Alec sat on the ground, arms wrapped around himself, numbly staring straight ahead. At Magnus's tombstone. He had never felt so alone. Not that he was feeling much of anything at all lately. He had felt little more than a numb emptiness since Magnus's death a few weeks ago. The pain, the grief, the anger, the self-hatred had yet to make their appearances, but he knew they were on their way.

He had visited Magnus every day, as if that would somehow fill the hole in his heart. He'd spent weeks feeling as though he needed to catch his breath, weeks being unable to do so. Jace and Clary had essentially taken charge of the twins without being asked. Maggie and Max, however, had become the one thing that was keeping him from drowning in sorrow. They had begun sneaking into his room at night when they thought he was asleep and crawling into bed with him.

When Jace asked them why they were doing so, Alec had heard Maggie answer, "To keep an eye on Daddy. He's been really sad lately, and we just want to make sure he's okay." The day after that, Max had asked to visit Magnus as well.

Alec stood and watched as Max immediately sat beside of Magnus's tombstone and began talking as if his father were right beside him. "Hi, Daddy. I really miss you, but Aunt Isabelle said that it's okay to miss you and be a little sad." He paused as he turned back to look up at Alec, who took a deep breath and went to sit beside his son. Max smiled when he did, and began talking to Magnus again.

"You'd be really proud of Daddy. I know I am. He's been so strong even though I know he misses you more than he lets us see." He turned around and grabbed hold of Alec's hand, giving it a squeeze, as if he was able to understand just how much these words meant to Alec. "When you told me that Daddy should be my hero, I didn't really understand why, but now I do. And you were right; he's always going to be my biggest hero. Both of you are. No matter how far away you get from me."

Now Alec was sitting here alone, reliving what Max had said over and over, only vaguely aware of the fact that he was crying. He was just wiping a tear away when he heard a soft voice behind him.

"Can I join you?" He looked up to see Clary flashing him a weak smile, and he simply nodded, knowing she was here under good intentions.

She sat down beside him and looped her arm through his, and he was oddly touched at the display of affection. Alec leaned over slightly and rested his cheek on her head. They sat like that for a long time, Alec staring at Magnus's tombstone, Clary trying her best to not cry, knowing that Alec needed someone.

When she finally broke the silence, her voice was much stronger than she had expected it to be. "Are you okay, Alec? I mean, I know you're hurting, that's to be expected. But are you really okay?" When he looked down at her, Alec could see the concern, the love in her eyes. He smiled at her, not a huge smile, but a genuine one nonetheless, and she looked slightly surprised at it.

"Yeah, Clary. I'll be fine eventually. Even though it feels like I've lost everything, I haven't really, have I? I've still got this amazing family right by my side." Alec's smile widened when Clary began nodding enthusiastically. "Jace didn't ask you to come here, did he?"

It was Clary's turn to smile before she answered. "No, Alec, he didn't. He'd actually probably be angry if he knew I had come here. He'd tell me you need alone time and blah blah. No, I came here because I know you need someone right now and because I love you. You're the brother I never had."

At that, Alec couldn't help but pull her in for a one-sided hug. "That means more than you know, Clary." His voice was much stronger than it had been in days, and Clary could hear the love in it. She knew she shouldn't ask the question that was hanging on her lips, but her curiosity got the better of her.

"Alec? What were you thinking about before I walked over? You looked really deep in thought." Alec's smile turned from one of love and happiness to one full of sadness and grief.

"I was actually thinking about how the hardest part wasn't watching Magnus die. The hardest part was the days following his death. It didn't really hit me at first, you know?"

All Clary had the strength to do was shake her head and give Alec a questioning expression. He seemed to realize he hadn't made any sense and began to speak again. "I just meant that, at first it didn't really set in that he was gone. It was much easier when I was in denial. Now the reality, the loneliness is setting in."

Clary silently held on to Alec as he closed his eyes, obviously biting back the pain. "The pain hit when I realized just how many minutes, hours, days, years I am going to spend without him. We always counted on being together until my death. Never once did we discuss what would happen if he died. It wasn't supposed to work out this way."

He was surprised when Clary turned to look at him once again. "I don't believe that, Alec." Unable to say anything at all, Alec simply raised an eyebrow at her. Was she really going to fight with him about this?

"Magnus was in our lives for a reason, Alec. I may not really know the entire reason right this moment, but I know enough to realize that part of the reason he came into our lives was for you."

"Wh-" Alec suddenly became even more emotional than he had been before. "What do you mean exactly?"

Clary flashed him the smile he knew Jace was in love with. "You and Magnus may not have been given the time you deserved. But Magnus's impact on you was astounding. You are miles away from who you were before you met him. I'd like to think that you are at least twice the man you were even when I met you. And I'd also love to think that you wouldn't be half the man you are right now if it weren't for Magnus. Sure, you'd be a great man no matter what, but Magnus taught you so much about yourself, and without him you wouldn't be anywhere near what you are today."

This time, Alec wrapped both his arms around Clary. "Thank you, Clary. That's the most helpful thing anyone has said since we lost Magnus."

Both Clary and Alec turned in surprise as they heard another voice behind them. "You said 'we' this time." Alec was shocked to see Jace behind him. Jace hadn't visited Magnus's grave once since the day Magnus had been buried. All he had the nerve to say was, "Yes, and?"

Jace sat down on Alec's other side and took one of his hands. "And, you've finally realized that the rest of us lost Magnus, too." Squeezing Alec's hand, Jace kept talking before he could respond. "Now, don't get me wrong. I know that your pain covers ours about a million times over, but he truly was my brother. But I have something else I want to say."

Alec simply furrowed his brow, suddenly anxious over what Jace wanted to say.

"I know this may sound insane, but I don't want to give up on Magnus. We have lived our lives going from one impossible part of our story to another. Literally half of what we've done has been deemed impossible at one point or another."

Jace paused to catch his breath and Alec couldn't help himself. "What are you saying, Jace? You sound crazy to me."

Smiling slightly, Jace began to answer with a gleam in his eyes that Alec was all too familiar with. "What I am saying is that Magnus was my brother. And I don't give up on family. I'm asking you to hear me out and keep up a healthy amount of hope; just don't give up hope. I think I speak for Magnus when I say that death, his or yours, is not going to keep you apart."


Alec slept through the night for the first time since Magnus's death. To his surprise, he had fallen asleep with a smile on his face. Try as he might to feel otherwise, he kept thinking that Jace had to be right.

He had fallen asleep reliving the moments before Magnus's death over and over, as he had done almost every night prior. What stuck out this time was the moment when Magnus had asked him to wait for him. Tears in his eyes, Alec had smiled and sworn that Magnus would always be the only man for him.

The moment Alec kept hearing in his mind, however, was when Magnus had said something eerily close to what Jace had preached earlier that day. "Don't give up, Alexander. Please don't give up on us. Death is just a minor bump in our relationship. Wait for me, please."

Smiling, Alec fell asleep remembering the feeling of Magnus's hand in his. "I won't ever give up, Magnus. I promise you, my love."


Hi loves! Haley here! I really hope you loved this fic, and I'm terribly sorry for killing my baby (I cried too so it's okay)! That was actually the plan from the start, so I couldn't help it!

If you liked this fic, leave a review (or even message me) and let me know! Also, check out my other work if you haven't already and let me know what you think of it!

I may or may not continue this story, but the plan right now is that this is complete, BUT there may be a sequel fic!

I love you all so much for sticking with me this far! Thanks so much! I'd always love to hear from any of you!