Alec was jolted from his light doze, pressing himself farther back against the wall as his eyes darted quickly around the small room; glancing over the small cot in the corner, the table covered in papers and maps, the small cabinet with various potions and other liquids, and the weapons rack against the wall. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary - even the cobwebs hadn't shifted. But if he had woken up, it must mean...

"You're awake." The voice drifted in from the room's entrance, a small tunnel leading to the mouth of the cave they were in. A figure stepped out of the shadows, white-blonde hair glinting in the candlelight and black eyes unreadable as he watched Alec. "I must say, I'm grudgingly impressed that you're still able to pull yourself from sleep. It can't be easy, now." Tossing a parcel onto the bed, the teen stalked over to where Alec was sitting on the floor, smirking slightly when Alec tried to press farther back into the wall, blue eyes wary as Jonathan crouched before him.

Alec tensed when Jonathan reached out, grabbing Alec's chin and tilting his head up. The dim light flowed over his face and clearly showed the deep bruises under his eyes from lack of sleep and the sharpness of his face, lack of food making his fine cheekbones even more pronounced. His skin was sallow even in the glowing candle light, and Jonathan tutted at him, reaching his other hand out to brush black hair off Alec's face, the locks still thick, but limp and unhealthy.

"It's been a nearly month, Lightwood. Do you really think they're still looking for you?"

"Yes," Alec answered simply, his voice barely a whisper. His whole body was tense, but he didn't fight Jonathan's grip yet, letting the younger teen examine him.

Snorting, Jonathan released him and stood, dusting his hands off on his pants, cocking his head and planting his hands on his hips as he smirked down at Alec. "Really?" He drawled, "You think that your Warlock will wait around for you? He's had many lovers before, I'm sure - must not be too hard to get over them, now." Grinning cruelly at the flash of hurt in Alec's expressive eyes, he continued. "And your parents; do you really think it matters to them if you're lost? Not much use if you're not going to produce any heirs, are you? And Angel Boy can always find a better parabatai- it's not like he can do much wor-" He broke off, eyes narrowing as he stared at the entrance.

Alec blinked through the tears clouding his vision as Jonathan was suddenly gone, and it wasn't until he tried to move his head that he realized the teen was now crouching beside him, one hand fisted in Alec's hair and the other holding a large dagger to his throat. Freezing, Alec turned his his eyes back to the entrance, a single tear escaping down his cheek as he tried to blink them away, wondering what made Jonathan react so.

"Come out," Jonathan ordered. "I know you're there."

As Alec blinked again, the shadows suddenly shifted and Jace came into view, dressed in full shadowhunter gear, eyes hard and weapons in hand. The rest of his family appeared right after, first Isabelle, then his parents; all dressed like Jace and tense, eyes furious as they glared at Jonathan.

The half-demon chuckled, dagger not moving at all. "I guess you were right, Lightwood. It's too bad that they're not going to get any closer without me slitting your throat," he mused. "Put your weapons down, all of you. We can talk about his like civilized -"

There was a loud snap, and Jonathan stopped moving behind him. Alec stared in confusion at his family, then watched as Magnus emerged from the shadows. He looked murderous. His yellow-green eyes were narrowed to small crescents, and what could be seen of them were bright with fury. Blue sparks danced around his fingers as he slid from the shadows, and Alec, in all honestly, wondered how he hadn't been seen before. Magnus flicked his fingers slightly, and the knife was removed from Alec's throat, along with the hand gripping his hair. He stared blearily up at Magnus, briefly wondering if this was actually happening, or the lack of sleep was finally getting to him.

He was answered when Izzy broke away from the rest of his family, bolting over to kneel before him and cup his face in her hands, brushing his hair out of his face with trembling fingers.

"Oh," he said, staring. "You're real."

It wasn't what he had meant to say, and by the alarmed looks everyone sent each other, it wasn't what they had expected either. The blue sparks around Magnus's fingers started flashing brighter and brighter as he glared at Jonathan's frozen form, which Alec knew signaled that the warlock was in a dangerous mood.

