrong with him internally and no one would know. His appendix could be infected, and we wouldn't know, he could have strep and no one would know. He could have an ulcer and he wouldn't be able to tell us, because he won't feel it.

"Scary thought, isn't it?" Magnus said, pulling me out of my deep thoughts. I just nodded, and looked at Adam who was looking curiously between the two of us.

"Could it…" I paused, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. "Kill him?" Magnus looked at me with deep understanding eyes.

"They say they usually don't live long due to the ware and tare they do to their bodies. Kids like him don't know when to stop, because pain is a warning sign our bodies give before further damage is done." I wanted to cry at the sound of that, but then Magnus continued. "However, he is surprisingly strong for his size, weight, and his disorder condition. And there are adult cases in the country, in the world."

"Did you happen to look into a cure, or a therapy treatment of some kind?" I asked

"There is no cure, and no I have not." I nodded at his answer; I'll have to research all of that. See if I can help him.

"I need to give him a bath." I said.

"Oh do you want me to leave?" Magnus asked.

"What? Oh no, I just need to get him new clothes, and I don't want him to be standing naked. I was just wondering if… if-"

"If I can watch him?" I nodded, He smiled back at me.

"Of course. You think I the High Warlock Of Brooklyn am afraid of a little boy? Pul-ease!" He chuckled at me.

"Thanks." I said. "I'll be back soon." I turned around and left the bathroom. I went to my nightstand and pulled out the emergency cash Luke and mom had left me. A hundred dollars should be more than enough to buy Adam some clothes. Probably wouldn't even use it all. Magnus came out with Adam in front of him, I went to the bathroom to finally change my clothes. I just threw on a pair of jeans, a white t-shirt and my black hoodie. I shoved my grey converses, and started to leave when I heard padded steps behind me, and someone grip my wrist. I turned to see Adam practically begging me not to leave. I smiled down at him and giggled. Hah! I make it sound like he's the size of a five year old. In fact just another year or so, I'm sure he'll be taller than me. He probably is at least four foot ten or eleven.

"I promise I'll be back." I said to him. "No one will be able to get in here, I assure you. I just need to get you clothes. Okay?"

Please!

"Magnus will take care of you, okay?" He finally let go of my wrist. I looked back up at Magnus who nodded and said;

"I promise no one, but you comes through that door." I nodded back, and turned around and exited out of the room. I don't know why I was surprised to see Jace sitting across the hall on the floor. At the sight of me, he sat up quickly.

"Clary."

"Jace." Was all I said to him before walking down the hall.

"I understand he's just a kid, but he's dangerous."

"I don't want to hear it, Jace."

"I know you don't, but you will anyway." He was fast walking me as I quickly made my way through the institute. "For God's sake Clary, he stabbed Isabelle!"

"I know that Jace!" I yelled back at him. "But I am not about to give up on him! He didn't choose to be this way!"

"He chose to stab Isabelle."

"He was stolen from his family where he was happy, and a normal child. If it didn't happen he would be with them right now, going to sports practices, birthday parties, and watching cartoons with his parents. Not intending to hurt anyone!" I stopped and looked him straight in the eyes. "It's sad that one stranger comes into people's lives, and everything they love and believe in is destroyed without any control over it. I'd rather my child be kidnapped murdered and dumped in a ditch, then to find him five years later as a soulless killer, all because someone barged into our lives and changed it for the worse. At least if he were used and murdered, his soul was free, and not tainted!" I left him there dumbfounded to go on shopping for Adam.

0o0o0

"Okay Adam!" The odd looking man approached him, and lifted him up on to the counter in the bathroom. He seemed to be examining him, looking for more injuries? Maybe? When he was done, he stood up straight and smiled at the boy.

"I have something for you." He said, and snapped his fingers, and something appeared in his hand out of thin air. It startled Adam, and he jumped off the counter and ran in the other room to only run into the strange looking man again. He laughed at him, and bent down to be more at level. "Relax, it's only a bit of magic… here, I'll start at beginners level." He stood up and pulled a coin from his pocket.

"Watch the coin." He said to the boy, and rolled the coin around his fingers, and then turned his palm around making it disappear. The boy looked surprised, confused. He watched the man closely as he smiled.

"Where do you think it's gone?" He asked him. Adam continued to look at him with curiosity. He bent down towards his level again, and said; "How about behind your ear." He brought his hand up by his face and pulled the coin out. "See?" Adam looked at the coin with amazement, not sure what to think of it except.

Amazing!

"Keep the coin." The man said, and handed it to him. Adam willingly took it, and shoved it in his pocket. He looked back up at the man again, who was now smiling. "Now, what I had for you before was chocolate, I'm sure it's been so long since you've had any that you've forgotten what it tastes like, let alone what it is."

He bent down, and placed it in front of the boy's mouth. He keenly opened his mouth and bit down on it, and slowly chewed. After chewing and tasting the boy smiled, and took the rest of the bar from the man and continued to eat it.

"See? Good huh?"

