The Business Trip

Chapter 17

Alec found Jace unconscious on the bathroom floor, blood expelling from his head. Not the worst position Alec had ever found him in, but not a very good one either.

"Jace!" Alec yelped, getting down to his knees to look at his head and make sure he was still breathing. Of course, Alec would know if Jace stopped breathing, but there was nothing like actually feeling the pulse of his parabatai. Alec reached for his stele just to find that it was not there in his pocket like it always was. His eyes widened when he remembered how he had quickly changed after Jace had told them that people were there, "Magnus! My stele, its in my pants," He said franticly, pointing to the hamper across the bedroom. Magnus understood and ran to the hamper to dig through the clothes and find Alec's pants from earlier.

By now all of the New Directions were crowded on the outskirts of the living room watching with horror through the large bedroom door as Alec carried Jace out of the bathroom, "Magnus!" He yelled urgently, it sounded more like a plea, "MOVE!" He ordered them, carrying Jace out of the bedroom in the direction of the couch. They parted like the Red Sea, still looking horrified and some of them looking like they were about to be sick.

"What happened?" Puck asked.

"What can we do?" Blaine asked being the calmest of the group.

"Just stay out of my way. Magnus!" Alec called, setting Jace down on the couch, New Directions on either side, staying far enough away for Alec, but still where they could see.

"Got it!" Magnus said, coming out of the bedroom and tossing what looked like a pen to Alec.

"He needs medical attention!" Quinn yelled like they were all idiots.

"No, he's going to be fine, right Alec?" Magnus said, trying to calm everyone.

"Yeah," Alec breathed, having just finished giving Jace a few iratze's.

"Ok, what the hell is going on!" Santana demanded to know.

"Uhh..." Magnus was unsure of how to explain this situation to his mundane friends.

"Magnus," Alec said, barely above a whisper. Magnus slid down onto the floor to kneel next to Alec and put a supportive hand on Alec's back, "It's healed, but he's not waking up," Alec said, his voice a little shaky. Magnus looked at Jace, then to the mundanes, and finally to Alec. Upon looking at the grief stricken face of his boyfriend he seemed to decide, his face turning to one of determination. He turned back to Jace and snapped his fingers, blue wisps washing over his face.

"Take my strength," Alec said to him.

"No, Alexander, it's alright," Magnus assured him.

"Magnus, he's my parabatai and your doing this for me, so use my strength and not your own," Alec told him, his voice sounding very much like a parent scolding a child. Magnus sighed and looked warily at Alec's outstretched hand before grabbing it. Once Alec's mind was set there was nothing you could do to change it, a stubbornness that both of his siblings also shared. Alec didn't know how long it had been before he heard the gasp, he also didn't care.

"Alec?" Jace gasped out, his voice scratchily calling for his parabatai.

"I'm here," Alec said putting his free hand in Jace's.

Suddenly Jace shot up, fully awake and aware, making everyone else in the room jump. Magnus got up and took a step back and Alec migrated to the couch next to Jace. "What happened?" Alec asked.

"I-I don't- I was washing my hands and then..." Jace's face was scrunched up as he tried to recall the last few moments before he was rendered unconscious. His face then went wide with realization, "Some one knocked me out, I think it was a vampire," He said, quite loudly.

"Excuse me, what?" Tina said.

Magnus' eyes went wide, he had momentarily forgotten they were there. And they had all just seen him use magic. Magnus shook his head, he couldn't deal with this right now, one problem at a time!

"Alright, it's time for you all to leave. Out, go on, I'll see you at school. Bye, be safe getting home," He said as he ushered them out of the house, shutting the door behind them. He sighed and closed his eyes as he fell back against the door.

Magnus was not sure how long he had been standing like that, thinking, before he felt the soft touch of calloused hands wrap around his neck, "Thank you," Alec whispered to him. Magnus' eyes opened to see Jace walk into the guest bedroom and shut the door. He then focused on the tired face of his beautiful shadowhunter.

"Anything for you dear," He responded nonchalantly.

"I mean it, I know how much tonight meant to you. I'm sorry that I ruined it," Alec trailed off, removing his hands from Magnus so he could subconsciously hug himself, looking down at his feet.

"You didn't ruin anything, why would you think that?" Magnus asked, confused. Sure, the vampire attack had cut the night short and he would have a lot of explaining to do the next day, but none of that was Alec's fault.

"The vampire attack, your friends seeing things... He's my parabatai and I made you heal him and subsequently out yourself in the process. I just- I'm sorry Magnus, none of this would have happened if we weren't here," Alec bit the inside of his cheek while waiting for a response. It was as if he expected Magnus to throw him out for ruining his evening. Which made no sense at all to Magnus, well, a little if you looked back on who his parents were.

"Alec," Magnus said, a name he only called him when he was being serious, "Who can say for sure why the vampire was here, I am a very powerful warlock, you know. And you didn't make me do anything, he's your parabatai, I understand what that means, so of course I was going to help him. Besides, I would never be able to live with myself, or face Tessa again, if I had let the last of the Herondale's die," He smiled when Alec looked up at him, a halfhearted smiled on his face, "And my night is hardly ruined..." He added, moving closer to Alec with a sly grin on his face. Alec just laughed and kissed him softly before grabbing his arm and leading him to their bedroom.

"I love you," Alec whispered to him when they were settled in bed, both exhausted from the day.

"And I love you," Magnus whispered back, letting sleep overtake him with a smile on his face.