”If I could just magic away what he did to you...” The words made something inside Michael freeze up and tumble apart at the same time. Because Max could just fix it...but not if Michael stayed. He’d have to go, if his hand worked, at least for a while.

But if Alex went with him...if it was to keep them all safe in a sense...would that be enough for Isobel to be okay? And could he trust Alex with something that big?

The thought was terrifying, making him feel sick to his stomach about how it could go wrong, and he felt the trembling start, so he pressed closer to Alex. Over and over and over in his head it tumbled, and he tried to bite back the words, but Alex blaming himself...he couldn’t take that.

“It’s not your fault. I could’ve stopped him...” He broke off abruptly, because fuck. Not what he meant to say. “I can’t go to the hospital, Alex. I can’t. But...what if it could be...magic-ed away? Would you go with me? ‘Cause I’d have to go, then...”

He kept his face turned into Alex’s hair, knew he sounded crazy, the words broken and disjointed, but his thoughts were rioting, the chaos running rampant, and he didn’t have anything to quiet it.