#cantbebroken

He hadn’t even made it to the Institute yet when he’d already been beset by a hoard of demons. In Mexico this wouldn’t have been a problem, Raphael could handle a pack of Hellhounds, but this was New York. He didn’t know the streets and alleys, and they’d drive him into a dead-end. His back was to the wall and seraph blade lit in front of him.

@cantbebroken

Grimm hadn’t been in town long - enough time to get settled and find a stable enough job to pay the rent, maybe a few weeks.  The city.  Not just any city, no he decided to go big.  New York, New York.  Land of the skyscrapers, heart of the concrete jungle.  Completely the opposite of what he was used to, or at least had been used to for awhile.  When he was younger, still tagging along with Jaime, cities had been the home of choice.  They could steal, lie, cheat, gamble - live off the streets a lot easier than they could in the country.  Small towns never provided the same way.  Everyone remembered your face too quickly.  But they were nice to visit, spend some time if you planned to stay a minute and commit to some hard work.

While Grimm liked the city, liked the white noise of traffic and endless mazes of people, he enjoyed the quiet of the country here and there, craved it at times and would lose himself out in the woods for days.  It always got too quiet, though, and he’d always find himself back to civilization.  Never a city like this, though.  But hey!  What good was flowing with the wind if it never landed in New York?  He’d been about everywhere, he might as well be able to say he visited the Big Apple while he was at it.  Lived there for a spell, even.  Besides, as soon as he arrived, he could feel something magnetic about the place.

It didn’t take long, once settled, to start feeling out his new home.  The night life especially attracted him.  Bars, clubs, court yard festivities, all of it was thrilling.  His favorite prowling ground, though, was bars.  Yes, he liked the night life.  Yes, he liked fun and engaging, but he enjoyed chill too.  Bars were a perfect in between.  Not too chill that it was boring, so long as you went on the right night, but also not too crazy.  Not to mention, it was an easy way to meet people.  Inebriated brains, people more relaxed with walls down.  Grimm prided himself on being charming, liked the challenge, but it was nice to just go with the flow and have everything fall into place.  Bars - wasted patrons - that’s where it happened.

One of the baristas showed an interest.  The man was cute, and it had been a thought that crossed his mind during his first visit to the shop.  He dismissed the thought as soon as it came, figuring that the man was out of his league and even if he weren’t, he didn’t really have the time for a real relationship anyway.  So he went about his mornings, loading up on coffee and taking to a corner to do homework before class.  It took him about a week to realize that the blonde memorize his order to a T, always having it ready to go by the time he made it to the front of the line.  Eventually, scribbled messages made its way onto the cup as well.  Things like: Have a great day!  or  Keep your head up!  And sometimes he’d get a compliment.  Today it was a little different.  Later than usual.  Worried I wouldn’t c u today.  Happy ur here.

@cantbebroken

He was the one.

Maybe he was a little on the tall side but no one would really be able to tell the difference, it has been a very long time after all. Kids grow and one can never really tell these things. Other than that, he was perfect. Right hair color, right eyes, even his face was passable and he seemed to be of the right age. After a two weeks for searching, he finally found the perfect person. He found his Alexander Gideon Lightwood. Now all he had to do was convince the guy that he was a missing Tsarevich.

It shouldn’t be that hard. All Jace had to do was point out some unrelated dots and let the guy connect them. This guy seemed to be searching for his family, one that he knew almost nothing about. For all the guy knows, he wouldn’t be so far off. Jace knew better but hey, he would be giving this guy a family and the other royal family a son back. If he gets a little something from it, it’s only fair. Everyone gets what they want. They get a family and he finally can get himself an actual life. If all else fails, there’s always a cut of the reward money. Although he hopes it wouldn’t come to any of that.

“So here’s the thing, Alec. It’s Alec right? I do have some papers and an extra ticket for Paris. And while I’m very sympathetic to your situation, I can only use them for one person. Him.” Jace pointed to the boy in the portrait behind Alec. It was a portrait of the royal family before the siege, back when they were happy and alive. Now only two of them remain, both living in Paris.

Jace walked up to the portrait, his eyes on the older boy in it. “It’s sad actually. He went missing 10 years ago. No one knows what happened to him, got lost during the revolt.” He turned to look at Alec. “Although, I have to admit you do kind of look like him. More so than anyone I’ve seen so far. The same bright eyes, dark hair. I can even see the resemblance between you and the Grand Duchess,” he commented pointing towards the little girl in the portrait. “Wouldn’t that be something huh?”

He frowned a little, pretending to think. “You said you were looking for your family and something about not really remembering much about them. How old were you? If you don’t mind me asking. Maybe I can help. I know a lot of people here and across the border.”

