Clary balanced the cardboard box on her arms while pressing the buzzer.
„UNLESS YOU´RE THE DELIVERY GUY, YOU CAN GO." she heard Magnus´ voice through the intercom. Clary raised her brows. „I have cupcakes, if that helps." she said. Apparently it did, because he let her in.
Isabelle had already told her about her visit, and in what condition Magnus´ and his apartment were in, so she wasn´t all that surprised. Although she had never seen him in an outfit as plain as the one he was wearing at the moment.

„Clarissa." he said. „I should have anticipated." Clary smiled weakly at him. As she was taking the last steps of the stairs she got out a red velvet cupcake and threw it to Magnus, who caught it.
„You look... tired." she said as a greeting. Magnus narrowed his eyes. „You are regrettably honest." And then he turned around disappearing into the loft. Clary followed him. She put the box onto the kitchen counter, before she sat down on the armchair opposite Magnus. The warlock had flung himself on the couch and ate the cupcake with relish.

Clary cleared her throat. She had no idea what exactly she could say to him to make him forgive Alec. She felt sorry for Alec, she saw how much it hurt him to be separated from Magnus, and she could sympathize with him. She still remembered vividly how painful it had been for her when she had thought that Jace was her brother. Like her innards were ripped out of her body, just to be rearranged again in a very distorted way.
Everyone could see that what was between Magnus and Alec was special. She wanted them both to be happy and together they were happier than ever.
On the other hand, she could see Magnus´ reasons. He felt betrayed by Alec and betrayal strikes you hardest if committed by someone you love and trust most.

Yet, Clary felt like the arrangement with Magnus´ ex-girlfriend, which he had rejected in the end anyway, wasn´t the only reason for the break-up.

„Look, Magnus." she began. „I´m sorry for what happened. And I realize why you did what you did. But I can tell you how bad Alec feels for what he did. It was wrong and he knows that and he regrets it every possible minute of the day. But it wasn´t the only problem you two had, was it? I think you take Alec´s secret meetings with Camille as an excuse to end things with him before you have to face your real problems. And that´s not fair to Alec."
She didn´t want to think about how weird it was that she was giving a centuries old, wise and experienced warlock relationship advice. Magnus must have been thinking the same thing, because he said, „Don´t you find it a bit hypocritical to tell me how to handle my love life? How old are you, seventeen?"
„You know how old I am." Clary responded. „Stop acting like all that doesn´t matter to you. You still love him."

Magnus put his face in his hands. „I never denied that." he mumbled through his fingers and Clary frowned in confusion. „Then, what is this all about?" she asked. „You love him, he loves you, he is sorry. Forgive him already! Why does it have to be so complicated?" The whole situation frustrated her. She had lived an ordinary life before she found out she was a nephilim. From then on she had burst into a life of adventures, drama and dangers. She wouldn´t want it to be any different, not anymore. She had decided to accept her new life after all. Still, sometimes she wished that at least one thing in her world would be completely fuss-free. Like her love life, or the love lives of her friends.

„Don´t you have more important things to do other than hooking me up with Alexander?" Clary knew he was trying to change the subject, so she did what she always did with Jace in that case: Answer a question with another question. „Don´t you have better things to do than watching a Grey´s Anatomy marathon?" she gestured towards the muted TV.
Magnus shrugged. „I have flexible working hours." he said and Clary rolled her eyes.

„Okay, I get what this is about." she said. Magnus lifted one brow. He stared at her in his typical way that indicated that she was a child in his eyes, naive and not to be taken seriously. She hated it.
He knows you´re not to be underestimated, she told herself. He´s just trying to piss you off. Clary decided not to let herself getting manipulated by him and stick to her plan instead.

„You found something in your life – well, someone – who actually means something to you, who makes you feel great and who loves you back for who you are. And you push him away because you are afraid of getting hurt. I might not be as experienced as you in such things, but I´ve seen Jace doing the same with everyone he cares about, and I see Isabelle doing it with Simon when she´s feeling vulnerable. And I look at you, and I get the feeling that playing the farouche High Warlock is a protective mechanism of yours, built and solidified around your heart to prevent it from being broken." Clary wasn´t very good at doing speeches, but when she did it, there was always a grain of truth in it. „But you won´t find happiness that way, Magnus."

Magnus looked down on the rests of his cupcake in his hands and put it down on top of the take-out containers on the coffee table. „If you think so," he said. „then why do you believe that telling me this would get me to reconcile with Alexander?" Clary smiled at him. „It was just a try.", she said. „I hoped you´d see sense eventually."
„Well, I already do." Magnus said dryly. „But your plan didn´t work out." He reached for the remote control and turned the volume back on. Clary sighed. She hadn´t known that guy could be so stubborn. „You´re not a good host." she remarked. Magnus didn´t turn his gaze away from the TV as he replied. „I thought your plan why you came here failed and I would be rid of you now." Clary narrowed her eyes. „And not a good friend, too." she murmured.
Magnus sat up, turning off the TV with a snap of his fingers. Now he looked her right into the eyes. „What do you expect, Clary? When it comes to personal relationships – and I mean really any kind of relationship – it´s always complicated. What Alec did was not only a little mistake. He tried to take my immortality for God´s sake! And as for the other problems we might have had – all the more reasons to end things, don´t you think? Tell Isabelle she can stop interfering in my private affairs. It doesn´t work. She is the one who sent you, isn´t she?" Clary´s mouth quirked up in a small smile. For now she was satisfied with herself. She had finally managed to coax some emotions out of the warlock. „It was Izzy´s plan. But she didn´t force me to talk to you. I´m doing this for Alec and for you." she said.
„That´s very nice of you, but there´s no need for that." his voice was flat. „Thank´s for the cupcakes anyway." Clary knew she had lost him again. She had hoped that he would confide in her some more, more than in Isabelle maybe, as he had watched her grow up. She had hoped he would care about her enough that he´d let her help him. But now he wouldn´t open up again, she could see it from the look on his face.

Clary sighed. She stood up from her place on the armchair, looking down at Magnus. For once she was in a higher position than him, as he was still lying on his dark green couch.
„I can´t apologize in place of Alec. It´s not my business. But if you would just talk to him instead of isolating yourself in your gloomy apartment, you´d maybe find out about his real intentions. It´s not like he hadn´t tried to contact you in the first place." she said, starting one last attempt to get through to him. Magnus was eating the rest of his cupcake, showing no sign of paying attention to her. He had listened though, Clary thought. With almost absolute certainty.

„Oh, and Magnus?" she said, before she stepped through the door. „Whatever happens between you and Alec, I hope we´re still friends.". She waited a while for a response. When none came, she walked out the door, mixed feelings rushing through her veins. She wanted to help so much, but Magnus was right. She had her own problems to deal with. Like her brother who tried to take over the world, and her boyfriend who couldn´t touch her without setting her body on fire – literally.

Just before she put her feet onto the first step of the staircase, she heard Magnus´ voice. For a moment she wasn´t quite sure if she had only imagined it. „See you, Clary!" he said.

Of course they would see each other again, they couldn´t prevent it if they wanted. She was the sister of the evil villain, and Magnus was a very powerful warlock. They were both stuck in this whole crazy situation. They would probably meet again at a Council meeting at the latest, where he would also see Alec again. Clary just hoped it wouldn´t be too awkward between them, then.
Still, Magnus´ words gave her a slight sense of security, like a promise that everything would be okay. Clary sighed. She just hoped it would.