His Fault

Side by side, the warlock and the former shadow hunter walked, their chains being led by the guard. They cut through the town center, and disappeared into an administrative building.

Blinking at the sudden change of light, Alec peered around the building. But he didn't have time to recognize his surroundings before the guard pulled him through yet another door. Down a hallway and another, until Alec was thoroughly lost. Magnus stumbled beside him, causing Alec's head to jerk up, staring intently at Magnus.

'What had Aline said to him? And even more mysterious, what was in his pocket?' Thinking to himself, he fingered the folded paper in his pocket.

His attention was jerked back when he realized his surroundings had changed. The dingy brick hallways had changed to immaculate, white laboratories. His face tightened as he remembered his last experience with a scientist in the clave's capture. The trio stopped in front of pair of double doors. Swiping a key card, lights blinked on and the doors hissed open.

Bright fluorescent lights lined the ceiling. Rows of cabinets and drawers lined the wall, neatly arranged. Through glass windows, high tech lab equipment sat unused. 4 people in white lab coats sat at computers, but stood to attention when Magnus and Alec entered.

"Subject 004 and 007?" One of the scientists piped up. Her face was shrewd with glasses on a chain around her nose.

"Yes." The guard answered efficiently.

Magnus cast a side glance at Alec.

The scientist gestured to 2 chairs with restraints. The guard led them over and strapped them in, around their wrists and ankles. Then the guard left leaving the scientists with the prisoners.

Magnus chuckled to himself, flexing against the leather restraint. As far as he could tell, nothing combated his magic in this room, so they just tried to tie down an elephant with string.

The other scientists hung back at a safe distance, while the shrewd woman came closer. She looked them up and down, before scribbling something on her clipboard. Then she retreated to consult the others before coming back again. This went on for 3 rounds, of there and back, there and back until someone spoke up.

"Where's the other one?" Alec asked. Magnus frowned, not understanding the question.

"The other what?" One of the men asked timidly.

"That other woman. Old, grey hair in a bun, white lab coat, you know, bitch?" Alec snapped. Again, Magnus frowned, knowing that Alec wasn't one to swear, and wondered what caused Alec's hatred.

"Oh, she is our supervisor. She prefers to watch. We will consult her after about the next steps in your-." Before the man could finish his sentence, someone elbowed him, gesturing for him to stop talking before he gave something away. He blushed in embarrassment before studying his clipboard with a new interest.

"We don't want any trouble. If you are compliant with the tests, we can put in a good word for you with the Clave." The other woman spoke cautiously. "Does that sound alright?"

Magnus didn't move, but Alec nodded his consent. He knew what lengths these people would go to.

At the agreement, the scientists whirled into action. After gathering equipment and laying it out on the metal counter, they gathered, conversing quietly.

They took blood and hair samples, loading them into vials to be analyzed later. They asked questions about the incident, which were answered in short terse sentences. Magnus and Alec cooperated, answering each question except when they asked about Magnus's father. He simply sat and shook his head no. They preformed a thorough physical exam for both prisoners. Alec went first.

They asked Alec to remove his shirt but he refused, knowing that all they would find is scars and runes. They seem to accept that, and just moved on the the more interesting topic of Alec's new found magic ability. He listened to their instructions and carried them out to the best of his abilities. They seem awed and shocked at the strength of his powers.

By the end he was getting frustrated when he couldn't get exactly what they wanted, but with a few words Magnus calmed him down and explained a different way, which Alec found successful. The scientists were satisfied and moved on to Magnus.

Magnus's physical exam started with him removing his shirt. Even at the inappropriate time, Alec found himself staring at Magnus's lean, hard-muscled body. Magnus caught him and asked quietly, "You like what you see?" With a suggestive wink. Alec blushed violently, and stared at the ground. "How would you describe your relationship with 004?" The scientist seemed to pick up on the interchange.

Magnus looked at her, then before anyone could stop him, strode across the floor, and took Alec's head in his hands and kissed him, possessively, giving the men and women alike something to gawk at. Alec tensed in surprise but then melted into the familiar embrace. Slowly, Magnus separated his lips from Alec's, but kept his forehead touching Alec's, breathing in the familiar scent.

By this time, one of the women had tugged Magnus back to the exam and Alec sat and wished for just one more second of the comfort and safety that his boyfriend, if that even what he was, brought him. Magnus's magical abilities astounded the scientists, who were even more impressed by Magnus than Alec. His magical abilities, like being able to portal and his vast knowledge sparked their curiosity, but Magnus wasn't exactly forthcoming. Once they had gotten all the information they could from Magnus, they restrained him and huddled up again to compare notes.

