The bus stop at the town and Alec got off. He felt his stomach growling and he want to buy something to eat. He need some energy otherwise he could collapse again. He went to one of the cafe there and wanted to order his usual coffee. He stood there in the cafe and he froze when he entered. He saw his mum behind the counter taking orders. But she didn't wear the uniform like the rest of them so that would make her the owner just like Clary.

He was snapped in his daydream when she asked him the order. He looked at her before but never this close and usually he was the only one who look, not her. From the distant he could actually smell her despite they are in the cafe with lots of smells of coffee and chocolates but she smell different and specific to her body. She smells like jasmine and Alec couldn't help but stare at her beautiful face. She really is pretty and Alec felt warm and comfort whenever he saw her.

"Honey are you gonna order or not? You're holding up the line." She asked when Alec didn't respond to her for the 3rd time. "Y-Y-Yeah, sorry, can I have red eye please. To go." She clicked on the orders and the cash register making sounds that Alec familiars since he also worked at the cafe. "you want anything else sweetheart? A sandwich? Scones? House favorite." He shake his head no, the name calling really hits him but then he had an idea. Why not stay at the cafe and could watch his mum all day. "I changed my mind, can I have my coffee here instead. I'll let you know when I changed my mind on the sandwiches." She smiled at him and Alec returned the smile gladly. "Yeah, grab a book while you wait, it'll keep you entertained for a while. Have a seat and I will send it to you." He nodded and he paid for the coffee. He loves the cafe so much not just because he could see his mum but because it's like a small library and Alec loves to read. He grab one of the books and sat by the window table facing his mum.

"Here you go. One red eye. Changed your mind on the sandwiches yet? You look like you could use more food in you." She said while placing her hand on her waist. He shake his head and looked at her with a weak smile on his face. He forgot how hungry he was before he got into the cafe but now all he want was to sit and looked at her.

Then she raised he palm to his cheek rubbing her thumb on his bruise. "Who did this to you?" He pulled back his face and look down on his coffee. "Uhmm, no one. I fall down the stairs." He knows how stupid the reason was but he can't figured out any other excuses. Alec could hear her sighed and he saw her grabbing the chair and sat next to him. "You know how many times I used that excuses before? You can lie to other people but you can't lie to me. How old are you exactly? You didn't seem like boys who like to get into a fight." Alec shook his head lightly before he answer, "I'm 20 this year." Maryse sighed before she continued, "If anyone try to hurt you, you fight back. You fight cause its your life too. Don't let them bullied you." Alec looked at her and their gaze met. She was so nice even though she just met him. He blink and the tears flow down on his cheek. She rubbed his cheek and wished the tear away. Alec leaned kn the touch and he noticed she didn't remove her hand, she let it rest on his cheek and Alec couldn't help but enjoying the warmth of her palm.

"You don't talk much do you." Alec shake his head and smiled. But she kept on staring making him blushed. "Somehow, you remind me of someone. Someone I miss so much in my heart. I supposed he could be around your age by now, maybe you guys could be friends" Alec looked at her and he tried to tell her but when he opened his mouth nothing came out. He froze in her presence. Then she stood up and patted his shoulder asking him to enjoy the coffee. He sighed at himself for being such a wuss and Alec continued sat there and sipped his coffee while reading the book when suddenly his phone buzzed in his pocket. He looked at the phone and saw Jace's number and picked it up immediately.

"Hey, whats up? Ohh okay I'll be there." Alec stood up and glanced at his mum one last time before he left. If only he could say goodbye but it would be weird so he just turned and left. Little did he know is that Maryse was actually staring at him leaving. She felt burning in her heart and emptiness when she saw Alec leave the cafe. She saw his eyes and it reminded her of someone really special. Someone she thought she would never see again.

Jace was asking Alec if he could cover Clary at the cafe for today since he wanted to surprised her with a date and for Alec he has no problem making extra money. Only another way to escape himself from his father. He went straight to the cafe and informed Clary to get ready for her date and nothing excites her more than Jace being spontaneous. She thank Alec, not wasting anytime she went out the cafe. He grabbed the apron and started cleaning the table top. Suddenly he heard a familiar voice with the same exact coffee order. He turned around and looked at him, he smiled but Magnus didn't bother to look at his face and continued to stared at his phone. Alec knew Magnus was hurt after the way he reacted last night. He made his coffee order and took the money from him. "Magnus, can we talk?" Magnus looked up from his phone and looked into his eyes before grabbing the coffee from his hand. "There's nothing to talk about, you made it clear. I'm busy. Goodbye Alexander." He turned on his heels leaving Alec behind the counter with pain in his heart. He swallowed it hard and continued on his job. He knew this would happened and he was glad he didn't opened up to him. He glad things were not so complicated with Magnus. Just strictly business to customer relationship. Its for the best, no one would get hurt. He tell himself that so he could ease the ache in his heart.

Days went by and Alec keep visiting on his mum at her cafe. She get used to Alec's presence and not a day goes by they didn't sat down and talk. She and Alec like a lot of things together, from books to coffee to food and Alec couldn't help but lie to her about his name. He told her his name was Gideon. She gasped at the name but she didn't asked too many questions. Gideon was actually her brother's name who died due to cancer and she gave Alec his middle name in honoring her brother. She still remembers when the first time she looked at Alec and when she brought him home from the hospital. How something so small wrapped in her arm and her heart filled with joy. But things get rough between her and Robert causing her to lose Alec. She never woke up another day not remembering him.

