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His head and heart were both pounding, but Alec didn't care, he just needed to go somewhere. Despite the echo of his name on the halls of the institute he trudged on, ignoring his sister's desperate pleas for him to turn around and talk to her.

Like they've been talking to me? Yeah, right.

"Alexander Gideon Lightwood if you don't turn around right now I'm going to have to use my whip!" Isabelle threatened.

Alec turned at this knowing all too well Isabelle would follow through with the threat. Sure enough he turned to find her stomping towards him; whip coiled around her wrist ready to be used, eyes narrowed, and boots clunking loudly as she closed in on him.

She grabbed onto his arm, and forced him to meet her eyes. However, her eyes had once again softened.

"Please, let me explain."

Alec pulled away, turning slightly and glanced towards his room. He was so close, but knew it would take him more time to make a dash for it than for Isabelle to use that damn whip of hers.

"I think most of it was explained pretty clearly in there Iz."

Izzy glared at him, "No, it wasn't. Please just talk to me; it will all make sense if you just talk to me."

"Like you've been talking to me these past few months?" Alec challenged.

To Isabelle's credit, she seemed only slightly affected by his question.

"That's different, and you know it."

"No, I don't actually. The institute was attacked and didn't think to tell me? How is that different?"

Isabelle huffed, crossing her arms across her chest stubbornly. Alec's attention, however, was diverted to behind her. She noticed this as well and turned to watch as the tall warlock made long deliberate strides from the library towards the front door of the institute, leaving without giving Alec a second glance.

It was an unconscious thing for Alec, really. While everyone else was drawn to Magnus because the glitter, the loud outfit, his enormous height and personality, Alec would notice him despite all that. He noticed him the way he used to notice Jace, it was something he couldn't help and at times didn't even realize he was doing, just staring at him. Alec saw Magnus Bane, his first and only love, while others saw Magnus Bane, High Warlock or Brooklyn.

Izzy turned and watched Alec, as he stared sadly at the man who broke his heart, pity filling her eyes. She gently put her hand on his shoulder, snapping him from his reverie.

"Is it about him?" Her voice was gentle, and like the hand on his shoulder, intended to be soothing.

Alec however was having nothing of it. He jerked away from her grasp and Izzy looked hurt as he stepped back from her, his blue eyes filled with rage.

"No, it's not just about him Iz," Alec spat, and Izzy recoiled at how harsh his voice was, Alec hardly ever talked like that, especially not to her or anyone in their family. "It's about everything. You didn't warn me about the attack, or your visit, or the investigation, and yes of course I'm upset about you bring . . . him."

He faltered a bit on the last part as if just speaking about Magnus drained him of something.

"You could have told me is all," he finished, breathing slowly, doing his best to contain the raw emotion that had bubbled to the surface just moments ago. He was usually a well contained person, even in New York. Here he was even more so, never had he let this much emotion out, especially in the hallway where someone could so easily hear or see him.

"We're sorry about bringing him Alec, but you don't get how dangerous things have gotten, how much worse they could get if we're right."

Who in the hell is this we? Was it her, Jace, Clary, and Simon? Was Magnus included in this 'we'? Probably. The five of them were probably able to communicate with just a look, as they had done in the library earlier. The way Alec used to be able to.

"It's not about him, Iz. It's about everything." Alec repeated.

"What is it I have to say to make you not be mad?"

"Nothing, there's nothing you can say. I just don't understand why you all left me in the dark on this one. You were attacked, Izzy. Don't you think I should be told about that? Be told my family was in danger, is still in danger. I should be told when you all are coming."

Alec wanted to add that he also should have been told about Magnus, but that was all too obvious and painful to bring up.

"What could you have done Alec? You're on a completely different coast than us. Telling you would have just gotten you all worried about nothing. Like we said earlier, we tried calling and letting you know but you didn't answer. We have no idea what's been happening here, so a fire message could have been dangerous if you were on the hunt. It's not like it used to be Alec, I don't know where you are all the time anymore. You moved away from us, not the other way around."

Isabelle regretted the words as soon as the left her mouth, Alec could tell. He didn't care though, she had said them, and it meant she had at some point thought that.

He opened his mouth to speak, but was unable to do so. He was feeling way too much at once to come up with an intelligible response; he was angry, upset, hurt, and most of all guilty.

"Alec, please." Isabelle begged, grabbing for his arm again, but he quickly moved out of her reach.

"Not now Iz, I need to . . . think or something."

"Alec."

"Maybe later," he replied, voice stony and cold. He ducked into his room, Isabelle frozen on the spot. Quickly he grabbed a stele a piece of paper, writing a lot messier than usual, and his hand shaking with emotion.

Want to meet at the usual spot? Bring you gear.

Alec

Not even a minute later a burst of flames alerted him to a response.

Of course, meet you there in a few.

Jasper.

Alec grabbed his gear and slid open his window, he was on the first floor and made the small leap to the ground gracefully. He was thinking too much, he wanted, no needed to stop.

Of course, that would be a lot easier if he didn't bump into the one person who made such things impossible as he snuck out. As swiftly as he had leapt from the window, he had fallen to the ground, getting help up from the tan, honey colored hand that was all too familiar. And in just a few moments, Alec was face to face with Magnus Bane.