"No, wait, Magnus, you can't k-kill him," he said, voice trembling and hoarse.

"Give me one reason why not to," he said. Magnus's voice was nearly as soft as Alec's, but it had a dangerous presence that made it seem much louder, and everyone in the room paused to watch the warlock.

"Magnus," Alec whispered, waiting until the cat eyes were turned to look into his own blue gaze. "I don't want Jace to die."

Magnus paused. Turning slightly, he eyed the golden-eyed shadow hunter, considering. After a few tense moments, he sighed, and the sparks disappeared from around his fingers. "All right," he said, running a hand through his hair and crouching next to Alec and Isabelle. Reaching down, a few more sparks flew as he unlocked the chain around Alec's ankle. "Can you stand?"

Alec bit his lip, considering. "... I don't know," he said eventually. "I can try. Just... not too fast."

Magnus nodded, sharing a glance with Isabelle. They moved to either side of Alec, grabbing his arms and helping him lean up against the wall. By the time he was upright, Alec's breathing was ragged, his vision slowly going dark and ears ringing.

"Shit," he gasped, legs trembling. The world went dark for a few moments, and when the black finally receded, he found himself outside in the shade of a large tree, Magnus holding him in his arms while he talked to Isabelle. "What...?"

"Hey," Magnus murmured, looking both relieved and anxious. "Welcome back."

"Hi," Alec said, flushing slightly as he buried his face in Magnus's neck, blushing even brighter at Isabelle's giggle. He squirmed slightly, trying to wordlessly tell Magnus to let him down. It didn't work. "Magnus, you can probably put me down now. It can't be easy to carry me."

Tightening his grip on the Shadowhunter, Magnus shot him an incredulous look. "You weren't heavy before, but now you're probably just as heavy as Clarissa, which, for someone of your height, is frankly quite alarming. Did he feed you at all?"

"A little," Alec answered, thrown off guard by the sudden serious tone. "Mostly he just made sure I had enough to drink."

Magnus frowned, a faint line appearing in between his brows. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by loud swearing from the cave's entrance. Lifting his head, Alec is able to see Jace and his parents leading an angry Jonathan from the cave, hands trapped behind his back with what looked like the same thing the Inquisitor had once used on Jace. The silver haired boy glanced up and snarled at Magnus, his black eyes glinting dangerously.

"You. I'm going to kill you, Warlock," Jonathan growled, straining against Jace's hold. Magnus just regarded the boy coolly, watching as he was lead to another group of Shadowhunters and a strange carriage covered in runes.

"What's that?" Alec asked as Jonathan was shoved inside and the door was closed and locked behind him.

"It's essentially a mobile prison. The Silent Brothers set it up as soon as we found out that it was Jonathan that took you. He'll be transported to the City of Bones, and hopefully they'll set up another Malachi Configuration. Witha roof, this time," Isabelle said, sending Alec an amused glance. He blushed again, then bit his lip and looking away.

"Come on," Magnus said, beginning to walk to a group of tethered horses. "We should start back - it will be a while longer if we ride at a walk."

"Why are we - oh. Are we in Alicante?" Alec asked, glancing around the forest.

"Yeees," Magnus said, "You didn't know?"

Alec shrugged - or as best he could while being carried. "When I woke up, I was in the cave. Jonathan didn't allow me far, and the forest didn't really give me any clues."

Magnus hummed, and with a snap of his fingers the saddle on his black horse disappeared. In its place was a large bareback saddle, which Magnus quickly helped Alec onto, before untying and tossing the reins around the horse's neck and easily jumping on behind him.

"Nice," Alec complemented, relaxing back into Magnus. The chest behind him rumbled as the warlock chuckled, snaking his arms around Alec's waist and grabbing the reins, maneuvering the horse to a small path. Another snap of his fingers and a thermos was in his hands, which he passed to Alec.

"Thank you," Magnus preened. "Now drink. It's just a light soup - should fill you up but not hurt your stomach."

