Chapter Three - How To Save A Life.
Magnus rarely went to the Pandemonium nightclub; the last time he had been here was to meet Camille Belcourt, but that had been years ago. It wasn't because too many Mundanes attended there now - no, a small glamour and they wouldn't see what would hurt them - or the extremely loud music, it was the vast extent of the demonic population that had helped him make his mind up and never go there again. But he was willing to break his lifelong vow and enter Pandemonium one last time before leaving New York. If Alec could enter here, then so could he. Taking a deep breath Magnus walked past the club Bouncer into the stifling
nightclub, leaving behind the cool night air...

"He's not feeling too great, Jace! We should leave him here tonight and go to Pandemonium ourselves." Isabelle argued, "Besides you-know-who might be there!"
"You can say it. His name, I mean." Alec said, walking out of the kitchen with a mug of steaming coffee in his hand. "How are you feeling?" Jace asked, wrapping an arm around Alec's shoulders.
"Fine thanks. What are you after?" Alec asked in confusion.
"I'm only being nice." Jace answered as both he and Alec sat on the sofa.
"I would give you my allowance but I spent it last week, okay?" Alec joked.
"Funny." Jace said sarcastically. "Okay, Gideon. What do you want to do tonight?" He added calling Alec by his middle name as Jace knew he didn't like it much. Alec grimaced, "Well, you to move down a bit on the sofa would be a great start. I don't like you quite that much." Jace stuck his tongue out at Alec, grabbing his Parabatai's cup of coffee and downing it in a few gulps. "Hey!" Alec yelled, "That was mine!"
"We're Parabatai remember? What's your's is also mine. It says it in the Oath." Jace retorted with a one shouldered shrug.
"It so does not say that in the Oath." Alec argued.

"Details. Details." Jace shrugged, "So what shall we do tonight? Movies? Board games? What?"
"Jace! We were supposed to go to Pandemonium and check on the Demonic energy levels!" Isabelle protested from where she was stood in the doorway.
"Yeah, don't worry so much. It'll be fine." Jace countered.
"Jace." Alec said, "Go. I'll be fine, honestly."
"Swear it."
"I swear on the Angel I'll be fine!" Alec sighed, rolling his eyes. Jace shrugged standing, "I'll be back as soon as possible. Five minutes."
"Sure Jace. Now go." Alec muttered and waited for the front door to slam shut; he stood, heading over to the curtains. He waited until Isabelle and Jace were out of sight before he ran to the armoury. He hurriedly threw on his Gear, before loading every available pocket and belt space with Seraph blades, Witchlight stones, Steles, throwing knives and katanas. 'I'm only going to intervene if they need me.' Alec thought, scrawling Marks onto his shoulders, neck, forearms and wrists. Turning his Stele to his boots he hurriedly scrawled a Strength and Soundless rune by his ankles; hoping they would last the whole night left the Institute.

The streets were dark with shadows but that didn't necessarily mean they were quiet. Vehicles roared past on the roads and people were still walking the streets of New York. Although now that night had fallen they were walking heads-down in an attempt not to draw attention to themselves unlike that morning where people had been being loud and excitable, staring into shop windows and snapping photographs at the famous landmarks. Alec sighed, the night was cold and his Gear didn't feel like it was keeping him that warm. 'In. See if Jace and Izzy need help. Then back home. Or fight.' He thought, speed walking across a road as the pedestrian sign flashed green. All too soon he was stood outside of Pandemonium. 'Okay. Stick to the rules Alec.' He stepped into the nightclub.

The place was already heaving with bodies, weaving their way through crowds to the bar or swarming onto the dance floor. Alec craned his neck but couldn't spot Jace or Izzy anywhere he was even tempted to remove his glamour runes but that would result in all kinds of trouble. He spotted a shimmer of gold near the bar. "Jace." He murmured heading over in that direction. It was Jace, it had to be. No one else had hair that golden. He weaved through the crowd, losing sight of the flashes of gold for minutes at a time. As he pulled himself free from a large cluster of people he stumbled into the bar, his Gear wet with other people's sweat. All of sudden he wasn't so sure it was Jace he had seen as he stared over at the last person he had wanted to see...

Magnus caught sight of the two Shadowhunters - Isabelle and Jace - as they had entered Pandemonium. Standing for a split second, he instantly saw Alec was not with them and sank back into his stool at the bar. "I'll have another." He said to the bartender holding up his empty glass. The bartender took the glass and refilled it, handing it back to Magnus. He sighed, and ducked his head just to ensure that Jace and Isabelle wouldn't spot him. Turning his attention back to his drink he stared down into the glass's contents. 'Just this one and I'll go home.' No one had caught his attention so far and there wasn't much point him staying any longer. A loud cry of surprise caught his attention; turning his head he spotted a familiar black haired Shadowhunter stumble into the bar. Alec. Alec's blue eyes seemed luminous in the flashing lights of Pandemonium and they were fixed directly on him. Magnus stood beginning to make his way over to Alec, but Alec turned round and ran straight to the doors and into the night. Magnus followed him.

"Alec! Alexander!" Magnus yelled the moment he got outside. He headed round the corner of the street to find Alec slumped up against the brick wall, his head tilted up to the starry night sky, his eyes glassy. 'I did this to him.' Magnus thought sitting down beside Alec. "Don't." His voice muttered beside him. "Don't. Sit near me. Don't. Speak. To. Me." Magnus stood back up in front of the dark haired Shadowhunter. "Well what else do you want me to do?" Magnus asked, "Beg in front of you?"
"Nothing." Alec muttered, a tear trailing down his cheek as he stood up facing Magnus, "Just leave me alone."
"While you are like this?! No chance!"
"You don't get it do you?!" Alec yelled, placing his back to Magnus. "Of course not! You're drunk! You're not even going to remember this tomorrow! So it's probably best if you went home and left me alone. You don't understand." Magnus walked around Alec to look at him, Alec was looking a couple of inches left of Magnus's face. "You think I don't. I do. But educate me."
"Okay! 'I'll be out all day, come and get your things out of the apartment. Leave your key on the dining room table. It's over I don't want to see you again, Alec. Or any of your friends. I'm tired of being their pet warlock.' Sound familiar?!" Alec shouted, more tears joining the one that was already frozen on his cheeks. Magnus flinched. "I guess it wouldn't help if I said sorry?"
"No. No it wouldn't."
"Alec I really am sorry." Magnus said.
"No. No. Don't." Alec said, "I have to go." He took off at a sprint and this time Magnus didn't follow him.

"Where did I go wrong?" Magnus muttered to himself as he watched Alec's sprinting figure disappear before heading back inside Pandemonium he reclaimed his seat at the bar, ordered another drink and sat moping in the darkness, thinking about a Shadowhunter with black hair and blue eyes. "Where did I go wrong?"