So, this didn't make it into the fic for a few reasons.

1. There is literally no Magnus. This is before even Magnus knows that he's coming.

2. It wasn't really the best way to start the story - but there was nowhere else to put it unless it was a flashback. And I try to avoid those. They make life so confusing.

3. Plot-wise it did nothing the current prologue doesn't already cover. It's just meaningless conversation between the Lightwoods and some shameless foreshadowing.

But, I actually really liked this scene for some reason... It was cute and I finished it even after realizing it had no place in the story.

FUN FACT: This is the first part of Big City I ever wrote. This was back when I was planning on the story revolving around Alec, but then I realized that it would be way easier - and more interesting - if it revolved around Magnus.

Deleted Scene #1: Maryse tells the kids (the original prologue)

"I'm so confused." Isabelle huffed, crossing her arms. "Why are we having a family meeting? This is stupid, it's six o'clock. Jace is practically asleep, I'm pretty sure Alec isn't listening to a word I've said and Max-" She looked around quickly, "Max isn't even here!"

Jace jumped when she yelled, "What's happening?" He mumbled, looking at Alec blearily.

"We're having a family meeting and for some reason that makes Isabelle mad." Alec filled in, looking out the window longingly, "Can we be quick? It's a nice day to go riding."

"You have a horse fetish or something, I swear." Jace shook his head.

Alec flushed, "I do no-"

"Shush." Maryse sighed, "Max!" The house was completely silent and Jace snorted. Maryse glared at him, "Maxwell!"

"What!?"

"Get down here!"

"Why?!" Max yelled, managing to convey both affirmation and whining in the same word. The youngest came stumbling down the stairs, still in his pyjamas. He slumped down on the couch next to Jace and Alec who were already draped over the furniture. Alec was leaning his back on Jace's shoulder and his legs dangled off the arm of the couch. Jace was slouched against the back of the couch, his knees drawn up to his chest and his arms folded over them.

"Family meeting." Maryse said softly, trying to flatten a patch of hair that was sticking up at the back. She smiled at him fondly, "Your Dad and I have some news for you guys."

"Oh for the love of God," Jace muttered, burrowing his face in his arms. "Please tell me it's not another baby."

"It's not a baby."

"Is it a person?" Isabelle asked cautiously, eyeing her mother from where she stood on the other side of the room. Maryse nodded.

Alec stifled a yawn, "Are we adopting again? Because I thought we kind of learned our lesson when we got Jace."

"You're so lucky to have gotten me." Jace said matter-of-factly. "I'm the best child in the universe."

"You were just the worst baby." Alec snorted, crossing his arms over his white t-shirt.

"I was not!" Jace yelled, startling Max out of a daze he'd drifted off into. Maryse hummed and Jace gaped at her while Alec laughed, "Mum! Tell him I was a good baby!" She didn't say anything and Jace's voice rose an octave. "Mum!"

"You were okay." Maryse said, "Isabelle was a nightmare and Max wasn't too bad. But none of you have anything on Alec. He never cried, he slept through the night and he managed to tame Muffin."

"Because Muffin didn't try to eat him on sight." Jace huffed, bringing his knees off the couch. Alec smirked at him smugly and Jace shoved his shoulder, nearly sending Alec off the couch and sprawling to the floor.

"It's not a permanent member of the family." Maryse said and the kids launched into another round of questions and bickering.

"Is it a foster kid?"

"Is it Grandma?"

"Grandma's dead. Moron."

"Oh."

"Awkward." Isabelle sang, grinning at her brothers. Max had drifted off again and Maryse shook him awake gently.

"It's a long story." Maryse said and Isabelle sighed.

She shuffled over to the couch and prodded Alec. "Move." She said and he shook his head. "Move." Isabelle repeated, poking him again. When he shook his head she sighed, "Fine." Yanking Alec forward, his head slid off Jace's shoulder and onto his thighs. They both made noises of protest, but before either of them could do anything, Isabelle sat on Alec's chest and made moving improbable.

"Ow."

"Shut up." Isabelle said, looking down at Alec's laughing face, "And stop that. Your chest vibrates when you laugh and it's really weird."

"I'm sorry?" Alec said, managing to curb his laughter a little. "So," He said, turning his head to their mother and grinning, "What's the long story?"

"When I was a girl-"

"Oh, here we go." Jace groaned, "This is one of those stories?"

