Chapter Twenty Four - Chiquitita.

Alec ducked behind a tall marble counter in the nightclub, hoping against all odds that Magnus hadn't spotted him. He sunk to the floor with his forehead resting on his knees; he let the tears fall. Magnus had moved on and found someone new and Alec was left alone cast aside like a old toy that no child wanted to play with. There was a scrapping noise from the other side of the counter but he didn't look up until Jace's head popped into view over the top. Alec stared blankly at him as Jace said, "Chiquitita tell me the truth. How I hate to see such sorrow. Please don't make me sing the rest of this terrible song."

Alec laughed, "What are you doing?"

"Trying to cheer you up. Did it work?" Jace asked.

"Maybe a few more verses would." Alec suggested, "What are you standing on anyway?"

"Well, I couldn't find Julie Walters anywhere around here so it was either Isabelle or the barstool." Jace said with a grin, "Strangely Isabelle didn't want to be stood on."

Alec laughed, "How do you know that song anyway?"

"Clary made me watch it with her one time." Jace answered with a shrug, "Are you going to come out? Or do I have to stand here singing all night?"

"Um... maybe a bit more singing will convince me." Alec shrugged. Jace hurdled over the counter and sat in front of his Parabatai. "I think that's enough singing." Jace said as he crossed his legs on the floor, he sighed, "That can't have been easy."

Alec sighed with a shake of his head, a dry forced laugh escaping his lips, "Demonology homework is easy. Putting up with your mood swings is easy. That. Was. Not. Easy. It was harder than you can imagine!"

"I understand." Jace muttered, his golden eyes staring at Alec.

"No you don't, Jace! You don't understand at all! You've never had to witness something like that! You've never been hated or shunned because of who you are!! Everyone looks up to you!!!" Alec yelled, tucking his head into his knees as his shoulders shook with sobs. Jace shuffled over to sit beside his Parabatai, taking one of Alec's hands in his own.

He lent his head on Alec's shoulder. "It's okay," He whispered, "we're okay. We are."

"No Jace. No we're not." Alec murmured as his sobs began to slow down.

"Maybe not now, not this week, maybe not even this month but we will be, Alec. You have to trust me on this. I will always be here to pick up the pieces when you break. You just have to trust me. Do you? Do you trust me?" Alec nodded his head slowly, Jace sighed, "I need to hear it Alexander."

"I trust you Jace." Alec mumbled.

"There you two are!" Isabelle exclaimed as she peered over the top of the counter, "I've been looking all over for you!" Her eyes locked on Alec, "Alec?" When he didn't reply, Jace pointed over her shoulder at Magnus, Isabelle glanced over her jaw clenching shut. "That stupid dumb son of a -" Jace made a cutting notion across his throat as Alec glanced up at Isabelle, she hurriedly got the memo from Jace and let her anger fade into silence.

"Let's go home, Alec." Isabelle smiled sympathetically as she walked around the side of the counter to help Alec to his feet. "I don't know where home is anymore." Alec whispered, his eyes looked red and sore from all the crying he had done that night.

"It's with us." Jace replied, "With a nice hot bath and a good nights sleep, you'll feel better in the morning."

"Hopefully this will all just be a dream." Alec retorted, Jace winced at the pain in Alec's tone. He hated hearing Alec sound so defeated and hurt. Alec clambered awkwardly to his feet, held onto tightly on either side by Jace and Isabelle. They walked out of the hotel together - followed by Clary - and into the cold night air to call a taxi.

Magnus pushed Caleb away from him with a jolt. Caleb frowned, "What's wrong?" He asked.

"I shouldn't have done that. I didn't mean to do that!" Magnus exclaimed stepping back as Caleb took a step forward, "Just stay there." Magnus said and headed off into the crowd of people who were still dancing, unaware that behind him Caleb was smirking. His vision blurred and he began to feel extremely sick as the room began to spin. 'I only had one glass. Did I? Yes, I... no, I had two... I think... or was it one?' Magnus thought, trying to make sense of what had just happened, 'No, it was definitely two. One I ordered and the other Ca-' His thoughts jarred to a halt, Caleb. He'd slipped something into Magnus's drink, he was certain of it. Magnus spun back on his heel, eyes scanning the room but Caleb was gone. "Crap!" Magnus swore under his breath, "That sly devious little cretin!" He stepped out into the night, there was no chance he'd find Caleb now he'd be long gone and in his deteriorating state Magnus had no hope of catching him. He called over a taxi and got in, 'Oh Alec. What have I done?'

Alec had fallen asleep, his head was cradled in Jace's lap his eyelids restless as he dreamt. Isabelle ran her left hand lightly through his hair, her right hand never letting go of Alec's in an attempt to bring him comfort. Clary was sat up front, occasionally glancing back at Alec's sleeping form. "How could Magnus do that to him?" Isabelle whispered fiercely, her whispers sounding like screams in the harsh silence of the taxi. "I don't know." Jace muttered, one of his hands tightening it's hold on Alec's shoulders as they turned a corner, braking abruptly at a red light. He glanced down as Alec stirred but didn't wake. "One things for sure, I'd hate to be Magnus right about now."

