Alec sat on the floor of his new apartment, Max was walking across the living room with the timidness of someone undertaking a new task. From Alec's estimates, Max was around 18 months old, he couldn't know for sure because of the nature of Maxs' entrance into his life. From the first time that Alec held that blue baby at the entrance of the Shadowhunter Academy, he knew that he would never let him go. There had been a tense moment with Magnus in which Alec thought he might have to pick between his only love and the child that had so quickly stolen his heart. Thankfully, Magnus' trepidation concerning the baby had only come from his fear of pushing Alec too far when their relationship was so new and him so young. Alec had almost broken down in tears of joy when he realized that Magnus wanted the same thing, to have a family with him.

After spending a year living in Idris, during which Alec commuted to his post in Alicante and Magnus instructed at the Academy, they had finally come home. With a flick of his wrist and some blue sparks, Magnus had cleaned their apartment and made it child-friendly for their now toddler son, Max. Even while lost in thought, Alec was completely aware of his son. He saw Max fall backwards onto his bottom, the toddler looked back at his father for a reaction, when he only received an encouraging smile, he got up and continued his exploring. Their first night back in New York, after they had put Max to bed, Magnus told Alec that they needed to talk. His face must have given away his fears, "we need to talk" is never a precursor for a good conversation, because Magnus gently took his hand and reassured him that it was a good thing. Magnus had taken Alec out to their terrace, they stood silently while they took in the Mundane beauty of it all; the skyscrapers that lit up the sky, the roar of traffic even late into the night, and the feel of hope that tomorrow would be a better day.

After a few minutes of silence, Alec turned to Magnus and asked, "what did you want to talk about?". Magnus seemed to be lost in some distant memory, maybe he was remembering New York when he had first seen her back in the 1890's or maybe he was trying to picture what it would look like in another hundred years, Alec had grown used to Magnus' pensive side so he waited patiently for a reply.

A few more seconds passed before Magnus looked at Alec, he seemed to be back in the present and with a shy smile he replied, "I think we should get a new apartment".

Alec, who during their silent appreciation of New York had been preparing for almost every conceivable topic that Magnus could want to talk about, was thrown completely for a loop. He was so stunned that all he could say was, "but we live here".

Magnus' eyes sparkled with the light of the skyscrapers and his smile broadened, "I know we live here. I have lived in this apartment since the early 1900's, but I think it is time for a change. I want a place that you and I can build together, a place that is as much you as it is me." After a long conversation that lasted until sunrise, Alec finally agreed to begin apartment hunting on the condition that Magnus kept his old apartment for high warlock purposes.

Alec was startled out of his reverie by a loud knocking, he felt who it was before he even stood up to open the door, Jace. Jace and Clary had also recently returned to New York after being in Alicante for the same year that Magnus and Alec had been. The pair were learning advanced Clave law and training in downworlder diplomacy to assume their new posts as leaders of the New York Institute. Jace was leaning against the wall of their entranceway when Alec opened the door, he had a mischievous smile on his face and playfully asked "Did you miss me?"

"Miss you? I saw you almost every day for the entire year we were in Alicante. Why would I miss you?" Alec replied jokingly as he stepped in for a hug. After releasing Jace, they made their way into the living room and Jace made a beeline for Max. "Do you want anything to drink?" asked Alec, who was on his way to the kitchen.

Jace, who now had Max in his arms replied, "Water for now, we'll get to the good stuff once this little guy goes to bed." Alec heard Jace talking to Max from the kitchen, "Your papa thinks that I went to visit him every day in Alicante, but I was really going to see you." Jace was using a voice that Alec had never heard, a sweet and tender voice that Alec assumed was how he spoke to Clary when they were alone.

To avoid embarrassing his parabatai, Alec shouted "Drinks are on their way!" before leaving the kitchen area.

Jace, who refused to put Max down, began to inform Alec of the most recent downworlder news. Things were relatively calm in downworld; a few fairies were breaking the new cold peace laws, but it was nothing that Alec needed to concern himself with, Jace had already dispatched members of the conclave to deal with it. Alec was not surprised to see Jace thriving as the co-head of the institute, Jace was a born leader. "Alright, give me my son." Alec said to Jace who immediately created distance between the two.

"You have him all the time" Jace replied, looking inclined to run about the apartment, playing a game of Max keep away.

"I need to change him, give him a bottle and put him to bed. Then we can get to drinking the 'good stuff'." Jace seemed to be weighing his options but finally walked over and handed Max to Alec.

