"Jace, I..."

Isabelle and Madeline watched as Alec was delirious, and Magnus was trying to use his magic to bring Alec back.

"It's not working." Isabelle stated, her shoulders slumped.
"I'm sorry, Isabelle." Magnus said as he tried to use his magic again. "Parabatai bonds are like a tether that binds two souls. Jace and Alec share emotions, instincts, strength. It's an angelic bond. My magic can only do so much."

Madi's face fell, "So Jace is like this, too?" She asked, scared that she could possibly lose both of them, for good. She couldn't bare it, Alec and Jace meant everything to her.

"Not necessarily. It appears that when Alec called out to him, part of his soul never returned. Now he's stuck, lost somewhere between himself and his parabatai." Magnus explained, activating his magic again.

"But if Jace brought back that missing piece of his soul..." Isabelle trailed off. "We may very well have the cure. Whatever we do, we need to do it quickly." Magnus explained. "Stay with Alec. I'll go find Jace." Isabelle said before she rushed out the door.

Madi looked sadly at her brother, wondering if there was anyway she could take this pain from him, and suffer the consequences instead of Alec. Her brother had a loving boyfriend, an amazing parabatai and was on the road to becoming an incredible leader. She wasn't going to let him die.

☠︎︎

Malia's eyes fluttered open, as she found herself staring at the large empty sky. The sound of waves crashed all around her, and with the smell of salt in the air, she soon put together that she had washed up at a beach.

The Bane sat up, still feeling quite weak from the injection Valentine had forced upon her. She looked around for any sign of Clary or Jace, but she was all alone.

Malia scrambled to her feet and tried to open a portal, hoping to go to the Institute and find Clary— assuming the Fray was there, but nothing was working.

"My.. my magic.." Malia blurted aloud before trying once again to open a portal, but for it to be unsuccessful again.

Malia swallowed thickly, trying to think of what to do... she was stuck in a city that she barely knew, and without her magic that could easily transport her to her brother's apartment or the Institute.

Her phone suddenly rang, and she picked it up, surprised it had survived all of that water and was still even in her pocket, before she then remembered she'd cast a protection spell on it days ago.

Malia answered the call, placing the phone to her ear. "Who is this and why have I labelled your contact don't answer?" The warlock asked. "Malia, it's Madeline... Lightwood." A voice came through the phone. "Look.. I know we don't really get along but I need your help— it's Alec he... he.."

Madi couldn't find the words to continue. "What's wrong with Alec?" Malia demanded, knowing that the Lightwood boy meant a lot to her brother. "He is slipping away.. I want to take his place and save him, but I need your help."

Malia sighed, "I can't. My magic is gone." She answered. "What? How?" Madi asked. "I'll explain later.. I'm pretty lost right now and I can't portal anywhere. Can you come and find me?" The Bane asked. "Okay, share your location and I'll be on my way." Madeline replied, before the call came to an end.

☠︎︎

Sometime later

"Wow.. you look terrible." Madeline blurted, not meaning to say that aloud. "Thanks Lightwood." Malia groaned, getting to her feet. "I.. I can't bring you to the Institute like this Malia, they'll never let you inside." Madeline stated, looking at the dark veins that popped out of the warlock's face.

"Help me back to my apartment? I'm sure Magnus can find a way to help me." Malia suggested, but noticed Madi's shoulders sink suddenly. "What?"

"Magnus is already exerting himself, he's trying to keep Alec from dying." The Lightwood explained, as Malia's eyes widened. "Get me back to my apartment, I'm sure I can find some weird cure amongst Magnus' magical shit." Malia ordered.

Magnus had never been so happy as he was with Alec. Malia wasn't going to let Magnus lose him.

☠︎︎

Malia groaned, in pain as she went through Magnus' things, hoping to make a potion to cure her condition. So far, she hadn't been lucky. Madi anxiously kept messaging Isabelle for updates, worried for her brother's life.

Suddenly, a portal opens up, and Magnus, holding Alec, stepped through it. Malia and Madeline face the pair, and Magnus' jaw dropped when he saw the state of his sister.

