A/N: Have y'all seen any of the previews of the Shadowhunters TV show? It looks supremely awesome. Anyway, there's a poll on my profile if y'all wanna check it out. This is the longest thing I've ever written, even out of my original stuff.

22: Magnus

Alec isn't in the bed when I wake up in the morning. I don't smell food or hear the shower, so I don't know where he is. He might be doing homework, but why would he do it before breakfast?

I slink out of our room hesitantly. From the hall, I hear Alec's voice in the living room. He's asking about how much some papers are. It doesn't make any sense, no matter how long I listen in.

I tiptoe into the kitchen to get something to eat. I'm so hungry my stomach hurts. I grind up my pills and drop them into the my yogurt smoothie. I hate the bitter way they make things taste, but I'd rather not die. I wait in the kitchen until he's off the phone.

"Good morning. Did I wake you?" he murmurs, kissing me sweetly.

"No. Everything okay?" I reply.

"Just getting you another present."

I don't believe him. Why would he need papers for a Christmas present?

"What is it?" I ask.

"I can't tell you or it won't be a surprise. It'll be here tomorrow, okay? I think you'll really like it," he replies.

He takes me to my vet appointment after I finish breakfast. I don't really wanna go. I like Catarina, but I don't wanna go anywhere today.

"Good morning, Magnus. How're you feeling?" Catarina chirps happily.

"I didn't wanna leave the apartment. Does that count?" I reply.

"Not really. Are you having any problems?"

"No. I hurt last night, but we'd done a crapton of walking. My jaw isn't that sore, but I've had a broken jaw before."

And almost starved to death because no one bothered giving me food once I was able to come home, I add silently.

"Has your relationship changed since your diagnosis?" she asks.

"Things are still amazing," I reply, smiling.

"We'll know in a couple hours about the results."

I'm glad when we get home. It means I get more time with Alec without distractions. Until his phone rings. From the anger on his gentle, handsome face, I don't need to ask who it is because it's either his mother or Jace.

"What do you want?" he asks.

He's quiet for a moment. The hand on his thigh clenches into a fist.

"Stay away from me and Magnus. You had no right doing that to him! No, you're just being the same psychopath I grew up with. I don't give a crap about that. I love him. What don't you get about that?! I'm pressing charges. You almost killed my boyfriend. Don't call me again," he snarls, hanging up.

He's so angry he's shaking.

"My wonderful mother set you up," he mumbles, dialing a number.

I'm not really surprised. I knew she hated me. I knew she didn't approve of Alec being gay or of him saying he loved me. But I didn't think she'd sink that far.

"My name's Alec Lightwood and I need to press charges against my mother before she hires a hit on my boyfriend. My boyfriend's a neko, and she had his last owner come after him and my boyfriend would've been killed by him had my brother not stepped in. Ragnor Fell. I just now learned of my mother's involvement. Maryse Lightwood. Yes, she's the same one. Thank you so much, Officer," Alec says, giving them our address before hanging up.

I don't like seeing him upset like this.

"Why'd she do it?" I ask.

"She told Ragnor some crap story about me not wanting you and how he could steal you back. The assault was all him, but she encouraged the idea in his head to pursue you," he sighs angrily.

I rub his back gently. I want him to feel better.

"I'm sorry she's treating you like crap. She needs to realize she has a very amazing son," I murmur, kissing his cheek.

"I'm not bothered by what she does to me. It's what she does to you that upsets me," he replies.

"Any way I can make you feel better?"

"Unless you know someone wanting to adopt a gay eighteen-year-old who has a neko boyfriend, I doubt it."

"Pretty sure the 'neko boyfriend' would be a deal-breaker. No matter how amazing I am."

"And I thought you weren't conceited."

"I'm not conceited. I'm convinced…that I'm amazingly adorable."

He's laughing at me. As long as it makes him feel better, I don't care.

"Do think I can take my GED after the trial?" I ask.

"Probably. How much homework do you have left?" he replies.

"Not much. Right now, I'm not worried about it. I just wanna get past this drama with Ragnor."

