Enchanted

A wave of nausea washed over me as the apartment moved. I glanced at Clary, who looked just as freaked out as I did. This was beginning to be too much. I hadn't been in New York for a full 24 hours, and so much already happened. I was suffering from a migraine, but I didn't have time to complain. We had things to do and memories to save. I glanced over at Alec, who was trying not to stare at Magnus, while the warlock had absolutely no shame. I pushed away the small feeling of disappointment in my chest.

"What do we need to do?" I asked Magnus. I wanted to get this over with. Every second we spent just standing around was a second that Valentine got closer to finding the cup.

"Are you certain? Summoning such a powerful demon could be lethal." Everything we did in life was lethal. We put our asses on the line everyday to make sure that people were safe. This was no different in my eyes.

"I'll do anything to save my mother." Clary was serious about this, and once she put her mind to something, she made sure to get it done. I just hoped this didn't come around to bite us in the ass later on.

"Everyone wants the Mortal Cup. Don't trust anyone, especially The Clave." Even though they were supposed to provide a sense of protection and rules that kept everyone in line, I never trusted The Clave. I didn't feel like they had everyone's best interest at heart.

"So why should I trust you?"

"You shouldn't. Only trust yourself." Magnus glanced over his shoulder at me, and I made myself look busy. There was a conversation waiting to be had, and I didn't want to bring it up anytime soon.

"These chalks are beautiful. What are they for?" My artistic ability ended with the runes we used, but Clary was gifted. She'd gotten into art school for a reason.

"To summon the demon, you have to draw the pentagram. I can help you, if you need it."

"I got this." I watched closely as she started to draw on the floor, the colors making a perfect circle. She seemed to get lost, and I longed for something that I could be that passionate about. With all the training I had to go through growing up, I didn't have time for anything else. I'd never been in a relationship. I was taught that emotions made you weak. We needed to think with our heads and not our hearts, but I wanted someone to look at me the way Jace was looking at Clary.

"You know you'll have to talk to me at some point." Magnus was at my side, twisting one of my curls with his finger. I smacked his hand away, turning to face him.

"Now is not the time. This is about Clary. Our situation can wait," I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest. My relationship with Magnus was a lot more complicated than most, and I didn't want to take the time to explain it.

"Do they know?" He asked, motioning to the other shadowhunters in the room.

"I haven't been here long enough, and they don't need to know." I pushed myself off of the wall once Clary finished drawing. The pentagram that sat in the middle of the floor was exquisite. I admired her talent.

"Jocelyn was right. Your artistry is beyond compare."

"I don't know about that." Always so modest. Clary didn't like being the center of attention. It was one of the reasons we got along.

"The only other person I've known who could draw as well was Michelangelo, who was great in bed by the way." I rolled my eyes as Izzy giggled like a school girl. Both Jace and Alec looked uncomfortable, and I couldn't blame them. We weren't in this apartment to hear of Magnus' sexcapades, but he had no problem sharing, and we all suffered as a result, "Okay, we're ready. Everyone take your place around the pentagram." I stood in between Clary and Magnus, nervousness settling in the pit of stomach. We were about to summon a Greater Demon, and there was no way to tell if this process would actually work. My palms were starting to burn, which was never a good sign.

"You okay?" I asked Clary, raising my eyebrows at her.

"About as okay as I can be. We need to talk once we get back to the Institute." I nodded, knowing we had a lot to catch up on. She finally knew about the world she should have been raised in, and she was going to have questions about why I never told her. It wasn't my place to say anything, but I did feel bad that I had to hide this secret from her for years.

"We need to form a bond. Once the bond is sealed, it cannot be broken until the demon retreats. No matter what happens, we can't let go of each other's hands." I gripped Magnus' fingers in my own, feeling something lock into place. The same thing happened when I grabbed Clary's hand. I could feel our strength growing as we all locked hands. I prayed this would actually work because we were screwed if it didn't. I locked eyes with Alec for a long moment. His face was in a permanent scowl, but I wasn't sure why it was directed at me. I hadn't done anything to him.

"I will lead the ceremony, and you must all do exactly as I say. The demon's name is Valak, and he will ask for payment in exchange for Clary's memories." Payment was always the tricky part. We never knew what to expect. The payment could consist of a wide variety of things, but knowing this demon, we were all about to be embarrassed.