Its going on for the past 3 weeks and Robert still hasn't changed. He keep on beating Alec and sometimes Alec would come to the cafe with new bruises and sometimes he would collapse during work due to over tired. There was a time when Maia found Alec fainted at the store room after he bring out boxes and she screamed for help but Alec being stubborn as always refused to go to the hospital. He knew if he ever ended up at the hospital it would make a lot of problem.

He couldn't sleep after being beaten up by Robert not unless he collapsed and he cant eat properly without throwing it back. His appetite grew smaller and smaller everyday like a 5 years old. His body changed drastically and he hide it under his baggy clothes and sweater. Sometimes he sees Magnus at the cafe and he saw how Magnus face changed when he saw him with bruises on lips, cheek and his palm. But not once he asked what happened. Alec wanted to tell him so much. He wanted Magnus to save him from his father. He saw how Magnus tried a few times to ask what happened but then he stopped himself and act like he doesn't care about him anymore. A few times Alec saw Magnus with girls and sometimes boys giggling, kissing and waist handling grinding their body together. He knows Magnus was doing that just to show to Alec and he could have gone to a different cafe but he picked that cafe specifically to make alec jealous. But to Magnus disappointment Alec will just smiled and greeted them like his usual customers.

It was the usual morning when Alec was supposed to come for his shift but he didn't show up. Clary knows exactly what happened because Jace told her to go easy on him. He told her what happened the night before. Alec had a fight with his father when he tried to ask about his mum. His dad got so angry and beat the shit out of him. He had to call Jace to send few stuffs to covered up his injury. Clary couldn't help but felt sorry for Alec, but she knows Magnus care about him too. She decide to tell Magnus what exactly happened in hoping he would listen. She waited for him to come for his usual coffee. When he entered the cafe she lighten up and smiled at him. "Do you have time? Can we talk?" Magnus surprised she wants to talk suddenly considering the cafe was slummed and they are one staff short. He just nodded and they went to the table and sat down. "So what's up?" He started the conversation. "Its about Alec." His heart pounded at hearing his name. But he control himself not letting her see his real reaction. "Ohh, what about him?" He tries to cover his ego by not showing too much affection. "You never got the chance to know the real story and for what I know, Alec will never tell anyone about it." Magnus looked at her with a concern look, crooking his eyebrow listening to her. She told him everything she knew from what Jace told her. About how his father always beat him till he passed out and he would work just to pay for everything. Magnus couldn't help but felt guilty and stupid for not giving Alec a chance to explain. "I've got to go Clary, I need to see him." Clary smiled seeing Magnus actually cared about him. She saw how he actually sprinted out from the cafe and headed to Alec's house.

He stood in front of Alec's house fidgeting not knowing what could happened to him exactly. The driveway is empty that means his father isn't home. He rang the doorbell and waited for an answer. He rang it again but still no answer. He tried knocking but the house was dead silent. He tried to open the door and he's lucky it wasn't lock.

He entered and the smell of alcohol hits his nostrils. How could Alec live like this? He saw take out container was everywhere in the living room. He called out his name but no answer. He went upstairs to look for him and he saw a room, the door was half opened. He entered and saw a big bed, messy like the sheets wasn't washed for months. There's a wardrobe with a mirror but the mirror broke and the wardrobe is like a shipwrecked. He could see woman's blouse, long dress still in a plastic bags inside one of the wardrobe. Then suddenly he heard a loud thump coming from the room next to it.

He went out and reached for the door knob. Soon as he entered the room he saw there's a single bed half made. The room was actually a lot nicer and cleaner. There's a book case by the side of the window with a wardrobe next to it. He heard a water tap running and he opened the bathroom door. Soon as he enter he felt like he's in a horror house. He saw Alec's body on the floor with blood coming out from his left wrist. He was holding a blade on his right hand. But that's not what bothers him the most. Alec is covered in bruises and his face is so messed up. His lips is swollen and cut. His eyes are sunken and dark circles surround it. He had bruised on his left eye and also his left cheek bone, his chin and his neck. His neck has marks like someone strangle him. "Alexander!" He shouted lifting Alec's head close to his chest. His breathing was slow and deep. His breath making a heaving dry sound. He checked the wound but it wasn't that deep. Then he saw his arm filled with it. He never see Alec actually without sleeve and this is the first time he actually saw Alec's skin. It was pale and like a pale white canvas it looks like someone drew small fine red line marking it. He was wearing boxers and Magnus could see on his thighs too. When he hold Alec in his arm, his shirt lifted up a bit and he saw more bruises, more cuts and some were new, some were old. He couldn't help but teared up seeing Alec's hurt so badly. He loss consciousness in his arm and he could see Alec got skinnier than the last time he saw him. His ribs are showing and his stomach flatten inward. He might have a six pack before but it was too skinny to form now . He quickly lifted Alec up and placed him on bed. He grabs his phone and called for an ambulance. He gave him the house details and stayed by Alec's side the whole time.