The act 2 - The life of a conman

Chapter 6

Jace found Alec curled into a ball on the bathroom floor.

"Alec, are you okay?"

Jace glared at the floor with suspicion before sitting down next to Alec.

"Alec. I'm sure there is some kind of misundersta..."

"No!"

Alec yelled out, stopping Jace from talking.

"There's no misunderstanding..."

Alec pulled himself up to a sitting position. Folding his arms around his long bend legs. Holding them against his chest.

"I've felt him pull away from me for a long time..."

Jace closed his eyes. His hands were clenching into fists. No one hurt his brother. Not even Magnus. He couldn't believe Magnus would though, but if he had...

Jace could feel the pain from his nails digging into his palm.

"Are you sure Alec?"

"Yes. Someone keeps writing and calling him, and he leaves the room to talk to the person. He say it's Aline and that it is about work, but why would he leave the room for that?"

Alec let out a shaky sob and wiped his eyes in the fabric covering his knees.

"And he always leaves the apartment. No matter what time a day it is, or what he was doing... He just leaves me..."

Alec slid down to lay on the floor again. His entire body shivering.

"I knew it... Why should he stay with me...? I'm lucky I've had him for as long as I have..." Alec mumbled almost incoherently between sobs.

"Don't be ridicules Alec. Magnus loves you. I'm sure there is another explanation for all that."

Jace said the words but wasn't sure he truly believed them himself. It all seemed too suspicious.

He knew they had been through a lot and he had seen the way Magnus had been hurting when Alec had lost his memories. Jace knew in his heart that Magnus loved Alec.

But he had also seen him change. Become a shadow of himself. He remembered that he and Clary talked about it. How different Magnus had become.

Maybe it all had become to much for him. After all, Alec was still traumatized, and sometimes he was still affected by what he had been through. He could only imagine how hard it had to be, to just stand by and watch the one you love, fall apart from a sound or a smell. Not able to do anything.

Maybe, just maybe, Magnus had gone out to seek something more carefree?

Jace tried to shake of the idea. But it kept lingering in the back of his mind. If that was the case, he would beat the shit out of him!

"C'mon buddy, you can't stay on the floor. I'll get you home."

Jace almost lifted the shuddering Alec from the floor and half carried him to the car. A concerned Clary with bloodshot eyes following.

Arriving at the apartment, Jace carried Alec to the couch. Clary found a glass of water for Alec, and sat down next to him, caressing him. Slow comforting strokes against his back.

"I'll call Alec's work and say he got sick. Could you stay here with him?"

Clary nodded. No way in hell she would leave him like this.

Jace walked away from the others, calling Alec's work. He sorted things out with Alecs work, but felt way to riled up to just stay here and do nothing. He walked towards the door, dialing Luke's number. His father in law was a cop. Surely, he could track down Magnus for him.

Clary heard the door slam shot and closed her eyes sending a silent prayer.

Please don't do anything stupid, Jace.

She knew how much her husband cared for Alec, and he sometimes got tunnel vision when it came to him.

----

Magnus stepped out of the building, counting the cash he had retrieved for Lilith.

He walked straight into something, fell to the ground with the wind knocked out of him.

"What the hell! Watch where you are going... Jace?!"

Magnus' eyes widened. Different emotions flooded through him. First anger for the person who didn't watch where he was going, then happiness of seeing his old friend, and at last concern. Jace looked so pissed. Something was clearly wrong

"Oh my god Jace, is Alec...?"

"Don't worry Magnus, he is not here..."

Jace stepped closer, towering over Magnus, who was still on the ground, gathering the money he had dropped from the impact.

"What do you mean he is not here? Is he okay?"

Magnus stood up and tried to take a step back. He liked Jace, but he felt no need to have him this close. He could almost taste his cologne.

Jace shoved him against the wall.

"What are you doing?"

Magnus was confused. What the hell was going on?

"Are you cheating on him Magnus?"

Jace looked down at the big pile of money in Magnus' hands.

"Do you get paid for it?"

Disgust covered Jace's face when he slapped the money out of Magnus' hand, making Magnus roll his eyes. Now he had to gather the money once more.

That motion pissed Jace off even more.

"Don't you dare act like this isn't something serious!"

Jace had grabbed Magnus by his collar and while screaming at him.

Magnus could see that Jace barely could keep himself together. There was only one thing that could drive Jace so far out.

Alec.

Something had happened.

Magnus let money be money and grabbed Jace's face. Forcing Jace to look into his eyes.

"Tell me now Jace! What has happened to Alexander!?"

Jace searched Magnus eyes for guilt, shame, something. And found concern. Love.

He let go of Magnus.

"Magnus tell me, are you cheating on Alec?"

"NO! why the hell would you thin..."

Magnus stopped. Reality hitting him hard.

"He found out I lied about going to work, didn't he?"

Magnus dropped to the ground. His legs not being able to hold him.

"Oh no... This is all my fault... That wasn't supposed to happen."

"Magnus! What is your fault?"

Jace kneeled in front of him.

"I'm not cheating... it's so much worse..."

Magnus started explaining everything to Jace. There was no need for hiding it anymore.