"Yes," Maryse said evenly, continuing as though she hadn't been interrupted. "Anyways, I had a pen pal. She and I corresponded for a long time and then she came to visit-"

"The person in your study?" Max asked, his voice small. "The pretty lady in the picture right?"

"Yes." Maryse said, smiling at Max brightly, "She came here to visit. And of course she went home and we went back to sending letters. Then one day she sent me a letter that said that she was moving the the US. She'd fallen in love and she was going to leave Indonesia to be with him. They have a son-"

"And the son is visiting us!" Jace said, jumping out of his seat and yelling. Alec was knocked to the floor and he took Isabelle with him, the two of them ending up in a pile of limbs on the floor.

Groaning, Alec rolled away from Isabelle. Isabelle got up, smacked Jace and then took his place on the couch. Alec took his place again and Jace was left staring at them. He moved to sit on Alec but Alec just raised an eyebrow.

Isabelle sighed and scooped Max up, dragging him into her lap and gently playing with his hair. Jace smiled at her and sat down in the empty seat. Isabelle looked at him for a second then smacked him upside the chin.

"And that was for dumping us on the floor." She said, high-fiving Alec with a smirk.

"So what's he like?" Alec asked, looking out the window quickly.

"I'm not totally sure."

Silence fell over the couch. The kids all looked at her in disbelief.

"You have no idea what he's like." Alec said slowly, "And he's coming to stay here. For how long?"

"He comes in about a week and he's staying all summer." Maryse said, barely audible over the groans. Isabelle threw her head back on the couch and Max turned around to burrow his face into her neck. He muttered something to her and she laughed, shaking her head.

"This is ridiculous." Jace said dramatically, flinging his arms out and whacking Alec in the chest. "How old is he?"

"Alec's age. Just turned eighteen and going into his senior year."

"What's his name?" Alec asked, pulling at the hem of his faded t-shirt.

"Magnus."

Maryse waited for them to ask more questions, ones that she could tell were hanging on the tips of their tongues. Jace was at the point of having his mouth open, on the verge of demanding more answers. Alec just looked bored, looking out the window. Max had drifted off on the shoulder of Isabelle who was gently stroking his hair.

"No more questions?" She asked as the silence stretched on. Jace opened and closed his mouth a few times but shook his head. Neither Isabelle nor Alec had any other questions and there wasn't much point to waking up Max.

Maryse held out her arms for Max and slowly carried her youngest upstairs, so it was just Jace, Isabelle and Alec lounging on the couch.

"This is going to suck." Jace said, determined to keep the dramatics alive. "We're going to have to hang out with this random person. What if they're a total douche?"

"Then the two of you will get along swimmingly." Isabelle muttered under her breath, earning a glare from Jace.

Alec sighed and moved to get up, shuffling towards the stairs with his siblings in tow. "I don't think it matters." He said honestly, "So what? This guy will come here, stay with us for a few months and then go home."

"Yeah," Isabelle pouted, "A couple months. We're going to have to play host. This is so annoying."

"Who knows," Alec smirked, "Maybe Izzy will get a boyfriend out of all this."

Jace laughed, "True. Seems like her type doesn't it? Here for long enough to adore her but gone so she doesn't have to commit."

Isabelle slapped him on the arm. "Not true. There's no way I'm going to date someone who's living in our house. That's like shitting where you eat."

"Not sure that's the saying." Jace singsonged, yawning slightly and running a hand through his hair. "You're totally going to fall in love with this guy. Every romance novel ever written has proven it."

"No way." Isabelle snorted, "Alec is more likely to fall in love with this new guy than I am."

"I'm not gay."

Jace looked from Alec to Isabelle. "You need money right Iz?" She nodded, eyeing him suspiciously. "I bet you a hundred bucks that you're going to fall in love with this guy."

"And I bet you that Alec's going to fall in love with him?" She asked, raising an eyebrow."

"Yep."

"Shouldn't I have some say in this?" Alec asked, alarm evident in his voice. "I'm not going to fall in love with guy. A guy. Izzy, don't be stupid."

Jace stuck out his hand and Isabelle shook it, both of them sporting confident looks of a sure win.

"Easiest hundred bucks I ever made." Jace smirked. Isabelle shook her head, watching Alec climb the stairs out of the corner of her eye.

"We'll see."

See? Cuteness.

I might refer to the bet later, but of course Magnus doesn't know about it so I'll fill in anyone who hasn't read this then. You guys are an exclusive club now, you know the full story.

I'm not totally sure how I got from this little tidbit to the actual story that Big City became, but I'm rather glad it happened. Aren't you?

xx