"Goodnight buddy" said Jace ruffling the blue baby's even darker blue hair "I'll go find something proper to drink while you put him to bed." he said to Alec and with that, the two split off to complete their tasks.

A while later, Alec walked downstairs to find Jace letting a bottle of wine breath. "This place is so big" said Alec "I can honestly get my cardio done just by taking a few laps up and down the corridor that leads to Max's bedroom."

"You'll be grateful for the space once Max starts bringing girls home" replied Jace looking up at Alec. Seeing the expression on his parabatais' face, Jace quickly added "or guys".

"That is my infant son you are talking about," replied Alec with false indignation "he will wait until he moves out of my apartment before he has 'company'."

"Not if uncle Jace has anything to say about it." muttered Jace under his breath, purposefully loud enough for Alec's benefit. Alec sat down on a loveseat across from Jace who was sprawled on the couch, shoes off, reading a magazine. "Did you know that there 101 ways to improve your complexion?" asked Jace with an air of disinterest.

"How much longer until we can drink that wine" answered Alec "what bottle is that anyway?"

"Who cares," replied Jace in his casual manner, "we'll leave a little wine in the bottle and Magnus can magic up another full one. Oh, and right about now". With that Alec took the bottle and poured two glasses full for him and his best friend.

Jace and Alec sat talking as they had done countless times. They reminisced about the adventures they had as teenagers, going on missions to hunt down a rouge vampire or werewolf, being dispatched to kill some minor demon, and they even laughed about Izzy's horrible cooking attempts, Izzy's cooking was now, mercifully, Simon's problem. They had a good long laugh at Simon's future stomach problems as they refilled their glasses of wine. "Magnus should be home soon" said Alec "how much of that bottle is left".

"Just a few drops. I hope Magnus can refill this bottle from only a few drops" said Jace with a slight slur to his words. Alec laughed at his parabatai's inability to handle alcohol, but the thought brought him up short, Jace could out drink a fish.

"Where did you get this bottle?" asked Alec.

Jace was staring at the ceiling "From the other room. Did you develop a drinking problem? I had to use an opening rune to get into the liquor cabinet, I don't like that about your new apartment, the booze should be easy to access. I think I'll talk to Magnus about that when he gets here." The mention of Magnus' name sent a shock through Alecs' body, it felt like the shock of their first touch, first kiss, and first…. "Hey!" Jace interrupted Alecs increasingly steamy thoughts, "why are you getting all red faced?"

"I am not." Alec replied indignantly, but he could feel the blood in his cheeks.

"Magnus is a cool guy though" said Jace, ignoring Alecs comment completely "He's kind of out your league man. Magnus is the coolest guy". Alec bristled at being told that his boyfriend was out of his league but the sound of a key turning their apartments lock, stopped whatever reply he might have made.

Magnus entered the apartment and Alec could see the fading light cast by a vanishing portal out in their entranceway. "Clary went down to the bodega across the street to get Jace a 'surprise'." said Magnus as he leaned in to kiss Alec, a simple but loving greeting. "She'll be up shortly. I'm going to go say goodnight to Max before the festivities begin". After Alec could no longer hear Magnus' steps, he turned his attention back to Jace.

"Since when are you the president of Magnus' fan club? I thought that you only liked him because he was with me." Alec asked in a reproachful tone.

"I'm honestly shocked that you two have lasted so long, with such a good looking Herondale for Magnus to move onto in such close proximity" replied Jace, now sitting on the couch and looking directly at Alec.

"Are you nuts? You have only ever had eyes for Clary. In fact, we spent the better part of a year trying to keep you from offing yourself because you thought she was your sister and you couldn't be with her. Now, suddenly, you want Magnus?"

"Maybe I want something new." retorted Jace, in a manner that said he thought this was no big deal, when in truth it was a massive betrayal of their friendship.

Through gritted teeth, Alec managed to say, "Well you can't have him." before Magnus called out from the upstairs landing "Let the drinking begin!"

Magnus made his way down the stairs and was greeted with a strange and tense environment, it had been pleasant enough when he had gone upstairs. "What's going on?" asked Magnus, casting Alec a questioning glance.

"You look amazing tonight, in fact, you look amazing every night". Magnus was stunned to realize that Jace was the one that had spoken and not Alec.

"Uh, thank you Jace, that's very kind" said Magnus, tentatively. Jace was like family now but usually Jace's comments about Magnus' appearance were contained in the teasing category.

"No, you do look great, and I can't wait to get you alone later." input Alec, not to be outdone.