0o0o0

I returned with new clothes for Adam, two pairs of pajamas, one that was Spongebob, another of just rockets. Three pairs of jeans, one blue, one dark, and another grey. I only got him one short-sleeved shirt since it's nearly winter. The rest was all long sleeved. I got him a nice coat, and a couple of hoodies. One that said Brooklyn across the chest, and another one with just a plaid pattern.

When I got back, I was surprised to see that Magnus had fallen asleep, but Adam wasn't in the room. "MAGNUS!" I yelled, he jumped out of his sleep, and was shushing me.

"He's sleeping!"

"He's not here!" I snapped. Magnus looked around groggily.

"Oh." I growled in frustration, and went straight for the bathroom to make sure he wasn't in there. I turned on the light, and was slightly shocked at what I saw. I saw the top of his head from the tub; I walked closer to see that he had fallen asleep in the tub. His body length took up the whole tub, and chocolate was smeared on his face.

"I gave him some candy." Magnus said from behind me. I turned around and rolled my eyes at him, but couldn't help but smile. I bent over and shook Adam to wake him. He shifted and opened his eyes, when he realized it was me, he sat up and wrapped his arms around my neck. I smiled; he was going to be okay after all.

"I told you I would come back." I said to him. Instead of making him a bath, I decided to give him a shower. He was covered in blood, all that would do is have him bath in blood. I didn't like that idea. I began undressing him, and gasped at how many scars that covered his arms, chest, and back. It was like looking at Jace at age eleven. Lines of scars lined up his arm, like someone deliberately put them there. Which, of course, I have witnessed the fact that was exactly what they were. I realized that the man was obviously fascinated by he fact that Adam could not feel pain.

After I full undressed him and had him in the shower, I washed his hair, which had so much dirt that it wasn't as dark brown as I thought it was, but much lighter. The blood washed away from his body and streamed in lines on the bottom of the tub and down the drain. With each scrubbing of thick suds and rinse, he was looking like a brand new boy.

"Maybe he dyed his hair." Magnus suddenly said.

"Huh?"

"His hair is much lighter than I realized." He said.

"Yeah I know, but it could also be dirt." I said as I thoroughly rinsed him. Once we were done, I pulled him out, and began dressing him. I put his old clothes in a plastic bag, and nicely asked Magnus to throw them out on his way to leave. He gladly obliged smiling and saying goodbye to Adam. Before he left he poked his head around the corner, and said; "And so you know, I applaud your benevolence." He smiled and descended from my room, leaving Adam and I alone.

I put on the Spongebob pajama pants and that one short-sleeved shirt. "Isn't it nice?" I said to him. "To be wearing good clean, not bloody clothes." I laughed at him. He frowned, which saddened me, and then he brought his injured hand to one of the short sleeves, and started tugging on it. At first I didn't understand why, but then I thought about the fact that every scars on his arms was revealing. Every time I saw him before we escaped he wore a long sleeved shirt.

"Would you rather have sleeves?" I asked him. He nodded. So I pulled out another shirt from the bag, and helped him with the one he had on, and pulled the other over his head. "Better?" He nodded. I smiled and lead him in for bed, we both settled down. I wasn't sure what we would do tomorrow, I was thinking of sneaking him out, and going to my house. I smiled as I draped one arm around him, as we both fell into the first peaceful sleep we've had in nights… or for him… in five years…

Sorry, this chap is kind of a filler, and I know it sucks, but I wanted to get most of the filler down in this chapter that way we wont have one for quite a while. Now on to answer some questions.

Lillicans: You're welcome, I try to answer most questions. It's easier with this story because it has less reviews than my others. However, I would like more. lol. Anyways; As for your question yeah, I felt that way too. I kept trying to rewrite it because I thought it all seemed to be odd. Like a lot was going on and Alec was just standing there, but I wanted to describe the scene as well as possible, but that required to make it look like everything is in slow motion for Izzy. So I guess you can say that this scene is going slow for Izzy, but when you read it, picture it moveing faster than its read... does that make sense?

Nicxoll3 Smalls: Question number 1. To be honest... I don't know why i changed his name. lol no actually I wanted to kind of make this my own so that's why I gave the boy a new name. I really really REALLY wanted it to be Martin, and to be honest when I re-edit the story, I might change it back. Not sure yet. I chose Adam because the name seemed suitable for the type of situation he's in. I like it, but I just like Martin better. Don't know why. Question number 2. Yes! Jace will definitely come around, and sooner than you think. Him and Adam have A LOT in common, and Jace will soon realize that he could be a BIG help for the boy since he understands him so well. Question number 3. YES! You are so right, the short sentences in italic are Adam's thoughts, I am so glad you picked up on it! And yeah we haven't been doing a lot of Adam's point of view's lately, this chapter had a little, but don't worry I'll bring them back. I'm also trying to figure out how to show that Adam is practically almost a teenager, and not make him seem so young.

Okay! So we've covered a few things

Short sentences in italic are Adam's thoughts

And he's starting to come around, which his reasons aren't necessarily a great thing, you'll find out what I mean later.

PLEASE REVIEW! Little green button below... do you see it? Yup that one... click click click! hahaha :P