"Maybe we should talk about this once we've gotten Alec home?" Clary suggested as Alec frowned and stirred again in his sleep, "He could still be listening to you."

"You're right. But I just can't believe Magnus would hurt him like that." Isabelle breathed, her eyes darting to stare out of the window.

"He's done it before! But this time he won't get away with it!" Jace growled, his tone venomous as he watched his Parabatai sleep.

They stopped the taxi a block away from the Institute - having a Mundane driver did have its disadvantages - Clary handed the driver the money needed as Isabelle helped Jace get Alec out of the taxi. "Do you think we should wake him?" Clary asked staring at Alec as Isabelle and Jace set him down on a bench. "Well, unless you want to carry him?" Jace questioned, gently shaking Alec by the shoulder, "Alec? Alec, come on, time to wake up."

"Are-we-home-already?" Alec asked, his words muffled and jumbled together from sleep.

"Not yet. But I need you to walk for me. It's only for a little while." Jace muttered holding Alec up as the dark haired Nephilim slumped, about to fall back asleep. "Can you do that?"

"Sure Jace... I can watch over you guys... I'll defend you..." Alec mumbled.

"No Alec. Walk. I need you to walk." Jace repeated, biting back a laugh.

"Walk. Okay. I... walk..." Alec said, rubbing at his eyes as he tried to stand.

The moment he was stood on his feet, they began to tremble and slid out from underneath him, Jace reached over and caught him. "Come on, I'll help you." He wrapped Alec's arm over his shoulders, Alec tried to pull away by Jace held his arm tighter, "Nope. Come on, we're going home." Jace began to drag Alec down the pavement; Isabelle and Clary followed with stifled grins. Walking Alec home felt like forever to Jace, Alec kept trying to pull away from him as though determined to prove that he could walk by himself but Jace knew that the moment he released Alec, he would fall to his knees. "I... can... walk..." Alec yawned trying once more to pull away from Jace.

"Of course Alec."

"Let me... go?"

"Nope. We're almost home now." Jace retorted, tugging Alec through the gate at the Institute and towards the stairs.

Alec let himself be led up the stairs by Jace, stopping as Jace turned the handle on the door. The entrance hall was empty as Jace led the four of them into the London Institute. "Right, straight to bed." Jace ordered, pointing towards the stairs. Alec's mouth dropped open, "What?!" He stared over at Isabelle and Clary, both of their expressions agreed with Jace's orders. Isabelle nodded, "You need rest Alec. By tomorrow you'll be feeling better we promise."

"Yeah sure." Alec mumbled heading up towards the stairs.

"I'll be up to say goodnight!" Jace called after him.

"Whatever Jace." Alec called back to him without his usual sarcastic tone.

*****

Alec shut his bedroom door with a sigh. What did Jace and Isabelle say would make him feel better? 'Oh yeah. A warm bath and a good nights sleep.' He remembered, heading into the bathroom to run have a shower. He left the water running to warm up and he went through to his bedroom to grab a pair of pyjamas from the chest of drawers - they were blue and grey - he left them on his bed, undressed and got into the shower and let the tears fall. When he came out of the shower in his towel, water dripping from his hair into his eyes, he found Jace sat on the bed holding two cups of steaming coffee. "Sorry," Jace said, "I didn't know you were in there." Alec shrugged hurriedly throwing the shorts of his pyjamas on while Jace turned his back, tapping Jace on the shoulder to tell him it was okay to turn around, Alec took the coffee Jace held out from him.

They sat down on the edge of the bed drinking the coffee in silence just taking comfort from the fact that they were there for each other. "Jace?" Alec said, setting the empty mug down on the floor.

"Hmm?" Jace sighed placing his mug beside Alec's.

"Why'd he do it?" Alec asked his voice cracking with emotion; his eyes stinging with unshed tears. Jace hugged him, "I don't know, Alec. I really don't."

"I thought he'd be different from everyone else. I mean... everyone just looks at me like I'm an outsider, a disgrace and I thought Magnus would understand me better than anyone else, besides from you and Izzy. But now... seeing him today with that other guy... did he even care at all?" Tears were falling down his cheeks and Alec had neither the energy to stop them or brush hem away. Jace did it for him, whisking away the tears with his thumbs. The movement reminded Alec of the times Magnus had done that and his broken heart lurched painfully, he pushed the thought aside. "I'm not singing again for you." Jace joked, his usual effort gone from his voice as he attempted to lighten the mood in the room. He sighed, "I wish there was a way, a word or a phrase, that I could say and help you erase the pain. But I can't. There's nothing I can say or do. I'm sorry Alec, I let you down." Jace whispered, "I promised to protect you from harm and I failed you. I'm so, so sorry."