Yes, I know I said that Max 'visiting' Soulmates was next, but I woke up this morning, with this fanfic rattling around in my brain and I needed to work on it pronto.
We'll talk later.
For now, enjoy.
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Magnus is sitting at the kitchen table. He just got back from dropping off a potion in East New York, now he is relaxing with a cup of tea and the crossword puzzle.
A portal opens by the front door, and he sees himself step into the loft. He smiles at his visitor, "Afternoon."
AU!Magnus is dressed in black jeans and a black shirt. He rubs his thumb across his fingers as he looks around the loft, "Hi, is Max here?"
Raising an eyebrow, Magnus shakes his head, "No, he's still in class." Magnus glances at his phone, "He should be home in fifteen minutes or so."
"Is it okay, if I wait for him?"
Magnus smiles, "Of course." He gestures to the bar, "Drink?"
AU!Magnus shakes his head.
Magnus smiles, "Coffee?"
"Okay."
Magnus points to the Keurig machine, "Help yourself."
"Thanks." AU!Magnus walks over and fills a mug with coffee. Holding the mug in both hands he walks over to the sofa and sits down.
Magnus goes back to the puzzle, every now and then glancing at his visitor.
AU!Magnus stares into his and Alec's bedroom as he slowly sips his coffee. Magnus watches as tears suddenly start rolling down his double's face and his hands start to tremble. AU!Magnus puts the mug on the coffee table and wipes his eyes.
Magnus quickly gets up and walks over to the sofa, he's getting a bad feeling.
AU!Magnus looks at him as he sits down. Tears continue to run down his face, "He's dying. I tried everything I could think of. Catarina has done everything that she can. I thought I would be okay with letting him go, but I can't. I need him. The thought of living one day without him, let alone years without him, makes me sick to my stomach."
Magnus holds his hands tight, "Okay. Max will be here soon. He will help."
"I knew there were other worlds out there and I thought that one of them could have answers. I saw Max jumping from world to world and I hope he can save my Alexander."
"He will. I promise you. He will."
"Thank you."
Magnus squeezes his hands, "Don't thank us yet." Unconsciously he closes his eyes and relaxes as the love rune tells him that his Alexander is safe in his office.
A portal opens and Max walks into the loft with a smile. But one glance at two Poppas sitting on the sofa has him running to his room without a word. He drops his bookbag on his bed and grabs his laptop. He hits the power button as he walks quickly back into the kitchen. He sets the laptop on the table and walks over to the coffee table.
He pushes the mug out of the way and sits down. He doesn't recognize this AU!Magnus. He takes one of AU!Magnus' hands in his, "I'll fix this."
AU!Magnus gives him a weak smile, "Thank you."
Max nods as he stands and walks over to his laptop. He starts typing, "Okay, tell me a bit about your world, so I can figure out which one it is."
AU!Magnus glances at Magnus, who gives him an encouraging smile, "I guess it's like this one. There are ShadowHunters and DownWorlders."
Max nods, "How long have you and Alec been together?"
AU!Magnus swallows as he glances at the master bedroom. He wipes away tears, "We've been married fifty-five years."
Max stops typing and looks at him, "Wow." He returns his attention to his laptop. After a few minutes, Max taps a finger on the keyboard, "Okay, according to this, there is nothing wrong in your world."
AU!Magnus sobs, "He's dying, how can that not be considered 'wrong'?" He puts his head in his hands and bends over as if in pain.
Magnus puts an arm around his shoulders, "Max, check again."
Max nods as his fingers fly over the keyboard. He glares at the screen, "There is something fishy going on here. According to the timeline, Alec is fine. Which is probably why I haven't seen anything sooner."
"Are you sure you are looking at the right world?"
Max nods, "Magnus and Alec have been married fifty-five years. No children. Magnus gave up the title of High Warlock twenty years ago and Alec stepped down as Head at the same time. They retired to spend time travelling."
AU!Magnus nods, "That's us. Alec got sick early this year."
