The Aftermath Chronicles: A TMI FanFic

Part 17

A/N: "No Light, No Light" by Florence + The Machine would be a great song to play as you read.

The Portal came out in the dining room.

Jace opened the door out into the main hall.

Shadowhunters were floating around the room, whispers quiet.

They suddenly went silent. Everything went silent.

Jace fell to his knees again this time in a puddle of blood.

This was it. There would be no do-overs now. He couldn't make everything better. He couldn't apologize.

Jace could feel attempts at comforting hands on his shoulders. He shook them away.

The world was blurry.

He couldn't say anything. He couldn't move or form a coherent thought. He could only shake.

Alec's lifeless body was practically on it's side.

If his blue eyes weren't open, Jace might have mistaken him for sleeping. There was no panic in his eyes or expression. He looked relaxed. Almost happy.

And next to Alec was Magnus, his $1,000 pinstripe suit stained red.

There was so much blood.

What had they been doing when they died? Was Magnus making Alec laugh? Where they discussing their plans?

Jace felt completely dead inside. He'd only heard stories-- the warnings-- about what it felt like when your parabatai died. But nothing could prepare him for this.

His best friend.

His partner.

His brother.

Where had he been when this happened? With Clary? Planning out a future that would be forever empty without Alec?

There was no denying this. Alec was gone. And with him, Magnus.

Together in life. Together in death. Almost poetic.

Jace screamed. A raging scream.

He jumped up, unable to look at the bloody scene anymore.

He pushed open the front door. He was immediately drenched by heavy rain. He took off running down the street.

He wasn't sure where he was going.

Alec.

Guilt surged through him as he pushed past people hiding beneath umbrellas and briefcases.

He didn't know how much time had gone by or where he was at when he tripped, tearing the knees of his pants open. He sat in front of a souvenir shop, sitting criss-cross, watching neon lights flash in the reflections of puddles of water and blood.

Someone would find him here using tracking runes. He didn't worry about glamouring himself. He didn't care.

People didn't seem to pay attention to him as they passed by. They were too busy with their mundane lives. Carefree.

Tears streamed down his face as effortlessly as the rain fell.

..........

Clary sat outside of the Gard waiting for the meeting to adjourn and for Jace to come out and tell her everything was okay.

The meeting seemed to go on forever.

No one wandered by or stopped to talk to her.

Isabelle was in the Silent City being inspected by the Silent Brothers.