Daily Malec Fix (Wattys 2017)

9. Healing the Hurt

"I have everything. I'm just not strong enough. I'm sorry." Catherine cut Magnus off and looked down at her hands that were gripping the sketchbook like it was her lifeline.

"You've done great, my dear." Magnus smiled at her. "Thank you for calling us."

"Magnus, stop talking. Fix him!" Alec didn't care that he was crying.

"Alexander. It's going to be okay. Please go outside." Magnus tried to lift Alec up but he wouldn't budge.

"Magnus, I'm not leaving my son until I know he's okay." Alec demanded.

"I've got him. Trust me." Magnus said calmly. "We need our space to work."

"But, what if you need my strength?" Alec said, finally standing, Max still in his arms.

"I always need your strength my love, but right now I need to know that I can work my magic without it hitting you or our little blueberry." Magnus ruffled Max's hair.

"Fine." Alec walked to the door. "But I'll be right in the hall. Let me know if you need anything. You hear me? Anything."

"I will." Magnus nodded. Once the door was closed he looked at Catherine. "It's bad."

"I know. I'm so sorry. I tried to keep them both calm until you got her just like you told me to." Catherine nibbled on her already too-short thumbnail.

"You did a great job. Now get ready, this is going to take a lot out of you." Magnus started dancing his hands around in the air.

-----

"Is Rafe going to die?" Max asked Alec in all seriousness.

"No, baby. He's going to be fine. Daddy is going to fix him." Alec caressed his son's cheek.

"It's all my fault." Max covered his face with his little hands and began to sob. "I didn't listen to him."

"Max." Alec rubbed his back and sank to the floor with his own back against the wall. "It wasn't your fault. Now, why don't you tell me what happened?"

"You know how you told me to not go that alley down the street?" Max finally said after a long silence.

"Max, you didn't." Alec groaned.

"I'm sorry!" Max flung his arms around Alec's neck and hid his face against Alec's shoulder. "Are you going to send me back to the doorstep?"

Alec was going to comfort him but his question threw him off. "What doorstep?"

"The one where you found me?" Max sniffled.

"Baby boy, I'd never put you back. Why in the world would you think that?" Alec asked him with a broken heart. Had he or Magnus made Max think that he was a temporary part of their family? Did his baby really think that he could just give him up?

"But Rafe said that if I was bad that you'd send me back." Max sobbed and Alec tried to stay straightfaced but he was much too stressed and worried. This outburst broke him. He started to laugh; he laughed so hard that his entire body shook.

"Max, blueberry, that's just Rafe being an older brother. He was teasing." Alec assured his son.

"Really? How do you know?" Max looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Because I'm in older brother." Alec smiled down at him. "So, what happened in the alley?"

"Well, there was a puppy and I was following him. He had a blue, glittery collar. Daddy would like him."

"Did you follow the puppy into the alleyway?" Alec asked him gently.

"Yes, and then there was this big man. He was so scary. H-h-h-h-he killed the puppy." More tears fell down Max's face.

"I'm so sorry that you had to see that." Alec's heart hurt for him.

"He said I was next, but Rafe jumped in front of me. He didn't have his stele-"

"He didn't! Why not?" Alec wanted to go in and shake the life out of his other son. Shadowhunters never went anywhere without their stele!

"I hid it from him." Max looked at his feet in shame.

"Max, you do not touch a shadowhunter's stele; even if you're teasing. Do you understand?" Alec said forcing himself to stay calm.

"I know, but he wouldn't let me watch my cartoon. He was being a bully." Max argued.

"That doesn't matter. That would be like me hiding your blue skin."

"But you love my blue skin, don't you?"

"Yes, I do, and it's a part of you just like Rafe's stele is a part of him."

"Oh."

"Yes, so why didn't he call us?"

"I tried to portal us out of there but it only worked on his phone."

"Well, you tried. That was very brave of you."

"I wanted to fight him but Rafe said no. He made me run away."

"And that was the right call."

"You would've fought."

"Not always. He knew he was hurt and was going to lose his strength. Was Catherine with you?"

"No, I called out her name. It's something I learned at school. She gave me this necklace and it connects me to her. We use it at school but I forgot to take it off. She made a portal."

"Alec." Magnus sounded so somber. "Why don't you come in here?"

"Max," Catherine looked like she had been crying. "Why don't we go get you some cereal?" She took Max's hand and lead him away as he protested.

"What is it?" Alec asked terrified to hear the answer.

"He's weak, but he'll be okay." Magnus still stood in front of the door.

"Let me see him." Alec tried to step inside.

"First, I have to warn you." Magnus took a deep breath. "You missed his first kiss."

"No!" Alec shook his head. "Wait, what?"

"Catherine, she kissed him." Magnus smirked.

"Bastard. You made me think that he wasn't okay. I don't care about missing a kiss." Alec smacked Magnus. "Was he good?"

Magnus smiled big. "He did us proud."

"Good. Now move." Alec laughed and pushed Magnus out of the way.

"Rafe." Alec rushed inside and hugged his son. "Never do that to us again."

"I promise." Rafe groaned in pain. "I won't ever almost get killed again."

"Good."

"If you never make out in front of me again."

Magnus and Alec looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Come on! It's disgusting! Why can't you hate each other like Jace and Clary?"

"They're married."

"Yeah, but they argue more than anything." Rafe shrugged.

"And then make out."

"Yeah, but they're not my parents."

"Sorry, bud, but it's not gonna happen." Alec smirked and turned to kiss Magnus.

"Where's a demon when you need one?!" Rafe exclaimed.

A/N Wahoo! What did you think? I had a lot of fun with this one. What about you? Also, the contest entries are all great. I'm loving them! If you want to join you still have some time to write a date between the lovely miss Catherine and Rafe.