Malec: A Fanfic Romance

Chapter 13

He never called,” Jace spoke, half running up the stairs of the institute, and bursting through the front doors.

Clary, Izzy, and now Simon followed closely behind him as they walked into pure chaos. Simon had insisted on staying by Clary’s side now that she had the cup, he was her best friend after all. But that news did not sit well with Jace who was already uneasy at the fact that Alec didn’t follow through with the plan. He never does that.

There were people everywhere, and so much noise. He couldn’t think straight. Everyone was trying to figure out what had just happened, finding friends or family. Jace decided to head for the stairs, he figured there would be traffic at the elevator. He hadn’t realized it, but he was running now. The rest were apparently having a hard time catching up.

“Jace!” Clary called out from behind him.

“Jace slow down, where are we going?” she continued as she caught up with him.

“He would’ve gone to the Head’s office because that’s where Valentine would’ve gone so that’s where we’re going” he explained while climbing the stairs.

“Ok” Clary reasoned, already out of breath.

“Are you okay?” She asked as they reached the step, pushing through the door.

“I will be once I-”

He never did get around to finishing that sentence. Instead he walked slowly toward the end of the hallway to make sure what he was seeing was real. And it was. He saw the handprint of blood on one of the elevator doors and looked down to the pool of dried blood at his feet. He quickly realized that it was the end of a trail and turned his attention to the hallway of the Head’s office.

“Oh god” Izzy breathed out uneasily, and clamped her hand over her mouth.

She backed up a little, bumping into Simon who placed his hands on her arms, making sure she didn’t lose her balance.

Jace followed the drops of blood down the hallway until he reached the door of the office. He opened it a crack and then wider when he found no one inside and was met with another pool of blood that he swiftly turned away from. Shutting the door again he followed the trail to the end of the hallway where he assumed was where it all started. He'd probably been backed into a corner Jace thought as he got on his knees to retrieve Alec’s bow and satchel of arrows. He held it for a moment. Wishing it would tell him where Alec was. Feeling guilty about, well everything. His breathing grew heavy and he felt a warm lump in his throat. He cleared it before getting up from his knees and turning back around to face Clary.

“I should’ve stayed,” he began, his voice cracking.

“He wouldn’t have let you,” Clary said, placing a hand on his shoulder and taking a step closer, but he  shrugged it off.

“He was right” Jace said quietly, turning
Aw,ay so she couldn’t see the redness in his eyes

“I’ve been distracted. I’ve been distant”
There was a long silence before he spoke again.

“I should've been able to feel it. He was dying. He was in trouble. And I should've been able to feel him but I didn't”

“You’ve only been doing what you thought was best”

“Can you feel him now?” Izzy questioned from beside Simon.

“I- I don’t know” Jace confessed

“How can you not feel your own Parabatai?” Simon chimed in before Jace shot him a death glare.

“Fine I guess I won’t bring up any more valid questions….” He continued, mumbling under his breath.