One of the first new stories of 2019! Hopefully this one will be the one where you don't threaten to kill me if I don't make everyone happy. This story takes place kind of in 2x09 and 2x10 when Valentine took over the Institute to take the soul sword. The only differences is that the times of the scenes I've rewritten take place in separate times. Like the night scene where Magnus took a look at Jace and Clary's vision will happen in the morning. Got it. Kay. Let us begin a brand new tale.

September 22nd, 4:22 AM

Love isn't a very fickle thing for a shadowhunter. It's the same routine almost. It's either love for rank, love for love or don't love at all. It's different than the mundane, who either fake love or love for real. Shadowhunter love is all about tradition and the future. Who a shadowhunter chooses to love has to be strong, high rank, honorable. They must be able to help produce strong shadowhunter children that will carry on the family name and rule an Institute. That's the tradition. Love isn't for the here and now. It's for the future. It's to lead the future. That's just how it is for nephilim. Love for the future, love for the rank or don't even bother with it. But Alec broke that tradition and that rule when he walked down the aisle of his own wedding and planted a sweet kiss against the beautiful Magnus Bane.

Alec smashed that tradition to pieces. The unspoken rule of having to marry a strong shadowhunter woman and lead an Institute left him. He had no care for it. Instead he lived in the moment and started to fall in deep love with downworlder warlock Magnus Bane. Alec had no problem if some of the other shadowhunters in the New York Institute that thought he was crazy for dating a downworlder. He didn't care if his father thought that it was just a fling. Alec knew that what he was doing was his choice. And loving Magnus was the right choice. He was accepted. Slowly but surely, people knew that Alec and Magnus were meant to be.

Alec's mother accepted and loved Alec falling for Magnus. Jace was happy that Alec was happy, despite who he loved. Izzy was ecstatic. Max was… well he was Max. Alec was happy that people understood and that he was falling hard for the High Warlock of Brooklyn, even though he hardly showed it because he was always dark and brooding. In the one beautiful month on restaurant dates, ice skating and archery lessons, Alec knew every time he looked over at the cat eyes warlock that he was in love. And he needed to say it. He had to say it. He needed to tell Magnus how he felt. He couldn't just let this feeling go unspoken. That's what his body wanted. It's what he wanted. Doesn't everyone? But as a shadowhunter, things in his personal life was always put on the top shelf. His plans to tell Magnus how he felt were sidetracked. For a whole four weeks, because of a little something called The Circle and a little someone named Valentine Morgenstern. Alec pushed himself into his work. Going out at almost eighteen hours a day to try and located Valentine and stop him from using the soul sword. Magnus was forgotten and so was the three magical words that Alec wanted to tell him. Alec worked his ass of inside of the Institute, Magnus long forgotten and their love seeming to run on dying embers.

Alec stood on the roof of some random New York building, shooting arrow after arrow after arrow into the targets that he had set up. He needed perfect aim. He needed completely perfect aim. Pristine aim. If he was going to get rid of Valentine Morgenstern and finally take him to the guard where he belonged, he needed to aim perfectly. Alec needed to be a shadowhunter. Magnus be damned in that moment. It had been hours. Hours of him aiming arrow, shooting arrow, retrieving arrow and repeat. Hours of him healing his bloody knuckles and cutting them open again. Hours.

"Alec, okay, that's enough."

Alec moved to aim another arrow but his arms were grabbed and pinned behind him. Alec moved his leg behind his attacker's and grabbed their wrist. He pulled them and slammed them down on the ground in front of him, then pressing his knee against their chest and holding up his fist.

"Woah, woah, woah, woah, hey! It's me!" cried the confused and slightly injured Jace. He held up his hands as Alec slowly pulled off of him.

"Sorry!" he said, holding his hand up. Jace took and made it way to his feet. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"I thought that after years of us being parabatai together that you would recognize the sound of my voice without your mind going to automatic attack mode." Jace said as Alec ran his stele over his healing rune.

"Sorry. I was kind of in the zone." Alec said, pointing over to the targets with arrows sticking out all over.

"Damn." Jace said. "I know that this whole Circle thing is pretty hectic, but this is seems pretty extreme. Don't you think?"

