All Magnus has now is hope.

Hope that his magic was powerful enough.

Hope that love is as strong as people say.

And hope that He will return.

Chairman Meow's fur was shining in the dim light from the bedside lamp. The glitter had originally been in Magnus' own hair but constant finger combing and fur stroking had managed to misplace far more silvery specs than was to the chairman's liking.

Magnus shrugged off the black bed spread and began to pace the room. Back and forth. Back an forth. From the closet to the curtains, both coal black.

The black was supposed to help. But it only served to remind him of Alec, and therefore what, or rather who, was missing from his life. The jumper helped though. He kept toying with strands of the frayed cuffs, the lifting it to his nose smelling Alec's subtle deodorant, mixed with coffee and that slightly sweet slightly citrusy sent that Magnus could never place. Put together it was like breathing in Alec. Magnus sighed, it brought back so many memories. He used to lie in bed in the morning and before opening his eyes letting this smell, Alec's smell, embrace him. Or when his lover sat down beside him on the sof…

Magnus was startled out of his blissful (although still painful) memories as a loud banging penetrated his thoughts. Someone was knocking on their door – his door now, he needed to remember that.

Magnus contemplated changing out of the shabby jumper before answering. But even though black really isn't his colour he couldn't bare to take Alec's jumper off. And the knocker really was being quite persistent.

Upon opening the door Magnus encountered a very annoyed Isabelle Lightwood.

His first thought was oh-Lilith she's come to kill me. An image came to mind of the last time he'd seen Izzy. She'd been standing inside the Institute, with him on the outside, shouting "If I ever see you again I will kill you Magnus Bane. Accords or not, I will kill you." Looking for all the world like an avenging angel before slamming the heavy oak doors in his face.

But as she pushed past into the apartment he realised she was talking, and not in a raised voice. "…tood there for ages. Your apartment isn't that big, what is it the tardis? No, don't answer that, I don't know what you could have done to this place with your magic. But still ten minutes Magnus, I was stood there for nearly ten min… Are you even listening to me?"

To be fair Magnus was listening he was just wondering why no seraph blades had been brandished or angel names spoken. He muttered something about deep in thought before starting to space out again.

"Magnus!" Izzy said to bring him back to the present.

"Isabelle, I…I…" Attempting to explain he began to stutter.

"Look Magnus I know you tried and that you would have saved him if you could."

"But the other week you…"

Cutting him short Izzy began to answer his half asked question. "I know what I said. But I was just upset having already lost Max and now Alec I" She broke off to compose herself before continuing. "I needed some time to think things through."

"I'm sorry Isabelle. I'm truly Sorry."

"No Magnus. It wasn't your fault, wasn't you who stabbed him."

"But I should have been there!" Magnus was beginning to raise his voice in frustration.

"I know I asked, well threatened, you to save him but it should have been me looking out for him. Like he used to do for me. I came here to apologise."

Magnus was glad he'd been forgiven, as he feared he would have been severed from this link to Alec after their last meeting. Magnus had had to take the news to the Institute. Alec had died in their flat soon after they returned from Idris. Magnus had portaled back from the battle with his injured Shadowhunter in his arms. Leaving the others to fight the demons, as Magnus began to fight for Alec's survival. But in the end he couldn't win the fight and had taken the news to the Nephilim the next day. Only to be shouted at by a distraught Izzy.

Now nearly three weeks of stressful pacing and cat stroking later he had the chance to explain properly.

Magnus led Izzy to the couch where, producing two steaming mugs of coffee, they sat and drank. Isabelle had her head down looking at but not seeing the cup in front of her.

"Izzy I still have hope." She glanced up and Magnus took this as a sign to continue. "When he was near the end." Now it was his turn to pause and compose himself. "He knew, you know." She nodded slowly in understanding. "So he offered me his strength like before, because I was pretty spent by then and he still wanted to help. I took his hands in mine and I used our strength, together, to cast one last spell for him."

"But it didn't save him." "No, there was nothing I could've done at that point. This spell was different. I took Alec's soul as it was leaving his body and, hopefully, made it, at least partially, immortal."

"Immortal?" Repeated Isabelle, a look of shock and confusion clouding her features.

"Well I sort of added a bit of my fabulous immortal soul to his."

"I didn't think that was possible."

"Neither did I, but I felt different after and not just because of exhaustion. And that gives me hope. It might not have worked though I'm not sure my powers are great enough, especially after preforming so much magic already."

Then Isabelle spoke in barley a whisper, but Magnus' sharp ears caught it. "The power of true love is incredible."

Magnus still has hope.

Hope that life is still worth living.

Hope that love can conquer all - even death.

And hope that He will return.