Time to age Alec. There has been too much drama from the peanut gallery in regards to him being seven years old.

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Magnus sips his martini. He just sent a potion to a client and is wondering what he wants for dinner. His phone rings.

Isabelle.

Magnus wonders why Alec's sister is calling him at this time of the afternoon. He answers the phone, "Yes Izzy?"

All he hears is crying. A cold finger runs down Magnus' spine. "Hello, Izzy?"

She continues to cry.

A cold hand grabs Magnus' backbone, "Izzy, where are you?"

In between sobs he hears, "Infirmary."

He gently says, "I'm on my way." He ends the call and gathers a handful of jars. He isn't sure what he is walking into but he knows that time is of the essence.

He creates a portal and sees Izzy, Jace and Maryse waiting for him by a room, in the Infirmary's corridor. They look at him with tear streaked faces. The hand grips Magnus tighter.

Magnus walks into the room. Alec is laying on the bed. He is bleeding from claw marks on his lower chest and stomach. His clothes and the bed sheets are soaked in blood. The wounds themselves are discolored and ugly.

Maryse stands behind him and whispers, "Mortifer demon."

Magnus closes his eyes and curses. Mortifer demons are nasty creatures. Victims either die by bleeding out or by the demon's poison. Or a combination of both. Mortifer demon attacks are 85% fatal.

She continues, "They were blocks away when it came up behind them and attacked Alec. Jace killed it, grabbed Alec and they ran here. I told Izzy to call you."

Magnus nods as he walks over to the bed. Alec is deathly pale. Magnus gently touches his wrist with a shaky hand and is grateful that he feels a faint pulse. His hand continues to shake as he gets his phone out of his pocket and calls Catarina.

"Yes, Magnus?"

Magnus isn't surprised that his voice is barely above a whisper, "It's Alec."

"Where?"

"The Infirmary."

"I'm on my way." Seconds later, she walks into the room. She glances at the wounds, "Mortifer demon?"

Magnus nods as Maryse backs out of the room and stands by the door. Izzy moves closer and they hold each other as they watch the warlocks prepare to help Alec. Jace stands next to Izzy and holds her hand.

Catarina glances at Magnus, "I'll take care of the poison, you stop the bleeding?"

Magnus nods without a word. They make their potions.

Mortifer demon attacks are made worse because they require two warlocks to heal the victim. The chances of the victim, or their family, being able to get two warlocks to help them are the main problem. Then the two warlocks have to choice which one will take on the bleeding and which will take on the poison. Too many victims have died while warlocks argued. Lucky for Alec, he has two warlocks that care about him and who have worked together in the past.

Magnus takes off his jacket. He throws it on a nearby chair. He takes a deep breath and places his potion on the more severe slashes.

Catarina, who is in her scrubs, places her potion on Alec's stomach wounds, which seem to have gotten most of the poison.

She looks at Magnus, "Ready?"

Magnus nods. Magnus flicks his wrist, and the bed moves away from the wall, allowing them to move around the entire bed. They snap their fingers and bring magic to the fingertips of both their hands. They wave their hands over Alec's body as they slowly move counter clockwise around the bed.

The wounds finally stop bleeding after eleven rotations.

Maryse, Izzy and Jace watch the two warlocks move around the bed in silence. They are afraid any noise will distract Magnus and Catarina.

It seems to take forever but the discoloration of the wounds goes away and the slashes themselves close up. Catarina nods at Magnus and they stop. Magnus snaps his fingers, Alec's blood soaked clothes are gone and he is in a clean pair of sleep pants. The bed sheets also are changed.

Catarina looks closely at the wounds, "I think all the poison is gone." With a flick of her wrist, bandages cover the wounds.

Magnus collapses into the chair, not caring that he is sitting on his jacket, "Thank God."

Maryse walks into the room, "Is he going to be okay?"

Magnus closes his eyes as Catarina shrugs, "The bleeding has stopped and the poison is gone. Now we can only wait."

Maryse nods, "Thank you. Thank you both."

Catarina smiles weakly, "You're welcome. Go get some rest. Magnus and I will stay with him."

Magnus nods, "Yes, Maryse. There is nothing more we can do, but wait."

Maryse nods and walks out the room, "Izzy, Jace, let's go."

Jace walks into the room, he watches as Catarina moves the bed back against the wall with a flick of her wrist. She grabs a chair and brings it closer to the foot of the bed. She smiles gently at him.

He looks at Magnus, who has moved his chair closer to the bed so that he can hold Alec's right hand, with tears in his eyes. Jace whispers, "Magnus, our parabatai ceremony is Friday."

Magnus looks at him gently, "I know, Jace, I know." He holds Jace's hands in both of his, "Alec is strong."

Jace nods. He looks sadly at Alec, then walks out of the room. Magnus takes Alec's hand in his again.

Izzy walks in. She kisses Catarina's cheek, "Thank you." Catarina smiles at her.

She blinks away tears as she looks at Alec. She kisses Magnus' cheek, "Sorry about the phone call."

His eyes are gentle, "I got the message loud and clear, Izzy, don't worry about it."

She smiles weakly and leaves the room.

Magnus takes a deep breath and glances at Catarina, "I didn't know who else to call on such short notice."

She smiles, "It's a good thing you did call me, because if I heard that you called somebody else to heal Alec, I would have kicked your ass."

