A/N: Obviously, I have not been on Fanfiction for a... really, really long time. Needless to say, I had pretty much abandoned this story. Most of you have probably forgotten what this is even about. For this, I am truly sorry.

A couple days ago, I was notified that this story had a new review. I was like, "Oh my god, what?" The person that reviewed was a guest, so I can not thank him or her. But, Guest, if you are reading this chapter right now, please know that this chapter is for you.

"It's no use, Bella," Clary cried.

"NO!"

"Isabella, please. You're not helping," Mrs. Lightwood cried. Bella shook her head. She wasn't helping, she knew. But she has nothing else to do. So she sat, and she sobbed. Waiting for news, waiting for reassurance, waiting for the right to break down. Bella Swan didn't even know what she was waiting for, exactly. But she was waiting.

"We're all scared, Bella. Have a bit of decency, for once. You're not the only one that is worried about Alexander, stupid. You hardly even know him! Can you stop acting like this is all about you? Because it's not!" Jace hissed. Since when did he have the right to demand that someone be decent? But Bella knew that he was right. This was not about her. She had known him a week. They had known him his whole life. But she could not hold it in. Alec, her Alec, was gone.

A vampire who they called Simon turned up eventually. "I heard the news," he said, quite plainly. Everyone stared at him, expecting him to continue.

"It's all my fault," Bella stood before him and stated. He looked at her suspiciously.

"What are you?" he asked finally.

"Half shadowhunter, half vampire."

"What did you do to Alec?"

"The vampires who took him are my ex-boyfriend and his family."

"Exs, gotta hate 'em," Simon shrugged, still eying her unsure.

"Simon," Clary said, standing up. "This is Bella. She is Jace and my sister."

Simon gazed at Bella with a new sort of gleam in his eye. "Well that is very fabulous, is it not? We get another child of Valentine. Splendid. Splendid indeed." Jace looked at him across the room like he wanted to choke him for that. Simon shrugged again, "I'm only saying what everyone else is thinking."

Clary glared at him as well. "I apologize for Simon, Bell. He usually really is a great guy. Alec's... disappearance... is just sort of... hurting him. Simon takes pain angrily."

Simon just sighed a little. Clary was right.

There was a long awkward silence.

Finally, Simon looked around the room into everyone's eyes and shouted, "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?! YOU ARE SHADOWHUNTERS! GO FIND HIM!" Everyone stared at him wide eyed and surprised. "Look guys, Alec's gone. Instead of sitting here, letting it eat you alive and blame yourselves, go look for him. Bella, surely you can track your boyfriend, if you are indeed a vampire. Why are we just sitting here?"

"Simon!" Izzy said warily. But no one really saw what was wrong with his idea.

Bella, with much effort, stood alone in front of a building. They were here. The Cullen's were here. Alec was here, too. Inside.

Vampire mode, activated, Bella said jokingly to herself. With one burst of courage, she kicked the door down and strutted in to the hideout.

"Bella?" Alec called out. His voice was hoarse and scratchy.

"ALEC!" she screamed into the many hallways.

"Bella, go away!" Alec demanded. With her vampire speed and senses, she found him.

He sat, facing a corner, unbound. Free. Alec was free.

"Alec, my love?" she whispered, a little frightened. He could run. He chose to be here.

"No, Bella, you need to go away. I don't want you to see me like this." His voice cracked. Bella took cautious steps towards him. She reached out her hand to touch his shoulder, and he cringed away. "Bella, don't. I must die, now."

Tears welled up in her eyes. Why was he being so difficult? What was he talking about? "Alec, you don't know how happy your family will be to know that you are alive," she whispered to her.

"I can't see them any more." Alec was shaking now. Literally, shaking.

Bella put a firm, unhumanly strong hand on his shoulder. "Alec, love, please look at me," she pleaded. And he complied.

Alec turned around slowly, and Bella gasped with horror.

His eyes were red.

The red of a newborn vampire.