"Alec, are you listening?"

The shadowhunter blinked his tired eyes and turned back to an impatient Raj who was going over forms for all the casualties from the last attack on the institute.

"Yeah, I'll sort them out, just leave them on my desk."

The man didn't move though, he just opened his mouth as if he were about to start talking without ever getting any words out. Alec growled.

"Spit it out."

Raj swallowed and shuffled some of his papers nervously.

"Sorry, you just…someone has to call the families of the deceased."

Alec sighed. He was the head of the institute, it would have to be him. But by the angel, he would give anything to not have to do this.

His voice was softer this time, as he massaged the back of his neck, trying to loosen his overly tense muscles.

"I'll do it. Leave me the list of names and I'll go see them all myself."

Raj nodded and left, the tapping of his shoes drowned out in the noise of the institute. Since Valentines attack the place had been in chaos. Accords with the down world were under threat because of the incident with the soul sword, and shadowhunters were untrusting of Jace, who would undoubtedly be under question by the Clave again.

Shadowhunters were dead as well as numerous downworlders, and Alec had to talk to all of their families and clans as well as clean up the institute. There was already a huge pile of paperwork on his desk and he had to deal with it all on his own.

Usually he would have Jace and Izzy to rely on but he'd dropped Izzy off at Magnus' to get her through the yin fen withdrawals, and Jace was going through too much to be of any help.

Alec took a deep breath and calmed himself. He could do this, it would all be fine. If only he weren't so damn tired.

His phone rang and he answered it as he walked through the institute to the infirmary.

"What." His tone was impatient but he didn't have time for pleasantries. Clary answered, voice light with giggles. Alec could hear Simon laughing in the background, which only worsened his mood.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know I'll be away for a few days with Simon. You don't need me, do you?"

Alec clenched his jaw hard and closed his eyes, holding back a sigh. He could really use some help right now but, honestly, what could Clary even do? She didn't know a thing about filling out reports, or tending to the wounded and dead, and she was pretty much useless for everything else. He did have some things he wanted her to do, such as mending downworlder alliances since she seemed to be good at that, but Clary was already talking to Simon again about what to pack for their 'best friends trip.'

Alec tried and failed to keep the sarcasm from his voice.

"Yeah, that's fine Clary. I'll deal with this by myself."

She didn't notice his tone and said goodbye before hanging up and leaving Alec furious.

He wanted to throw his phone at the wall so badly, but he carefully placed it in his pocket before slamming his fist into the wall instead. The plaster had already cracked during Valentines attack, and it crumbled even more when his fist hit it. He felt the skin over his knuckles tear but he didn't care. He just needed a moment, the pain radiating through his fist enough to silence everything else.

He breathed for a moment, eyes clenched shut as he tried to focus. He was just so tired. He'd been up for a few days already, trying to fix everything, and when he did get a moment to himself he spent it worrying about his family and Magnus.

Alec pushed himself from the broken wall and pulled out his stele. He just needed a stamina rune to get through the day, he'd rest when he'd finished everything.

The rune brunt away his exhaustion and cleared his mind and he found himself standing straighter as he marched to the infirmary to talk to the head physician.

"I need a list of everyone injured and an estimation as to when they'll be ready to work again."

The woman nodded but took Alec's arm as he turned to leave.

"I understand you fought on the attack and was knocked down pretty hard. Would you like me to check you over?"

Alec shook his head, frowning. "No, thank you. I'm fine."

He had been knocked down, and he distinctly remembered the crack of his own head hitting the hard metal walls of the elevator Madzie had thrown him into. His head had been pounding with a headache since then but he didn't have time to be checked over and couldn't afford to take time off while everything was in chaos. The doctor didn't seem convinced but nodded and released him.

Alec sighed in relief and went to his next task.

By the time, he met Magnus for dinner, he was so worn out he was stumbling over his own shoes. He had visited the home of every downworlder and shadowhunter killed in the attack, talking to the families, and breaking the news. It was a heart wrenching process and he'd almost been attacked by several of the downworlders. But thankfully now he could relax just a little.

