The downworld - Malec Fanfiction AU

Chapter 55- Hospital

Alec

Everything feels heavy, dull. I hear a beeping. Regular, high pitched. I feel the weight of blankets. Rough fabric, tightly tucked around my body. And something warm it barely touches my hand. I feel my own breath. It's hard to pull air into my lungs.

I open my eyes, the light is harsh but I refuse to close my eyes again. I see the lights right over my face. And a face. It's tear strained, the eyes are read and there's snot under his nose. His mouth is opened in a silent sob. He looks terrible. I raise my hand and cup Magnus' cheek.

"Why are you crying?" I ask him. Magnus just shakes his head and something tightens around me. I think he's holding me. He rocks me back and forth while crying. I notice pressure on my arm and everything inside of me turns cold. I don't feel pain. NO!

I twist out of Magnus' grip and fall of the bed. My heart beats out of my chest as I fumble with the sheets and the finally get a grip on the IV.

"Don't!" He yells but I rip it out of my arm. I see blood trickle down my arm. The door slams open and Jace runs inside, Magnus yells something about me ripping out my IV.

"ALEC! FOCUS!" Jace grabs my arm and holds his thumb over the bleeding spot. I'm hot. I'm cold.

"Jace..." I whisper. His blue eyes look at me with compassion.

"It's okay Alec. You're in for a hard few weeks but then the withdrawals will be over. We tried other meds, but they weren't strong enough" I close my eyes, I don't care that it's cold on the floor or that Magnus says something. I just drown it all out. If I have to suffer later, at least I'll enjoy the high while it lasts.

Jace

Alec closes his eyes, making my stomach twist. I've seen this expression on his face way to often when he first joined me and Tiger.

"What withdrawals?" Magnus asks, frowning.

"Magnus. Alec is a recovering addict. But not cocaine, he's gotten high on opiate based pain meds. The meds that he's received. That's why he freaked out" Magnus visibly pales at the realisation. Then nurse enters the room.

"What happened? I heard shou- ALICE, SEND ME THE DOCTOR!" The nurse yells and immediately comes over to us. Alec lazily opens his eyes before closing them again as she shakes him.

"Just him realising that you gave him opiates before I could stop you" I tell them. The nurse shakes her head.

"An addict?" She asks as other people enter the room. Together they fuss around Alec while I hold Magnus back from going to Alec. He'd only disturb them.

"Yes. Clean since he came to us, he finished rehab a few years ago and hasn't used since" the nurse nods.

Soon Alec is back in his bed and the nurse I talked to speaks with the doctor while some other nurses attach cuffs to the bed.

"We'll transfer this patient to ward E before he wakes up. Once he's clean again and been through the worst he can be released. His throat is alright and the broken bones will mend if he doesn't thrash around too much" the doctor advises the nurse then leaves the room. I look over to Alec and Magnus who watches carefully as a nurse replaces the IV Alec ripped out and puts a bandaid on the side where he'd ripped it out. Then she tapes the IV so that it can't be removed easily. Once she's done she leaves us with Alec. Magnus climbs on the bed and lays down between Alec's legs, resting his head on Alec's left hip. He curls up into a little ball and just lays there.

"How are you so calm?" Magnus asks. I shrug.

"I look calm. I'm not. But it's not the first time so I know what's going to happen" Magnus nods. His arms wrap around one of Alec's legs.

"How was he? The last time he took something? And when he stopped?" I swallow as I remember my best friend and brother with fingers melted to the bone, hollow eyes and underweight. The throwing up, the fever, all the pain he went through as he suffered withdrawals.

"He was Alec when he was high. But he was dangerous, mad when not. One night he broke out and into a zoo to steal pain meds. He killed a panther there, shot him right in the head and stole the meds. That's why he's called that. The Panther. It's his way of remembering what he can do when out of control. I suggest that you move quickly when he wakes up. Addicts suffering withdrawals tend to lose control" I tell him. Magnus looks pale with worry as he shakes his head.

"I'll stay by his side. No matter what" I roll my eyes. Foolish idiot.

"That's not what I meant. You can be here for him. Just get off that bed as soon as he wakes up. He'll be in terrible pain. Until the withdrawals stop" People come into the room and starts to transfer Alec with Magnus on the bed once they notice that he doesn't plan to move. It already pains me to know that he'll not recognise the Alec he'll meet. I just hope he's strong enough to bare it. And that Alec doesn't give in.