Disclaimer: I do not own anything. I wish I owned a Magnus scarf...but sadly, Magnus owns Magnus scarves. Actually, so does Alec. But that is not the point. The point is that I do not own a Magnus scarf. Or any of the MI. FML.

Thanks to mioneweasley-witch and jennfaa for reviewing. Really appreciated. It's so encouraging to log on and see those little messages in your inbox...thanks so much :) Eyeshadow all round...and I s'pose you can have cookies too...

A/N: I think Simon swears in this chapter. Twice. Bad Simon. Oh, and angel-boy (Jace) only swears once. Well, he's such a little angel, isn't he?

The night air blew his dark hair in every direction as he walked up the stairs from the subway to the street that the Institute was on.

It was dark by now, but that did not matter. Not to him, anyway. He could still see perfectly.

He could see every inch of the derelict sidewalk, the dirt blown around by the wind.

He could see through the glamour on the Institute.

He never used to be able to. But that was before, when things were normal.

When he was normal.

Simon drew his coat in around himself, not because he was cold, but because the warm material comforted him in the way it felt against his cold skin.

He did not get cold anymore.

As Simon approached the Institute, he could see a dark figure leaning against the church doors, his face smothered in a heavy scarf.

Alec.

Simon walked through the gothic gate, and closed his eyes.

Go away don't belong away you are damned revenant don't belong unholy

He ignored the voices, taking a step up the stairs.

He remembered these stairs.

So tired want to sleep pain blood darkness my neck hurt blood red everywhere

He had died on these stairs.

He took a deep, unnecessary breath, purposefully striding up them to meet Alec.

'Vampire,' Alec greeted him.

'Shadowhunter.' The corner of Simon's mouth lifted in a mocking smile.

Alec looked a little sheepish. 'I guess it does sound a bit silly, doesn't it?'

'Really silly. I like the scarf, by the way. Present from Magnus?'

Alec's hand darted to the scarf at his neck, his skin looking almost as pale as Simon's against the brilliant rainbow colours. He laughed a little.

'Yeah. He said he couldn't date such an angst-coloured person.'

Simon chuckled, shuffling his feet.

He looked back at Alec, who was watching him disconcertingly. 'So why did you want me to come over. I don't think it was to talk about your rainbow scarf.'

'No, but we can if you want to. In fact, I could even give you one of these scarves – I think I have at least seven now.'

'I'm good.'

'Actually, we got take-away from Taki's and we're staying in to watch movies. Star Warlocks or something. I thought you were into that stuff.'

'It's Star Wars.'

'See, I knew it! Come on, the food's getting cold. I'm getting cold.' Alec turned to go inside.

Simon stayed where he was smirking mockingly. 'You're forgetting that I, being a vampire, do not eat, and I, being a vampire, do not get cold, and I, being a vampire, cannot enter "inside".'

Alec turned back.

Simon was standing in a patch of moonlight, its light illuminating his pale skin and contrasting with his dark hair. Thin veins showed where the flesh was thinnest.

He truly looked like a vampire.

'I didn't forget,' Alec said quietly.

'Funny, neither did I,' Simon bit back bitterly.

Alec looked at him, really looked at him.

He saw the deep bags under his darkened eyes, the slight crease in his brow.

Looks dark so dark depressed is he anxious something's wrong Simon what's wrong

The hopelessness in his eyes.

'Look, to quote angel-boy, I'll send you a photo and you can frame it and put it on your nightstand. Right next to Magnus.'

'Magnus has prevalence.'

'Whatever. You were up to the part where you were coming up with a brilliant plan to get me inside.'

'Oh yeah. Climb.'

Simon looked at him. 'Clarify please?'

Alec gestured randomly. 'You know…do your freaky Spideything thing up the wall.'

'It's Spiderman, Alec. Seriously, your knowledge of pop culture is dismal.'

'Yeah, yeah, whatever. You just climb up onto the roof, and I'll meet you up there.'