"But I'm not really hungry," Alec protested, eyes drooping and mouth stretching in a wide yawn. "I can wait until we get back. Can I just sleep?"

"You don't feel overly hungry because you're starved. Believe me, this will help. Drink."

"Fine," Alec grumbled, slowly sipping the warm soup. It was good, tasting a little like minestrone soup without the vegetables and pasta. It was a bit thicker than broth, but it didn't taste like it was because of any sort of milk product. "What is this?"

"Pureed minestrone, sans the pasta. You won't be ready for more complicated things for a while."

"You sound like you know this from experience," Alec said carefully, wary of Magnus's response. Things usually went really well, or terribly awkward when the darker parts of Magnus's past were brought up.

Like he expected, there was a short, strained silence - but he was surprised when Magnus eventually replied. "I do," he said softly, rubbing Alec's stomach soothingly with one hand through the thin shirt. "I've lived through a few hard times, and have known starvation. Nothing horrible, but it's hard to forget. The recovery period can sometimes be even worse than the actual starvation."

Alec nodded, leaning his head against Magnus's and closing his eyes as he continued to sip his soup. "Thank you."

"Any time, love," Magnus said, pressing a kiss into Alec's hair. "Now drink before you fall asleep and drop the thermos."

Eight hours later, the the Lightwood's and Magnus neared Alicante, the rest of the entourage having rode ahead, not needing to lag behind with the worried family. Alec had fallen asleep shortly after finishing the soup, and hadn't woken fully throughout the entire ride. A few times a rustle in the undergrowth would make him twitch and moan, but Magnus was able to quickly sooth him back into sleep. Magnus and Isabelle kept up a soft conversation, with random inserts from Jace. Maryse and Robert rode in silence.

When they were almost to the the city, Magnus immediately turned towards the house he had claimed for himself, ignoring the Lightwood parent's protests. "Have you dealt with someone recovering from starvation?" he asked pointedly, and smirked grimly at their silence. "That's what I thought. I'm not saying you can't be near him, but I'm going to be the one directing his care," he said, grinning at Isabelle and Jace's amused looks. They, at least, understood that Alec would want to wake with Magnus, instead of alone or with his family watching his every move.

Magnus rode his horse up until he was nearly in front of the small Cottage, then motioned Jace to come over with a small jerk of his head. Jace obeyed readily - he'd been inconsolable ever since Alec had disappeared, and he'd disappear for sometimes days at a time, returning exhausted and covered in wounds. It drove Clary and his family crazy, but it was one of those excursions that led them to know it was Jonathan that took Alec, so Magnus wasn't anything but glad that Jace's self-destructive tendencies actually helped, for once.

As Jace stood beside the black horse, Magnus shifted Alec gently, placing both his legs on the side of the horse opposite the blond, and tilting him back slowly into Jace's arms, helping the shadowhunter slide Alec into his hold. He had to quell a short flash of jealousy as Jace cradled Alec's sleeping form carefully, eyes surprisingly soft as he watched Alec's face. Turning away quickly, he opened the door and lead the party inside. A flick of his wrist had the sound of running water drifting in from the bathroom, and another had the fireplace lit, room quickly warming from the large flames.

"In here," Magnus directed, ushering Jace into the bathroom and motioning for him to place Alec on the closed toilet. Crouching in front of the sleeping teen, he cupped his face and shook his shoulder lightly, trying to wake Alec. "Now out, all of you."

"Wait," Maryse said, glaring at Magnus, "what are you doing?"

"Bathing him," Magnus answered, giving her an unimpressed look. "He's probably going insane with how dirty he is. What are you still doing here?"

"He doesn't like being dirty, or you don't like himbeing dirty?"

"Hedoesn't like being dirty," Magnus said cooly. "Which I'm sure you'd know if you actually took the time to get to know him."

There was a stunned silence, Isabelle gaping at Magnus while Jace just looked amused, glancing between the slightly-pale Maryse and Robert, and Magnus, who was still crouched before Alec and carefully keeping him upright. Maryse eventually recovered from the verbal lashing and clenched her jaw, tipping her face upwards to look down on Magnus.

