Brothers by Blood (Alec Lightwood twin)

Chapter 38

*Later – Alec at Magnus' loft*

ALEC'S POV

I knocked on Magnus door, waiting for him to open it. A few moments later, the door opened to reveal my gorgeous boyfriend.
"Alec, my darling, how are you this afternoon?" Magnus asked with a smile. I tried my best to return that smile.
"Ok." I replied simply.
"No you're not. Something's wrong. I can tell." Magnus replied seriously, seeing right through my failing attempt at a smile.
I didn't say anything, only walked onto Magnus' balcony and looked out at the city.
"How many Downworlders do you think live in New York?" I asked absentmindedly when he came up to me.
"I don't know. But they're not all your responsibility." He replied. I turned to him.
"You are." I replied simply. He smiled to himself.
"I can take care of myself." He replied.
"You may have lived through the fall of Rome, but even the Dark Ages couldn't have been this dark." I said, staring out at the city.
"Alexander, I know things may seem bleak, but it's not the end of the world. Trust me, we will get through this." Magnus said, placing a hand comfortingly on one of my own.
"I hope so." I replied.
"There's something else isn't there?" He asked.
"Isabelle found out why Mum and Dad have been fighting so often." I told him.
"Why was that?" He asked curiously.
"Dad is cheating on Mum. She told Jace, Ben, and I not to tell Izzy because she is so close to Dad and basically worships him, but it turned out that Izzy already knew." I revealed. "I hate seeing our sister sad, or any of our siblings for that matter." I added.
"She's going to be ok. Isabelle is strong, and with Ben, Jace, and your help, you can all get through this." He consoled me.
"I can't believe I am saying this, but I am worried for my Mum. She is so strong and stoic all the time, but when Ben and I were hugging her after she told us, she broke down into tears. I have never seen her cry before." I revealed.
"I have once, it was only a stray tear or two, but still. It was when Ben was unconscious and she saw him for the first time after he got back from Valentine. Maryse is a strong woman. I know she will pull through this. Even though your mother and I have our issues, and believe me, there are a lot of them, I do feel for her. A loveless marriage is not a marriage, it's a jail sentence, especially when your partner is cheating on you." Magnus stated in an attempt to comfort me.
"You sound as if you speak from experience." I commented.
"I have seen it happen many times before. I even had a friend a long time ago that had a similar situation. He was totally devoted to his wife, but she treated him like trash, and was cheating on him with multiple other men." Magnus explained. "She ended the marriage by running off with another man." He finished.
"I'm sorry to hear that." I said sadly.
"It was in the past. They are both probably long dead by now." Magnus said. "They were both mundanes." He added.
"I didn't know you hung out with mundanes." I said, bumping our shoulders together teasingly.
"Occasionally. There's a lot you don't know about me Alexander." He said mysteriously.
"Well, I plan to change that." I told him. He smiled at me before pulling me in for a gentle kiss.

*Back at the Institute*

CLARY'S POV

Something is going on with Jace and the twins. I couldn't tell what though. I was walking past Jace's room when I heard him punching the punching bag that he had in his room. I knocked on the door.
"Jace?" I asked.
"Come in." He called back. I opened the door to see him putting a shirt on. I tried my best not to stare. You're his sister Clary. You can't think like that.
"What's up with you and the twins?" I asked, thinking of something other than how much I loved him and how he made me speechless whenever I saw him shirtless. I should not have those feelings towards my brother. "I mean, even I have noticed that you were hiding something." I added.
"It's complicated." Jace said steadily, before sitting down on his bed. I walked over and sat down next to him.
"I have time." I said calmly.
"You can't tell anyone, but Alec, Ben, and I found out after Max's rune ceremony that Robert is cheating on Maryse." He revealed. My hand went over my mouth and I gasped. "What's worse is that Izzy already knew and didn't tell anyone so she had to carry the secret by herself." He added.
"Oh my God. Jace, I'm so sorry." I said, knowing how much the Lightwoods meant to him. Jace and I may be related by blood, but his true family is the Lightwoods, and I understand that. Maryse and Robert raised him, the twins are like his older brothers, he treats Izzy like a little sister, and Alec is his parabatai. I know how much they mean to him.
"Everything will be ok in the end. I have to believe that." Jace said, almost to himself. I put my hand on his upper arm in a comforting gesture and he looked at me with a look of thanks.
"Should we go check on Izzy?" I asked. Jace shook his head.
"No, Alec and I left Ben and Izzy on her bed, both sleeping. Ben wanted to stay with her and be there when she woke up, since she had asked all of us to anyway, and Izzy needs sleep. It would be best not to wake them unless absolutely necessary." Jace said rationally, a soft smile on his face. I nodded, wanting to ensure Izzy's wellbeing. Aside from Simon, she's my best friend and I hate seeing her hurt in any way, so if I can do anything to soften the huge blow that she has just sustained, I will.