Simon was sceptical, but Alec waved him off towards the wall. 'See you up there.'

'Okay then,' Simon said sarcastically, but Alec was already gone.

Simon surveyed the wall in front of him, remembering that day in Alicante.

Can I no way wait a second climb up no can't see look at Clary wow she says

He pressed his fingertips into the stone, willing them to stick.

He was a freak. He should not be able to do this. This was unnatural.

He was unnatural.

The climb to the roof of the Institute was short, considering how long it had looked from the ground.

He swung his body lithely over the wall, landing lightly on the balls of his feet.

The roof was deserted. Obviously Alec had not gotten up here yet.

Simon walked slowly around the rooftop, running his hand along the wall.

The gnawing pain in his stomach was getting more and more painful.

He had not had a chance to sneak some blood past his family this afternoon.

This was dangerous.

He doubled over, gasping, as a sudden stab of pain shot up his throat.

Sliding down the wall, he leant against it for support as he sat on the ground, his face pressed to the cold concrete stones.

Hungry hurts pain my chest my throat my stomach hurts burns need blood want it

He should not have come.

Simon struggled to his feet, panting, clutching the top of the wall as he looked down at New York City below him.

The city lights were bright in his eyes, stretching seemingly to the horizon.

And the river, running through the middle.

He could jump, he could leave now.

Before he hurt anybody.

He wanted their blood. Needed it. And it disgusted him.

Warm flesh teeth sinking biting fresh blood alive blood warm alive red warm hot

He swore, sinking back down to the ground and pulling his arms around his knees, rocking back and forth rhythmically, knocking his head against the wall every time.

His eyes were screwed shut, and he felt the bitter taste of his own blood again as his teeth tapered to a needle-thin point, cutting into his lip.

He was shivering, but not from the cold.

He was breathing hard, his face buried in his arms, rocking back and forth continuously.

'Simon?'

The voice surprised him, and he jerked, startled.

He had not heard Alec come onto the roof.

But now…now he could feel him, right next to him, his body warm, and his blood…

His blood would be warm, too. Hot, warm, he needed it.

Oh so close blood so thirsty hot wet fresh red blood in my mouth in my throat blood

He wanted it.

Blood want so bad hurts everywhere hurts need blood red fresh alive wait no its Alec

'Get away from me, Alec,' he whispered.

'What? Why do I have –'

'ALEC.'

Alec backed away, and this time Simon heard the click of the door as Alec disappeared back into the Institute.

Good.

Simon attempted to calm his breathing, taking deep breaths, but nothing was working.

He crawled over to the corner of the rooftop, wedging himself in and burying his face in his hands.

There was something really wrong with him.

As he listened to the New York traffic on the road below, his forehead started throbbing.

No, the Mark started throbbing.

There seriously was something really wrong with him.

So he just sat in the corner, trying not to think about blood.

Oh yes, he was so fucked up.

And he could never have any reprieve. He was eternally sixteen, and immortal.

He groaned, clenching his hands into fists.

He had tried praying, many times over, for forgiveness.

But he was damned. Unholy. Revenant.

And thirsty. Incredibly, horribly lusting for blood.

The door opened again, and footsteps crossed the roof to where Simon was curled up.

Alec.

He ignored him, hoping he would go away again. He had already told him to go away.

The footsteps stopped right in front of him, and warmth radiated down onto his skin.

He shivered involuntarily and he looked up, eyes feverish.

Blood ran down the corner of his mouth from where his fang pierced the skin.

'Here. You look pathetic, vampire.'

Jace.

Jace held Simon's arm around his shoulder as he helped Simon through the greenhouse and into the back room connecting, wherein laid three couches and an array of blankets.

Simon was shivering, his eyes tightly squeezed shut and his face turned away from Jace, his arm frozen in a way similar to rigor mortis around Jace's neck.

'Easy.' Jace detached the arm, and helped Simon collapse onto a couch.

