AN: Sorry for the long wait. It's been a busy life. So without further ado, the final chapter of Favorite Color.

Chapter songs:

Wonderwall by Oasis
Stars and Boulevards by Augustana (solely because I like the song. Not because it has anything to do with this chapter… maybe a little.)
Look After You by The Fray
And of course, something by One Less Reason: A Day To Be Alone.

When he awoke the next morning, the sun was rising. He attempts to roll over, but finds he can't due to the strong pair of arms wrapped around his waist. He rolls over so that he's facing Magnus. He wasn't expecting to find him awake.

"Hey."

"Hey."

They lie there in silence. Neither knows where to start. Alec just needs to talk and be heard. He needs someone to listen, but he doesn't know what he needs to say. He twirls his fingers into Magnus' hair and leans in to kiss him.

"I…" Alec starts to say something but doesn't know where he's going.

"What is it?" Magnus asks, concerned as always.

"I don't know, I just… Angel, I don't know."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not okay. Nothing is 'okay'. Not now. Not anymore."

"Well, what do you want me to say?"

"I don't want you to say anything. I just… I need you to listen."

Magnus nods.

"It's just that I used to have my entire life planned out. I always knew how my story was going to end. And then you happened. And then Max got sick. And then mom came home, but dad decided we weren't good enough and who's he kidding. He's not good enough for us. I know that and it still hurts. And I don't know where I stand anymore. I don't like not knowing. It's normal: to not know everything. But it doesn't mean I have to like it. Why can't things work out? I mean… Can't I just catch a break?"

Alec rolls onto his side, making it easier to look into Magnus' eyes. While he had been talking, Magnus began rubbing Alec's arm soothingly.

Alec continued: "I want to go away with you. I do. But I just can't leave them behind. I promised I would let nothing bad happen to them and I feel like I've already failed them. I can't leave. I can't."

Alec snuggled into Magnus' touch, but had nothing left to say. Surprisingly, he kept his tears at bay. He would not cry. Magnus began where Alec left off: "You can. You're not leaving your siblings in bad hands. I promise. I wouldn't lie to you, would I? Give your mother the benefit of the doubt. Just because you didn't get the luxury of a mom doesn't mean your siblings shouldn't either. And right now you're standing in the way. I know," Magnus felt Alec stiffen with his words. "I know this is not what you intended. But that is how the pieces have fallen. Alec. Leave. Come away with me. Love me. Take care of me. I need you. Your siblings will be fine. I promise. And if they need you, they'll call. Don't be a helicopter mom-slash-brother. Let them breathe. Besides, a thousand miles isn't so far. And when they grow up they'll be out of here anyways. Come away with me. Take something for yourself. Stop being so damned selfless. It's never going to make you happy. It's never going to take you away from here. Not like I will. Not if you don't love me the way I love you or believe me when I say that some sun would be good for you."

"God, Magnus. I want to go away with you. I do. But I can't leave all of this behind. I can't…"

"You can."

"No."

"Alec, listen to me. You will never get out of here if you don't leave now. Your siblings are in good hands. I trust your mother. More importantly they trust her. You have got to let them make their own decisions. And you've got to decide for yourself. It's you or them. And they're fine. They'll be okay. What about you, Alexander?"

"Letting go; It's easier said than done. And I know it's time to let go, but I just can't. I feel selfish choosing myself over my siblings. I'm not a selfish person. I won't walk away for myself."

"Then choose me. Love me. I'll love you back. I'll take care of you in return. Sure, I'm in your best interest, but you are also in mine. I'd be good for you and you'd be good for me, too. And you're not choosing one over the other. You just need a break. Tell me I'm not wrong."

"You're not wrong."

"Damn straight, I'm not."

"Okay?"

"Okay."

"So you'll come to California with me?"

"…Yes."

"Great. Now that that's covered, let's go back to sleep. It's too early to function."

"Okay."

Magnus rolled over and Alec wrapped his arms around him. But Alec did not sleep. Within minutes Magnus was snoring lightly, his breath even; however, Alec could not escape this world too easily. He lay awake thinking of how his life had turned out so differently than how he pictured it. He would eventually have to accept the fact that things were never going to go his way. But when he'd stop expecting things to go one way, he'd stop being hurt when they didn't. It just took him awhile to figure it out.

After an hour, it became obvious that he wasn't going to sleep. He decided to get up and walk around or he would surely go insane. He went to the second floor of his house intending to take a shower, when he heard a familiar sniffling. It was his mother of course, crying at their new kitchen table. She looked broken, much so the way he found her weeks before. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were puffy. Her brown eyes looked dull: they no longer shined the way they did when she was young. She had been through so much in the past twenty years. She had aged long before her years.

Alec came and sat at the table beside her. "Hey," he said because there was nothing else he really could say.

"Hi," she said as she wiped the tears from her face. Her voice was thick with lament. They sat there as Maryse tried to get herself together. "I'm really sorry I wasn't around when you were growing up," she said when she could finally talk.

"It's… fine. I guess."

"It's not though. I really thought I was doing the right thing and I ended up screwing things up even worse."

"The only that matters is that you thought you were doing what was right."

"That's not the only thing that matters and you know it. You don't believe that. I know you don't because I don't. I won't accept you believing that you got what you deserved. You didn't. You deserve so much more than what I gave you. And I'm so sorry. Angel, I'm so sorry."

