Restless Heart Syndrome

Chapter 4 Stop When THe Red Lights Flash

"Reality continues to ruin my life."

~Bill Watterson, The Complete Calvin and Hobbes

Restless Heart Syndrome Chapter 4 Stop When the Red Lights Flash

Magnus sighs, looking at the ringing phone. It's business hours, he actually does have to answer it. He can't just lounge around, let it ring out like he's doing right now… With yet another sigh, Magnus magic's the phone to his ear, pressing talk with an impatient roll of his eyes.

"This is the High Warlock of Brooklyn speaking. How may I be of service?" His tone is slightly annoyed, sarcastic in a cold way that it speaks for itself.

"This is the New York Institute, and your service is required." It's a cold voice, steely. Maryse. Alec's mum... No, he won't help them. He doesn't have to, after all.

"I'd really rather not." Magnus frowns, going to hang up the phone.

"Please," A crack in that hard voice stops him, and he pulls the phone back up to her ear as an uneven breathing pattern marks the holding back of a sob. "Please, you have to help me. I've already lost one son - I can't lose another."

"What, did Jace put his hand through another window? Because I'm not to be called to assist such a thing." He really can't help but be an asshole, not when it could be Alec who's in trouble. He doesn't want to deal with that. Alec couldn't be hurt, could he? Dread knots up in the warlock's stomach, God, he hopes it's not Alec. "Just use an Iratze. Or did you forget how to do even that?"

"No, it's... Alec. Runes aren't working. Nothing is, and we need a warlock. Please, just come over. He's unconscious now, the Silent Brothers gave him something, but he won't be for long and whatever it is isn't getting any better."

"It's going to cost you," Magnus says, and tries to tell himself that the unsettling feeling in his chest will go away, that he'll fix it, that everything will be fine. But maybe it won't be.

"That's fine."

When Magnus gets to the Institute, a little more hurriedly than he'd like to admit, he's surprised to see the state of the Alec unconscious in the infirmary, unharmed, a white sheet pullet up to his neck. His skin is a bit paler than usual, maybe with a hint of green, and there are dark bags under his eyes, but other than that... he just looks like the Alec Magnus remembers. Alexander Gideon Lightwood, the insecure shadowhunter that could light up a room with his laugh if he'd just let it show. The boyfriend who was afraid to try, wrapped up in a fantasy everyone knew he couldn't stay in. The shadowhunter he helped grow as a person, the man who betrayed him in one of the worst ways possible.

Maryse is at Alec's bedside, a Silent Brother by her side as they talk in their heads, undoubtedly about the person stretched out in front of them.

"Why am I here? He looks just fine, just a bit tired." Magnus comments rudely, with a twist in his gut, snapping them out of whatever conversation as intense gazes locked on a breathing body.

"He's... ill." Maryse says, not turning to face him.

"Cough syrup usually works." The warlock suggests, shrugging. "I don't see why you can't use a rune."

Maryse pulls down the sheet, revealing Alec's scarred, pale chest, light translucent rune marks... splotched and torn, destroyed. As if someone had taken a match to them. Marred. It's a shame, too. They used to be so beautiful, a shine for the eye when his body was covered in sweat as he labored for breath, as he was distracted in one of the more pleasurable ways.

"His organs aren't working. The tissue in them is breaking off, creating massive bleeding and holes as a new organ is created. We don't know what it is. We're hoping that you could keep the tissue regenerating while we figure out what to do about it." Maryse spoke slowly, and it became apparent to Magnus the strain of trying to keep herself together was adding an odd twinge to her speech, a stress he couldn't really describe.