Max narrows his eyes, "Not according to the timeline. Right now, you are in Florida."
AU!Magnus sobs, "I left my angel dying here with Catarina."
Max stands up, "This is fucked up." He closes the laptop as Magnus and AU!Magnus stand, "Take us to your world."
AU!Magnus wipes his eyes and takes a deep breath, "Okay."
Magnus sends Alec a quick text telling him that he and Max are going out. Alec responds with 'Have fun'.
AU!Magnus opens a portal. Max, with his phone in his pocket and the laptop in his hand, walks through with his father and AU!Magnus.
They walk into the loft. Max nods as he powers on the laptop and sets it on the kitchen table. AU!Catarina walks out his AU!fathers' bedroom and gives him a slight smile, "You must be Max?"
Max nods as he walks into the bedroom. The drapes are closed partway. He sees AU!Alec laying on the bed. He assumes it is Alec, since the man on the bed can't weigh more than a hundred pounds, and barely resembles his badass ShadowHunter father. What little hair he has left on his head is pure white. The deflect/block rune on his neck has faded to a dull gray. The wedding rune and all the visible runes on his arms are also gray. If it weren't for the runes, Max would never know that this feeble old man was Alexander Lightwood.
Max stares at him as tears run down his face. Magnus gently squeezes his arm, "Max, come on."
Max nods, "I gotta fix him, Poppa."
Magnus kisses his cheek, "You will." They leave the bedroom. Max goes over to his laptop, sits and starts typing.
AU!Catarina weakly smiles at Magnus, "Hi."
He hugs her, "Hi."
AU!Magnus walks into his bedroom without a word. Catarina shakes her head, "He won't survive Alec dying."
"Alec isn't dying."
"I hope you are right."
Magnus nods, "Max will figure this out. Go home, get some rest."
"Thank you." She kisses his cheek, opens a portal and leaves the loft.
Max glares at the screen, "Damn it, the timeline is still giving me bullshit." He stands and walks into the bedroom. Magnus follows him.
AU!Magnus is sitting by AU!Alec's side. He glances up, "So?"
Max shakes his head, "Florida."
Tears run down AU!Magnus' face, "We haven't been there in over a year."
"Magnus?"
AU!Magnus gently kisses his husband's lips, "Shh, I'm here." He looks at Max and Magnus through tear filled eyes, "He lost his sight and can barely hear. But he can still sense when I'm near."
Magnus raises an eyebrow as he and Max glance at each other, "He can sense you?"
AU!Magnus nods, "Since we first met. We know each other is around before we see each other."
Magnus glances at AU!Alec's neck, "Was he ever close to death?"
AU!Magnus nods, "A number of times I thought I lost him, but I prayed and begged to Mistress Destiny and he came back to me."
Max asks, "Love rune?"
"What?"
Magnus nods, "My Alec and I also can sense each other. After we met, a love rune appeared on the side of his neck, when he almost died."
AU!Magnus shakes his head, "As you can see, he never got one here."
"May I?"
AU!Magnus nods as he gets off the bed. Magnus walks over and passes a hand over AU!Alec. His eyes narrow as he says in a cold voice, "I feel the power of three, no four warlocks."
Max's eyes go cold, "Is that why the rune hasn't appeared?"
Magnus nods, "It's possible. But it's too powerful a block for me to break."
Max smiles, "Then let's get somebody who can."
Magnus smiles, "Good thinking, Max."
Max takes out his phone, "Just got to make some adjustments so that we can return here. Okay. Be right back." He walks out the bedroom, opens a portal and leaves the loft.
"Magnus?"
AU!Magnus sits by his husband side and gently kisses him, "I'm still here."
Magnus squeezes his shoulder, "And we will make sure that he stays right here with you."
"Thank you."
-tbc-
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A long time ago, I had the idea for a world with a dying Alec in it, but I got distracted by other worlds. Guess it wasn't time yet, but now it is.