7: Magnus

Alec's on his phone when he comes back in pajama pants. I think it's really cute he accidentally grabbed a pair of mine. His brow's furrowed in worry as he paces.

"What's going on, Clary?" he asks.

He's quiet for a moment before he swears angrily. Max giggles next to me. He's never heard Alec talk like that before.

"I am going to kill him. I swear it, Clary. If he comes near my house, he's dead," Alec groans.

What'd Jace do this time? I wonder, pricking my ears up.

"Let me know. Please. Thank you. Bye," he tells her, hanging up.

He no longer looks worried. He looks furious.

"What'd Jace do?" I ask.

"He-He's helping do this to hybrids. He told Clary what he did to Nico, the burn victim. I will kill him if he comes near any of you," Alec replies tensely, raking a hand through his hair.

"I was hoping I'd be surprised and maybe he was helping hybrids. Don't worry, darling. I won't let him touch the kids. How'd he get out of jail this time?"

"Posted bail like always."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm the sorry one. My brother's a psychopath."

"It isn't your fault."

"Is Trevor safe?" Max asks.

"I'm gonna call Iz and find out, okay? I wouldn't put it past Jace to go over there and attack Trevor."

Alec looks extremely relieved when he gets off the phone with Izzy.

"Trevor's fine. Izzy wants to throttle Jace too," he tells us.

"Does he know we have Trevor?" I ask.

"Not that I know of. He knows about Max."

"And me. He's hated me from day one."

I know first-hand what Jace is capable of. I never want to go through that again, especially when he's escalated into helping murder people.

Sighing, Alec agrees with me.

"Then how do I keep you safe?" he asks.

"I can defend myself decently, but not against him," I reply.

Two years ago, I started taking self-defense classes because of Jace and Ragnor. I never want to be an assault victim again.

"You're afraid he'll kill you," Alec says.

"Yes. Dying at the hands of a psycho isn't on my to-do list,"

"How do I keep you and Max safe?"

"I have no idea. Locked doors don't mean much to him."

"Moving is still an option."

"We can't afford it, Alec. You'd have to find another vet clinic. I'd lose the salon. Max and Trevor would lose their friends."

"Kai was the only friend I made at school," Max informs us.

"I don't wanna wait until something happens to you guys," Alec says.

"I'll shut the salon down indefinitely, I guess. And we'll go with your plan and pull the boys out of school," I reply.

"Jace doesn't know where we live. We could be safe, but I'd rather not find out we weren't by coming home to my family dead."

It takes hours of before the decision to stay here unless things get worse is made. I have a feeling we'll be moving before the year's over.

"If anything suspicious happens when I'm at work, call the cops and my cell," Alec sighs.

I know he's not happy about leaving us virtually unprotected. I'm not either, but I hate the idea of leaving our house because we're afraid.

"I will. The boys will be in the salon with me until you get home, okay?" I murmur, kissing him softly.

He offers me a worn smile. I hate seeing him so stressed out.

"I'm sorry people are doing this," I tell him.

The only thing this really does is make him stare at me like I've lost it.

"Magnus, it isn't your fault. You haven't done anything wrong," he replies.

"If I were human, you wouldn't have to worry about me," I retort.

"People attack people, Magnus. The sole fact that we're a couple could get us attacked if you were human. It might get us attacked now."

"I'd tear them apart if they went after you."

To help him relax, I make us a bubble bath with lavender oil in it. I don't plan on it going any further than this.

"Have I mentioned how sweet you are?" he asks, kissing me shyly.

"Not today," I smirk.

"You are the sweetest, most beautiful guy ever."

"I disagree, but I think we're both biased."

I need this with him.

"We're fighting a lot, aren't we?" Alec murmurs, tracing the tattoo on my wrist with his fingertip.

"Yeah, we are. I really hate your brother. Almost every bad thing that's happened to us has been his fault," I reply.

"I'm sorry we're fighting so much. I just-You're so calm about this, and I'm not calm about it. I'm terrified. And you being calm scares me because I think you don't realize how bad it is."

"I'm terrified too, Alec. I'm calm because I don't want Max getting scared. Like I said before, I know exactly how bad it is. I lived with Ragnor for eight years, remember?"

"I know you did. Before this, we argued, what, once a year? We've had two fights in two days. The last one was in front of Max."

"He knows we still love each other and that we won't hurt each other. It's because we're both stressed out."

"Stress doesn't even cover it. There needs to be a bigger word."

"I know. You've got more on your plate to deal with than I do. However I can help, I will, darling. I'm serious. If you wanna relax with a glass of wine and a book, just say the word and Max and I will leave you alone."

"I don't want you guys to leave me alone. Something might happen."

"I was meaning we wouldn't bug you. We'd play quietly with Max's toys in the living room or something. We're gonna get through this, darling."

"I thought you meant leaving the house. I'm turning into a control freak."

"If I thought you were controlling me, I'd tell you. I get why you're worried about us leaving."

I rub Alec's back until he goes to sleep tonight. Lying in my arms, he seems so fragile right now. While I'm watching him sleep, I let my own worries roam free. I'm more scared than he needs to know.