Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. The title is from the Broadway musical.

Alec Lightwood lived what he called a decent life. He had a great relationship with his siblings, Isabelle, Jace and Max. He had even made his peace with his parabatai Jace's danger-prone girlfriend Clary. He was the Head of the Shadowhunters New York Institute. The conflicts between Shadowhunters and Downwolders were at an all time low. It had been quiet enough for him to take out time to learn cooking (even before, he had been the only one of his siblings who could boast of making something edible and he was getting tired of takeouts.) The time he had for training ensured that he was fit enough to make men and women swoon alike, should he take off his shirt.

However, all of it came crashing down with a single blow his parents dealt on their most recent visit.

"Do you both understand what you are asking me here?"

"Alec, son, you have to understand. We wouldn't ask you to if there was another way," his dad answered. It seemed that they had decided to let Robert do all the talking today. It was quite unlike his mother to stay this quiet though. "We do know it is a man, if that helps."

Alec scoffed. "No, it doesn't dad. You are asking me to marry someone I do not know, a Downworlder at that. When we used to hear about all the political marriages within Shadowhunter families, Jace, Iz and I would talk about how glad we were that you guys were above all that bullshit. And here you are, asking me to marry the High Warlock of Brooklyn, without knowing a goddamn thing about him?"

"Alec, we stand to lose everything. The Clave wants to conduct retrials for our involvement with the Circle. Your mother and I will be deruned. The only other way they offered us was to have our firstborn marry the High Warlock to maintain the recently established peace."

"The peace that I established - without any forced marriages, I might add," Alec said bitterly. But he knew he did not have a choice. No matter what, he could not let his parents be pushed away from the society.

"Son - " his father started but Alec put his hand up. He was tired of all the arguments, especially when he knew he was powerless here.

"When?" He asked tightly.

"Two weeks from now."

"Do I get to meet him before?"

"Of course, son, I will have a meeting set up tomorrow."

"No need, I'll do it myself."

"Alec, I am - we are sorry," his mother said softly as he got up. He merely nodded and put a hand on her shoulder before he left.

Izzy and Jace were already waiting in his room when he reached there. Their "So are they giving you another promotion?" and "What's next? Inner member at the Clave?" turned to "What's wrong?" the moment they saw their older brother.

Alec crashed into his bed face first and related the whole conversation to them.

"They can't make you," Izzy cried out.

"They'll be deruned, Iz."

"So what, they made the mistake, they should face the punishment, not you," she said holding his hand.

"I understand why you think you have to do this for them," their adopted brother started but suddenly stopped. "You know what Alec, no, I don't. All through the years, I have seen you take shit for Izzy and I. You tried being the perfect son, heck you were the perfect son for mom and dad. And yet, they never saw it. Until now, until they needed it for their own benefit. You can't do this Alec, let them face the consequences."

Alec got up and hugged the two. "Guys, we can fight about this but ultimately, we all know this has to happen. It's mom and dad we're talking about. I can't let them be exiled." He had already resigned to the fact that his life was no longer his own. "Now you both need to help me make it bearable for myself. I don't necessarily have to end up in an unhappy marriage." He sighed.

"So what do we know about him so far?" Izzy looked at Jace, their source of all Downworlder gossip.

"Magnus Bane - High Warlock of Brooklyn. He is known to be quite elusive but also, well, a player. He sent his representative to the Downworld cabinet that Alec started, so he obviously is not the man who gets his hands dirty in daily affairs. I have heard he hosts some amazing parties - oh Iz you remember the one we went to at Pandemonium last week, I think that was one of his," Jace reminded her, making Izzy agree on the amazing parties point.

"When are you meeting him?" Izzy asked.

"I haven't called him yet but probably tomorrow. Wedding is supposed to be in two weeks."

"Ask him for drinks at Shadows Bistro. It's a nice, quiet place." Alec nodded as he dialled the number he had only dialled once in the past.

"Bane," a disinterested voice answered after a three rings.

"Hi, uhm, this is Alec - Alec Lightwood from the New York Shadowhunters Institute?"

"Oh hello, Alexander, I assume you heard about the arrangement with the Clave?" Alec started to protest against the use of his full first name but decided against it, having more important things to speak about.

"Uh yes. So, I was wondering if we could perhaps meet before?"

"Sure. Seems reasonable. What did you have in mind?"

"Shadows Bistro, tomorrow at 8?"

"I'll see you then." With that, Magnus Bane hung up leading Alec to crash into his bed once more and groaned.

Concrit and comments appreciated :)