Author's Note: Please Enjoy


Chapter 4

The first sounds Michael heard the next morning were the birds chirping outside and Robert's quiet exhales as he lay on the floor, doing sit ups with his feet beneath a trunk. Michael rolled over and pulled a blanket up to his chin, opening his eyes to see sweat glistening on Robert's back as he softly counted.

The night before had been typical. Robert and Michael had returned to school to find most of their classmates out for the evening. Robert had looked around the dorm room and proclaimed himself bored and went to the common room to throw darts. Michael hadn't felt like going down there without Josie, so he had crawled into bed with a book and had read until Robert returned. They had both been asleep by just after midnight.

With one final gasp, Robert sprawled on the floor, his arms stretched out to either side. Breathless, he climbed to his feet and flung himself down on top of Michael, pressing him down into the thin mattress on the bed.

"No," Michael mumbled, batting at him. "Still asleep, not yet."

"Go back to sleep," Robert said, mussing Michael's hair with a sweaty hand. "I'm going to take a shower and I have a surprise for you."

"I want bacon and eggs, or nothing at all," Michael said. Robert laughed softly, climbed off the bed, and grabbed his towel and a stack of clothes before leaving the room.

It was Saturday, which meant time for studying or optional training, which Michael was going to skip. Josie had convinced him to visit his parents for the day, and Michael hoped to be back before dinner, though he and Josie technically didn't have to be back on campus until Monday morning. They could do what Robert and Maryse had done before, which involved renting a room at an inn in town, and spend the night together.

The thought of doing such a thing felt both dangerous and welcoming. Michael and Josie had only spent the night together a few times before, and every time, it wasn't as if they had needed to be alone in a room. Josie was Michael's first serious girlfriend, who had quickly become his fiancée. He had dated one girl before her, Sarah, who lived in London, and had lost his virginity at the age of 13 to Abigail Herondale, Stephen's older sister, which was something Stephen might be none too pleased about if he knew.

Abigail had been very pretty, all blonde hair and blue eyes, a little snobby, a little flirty, and a bit rebellious. The first time with her had been terrifying and over way to fast, the second time had been better, yet Michael knew they didn't have a future together. The ending of their friends with benefits relationship had been swift and painless, as Abigail had her eyes on a Carstairs who came from money and Michael had started to view a certain Josephine Lancaster as more than just a girl who could hold her own in training with him.

From the moment he began seriously courting her, Michael knew that Josie was different from anyone he had been with before. There had been times before when the kisses were more passionate than they usually were and Michael thought about taking Josie to bed. They were going to be married, and no one would ever fault him for giving into temptation, yet time and time again, for how much they wanted to make love to one another, one of them always stopped it, being the voice of reason, wanting their first time together to be, well, different.

When Michael floated back to conscious again, he was aware of the sound of the door closing and locking. He felt Robert climb onto the bed, straddle his waist, and rest his hands on his chest, rubbing gently.

"Bacon and eggs…." Michael mumbled. He grabbed Robert's wrists and felt something cool and metal against his palm. Michael's eyes flew open as he looked into two soft, brown eyes that didn't belong to Robert at all. "Josie!"

"Shhh!" Josie exclaimed. She held a finger to her lips and covered Michael's mouth her other hand. Michael whimpered and looked her over, swearing to himself that he hadn't spent nights fantasizing about this very thing happening to him. She was dressed in a white button down shirt that no doubt belonged to Robert. Her hair was pulled up beneath a hat and she wore a pair of baggy pants to hide her figure. "Quiet." She said it with a smirk.

Josie sat up and pulled the hat off, whipping it across the room so that it landed on Robert's bed. Her hair fell free, smelling of sweet perfume. With her right hand still covering Michael's mouth, her left hand began to slowly unbutton the shirt, button by button, to reveal a lacy red bra. She dropped the shirt to the floor next and leaned over Michael, pressing her hips to his. "Robert and Maryse are distracting the dorm master. You have ten minutes. Do anything you like."

"Josie," Michael said, moaning softly. "Josie, why would you do this?" He lifted his hand and placed it on her shoulder, then slid it down to her breast, touching the soft skin there gently. His other hand moved down her side and tugged on her pants, pulling them down a little to reveal a rune drawn on the outside of her hip. Josie was so very different from Maryse. Whereas Maryse was tall, rail thin, and severe, Josie was muscular. She had hips and curves and breasts that filled up Michael's whole hand.