"Alexander!" gasped Magnus "we have company! What has gotten into the two of you?"

"Nothing" replied the parabatai in unison.

"I just thought maybe you might want something a little different tonight" said Jace seductively, "you know, the last and most famous Herondale, different." The way that Jace was looking at Magnus was making him uncomfortable. Usually when someone who looks like Jace Herondale gives you that type of look, the I want to rip your clothes off and fulfill your fantasies kind of look, you fangirl scream internally. But this look, now, coming from Jace was indescribably wrong. He was Alec's parabatai, and Magnus knew that Jace loved Alec more than almost anyone in the world, he would never do anything that might hurt him.

"Ok, jokes up guys, ha-ha" said Magnus, a sinking feeling in his gut that something was terribly wrong.

Magnus walked to the kitchen to get two more glasses for wine, he could have easily snapped his fingers and summoned two more, but he needed to get out of the living room. In the kitchen he heard Alec and Jace exchanging words, hurriedly and with a certain amount of hostility. As he reentered the living room, two glasses in hand, Jace asked "Hey beautiful, can you magic up some more of this wine? It was amazing."

Magnus had enough, in the authoritative tone of the high warlock of Brooklyn, he said "Ok. Enough is enough Jace, stop your inappropriate comments now." This tone had made werewolves, vampires, and even Inquisitors shrink back from Magnus in the past, but it didn't seem to faze him.

Jace simply replied "What's so wrong with me telling you that you're beautiful and that I want you?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that I am in a relationship with your best friend or maybe it's the fact that there is a mini, red-headed Shadowhunter named Clary that is your girlfriend, a girlfriend who is coincidently on her way here now!"

"None of that matters now Magnus" began Jace, but he was interrupted by a soft tapping coming from the door.

Magnus sprint walked to the door, he was desperate to get away from his new number one fan and had noticed that something was wrong with Alec as well. Alec who was still incredibly reserved with his feeling was looking at Magnus with such love that Magnus could almost see the cartoon hearts in his eyes. "Clary!" exclaimed Magnus as he threw the door open "am I happy to see you."

Clary gave Magnus a strange look "Hey Magnus, did you forget that we portaled here together? I literally saw you like 5 minutes ago."

"Oh biscuit" said Magnus in a whisper, "I think that something is wrong with our boys and I really need some help with Jace."

"What's wrong with Jace?" replied Clary, panic creeping into her voice.

"You'll see" and with that Magnus let Clary into the apartment and close the door.

Clary knew that something was wrong with Alec and Jace as soon as she saw them sitting in the living room. They were seated directly across from each other, postures rigid, arms crossed over their chests, and were glaring daggers at each other. Had they gotten into some sort of disagreement, Clary wondered. Before she could greet Jace, whom she hadn't seen all day, he turned to her and asked "So? How about getting us some more of this wine, beautiful?" Clary was a little shocked, Jace never addressed her as beautiful in front of other people and how was she supposed to get him more wine?

"Um, I don't know about getting you more of that wine, but I did bring you some of that sweet bread that you like." Jace completely ignored her, he acted as if she hadn't spoken and with a sinking feeling Clary realized that he wasn't looking at her but slightly over her left shoulder, at Magnus. "Did he just call you beautiful?" asked Clary looking over her shoulder at Magnus.

"This is what I'm talking about" was his only reply. Clary walked up to Jace and started examining her boyfriend, looking him over for marks, feeling his forehead, a very mundane thing to do but she couldn't help herself. After the most thorough examination that Clary could perform without disrobing Jace, she looked up at Magnus to ask for his help and realized that he was staring at the table in horror.

"Dear lord" said Magnus in shaky voice "where did you get that bottle?"

"It was in your liquor cabinet" replied Jace, "seriously though babe, can you make some more?" Magnus, who was one of the most composed people that Clary had ever met, began to freak out. He put his head in his hands and started pacing, muttering "oh, lord" repeatedly.

"Magnus, what's wrong? What was in that bottle?" asked Clary, trying to prevent Magnus' freak out from affecting her, she had to keep a cool head to help Jace. Magnus continued pacing and Clary continued to call his name, the volume of her voice increasing with every repetition. Finally, Clary couldn't take it anymore and she shouted "Magnus, if you don't stop pacing and tell me what was in that bottle, I am going to nail your feet to the floor with my throwing knives."

Magnus stopped, slowly his eyes focused on Clary and said, "Oh biscuit, you're going to kill me."