"What do you mean? What kind of payment?" Clary's grip on my hand tightened, and I squeezed back, attempting to give her a reassuring look.

"We'll see." When Magnus started speaking Chthonian, the magic in my veins hummed, and I had to resist the urge to join him. I clenched my jaw shut and closed my eyes, breathing deeply through my nose.

"The necklace is pulsing," Isabelle said, looking down at the jewel.

"Valak is among us. Do not break the bond," Magnus warned, looking directly at me. I wouldn't break the bond, but I hoped my secret wouldn't be revealed. I could hear a low growl, and the ground began to shake.

"Hold on!" Jace shouted at Clary. I could see their fingers slipping.

"I'm trying."

"It's time. The demon demands payment." My eyes flickered around the room before landing on Magnus.

"What does it want?"

"We must all relinquish a memory of the one we love most." This was going to be a disaster. Our most intimate memories were going to be shared, and I wasn't prepared for what I was about to see or what I was going to show. Isabelle's memory came first, a smiling Alec appearing in the cloud of smoke that was between us. Clary was next, and I wasn't surprised to see Jocelyn. It felt like the life was being sucked out of me, and an involuntary tear slipped down my cheek while the image of my best friend appeared. I missed Ezekiel, but I accepted the fact that I probably wouldn't get to see him again.

"No!" I heard Alec's voice, and my eyes snapped open. I hadn't even realized they were closed, but my emotional distress was the least of my worries as an image of Jace floated around. I could see the confusion on his face, but it was obvious. His memory only confirmed what I'd guessed earlier. Alec was in love with Jace, "It's not true! The demon deceived me!" He looked around nervously, his eyes landing on me. I tried to give him a kind look, but I could see him getting ready to let go of Magnus' hand.

"Do not break the bond!"

"Alec, it's okay!" Isabella was gripping her brother's hand for dear life, and it became apparent that I wasn't the only one aware of Alec's crush. I was glad Isabelle supported him. He needed someone in his corner.

"No!" He stepped back, and I hit the floor, smacking my head on the cement wall behind me. I could already feel the blood gushing out of the wound. I held my hand against it and tried to stand up. Magnus was struggling to hold the demon, and we were all screwed.

"I can't contain the demon much longer!" Everything after that seemed to happen in slow motion. One minute Jace was laying on the floor, and then he disappeared into the dark tornado.

"Jace!" Clary was on her feet in half a second, trying to reach for him. I stuck out my arm and latched onto his jacket the best I could, but the demon was strong. Alec grabbed his other arm, and we both tried to pull.

"Clary, help us!" I shouted, looking over my shoulder. She activated her seraph blade, and I understood what she intended to do, but it was a bad idea.

"Clary, if you kill the demon, your memories will be lost forever!" I could see in her eyes that her memories weren't important at this point. Saving Jace was. She stabbed the demon, and a loud shriek sounded throughout the room before the dark cloud disappeared completely. Jace collapsed onto the floor facedown, and Clary was at his side in a second. I watched Alec roll his eyes but refrained from commenting. We'd all been through enough for one night. We needed to get back to the Institute to figure out what our next move was.

"Jace, get up." Isabelle was shaking his shoulders, and eventually he moved, gasping for breath as he pushed himself up.

"I'm alright. I'm alright." He was far from alright, but in the short amount of time I'd spent with him, I knew not to argue.

"Thank God you're okay. I thought we lost you." Jace and Clary were having a moment, and I pushed myself away from the two of them, moving to stand in the corner. Magnus and Alec were talking in hushed whispers. My face slipped into a scowl as I stared at the two of them. The journey back to the Institute was silent, and I was grateful for the small sense of peace that I got. The healing rune I'd drawn on the back of my shoulder was still burning, but it was a comforting feeling to me. I went straight to my room, immediately stripping out of the tight jeans and high heeled shoes. I peeled off my top and grabbed one of my favorite shirts of Ezekiel's. His clothes were all I had left of him, and I tried not to cry as I pulled the worn material over my head. Unpacking would have to wait. I collapsed onto the mattress, burying myself under the blankets. I'd just closed my eyes when there was a knock on the door. I sighed and sat up, adjusting myself so the comforter covered me from the waist down.

"Come in." I expected to see Clary, but instead Alec was standing there, his normal scowl on his face, "If you came in here to yell at me or give me a lecture, you can get out." I wasn't in the mood for an argument, and it seemed to be the only thing Alec knew how to do.

