I have nothing to say for myself other than sorry for the delay and please enjoy! Read you again soon.

Chapter 8: Bring me life.

Come close your eyes and let me see,

I'm in your dreams, I'm here

Coming from death to bring you life

To stand your ground, I'm real

I don't want to let you go,

There's a hole in my soul, since you were gone.

-Sentenced to life by Diabulus in musica

Around him there was only darkness. Alec didn't know how long he had been here –wherever here was- he could see nothing, hear nothing. He was surrounded by an oppressive darkness and all he could feel was pain so much pain, it was unbearable, and he had no choice but to bear it.

At some point he became aware of people surrounding him, he could hear murmurs but could not make out any words. Gradually he recovered sensation in his body. He felt cold and exhausted, maybe that was why he couldn't move. He tried harder to concentrate, he needed to know where he was and who was with him.

…Still hasn't woken up?

…Was seriously injured, he needs more rest

I'm just worried, he doesn't look good.

Were they talking about him? He hoped they were not, he knew he was sick, that much was obvious but he didn't feel so bad. He really wanted to make them know he was awake but he couldn't move. Angel, he couldn't do anything!

Minutes passed, or was it hours? Days maybe? And finally Alec could feel his body responding to him. He was able to move his fingers and when he did he felt a foreign pressure atop his right hand.

With some effort, Alec managed to make sense of the labyrinth that was his own body, finally he found his eyelids and by the pure strength of his will he managed to open his eyes.

He was in his room, tucked in his high-poster bed. He turned his head to look around, and even that tiny movement hurt. Around him there was the quiet shadows that hinted of night, with an effort he managed to face his window and saw a starlit black sky that told him it was most likely the middle of the night. The sight made him wonder again how long he had been sleeping, but he had no way to know at the moment since there was no one else in the room with him.

Alec's attention focused again on the mysterious weight that was resting on his right hand. He looked down at it and his breath caught at the sight. There was another hand holding his - that was the pressure he had felt- And the skin from said hand was a beautiful caramel color. Magnus was asleep on a chair placed next to his bed, his head was resting on the edge of the mattress. Alec noticed that the warlock's brow was slightly furrowed, his eyes were fluttering behind his closed lips and his mouth was moving slightly. What could he be dreaming about? The shadowhunter didn't know, but because of Magnus' expression he guessed it was not very pleasant.

Carefully, so has not to wake his ex-boyfriend, Alexander managed to disentangle his hand from Magnus grip. He caressed Magnus face with a feather-light touch and ran his hand through his silky black hair, something he had longed to do for many weeks now and never though he would ever do again.

Magnus stirred and Alec quickly drew his hand away, not sure if the warlock would like the idea of being touched so intimately by him after everything they had been through. Magnus' eyes opened and he looked around in confusion, just like Alexander had done a few minutes before. A golden-green gaze met a pair of blue eyes and the warlock seemed to snap out of his sleep-induced stupor, his eyes widened and he seemed to be wide awake now. Alec was surprised to notice that Magnus was looking at him as if he was some sort of miracle, with the most beautiful smile of pure relief the shadowhunter had ever seen.

"You are awake" The warlock said, trapping Alexander's face between both his hands and leaning towards him.

"Y-Yeah…I'm awake. Thank you, for saving me" Alec stuttered out, caught by surprise by the sudden proximity. He didn't know how to feel about Magnus' behavior.

Magnus brushed off his gratitude "How are you feeling?" The warlock asked, a hint of anxiety in his voice.

The question took him off ward. He didn't really know how to reply. He felt like shit, every muscle in his body throbbed and ached, his lungs burnt with every breath he took and there was a scorching sensation in his chest were Sonneillon had put his cursed mark. Right now that blazing pain was at the center of his mind, demanding his attention, but he had to remain strong, he didn't want to worry his family anymore that they already were –which Alec guessed was a lot, giving the overprotective tendencies of his siblings.

"I have been better" He replied at last. That was as good a reply as any.

Magnus snorted "That's an understatement, your fever went down barely 4 hours ago"

That brought another question to Alec's mind.

"How long was I unconscious?"