His phone rings before he can reply. It's Catarina with the results of my blood test. The medicine is working well enough I probably won't be on it after the beginning of the year.

"At least something's going right," he mumbles.

"You still have me," I murmur, crawling into his lap.

I nestle my head against his neck and play gently with his hair. His hair feels like silk against my fingertips. He touches my cheek gently. I love how gentle he is with me.

"No one ever touched me like you do," I whisper.

It's true. Before Alec, touch meant pain or sex. So, technically, it just meant pain. No one cared if they hurt me or if the contact scared me. But he's the opposite. I never knew love made a difference.

"It took some getting used to, didn't it?" he asks.

"So did you wanting me to wear clothes. I thought at first I disgusted you," I admit.

"No. You were far from disgusting to me, even when you were so underweight."

I smile at his words.

"I never had someone respect me the way you do. I was taught hybrids don't deserve respect," I murmur.

"How did they treat you at the pound?" he asks.

"Some of them were less crappy. I wasn't there that long, though. Are you gonna try becoming a vet?"

"I'm thinking about it. It'd be more money. But I might not get to see you as often."

"And you wanna atone for what your parents did."

He nods.

"If you want my opinion, I think you've already more than made up for it," I inform him.

He sighs when the doorbell rings. It's a very drenched Jace. He looks like crap. He smells like he's slept in a Dumpster.

"What do you think you're doing here?" Alec asks quietly.

"I have HIV. Mom kicked me out," Jace replies.

"You're not staying here. You treated Magnus like crap."

"Alec, come on! I've been on the streets since I left here. I'll make up with the cat."

I don't trust Jace. At all. I'd rather chew off what's left of my tail than spend five minutes alone with him. He also saved my life and is Alec's brother. I know family is important to Alec.

"Magnus, do you want to speak with Jace? I understand if you would rather not," Alec says gently.

"What is there to say?" I reply.

"I'm sorry, alright?" Jace says.

"You did everything but call me a whore. I never was a whore. I was a psychopath's toy. The only reason I'd ever be okay with you living here is because you're Alec's brother and I know his family's important to him," I tell Jace evenly.

"I'll be your personal servant if you'll let me stay. I'll wear a French maid dress."

I can't hold back my laughter at the thought of Jace in drag.

"I like the idea of making you wait on me hand and foot. If you want my forgiveness, you have to earn it," I tell him.

"What do you want me to do?" Jace asks.

He's beginning to sound a little desperate.

"You gonna take your anger out on me again?" I ask.

"Already got that out of my system," Jace replies, showing us his battered knuckles.

"What'd you hit?" Alec asks.

"I punched my bedroom windows. And maybe a mirror. Or two. I'll sleep on the floor."

"We're gonna talk it over. Don't move."

Alec shuts the door before leading me to the kitchen.

"What do you think?" he asks.

"I'd rather chew off the rest of my tail than be alone with him. I know he's still your brother. If you want him here, I'll deal. Besides, even though I don't like him, I don't want someone to freeze to death," I reply.

"I don't wanna keep giving him chances. You're the one he's treated bad. You make the choice."

"One night, I guess. We're supposed to have a blizzard, right?"

"Tonight? Yeah."

"Nobody really deserves being out in a blizzard, I guess. I don't want to. Why didn't he go to a homeless shelter?"

"We don't have to. Because Jace thinks he's unstoppable half the time."

"Does he have anywhere else to go?"

Alec shakes his head.

If I say no, Jace could freeze to death because there's no guarantee he'll go to a homeless shelter. If I say yes, he could be a major jerkwad again and he and Alec might get in another fight. Or I might snap on him.

A/N: I know it's messed-up that they're even considering letting Jace move in, given what a major turd he's been, but I have a family who puts the 'dys' in dysfunctional and yet some of them still help each other out when they aren't fighting and making us want to give them away. Like seriously, I wish I could put a 'free to good home' sign up for some of my relatives. Sorry for the rambling. I just wanted to explain.