It's been awhile since I've uploaded anything. I'm actually focusing on original work now, I'm working on a book, but I needed a break and after that AMAZING episode I just couldn't get Malec out of my head! So this happened and so far this story is pretty much writing itself...

I should probably mention that even though I also included the movie and the books in the tags, this is mostly with the TV show in mind.

"You'll be okay, darling." Catarina said looking down at Madzie with fondness.

Magnus felt a responsibility to help young Madzie, the warlock had been used and cheated and Magnus vowed that he would protect her, which was why he had portaled her to Catarina's.

"Take her to the basement and put up the strongest wards you can." He warned. Catarina narrowed her eyes.

"Is this about the Soul Sword?"

"I have to go back." Magnus pointedly ignored her question.

"Magnus!" She grabbed his hand. Over her shoulder Magnus could see Madzie watching the exchange with wide eyes.

"I have to." He said, but the hand tightened, Catarina's eyes were shining with concern. This was a new, uncharted territory, they didn't worry about each other, not like mortals did, but Ragnor's loss was still fresh in both of their minds and these were not normal circumstances. "It's Alec." Magnus said staring into her eyes, willing her to understand.

Catarina's jaw tightened. "Don't you dare leave me alone in this world, Magnus." She said and then she let go.

Magnus contemplated saying something -' You're my best friend', 'Thank you for being there for me.', 'Take care of yourself', just in case. If Valentine activated that sword...

"Wouldn't dream of it." He said instead. And then he was gone.

Magnus portaled to just outside the institute and ran inside without giving it a second thought. Alec was in there and Valentine had the sword and he could not be allowed to activate that sword. Magnus's own life didn't matter, not when it came to protecting everyone else.

Magnus quickly pulled out his phone, intending to call Alec or Clary, but before he could make up his mind the sound of distant voices stopped him and then Magnus was running again.

Magnus turned into a hallway, but there was a bright light and his magic swelled on pure instinct as he threw his arms out to protect himself and then there was pain, agony that seemed to be trying to tear him apart, and fire and then - nothing at all.

Alec felt sick, there were so many bodies, so much death and he couldn't bear to look at the faces, but forced himself to anyway.

"Where's Magnus?" He asked. Jace and Clary both seemed to tense up. "He wasn't here, was he?"

Alec's heart was racing and he suddenly felt faint, it was pure will power that kept him standing.

"-got split up." Was all he managed to hear, but it was enough to get the message.

"Oh God." And then he was racing out of the room, only momentarily pausing at the sound of Jace's heartbroken voice calling his name.

Hecan'tbegonehecan'tbegonehecan'tbegone...

"Magnus! Magnus!" Alec ran from room to room, fighting over his nausea as he checked each lifeless body.

He didn't know how long he'd been at it when he got enough common sense to try calling Magnus. It took his shaking fingers a few tries to unlock his phone, but then he did and he was clutching the device so hard he was a bit worried it would snap in half and pleasepleasepleaseple-

He heard Magnus's ringtone and froze. The next second he was running towards the sound, his heart in his throat.

It was a hallway and Magnus's phone was laying on the floor. Alec picked it up like it was the most precious thing he'd ever held. The phone had burn marks on the back and one side seemed to actually have been melted off, it was a miracle the thing was still working. More burn marks lined the floor where the phone had been, but no Magnus. The hallway was empty.

Alec was numb. He sat in a chair while everyone else ran around, attending to the wounded or rejoicing in Valentine's defeat.

"Alec?" Jace's voice was gentle as he knelt in front of Alec's chair.

"I checked everywhere." Alec whispered. He stared at his hands in his lap, his fingers gripping the burned phone. "I don't understand."

And he had checked everywhere: the entire institute, twice , Magnus's loft, then he'd resorted to tracking and when that failed he'd found Jace and used parabatai tracking, which was so much more powerful and should have worked.

"We'll just have to keep looking." Jace offered, but Alec looked into his eyes and he could instantly see the defeated look. Jace thought Magnus was dead. Alec's breath hitched, but he quickly blinked the wetness in his eyes away.

"I- I have to get out of here." He quickly stood up and Jace followed with wide eyes.

"Ale-"

But Alec was already out the door.

He ran back to Magnus's loft, some part of Alec was hoping Magnus had somehow turned up there, but mostly he just needed to keep moving, to do something and he definitely needed to get out of the institute, where everyone regarded him with pity. Alec didn't need pity because Magnus was alive. He had to be.

When he finally got there, Alec hesitated at the achingly familiar door. He was out of breath, which was concerning all in its own, because he was shadowhunter, he wasn't supposed to be out of breath.

He opened the door. The loft was empty, well almost empty.

"Hey Chirman." Alec whispered and patted the kittens head. He sat down on Magnus's couch with a heavy thud and Chairman Mow quickly hopped on next to him.

Alec wondered if the cat could tell something was wrong, he definitely looked distressed as he stared at Alec with his big eyes.

Suddenly Alec's body shoke and a sob escaped his throat. All he could think about was how the last time they'd spoken it had been an argument. He could remember it perfectly, how Alec had snapped about the matter being family and how Magnus had flinched back. He didn't get to tell him. But how could this be? Magnus was immortal, indestructible, at least that's how it had always seemed to Alec. Alec was the one who would wither and die, not Magnus, never Magnus.