Magnus suddenly turned grim and seemed unwilling to answer, but Alec kept his gazed fixed on him until he relented, with a sigh he turned towards the shadowhunter.

"You were out for three days, Izzy and Jace were going crazy with worry you know?

Alec stopped listening. Three days. He had lost three fucking days. What sort of sick joke was the universe playing on him? He didn't have time to waste. Every second of his life gas numbered and now this happened? Instinctively one of his hand shot to his chest, he wanted to check on the mark and see how many days he had left after the last incident with Sonneillon. He managed to stop himself though, since looking at the mark while Magnus was in the room with him would rise too many questions.

It seemed to be no use though, since Magnus followed the movement and noticed the trajectory of his hand before he could do anything about it. The warlock's eyes narrowed and he shot his chest an angry look.

"Does it hurt?" Magnus asked.

"D-Does what hurt?" Alexander asked lamely, though his ex-boyfriend's expression told him it was no use to feign ignorance.

"You saw it?"

Magnus nodded and shifted in his chair. He seemed to be deliberating about something, after a few seconds he moved, taking away the hand Alec had placed on his chest with one hand while with the other he unbuttoned the Nephilim's pajama shirt in order to let the mark be visible.

Alec was dismayed to see the number that was displayed in his chest. He only had four more days. Four days to find and destroy Sonneillon. Four days to try an earn Magnus forgiveness, since he no longer held any hope of breaking the wretched curse.

Alexander was brought back to the present when Magnus stood from his chair and placed himself on the bed, sitting across the shadowhunter. One of his caramel colored fingers traced the demonic symbol while his gaze remained fixed on Alec's face with a silent question in his beautiful golden-green eyes.

"I can tell this is a demonic symbol, but I can't read it and that in itself says a lot about the rareness of the language and the power if the magic used to put it there"

Magnus leaned closer to him and Alec had nowhere to move, he was already pressed to the headboard since his fatigue wouldn't allow him to remain sited otherwise, so he stayed there trapped under the downworlder's powerful gaze.

"What did he do to you?"

Could he say it? He wanted to share his despair with someone. Clary had helped, she had listened to the little information he could give and had tried her best to be a comfort to him, but while she was a dear friend to him, she could never hold a light to Magnus and the feelings the warlock stirred in his heart.

And so Alec made the effort, he tried to tell Magnus about the curse and the vow that would save him, but once again the words turn to ashes in his mouth, his tongue weighted like lead and he felt as if he was about to choke. So I really can't say anything.

"I can´t tell you" He replied at last.

Magnus tensed and a flash of hot fury crossed through his beautiful eyes, he crossed his arms around his chest.

"You can't or you won't Alexander? This not something you should take lightly, that's a freaking demonic seal on your chest! It's dangerous, so just get over yourself and tell me what's going on!"

That had been the wrong thing to say, but Magnus had no way to know. The comment had made Alec snap. His vision turned red and narrow as a tunnel, making everything around him blurry except for Magnus, him Alexander could see far too clearly.

"Get over myself? Is that supposed to be a fucking joke Magnus? Because it's not funny! You were there for Sonneillon's ambush, did you miss the passed out shadowhunters or the blood? I am not keeping quiet just to spite you! Do you want me to tell you the only two things I can share with anyone? Because I told Clary and let's just say, it's not everyone's cup of tea!"

Magnus simply stared at him for a moment, wide-eyed and taken aback by Alexander's outburst, but then he recovered himself, his own ire spiked by the knowledge that both Alec and Clary were indeed hiding something from him, just like he had suspected.

"Oh I think I can handle whatever you throw at me Alexander so please, do tell " he hissed, giving the young boy's name an exasperated, slightly disdainful inflection that made both of them flinch.

Alec recovered quickly though, still under the influence of his darkest emotions "Have it your way then, Magnus; you want to know what that demon did to me? He placed a curse on me. A death curse! Just to spite you, because he thought it would make you suffer to watch me wither away and die."

Alec heard Magnus gasp loudly, as if he had been punched, but he didn't stop. He didn't have any control over his emotions at the moment. He chuckled darkly before continuing his tirade.

"He didn't listen, no matter how hard I tried to explain that you and I were not together anymore. He said you had destroyed his body and made him the way he is right now, so I would be the means to his revenge, it's all your fucking fault!"

