Hiding

Chapter twenty-eight

Even with Magnus safely tugged away in Alec's embrace, he can't shake the fear of something happening. He must be delusional to think they can keep doing this undetected. It's an untenable situation, but he won't give up on Magnus. He can't. He'd might as well give up on his own life then. No, there's only two options for him to choose between at this point, and those are:

1. Stand up to his father. Let him know he isn't afraid anymore, and then leave with Magnus – hoping they can find somewhere safe to live and that his father won't waste time searching for him.

2. Find evidence against Robert. Any evidence. Theres a big possibility that the body in the desert isn't the only one. And even if it is, maybe they can still find something to tie him to the crime.

Both options aren't good. There's risks involved in both and Alec can't make this decision alone. Magnus must be included. Even possibly his siblings.

The thought alone of what he must do, makes Alec shiver with fear and he hugs the sleeping Magnus tighter.

"I love you." Alec whispers and kiss Magnus' forehead and the man stirs slightly and smiles in his sleep. Sometimes it still amazes Alec that he was unable to say it for so long. And so completely unaware of his own capability to love, because now... Now he can't even picture himself not being capable of love. With one last loving look, Alec slowly untangles himself from Magnus and exits the bed. He takes his pants and his phone then goes into the kitchen. Magnus' kitchen. Alec can't stop smiling for himself. He has spent the night in Mangus' apartment. Something he never thought would be possible. And it is probably very risky, but after last night, he could just not let Magnus sleep alone. He was pretty shaken up about Alec's story and Alec didn't want him to deal with that on his own.

While putting his pants on, Alec calls his brother. He knows its early, but Jace is usually an early bird. A morning runner.

"Hey big brother. Welcome back." Jace pants in the phone. "I thought you would have called me yesterday."

"Sorry, Jace. Had a lot to do. Is this a bad time?" Alec paces back and forth in the kitchen. Not really sure how he is going to do this.

"No not at all, just about enter the gym for my post-run workout. Wanna join?"

"You know what... I think I will." Alec already finds himself on the way to the bedroom to wake Magnus up. "And I'll be bringing Magnus."

"Magnus? Magnus Bane? Why?" Alec can hear the sheer fear drenching Jace's voice. "You hooked up with him, didn't you? And now you can't let go? Alec, goddamnit!"

"Jace, it's my life. Besides, you like Magnus." Clutching the phone in his hand, Alec tries to keep his building annoyance under control. He knows why Jace reacts that way. Hell, Alec would have done the same thing in less than a week ago. Still, he just wished Jace could be happy for him instead.

"Of course, I like Magnus. He was my friend in junior high, but Alec... you can't go down that road. You know that."

"Jace. He is my boyfriend." Alec can clearly sense the frustrations seeping through the phone.

"For fucks sake, Alec. You can't have a boyfriend; and you most definitely can't have dads secretary as your boyfriend. Dad will kill you!"

"I didn't plan this, Jace! So, stop shouting at me! I know this is the dumbest thing I have ever done! Don't you think I know that? But I love him! I can't just stop loving him!!! Could you give up Clary if dad decided she wasn't good enough?!"

The silence that follows is deafening. Alec knows he has won this argument. Jace has nothing he can say without coming off as a dick. If he says that it can't be compared, then he is a homophobic idiot. If he says he would let go of Clary, he is a lying idiot.

"We can't meet at the gym, though." Defeated, Jace has lowered his voice. "Come over to our place. We'll talk there. Less public."

"Thanks, Jace."

"Don't thank me. I'm furious with you."

"I know." then Jace hangs up the phone and Alec knows he needs to have a long brotherly conversation with Jace very soon.

"What is happening?" Magnus asks. He woke up around the time where Alec and Jace were shouting, but he didn't interrupt. He just watched and tried to interpret Alec's expressions.

"We are going to see my brother." Alec tosses Magnus his clothes. "We are going to come up with a plan. Together."

*****

"First off, I think I should quit my job. Your father probably already suspects us to have become friends and sees me as a threat to your sexuality. And following his reprimand yesterday, we can let him believe you changed your mind about over friendship. Then you begin to act like you hate me when you are at the firm, while I have my two weeks' notice. Just be really mean. And I'll do the same. We will make him think that we had become close on the path to something more than just friends, but never really getting there. He'll probably buy into that giving your previous restraint to anything gay. Then, once I've left the company, you'll let your father set you up with a woman. Just to lull him into a false security of saving you from homosexuality."

"that's insane." Alec interjects "I'm not going to be mean to you." But Magnus just waves him off.

"of course, you are. You were good at being annoyed and flustered." Magnus smirks at him. "Then we can begin to look into any kind of evidence we'd might be able to find without risking him finding out. Meanwhile, you and I can still be together – just on the downlow... way down."

"I think it's a good idea." Clary says, complete onboard with the plan – and also super excited to see Alec and Magnus together. Alec however, had been more than a little shocked when he learned that Clary knew about what his father had done. Apparently Jace had told her about it when Alec was on the trip with Magnus. And knowing Clary, she had probably threatened the truth out of her devoted husband after that dreadful conversation they had not so long ago. "and I know someone that won't mind playing the perfect girlfriend. We could make sure Robert hires her in Magnus' position. That way he will think she is his choice."

"I don't know... It feels weird." Alec says and looks at Jace for his opinion. "What do you think?"

"I think..." Jace stands up and walks over behind clary then puts his arms around her "I think this is insane and too risky. I understand that you found someone you love and will do anything to keep it. I get that. But it puts everyone at risk."

"Jace..." Clary shakes her head at him. "Alec deserves his happiness. Don't put it on him to keep us safe. It's not his job."

"Maybe not. But it is mine. And I can't risk it. Not now."

"What do you mean not now?" Alec looks back and forth between Clary and Jace, sensing something to be off. Clary looks into his eyes with a shy little smile.

"I'm pregnant."