Ok, this is my first fanfiction and I'm very nervous about it. I've never been too good at writing stuff like this, but I thought I'd give it a go. Please review and tell me how it is. If I've done something wrong, please tell me, I fully accept criticism. Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Mortal Instruments or any of the characters in it (unfortunately)

- X -

"Where is he?"

"Magnus, please, just slow down," Isabelle pleaded.

Magnus ignored her, striding through the doors of the Institute like he owned the place. He hadn't been here many times in the past, but he vaguely knew his way to the Infirmary. On past visits that was where he normally ended up, to heal one person or another. He suddenly felt an odd urge to see one room in particular. It had been six months since the battle in Idris, when Alec had finally come clean to his family and the Clave about their relationship, but he still hadn't seen his boyfriend's room. Magnus shook his head. That wasn't something he should be dwelling on right now, of all moments.

Isabelle, deciding, wisely, to let him though, guided him through the maze of the Institute. He didn't stop to look at paintings and fancy vases and ornate carvings as he walked, he just matched Isabelle's brisk pace and prayed to every God, Goddess and spiritual deity he'd ever heard of. He prayed that Alec was ok.

He thought back to the call he'd gotten not even five minutes ago. He was still trying to process it. He'd been lounging on his sofa with Chairman Meow, watching reruns of America's Next Top Model, laughing when people made fools of themselves, when his phone rang. He'd grumbled, if it had been another client ringing so late he would have used some very colourful language and made up threats that would make Satan cringe. But as it was, all he heard when he picked up the phone was Isabelle shrieking at the top her voice. When he finally managed to get her to talk properly, all it took was two words for Isabelle to whisper.

Its Alec...

Without a second thought he'd opened a portal and leaped through it, not caring that he had no makeup on and that he was wearing very bland clothing, not caring that his hair was probably a mess and he had left his cat alone with no food. His only thoughts were about Alec. Was he dead, dying? Magnus hoped it was all some misunderstanding, but as Isabelle met him at the doors of the Institute, the look on her face told him everything.

It was bad, very bad.

As he was about to push open the doors of the infirmary, Isabelle grabbed hold of his arm firmly. He looked back at her incredulously. Was she crazy, her brother was lying in there in God-knows-what state and she was stopping him from getting to him? But the tears cascading down her face stopped him from snapping at her. She looked terrible. Her usually perfect inky black hair was tangled and wild and mascara ran down her face along with her tears, leaving black streaks on her pale cheeks. Her shadowhunter gear had rips in it and she herself was sporting many impressive gashes and some burns by the look of it. But the absolute misery in her eyes was what really made her look bad. What could've happened to make her look like this? What could've happened that meant Alec, a brilliant young shadowhunter, was so injured? As far as Magnus knew, they had been 'disposing' of a small nest of Iblis demons, nothing too difficult. What had gone wrong?

"Before you go in...just...try not to be too shocked. He's barely conscious, but he wouldn't want any drama."

Magnus nodded at her words, his chest tightening as he imagined the worse. Not able to wait any longer, he turned from Isabelle and pushed open the door.

He was greeted by the sight of Alec's family surrounding one bed, blocking his lover from view. Maryse and Robert Lightwood, Jace, Clary and even Simon were present. Isabelle slowly made her way to the bed too, and Simon put his arm around her as she wept silently. He couldn't see Alec's parents properly, but Maryse was shaking and Robert's shoulders were tense. Jace was gripping Clary's hand tightly, his face emotionless, his jaw clenched, but Magnus could see from where he was standing, the silent grief in his golden eyes. He and Clary were also in bad shape, with multitudes of scratches and burns like Isabelle's, and blood covering them. But Magnus didn't care about them at that moment; all he cared about was Alec. He made his way to the bed and had to hold back a gasp at what he saw. At first it seemed ok. Alec was lying there, paler than usual, but alright. But on second glance, his face was much, much too pale. His eyes were rolling back in his head and he was shuddering, letting out little moans of pain that made Magnus' heart bleed.

But the worst thing was is injuries. Showing through a large rip in his gear across his stomach was a large gash in his skin. Blood was pumping out of it steadily and his glistening organs were only just being held inside by the pressure of Robert's hands on his son's abdomen. This wasn't bad, it was terrible. That sort of injury was difficult to heal. It may already be too late. Tears brimmed in Magnus' eyes.

He gently put his hand on Robert's shoulder. "Move aside, Robert. Let me."

Robert obeyed without complaint and as Magnus examined the wound with his heart beating far faster than it should have been, Maryse asked the golden question.

"Can you save him?" she said in a shaky voice. She sounded desperate, raw pain and grief so clear in her voice. Magnus had never heard the women sound like this before. She had always seemed like the sort of woman who never lost her composure, who was businesslike and stern till the end. But her son was dying.

"I don't know," he replied in a choked voice. "I don't know, Maryse."

She let out a wail of misery at his words and completely broke down, collapsing to her knees onto the cold stone floor. "By the Angel, I can't lose another son!" she wept, brokenly.

Isabelle and Clary hurried to her side and helped her up, gently guiding her out of the room. Her sobs echoed from the corridors and didn't stop.

"Tell me what happened," Magnus said, desperately trying to heal the rip in Alec's abdomen, but despite the blue sparks flitting over the injury, it just wouldn't close.

"We got rid of the Iblis demons no problem," Jace explained, his voice flat. "But then a swarm of Scorprios demons showed up. Six at least. It was just me, Isabelle, Alec and Clary. We didn't stand a chance. We put up a good fight, its lucky we're not all dead, but Alec..."

He stopped abruptly, seemingly unable to carry on as tears shimmered in his eyes. Magnus had never seen Jace cry before. He didn't want to.