Clary was about to reassure Magnus that she would never kill him, a fact that was a little more in question now because of her recent threats to nail Magnus' feet to the ground when Jace spoke. "I would kill her before she drew her weapons Magnus, no one will ever hurt you in my presence."

"You wouldn't get the chance to kill her" interjected Alec "my arrows move faster than even you can and I never miss."

"Kill me?" asked Clary in a small voice, the tone in Jace's' voice when he said that he would kill Clary to protect Magnus brokered no argument, he said it in the same tone that he had once used when he spoke of killing Sebastian. Something was very wrong with Jace indeed, Jace had risked his life, his soul and everything that he was to protect Clary and she had done the same for him. Now, he would kill her without a second thought, like he didn't know her, like she didn't matter? "Magnus? What's wrong with Jace? What was in the bottle?" the words were hard for Clary to push out through the burning in the back of her throat, the fire of unshed tears.

When Magnus realized what was on the living room table his heart skipped several beats in horror. Once his initial shock passed, his mind flew into action, thinking of a possible solution for the predicament that Jace and Alec were in. Magnus was vaguely aware of someone calling his name as his mind furiously rushed through every spell, potion recipe, and even possible runes that could help. Finally, the shouting of his name had broken through and Magnus realized that it was Clary who was shouting for him, he tuned in as she threatened to nail his feet to the floor if he didn't stop pacing, he hadn't realized that he was pacing. He saw the thin armor of Clary's Shadowhunter training on the verge of breaking as she absorbed death threats from Jace and Alec, still, only asking what was in the bottle. Magnus could not bear to look at her, the pain in her voice and in her eyes were as clear to him as the fact that this was all his fault. He instead looked at the ground and tried to speak but his voice wouldn't come. After a few attempts, his voice finally returned, and he managed to push out the words "It's a love potion."

Magnus slowly looked up at Clary, he could see all the emotions playing across her face and he knew all the thoughts that must be running through her head. He was aware what a normal Shadowhunter's reaction would be, but Clary wasn't a normal Shadowhunter. She wouldn't care that it was against Clave law to make or have love potions, all she could care about would be fixing Jace. Magnus could tell when Clary had regained her composure because her posture changed, her Shadowhunter training kicked in and her subconscious was preparing her for a potential battle. "Ok, so you made a love potion. Why did you give it to Jace?" asked Clary with ice in her voice.

"I didn't give it to Jace." replied Magnus in a defeated tone.

Before he could say anything else, Clary had a seraph blade in her hand and in a low growl she asked, "Have you been drugging Alec?"

Magnus was so appalled by the accusation that he recoiled as if he had been struck. Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement, when he looked over he saw that both Alec and Jace had also drawn weapons, but they weren't facing Magnus, they were facing Clary. "Don't name it Clary" said Jace in a warning tone, "I'll cut you down if you go after Magnus." It broke Magnus' heart to see the pain in Clary's eyes, he also felt a sense of pride as she steeled herself, ready to fight through Jace, to save him.

"We need to talk about this love potion and how to reverse its effects" said Magnus, trying to keep calm while everyone around him had weapons drawn.

"Go ahead and talk, it's not like I'll have an easy time getting to you through your love slaves." Clary spat the last two words at Magnus.

"Fine, but we can't have these two attempting to attack you every few seconds" said Magnus indicating Alec and Jace. With a snap of his fingers, the boys were rendered unconscious and were magically carried to separate couches.

"Can you put that away?" asked Magnus, indicating Clary's seraph blade "I did just take out two of the best Shadowhunters in the world with a snap of my fingers" added Magnus when Clary looked like she would refuse. Magnus watched as Clary secured her seraph blade back into her weapons belt, never taking her eyes off him.

"You wanted to talk, so talk" said Clary, still in a fighting posture.

Magnus took a deep breath and began "what you need to understand is that the love potion that Alec and Jace drank was made a long time ago, before it was illegal to create such items. What you also need to know is that this love potion is unique, a Magnus original. With every love potion, the person under the spell needs to be given a periodic dosage to maintain the effects. I created mine to have an everlasting effect, meaning that once a person drank a certain amount, they would never need to have another dose. Also, I infused a maturity spell into the love potion, which means, as the age of the wine increased so would its potency. Our boys drank a potion that is over 115 years old. Luckily, they split the bottle, or the effects might have driven them mad. As it stands, they are borderline murderous."

Magnus finished speaking, he was expecting a lot of questions from Clary, but she only had one "how do we fix them?"

"I don't know" said Magnus dejectedly "I don't know if there is a way to reverse the effects of the potion, but I'll begin searching immediately and won't stop."