Left For Dead [malec fanfiction] [complete]

Ten: The Others

"Okay. So that most definitely isn't a raccoon footprint," Alec said that morning. The gang had went outside to take a look around the house and see if anything Magnus had told them when they woke up was true. So far, everything he said was on the dot.

"Male. Size 12. About 160 pounds of muscle. Maybe 5'10?" Magnus knelt down to get a better look at the footprints that were outside the front window. "See? What did I tell you? I said it was a human on the roof. But no. Had to blame it on your imaginary raccoon, didn't you?"

"Okay. You were right. Get over yourself." Alec ran a finger over the boot print. "This must mean there's another group close by and they know we're here. These tracks are fresh."

Jace scanned the area with the scope of his gun. "Doesn't mean they're welcoming though. They could be the thieving type. Or some other bad type that we don't want to get involved with."

That morning was a quiet one. With no sign of Forsaken anywhere, it was almost like the community was still asleep and no one was up yet. The sky was gray, signalling a dull day of walking ahead of them. The group had decided that it was best if they didn't find a car that still worked to avoid drawing more attention to themselves than they already did.

"We should head back inside and get something to eat before we leave. Magnus? You coming?" Clary leaned over Magnus' shoulder. "Helloooo. Earth to Magnus."

"Hmm? Oh," Magnus stood up straight. "Sorry. I was just studying the footprint. Taking a mental photo of it, if you will. We need to keep a close watch on that possible group of humans. Jace is right. They're probably not the nice kind."

Alec sighed and followed Magnus back inside the house. Isabelle was handing out slices of dried apples to the rest of the group. When she saw Magnus and Alec step back inside, she handed them four slices each.

"Sorry I don't have any more. I just grabbed what I could from home. Or what was left of it." She handed Alec a bag with slices of apple in it. "Max already ate so he's good for now. Are we still headed to you know where?"

Alec nodded. "Yeah. Hopefully it's still standing and isn't occupied by another group."

"Wait. Where are we headed?" Magnus asked.

Alec and Isabelle looked at each other, but it was Jace that spoke up. "Alec wants to head home. Home as in our childhood home in New York."

Magnus' eyes bulged. "We're going into New York? Do you have a death wish or something?"

Alec said nothing. He just continued to eat his apple slices.

Magnus had enough of this. "Look. If you think you're just going to drag me around and expect me to do whatever the fuck you want then you're very wrong. I'll take half the supplies and leave because I refuse to be dragged around like a dog."

If it was even possible for a deeper silence to happen, then it did. Even the birds had fallen silent outside. The only thing that was audible to anyone was the beating of their own hearts in their ears.

"You're right. I don't mean to treat you like a dog. I should've told you where we were going as soon as we left Alicante," Alec got to his feet and went over to the window to look out of it. "The Lightwood home is the best place I think of where we'll be safe from Forsaken. It has lots of space for everyone."

"But it's in New York," Magnus stated.

"It's in New York," Alec repeated. "But I don't know where else to go, Magnus. I can't have my family on the road like before."

It was Isabelle who spoke up next. "We could try heading west. Towards nana's."

"We have a nana?" Max squeaked. "I don't remember her."