Thank you so much for the reviews! Shout out to HassleCastle for the idea that jump-started my creativity again.

Trigger Warning: violence, homophobic slurs

ATTENTION: This is not mindless violence. It has a point, I promise. Although you guys are probably going to want to kill me.

Snow was falling lightly from the darkening blue sky, pinpoints of white flurrying through the crisp evening air. The sun was still out, but slipping toward the horizon, stealing any remaining warmth with it. Shadows of the buildings and trees stretched along the sidewalk, distorted into grotesque figures by the oncoming night. Alec shivered slightly in the winter chill, pulling his thin black sweater more tightly around him. He looked down the street, moving out from under the protection of Magnus' building. The cab hadn't yet arrived, and instead of bothering Magnus again by ringing the buzzer, he had decided to tough it out. He had already intruded on Magnus enough, he didn't need to bother him again just to wait inside for a second. A few minutes waiting in the snow wouldn't hurt him. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair, pulling out his IPhone. The screen lit up immediately, showing him exactly what he had known would be there.

3 new text messages

Izzy (11:05 pm): OMG Alec! Magnus just texted me!

Izzy (11:39 pm): i want a full report!

Izzy (11:54 pm): b safe! dont do what i wouldnt ;)

Alec shook his head, smiling apprehensively. He was not looking forward to explaining the previous night to his sister. It had been bad enough after their first date, he didn't want to imagine what she would act like after he'd spent an entire night with Magnus. He and Izzy were friends, a product of hanging out in mutual establishments and sharing a love for fashion, so Alec knew that even if he wasn't the one to tell Izzy, Magnus would. And who knew what Magnus would say. Knowing him, he would probably make up a story that actually did involve going to a brothel. He chuckled to himself, putting his phone on his lap. He would definitely have to talk to Izzy before Magnus did.

Checking for the cab again, he noticed two figures approaching. The men were walking slowly, dark jackets pulled up to nearly cover their faces. Their hair was the only feature Alec could make out, one black and the other so blond that it was nearly white. Eyeing the pair warily, Alec stiffened as they continued closer. His heart was pounding in his ears by the time the men stopped beside him. Grinning, the dark haired man motioned to him. "Waitin' for a cab?" His voice was gruff, almost gravelly, but this close, Alec could see that both of the men were young, close to his own age. Alec's heartbeat slowed, almost returning to normal. I need to stop being so paranoid, he thought. Not every strange person on the street is going to mug me or something. Alec didn't say anything in response to him, merely smiling tightly and nodding his head, refocusing his gaze on the street.

After a silent moment, the blond man leaned down, making his face level with Alec's. "Listen here." He said quietly. "I'll tell you how this is going to go. You're going to give us your wallet, and your phone, and you're not going to say a word. You're going to listen and I won't have to use this." His still calm voice had deepened to a nearly frightening tone and Alec turned to face him with a start. A jagged knife rested a centimeter from his cheek, it's blade shining dull silver in the fading light. The scratched blade was crusted with something the approximate colour of rust, and to prevent himself from freaking out, Alec pretended that was all it was. Slowly, he pulled his battered wallet from his pocket. Luckily for him, he never carried around much money, and he knew that it would hold twenty dollars at the most. The second it was in sight, the blond man ripped it from his grasp. The other pulled the phone from his lap just as he moved to grab it. "No chance, buddy." The man sneered. "That wasn't all we wanted." He grabbed Alec's outstretched arm, and in a single fluid movement, Alec was on the ground.

You have to be kidding me.

When his father had taught him, Izzy and Jace to fight as children, he had imparted on them one essential rule. Do not let your opponent keep you on the ground. It had seemed like something to keep in mind while he could still walk, but it was not like he had much of a choice now. He struggled to sit up, at least, but the dark haired man landed a kick to Alec's chest, stealing the air from his lungs. He fell onto his back with a quiet groan, clutching his ribs.

