I know, starting another story is crazy! I just couldn't get this idea out of my head and then in a fit of writers block (for my other story) and sudden inspiration for this one, I wrote this chapter! The idea came from watching The Vow and then looking up Malec memory loss stories and realizing there really wasn't one that fit my idea. Most of them rush through it, starting out slow and then everything happening in one short chapter, something I'm going to try and avoid. Read and review to let me know what you think!
The street was dimly light, making Magnus feel like he was in some foolish old mystery movie. Even as it was getting late and most people were returning to their beds, New York was still filled with the sounds of cars and people and life. Magnus looked over at Alec and smiled, he had never felt so at peace and so alive all at once.
If anyone had asked him what his life would have been like ten years ago, he would have assumed the same of everything. He would have guessed more parties, some flimsy relationships and nothing that differed too much from what he had. But then a gorgeous shadowhunter had stumbled into his party and taken his breath away. Alec had completely turned his life upside down and even Magnus himself couldn't believe any of this was happening.
When Alec turned twenty, Magnus had made a pretty big decision. He loved Alec more than anything and had left in the middle of the night without saying a word. Alec was terrified that something had happened, that maybe Magnus wanted to end things. But Magnus had reappeared in the morning, glowing of good news and breathless with excitement.
Alec had frowned at him and demanded to know where he'd had to rush off to. He scolded Magnus about how they'd agreed not to keep secrets anymore, how they were going to be truthful and face the world together. Alec was in the middle of a desperate rant about Magnus not wanting to be with him anymore and how he'd understand when Magnus got down on one knee. Alec's rant ended, in the middle of a sentence, in the middle of a word. He stared at Magnus and shook his head, because Magnus had said that marriage wasn't his thing. He'd talked a lot about how he couldn't promise that he'd marry Alec and how there wasn't going to be a fairytale wedding in their future.
But then Magnus had realized something that was very, very important. Alec was his future. He'd said it to Camille, not really thinking about it. But it was a moment so simple, watching Alec sleep, his hair rumpled and face innocent and slack. Magnus realized that he didn't want to look over and see anyone else, ever. He wanted to grow old with Alec, watch him sleep until his days ran out. So he'd hopped up in the middle of the night, bought a ring and contacted a very old friend.
And so he'd knelt, there on the floor, looking up at a stunned Alec and unable to keep the smile off his face. Because he told Alec two very important things at that moment. That they were going to get married and that Magnus Bane was aging.
It wasn't a change Magnus noticed right away, but then Catarina Loss (the aforementioned old friend) saw him a few months later and started. He'd looked at his clothes, touched his face and then looked at her puzzled. She said he looked different, not the exact Magnus she was used to, but a slight variation.
So, they'd gotten married, inviting all the shadowhunters Magnus didn't hate and all the downworlders that didn't give Alec the creeps. It'd been a simple ceremony, because Magnus wanted Alec to understand how seriously he was taking this and how determined he was to make it something Alec wouldn't feel self conscious attending. It was their wedding for god's sake, at least the groom had to want to be there.
Five years. Magnus couldn't believe it had been five years. He had been married for five years, he'd been aging for five years. There were so many incredible things he had done and none of them matched up to those simple five years.
But they were nothing but simple, he thought, hold Alec's hand a little tighter and loving the way it was a reflex, unlike a gesture. It used to be so hard for Alec to even look at Magnus in public, always worried people would talk. But at some point, Alec had stopped caring and started simply loving Magnus and flinging caution out the window. They'd both agreed however that maybe caution was good, after a few rather public makeout sessions and a handful of close calls at the Institute. Nothing knocks good sense into two newlyweds then a knock on the door during a rather intimate though admittedly loud moment.
"What are you thinking about?" Alec asked, watching Magnus with an adorable fondness that made the warlock's insides swirl. He had a thoughtful look on his face and even after years of being together, Magnus had to resist the urge to 'coo' at the sight of his husband.
But he shrugged, smiling broadly, "Just how amazing everything has been. You, me, three incredible years."
"That incredible pasta?"
"That incredible pasta." Magnus laughed, tugging Alec a little closer and stopping the two of them in the middle of the street. Date night was always fun, going to a restaurant that wasn't their usual and trying some crazy food that Alec always loved. Tonight had been Italian and Magnus had no shame in reenacting the scene from Lady in the Tramp, even if his clueless husband couldn't place the reference. He brushed some dark hair out of Alec's eyes and cupped his chin. "Every moment with you feels like coming home. Again and again. Like I'm exactly where I belong."