"Either way, you're notbathing him alone. He's far too weak to fend you off if he's uncomfortable."

"If he's - You think I'm going to take advantageof him?" Magnus asked lowly, eyes flashing dangerously, the air about him shifting dangerously.

This time, it was Maryse that Isabelle was gaping at, face flushing as the surprised look switched to a glare. "Mother!" she snapped, crossing her arms angrily. "How could you even think that -"

"He's a downworlder, Isabelle," Maryse interrupted, sending her daughter a flat look.

"He's taken far better care of Alec than any of ushave -"

"Magnus?" The room went suddenly quiet at the whisper, all eyes turning back to Alec, who was blinking drowsily around him, his blue eyes fuzzy with exhaustion. "What's going on?"

"Hey, darling," Magnus said softly, gently brushing the hair out of Alec's face. Louder he asked, "Jace, would you be all right with staying?"

"Sure," Jace replied, leaning back against the wall and examining his nails absently.

"There," Magnus said, sending another glare towards the Lightwood parents. "Now you have some assurance that I won't force myself on your son, and his privacy will only be slightlyviolated. Happy?"

Maryse opened her mouth, presumably to argue some more, but Isabelle made an annoyed sound in the back of her throat and stood in front of her mother, hands on hips and glaring up at the slightly taller woman. "Alec needs to taken care of, not for us to throw unfounded accusations at someone he trusts. We should leave. Jace, too."

Another tense silence, Alec blinking confusedly between his mother and Isabelle, then Maryse turned on her heel. "Jace stays," she said, tone final, before striding out of the room, followed slowly by Robert. Isabelle sent Magnus an apologetic grimace, and Alec a soft smile before exiting as well.

"What was that about?" Alec asked, blinking at the closed door.

"Your mother is trying to protect your virtue," Magnus said. He helped Alec stand, steadying the teen as he wobbled a bit at first, then leading him slowly over the edge of the large tub and helping him sit.

Jace snorted from his spot against the wall, moving over to sit on the now-vacated toilet. "What virtue?"

"Jace!" Alec yelped, flushing bright red. It made him dizzy, and he leaned heavily into Magnus, who smiled at him and kissed him gently on the cheek.

"In the tub, darling," Magnus said, laughing lightly at Alec's incredulous look.

"I'm still in my clothes," Alec mumbled, sending an uncomfortable look towards Jace and shifting slightly on the white porcelain tub.

"Which is why you're extremely fortunate that I'm a warlock. Get in and I'll snap your clothes away. No unnecessary flashing your siblings needed -"

"Thank god," Jace muttered, eyes sparkling with mirth.

"- and will you shut up if I get you a book, blondie?" Magnus snapped, mock glaring at Jace, who shrugged and flipped him off. Magnus rolled his eyes. Turning back to Alec, he flicked his wrist and smirked at the thudof a newly-summoned book falling on Jace's head and the muffled curse that followed.

Alec rolled his eyes at them both, clutching Magnus's arm as the action messed with his equilibrium. "Be nice, both of you."

Magnus sent him an innocent look

Magnus held up his hand for silence, staring at the bed where Alec's form was shifting fitfully. "Alexander?" He asked softly, not wanting to wake the boy if he was still asleep.

"Magnus...?" came the drowsy reply, Alec's head lifting to stare blearily at the warlock. The bruises around his eyes had mostly disappeared, but Alec still looked exhausted. "What time izzit?"

"Around two," Magnus answered, summoning yet another thermos of soup as he sat down on the bed, ignoring Alec's pout when he passed it to the teen. "How are you feeling?"

"Sleepy. Not hungry," he said pointedly, eyeing the thermos in his hands.

"Drink it, then you can go back to sleep." Brushing Alec's hair off his forehead, Magnus pressed a kiss there, smiling down at the shadowhunter who was burrowing into his side, still scowling as he sipped at the soup.