Above him, the blond man sneered, "Serves you right, you little fag." Seeing that he was trying to right himself, he kicked Alec, his foot hitting the same spot that the other man's had. Through the haze of pain ricocheting through him, Alec was positive that he heard a crack. He bit his lip, holding back a moan at the pain. He refused to let them see that they were hurting him. A small noise must have escaped though, because the dark man laughed tauntingly and kicked him again, this time connecting with Alec's face. His boot caught Alec's temple with surprising force, triggering something dark and wet to trickle into his eye. His world was growing dark around the edges, the combination of pain and head trauma making him weak.

The blond man motioned his partner away and crouched down, smiling crookedly. The only sound was the retreating footsteps of the dark haired man, and the whispers of the snow falling onto the pavement. "Will you deliver a little message for me?" he whispered, voice dead calm. His request was so quiet that Alec wasn't sure he had heard correctly. He wasn't given more time to think about it, as the man produced the knife again. Nonchalant, he wiped it on his coat, seeming to admire the metallic sheen reflecting off the now shining blade. The blond man's smile widened, the expression frightening Alec almost more than the knife had.

"Tell your Magnus," He spit out Magnus' name, sneering. "That Sebastian says hello." With that, he plunged the knife into Alec's side.

The blinding pain finally pulled a scream from Alec as the blade moved under his skin. Brilliant red blood soaked his black sweater, darkening the fabric and dripping onto the pavement. Sebastian ripped the blade from his stomach, the pain with that movement almost worst than the initial. He shouted again, feeling as though he had been ripped in half. The man, Sebastian, he presumed, jumped up at the noise, his job done, and escaped into the darkness. Alec moaned quietly, tears mingling with his dark blood on the sidewalk. "Help," he called, mustering all the strength that he could, his voice cracking with pain. "Help..." He heard footsteps approaching quickly, and moved to turn his head. Alec thought that he could make out a voice calling out to him, but a sudden jolt of pain through his stomach destroyed his focus. The pain was unbearable, making him just want to curl up into a ball. Belatedly, Alec wondered if he was dying. He couldn't imagine anything more painful than this. Even the crash that had sentenced him to a life in his chair hadn't felt this terrible. At least that had been over more quickly.

The blood-loss coupled with the boot to his head was finally too much, and the blackness that had edged his vision took over, pulling him from consciousness.

oOoOoO

Magnus whistled to himself, a smile wide on his face. It had been years since he'd been this giddy, and to think, it was over a boy whom he had really just met. He had walked down the stairs, his feet light, not minutes after Alec had left and headed to pick up his mail in the lobby of the building, where he was now. Shuffling through it without reading, he was jolted from his thoughts when he heard a shout from outside. The voice seemed startlingly familiar, but it wasn't until he heard it again that his heart stopped.

It couldn't be him.

No.

The mail fell from Magnus' hands as he bolted outside, leaving a trail of discarded paper in his wake. He shoved the heavy wooden door open, letting it slam behind him. A small, dark shape lay curled up on the curb, a puddle of dark, ominous liquid spreading into a puddle around him. Even against the white snow, the blood looked darker than he had imagined. But the identifying factor, the one that cemented in Magnus' mind who this was, was the silver wheelchair lying on its side beside the boy, wheels still turning slowly.

"Alec!" The word tore itself from Magnus' throat, ragged and filled with pain. Barely breathing, Magnus ran toward Alec, collapsing at his side. "Alec, Alec, come on, it's okay. Wake up, please." Pulling out his phone, he dialed 911 with shaking fingers. Alec's face was as pale as death, his eyelids fluttering softly. Magnus's fingers ghosted down to Alec's side as he spoke to the operator. When the light from his phone reflected onto the gash in Alec's side, he couldn't speak. Even through his shirt, Magnus could see that the wound stretched from Alec's ribs, which he was sure were bruised dark purple, almost to his hip. Magnus left his t shirt where it was, knowing that he wouldn't be able to handle seeing the bare scar, and not willing to hurt Alec further. His eyes were watering for the first time in years, the thought of Alec being dead ridiculously difficult to bear.

"Alec, please," was all he could choke out, his voice thick. "You can't leave me too."

*hides* I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It killed me having to do that to Alec.

What theories do you have about Sebastian? He's clearly got some sort of issues with Magnus. Reviews make me write faster, hint, hint.

Blue eyed fantasies: Alec is in his final year of high school, so about 18, and Magnus is in his first year of university.