He smiles, "Something I will keep in mind. What did you tell them at the hospital?"

"Family emergency. Which is what it was."

Magnus nods, "Thanks Catarina."

She smiles, "No need to thank me, Magnus."

Magnus nods. He holds Alec's hand, his thumb rubbing against Alec's knuckles. Alec's hand is cold, and his coloring is too pale for Magnus' liking. Magnus keeps looking at Alec's chest to make sure he is breathing.

They sit there in silence and wait for Alec to wake up.

After a couple of hours, Magnus moves the chair closer to the bed. He whispers, "Alec, please wake up. Catarina and I have done all we can, but you need to come back to us. To me. Yes Alexander, I need you. Please open your eyes and come back to me." He wipes away the tears that start falling down his face.

Catarina wipes away tears as well. She also is worried that Alec might not make it.

Magnus sits back in the chair. He continues to rub his thumb across Alec's knuckles as he holds the teenager's hand.

His eye is caught by something. He watches as the right side of Alec's neck starts to burn. He sits up and watches as the burn forms a rune that instantly turns the familiar black. A rune that Magnus doesn't recognize. He looks at Catarina with wide eyes as he gently touches it.

Catarina looks at him, "Magnus, what is wrong?"

"It's a rune, Catarina."

"A rune?" She stands up and walks around the bed. She looks at Alec's neck but the only rune she sees is the deflect/block one, "He always had that one."

Magnus shakes his head and touches the new rune, "This just appeared."

Catarina is confused, "There is nothing there, Magnus."

He looks at her, "You don't see it?"

She smiles gently, "Magnus, you are seeing things, there is nothing there."

"Maybe I can help?"

Catarina and Magnus look towards the door and see Izzy standing there. Catarina says gently, "Why aren't you sleeping?"

Izzy smiles weakly, "I couldn't sleep, so I came back here and sat in the hall until I heard you talking. I don't see the rune, Magnus, but maybe if I pass my stele over it, we will."

Magnus nods, "I would appreciate that, Izzy, because I am not seeing things. There IS a rune on the right side of his neck."

She walks over, taking her stele out of her pocket, "Okay, where exactly is it?"

Magnus takes her hand and traces the rune. Catarina and Izzy both gasp as they see it.

Izzy's eyes are wide, "By the angel."

Catarina nods, "I agree."

Magnus nods, "I knew I wasn't seeing things."

Catarina looks at Izzy, "What is it?"

Izzy smiles, "It's a love rune."

Catarina looks at Magnus, "A love rune, that only you saw."

Izzy shakes her head, "Mom is going to flip and Dad is going to explode."

Magnus groans, "How about we leave out the part about me being the only one that could see it."

Izzy nods, "Yes, that would probably be a good idea. Bad enough it's a love rune."

Catarina goes back to the chair and sits down, "Magnus, that still doesn't change the fact that it appeared after you begged him to wake up. Magnus, that rune is about you."

Izzy nods, "Maybe I should have left it alone."

Magnus sighs, "No, better for it to be out in the open then for me to agonize over it while it is unseen by anybody."

Izzy nods, "That's true."

"Magnus?"

They look at Alec. His eyes are partially open but he is looking at Magnus.

Magnus smiles at him, "Welcome back."

Izzy smiles as she leans over and kisses his cheek, "Hey big brother."

Alec whispers, "What attacked me?"

Catarina answers, "Mortifer demon."

"Catarina?"

"Yes, Alec."

Alec tries to sit up, but groans at the pain. Magnus waves his hand across Alec's chest to apply some pain relief, "You need to rest, Alexander."

Alec nods and relaxes against the pillows.

Catarina smiles at Izzy, "Bed." Izzy nods and kisses Alec's cheek. She leaves the room.

Catarina slowly stands up and stretches, "Now that Alec is awake, I can go home." She kisses Alec's cheek, "Feel better." She walks over to Magnus and hugs him, "The worst is over, get some rest."

Magnus nods, "Thanks for everything, Catarina." She smiles at him and leaves.

Alec looks around the room, "Magnus, this isn't MY room. I'm in the Institute."

Magnus nods, "Jace and Izzy bought you here."

He looks at Magnus with worried eyes, "Are you leaving?"

Magnus smiles, "I'm not going anywhere." He sits down in the chair.

"You're going to sleep in the chair?"

"Where else will I sleep?"

Alec bites his lip against the pain as he moves over, "Now there is room for you."

"Alexander..."

"Please, Magnus."

Magnus eyes the new rune on Alec's neck and nods, "Okay." He lays down next to Alec. Alec moves closer to him with a wince. Magnus shakes his head, "Stop moving."

Alec looks at him with terrified eyes, "I almost died, Magnus."

Magnus nods. He moves closer to Alec. He lays on his side. His head resting against Alec's on the pillow. Alec sighs.

Magnus kisses his forehead as Alec holds his hand, "Now go back to sleep."

Alec looks at him and smiles, "Yes, Magnus."

Magnus nods.

Alec closes his eyes and falls asleep.

Magnus lays awake, wondering what will happen when Alec and his parents see the new rune on his neck.

-tbc-

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Mortifer is 'death bringer' in Latin.

Yes, the Love Rune is in the house and there will be drama in the next chapter.