No, he had to do something, if there was no body then Magnus was still alive. The Soul Sword couldn't have destroyed his body, right? Leaving Alec to spend his entire life not really knowing, always wondering... no, life couldn't be that cruel.

Alec jumped up from the couch and started pacing. He had to do something, had to try something, he couldn't sit here wallowing while Magnus might be out there somewhere hurt or- or...

The sound of Magnus's phone ringing made Alec jump. He scrambled to reach the damaged device.

The name 'Catarina' flashed on the screen. Of course! Alec hadn't met Catarina, but Magnus had spoken of her, she was his friend, closest friend and she was a powerful warlock. After all, warlock tracking was more powerful, wasn't it?

"Catarina?" Alec asked wiling his voice not to break.

There was silence on the other end, then "Who is this?"

"It's Alec." Alec hesitated, had Magnus told her about him? It was such a silly thing to worry about now and yet Alec felt his heart clench all the same. He was a shadowhunter, not exactly someone one would brag about to warlock friends... "Lightwood. I'm Alec Lightwood." He added.

"Where's Magnus? Is he with you?" She sounded so concerned, so small.

"I-" He cut off and had to take a deep breath to calm himself. "I'm in Magnus's apartment. Can you come here?"

"Is Magnus okay?" She demanded.

"I don't know." Alec whispered.

There was a pause, then "Give me five minutes." And she hung up.

Alec was still staring ta the phone when a portal opened in the living room. For one fleeting moment, he thought it was Magnus, but then a woman with blue skin emerged and Alec's heart crumpled.

Had it been five minutes? Alec couldn't tell, he'd been too lost in his head, in the memories-

"Alec?" Her voice was gentle, much gentler than it had been on the phone. He blinked trying to bring her face into focus.

"I don't- I can't find him." Alec said and winced at how pathetic he sounded, but pride was the farthest thing form his mind.

Catarina glanced at the phone in his hand and frowned.

"Tell me what happened." She urged gently.

"The Soul Sword was activated and I- I looked everywhere, but all I found was this." His hands were shaking and he suddenly felt very unsteady on his feet. A shadowhunter that's fought in numerous missions, faced down dozens of demons and here he was, terrified and trying not to pass out, his mother would've been horrified.

Suddenly a gentle hand was was clutching his shoulder, steadying him. Catarina's eyes were shining with concern and some of it seemed to be directed at him . He must have really looked terrible then.

"Why don't you sit down." She soothed and was already guiding Alec to the couch before he could protest. Perhaps she was on to something though, because Alec's head did seem to clear a little.

"You can do something, right?" He asked.

"I will try tracking him." She said and gently took Magnus's phone out of Alec's hands. "But you need to rest. You won't be able to help Magnus like this."

She was right, of course. So Alec let Chairman Mow curl up in his lap tried to relax as he watched Catarina make her way to Magnus's kitchen. She emerged a few minutes later with a mug of hot, steaming liquid in her hands.

"This will ease your nerves." She assured and handed him the cup. For a moment he just stared at it. The drink had a nice brown color and smelled like apples mixed with something else, but Alec could recognize magic just from looking at it. He gulped the drink down without hesitation and when he looked up, Catarina was looking at him with surprise.

"Not many shadowhunters would be so trusting of a warlock's magic." She explained in a friendly tone when she noticed Alec's confusion.

Alec opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly he felt very exhausted and before he could think of anything to say Catarina was already standing up and walking away form him.

Alec rested his head on the back of the couch and stared at the ceiling. The drink had left him warm and exhausted and soon Alec was dozing off, his mind settling for the first time in days.

Alec awoke with a start. His sleep had been easy and dreamless, but the memories crashed back as soon as his mind neared consciousness. He did feel better though, worried and terrified, but his mind was clearer.

"You're awake." Catarina gave a weak smile. She had an ancient looking book in her lap, but now her gaze was on Alec.

"How long was I out?" He asked sitting up straighter. He noticed a blanket on his lap, and that Chairman Mow was sitting beside Catarina now.

"A few hours." She said and when Alec's eyes widened, added "You needed the rest."

"Have you tracked him?"

Catarina's eyes darkened. "It didn't work. There was nothing."

"But- does that mean..."

"He could be over water, or there could be something blocking him. There are explanations" She offered and unlike when Jace had assured him, Catarina's eyes were shining with hope, so Alec nodded.

"Would you be able to track him if..." He let the sentence hang between them.

"No." She said, her voice soaked with emotion. Alec cleared his throat.

"How do we find him then?"

"I'm going through spell books, searching for alternative tracking methods." She motioned to her book.

"What can I do?" Alec asked desperately. Catarina seemed to hesitate.

"Take care of the institute. And of yourself." She finally said.

"What? No. Magnus is more important." Alec said. For the second time that night, Catarina seemed impressed.

"And he would want you to do this." She said gently. "Besides, if Magnus was at the institute when he disappeared, perhaps you can find the answer there. I will call you as soon as I find anything."

Alec couldn't argue with that. "I'll give you my number." He said reaching for his own phone.

"I have your number. Magnus gave it to me in case I ever needed to reach you." Catarina explained and Alec's eyes widened. So Magnus did tell Catarina about their relationship, not only that but he'd given her his number. "I'll call you so that you have mine." She added.

Alec nodded and after saving Catarina's number left her in Magnus's apartment.