A distant part of Alec's mind was scandalized and horrified at all the things he had just said, but the most primal part of his mind, the one possessed with hatred and dark emotions was boiling with rage. How had it come to this? Why did this happen to him? Why was loving Magnus the reason of his undoing. He glanced around and noticed that Magnus remained shell-shocked and petrified in front of him.

"T-that can't be true" Magnus had found his voice once more, but it came out as a hoarse whisper due to the shock. He kept staring at Alec, not knowing how to feel, he was incredulous, confused and scared but there was also a spark of anger threatening to take over his mind.

"Why the hell would I lie about something like this?" Alec's temper had not quelled after his initial outburst, if anything, it seemed to flare and burn within him. Even the shadowhunter was starting to become afraid of himself. This was starting to feel a lot like the time he had lost control with that rogue vampire.

"I don't know" Magnus admitted "Desperate measure maybe? You said yourself that you have been trying to contact me, even though I said I wasn't ready to talk about our relationship yet".

The sting of Magnus' implication managed to calm some of Alexander's anger, it was replaced by the sensation of tiny needled prickling at his heart. Uncomfortable and frustrating.

"How could you think that?!" Alec exclaimed angrily. He would have shoved Magnus off the bed if it didn't require so much effort and strength he didn't currently have.

He continued "You said I was out for three days right? You saw me at my weakest, you confronted Sonneillon yourself. Do you want me to show you the mark again?! I AM NOT A FUCKING LIAR MAGNUS BANE!

Alec broke down into heart-wrenching sobs. Tears of fear and pure sorrow replacing the anger that had been engulfed mere moments before. He felt a pair of strong arms close protectively over. Hi rested his head against Magnus' chest and continued crying, though now he took some comfort on the warlock's warm embrace and the soft kiss that he placed on his forehead.

"I'm sorry" Magnus said, squeezing Alec a bit tighter "I'm so sorry, Alexander. I didn't mean that, I know you are right, it's just… It's not possible"

"It is" Alec replied simply, too tired to argue any farther.

"All demonic curses can be broken" Magnus seemed to have caught on quickly with the implications of Sonneillon's spell "Surely there's something we can do before it's too late"

Alec sighed and put more of his weight on Magnus' chest. He felt so tired and it was getting harder to breath so he just shrugged and hoped that Magnus would notice the motion.

"I've told you. I can't say anything, every time I try it feels as though I might choke"

"Doesn't matter, I will figure it out" Magnus broke their embrace and helped Alec ease back onto the pillows and replacing the covers. The warlock noticed how the boy's breaths had become ragged and labored again and decided to go fetch help, since his magic was still recovering.

"I will go look for your siblings, you need some iratzes and since Jace is your parabatai he's the best option to give them to you. Besides, they have been worried sick about you these past few days, I'm sure they want to see you"

Magnus expression suddenly became more serious "You need to tell them too. Clary already know, but your brother and sister deserve the truth as well. We all want to help you"

Magnus got off the bed and started to turn for the door but was suddenly stopped by Alec's grip on his wrist.

"Can't you stay with me? I don't need anything else. You said before that you love me and forgive me, so stay".

Magnus looked down at him sadly "We have talked about this, Alexander. I'm not ready, not yet. I'll go fetch your siblings. On the meantime you should rest and save up some energy. We both know you'll need it"

Alec was left alone again, with nothing to keep him company but silence and the weight of Magnus rejection, which was stabbing at his heart like a red-hot razor. He pressed one of his hands to his hammering heart and tried his best to suppress a scream of pain, letting out only a faint whimper. In one long, agonizing movement he turned on his side and curled into a ball, bracing himself for the fit of coughs he could feel coming.

He remained like that for several minutes. Submerged in a tide of numbing pain while Sonneillon's jeering voice taunted him inside his mind.

Fear not little Nephilim, it will all be over soon!

Alec truly hoped so, he didn't care about living or dying anymore. He was just so tired.

So not a lot happened here, but I needed a sort of transition before we move on to the good stuff. What are your thoughts so far? What do you want to see and what do you hope is about to happen. Please let me now on the reviews!