          It was true Alec had little to none recollection of his past, save for the scar on his eyebrow and his one valuable possession ( a golden pocket watch ) his childhood was a blur he had long given up on recalling, but to think that meant he could have been a lost Lightwood all this time was just crazy. Wasn’t it? It felt like it should be, still, Alec’s gaze was lifted to the grandiose painting at Jace’s prompting. He didn’t see himself in the dark-haired child that stood stiffly in the portrait, the whole setting of the abandoned palace not bringing a single spark of a memory along with it. 

          Shouldn’t he remember something? If that was really him shouldn’t he at least recognize his sister? Jace seemed to think they looked alike... “Do you really think so?” he inquired, unable to stop wonder from coloring his voice at the very idea of a family and a sister. It was too wild of a thought for Alec to even consider it on his own, but Jace’s words got him to think about it thinking about it brought along with it the many dangers of hope.

          For as long as he could remember himself Alec had yearned for his family, clinging to the certainty that he had one as holding on to that thought as he grew up in an orphanage. Other kids would pick on him for it, but he was resolute in his belief, his family was somewhere out there and they were waiting for him; the one clue he had it: Paris. Together in Paris, those were the words engraved inside his watch. Alec had no idea how e had gotten the piece but he knew it to be his, and that’s how he knew he had to get to France. 

          That’s what had brought him to Jace Wayland, an agent ( of some sort ) Alec was told could get him to Paris – something the blonde had just confirmed to him. Nevermind the painting, Alec’s eyes sparkled at the mere mention of a ticket to Paris, his head nodding without him even realizing so as Jace made clear the ticket was meant for the lost monarch and no one else. If there was even a chance that it could be him... If there was as much as a tenth of a chance then Alec owed it to himself to try. Poor as he was, honesty was really all he could offer, and so he led with that.

Magnus had errands to run for the day, and honestly, there was a variety of things he had to get before his day would be finished. Luckily, it was one of the few days he took off of work, the loft not opened for any of the psychic business he ran. Chairman and Church needed more food, the tea jar needed fresh leaves for when it ran out, not to mention food and some magical supplies. Magnus had carefully coordinated his outfit, comfortable slacks [because Magnus Bane did not much like jeans but for an entirely different reason], and a casual dress shirt that bordered on a regular tshirt. The flashiest thing he wore was a simple silver ring on his right ring finger; a ring that had once belonged to his mother, what seemed a lifetime ago. He’d gotten most of the mundane portion of shopping out of the way, and decided to stop at a a little coffee truck that had set up. It was bustling with people, and that was usually a good sign as far as Magnus was concerned. He wander up, bags swaying a little on his left wrist, as he idly looked over the menu. 

Alec loved Magnus.  Even after agreeing to see other people, ending their romantic relationship due to having different wants and needs, it didn’t end them.  It was the middle of the night after the high school reunion when Alec showed up at the man’s loft, knocking on the door with tear-streaked cheeks.  Magnus answered the door in his red silk robe, sleep mussed hair, and eyes barely open.  Without a single word, strong arms wrapped around him and drew him inside.  They locked themselves away in in the club-owner’s bedroom and Alec cried himself to sleep on the man’s chest.

The next morning, Alec woke up in Magnus’ arms, his eyes puffy and his throat sore.  His ex brushed fingers through his hair, soothed his soul since he had no intentions of leaving bed anytime soon.  After an hour, Magnus finally asked, posed a gentle question to understand the man’s break down.  The man knew about what happened with Jace five years ago.  After being talked down off that roof, Magnus became someone he could confide in, someone that helped him feel comfortable in his own skin.  So when he asked, though it took a few minutes for him to get up the courage to talk, he spilled his guts.  He told Magnus everything - what Jace told him about the reason for their friendship ending, the abuse, the apology, and of course the horrible things that he had said to the blonde.  Everything he said was no better than what Jace had said to him five years ago.  Every single word was meant to hurt, and now he felt like a piece of shit for saying it, for exaggerating the truth and pinning all the blame on Jace.

Alec stayed with Magnus a couple days until he felt like he was intruding.  So he went back to his apartment where he stayed reclusive for another couple days, hating himself for stooping to such low levels, for putting all that weight on Jace when he shouldn’t have.  Abuse.  Jace had been abused and scared, and had he not been so angry at the time, he would have understood.  Jace had always put Alec and his safety before his own, so even though he did it wrong and it put him through the wringer, he did understand why Jace had been scared.  But he acted like an ass and did a horrible thing he told himself he’d never do.  And now he couldn’t even fix it.

