Chapter 1
*CAUTION: There will be a few spoilers from the last book! So, if you have not read City of Heavenly Fire, I suggest you don't read this story, unless spoilers don't affect you.
The young woman with red hair stood by the window over looking her front yard, holding a small one year old boy with bright green eyes and light wavy hair. Years had passed, and she couldn't ever shake the feeling of the memories of all the chaos that happened so long ago.
She watched as a young couple, both with dark hair, walked past her house, laughing and smiling, and she couldn't help but wonder where they were going or what they were doing. She sensed that they were normal, and by normal she meant mundane, and she flashed back to memories of her and her best friend long ago, before everything changed.
The little boy in her arms made a small noise and pulled at one of her long curls, wrapping it around his chubby hand.
She smiled down at him, seeing so much of her husband and not a lot of her, though everyone had assured her that her son did indeed look like her.
His green eyes met her identical ones and she smiled up at his mother, quickly turning towards the window as a small hummingbird hovered inches from the glass, seeking nectar from their flowers.
The woman shifted the baby in her arms, huddling him closer to her. She ran her finger over the smooth gold band on her left ring finger, memories of her wedding flooding back to her.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist, making her jump. A chuckle came from behind her as she glanced over her shoulder, her husbands gold eyes staring at her.
"You okay?" he asked, taking the small boy from her. The baby smiled when he saw his father and quickly wrapped his tiny hand in the fabric of his dad's shirt.
"I'm fine," she said, once again staring out the window. She wasn't fine, Jace knew that much. He placed his hand on her waist, pulling her towards him.
"Are you sure?" he asked, worry clear in his voice, but Clary didn't seem to notice. Her gaze was still directed out the window as she let out a large yawn, subconsciously covering her mouth.
"I'm just tired, is all," she told him, finally looking at Jace, giving him a small smile.
"You wanna go take a nap?" Jace asked, absentmindedly bouncing the baby in his arms. She shook her head, letting out another yawn, making Jace laugh. "C'mon, let's just lay down for a little."
He pretty much pulled Clary down the hall and to their bedroom, laughing again when he watched her collapse onto her side of the bed.
"I think Mommy's tired, are you tired?" Jace asked the little boy in his arms, who was rubbing his eyes. He shook his head even though it was clear that he was indeed tired. "Will, buddy, I think it's time for your nap."
Will tried to protest but exhaustion got the better of him and he just plopped his head onto Jace's shoulder and closed his eyes. His tiny thumb found it's way into his mouth as Jace walked out of the room and down the hall.
Pushing open the door to his right, he walked forwards, placing Will into his crib. Jace scanned the bed searching for a pacifier. Once he found a blue and green one he took out Will's thumb replacing it the binky. Tucking the little boy in, he kissed him lightly on the head before walking out of the room.
Slipping back into his bedroom, Jace looked at his wife, who was now fully asleep, smiling slightly. Silently, he tip-toed over to her, putting a thin blanket over her small frame. Stepping back, he grabbed the baby monitor and slunk out of the room, quiet as a cat.
•••
Alec sat on the back porch of his house staring at his boyfriend and their three-year-old daughter. Six whole years since that final battle and still no wedding. Let's just say that Alec was pretty frustrated. It seems as if they were going backwards.
First they adopt a little girl, which was great, and not to mention perfect. Cassandra was exactly what Alec had wanted, and she even looked like both him and Magnus. Cassie was half Asian and half Caucasian, with dark brown hair and bright green eyes.
Then they move out of their apartment and into a small house.
So the only logical thing that would come next would be a marriage. Alec spent countless hours wondering what was holding Magnus back. Everybody else was married. First, Jocelyn and Luke. Then, Clary and Jace, Isabelle and Simon, and even Maia and Bat had finally announced their engagement. But Alec didn't feel that any of that was fair. He was the oldest out of the everyone, not including Jocelyn and Luke, and Magnus hadn't even brought it up.
It was like he didn't even want to get married.
It was obvious that Magnus loved Cassie, and obvious that he loved Alec, but maybe he was scared of a wedding.
But Alec most definitely was not scared of a wedding. He wanted it to be official.