Alec was taken aback. It had been awhile since his mother had called him Angel. Only when he was extremely pissed was he ever called Angel. Only when she was around but still seemed to have no time for him did he get pissed at any rate. He just needed a little attention now and then to get himself by.

"It's… I'll be fine. I'm okay."

"You're not. You're angry. You have every right to be."

Alec reached over and touched his mother's shoulder. "I'm not angry. Not anymore, at least."

Maryse looked at him and nodded. "What changed?"

"I don't know. I slept on it."

"You've had a few weeks to sleep."

"I haven't been sleeping well for the past few months."

"Why not?"

"I don't know."

"But you slept well last night?"

"… Yes."

"Does Magnus treat you right?"

"Yes. Why? Do you think he's the reason I've changed my mind."

"I do."

Alec nodded. "He wants me to come to California with him."

"Then go."

"Should I?"

"Of course."

"And you'll stick around for them?"

"Of course."

"Are you sure?"

"More than I've ever been."

"Okay."

They continued sitting at the kitchen table silently because there was simply no need to speak. They both thought of how differently their lives turned out to be. There was no escaping the ever-constant current of change. They sat there as the sun ascending the sky and mid-morning was upon them in mere minutes that seemed like hours which stretched on for days.

"Will you and I ever be okay?" His mother finally asked.

"I don't know. I hope so. But right now, I don't know."

"You'll try to forgive me eventually?"

"I'll try."

"That's all I could ever ask for."

Alec nodded and stood to go take a shower like he originally planned. When he got to his room, he found Magnus had beaten him to the shower. He decided to kill two birds with one stone. Knowing Magnus would be in the shower forever and there would be no hot water left, he decided to join his boyfriend. He quickly removed his clothing and walked into the bathroom. The room was steamy and Alec could smell his Dove's Men body wash that Magnus was using. The thought of Magnus using his soap was oddly sexy.

Alec pulled the shower curtain back and stepped in behind his boyfriend. Magnus turned around as he felt the rush of cool air on his back. When he saw Alec, he pecked him on the lips. Alec wrapped his arms around Magnus. The warm spray tickled as it fell on his arms. He pressed Magnus into his body in order to feel more of the warmth.

"Hello, love. You've got to stop leaving me so soon after you wake up."

"Thank you."

"For what?" Magnus' eyebrow crinkled in confusion.

"For taking me away from here."

"Like I said: some sun would be good for you."

"Yeah. I think some sun would do me good."

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Magnus asked as they switched positions so that Alec was under the spray. Alec promptly began to wash himself. Magnus was nearly done, so he just enjoyed the show. He watched as Alec rubbed his toned thighs and calves. He worked his way up, making sure to clean his most prized body parts. He saved his hair for last, letting the water run down the back of his head and onto his back.

"I talked to mom," Alec said, breaking Magnus out of his reverie.

"Oh?'

"Yeah."

"And you forgave her? Just like that.?"

"I'm working on it.?"

"I'm glad," Magnus said, stepping into Alec's arms. He leaned down and kissed Alec tenderly.

"Let's get out of here," Alec suggested. He turned and shut off the water. He stepped out grabbing a towel to dry himself. He then threw the towel at Magnus so that he could do the same. They walked comfortably back into Magnus room and got into bed facing each other.

"I really do love you Alec. And I really do only want what's best for you."

"I know. I love you to Magnus. And I'm sorry I fell off the map for a little while." He kissed Magnus softly. "But I'm here now. With you. Naked and alone." Alec continued kissing Magnus. He worked his way down, suckling every few inches. When he reached Magnus' happy trail, he looked up. Magnus' emerald eyes were smoldering with lust and had taken a topaz-color instead of his original golden green. "And I want to make it up to you."

Alec took the tip of Magnus's cock into his mouth. He licked the slit and then progressed slowly until he had taken all of Magnus into his mouth. He hummed in order to send a tingling sensation through Magnus' body. Magnus moaned.

"God, Alec. I need…"

Alec came off of Magnus with a pop. "What is it, Magnus? Tell me what you need?"

"I need you so much closer."

"Show me." Alec whispered.

Magnus pulled Alec's shoulders so that he was level with himself. "Do you think you're up for another round?"

"I can keep up."

That was all the permission Magnus needed. He rolled on top of Alec and, without preparation, promptly slammed into Alec. Alec would have cried had it not been for Magnus' lips on his. "Shhh… We have to be quiet. Your family will hear."

Alec didn't care. He moaned, urging Magnus to move inside of him: quicker and faster and harder until Alec could no longer breathe correctly and was shaking. With every thrust inward Alec whispered Magnus's name. "Please…" he moaned. "So close…"

"I know, baby. Me, too."

They moved together with a mutual need and love for the other. Sooner or later they would become the other's world entire.

They whispered "I love you", as they grew closer to their end point together. "I love you," they said as they came. "I love you."

There was nothing holding them back from ever being together. If what Alec felt for Magnus wasn't love, this was the closest he'd ever get to feeling true love. And he was okay with that. And Magnus was, too, because deep down inside he knew. Alec was why he survived all those years of hardship. The boy who adapted grew up to love the boy who survived. And that is how they continued to live: adapting and surviving together.

The End!

Please Review, loves.

All the Best,

Cadence.

PS: Should I write a sequel? I have a few ideas.