Bad Dream

Prologue

The following scene is after Magnus removed his memories of Alec on episode 19 of season 3. Let us all assume Asmodeus didn't stop him from doing that.

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Headache. Body pain. Eyes sore. It's been a long time since Magnus felt this kind of physical pain as if he's a mundane. He can feel his limbs contracting, his head feels heavy and so as his chest.

"Magnus? Can you hear me?" Magnus heard a familiar voice. A very familiar one since Magnus has been hearing that voice for centuries now.

"Catarina?" he slowly opened his eyes knowing and feeling the soreness.
"What... Where am I?"

"In the Institute. I brought you here." Magnus slowly tried to sit up with the help of his dear friend, Catarina. It is so weird that he feels like a mundane who's in the verge of dying yet knowing he won't and he can't die that easily.

Magnus wandered his eyes around the room. Catarina's sitting on the bed, just right beside him. The room's very ordinary to his taste. The owner of this room must be very boring.

"Why are we in the Institute? I mean, not to be offensive but this is the second to the last place I'd rather be in to. On top of the list is still Edom, though."

"You answer me first, Magnus. What happened to you? Someone sent me a fire message that you're unconscious and in need of help."

"Oh, I am?"

"Magnus." Magnus knew that tone, Catarina's about to scold him for something he's done which he can't even remember.

"Catarina my dear, I'm fine." he smiled at her as he caressed her cheeks but Catarina doesn't seem to be satisfied. All her life she knew Magnus, she knows him too well to know that he's not fine. At all.
"See?" and in a snap the curtain which blocks window is now all tied up letting the sun rays in.

"What in the..." as shocked as Catarina is, Magnus looked at her with confusion all over his face. Why does his friend, a co-warlock, seems so surprised by seeing him do his thing?
"Your magic's back."

"Back? Did they left? Probably went to a vacation or something." There is something off. She knows there is something different but she can't just pin point it out.
"Don't they have a cocktail in here? Or maybe any beverage to serve to a guest? Ugh! Shadowhunters!"

Magnus once again snapped his fingers and this time, glasses and a few drinks appeared on the bedside table. He stood up and made himself a drink, offering one to Catarina which she declined.

"Magnus, what's wrong? Who in the warlocks have given you their powers again? Your body already rejected Lorenzo Rey's! And now you're going back at it??" Magnus made a face and stared at Catarina weirdly. Oddly enough, he doesn't remember anything Catarina just said.

"My dear, are you... Are you drunk? The last time I remember you're the most sensible one comparing to me and Ragnor. Well, aside from the fact that Ragnor's never sensible. I didn't know you had that humor in you?" Catarina shook her head as she watches her friend pour another drink to his glass. Magnus looks fine, physically. But Catarina knows there's something wrong with him. Very wrong.

Catarina sighed, she knows that talking to Magnus in his current situation will be very difficult. When she brought Magnus to the Institute, she learned what happened to his friend and Alec. And maybe, maybe, this is the reason why Magnus have been acting this way.

"You're right... Maybe I'm just tired from the shift. Maybe my magic's drained for the day."

"Oh Catarina, until now I can't understand your passion in helping mundanes." Magnus said as he sipped again from his glass. And when it was empty, he again snapped his fingers, cleaning the bottles and glasses on the table.
"I guess that's it for today, I should leave now. Never really fond of the Institute and its... 'classical' structure."

Catarina stood up and walked beside Magnus. She doesn't know what or how to comfort her friend. It is true that Magnus already experienced a lot of heart breaks from the past centuries but knowing how Magnus loved Alec — how he's ready to sacrifice all the things he once afraid to lose just for Alec — comforting him wouldn't be able to ease, in any way, the pain.

The two warlocks turned around and was about to leave when the door burst open. Isabelle was the first one to enter, running towards Magnus with concern written all over her face, followed by Simon.

"Magnus! How are you?" Isabelle hugged Magnus as tight as possible but Magnus just lightly tapped her shoulders until she let go of him.
"Are you feeling better now?" it is clear in Isabelle's voice that she was very scared of what would've happened to Magnus if Catarina didn't found him on time.

"We're glad you're fine now." Simon added which made Magnus raise a brow. Catarina, on the other hand, is silently observing her friend.
"Alec's really restless for the past hours since Catarina brought you."

"Alec?"

"Magnus, I've heard what happened. I'm really sorry in behalf of my brother. Please don't let him —" Magnus took a step back away from Izzy and Simon, which surprised the both of them. Especially Isabelle.

"Isabelle Lightwood, right? And you're Salmon?"

"Simon."

"Right, I'm sorry but I don't really understand what the two of you are saying. Not a thing, actually... My dear, why does everyone looks like they've drunk a lot of sangria on the way? Who mixed the drinks?"

"What do you mean?"

"Magnus, are you alright?" Simon reached out for Magnus's shoulders but the warlock moved away.

"I don't really associate myself with vampires — except for Raphael, of course, my boy Raphael — and especially to Shadowhunters. ESPECIALLY to a Lightwood, no offense. Bad past. You don't wanna know." ¹ Magnus casually said which made the three other people inside the room more confuse than they already are.

"If you're talking about Alec... Magnus, everyone knows about you and him."

"I'm sorry, about me and who?" Magnus really looked serious that it's starting to bother Catarina. Despite having his heart broken, Magnus never really wanted to forget his past lovers no matter how painful their past is. Except only that one time he asked for Catarina's help about Camille. ²
"You, people, are starting to freak me out."

Before any of the four can talk again, someone appeared on the door. He looks so restless — more restless than Isabelle.

"You're awake." were the first thing the guy said. He looks so relieved yet stressed as he stares at Magnus.

Magnus once again raised a brow, waiting for the guy to continue what he's saying.

"Magnus, I know —"

"Who are you?"

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References:

1. ¹ Bane Chronicles: The Midnight Heir
2. ² Bane Chronicles: The Fall of Hotel Dumort