"Daddy! Daddy! Look!" Cassie's tiny voice startled Alec from his thoughts, and he looked up to see her running over to him, something in her hands. He plastered a grin on his face, picking her up and putting her on his lap.
"What'd you find?" he asked, staring at her intently with his bright blue eyes.
"A ladybug!" she squealed with delight, opening her tiny hand, shoving it in Alec's face.
He grabbed her hand, immediately seeing the small red and black insect, "You're my ladybug, you know that right?"
"I am?" she asked, looking up at him. He nodded his head, "Why?"
"Because you're tiny and beautiful."
"Really?" she asked, her face brightening up with a smile.
"Really," he assured her, nodding his head. She pushed off his lap, running back into the yard, showing Magnus the ladybug. He smiled at Alec, to which Alec returned it.
Magnus bent down to Cassie's level and said something to her. She giggled and ran over to the swing that Alec had tied to the tree in their backyard.
Magnus began making his way towards Alec, plopping into a chair next to him.
"What's up?"
"Nothing, I'm just thinking," Alec said, playing with the edge of his sweater.
"Thinking about what?" Magnus asked, watching him.
Alec stared out at Cassie, watching her long ponytail flow in the wind as she swung, pumping with her legs (she'd recently learned how to swing herself). Alec planned on bringing up marriage but decided that now wouldn't exactly be the best time.
"Just about us," he said, turning to look at Magnus. His cat eyes stared at Alec, a brief moment of worry crossing his face. But he quickly changed it into a smile.
"Well good, you should always be thinking about us," Magnus said grinning, taking Alec's hand with his own. Alec smiled back, turning his head when he heard Cassie call out, "Daddy, can you push me? I'm tired."
"Well," Alec started, standing up, "Duty calls." And he made his way over to the little girl.
•••
*some spoilers ahead!*
Isabelle stood in her bathroom in nothing but a white tank-top and a pair of boy shorts. Her red fingernails tapping on the side of the sink. She let out a long breath, becoming impatient. Her eyes did not leave the small plastic stick that sat in the sink. Correction, the small plastic stick that held her future.
She ran her thumb over the rings on her ring finger on her left hand, looking at the small diamond that was on her engagement ring. It was so small to jewelers, yet so big to her.
She was taken completely by surprise when Simon had asked for her hand in marriage. I mean, she was hoping he would ask, but with what had happened, she was thinking it might take a while.
In the six years that passed, Simon had regained a lot of his memory. Some things were still a little fuzzy to him, but a lot had come back, and he was like her now.
Out of all the memories he lost, she had never been completely forgotten. She remembered that first day, after six months that she talked to him. She had talked to him when he had no idea who she was, and he told her that he had seen her in his dreams. And when Magnus gave him back his first few memories, he said that he remembered them kissing.
The wedding was beautiful but it only happened about five months ago. She still considered them newly-weds, though I don't they actually were anymore.
"Iz, you okay in there?" his voice asked, drifting through the wooden door.
"I'm fine!" she called, grabbing the bridge of her nose. She wasn't fine. To be completely honest, she was freaking out.
"Are you sure?" She could hear him lean against the door, see his shoes from the small crack under the door.
"Yup, I'm sure," she said, staring at the plastic stick in the sink. How freaking long does this piece of crap take?
"Well, you've been in there a while and I sort of have to go," Simon said sheepishly, she could sense his hand hovering over the doorknob.
"Just give me one minute, one minute and it's all yours," she told him, grabbing the stick, holding it up close to her face. And then she saw it, the two very clear lines that told her that the one thing she didn't want, was happening.
She took in a deep breath, calming herself. She wouldn't, couldn't, tell Simon right now. She had to think about this. Maybe she would tell Clary first, since she'd already gone through this, though they were actually trying when it happened. Okay, so maybe not Clary. Alright, I'll just tell Alec. Or maybe not, because that was her older brother and he might freak out on her, same with Jace. Magnus? No, that wouldn't be a good idea, because he would blab about it to Alec. Everyone knew a Warlock couldn't keep secrets, at least not this Warlock.
She sighed, closing her eyes. That is until the door burst open and Simon came in, giving her a lame smile.
"Duty calls, sorry," he said, glancing at her hand that held the stick, which she'd immediately hidden behind her leg.
"No, it's okay," she said to him, turning back around to the sink.