Alec smiled, his eyes crinkling slightly the way they did when he smiled genuinely or laughed at one of Magnus' stupid jokes. "Speaking of coming home, we're a few blocks away and I'm looking forward to finishing this date night with some crappy television."
"Toddlers in Tiaras is not crappy television."
"Magnus-"
"Okay, I'll admit it, I was surprised when they got another season. There really can't still be that many toddlers in fucking tiaras."
Alec laughed and Magnus joined him. The two of them standing in the cold, laughing and for a brief moment filling the dark street with a brilliant sunshine that lit up Magnus' world. It was hard now, to imagine his life without Alec.
They continued down the street, Magnus fiddling with the key for a moment before they began the walk up the stairs to their apartment. They hovered there in the doorway for a minute, Alec hopping up and down, grinning at Magnus and rubbing his hands together. Magnus grabbed Alec's hands in his own and rubbed some heat into them, kissing Alec's fingertips and whispering a spell to keep his hands warm. Alec gave him a grateful look and Magnus let go of Alec's hands to close the door. Alec grabbed his hand again on the way up, giving him a small smile and the two of them debating what to watch.
"Mean Girls?"
"You're kidding right?"
"Isabelle loves it."
"I am not my sister. How about Lord of the Rings?"
Magnus stopped to give him a stare, "Really? It's like ten o'clock okay? There is no way in hell you are dragging me into a nine hour movie marathon."
"We'll just watch one!" Alec protested and Magnus laughed.
"You say that everytime."
Giving his husband a cheeky grin and pulling him in for another kiss at the top of the stairs, Alec paused for a moment. "I really, really love you."
Magnus smiled, those words still making his heart skip a beat, "I love you too." He leaned in for another kiss, pressing his lips to Alec's in one of those soft, sweet kisses that makes time stop. Those moments when there is nothing except the two of them and nothing else matters. Magnus was immortal for hundreds of years, but he never felt as invincible and unaffected by time as he did when he kissed Alec.
Alec sighed softly, grabbing the front of Magnus' jacket and pulling him a little closer. But then he pulled away, looking into Magnus' eyes and feeling for a moment, very serious. "Magnus. When everything dies down-" He stopped, let out a deep breath and rested his forehead against Magnus'.
"When everything dies down what, love?" Magnus asked softly, smiling gently and waiting patiently. Even after years of marriage, Alec was always hesitant when he wanted to ask something important.
Alec bit his lip, "When everything dies down, do you think... maybe..." He paused for a long moment, Magnus giving him the time to say what was on his mind. "Do you think we could adopt?"
Magnus' heart leapt into his throat. It was the one topic they skirted around. They loved to play with other people's kids and Magnus was always talking about how Catarina had taken on the most adorable apprentice. The thought of him and Alec being fathers, having a kid and being responsible for a tiny person, it made his head spin. It was something that Magnus had never really been able to consider before being with Alec and a life that part of him was desperate to have.
"Yes." Magnus said, watching Alec's face smooth in surprise. They both knew that while Magnus might love being with Alec and want to be with him forever, his own childhood left him with a lot of nervousness around kids. "I like kids, I love you and I will give you anything in this world. We can do this. We can adopt a baby, buy a house, we can live a life neither of us ever really imagined." He laughed breathlessly, "Alexander would you like to build a new life with me?"
Alec grinned, looking rather teary eyed and Magnus knew he looked very much the same. "Magnus, it would be an honour."
That was all Magnus needed, that small moment when both of them wanted the same future and the future that was within their grasp. He smashed their lips together, still standing on their welcome mat. They were high on the simple idea of a life most people took for granted.
Alec pushed open the door to their apartment, dragging Magnus in behind him and grinning from ear to ear. "Imagine, us taking our son or daughter to their first day of preschool!" He laughed kissing Magnus' nose.
"Changing diapers." Magnus reminded and Alec made a face, though nothing could take away from the joy in his eyes. "Are we going to have a boy or a girl?"
They both froze, "Uhh." Alec said, looking completely stuck, "I actually can't decide. Because the idea of raising a girl is kinda freaking me out right now. I can barely take it when Isabelle cries and don't even get me started on the boyfriends." Magnus nodded, their slight lack of knowledge when it came to girls might be a roadblock in the fantasy baby realm.