Michael whimpered softly as Josie kissed him on the lips. She ran her hands across his chest, her palms smooth against his skin, and kissed along his jaw. One of her hands moved lower, beneath the covers on the bed, and slipped into the waistband of his boxer shorts. He felt himself stiffen at her touch, and his mind went blank, only for a second. "Josie," Michael mumbled. "Josie!"

"Quiet!" Josie exclaimed. She sat up and looked down at Michael, folding her arms across her chest. The action did little to hide her cleavage, which Michael tried to look away from. He fidgeted and tried not to blush.

"We agreed to wait," Michael said. "I understand that Robert wants me to be happy and feel good…" And by the Angel, not end up like Hodge… "Why are you doing this?"

"Robert wanted to do something nice for us. He said you seemed down last night and he thought you could use a preview of the wedding night," Josie said. Michael closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. He knew there was an ulterior motive to this; Robert wanted Michael to feel the same way he did about the girl he was going to marry, so he enabled Michael to break the rules and dangled temptation in front of him.

"This isn't helping anything!" Michael exclaimed. "We agreed to wait!"

"We agreed to wait," Josie said, sounding near tears. She climbed off of Michael and reached down to grab the white shirt she had worn into the room. Not looking at him, she pulled it on and began to button it.

"This isn't you," Michael said. "Dressing up in Robert's clothes to sneak into my room… this isn't you at all."

"It was Robert and Maryse. They thought you would like it," Josie said.

"I never said I didn't," Michael said, sitting up to kiss her cheek. He climbed out of bed and went to close the curtains over the window before he pulled on a pair of pajama pants and took a few breathes, trying to forget her breasts, in that bra, with her in his bed. When he was finally settled he returned to Josie, kneeling before her on the floor. "Listen, I love you so much, and I want you so, so bad. You have no idea how badly I want to be with you, but we agreed to wait, because we didn't want to be tempted at school, and because once I am with you like that, I don't want to not be with you. I don't want to sleep across the courtyard from you after we've made love. I want to be in your bed, close to you. I want to wait until we can do that together. This? You sneaking into my room to give me ten minutes of teasing? It doesn't make me want you any more than I already do."

"I understand," Josie said. She ran a hand through Michael's hair and kissed his forehead. "I love you, and I can't wait to be with you." She tugged on his hair and grinned, kissing his lips when he inclined his head to her. "I hope we never get out of bed."

"But we'll have to eat some time," Michael said, wrapping his arms around her waist and closing his eyes.

A few minutes later the door burst open and Robert walked in, covering his eyes with one hand.

"Your plan didn't work," Josie said. Michael lifted his head and smiled serenely.

"Do you really think you could corrupt me that easily?" He asked.

"I thought I might try!" Robert exclaimed.


After breakfast spent with Robert and Maryse, Michael and Josie met at the school stables, where they saddled their horses and left the front gates of the school, bound for Wayland Manor in the Idris countryside. Beside Michael on her gray mare, Josie was dressed in tan riding pants that clung to her legs and knee high riding boots. She wore a blue shirt that showed her arms, and a wide hat that shaded her shoulders from the sun. Her hair was in a bun but strands still came free from it, framing her face.

They stopped at midmorning beside a lake, giving the horses, and themselves, a chance to rest beneath the shade of a willow tree. This time, Michael leaned against the tree and Josie lay with her head in his lap, and for a while they didn't speak, having spent much of the ride enjoying the quiet. Michael lifted a hand and traced his fingers over his parabatai rune on the upper part of his left shoulder, feeling his skin, sun burnt and hot to the touch.

"I could never be bound to someone so intimately," Josie said suddenly. "How do you put up with him? He's so different from you. I don't see how you tolerate it."

"Nor do I," Michael said, turning his eyes to her. Josie sat beside him, her cheeks bright red in the still, humid air. "I love him, unconditionally. I could ever not love him. I suppose that is it. He'll always be Robert, and he'll always be right beside me." Josie nodded. She had never gotten jealous of Robert the way Robert had gotten jealous of her; she had always known, somehow, that there was more than one person in this life who Michael would love unconditionally.

"You would never cheat on me, would you?" Josie asked softly.

"Never," Michael said. Josie was the only girl he would ever need to be with, and the thought of being with someone else, or cheating on her, felt wrong. "Why would you ask?"Josie sighed and sat up, leaning close to Michael. For a moment, Josie looked down at her wrist, at the turquoise bracelet there.

"There are rumors in the girl's dorm that… Robert's been with another girl. A third year," Josie said. "Maryse knows, and of course she's not going to say anything. She's going to be his wife, but still, the rumors persist. The other night… did Robert stay with you the whole night? Or did he go into town the way he told Maryse he had?"

