Deep End - Magnus Bane

29

Magnus smiled, "Even more reason. We can toast to Valentine's highly anticipated departure." He poured himself a drink, avoiding Sarah's piercing gaze that seemed to follow his every movement.

She bit her lips, wrapping her frail fingers around his arm, so he would turn to her, "I know something is wrong." Magnus turned to her with furrowed eyebrows, "I'm here" She assured him.

He patted her fingers shrugging the brunette off, "I appreciate it. But I'm fine."

"You're not. Remember what you said to me, "You're not alone, You have me."? You have me, Magnus. Let me be there for you." She nodded trying her best to assure the warlock that whatever it is that she would understand, Magnus paused sensing that Sarah was genuine with her words.

"When I was tortured in Valentine's body, that Agony rune, it..." He paused trying to find the right words, "It made me relive my worst memory. And now I can't get it out of my head. It..."Magnus shook his head, "Every time I close my eyes, it..." He sat down with Sarah kneeling in front of him wrapping her hands around Magnus' shaking ones.

"What is it?" Sarah asked searching his eyes, she wished her powers would include taking someone's pain, so she wouldn't see how much suffering was visible in the warlock's eyes, and suddenly everything bad she had ever seen seemed insignificant beside the story Magnus was narrating.

"Remember I told you how I found my mother dead by her own hand?" Sarah nodded before Magnus continued, "My stepfather found me shortly after. He screamed at me. He called me an abomination." Magnus looked at his hands, "He was right. He blamed me for her suicide. He said that she hated herself for giving birth to a monster. So I lashed out. With all the magic I had."

Sarah's eyes remained the same hearing Magnus describe how he lashed out at his father, Magnus shook his head, eyes brimming with tears, "I burned him, Sarah. Right where he stood. I murdered my stepfather."

Sarah wiped the few tears that escaped Magnus' eyes with her thump, "You were just a kid. You weren't in control of your powers. This wasn't your fault."

"Yes, actually, I was. I never wanted you to see this terrible, ugly side of me of my past."

"Magnus, I'm the last one who'd ever judge you for your past, " She rested her hand on his cheek stroking it softly, "There is nothing ugly about you." He leaned his head on her palm before she wrapped the warlock in a tight hug.

Sarah stood beside Magnus and Alec in the basement watching Jace pull Valentine out of his cell for his transfer, "Valentine Morgenstern, by order of the Clave, you are hereby remanded to the Gard in Idris."

Sarah nodded at Magnus who used his magic to open a portal, Valentine didn't even flinch as he watched the warlock, he sneered specifically towards Sarah, "I may be in a cell, but at least I'll be in Alicante, where the air doesn't reek of Downworlders."

"Get him out of here," Alec ordered the team of the guards who nodded at each other before going through the portal after Jace and Isabelle went through it together.

Sarah joined Isabelle, Jace, Clary, and Alec at the table in the OPs center after the news of Valentine's abduction came through to her, "Any word from Magnus or Luke?" Alec wondered as soon as the brunette joined them.

Sarah shook her head in response, Alec sighed. "With Valentine free, the Downworld Cabinet has been holding secluded meetings at the Seelie Court. The Clave isn't gonna let this go unpunished. The Inquisitor sent an envoy to assess the situation. Chances are, they'll be the ones replacing me as the Head of the Institute."

"Not when we could recapture Valentine," Sarah assured, looking at Alec, while Isabelle nodded her head agreeing with the brunette, "Sebastian and all available personnel are searching. We already know Duncan managed to hijack the Portal."