"What are you still doing here," Jace said, peeking his head around the corner of Alec's office. "Don't you have plans for tonight?"

Alec looked up from the document he was studying. It was an official Clave document reviewing the number of demon attacks and how each was handled by the New York Shadowhunters the previous year. Just one more in a long line of useless documents from the Clave, but one he had to know to make sure the Conclave was handling their duties correctly.

He sighed as he placed the papers back on his desk. Sometimes he was overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork that went through the New York Institute, as compared to what he had faced in Louisville. There wasn't a comparison, really. No wonder his mom had retired at a fairly young age.

Jace's reminder brought a smile to his face. He did have plans for tonight, big plans.

"You can finish that up tomorrow," Jace stated firmly. "Go. I mean it."

Alec's grin widened. He rose from his seat and grabbed his coat. "Thanks," he said as he headed out the door.

It was a nice summer evening, perfect for walking home to his apartment in Brooklyn, the one he shared with Magnus. He loved nights like this, when he had an opportunity to be alone and reflect on the way his life was going. The warm air was like a heavy blanket resting on his body, hot but not stifling, soothing and comforting.

Two and a half years had passed since that fateful night when Alec had found Magnus again. Alec played that memory in his mind over and over, frequently. It had been a crossroads, a turning point in his life. He had come face to face with his past, and the many mistakes he had made. He had been given a second chance to make it right, and had done just that.

He had struggled initially with hurting his ex-boyfriend, Ethan. He hated himself for what he did to the sweet, loving man. But he had worked hard to shed that self-loathing, that damaging thought process that could only cause more pain to those he loved. He had let it go, moved on, something he had never been able to do with Magnus. That knowledge had given him peace of mind, knowing he had made the right choice. His heart belonged to Magnus, and it always would.

There had been so many unknowns when Alec left Louisville and returned to New York, to Magnus. Where would he live? Would he and Magnus actually make a life together, make each other happy? What would happen to his dream of running an Institute? He hadn't known the answer to any of these questions, and that had weighed heavy on his decision to forge ahead with Magnus. But not heavily enough to deter him from being with the man he loved more than life itself.

Upon his return to New York, he moved back into the Institute. He wanted a chance to clear his head, to process all that had happened in such a short period of time. He knew he loved Magnus, and wanted to be with him, but he didn't think moving in with him immediately was a good idea. And he was now thankful that he had taking a little time for himself.

He lived at the Institute for about three months after his return. He spent much of that time with Jace, but a significant portion of it he spent alone. He wanted the time alone to process everything, to get to know himself better. Everything had happened in such a rush, over a few short days, and he was overwhelmed by it all. He knew staying with Ethan was never really an option, not after he saw Magnus and discovered the depth of his feelings for him. But he had lived so long with the ghost of Magnus in his heart, and trying to squash his feelings, pretending to be something he wasn't, really. He needed this time of self-reflection, so he took it.

He had also enjoyed getting reacquainted with his family. He had spent so long running from his past and avoiding New York, he had missed out on a lot of quality time with Jace and Izzy, and even his mom. He took the opportunity those three months offered. He had missed them so much for the ten years he was avoiding his home, he just hadn't realized how much until he was back with them on a daily basis.

But most of all, he had dated Magnus. Actually dated him. Magnus had the brilliant idea of taking things slowly, even after all that had happened. Their first relationship had been turbulent, full of lies and secrets, and further complicated by his unresolved feelings for Jace and the events of the two battles they had fought in. They had also moved incredibly fast the first time around, with Alec quickly moving some of his personal effects into Magnus's loft, and spending the night with him more often that not. They had barreled through the getting-to-know-you-phase and landed in a relationship complete with a psychopathic murderer, missing parabatai, kidnapped ex-boyfriend, fiendish ex-girlfriend, love, heartbreak, sex. It was no wonder Alec had been overwhelmed and walked away from it all. They didn't want to make that mistake again.

They needed a new start, so he was surprised and relieved when Magnus wanted to date him. A part of him wanted to jump straight back into their relationship, move his things into Magnus's and just see where it all led. That was the emotional part of him that longed so much for Magnus it actually made his soul ache. But the intellectual part of him saw that Magnus's way was best for them both. They didn't really know much about the other anymore, about what had happened to them in the ten years they were apart. Taking the time to get to know each other better was an unforgettable experience that he would cherish for the rest of his life.