"What's going on with you and Magnus?" I raised my eyebrows at his bluntness, pushing my fingers through my hair.

"I could ask you the same thing," I retorted quickly, picking at my nails. He stepped all the way into the room and closed the door behind him. I didn't know the rules here, but I hoped we weren't going to get in trouble for this.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but he seems very fond of you." He took a seat on the chair in the corner, and I turned my body to face him.

"Again, I could say the same about you." It was obvious that Magnus had taken an interest in Alec, which was dangerous. Magnus was an immortal manwhore who cared about no one but himself. Alec was an angry shadowhunter, and homosexuality was frowned upon in our world.

"What's going on between you and Magnus? I won't ask you again." He was determined to get an answer, but he wasn't going to get one.

"What's going on between me and Magnus is between me and Magnus. It's none of your business, and I'm not going to tell you. If that's all you came in here for, you can exit." I pointed toward the door, suddenly annoyed with his presence. All I wanted to do was sleep because I knew we were going to be in for it in the morning.

"How do you expect us to trust you if you can't even answer a simple question?"

"I don't want your trust. I'm not here for you. I'm here for Clary." He sighed, running his fingers through his hair. He was getting frustrated, but that wasn't my problem. He stood up, walking toward the door. I waited for him to leave, but he paused and turned to look at me.

"What you saw today, could you not say anything please?" His facial expression softened, and I knew this was a sensitive subject for him.

"Why would I say anything Alec? I was raised in the shadowhunter world just like you. I know the rules." It wasn't in my interest to spill his secrets to the world. It wouldn't benefit me in any way, and I wasn't that rude.

"I don't know." He reached for the door again, but his feet didn't move, "Can I ask you something?" I rolled my eyes, relaxing against the pillows behind me.

"I feel like you're going to ask whether I say yes or no," I responded, picking at my cuticles.

"That boy from your memory...who was he?" My heart started to hammer in my chest, and anger slowly spread throughout my body.

"What's it to you?" I tried to keep my voice neutral. I didn't want to start a screaming match in the middle of the night.

"I saw you crying." He walked over and sat down at the end of the bed. My first reaction was to literally kick him off, but I kept my legs tucked underneath me

"He was my best friend, and he was supposed to be my parabatai."

"Was? Did he die?" I felt like he was overstepping his boundaries, but this was the most I'd ever heard him speak, and for once he wasn't giving me attitude. I knew his good mood was going to be gone in the morning, so I had to enjoy it while it lasted.

"In a manner of speaking. He was turned into a vampire. I haven't seen him since." Ezekiel had attempted to see me once, but as soon as my mom figured out what he was, I was forbidden to see him. He hadn't tried to contact me since. His phone number had been changed, and I had no idea where he lived. It was depressing. I'd lost the person I shared everything with, and I'd never get him back.

"I'm sorry." His voice was genuine, and my anger slowly started to melt away.

"It's okay, but if you're not going to tell Jace, I think you should at least admit your feelings to yourself." He immediately froze up, and I knew whatever bonding moment we were having was officially over. I'd ruined it, but I didn't want to talk about Ezekiel anymore.

"Let it go, Gabrielle." It was the first time he said my name, and I was surprised by how smooth it sounded leaving his lips.

"Honesty is the best policy, you know. I'm not saying you have to tell the world, but maybe you wouldn't be so angry if you just accepted your feelings."

"I'm not angry." I tried my best not to laugh at his serious expression, but a small giggle escaped my lips, and I shook my head.

"You are. I've known your for a little over 8 hours, and I haven't seen you smile once. You're going to get frown lines if you keep scowling at everyone. I understand the anger. It makes you a good soldier, but it also makes you unpleasant to be around," I said honestly, tugging at the gold chain around my neck. I twisted the small charm in my fingers, thinking about my parents. I still needed to call my mom to let her know that I was okay, and I was sure that my father would turn up sooner or later.

"I don't aim to please everyone."

"That's not what I meant, Alec. Just try smiling, saying good morning or something. I guarantee the people around you will be happier." It was a long shot, and he'd probably act like this conversation never happened, and that was fine with me.

"Goodnight Gabrielle." He was already halfway out the door.

"Goodnight Alec." It might have been a trick if the light, but I could swear that I saw the corners of his lips turn upward. It wasn't much, but it was a start.