Fear

Alec Awakens

                  

Chapter 25- Alec Awakens.

Izzy POV

"How is he?" I burst through the doors to the infirmary, my heels clicking on the floor as I march over to Magnus Bane; The High Warlock of Brooklyn.

In my hands I carry a black tray with a bowl of noodles and a glass of lemonade balancing precariously as I slide it onto the table next to a plain wooden chair with a tall Asian man slumped in it.

The Asian man looks up at me, "The same as earlier today. Alexander should be fine; he just needs plenty of rest." He eyes the bowl of noodles on the table suspiciously, squinting slightly. "You didn't make that did you, Isabelle? I don't think-"

"No. I didn't make them, Magnus," I interrupt him, rolling my eyes. "Although I suppose Alec's been around to your apartment raving about my wonderful cooking plenty of times."

"If by wonderful you mean wonderfully burnt then you are correct." His jibe lacks enthusiasm though, as if he really can't be bothered to insult me. It suddenly hits me how pale and hollow his cheeks are and how his yellow cat-like eyes no longer light up with sparkling joy. They are red and puffy around the edges.

"Magnus, when was the last time you ate?" I pull up another chair next to my brother's bed, opposite Magnus. He takes one look at me and raising his eyebrows half-heartedly says, "You should ask yourself the same question. Have you slept at all?"

I knew what he meant. One look in the mirror this morning was enough to shock me. My long black hair was tangled and greasy, purple bags hung under my brown eyes and my shoulders hung as if somebody had placed a ton of flour on my back.

It has been almost a week since Alec collapsed in the kitchen and that spine-chilling voice spoke to me.

'Meet me in a week at the place where everythingbegan. Come and find your beloved brother, where love became forbidden andenemies became family.'

I had racked my brain, torturing myself trying to figure out the place the voice was talking about but so far I had nothing. The words manically spiral around my head, a deadly hurricane, as I gaze at my brother, his skin so pale and hair so black that he looks as if he just jumped out of a black and white movie.

Magnus had arrived minutes after receiving my call. He appeared in a shower of red sparks and immediately ran to Alec's side. Under his breath, Magnus had chanted some sort of spell; he had used most of his energy to help Alec.

We still don't know what is wrong with Alec although, Magnus' guess is that someone found a way into his mind and from there managed to control him. All we need is for Alec to wake up so we can remove the block and prevent it from happening again. All we need is for him to wake up; but we have no idea when that'll happen.

Or even if it will.

And Jace? I don't even want to think about where he is, with that snarling voice haunting his every thought. I have two days until I have to visit the owner of that voice so that I can find Jace. I'm not loosing another brother, not after I lost my little brother, Max, in the attack on the institute last year.

"I'll eat if you do," Magnus says, snapping me out of my thoughts. He leans over to pick up the bowl of noodles and after shoveling a spoonful of noodles into his mouth, holds the bowl out to me. Despite my solemn demeanor I find myself smiling thankfully and taking a second spoon off the tray and eating a spoonful of noodles. "See, you're beginning to look like your radiant self already!"

I roll my eyes at his stupid statement, "I'd say the same thing for you, but you don't quite look the same without all of your glitter." He lets out a short amused laugh that I haven't heard since the last time he had his arm loosely slung around Alec's shoulder.

"He'll be alright, Isabelle," Magnus tells me hopefully, his eyes looking longingly at my brother's face. "He has to be."

"Go get some sleep, Magnus," I tell him. "Get a change of clothes and take a shower. I'll watch over him and call you if anything changes."

Magnus nods slightly in response and stands up, stretching, before placing a gentle kiss onto my brother's forehead and he tucks one of Alec's wayward black curls behind his ear. "Wake up for me, Alexander," he whispers and sadly shuffles out of the infirmary doors.

"Come on, Alec," I say burying my face in my hands, "wake up. I already lost Max, I can't lose you too. Besides, Jace needs you because I'm not strong enough to help him on my own. I have two days Alec, and I need my big brother. I'm scared, Alec."

"I suppose you could do with some help then," a small voice says before grunting in pain. Hesitantly, I move my hands from my face to see Alec's bright blue eyes looking back at me.

I let out a gasp of surprise and throw myself into my brother's arms but I pull back when he grunts in response. His electric blue eyes stand out against his pale face and his eyelashes flutter as he smiles an unsure grin.

I take his freezing hand in mine and scrunch my eyebrows in worry, "Alec, how are you feeling?"

"I feel like I'm on fire," he says. "Is it hot in here to you, or..." he trails off seeing the concern flicker in my eyes.

"Alec," I place a hand to his forehead and wince at his ice-cold skin, "you're so cold."

"What have you heard about Jace? How long have I been out?" he asks me, moving my hand away from his head.

"I'm calling Magnus," I announce, ignoring his questions and run over to the table where I left my phone.

"Izzy, answer me," Alec pleads, grabbing a hold of my wrist. "Tell me where Jace is."

I ignore him again and start to dial Magnus' number, panic rising in my stomach. How would Alec react when he knows that I have no idea where to look for Jace or even who has him? It drove my mind insane with worry and I couldn't burden Alec with that; not while he was sick.

"Isabelle Lightwood, you listen to me!" Alec raises his voice at me, shocking me so much that I freeze right before I can press the 'call' button. His voice comes out slightly gentler as if he was becoming more tired, "I need to know where Jace is, Izzy. He's my parabatai; I need to look out for him. You said he needs me, well then I can help him. I can-"

"Do what?" I whiz round to face him, furious. "Alec, you've been unconscious for four days; you've got a fever and you're struggling to speak. What good will you be to him half dead?"

"Izzy," he chokes out, struggling to sit up and I just push him back down, "I can't just-"

"Get some rest," I tell him, softly. "And as to what you can do; you can let me call Magnus. We have no chance of helping Jace if you're ill."

I turn on my heel and walk out of the infirmary doors, my hair swishing behind my back and when I twirl round to glance at my brother, I see him peacefully sleeping, his hair disheveled and sheets all tangled.

I roll my eyes at him and march over to the kitchen: if Alec and I intend on getting Jace back, we're going to have to be strong. I grab and apple out of the fruit bowl and call Magnus.

                  

A/N

Hey guys, so I have been working on this book for over a year now and I have barely done anything on it. So, as a sort of apology, I'm doing a New Year's chapter blast (you already know this if you're following me). I am posting a chapter everyday up to New Year's when I will upload the first chapter to new fanfiction which will be a Percy Jackson fanfiction- so look out for that. Anyway, Merry Christmas kids and the next chapter will be up tomorrow.

I hope y'all enjoy; please vote and comment because it really helps me. For now, I'm signing out.