They had also, somehow, refrained from sex for the first three weeks. Alec thought he would die after the first week, he wanted Magnus so badly. But Magnus had shown remarkable restraint. He let Alec come to terms with everything that had changed in his life as he wined-and-dined him, took him dancing, took him to a Downworlders New Year's Eve party, and didn't complicate things by adding sex into the mix.

Alec had fallen in love with him all over again, and this time was so much more special than the first. This time, he knew what he was getting into, he knew to expect the unexpected with Magnus. He knew not to take his moodiness personally, and how to turn it around. He knew the warlock used sarcasm as his primary form of communication, and he learned to love it. This time, instead of just falling in love and damn the consequences, they went into their relationship as adults, and approached it in a way that they could actually build a life together.

He also spent the time reading all of Magnus's journals. He learned about Will Herondale, and the connection with Camille that had sent him spiraling all those years ago, had made him sabotage his relationship with Magnus before it ever really had a chance to become solid. He learned of Magnus's real relationship with Camille, how disastrous that had been, and how much she had hurt Magnus. He learned about Raphael, and now understood why Magnus had wanted to protect the vampire, and what he meant to Magnus.

In short, he learned all the things that had come between them before, so they could keep that from happening again.

After the three month period, Alec had moved into Magnus's apartment, and not looked back. He gave his all to Magnus and their relationship, and watched as the relationship blossomed into the most wonderful thing he had ever experienced. It was magic far beyond Magnus's supernatural capabilities.

Somewhere along the way, his mother, Jace and Izzy, and to his utter astonishment, his father, lobbied the Clave on his behalf. They made a case for Alec running the New York Institute. There were protests, mostly about security since Alec was living with a warlock. But Magnus wasn't just any warlock. He had resumed the title of warlock representative to the Council, and many other Shadowhunters took up the mantle in his defense as well. It was quite a long, labored fight, for it wasn't just the position Alec was seeking. He wanted to live with Magnus, and he wouldn't give that up for anything.

In the end, the Clave decided that Alec and Jace would split the running of the New York Institute. They were both capable leaders, and excellent Shadowhunters. They worked well together, and, as parabatai, complimented and completed each other. It was the best outcome possible given the circumstances.

Since then, he and Jace had shared the duties of running the Institute. Alec spent his days there, and was always available at night if something urgent came up. This was really no different than being a 'normal' Shadowhunter, as they were always on-call for demon attacks, but he had more responsibility. Jace, who had never moved from the Institute, even after marrying Clary, was there to be responsible for things that happened at night, and to alert Alec if needed. Jace and Alec were a team, as they had always been, since the day of their Parabatai Ritual. It may not work for a lot of people at a lot of Institutes, but it worked for them.

Alec smiled. He had it all. More than he had ever thought possible.

He was surprised when he reached his apartment so quickly. His feet knew the path home, and carried him there without his conscious mind being present, just as it had so many times over the years. He was home. With Magnus. Life was good.

He let himself into the apartment, and was immediately rushed by Magnus. That was different. Magnus didn't normally attack him when he entered their home, but then, tonight was special. He had been on edge for weeks, not in a bad way, just…nervous, excited, impatient, eager.

Magnus pinned him against the door as soon as it closed behind him. He linked their hands together and pressed them into the door, pinning his body beneath Magnus's own. And Alec felt the stirring in his groin he got every time he was in close proximity to Magnus, or saw Magnus, or thought about Magnus. Oh hell, he was horny for Magnus all the time. Who was he kidding?

Magnus's mouth found his, claimed his. Apparently, Magnus was a little edgy tonight as well. He knew Alec had something planned, he just didn't know what. It wasn't often that Alec made their plans, especially not plans he was unwilling to tell Magnus about. Magnus had been pestering him for weeks to tell him what was going on, what they were going to do, but Alec had held out, and it was driving Magnus insane. Alec found that he liked having that effect on Magnus. He liked it a lot.

"Let me hop in the shower, Magnus. Then we can go," he said as Magnus sucked on his neck. He let out a low groan at Magnus's hands. Angel, that man did things to him that should be illegal. Alec's pulse was thready, and he suddenly didn't want Magnus to let go of him for fear his unstable knees would give out and he would tumble to the floor.