Magnus was waiting for him in the apartment, with wine in hand and hot food on the table. Alec could almost cry at the sight of him. Instead he wrapped his arms around his warlock breathed him in.

"Long day?"

Magnus hugged him back, smiling at how Alec clung to him.

"Very. It's not over either, I still have reports to fill before tomorrow for the Clave meeting."

Magnus released the boy, handing him a wine glass as he sank into the couch.

"At least take a break, and you do need your sleep. Surely you can finish it tomorrow."

Alec shook his head, looking utterly exhausted as he quickly ate his meal.

"Clave meeting is at ten and I have people to check in on before then. There's also the funerals to plan and oversee and, by the angel, Magnus it was awful. Having to tell those people that their loved ones had died. One woman was holding a baby and I had to tell her she'd never see her husband again. That took up most of my day."

Magnus sat next to the shadowhunter and put a hand on his shoulder, trying to massage the tension from him.

"I'm sorry, Alexander." There wasn't much else to say but just the presence of the warlock calmed Alec and he gave the man a small smile.

"Thanks for being so understanding, and for taking care of Izzy for me. How's she doing with the withdrawals?"

Magnus sighed as he thought about the way she'd been screaming all day. His magic did little for the pain and she'd been practically rabid, willing to do anything to get what her body needed. But Alec didn't need to know all that, of course Magnus wouldn't lie to him, he would tell him everything if he asked, but for now he could give highlights.

"It's a difficult process but she's strong. She's…resting now."

Alec raised an eyebrow at his pause, and Magnus amended quietly.

"I sedated her so that she could sleep through the worst of it."

Alec nodded, grateful, and pulled Magnus down to sit in his lap, wrapping his arms loosely around him.

Magnus smiled as he curled against his shadowhunters chest but he could tell something was wrong.

"Are you sure there isn't more I can do to help? I could come with you when you see the down-worlder's, help with the accords or the repairs at the institute?"

Alec shook his head and kissed the warlock's forehead.

"No, it's okay. Someone needs to be here for Izzy and I can handle the rest. Thank you though, I really do appreciate everything you do for me and my family."

Magnus smiled, those beautiful eyes warm in the soft light.

"Of course, my love."

Alec smiled, a real smile, at the pet name and he leaned forward to steal a kiss from his boyfriend. They had said I love you for the first time, and Alec had never felt happier. If only the rest of his life was going as well as his relationship.

He and Magnus shared deep, passionate kisses, until Magnus' hands found themselves under Alec's shirt, and he remembered his work.

The shadowhunter mumbled into Magnus' mouth, apologetic and regretful. "Magnus, I have work to do."

The immortal did not want to stop and smiled into another kiss, voice breathy and seductive. "No, you have me to do." It almost worked, Alec almost gave in, but he was covering for his brother and sister and had so little time to do their work in. He nibbled at Magnus' earlobe, in the way that always made the man lose his breath, and whispered into his ear.

"Nice try, Mags."

The warlock whined, not wanting their moment to end, and placed a last kiss on Alec's lips before resting his head on the others chest and holding him tight.

"Don't go."

Alec really didn't want to leave him, he wrapped his arms around the man, in a tight hug, before letting him go and gently sliding him off his knee and onto the couch.

"I don't want to go either, but Izzy was supposed to help in the infirmary so I have to cover for her. I'll try and call you tomorrow. Sorry."

Magnus pouted from the couch as Alec left, his handsome young shadowhunter was overworking himself but it didn't seem like there was anything he could do. He decided to keep an eye on him until the whole mess of the attack settled down.

Alec sighed as he leant outside Magnus' door. He could spend all the time he liked with his boyfriend when everything was sorted out. He too out his stele and added another stamina rune before his last one faded completely. He knew what happened when you used them too frequently but the faster he got everything finished, the faster he could go home to Magnus. And he really wanted to be with Magnus.

He ignored the voice in his head telling him how bad an idea that was (Funny, how it sounded like Izzy and Jace at the same time) and made his way back the institute. He'd get his work done on time, and everyone else's.