Simon curled up into a ball again, facing the back of the couch, still not breathing.

Jace turned abruptly on his heel, striding purposefully back out to the greenhouse, leaving Simon alone in the room.

Simon took in a deep, shuddering breath.

And winced as his throat burned.

The heat was still permeating the air.

He needed blood. He needed it now.

'Jace? What the hell are you doing?'

Alec watched, disbelieving, from his seat at the kitchen table, as Jace ripped open the plastic Taki's take-away bag with his fingernails.

Jace shot him a look as his finger ran down all of the different containers. 'You invited the vampire, didn't you?'

Alec looked uncomfortable. 'Well, yeah, I thought he'd like to have a movie night with us.'

Jace gave him the Look.

'Are you serious? No wait, don't answer that. You're dead serious. At least you will be if you didn't order for him.'

'It's in the bottom container,' Alec said quickly.

Jace pulled out a thick container, white instead of clear.

He put it on the bench, fumbling around in the cupboards for a cup, swearing loudly as he hit his head on the door.

Alec raised his eyebrows. 'You're actually doing something for the vampire? I thought you hated him.'

'Dislike,' Jace clarified, concentrating as he poured steaming red liquid into the cup, careful not to spill it. 'I dislike the vampire, I don't hate him. And he was shitting himself up there. I am saving myself from the horrors of having to hunt him down and stake him for going rogue, sparing Clary from grief and therefore myself, and that bloody Mark of Cain…' Jace shook his head, replacing the lid on the white container.

Alec's eyebrows were straining at the skin now.

'So you're helping him?' he asked mildly.

'No,' said Jace through gritted teeth, 'I am helping myself.'

And he disappeared out the door of the kitchen and into the darkness of the hallway.

'Whatever floats your boat,' Alec said patronizingly, sipping his coffee.

Jace kicked the door open wider with his foot, having both hands gripped around the cup to keep it from spilling.

Simon was still on the couch, and Jace could clearly see his shoulders move up and down in a jagged motion before stopping movement completely.

He carefully sat the cup down on the coffee table in front of where Simon was spread out on the couch.

'Vampire?' He gripped the boy's shoulder, shaking him a little. He sighed. 'Simon?'

Simon turned his face slightly upwards, and Jace could see how unhealthily white the skin looked, except for that violent flush in his cheeks.

'Fuck off,' Simon muttered.

Jace rolled his eyes.

'I got you some blood,' he said, twisting the last word distastefully in his mouth.

At this Simon jerked, but then rolled over to face Jace, sitting up warily.

Jace saw his shadowed eyes dart to the cup hungrily, and flick back up to Jace.

'Go ahead,' Jace offered dryly. 'I don't mind.'

The corner of Simon's mouth twitched.

He reached out with blinding speed to grip the cup, shakily drawing it to his mouth.

Yes warm oh yes blood hot running my throat oh so good warm so good the blood

Jace watched with a macabre fascination as the other boy gulped the blood desperately, a single rivulet running down his chin.

He could already see the pale pallor returning, the flush receding. The shakes quelled.

Simon looked away from Jace as he wiped his mouth, staring at the cream-coloured carpet.

He was repulsive.

He looked up at Jace, meeting the other boy's eyes only for a second before looking away again, embarrassed.

'Thanks,' he muttered, his pride gone.

In fact, his pride had been gone the moment he had allowed Jace to help him into the Institute, but Jace did not particularly think that the moment demanded he point that out.

So he simply said, 'No problem.'

That was the nicest thing Jace Lightwood had ever said to Simon Lewis.

A/N: I hope this chapter was alright...it's setting up for the Important Thing in the next chapter. Note use of capitals.

So...movie night next up. Enter Clary and Isabelle. Simon learns something very important for later...

Please read and review...I might be able to get hold of some virtual Magnus Scarves to match the virtual Magnus Glittery Eyeshadow...