Magnus grinned against his neck, knowing the effect he was having on his boyfriend. He gave one more nip, and a long, drawn out kiss on Alec's neck, then released the flabbergasted Shadowhunter, and returned to his seat on the couch like nothing had happened. He was such a devil sometimes.

Alec slipped into the shower and let the steam engulf him, easy his anxiety a little. He had nothing to be anxious about, really. It was Magnus. He had nothing whatsoever to fear or worry about with Magnus. Their relationship was solid. In fact, everything in his life was…in a word, perfect.

He thought about that for a moment. Perfect. How could anyone's life be perfect? Perfection was an unattainable goal that only led to disappointment. But, for him, his life was perfect. Oh, he and Magnus still had disagreements. They were too different to have the same views on everything. But they agreed on the important stuff. They agreed on their careers, on their love, on wanting to be together. They agreed to listen to each other when they didn't agree, and to work out their differences. They agreed to hold on to each other, and never let go.

Alec's life was challenging, as was every Shadowhunter's. Finding a way to run the Institute with Jace, fight demons, and still have a separate life with Magnus could be taxing. But it was oh so worth it. The rewards far outweighed the challenges. He couldn't stop the smile that broke across his face.

When he finished his shower, smelling distinctly of sandalwood, he hurried into the bedroom to find the clothes he wanted to wear. Tonight was special, and he was determined to blow Magnus's mind. He slid his arms into the short-sleeved deep blue button-up shirt he had chosen for tonight. Then pulled on the black slacks, and wedged his feet into a new pair of black boots. Hey, he was still Nephilim, and black was his color. Magnus should be glad he hadn't gone with the black shirt, too.

He ran a brush through his drying hair and glanced in the mirror. He was shocked by how much the blue shirt brought out the color of his eyes, even though it was a deeper color than his eye color. His eyes were sparkling, lively, and he just couldn't quit grinning.

Satisfied with his appearance, he strode into the living room and found Magnus perched on the arm of the couch. Unless he was mistaken, Magnus had dolled up a bit while he was in the shower. His hair was spiked and he wore a shimmering blue shirt that matched Alec's eye color precisely. His black pants left nothing to the imagination, but Alec's imagination ran wild at the sight.

They both chuckled when they realized they were wearing similar colors, but that was as far as the laughter went. Magnus's gaze roved over him, looking for all the world like he was about to rip Alec's carefully constructed outfit off his body.

Alec licked his lip, and noticed Magnus's knees weaken. The corner of his mouth quirked up when he saw that, and Magnus's eyes narrowed at him.

"Will you tell me the plan now?" Magnus said, his voice husky.

Alec shook his head. Magnus let out an exasperated sigh, and Alec grinned again. Without a word, he took Magnus's hand and lead him out of the apartment.

They caught a cab, and Alec gave the cabbie an address. Magnus cocked an eyebrow at him. Alec knew that would be a drawback of his plan. Magnus knew the city as well as he did. Magnus sat back in his seat and smirked. Alec sighed as if defeated, but inwardly he smiled, knowing Magnus still didn't know his full plan.

Fifteen minutes later, the cab pulled up outside a elegant restaurant and the couple tumbled onto the street, straightening their clothes. Magnus took Alec's hand and started to lead him into the restaurant, assuming that was their destination.

"Uh-uh," Alec said, pulling back on Magnus's hand. He led the warlock down an alley between the buildings, and entered through a wrought-iron gate that was ajar.

This was the back entrance to the restaurant, a private entrance that led to an outdoor sitting area. The gate was normally locked so that patrons had to use the front entrance to come and go, but Alec had arranged for a private party tonight. Very private. A party of two, in fact.

The terrace was cobblestone, with wrought-iron tables and chairs covered with soft cushions for comfort. The patio was covered by wooden arches with flowering vines snaking through them. The illumination consisted of strands of lights and tiki torches that burned brightly against the darkening sky. There were also small candles set on every table, flickering in the slight breeze. Soft music filtered to them, setting a romantic ambience.

The inside of the restaurant was much fancier than this, Alec knew. But this was perfect for them.

They were greeted by a petite girl wearing a starched white shirt and black pants. As she seated them at their table, the sun set, leaving a dramatic pattern of fiery pink, vivid purple and deep blue across the sky. The view was breathtaking.

