Chapter 21

Weaknesses are unavoidable

"You are my sweetest downfall,

I loved you first" - Reginor Spector

"Why did you do that?" Magnus snapped as the door closed, "you didn't give me a chance to explain….you scared him off…..I would have-"

"-would have what?" Camille asked her brow wrinkled, "I'm sure he would have understood that you want to talk to me….we've been friends for years"

Magnus bit his lip, he certainly hoped Alec would understand, the last thing he wanted was another fight. "I'll just send him a text," he muttered to himself fishing out his phone and opening a new message. However before he could begin typing, he was interrupted by the whirlwind that was Will.

Frantically pulling on his boots and tugging on his large trench coat, the boy stumbled towards the door. His inky hair was even messier than usual and fell all around his face in a wild disarray. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Magnus questioned, hastily placing his phone on a coffee table. "Just got a call," Will panted trying to locate his car keys in the fruit bowl.

"What about?" Magnus questioned, reaching into a draw and handing Will his keys.

"Er- family emergency. I'll be back tonight hopefully, don't wait up" and with that he out of the apartment, leaving the door open and the sound of swearing as he ran down the staircase.

"I have a feeling," Magnus mused after a pause, "that my title as most exciting and dramatic person in this house is about to be stolen from me." He shut the door and turned to Camille. "Anyway, let's go and sit down….can I offer you a drink?" she nodded.

When they were sat on the large leather sofa, sipping wine and feeling sufficiently sophisticated, Camille sighed. "Look, I don't know ow to say this but…..I've missed you Magnus. We used to have so much fun together. Whether we were a couple or just best friends, you were everything to me." She looked down, her long eyelashes brushing her cheeks, "I felt as if no'one else really knew me. Mum always babies me and Dads never there so…..you were it. Then after- after it happened."

"My Mother died," Magnus filled in, letting her know that he had come to terms (to an extent) with the event.

"Yes, well you wouldn't talk to me, you wouldn't sit with me at school….you wouldn't even look me in the eye and it was like-like I was nothing to you. And that hurt me Magnus. I felt betrayed I-" she choked slightly, before hurriedly composing herself. "I responded by ignoring you back...which I know was not the best way to handle things and if I could go back I would-"

Her talking had sped up to the point where the words were no longer coherent, her breathing irregular and harsh. Gently he shushed her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. "Hey, it's ok," he murmurred. "I forgive you…..it was my fault for pushing you away, but I promise it'll never happen again. I won't lose you."

They sat like that for along while, their eyes growing heavy. "Magnus," Camille said finally, her voice slurred with sleep, "do you remember when we were nine and we went to that fair and afterwards we-"

"-had an impromptu slumber party in your treehouse and made blood promises to be best friends forever, how could I forget."

"I wish we could stay that young forever, thing's were…..so much easier"

"mmmm," Magnus hmmed sleepily, his eyes beginning to close, "ignorance is bliss." His mind slowly drifted into a sleep so deep that he never heard his phone vibrate from across the room, signalling the texts as they came in their dozen.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"I swear to God if you don't stop pacing I'm going to turn Amanda Bynes level of crazy and knock you out with my karaté skills"

"Sorry sorry, I can't help it" Alec muttered, stopping his pacing and wringing his hands instead.

"Why are you so nervous anyway, it's not like Magnus would ever cheat on you, he's smitten." Alec smiled at this and sat on the edge of the bed, maybe he was overacting. "Granted," Jace continued, "he used to be a massive slut and has slept with a ton of different guys but-"

"NOT HELPFUL JACE" Alec shouted, flopping back onto the bed with a groan. He glanced at his phone where it sat on his bedside table, silent and blank.

"Maybe my phones not working," he said suddenly, grabbing it and glaring suspiciously, "I mean that would make sense. It's really old and shit and- oh God what if Magnus has been texting me all this time and he thinks I'm mad. What if he wants to get rid of Camille and he needs help….What if-"

"-Alec please. Stop fretting. Magnus loves you, just sit down and stop worrying about everything that could possibly go wrong."

Alec sighed, but move over to wear Jace was sprawled and sat beside him. "It's perfectly normal," Jace said after a pause, then elaborated after receiving a confused look from Alec. "To worry that is. The first week Clary and I were together all I did was worry. About whether I was good enough for her? And how her best friend who she loves dearly loved her back, but in a different way. I worried about whether her mother hated me, and what she wanted for her birthday and...well you get the picture. The point is, all that worrying didn't change anything, it just stressed me out. Sometimes in a relationship its best just to trust your partner and focus on the love you share, not the problems."

Alec stared at his roommate, mouth wide open. "Since when were you so wise and mature?" He spluttered. Jace shrugged, looking smug, "I'm full of surprises," he winked, getting to his feet. "But unfortunately for you, I'm gonna have to delay the 'Big Reveal' as I have a date with Clary. I'm pretty sure this time she wants to paint me nude," he chuckled fondly over a spluttering Alec, "she has such a passion for the arts."

He grabbed his coat, phone and a silvery packet Alec didn't want to think about, and strode from the room.

Alec lay back on his bed, starfish mode, and stared at the elaborate ceiling. He hoped more than anything that Magnus was also lying awake...in his new apartment's king sized bed...thinking of him. Somehow he didn't think so. Reaching over he grabbed his well-worn copy of 'The Picture Of Dorian Grey' and opened it, losing himself in the familiar pages and words, his reliable constant in an ever changing world.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Will spotted her the moment he walked through the door. She looked smaller than usual, sunk into the brown thread bare chair, her hair scraped back into a messy bun. She met his eyes as he neared, her irises painted a dull grey.

"He's asleep at the moment," she muttered, answering his unvoiced question. "They won't let me see him- family only."

Will sank down into the chair beside her, tentatively taking her hand. She didn't speak but held on tight.

They sat in a suffocating silence.

Then a doctor walked in, his white coat immaculate but his eyes bagged and weary. "You are friends of James Carstairs?" He asked. They both nodded, gripping each other tighter.

"Well we usually only let family visit in this situation...but since none have turned up, we'll make an exception."

Will jumped up, pulling Tessa with him. "Thank you" he breathed, and followed the Doctor down the many identical corridors.

He hesitated before entering the room, Tessa pushing past. This wasn't the first time he'd visited Jem in hospital and he was certain it wouldn't be the last. Jem had been sick for as long as he could remember, sure at first it was just one day a month at school and a bad immune system. But it was still there, lingering on the edge of his mind, worrying at their friendship. However Jems illness had only gotten worse with age. At six he was told he'd never be a teenager, yet here he was, nineteen, studying at a higher level than the rest of his year and a girlfriend. Will smiled, they had to be thankful for what they had. And if their was one thing that defined Jem, it was his optimism. He would get through this, will knew he would.

A/N

What's this...another update, I'm spoiling you guys. So thoughts? Who trusts Camille and who suspects foul play?

Poor Alec though, I promise that in the chap there will be malec and sizzy. Also a bit of Jonathan at the end.

I've decided shorter chapters are better as then I update more.

Thank you to the people who reviewed but don't have accounts...plz get accounts so we can chat.

Thanks for reading and please review your thoughts on this chap. They motivate me.

You are lovely and hot

Lots of virtual love

Amy

XXX