"Alec tried to save me," Isabelle said from the doorway, her arms folded as if to shield herself and tears choking her voice. "It was heading for me, but I was too slow. He jumped in front of me. Alec sacrificed himself to save me. It got him with its tail, then Jace killed the demon, but it was too late. The damage was done, and the poison is in his system. Its killing him, we all know that."

"So nothing can be done," Simon asked, numbly.

Magnus shook his head. Maybe if he'd gotten to Alec sooner, he could've been saved, but as it was, the poison was too far into his system, it was blocking his magic and not letting him heal Alec. He was slowly, but surely dying a horrible, painful death that Magnus wouldn't wish on anyone, least of all the person he loved.

"Come on guys, let's leave Magnus to..." Isabelle didn't finish her sentence, but Magnus knew what she had been intending to say.

Let's leave Magnus to say goodbye...

The shadowhunters and the vampire trailed out of the room, taking one last look at Alec, whether he was their friend, their brother, their parabatai or their son. Magnus waited until the door closed on the cold, silent room before he looked back at Alec. He was shocked to see Alec's eyes wide open and staring into his.

"Alec..." Magnus breathed. His hands went from the wound to his face, fluttering over his porcelain skin and leaving smears of Alec's own blood on his beautiful face. He looked deeply into Alec's beautiful blue eyes, the thing that had caught his eye when he'd first seen Alec. Like clear blue sapphires. Magnus smoothed his ebony hair, matted with blood, from his face and stroked his cheek gently.

"Magnus..?" Alec whispered, groggily.

"Yes, sweetie, it's me. I'm here," he whispered back. "It's ok darling. It's all going to be ok"

Alec shook his head, groaning slightly. Magnus could only imagine how much pain he was in. Scorprios venom seared though the bloodstream, attacking everything it came across. The poison would be burning him from the inside out. Magnus didn't know how he wasn't screaming from the pain. He must be in agony.

"Don't move, Alec," Magnus told him, kissing his forehead. He stroked Alec's hair.

"I'm dying Magnus. I know it," Alec whispered.

"No Alec, you're-" Magnus started.

"Don't Mag," Alec said, his voice slightly stronger. His eyelids fluttered like he was fighting to remain conscious. "I know how bad it is...and I accept it."

"Alec..."

"But before I go, I want...you to promise me something..." Alec's breathing was becoming laboured now. Magnus could see he didn't have very long left. He grabbed Alec's hand, willing him to hang on. To live.

"Anything Alec," Magnus answered, tears flowing down his face.

"When I'm gone...don't waste...time mourning...over me," Alec told him, haltingly. "I want...you t-to live...and love...again."

Magnus let out a sob. "No Alec...I can't. I won't ever love anybody like I love you and I can't live after you've gone. I just can't."

"You can...and you...will," Alec insisted, always stubborn till the very end. "You lived...before I came along."

"That wasn't living, that was just existing. My life meant nothing before you. You make me feel alive."

"That's so...cheesy," Alec said, with a juddering laugh.

Magnus laughed too through his tears. "It's true, I love you so much Alec. I love your strength, I love your compassion, I love the way you blush at almost everything, I love the way you bite your lip when you're nervous, I love the way you would do anything to save the people you love. I love everything about you, and I can't live knowing what true love really feels like and knowing that I've lost it forever."

"You have...to...Magnus," Alec whispered. He let out a moan of pain and his eyes squeezed shut momentarily. "Live...for both of us."

"I'll save you Alec...I don't care what I have to do. I'll save you. These past months have been the best months of my eight hundred years, and trust me, that's saying something. I can't let that go."

"You have to...Magnus," Alec said, he opened his eyes and Magnus lost himself in them one last time. "I've watched...shadowhunters waste their lives...on revenge and desperate...attempts at retrieving what they've lost. I don't want that to happen...to you."

"I don't want you to go..." Magnus whispered.

"I'll always...be here..." Alec said. "Watching out...for...you. And I don't...care...if that sounds...corny. Just...make sure...you love...someone safe...next time. A vampire...another warlock...someone...who won't have to... to leave you like I do."

"There won't be a next time, Alec," Magnus told him, firmly. He truly didn't think he would ever love again after this beautiful, wonderful boy.

"There will..." Alec said. He took a shuddering breath and reached up slowly to cup Magnus' cheek, using up the last of his energy. Magnus melted into his touch, but didn't look away from the two oceans that were Alec's eyes.

"I love you Magnus. So, so much," Alec whispered, gently stroking the tears from Magnus' cheek.

"I love you too, Alec. Forever," Magnus replied, his voice cracking on the last word.

"Hold me Magnus," Alec said. "Please."

Magnus obliged and sat down on the bed next to Alec, making sure he didn't jolt him, and slowly stretched his long legs onto the length of the mattress. He leant his head back against the headboard and took Alec into his arms, cradling the smaller boy carefully. Alec snuggled into him, his breathing ragged, and Magnus pressed a kiss into Alec's hair.

When Isabelle, Jace and Clary came into the infirmary ten minutes later, they found Magnus curled up on the bed with Alec clutched to his chest. Alec's eyes were closed and he was so pale. Magnus's eyes were wide open and tears were running steadily down his face as he looked numbly at the wall across from him. Clary let out a small gasp and Isabelle began to sob openly as Jace strode to the bed and checked Alec's pulse. At finding no heartbeat, he collapsed to his knees just as Maryse had and Clary knelt down beside him, putting her arms around him. Isabelle tried to prize Magnus away from Alec but the man let out a high keening sound, so she stopped and instead sat on the other side of the bed, stroking Alec's arm. They stayed this way for a long time before anybody even attempted to do anything. What was the point?

Alec was dead.

Soooo...Good? Bad? Let me know!