"Never the less!" Magnus yelled letting go of Alec's hand and racing into the kitchen. Alec laughed and sat down on the couch, listening to his husband rummage through cabinets. He suddenly emerged, carrying two champagne glasses and one expensive looking bottle.
Alec raised an eyebrow, something he'd learnt after years of Magnus teasing him by doing the same. "We don't own champagne glasses."
"No we do not." Magnus admitted, "Nor do we own this champagne."
"Well," Alec said, "Thanks for going into the kitchen and pretending like you were looking." Magnus had realized rather early on in their relationship that Alec felt guilty taking things from people who had no idea they were being robbed. And Alec realized that Magnus didn't really care. He gave Alec a grin and popped the cork.
"You know," Magnus said, giving Alec that look he always got when he'd thought up a particularly dumb idea that Alec would be forced to shoot down right away. "I could just snatch us a baby. Tell me what your dream baby is." He said, setting the champagne down next to the glasses on the coffee table and raising his arms.
Alec grabbed his arms and gently put them down, "Let's not get ahead of ourselves." He said cautiously, handing Magnus a champagne glass and filling it instead. He looked at Magnus for a second, taking in his disappointed expression and laughing. "You're completely crazy."
Magnus gave him a grin, handing Alec a champagne glass that he'd already filled, "Five happy years of marriage and you're just realizing that now?" The two of them laughed and then Magnus brought their foreheads together, just looking to Alec's eyes.
Alec looked down at his champagne, looked up at Magnus and then separated their foreheads. He raised his glass and Magnus did the same.
"To our future." Alec whispered and Magnus grinned, echoing and tapping their glasses together.
They each took a sip of the champagne, Magnus making Alec laugh with his comment of, "Tastes pretty good for stolen alcohol." They kissed again, in a complete daze of being happy and hopefully.
Their daze was interrupted by the shrill ringing of Alec's phone. Magnus' groaned, "Please not now. Please don't let this be happening now." He rested his head on Alec's shoulder, frowning. Following a pretty crazy shadowhunter showdown about a year back, there had been enormous demon sightings. This meant Alec was always rushing off to risk his life while Magnus counted the beads on their couch cushions. (The cushion Alec always complained about had a total of five hundred and ninety six beads. Magnus was pretty sure. His counting wasn't great. But he was almost completely sure.)
They had forgotten the clause of their adoption idea, that they would only do it when everything had died down. Because the reality was that attacks in the Shadowhunter world were crazy. Not a day went by that there wasn't even a small attack. And the thought of bringing a baby into that world, one that wasn't going to be safe and one where losing a parent or both was a daily possibility, wasn't something either of them could imagine.
Alec picked up the phone, looking worried and slightly annoyed, "Iz? What's up?" He cut straight to the point. Magnus had noticed that Shadowhunters were clearly not a race of people fond of small talk. They could get increasingly angry if you try to talk to them about trivial things like the weather, something Magnus was always keen to discuss. Alec always scolded him for it, knowing it was just to wind them up.
His husband falling silent, Magnus took the champagne glass out of Alec's hand and placed both on the coffee table. Alec was nodding to something his sister was saying and with a resigned sigh, said "Yeah, I'll be over in a sec." and ended the call.
Magnus pouted, "But, Alec it's date night." They tried to avoid Alec getting sent away on date night, simply because he was away more often than not. He should have known what he was getting into, falling for a shadowhunter.
"Iz says it's an emergency, everyone is gearing up and I'm going to head down there." He went towards the bedroom, kissing Magnus on the cheek, "I hate to do this, but they really need me." Magnus followed him into the bedroom, collapsing dramatically on the bed and sighing. His husband came over after a few seconds, all geared up and looking rather threatening if Magnus was honest. Magnus sat up and grabbed Alec's hand.
He looked at the fading scars on Alec's hand, the marks that had long since turned silver and the jagged lines that Magnus knew came from stories that would turn him gray. "Be safe." Alec opened his mouth, but Magnus held up the hand that wasn't in Alec's, "I know. You're always safe. But I worry, I need you to not take any risks this time, please. Give me a peace of mind and play it safe. Don't take them on on your own, don't throw yourself into the fray with abandon." Alec gave Magnus a soft smile and tilted Magnus' head up.
They shared a long kiss, Alec tugging on Magnus' hair, knowing it was his weakness and made Magnus practically turn to putty in his arms. They pulled away, Alec straightening up and looking Magnus right in the eyes. "When everything dies down." Alec repeated his words from earlier.