"Uh, you sure everything's okay?" he asked, taking a step towards her, though his eye were trained on the toilet.
She spun around, "No, everything is not okay."
That made him snap his eyes over to her, "What's wrong."
"Look, Simon, I don't know how to tell you this," she started, noticing the immediate panic in his eyes but then thought better of it. "Oh, what the hell! Simon, I'm pregnant."
•••
Jocelyn hadn't heard from her daughter in days and she was starting to get worried. She knew that she shouldn't be worrying, Luke only told her that everyday, but that's what mother do! They worry.
She stared at her youngest, Tessa, who was coloring with Luke at the kitchen table. She remembered doing that with Clary when she was five. But that was a long time ago, now her baby was twenty-two and had her own baby to look after, which made Jocelyn a grandma, and she still wasn't sure how she felt about that.
"Mommy, do you want to see what I drew?" Tessa asked, her strawberry blonde curls falling into her face. Her bright blue eyes were wide with happiness.
"Well, I'd love to," Jocelyn said, walking over to the table, taking a seat next to the five-year-old girl. Luke smiled at her as she took the paper from Tessa's hands, as if saying 'You're not going to believe this.'
Jacelyn was happily surprised by the picture she saw. It was a drawing of a flower, but the detail was exquisite. To say that Tessa could draw was a huge understatement. Tessa only made art, she was much better than Jocelyn and even Clary. Tessa saw so much beauty through her young eyes.
"Do you like it, Mommy?" she asked, rubbing her tiny nose.
"Like it? I love it! It's beautiful, Tessa," Jocelyn told her daughter, smiling down at her.
"What do you say?" Luke asked, testing his daughter on her manners.
"Thank you, Mommy!" she said, grinning.
Jocelyn laughed, pulling Tessa onto her lap, "Well, you are very welcome."
"You know," Luke started, looking up at his wife and daughter, "That you get all your talent from your mommy?"
"I know, Daddy!" Tessa giggled, pushing her curls behind her ears. Jocelyn made a mental note to put a clip in her hair, "Uncle Magnus has all her paintings."
Jocelyn laughed, "That's true, he does."
"But I draw, like Clary," Tessa said, "Not paint like Mommy."
"Well, you like painting, don't you?" Luke asked, chuckling when Tessa eagerly nodded her head. "Well, then maybe you should start painting with Mommy sometime."
A large grin broke out on Tessa's face, "Oh Mommy, could we finger paint?"
"But of course," Jocelyn said, placing the little girl on the floor.
"Can we paint right now?" she asked, jumping up and down on her little feet.
"Well, I don't see why not," Jocelyn told her, putting her hands on her hips.
Tessa smiled with delight and pulled at Jocelyn's hand. Jocelyn stood from her chair, laughing as her daughter tried to pull her up. She let Tessa pull her down the hallway, calling over her shoulder, "You're on clean up duty!"
Luke laughed as he watched two of his favorite people disappear down the hall, his daughter tiny voice echoing through the apartment.
•••
Maia sat on the couch in her apartment. She still lived in the same apartment that her ex-boyfriend, Jordan, used to live in and she other ex-boyfriend, Simon, used to live. Which at first, Bat thought was a little weird, but after six years, it didn't seem like their apartment anymore, it felt like home.
It was almost rare to see Maia home so early in the evening, with her being the leader of the New York pack. But none the less, Bat was happy that she was home.
Just a few weeks ago, he'd finally gotten the guts to ask Maia to marry him, which she immediately said yes to. They had dated once, a long time ago, but had broken up because Maia said that she needed some time. But Bat was so happy that Maia was his now. His and nobody elses.
Some times he pictured what his life would be like if Jordan hadn't died. Would Maia still be with him, even though she told Bat that she was planning on breaking up with him? Pr would they be happily engaged in this apartment and would Bat be leader of the pack?
I guess he would never know, but sometimes it was hard not to imagine what it would have been like if things were different...
•••
Alright, so the first chapter. I'm just trying this out. Tell me what you thnk about everyone's lives. What do you think about Clary? Or about Alec and his need for a wedding, haha. Or what about Isabelle, I see her as a very blunt kind of girl. Oh and tell me about that tiny part with Maia and Bat, I don't know how I feel about it.