Chapter Nine - Run.

Jace and Alec both climbed down from the rafters and Jace could sense that the minute Alec's feet had touched the floor to the training room, he was back to his hurt, broken self. Jace watched his Parabatai as they walked slowly towards the door, it hurt him to see Alec like this and he hated every second. "Do you think we'll have time to run away from whatever Isabelle wants to talk about?" Jace asked.

Alec shrugged, "Maybe. We'd better start running then." Jace laughed slightly and a thin smile was carved onto Alec's face. 'Yep, definitely still hurt and broken.' Jace thought as he noticed the smile fall in an instant, 'If only I could help you, Alec.' He reached out opening the door to the training room glancing over his shoulder at Alec, who was now staring at the floor, "Okay?" Jace asked. Alec nodded, still staring at the floor. "I need to hear you say it." Jace added.

"Okay." Alec replied and Jace smiled. "Shall we start running?" Jace asked, "Come on, I'll race you!"

The boys sprinted down the staircase and along the corridor past their bedrooms. "Catch me if you can Alec!" Jace called and laughed as Alec drew up along side him before racing on ahead and ran down the next staircase. "More like catch me if you can Jace!" He called as he skidded around a corner and down another corridor, "Jace?! Come on slow coach!" Alec yelled, turning around to jog backwards slightly just in time to see Jace throw himself over the bannister of the stairs and land in front of Alec. Alec grinned and spun back around to sprint, Jace was now hot on his heels. They drew in line with each other as they raced down the corridor and another staircase before skidding to a halt in the entrance hall. Both boys fell down, lying on the floor panting and sweating, Alec grinned, "I won! I won!"

"No! I won!" Jace yelled back, shoving Alec's left foot.

Isabelle walked over and stood towering above Jace and Alec as they lay panting on the marble flooring. She tapped her high heeled boot impatiently waiting for them to finish arguing when that didn't happen she snapped, "I called mom!" Suddenly Jace and Alec fell silent, they both sat up crossing their legs on the floor like two schoolchildren. "What?" Jace asked, glancing hurriedly over at Alec who had fallen silent and was staring at Isabelle, his head tilted to one side. "I called mom," Isabelle repeated, "she said she'll be home within the week."

"Mom's... coming... mom's coming... home?" Alec questioned still staring at Isabelle with that strange expression on his face. Jace shuffled closer to Alec's side, "You called her?" Jace asked, he too was staring at Isabelle although not strangely like Alec, "Maryse is coming home. Yes!! No more eating pasta that will kill you!" Jace cheered, leaping to his feet arms raised in the air.

Isabelle glared at him and he hurriedly sat down, "Excuse me?!"

"I said... no more living home alone?" Jace quelled under Isabelle's glare; one of his eyebrows raised.

"That's what I thought you said." Isabelle replied, nodding.

She turned her attention to Alec, "Isn't this great Alec? Mom's coming home to live with us here at some point this week!"

"Yeah," Alec sighed in a distant tone, "great!" He stood up and dropped his Gear on the floor, heading over to the front door he grabbed his jacket and headed outside, the door slamming shut behind him. Isabelle glanced at Jace with her eyebrows raised; he shrugged before turning his attention to stare at the closed door for a moment. Isabelle gathered up Alec's Gear muttering something that sounded a lot like, "That was not a reaction I thought I would see." The moment Isabelle left with Alec's Gear, Jace hurriedly removed his, dropping it on the floor just as Alec had done before heading out of the Institute. The morning sun was only just starting to rise higher in the sky, the temperature beginning to soar as Jace stood on the top step, he cast a glance around before spotting Alec opening the gate to the Institute and entering onto the street. Jace ran after him, he got all the way to Java Jones before he lost sight of Alec. 'Damn!' He thought as he glanced all around him on the crowded street, Alec had gone, 'Alec really knows how to make himself disappear when he doesn't wish to be followed.'

Alec's sprinting footsteps pounded down the dark back alley he knew Jace had been following him and he only hoped that Jace had lost sight of him as he ran past Java Jones. His speed and stamina runes burned on his left arm as he ran, he wouldn't - or couldn't - stop, not for anything. He ran into one of the shops and grabbed two bottles of alcohol and dropped the money on the cashier's desk before running back out, he didn't care that he had overpaid, he just wanted to escape and making things seem blurry through the use of alcohol seemed like a good way to do it. He wanted to escape the memories, the pain, the guilt. It was his fault and he knew now that Magnus would never forgive him, not for what he did.