"No. It's perfectly normal. I'm training." Alec said back, setting down his bow and wiping his face with the towel that was hanging on the roof ledge. Jace crossed his arms across his chest.

"Do have any idea what time it is?"

"4:23."

Jace gave him a surprised look while checking his watch."That's… correct. Huh." Alec flashed his own sport watch that was a gift from Izzy and moved to nock another arrow in his bow. Jace shook his head. "That's not the point. It is 4:23, in the morning."

"I'm not tired and coffee exists for a reason." Alec said back, releasing the arrow.

"How long have you been up here?"

"For… thirteen, fourteen hours?"

"Angel give me strength." Jace sighed. "You came back from the mission at 2 PM. Alec, have you gone to Magnus?"

"Magnus is at his loft being the High Warlock of Brooklyn. He's fine."

"Let me repeat myself, it is 4:23 in the morning! Do you honestly believe that Magnus is still working right now! He's either waiting up for you or he's sleeping wondering 'where the hell is my boyfriend?!' !"

Alec rolled his eyes. "Jace look, I have to worry about a lot right now. Finding Valentine, arresting him-"

"You think that I don't worry about that? Valentine is my fucking father. I want to put a blade through his chest for what he did to me and Clary more than anyone!" Jace yelled back.

"That's different." Alec said. "Look, with Aldertree under the watch of the Clave for giving Izzy yin fen, I am also under watch. This could mean head of the Institute."

"So are you saying that a job is more important than the people that love and care about you?"

"No, I'm not saying that all. I love you all." Alec said. "But this week is just a bit… much."

Jace rolled his eyes. "I'm going to quote Simon, which really makes me want to vomit but: 'Just take a couple moments and like, you know… relax. Do what you do to chill out'."

Alec looked at him. "What the hell does that mean?"

"I don't know, I don't speak Simon." Jace said with a shrug. "But, I think the sum it up it means that you need to take a moment. Okay? It's okay to take a moment."

"Jace, I'm a shadowhunter. I have to train. That's just what I have to do. Okay? Lay off." Alec said, turning back over to the targets. "I have all the time I need after we kill Valentine."

Jace shook his head. "We all think that until time runs out." he said, before walking away. Alec rolled his eyes at his brother and parabatai. He had all the time in the world to be with Magnus.

6:29 AM

After another full two hours of shooting arrows into targets, he finally decided to go over to Magnus loft. He walked up the steps, completely unfazed from his exhausting training. He knocked on the double doors to the sparkly warlock's apartment. And to his surprise, he saw the door open magically. Alec stepped inside slowly. "Magnus?" he called, slowly approaching the main hall. The window was visible, not hidden by the silk curtains that Magnus usually had hiding the sun and moon and stars. The glass shone and showed the moon slowly leaving the New York skyline and sun rising the greet everyone. Alec passed by it and approached the bedroom. It was there where he was met with Magnus. He was laying down on his side of the bed, a pillow in his arms instead of Alec's own body. Alec looked down at him. Beautiful. Always beautiful. Alec moved to rub his forehead, but just as he did Magnus' phone rang with his favorite song. Alec cursed was he that late? He shook his head. He was busy with the Circle. Magnus was understand.

Magnus groaned from the sound of the phone. He let go of the pillow substitute for Alec and snapped his fingers. The phone shut up and the High Warlock sat up. He rubbed his tired eyes and looked up. Alec smiled. He was adorable.

"Alexander?" he called, his voice groggy from his deep sleep. Alec chuckled. "How long have to been standing there dressed?"

"About twenty seconds." Alec said, moving over and pressing a kiss against Magnus' cheek.

"Did you wake up earlier than me?" Magnus asked, yawning.

"No. I actually just got here."

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no." Magnus groaned, snapping his fingers. All of Alec's clothes were gone and he was just in his boxers. He opened his mouth to protest but Magnus pulled Alec into the bed with his magic. Magnus moved over and snuggled into Alec's bare chest.

"Mags." Alec said with a laugh but Magnus put his ringed finger to Alec's lips.

"Ssshh." he said. "Sleep."

