Chapter 7 - Moving Day

"What do you think you're doing!?"

The place was a mess and Magnus was furious. He got woken up by the Shadowhunters and hadn't had a chance to change his black long sleeve silk pajamas. Boxes filled the hallway, not enough to make it seem like a moving, Clary and Jace didn't have that many possessions, but just enough to make Magnus panic.

"No! You absolutely can not take that room! That's my favorite guest room… No, just get out of here! "

But no matter how much he argued, Jace and Clary were moving in. And Magnus hated it. He hated each box, every piece of their lives that they had brought with them. This felt like an invasion and he didn't want them there. They didn't belong there with him in the home he and Alec had built. The only person who belonged with Magnus was Alec and he wasn't there. The empty hole in Magnus' aching heart didn't want anyone else's presence in his home. Despite his endless complaints: no matter how many times he had removed their carefully placed belongings from the room, attempted to get rid of the boxes waiting to be unpacked by tossing them in the dumpster or simply tried giving them away to strangers on the street, Jace and Clary were staying.

"Magnus, stop it!" Jace hissed as he ran off to save another box from the dumpster.

Magnus cursed him and stepped inside the apartment. Clary was making tea.

"Don't make yourself too comfortable, this isn't going to last," Magnus threatened.

"Do you want some too?" Clary asked innocently as she put two cups on the counter.

Magnus rolled his eyes and went to the living room, noticing that one of the empty boxes in the middle of the living room was laid down on the side and was moving.

He walked over to the box and bent down to look inside. Matthew was sitting in the box, a wide excited grin spread across his face when he saw Magnus. Despite all of his frustration, Magnus couldn't help but smile at the baby.

"And what do we have here?" he asked pretending to be surprised. "Ohh, it's the cutest baby in the world!"

Matthew let out a sweet little laugh as Magnus picked him up. Magnus buried his face in the boy's voluminous curls and felt himself relax instantly from the stress of Clary and Jace's disturbance. The sweet baby scent and just holding Matthew in his arms had this incredible calming effect on him.

"Were you playing hide and seek?" Magnus asked the baby after planting a kiss on the top of his head. "Cause you're really good, my love. Or were you being a kitty?" Magnus talked to him playfully and the baby responded with delightful screams and cute baby talk. He could sense something important was happening and it made him buzz with excitement; he had been crawling around the boxes all morning and poking them with curiosity. Magnus' heart filled with warmth as he enjoyed this sweet moment with his son. He was truly blessed to have the boy in his life; whenever things got too dark and intense for Magnus, there was Matthew, a single shiny star that defied the dark stormy sky and sparkled through the night giving hope to those who looked up and expected better days.

Magnus unquestionably longed for better days, but he wasn't sure they were coming. Magnus was losing hope with each day that passed without any news of Alec. His heart was becoming darker as hope was slowly abandoning his soul. All Magnus had to keep his sanity intact (or at least not too destroyed) was Matthew. And apparently, he needed Jace and Clary as well, although this particular detail he was decidedly less convinced of.

Jace walked back in with the recovered box and gave Magnus a very irritated look. Clary joined them shortly after that, with two cups of tea in her hands. She handed one of them to Jace and they sat on the black couch facing Magnus and the baby.

"Oh, I wouldn't sit there if I were you," Magnus said mischievously.

"Why not?" Jace took a long sip of tea and barely bothered to answer.

"Because… that couch holds countless memories of me and Alec… doing things… together," he hinted.

Jace jumped up immediately, spilling some tea over his black shirt. Magnus smirked and watched him move to the small blue loveseat that sat at the opposite side of the black couch.

"That one has witnessed plenty of naked action too…" Magnus teased. If he was being forced to have this annoying Shadowhunter live with him then he might as well make the best out of it.

"Damn it!" Jace muttered and got up again, this time turning to the cozy red armchair.

Magnus waited for him to sit down and get comfy before resuming his torture. Since talking about any aspect of his life with Alec had brought up painful memories, Magnus absentmindedly caressed Matty's head and soft cheek as he teased Jace. It was a movement that had become second nature to Magnus, much like breathing, and had a soothing effect on both Magnus and the baby.

"Oh and that one was especially handy when we…"

"Oh, come on!" Jace complained and got up again. He was clearly unsettled by the frantic manner in which he was swiping at his clothes, as if trying to remove any lingering reminder of the passion Alec and Magnus had shared together. Magnus silently congratulated himself for the accomplishment. Jace placed the nearly empty cup on the side table (even though he barely had any to drink) and turned to Clary, who looked rather amused, for backup. Mangus was certain he just caught a glimpse of her trying to suppress a smirk. Jace shook his head unbelievingly then faced Magnus again.

"Where am I supposed to sit!?" he spat.

"You are not supposed to sit. You are supposed to take your stuff and leave, " Magnus challenged.

"This is outrageous! It's just… It's not acceptable..." Jace growled, but stopped when he saw it wasn't affecting Magnus the way he expected. Instead of getting annoyed Magnus was observing him with an expression that clearly said 'go on, this is amusing'.

"I'll bring my own damn chair," Jace declared finally and then grabbed another box and rushed off to the guest room to unpack it.

"Well, this was interesting," Clary said as she got up and placed her own tea cup next to Jace's. She walked closer to Magnus and held Matthew's attention. He loved Clary ever since he was a tiny one month old baby and smiled every time he saw her. This time was no different and he smiled and raised his arms in a silent invitation to pick him up. Clary took him out of Magnus' arms and sat with him on the red armchair with the baby laughing.

"You know, I wasn't joking about the…." Magnus began, but Clary interrupted him.

"I don't care, Magnus. We're staying!" She glared at him. "I suggest you find a way to deal with it," she snapped, making Magnus feel like he'd just stepped into an ice cold shower. He didn't expect such treatment from his friend, but perhaps she was right. Magnus had to give it to her. It certainly didn't seem like they were leaving anytime soon. Maybe he just had to accept the situation and simply pretend they weren't there. I should try that. It could work, he thought.

"At least Matty is happy to have us around, aren't you sweetie?" And just like that she turned into a pile of cupcakes and smiled warmly at the baby who sat on her lap grinning at her.

"Well, that makes one of us," Magnus remarked, but Clary was already busy making funny faces at Matty, who laughed at her and clapped his little hands together delightfully.

Magnus put aside his feelings as he watched the scene. Matthew deserved all the happiness in the world, there was no doubt about that. And whenever Clary or Jace were around, the boy laughed more; they made him happy. It was simpler than adding two plus two. If making Matty happy meant letting the couple move in with him, then so be it. Magnus was willing to make the sacrifice for his son. He had hated the idea at the beginning, but now that he could picture a positive outcome from this arrangement, it was becoming much easier to accept it.

"Oww, okay." Clary gasped at Matty grabbing and pulling a lock of her long shiny hair. "Strong baby. Got it!" she said and tried to untangle his insistent fingers off her red locks. Magnus smiled and sneaked to the kitchen to get himself some tea.

Soon enough, Clary learned to wear her hair up when she was around Matthew and they all learned to accept each other and adapt to become this very unusual, but united family.

Betad by the amazing Holly0114 and xx ShamiksXa xx!

I tried to go for a more comic view... Make it a bit less depressing? Did I succeed? Please let me know... I'd love to hear your thoughts about the story! :)

PS: Isn't Matty the most adorable baby ever or what?