Magnus headed downstairs into the main dining room where Tessa was just starting to set the table for dinner. She jumped when she spotted Magnus stood in the doorframe, "Magnus!" She cried, almost dropping a plate in shock.

"I didn't mean to startle you." Magnus said with a smile.

"It's okay. Dinner will be ready in a couple of minutes, I was just about to come and wake you." Magnus shook his head and began to help Tessa finish setting the table before sitting down in a seat, he rubbed a hand over his face his mind still troubled over the dream he'd had. "Did you sleep well?" Tessa asked as she brought two bowls of stew over. Magnus glanced up at her, unsure as to whether to tell her truth or not. Finally he settled on telling her the truth, "Not really." He said, "I had a dream and in this dream someone I loved died."

"Someone you loved? Who? If you don't mind me asking." Tessa smiled sympathetically.

"A boy. By the name of Alexander Lightwood." Magnus sighed, filling his mouth with stew so he didn't have to answer for a good few minutes. He glanced up to find that Tessa was still looking at him, "I feel there's a history." She said after a while; Magnus smiled, "You are correct."

*****

Alec threw himself down on the corner of the street, tears stinging his eyes; he rubbed at them impatiently. Opening one of the two bottles he took a long swig of the fluid, coughing as it seared the back of his throat. It tasted bitter. He took another swig from the bottle, this time the aftertaste was slightly better but not by much. He stared across the street, his back pressed into a concrete wall. People walked past barely paying him any attention, he ripped his jacket off and dropped it beside him, he had no plans of leaving here for a good long while. Tears flowed down his cheeks mixing with the torrential rain as the thunderclouds finally opened, lightning flashing. Staring across the street he suddenly realised where he was sat, he was outside Magnus's apartment he didn't move. He wouldn't go near that place. He would leave Magnus alone he dropped the empty bottle to the side and opened the second one. "Alec? Alexander?" A feminine voice called from his left side as he reached the halfway point of the bottle, everything had gone blurry and he blinked trying to discern features of the figure that was knelt beside him, "It's me. Catarina? Catarina Loss?"

He didn't move, he didn't even speak. He just continued to drink from the glass bottle, "What are you doing out here in the rain?" She asked; he replied with a shrug. He dropped the empty bottle to the side, "Do you have more?" He asked, finally looking at her. She was dressed in her hospital scrubs which were covered with a raincoat, her blue skin showing clearly.

"No," She said, "and I think you've had enough anyway. You should go home, you're going to get ill beginning sat out here in the rain." He shrugged again at her comment. "I don't have a home." He muttered.

"Sure you do. The Institute is your home and I'm sure your Parabatai and sister are worried sick, go home. Rest and relax." She smiled sympathetically.

"I can't relax! I can't rest! It never leaves! The memories, the pain they never fade!! I hate it! I hate myself! This is my fault!" He sobbed, his fists clutching his damp hair in sorrow. Catarina frowned, "Come on." She said, helping Alec slip his jacket back on, "Come with me." She pulled the hood up on Alec's jacket and steered him in the direction of the hospital.

*****

"By the Angel! Where the hell is he?!" Isabelle demanded as she and Jace stood by the window of the Institute's library staring out into the rain drenched street. "I tried. I really tried." Jace muttered, running a hand through his hair, "I tried." Isabelle hugged him, "I know Jace. I know." Jace squirmed out of the hug and moved over to the phone and picked it up, upon hearing the dial tone he slammed it back down. "It works. He's not calling. Why isn't he calling?!" He demanded, tears making his gold eyes glassy. He pulled his phone from his pocket, "He's not calling. He's not texting. Why is he doing this?!"

"Jace. Calm down." Isabelle sighed, "He'll call soon, I'm sure of it."

"He won't! He's out there! He won't call! Why am I not out there?! I should be looking for him! Why am I not looking for him?!"

Just then the phone on the desk began to ring, Jace ran over and yanked it up to his ear, almost snapping the connection cord in his rush. "Hello?! Alec?!" He yelled, Isabelle stared over at him. "Oh hi." He said, "Wait what?! Where?!" Isabelle frowned at the concern in Jace's tone his face had paled in fear, "He's where?! What was he doing?! Drinking?! Hates himself?! Okay! Okay! We'll be over there right away! Thanks Catarina!" He slammed the phone down sinking to his knees on the floor.

"Jace?" Isabelle called, her voice sounding tiny and scared, "Jace? What is it? Where's Alec?"

"He's in the hospital." Jace replied, staring up at Isabelle his eyes wide and his hands trembling. "He's in the hospital."