"He went out," Michael said. "He came back before dawn, smelling like he'd been drinking. He said he had gone out. Why would he lie to me? He's supposed to be honest with me." Michael felt something twist in his chest and he bit his lip. "Why would he cheat on Maryse? He's going to marry her. And why wouldn't he tell me if he had?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Josie said, taking Michael's hand. Michael squeezed her hand tightly before letting it go. To be unfaithful to Josie was akin to betraying her, and that was unforgivable. "Robert admires you for your honesty and conviction. I doubt he wants to look bad in your eyes."

"He doesn't," Michael said. "He would do anything to look favorable in my eyes. Even lie to me." Michael took a few breathes, feeling something twist, painfully, in his heart.

"I shouldn't have told you," Josie said.

"Tell me everything," Michael said. "Is Maryse alright?"

"She's upset, but she won't confront him about it. She's just going through with the wedding and hoping that once they graduate, things will be better," Josie said. "Don't tell anyone? Please?"

"Never," Michael said. He touched her face and kissed her lips, closing his eyes for a brief moment. "You know, I would never, ever, do that to you, and if something were to ever happen, I would tell you. I'll tell you everything, and never keep anything from you, I promise."

"Thank you," Josie said, giving him a gentle smile.

"I did want you this morning," Michael said, "just not in my dorm room?" Josie giggled.

"Do you have objections to beneath weeping willow trees?" Josie asked. She shoved his shoulder hard, pressing him down into the soft grass. Michael put his arms around her, pulling her close.

"I assure you, once we are married, I won't have any objections to making love to you, anywhere," Michael said. "I promise."


Soon after they began riding again, a sprawling white house came into view, set in a valley and built with two castle turrets at either end. An impressive red barn stood behind the house, and the surrounding pastures were dotted with horses and several foals frolicking in the grass. This was Herondale Manor, the home Stephen would be inheriting.

After another mile Lightwood Manor came into view. It was a formidable brick home with two stories set into a thick grove of trees. On the other side of the grove of trees stood Fairchild Manor, a modest home filled with windows, which overlooked a small lake that the base of a hill that gradually sloped upwards before the earth sloped back downward, towards a white house that rose up from the ground, four stories tall, with a slate roof. This was Wayland Manor. For Michael and Josie, this would be home.

Despite being happy to be home, Michael and Josie took the time to settle their horses in the stable before going to the front door of the house and knocking. A woman opened the door and gave Michael a nod before leading him inside and back to a room with the walls and ceiling made entirely of glass. Plants of all kinds grew on shelves and tables around the room, and in the middle of it was a table with two chairs. A man and a woman were enjoying brunch, though the woman shrieked and leapt from her seat when Michael walked in.

"You should have told us you were coming!" She cried, running over. She wore a flowing silk dress and trailed a scarf behind her. Her eyes were bright blue, her hair a curly blonde, and she smelled of honeysuckles and sugar. Her name was Dacia, and she was a free spirit compared to Michael's grounded father, Jonathan, who went by Jon.

"Mama," Michael said, accepting her kiss and putting his arms around her.

"We wanted to surprise you," Josie said, grinning as Dacia hugged her as well. "Surprise!"

"Come, have breakfast with us," Dacia said, taking Michael by the hand. She pulled him over to the table with Josie in their wake. Michael's eyes fell on his father at the far end of the table, who gave them a smile before moving to stand up.

"Please don't," Michael said quickly. "I'll come to you." He went to his father and leaned down to give him a hug, ignoring the crutches beside the table and the wheelchair his Jon sat in. "There's no need."

"I wanted to greet my boy," Jon said, mussing Michael's hair. "Would it kill you to shave? You look dirty."He smiled and patted Michael on the cheek.

"It's Saturday," Michael said.

"And you've already found a lovely girl to marry. Josephine," Jon said. He gave Josie a smile.

Somehow, two chairs appeared, and Michael and Josie sat in them as the housekeeper brought two plates of food and two plates of sweet tea over to them.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly eat," Michael said.

"Eat!" Dacia exclaimed. "I don't think you're eating enough. You felt like a bag of bones."

"I eat," Michael said, picking up his tea to have a sip.

"You aren't having a baby, are you?" Dacia asked. Michael nearly choked on his tea. "Is that what this visit is about? I know how hard the last few weeks before the wedding can be. Temptation at every turn."

"Mama," Michael said, cheeks aflame.

