Magnus Lightwood-Bane laid in his bed in his old apartment in Brooklyn. The one he hadn't been in since the children were little. He still went by Lightwood-Bane, even if the Lightwood part of the equation wasn't around anymore.
10 years, 3 months, 1 week, and 4 days ago Alexander and Rafael Lightwood-Bane went on a hunt and never came back. Raf was only 19. It was a greater demon who caught them off guard according to Jace Herondale- who came back alive when neither his son nor husband could. After the loss of his older brother, Max took some time away from the family.
Last Magnus had heard from him was 4 months ago when he was in Korea with Ragnor.
Magnus got up and walked over to the minibar that had various alcoholic beverages- mundane and fairae alike. He randomly grabbed a bottle and took a chug of it. He felt his throat burn. Vodka. The warlock plopped down on the couch. He lied still, watching the intricate patterns on the ceiling move.
He looked over at the coffee table and saw something. A photo album. It had the words "Lightwood-Bane family" on it. Feeling he was going to cry already, Magnus opened the album to see that there was a letter that was about fall out.
The letter read: Mags.
That's when he noticed the handwriting. Alexander's handwriting. His husband's handwriting. Magnus tore the letter open and read it several times. It was short, but those words were words that his husband of 14 years. His dead husband of 14 years. He read the letter one more time.
Hey, Magnus,If you're reading this, I'm dead. I have no clue when you're reading this, though. It could have been a couple days since I passed, or a couple hundred years. If you're wondering why I am able to talk beyond the grave so to speak, it is because of Caterina. A couple of weeks ago, I sought her out and asked her if she could put this photo album in our Brooklyn apartment. I chose this apartment because I knew you would come back sometime or another. I couldn't be sure about our house in Idris, since that would mean that you would have to talk to shadowhunter who would either sneer at you (like the ignorant people they are) or give apologizes to the consul's husband-- depends on how long I've been dead. I am sorry for leaving you to raise the boys alone, but I know that you can do it. You will be great without me. I'm not even fully gone, I will always be in your heart and your memories. I don't want you to sulk for too long. You have a long life ahead of you. It would be selfish of me to be the last person you would ever love. I don't want to deprive you from ever being happy again. Please, move on. This hurts me to say, but no one else will say it to you. I don't want you to miss out the amazing parts of life because you are still mourning. You can move on. You need to move on. I'm not saying to leave my body and go hook up with somebody, but don't spend longer than five years mourning. Please. And please tell Rafe and Max I am proud of them and love them so much. I know that Rafe is hesitant about becoming a shadowhunter, but I'm sure he will do great, even if I'm not there to see him. Tell Max that he is perfect the way he is. He doesn't need to change who he is or run away from him. I love you,Alexander
By the time that Magnus finished the letter, he was sobbing. He took another shot of vodka and looked at the album. The first picture was of the two of them when Alexander was around 19 or 20, laying in each others arms. He remembered the picture vividly. Isabelle had walked in on them sleeping in the grass after watching the stars, and took a picture of them. She had held that over their heads for years. He flipped through the pictures until he saw one where he and Alec were fighting. He didn't know how or why they were fighting or how it got there. He felt his heart beat faster and faster and his breath deepen.
Magnus took a shot of vodka. He remembered all the nights where he would dream that Alec was laying next to him in bed, and feeling content. He remembered the touch on his shoulders. Every single time, he was fooled right up to when he opened his eyes and realized that no one was there. What if Alec never knew how much he loved him. What if he didn't realize the best pieces of Magnus was the pieces of Alec. what if he had never known? He had waited way too long to say how much Alec meant to him. And now he could never tell him again. The bottle emptied even more.
He saw a picture of when Rafe and Max were little. The family had gone to a lodge up north for Christmas. That was one of his favorite memories. He smiled weakly. He loved Alec more than he could ever wrap his head around. Magnus looked through the rest of the photos, through tears and smiles.
The heartbroken warlock walked over to the phone and dialed Ragnor's phone number. "Hey Ragnar, it's me, Magnus. I want to know if you know where Max is. I think it is time for him to come home. Tell him his Papi sent for him."