Addicted to you- Alec Lightwood

20- Reality?

In his mind's eye, inhaling and exhaling in short bursts, Ethan was running. What he was running from, or to, he couldn't say. As he reached a door at the end of a corridor, he paused and took it in. It was an old wooden door, with rusted metal hinges and scorch marks all over it. He was breathing extremely heavily and his chest felt like it was on fire. In a moment of bravery, he opened the door, tentatively, and stepped inside. Sat in the middle of the room was Valentine.

He stared at the man in horror and reached for his seraph blade, only to find that he didn't have it. Valentine chuckled at the boy.

"Ah, Ethan. It's so good to see you, my boy. Even like this"

Ethan glared at the man that he had come to despise, then saw a glimmering green force field surrounding a person on the table in front of Valentine. When the murderer saw him looking, he grinned at Ethan and gestured for him to come over.

"Look how beautiful your mother is. She's still as beautiful as the day I married her" Valentine chuckled.

Ethan growled. "What do you want, Valentine? Let my mother go"

Valentine laughed out loud then. "I've named my price, Ethan. I want the cup. Get that to me, and your mother shall be let go, unharmed. I've just got to wake her up. Your sister wasn't smart enough to take up my offer. I hope you will"

Ethan scoffed, and then winced. His chest was really hurting now. The pain only got worse and worse. And just as Ethan was ripped from this place, screaming in pain, Valentine had one parting greeting.

"Tell Jace I say hi.  And keep training in the Institute. You're looking good "

                                       ...........................................................

Meanwhile, Alec sat over Ethan's unconscious body in the Institute Infirmary, holding his hand and tracing small delicate circles in his palm. Izzy came up behind him and hugged him lightly, before taking the empty seat next to him.

"You really care about him, don't you Alec?" she said, smiling sadly.

Alec's eyes never left Ethan's face as he replied. 

"I feel something strong when I'm near him, Iz. Its like an impulse. The more I try to pull away, the closer I am drawn to him, and the more I will suffer..."

Izzy's brow furrowed in confusion. "Who's to say you will suffer, Alec? At the moment, it seems to be damaging you both more when you're moving against the flow, rather than alongside it"

Alec's eyes flicked briefly to Izzy, before returning his gaze to Ethan's unconscious form.

" You can really tell he's Nephilim, can't you?" he said to Izzy, "I mean, look at him. He looks like an angel, with his gorgeous flaw-free face and his cheekbones, sent down to protect us"

"And he did. He killed that Greater Demon all on his own. Not to mention he did it seconds before losing consciousness. I doubt we would have made it out without him" Izzy replied, before sighing. 

It was then that Alec stopped staring at Ethan to look at his sister properly. She, like him, hadn't slept properly since the demon attack at Dot's flat, a week ago. In this time, Clary and Jace had confronted Valentine, and found out that Jace was Ethan and Clary's brother. It was a pretty traumatic experience for all. But, of course, Ethan was yet to wake up, so he was yet to find out any of this.

Alec wrapped an arm around his sister's shoulders. "Iz? Are you okay?"

Izzy nodded, then thought it best to be honest to her brother, and shook her head. 

"I've just found Ethan. He said he'd be my parabatai. I don't think I can lose him now. I won't be able to take it. God, I haven't even been runed yet and I'm already acting like a proper parabatai"

Alec chuckled softly. "I know its hard Iz, but I feel like Ethan is going to make it. We just need him to hold on long enough for Magnus to get here to heal"

"Speaking of Magnus, when did he say he'd be back from Indonesia?" Izzy asked

"Today, hopefully. Though he didn't say what time"

Then, suddenly, Ethan woke up and started screaming and writhing in pain.

"Aaarrggghh" he yelled, "ALEC!"

Alec immediately ran to the head of the bed, and held Ethan's face in his hands. 

"Shhh, calm Ethan," he said soothingly, "I know it hurts but Magnus will be-"

Ethan interrupted him, grabbing his jumper, urgently. 

"Alec, listen to me," he said, tears streaming down his face,  and groaning in pain, "Valentine is-"

It was now Alec's turn to interrupt Ethan.

"It's  fine, we can handle it, Ethan. Just relax, he can't do anything-"

"ALEXANDER GIDEON LIGHTWOOD, LISTEN TO ME! Valentine can see me at the Institute. I don't know how, but he spoke to me. He-"

But before he could finish, a blue flash bounced around the room before hitting Ethan square in the chest, making him lose consciousness once again. The Lightwood siblings whipped around and saw Magnus standing in the door of the Infirmary.

"That should make things easier" he said, walking towards where Alec was stood, looking at Ethan, "My, my. He looks so... angelic when he's unconscious"

Alec growled. "Are you going to heal him or not?"

Magnus smirked. "Not whilst you two are in the room. Warlock healing magic is dangerous. Now out, while I work my... magic. If all goes to plan, he will be fine by noon"

The Lightwoods reluctantly left the Infirmary and wandered the halls for a bit, before coming to the kitchen. Izzy traced the counter with her finger, and then turned to Alec.

"Ethan gave me the recipe for that noodle soup he made. I want to make it for him for when he wakes up. Even if it isn't today, it should keep for a while. Will you help me?"

Alec smiled. "Of course, Iz. That's a great idea"

And the pair got to work, pouring all of their effort into this dish, to show Ethan how much they both loved him.

A/N - Wow... 100 votes? I'm glad you guys like the story. It may not be a lot to some people, but I appreciate that anybody likes this story at all. Thanks for all of the love and support you guys are showing,

kait-astrophe