Alec rolled his eyes and shut up as he was ordered. Magnus purred in Alec's arms. Alec smiled. He was comfortable here. He was comfortable in this snuggle with Magnus. Alec yawned himself and leaned against the pillows. He drifted off to sleep, thinking of how much he wanted to tell Magnus that he loved him.

If only The Circle wasn't a thing.

10:00 AM

Another alarm awoken Alec this time. He very exhaustively opened his eyes. It was his phone this time because Magnus only had one alarm. Alec moved up and looked over. His clothes were folded there on the nightstand right next to him. There was an illuminating light coming from the black jean material. Alec moved to sit up but felt a body on his. He looked down and saw Magnus snoring softly on his chest. Alec chuckled. He moved over and pressed a kiss onto his nose. Magnus smiled, feeling the love in the kiss and snuggled closer. Alec groaned silently. How was he going to reach his phone? Just as he thought that, his phone magically appeared in his hand.

"Answer it." Magnus groaned. "I'm trying to cuddle."

Alec chuckled. He pressed the answer key and pressed it to his ear. "Hello?" he called.

"I'm guessing that the whole you being late thing is because you finally decided to see Magnus?" asked the annoying yet calming voice of his parabatai. Alec pulled his phone away from his ear to get a quick glimpse of the time. He looked at the top of his screen. 10 AM.

"Shit." Alec cursed, scrambling out of bed. Magnus fell off of his chest and onto the mattress.

"Ow." he called, but Alec ignored him.

"Are you calling to tell me that I'm missing a meeting with Aldertree or something?" Alec asked, holding his phone to his ear with his shoulder and pulling his pants on.

"No. I'm calling you because this is anything but good." Jace said. "Last night, we'll… early morning, me, Simon and Clary found Valentine. And he had this warlock child with him."

"A warlock child?" Alec asked, turning over to Magnus who was pouting angrily because Alec had just left him to rot without morning spooning. "What did she look like?"

"I think that it's the girl that Iris was looking for. She was young, mixed. Curly hair and an adorable scarf covering her-"

"Gills? I know that child. That's Madzie for sure. The child that Clary was supposed to find. I met her when Iris tried to impregnate her. Valentine has her? Is she hurt?"

"No. But I think that he used her child innocence against her. She must think that we're going to hurt her."

"What happened when you found Valentine?" Alec asked, pulling his shirt the right side out.

"I tried to end it. All of us. But he used Madzie against us and kidnapped Simon."

"Why?"

"Because Stephen is Clarissa's best friend." Magnus added from the bed. He was looking at Alec while he pulled on his silk robe. "If Valentine threatened him, Clary would come to him."

Alec nodded, of course Magnus was right. He was always right. He smiled at him and gave him a nod. "Where are you right now?" Alec asked Jace.

"I'm with Clary outside of the Institute. We came to get Iz just in case something happened." Jace responded.

"Okay. Get her and bring her to Magnus. We'll figure out our next move then." Alec said.

"Tell him I'll open a portal for him in the back of the Institute." Magnus said. Alec told Jace about the portal and then he hung up the phone. Alec turned over to Magnus and explained everything that had just happened. "Oh poor Madzie." he said.

"We'll have to rescue her. But don't worry Magnus, we won't let Valentine activate the soul sword." Alec said. Just as he did, a portal opened inside of the living room. Magnus and Alec walked out into the room and saw Jace and Clary walk inside, with Izzy in Jace's arms. Izzy was still dealing with the effects of her yin fen withdrawal. She had to stay in bed and let the drug sweat out of her body. Alec walked over to her parabatai and pulled Izzy into his own arms. Izzy groaned, mostly because she was exhausted. Magnus walked over and ran some of his magic over her. Izzy calmed down and smiled in her sleep.

"Bring her to the guest bedroom Alexander." Magnus said, snapping his fingers. "She'll be comfortable in there."

Alec nodded and carried his sister to the guest room of the loft. Magnus turned over to Jace and Clary. "Don't worry biscuit, we'll rescue Simon." he said. "Or we'll die trying."

Oh, if only he knew that he was absolutely correct.