"You're practically home free, Josephine. You can fit into that dress at six weeks pregnant. Believe me," Dacia said. Josie sipped her tea and smiled sweetly.

"No baby yet," she said. "Michael and I are waiting for our wedding night." They hadn't decided exactly when to start their family.

"I've heard that before," Jon mumbled, causing Josie to laugh out loud before covering her mouth.

"Papa!" Michael exclaimed.


After breakfast, Michael and Josie were encouraged to go upstairs to freshen up after their trip. They left Dacia and Jon downstairs and climbed up a tall, marble staircase to the second floor, passing by paintings of family members and angels. Michael could see how Wayland Manor could be viewed as excessive. The walls hung with tapestries and art, and everywhere one looked there were huge windows that looked out over rolling hills. It was a lovely place to call home. Michael and Josie had been promised the top two floors of the home for a wedding gift, giving them plenty of rooms to live in, and more than enough room for a family of their own.

"We can stay in town if you like," Michael said as soon as they were out of earshot of his parents. "We can even go back to London. I know you want to be close with your parents and… I'm so sorry my mother asked if you were pregnant." Josie laughed, looking over.

"Michael. I love the house, I love you, and we will have a baby soon enough. She's just excited," Josie said.

"A baby soon enough?" Michael asked.

"We'll see what happens," Josie said. She took his hand and pulled him down the hallway. "We can take as long as you want. Having a baby is something I want for us. We've been together for a while now. You'll make an amazing father."

"You'll be a better mother," Michael said, slipping his arm around Josie's waist.

Upstairs, the house was quiet, the hallway bright from the sunlight streaming in. Josie and Michael were to occupy a suite of rooms at the far end of the manor house. Upon finding a door to the room, Michael opened it and walked inside to find that his parents had been renovating the rooms. Gone were the velvet curtains and heavy tapestries which used to hang in the suite. In their place were gauzy curtains hung over glass doors and light paint on the walls that made the room feel bigger.

Two over sized chairs sat on either side of a fireplace, and in the middle of the room was a large bed covered with a canopy. There were two rooms that went in opposite directions off the main room, one of which could serve as a nursery. Upon moving into this house, Michael and Josie could live out their days here, raising their family and never having to leave.

"It's perfect," Josie said. She crossed the room and looked out of a window. "I want stay here. I want this to be our home." Michael walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her cheek.

"Anywhere you are is my home as well," He said. "Welcome home."


It was Sunday afternoon before Michael and Josie returned to the Academy, sunburned and full of delicious food. A rainstorm had blown in the night before, making it impossible to leave, so they had spent the night together in the room they would share after the wedding. They hadn't bothered to tempt one another, instead contenting themselves with lying close together until the morning light.

The ride back to Alicante had seemed longer than the previous day's ride, and the last half of the ride was spent in a cold, driving rain, that soaked Michael and Josie head to toe. Upon arriving back at the Academy, they had settled their horses before separating to each get hot showers. Michael could tell that something and changed between them, because this time when they separated, he missed her as soon as she turned the corner to head back to the girl's dorm.

Upon returning to the dorm room, Michael found that the air inside the room felt stale, and both beds were still made. Robert and Maryse had probably spent the night together at an Inn in town, unless Robert had snuck off to be with the girl he was suspected of being with. Honestly, Michael wasn't sure what he wanted to believe, and for only the second time in a few days, he hated himself for thinking the worst about Robert.

With Robert absent, Michael grabbed a light blanket and a journal before he went to the common room. On a Sunday afternoon, the room was nearly empty, with only a few students playing games. Josie was curled up on a tattered sofa in the corner beside a window, and Michael joined her, tossing the blanket over them both. When Josie dozed off, her head on Michael's shoulder, Michael wrote in his journal about the weekend.

It was nearly dinner time when Robert and Maryse stepped into the common room. Maryse's hair was pulled back and her clothes looked slept in, she wore no makeup. Robert's jacket was rumpled and he was unshaven, and they were both damp, as if they had just come back from somewhere. Together they crossed the room and dropped onto a sofa across from Josie and Michael's. Michael noticed that they had taken to wearing their Lightwood rings on their left ring fingers, not that it meant anything.

"You look like hell, the both of you," Michael said. "What happened to you?" Maryse looked at the floor. For someone so confident, she seemed to have little to say.

"It should be fitting that you hear our news before anyone else," Robert said. He pulled the collar of his shirt down and grinned, bearing a rune that Michael recognized from diligent practice. "We got married!"


Author's Note: Thank you for reading.