"How about if we keep cooperating, you share with us what you found?" Alec's curiosity was burning. The scientists looked at each other and seemed to reach a silent agreement. One of the women stepped forward.

"From the initial DNA tests, you two share some of the same, chemical genetic makeup. 004's magic abilities are considerable given the little experience you have. Your drive to learn and fast pickup of complicated abilities is impressive. 007's magic abilities are some the most powerful known to the clave, and great knowledge is valued. 007 appears more levelheaded, with experience. 004 seems to be impulsive, and dangerous without the influence of 007. It is in everyone's best interests to keep the subjects together." She read straight from her clipboard. She then turned to leave but one of the men stopped her and murmured something quietly. She nodded her acceptance and turned back into the room.

The only man who hadn't spoken yet, stepped forward. "This test will require 007. It's not relevant to 004's condition, but merely something of new invention and in its testing trials."

The man, with a syringe in hand, moved toward Magnus. Magnus protested. "At least tell me what it's supposed to do. You are experimenting after all."

The man stopped and glanced back at his colleagues. They shrugged and he answered. "This is designed to absorb the DNA and proteins that support your ability to work with magic for a limited time. Tested on subject 004, no affect was noticed but he is an anomaly. You will be a much more relevant subject. With this small a dose, it should wear off in under 10 minutes."

Magnus nodded tersely, and braced himself. The man quickly forced the needle into Magnus's arm and pressed down on the plunger, under Alec's worried gaze.

Apprehension filled the room, every eye trained on Magnus, watching for the serum to take affect. Magnus sat with his eyes shut. Eventually, the man broke the silence. "Try to create a flame in your hand."

Magnus nodded and opened his palm up to the sky. A flicker of fire began to burn but to everyone's horror, it rebelled against its creator, and flamed up Magnus's arm, burning the flesh. Magnus's jaw was clenched shut but he still screamed, low and loud, against his closed teeth at the pain of burn. His neck arched back, muscles flexed, eyes squeezed tight as the fire burned.

Alec started to yell, panicked and afraid. He struggled against his restraints, energy flying off his body snapped them clean in two. One of the women had ran to the fire extinguisher and running back, started to put out the fire. The fire winked out of existence as quickly as it began. Magnus still moaned, his body tight with pain, eyes still closed, not seeing. Alec snapped the wrist restraints with inhuman strength. He stared at the sizzling arm, horrified. The flesh of the wrist was dark like charcoal, and the color was an angry dark red up to Magnus's elbow. 3rd degree burns.

"Help him! You did this to him, help him!" Alec growled at the scientists who were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. "It shouldn't be him, I've already hurt him enough, look at him, I did this to him.." Alec whispered, his voice cracking. He reclined the chair to horizontal, anxiously touching Magnus, his hands flitting from his mouth, nose, hair. His fingers skimmed along Magnus's skin, outlining his cheekbones, his jaw, with a touch as light as angel kisses.

Magnus had begun to shake, the shock of the injury and his own magic turning on him, bringing the pain and his body began to overload. Bruises began to form on his bare torso, appearing in seconds as his body began to attack itself. At the point, the double doors opened, and the older woman who Alec had dealt with last time, rushed in.

"Idiots!" She screamed at the juniors. She pushed past them to a drawer and pulled out a syringe. She rushed over to Magnus and pushed Alec aside. Before he could protest she stabbed the needle in to his thigh and immediately Magnus stopped moving. His eyes rolled back in his head, and his shakes stopped. Alec screamed, tears crowding his eyes, as alarms began to blare. People rushed in, darting different ways. Alec dropped to his knees at Magnus sides, "Help him, help him, why won't you help him!?"

"Get him out! I said out!" The matriarch yelled, pounding of Magnus chest. Multiple arms grabbed at him, and he fought them off, until it was too many and he was dragged out. They got out the doors, before Alec pulled away, racing back to the glass doors, but unable to get in. He slumped on the floor, staring through the glass at the flurry of movement surrounding the all too-still body of the one he loved. The arms came again, but magic energy had begun to radiate off him, making all those around him wince as the electricity hit their body. The energy came off him in waves, in time with his heartbeat. Thump. Crackle. Thump. Sizzle. Thump. Spark.

Eventually the arms stopped coming and just stood in circles blocking him in until they could take him. Alec watched through the glass until it became all too much, and suddenly he was so tired, and all he saw was shadow.