Though that issue was fixed when his sister dropped a number into his hand and told him to fix it.  She had eventually been let in on what had happened, knew his guilt, and when she couldn’t take his hermitting anymore, she gave him Jace’s number, courtesy of Clary.  So then it was another day of staring at the number, trying to get the courage to re-initiate conversation.  He knew he needed to say something, to apologize, to elaborate on what he said.

It took until the next evening before he picked up the phone.  He punched in the number but hesitated before pressing the dial button.  Alec paced back and forth, clearing the number from the screen.  Why did this have to be so hard?  

He pulled out the phone and pressed a bunch of buttons, before pressing send.

                                             "Don't you remember?"

@cantbebroken

His eyebrows knit together as he tried to think. It wasn’t his first time trying. Again, his attempt came up empty. Jace had zero recollection of what had transpired before he woke up in this hospital bed. It was a weird sensation, not being able to recall what had happened. It was bad enough for him to need care at a hospital yet he couldn’t recall. His best guess right now was that he was involved in an accident. But the grogginess that he had woken up to was preventing him from pushing past the haze.

“No. Did I hit someone?” He asked looking away from Alec and who he could presume to be his doctor. God, he hoped not. The guilt alone would eat him up and if it didn’t, he dreaded what his father would have to say about this. He was lucky that he woke up, his father was no where in sight. Injury or not, it would have become one of his lessons. At least he would have the chance to gather himself before having to face him. Right now, he only had the energy to deal with the people in the room.

At least what the doctor had to say was good news. Yes, he was in an accident. No, he didn’t cause it nor was anyone else hurt. “You hit your head,” she said. “We kept you asleep for a while to help with the recovery. If you’re feeling a little confusion or muddled thoughts, that’s perfectly normal. Nothing to worry about.” It did put his mind to ease a little and for now, he decided to give the when and how a rest. He wasn’t exactly an expert on head injuries but putting unnecessary stress on himself probably didn’t help. “Explains the headache.” The doctor gave him an understanding nod. “That is normal for a situation like this. I’ll give you something for it. Right now all I want you to do is rest.”

As the doctor left, Jace turned his attention towards Alec. His mouth twitched upwards into a small smile. “Hey.” The other male shouldn’t be here. The hospital can only authorize certain visitors that much he could recall even in this state but Jace was glad that he was. It would have been so much worse if he woke up without a familiar face. “Do I even want to know what you had to do to get yourself in here?”

It was hard to focus on much when he had woken up but now that he was a little more alert, he noticed a lot more than he initially had. Alec looked a little worse for wear. There were dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn’t been getting enough rest and a 5 o’clock shadow that Jace doesn’t think he has ever seen on the other in his life. There was just a general sense of weariness coming from him. “You look awful. You’ve been here the whole time, haven’t you?” The jacket that was draped over the visitor’s chair made him think that maybe Alec had been sleeping there. Man, he must have pulled some strings.

          Jace was awake. And it didn’t matter that the doctors still had a bunch of tests to run or that none of them could really evaluate his condition yet, all Alec cared about was that his husband was awake and he could finally– Finally breathe a little easier. To say he hadn’t relaxed since the accident would be the understatement of the year. Alec hadn’t been able to sleep ( unless you considered dozing off in a plastic chair a valid form of rest ), the sight of Jace lying unconscious in a hospital bed more than enough to keep him awake through day and night; so long he couldn’t exactly tell how many days it had been since the accident.

          All in all they were lucky, or at least that’s what the doctors and nurses kept telling him, a car crash like that could easily kill someone, and yet Jace had managed to walk out of it with only a few nasty scrapes and a concussion. Alec hadn’t felt lucky seeing his husband in a coma – regardless of it being medically induced – and he assured all nurses on rotation that Jace certainly wouldn’t feel so either the moment he saw what they had done to his hair. The wound on his head required a few staples and the easy solution for that involved a buzz cut that the vain blond was sure to be upset about. As far as Alec was concerned it didn’t really matter, he would take Jace with no hair at all as long as he was alive and well. 

           Besides, it would probably do him no good to judge, considering what he might look like himself after so many days refusing to leave the hospital. Izzy had brought him some spare clothes, but it was hardly enough if even a recently comatose Jace could comment on his state. Only slightly chastened by it Alec approached the bed, reaching for Jace’s hand and carefully running his fingers over the back of it, mindful of the iv drip still attached to it. “Can you really blame me?” he asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he raised his gaze to meet Jace’s. Damn, he had missed those eyes. “Izzy did try to get me to go home, but we both knew I wouldn’t get any sleep there and if was gonna be awake anyway I rather just stay here, with you.”