"Promise?"
Magnus watched Alec smile at him, let go of his hand and turn towards the door, "Always." The two of them walked back out into the main room, Magnus stopping next to the couch and Alec reaching for the doorknob. "I love you." Magnus called.
Alec turned back, giving Magnus a loving look and echoing him, "I love you too."
"Be safe."
Nodding and blowing his husband one more kiss, Alec went out the door and raced down the stairs. Magnus sat on the couch, his head in his hands and his eyes on the clock. Chairman Meow bounded out of the other bathroom, making lots of noise and leaping onto Magnus' lap.
"There you are." Magnus said fondly, "I was wondering where on Earth you'd gotten too." The cat looked around the room and Magnus imagined he was searching for his number one fan, Alec. "The man who loves you oh so much is out on a mission." Magnus told Chairman Meow, laughing as the cat looked almost sad and wandered into the kitchen.
Turning on the TV out of boredom Magnus did what he always did when Alec was called away on terrifying life-risking missions of doom, destruction and demonic activity. He waited.
Around one o'clock in the morning, Magnus was woken up. Not by his husband returning home like he hoped, but instead by the shrill ringing of his phone. He groaned, rubbed his eyes and wandered towards the noise. Magnus banged his shin into the coffee table, sending some of the champagne to the floor. Cursing loudly, he hobbled over the the TV and turned it off, grabbing his phone and not even bothering with caller ID.
"Hello?"
There was some sniffling on the other line, "Magnus? Uh, it's Isabelle."
Magnus stood up slowly, letting go of his leg. He went cold, like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over his head and woken him up. "Isabelle. What's the matter. Where's Alec?"
"He's here."
She sniffled again and Magnus' heart dropped, "Isabelle." His voice wavered, "Please for the love of god tell me he's okay."
Isabelle stayed silent and Magnus felt his stomach begin to churn.
"Magnus, he's alive but he's unconscious. There was a lot of blood and the Silent Brothers are on their way. You should come over and be with him, he'd want that. He's not dying but that doesn't mean you can't be here." Magnus couldn't breath, the world stopped for a second and time slowed down. Chairman Meow snored slightly from his place on the couch and Magnus wondered how the cat could go on living if Alec was in trouble.
"I'm not family." That was the first thing out of Magnus' mouth, because he wanted to rush over to Alec but he knew that Alec's parents were never really that fond of him. The last thing he wanted was to be over there and to get kicked out because their parents didn't want him there.
Isabelle laughed harshly, her voice hollow with tears but determined all the same. "Don't be a fool Magnus. You were always family."
Magnus hung up the phone, grabbed a jacket and raced for the door. Those words were the only invitation he needed and there was nothing to stop him from going to Alec now. The very fact any of those things had stopped him in the first place was ludicrous, but Woolsey had always said that Magnus did weird things when he was panicking. Summoning chickens, making a sandwich, blowing up a dish washer and apparently asking for consent to visit his husband were all on that list.
Magnus ran down the street, dodging the small handful of people and the surprising amount of puke that were on the sidewalks of New York at one o'clock in the morning. He hailed a cab, shouting out the address of the Institute and offering the man double if he could get Magnus there in less than half an hour. The driver nodded sharply and stepped on the gas.
Staring out the window, Magnus tried and failed to stop his heart from racing. He had no idea what to expect when he got there. A small part of him hoped that he'd get there and the Silent Brothers would have fixed everything. Because Isabelle talked about it like it was a small accident, but the crying told him otherwise. Isabelle didn't cry, she was one of the few girls Magnus knew that didn't bust out the tears every time something didn't go their way. Looking at it like that, Magnus began to question the girls he kept in his company but shrugged it off.
When they arrived, the cabbie gave Magnus a weird look, but took the large sum that Magnus handed him and drove away. Knowing how weird it must have been to drop off a strange sparkly man at a building that was practically falling apart, Magnus hoped he'd at least given 'Jim' a good story.
He walked up to the grand doors, seeing them and the Institute for the enormous building that it was. Magnus stopped on the stoop and took a deep breath, he had to be prepared for what was going to happen. He raised a hand, held his breath and knocked twice.
So there we have it, not a huge cliffhanger but a bit of one all the same! I don't know how to write a really good cliffhanger if I'm honest. Not a long chapter but I didn't want to stretch out too much of the 'before the accident' stuff. Leave me a review to let me know what you thought and follow the story if you want to know when I update!
xx