"Will you stay?" Alec asked, a blush spreading over his cheeks as he looked up at Magnus through his eyelashes, hands tightening on the thermos and curling himself up into a ball. He seemed oddly shy, but at the same time didn't seem to want to move even the slightest bit away from Magnus. His eyes were drooping already, and he was visibly trying to stay awake, not ready to go to sleep unless Magnus was there as well.

"Of course, darling," Magnus said.

"You two are giving me cavities," Jace said.

"It's totally fair, considering what you and Clary put us through," Isabelle said.

Alec's blush spread across his entire face and down his neck. With a groan of embarrassment, he huddled closer to Magnus, trying to hide behind the taller form as he mumbled, "Why are you both here?"

"We're plotting ways to cause Sebastian vast amounts of pain," Isabelle said, entirely too cheerful about it. "Magnus is rather ruthless. I'm impressed."

When Alec's face once again became visible, he was frowning, though still bright red. "But what about Jace?"

"We'll figure something out," Magnus assured him. His fingers had trailed up to scratch gently at the base of Alec's neck, the blue-eyed boy nearly purring at the feeling. "Go to sleep," Magnus said softly, smiling at Alec's half-lidded gaze and the way the younger man was leaning heavily against him. "I'll be here when you wake up."

"'Kay," Alec yawned, then curled back onto his side, the line of his back flush against Magnus's leg. With another smile, Magnus leaned down to press a kiss into his hair, one hand stroking down his arm when he righted himself and turned back to Alec's siblings. Alec relaxed into the soft mattress and let the voices of those whom he trusted more than anything lull him back to sleep.

A faint shifting of air had Alec jolting awake, on-guard and wary and utterly confused at the soft mattress beneath him. Instead of the cave he was expecting, the room was brightly lit with sunlight spilling through large windows, making Alec blink rapidly to adjust to the unexpected light. He looked to the side after a few moments to see Magnus watching him with amusement.

"Sorry," said the warlock. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"'s fine," Alec said faintly, still adjusting to the knowledge that he wasn't in Jonathan's cave, like he had been expecting. "I thought you were Jonathan."

"Is that why you were so sleep deprived?" Magnus settled down beside Alec on the large bed, reaching out to stroke long fingers through Alec's hair.

Alec hummed in agreement and pushed up into the hand, requesting for Magnus to continue. "He would watch me sometimes, when I was awake. I didn't want to know what he'd do when I was asleep."

The fingers stilled for a short moment, then resumed their petting, Magnus's fingernails carefully scraping against Alec's scalp. "He didn't..."

Blinking up at Magnus, Alec's brows furrowed as he tried to think past the delicious haze Magnus's ministrations were producing. "No. I don't think he would have - Valentine seemed to have ingrained some homophobia pretty deep into Jonathan."

"That doesn't matter when it comes to power displays."

Alec hummed again and stretched out onto the mattress, blinking sleepily up at Magnus. He smiled and, totally throwing out their previous discussion, asked, "Come to bed?"

Magnus laughed under his breath and stroked his hand down Alec's cheek, smiling at the faint blush it brought. "It's seven in the morning, love."

"And if I know you, you didn't sleep at all last night," Alec returned, placing his hand behind the one on his cheek, blush deepening. But his eyes were steady as his fingers twined themselves with Magnus's, and he used the grip to pull lightly, trying to goad Magnus into moving. "Please?"

"Of course." Leaning down, Magnus kissed Alec softly, just a light pressure of lips before he pulled back again to slip under the covers. An absent wave of his hand had him stripped down to a pair of boxers - more than he usually wore to bed, but Magnus didn't see any reason to give Maryse more reason to distrust him.

It seemed to please Alec, however, as the younger male made a happy nose in his throat at wriggled close to Magnus and nuzzled at the warlock's chest, draping an arm around him as well. With a smile, Magnus returned the gesture, pulling Alec close to drop a kiss atop his head before letting his eyes slide close. It made it easier to feel Alec breathing against him.