After placing their orders with the server, Magnus looked around, taking in the scene. "Why are we the only ones here?" he asked when he returned his attention to Alec. "Not that I mind," he added with a twitch of his eyebrows.

Alec smiled. "Because I reserved it just for us," Alec replied.

Magnus's brows shot up in earnest this time. "You reserved the entire patio…for us?" When Alec nodded, he let out a low whistle and said, "What did that cost?"

Alec's grin widened. "I've been saving my money for awhile…and I called in a favor."

Still looking stunned, Magnus said, "Favor?"

"Yeah, the Nephilim helped the owner with a little demon problem a few years ago. He was very grateful…"

"Ah, you Nephilim have all the right connections."

"So it would seem."

Their food arrived promptly, and their server poured another glass of wine for each of them. Liquid courage, so they say. Alec thought he likely needed something stronger tonight, but he didn't want to get drunk. Drunk was not the plan, at all.

Alec had never tasted better food. Everything seemed to melt on his tongue. They ate in silence, listening to the music, and the distant sounds of New York City life, watching the firelight shimmer in the breeze. It was pleasant, comforting, peaceful. Yet Alec's stomach was in knots. He could barely finish his food, delicious as it was.

When the server came to take away their plates, Alec cleared his throat. Magnus's head snapped in his direction, suddenly on alert, as if Alec's throat-clearing was a signal…which it was. Alec threw back the rest of his wine, still wishing for something stronger, and took Magnus's hand across the table. The light from the candle made Magnus's skin glow, and reflected off the half dozen rings adorning his fingers. Alec steeled himself, and raised his gaze to capture Magnus's.

He could feel Magnus's pulse quicken…or was that his own. "Magnus…" he began, then paused.

"Alec?" Magnus prompted. His gaze was so intense, Alec wondered if he would actually burn a hole through him.

Alec laughed shakily. "This is long overdue. Why am I so nervous?" He shook his head, and took a deep, steadying breath. "I love you, Magnus. I've always loved you, and I always will. I want to grow old with you, even if I'm the only one growing old. I want to spend my life with you…Will you marry me?"

Alec could tell that somewhere along the way Magnus had figured out what was happening. He could read it in his eyes. But that didn't stop him from sucking in his breath, didn't stop the glisten that appeared in his green-gold cat eyes. "God, yes," he said, and slipped out of his chair, dragging Alec into his arms.

Their lips met in a sweet, loving, emotional kiss, their arms twining around the other's body and holding each other close. The kiss seemed to go on forever, or maybe it was only a few minutes. Alec lost track of time. Time was irrelevant. The only thing that mattered was Magnus and Alec, their embrace, their kiss, their engagement.

When at last they broke away, they were both feeling light-headed, not only from the kiss, but also the fact that they were committing their lives to each other. They were getting married. The thought was a very intoxicating.

Alec took a step back and held up his hand. He gently slid the Lightwood family ring from his finger and fitted it to Magnus's. The ring molded to Magnus's more slender finger, as if it were made specifically for him. Alec couldn't restrain the emotion that welled up in him seeing his ring on Magnus's finger, knowing the significance of that ring and that gesture. He had everything he had ever wanted in a partner, in his career, in his life.

Magnus swept him into his arms again, and they gently swayed to the music, letting it absorb into their bodies and move them. Eventually, the words to the song trickled in as well.

"Sometimes the very thing your looking for
Is the one thing you can't see

And now we're standing face to face
Isn't this world a crazy place
Just when I thought our chance had passed
You go and save the best for last"

This was it. This was the best he could have ever asked for.

Magnus held him tighter and swept his lips across Alec's. The kiss was so sweet and tender and full of love. Alec had no doubts about their relationship. He often wondered how he had ever had any. Sure, they had more than their fair share of challenges to overcome, but love like this doesn't come along every day. Love like this is once in a lifetime…and the benefits far outweigh everything else that comes along.

Alec had never been happier, more content, more fulfilled, than he was at this very moment. Tonight they would dance the night away…tomorrow they would start planning their wedding.

Life was good.


A/N: The song is "Save The Best For Last" by Vanessa Williams.

I hope you guys like this little story. Thanks to all the readers. You guys rock!