The older Bane gently placed Alec on the couch before he raced over to Malia, pulling her in for a hug. "Malia, what happened to you?" He asked, concerned. Malia wrapped her arms around her brother, relieved to see him."Valentine.. he injected me with something.. I can't... I can't use my magic." Malia explained, feeling like it was straining just to talk. The injection was taking a toll on her.

Magnus pulled away but still held his sister in his arms, "Sit tight, okay? I'm sure I can find some kind of treatment—"

"No. Save your nephilim boy. I'm sure I can find a cure myself" Malia insisted.

Magnus and Malia looked over at Alec, as Madeline sat next to him, tears in her eyes. "I've tried everything, there's nothing I.. I can do.." Magnus confessed, sounding heartbroken. "But Jace is on his way, right?" Madeline asked. Magnus nodded, "Isabelle is getting him."

Moments later, Magnus was whipping up a potion for Malia, trying to stay distracted from the fact that his boyfriend could slip away forever, but also to save his little sister... he couldn't bare to let her suffer any longer, especially since she had only gone through the portal to defend Clary.

Malia sat on the couch, beginning to sweat. "You don't look too good, warlock." Madi confessed, as Malia wiped her forehead, "I'm sure I'll be fine." She declared.

"Uh-huh!" Magnus boomed, before he rushed to Malia. "Here you are, my baby sister." He said, holding out a potion. Too unwell to argue about being called a baby sister, Malia took the potion in her hand and looked at its funky colour, before she ingested it.

She held the empty glass in her hand. "It will take a few treatments, but you should be back to normal soon." Magnus explained, before he noticed a few dark veins disappeared from Malia's face. "Thank you, Magnus." Malia said, beginning to feel a bit better.

Long awaited, Jace, Clary and Isabelle enter the apartment. Seeing the Lightwood in such a terrible condition, Jace blurted, "Alec."

Madeline and Magnus, who sat by Alec, peered up at the trio. "You've got to save him, Jace." Madi said, in almost a whisper.

Jace sat in front of Alec, as Madi and Magnus moved. Clary, Izzy and Malia also watched, as Jace held onto Alec, their hands linked as the stone sat between their palms. "Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee." Jace said.

Alec moved slightly and the stone fell from their hands.

"What's happening?" Isabelle asked, worriedly. "He's slipping." Magnus replied, terrified that this was the end for Alec. "No.." Clary trailed off.

"Thy people will be my people, thy God will be my God. When thou diest, I will die. And there will I be buried. The Angel do so to me." Jace continued, as he breathed out for what sounded like the last time. "No... no Alec!" Madi cried out, as Isabelle held onto her older sister, trying not to cry.

Malia noticed Magnus and Clary were crying, then she looked to the Lightwood girls who were on the verge of bursting into tears. The warlock felt tears sting her eyes now, she didn't know why.. she barely knew Alec.. but seeing the others hurt, made her feel hurt too.

"And more also... if aught but death part thee and me." Jace stammered before he cried out, "Please don't leave me, Alec."

After a moment of silence, Alec could be heard weakly saying, "If aught but death part thee and me."

Malia's eyes widen in surprise, before she looked to Clary and Magnus, who looked overjoyed. She then turned to Madeline and Isabelle, who still had tears, but now they were tears of relief. Their older brother was alive.

Jace and Alec looked at each other, before they hugged.

Everything seemed great.

But suddenly

Aldertree and his people barged inside.

"Jace Wayland! You are hereby sentenced to the City of Bones to await trial for the charge of high treason and aiding Valentine in a war against the Clave." Aldertree ordered. "Wait, what... What the hell is going on?" Alec asked, as Jace began to walk towards Aldertree. "It's all right, Alec. All that matters is you're back." The Wayland said.

"Jace— no!" Madi blurted, lurching forward to rush after him, but Isabelle threw her arms around her sister, stopping her. She knew the older Lightwood would give Aldertree a piece of her mind, resulting in quite the punishment.

"It's okay, Madi." Jace said, locking eyes with the Lightwood one last time, before he turned to Malia. He didn't say anything, but his eyes said, please look after my family. Malia gave a nod, before Jace was escorted out of the apartment.