Magnus knew who his greatest allies would be in the matter of Simon. He texted Isabelle and Clary at once. They both agreed to meet him the next day. If Simon didn't have any of his old memories still intact, the spell might not work. But Magnus was going to try none the less. The Clave's rules be damned. Magnus was no shadowhunter bound to such things. No one needed to know Izzy and Clary were involved. And technically he hadn't told Alec, most of it anyway.
Whey they arrived at Simon's school the next day it didn't look like Simon remembered anything at all. Clary disappointed left for her mother's wedding. It wasn't until Izzy saw the new name of Simon's band-The Mortal Instruments-that Mangus let her explain everything to him. Simon stared at them as they talked. Especially at Isabelle. Magnus had a feeling Simon knew there was something there even if he didn't understand what.
"The choice is up to you," Magnus said, once they had finished telling him how he could be a shadowhunter if he wanted. Or he could have a normal life with his normal family. Magnus knew this boy deserved this choice more than anything. Some are born great but for those like Simon, who rise to an impossible greatness from nothing more than average he believed there should be exceptions made.
Simon didn't speak for a long moment. Magnus wondered watch he was thinking. The hero who didn't know he was a hero trying to decide if he wanted to be a hero again.
"Alright," Simon said finally.
"Really!" Izzy said beaming.
"In that case," Magnus said. "Are you ready to learn who you are, at least a little?" Simon nodded. Magnus opened the Book of the White and read the spell aloud. Simon seemed to glow for a moment and then fade back to normal.
"How do you feel, Simon?" Magnus asked.
"Mostly the same," Simon said. "Just a little. I don't know-less foggy. I think I remember that red haired girl more."
"Well that's a start," Magnus said.
"Would you like to accompany me to your best friend's mom's wedding?" Izzy asked him. Simon took the hand she offered, but he did still look rather confused Magnus thought. And perhaps stunned someone as pretty as Izzy was offering him her arm in the first place.
They took a taxi to the wedding. Explaining portals would have been a bad idea. Expecting him to use one an even worse idea. When they arrived, Magnus set off to find Clary knowing she would want to see Simon. Magnus saw Izzy lead Simon into the crowd as he went in the opposite direction.
Magnus found Clary wrapped around Jace up against a wall, and couldn't stop the grin from spreading over his face. Another scene flashed before his eyes. The brown haired girl with a shocked look on her face while the black haired boy lay sleeping beside her. It seemed his luck in life to catch Herondales in compromising situations.
"Interesting," he said as he pictured Tessa and Will together in Wales all those years ago. The situation was rather similar he mused. Though Tessa and Will had accomplished quite a lot more before they were interrupted. Proper lady indeed.
"Magnus, what are you doing here?" Jace said.
"Came to get you," Magnus said. "There's something I think you should see."
"WE ARE BUSY," Jace almost roared.
"Clearly," Magnus said amused. "You know, they say life is short, but it isn't all that short. It can be quite long, and you have all your lives to spend together, so I really suggest you come with me, because you're going to be sorry if you don't."
"Okay," Clary said, breaking away from Jace with a trusting look in her eyes.
"Okay?" Jace said. "Seriously?"
"I trust Magnus," Clary said. "If it's important, it's important."
"And if it's not, I'm going to drown him in the lake," Jace said. Magnus just caught Biscuit's grin before she hide it behind her hand. He suspected Clary had had a similar thought but was too polite to voice it aloud. She was a sweet girl really. Shame about Jace though. Magnus suppressed a laugh as he lead them back to Simon.
Rejoining the rest of the guests, Magnus saw Alec talking to his father but before he had time to register more than that Clary saw Simon. Magnus had to quickly put a hand firmly on her shoulder to stop her from bolting.
"Be careful," he said. "He doesn't remember everything. I could give him a few memories, not much. The rest will have to wait, but, Clary—remember that he doesn't remember. Don't expect everything." When Clary nodded, Magnus let her go, and she went tearing across the lawn to Simon, who was standing awkwardly near a tent. Magnus watched to make sure Clary didn't tackle Simon to the ground. She did hug him so fiercely that Magnus worried she would crush him. Simon seemed to take it well enough however so Mangus switch his focus to locating Alec.
Magnus hadn't been looking for long before he saw Alec coming towards him up the hill. Alec looked gorgeous in the suit Magnus had selected. It had a slender strip of blue that brought out his eyes beautifully.
They stood and watched the gathering around Simon together. Only Isabelle stood apart from the crowd.
"You'd almost think she didn't care," Alec said. "But I'm pretty sure she does."
"You're correct," Magnus said. "She cares too much; that's why she's standing apart."
"I would ask you what you did, but I'm not sure I want to know," Alec said leaning into him. Magnus rested his chin on Alec's shoulder. They stood motionless enjoying each other presences as they watched the happy crowd below.
"It was good of you," Alec said.
"You make the choice you have to make at the time," Magnus said in his ear. "You hope for no consequences, or no serious ones."
"You don't think your father will be angry, do you?" Alec said, and Magnus laughed dryly.
"He has a great deal more to pay attention to than me," Magnus said. "What about you? I saw you talking to Robert."
"Dad told me he is proud of me," Alec said. "I didn't believe him at first, but then he told me about his parabatai Michael Wayland. And how he had been in love with my dad. Dad wasn't kind to him, and they were never close again."
"You know, I would not have guessed that," Magnus said. "And I've met Michael Wayland. Goes to show. 'The heart is forever inexperienced' and all that."
"What do you think? Should I forgive him?"
"I think what he told you was an explanation, but it wasn't an excuse for how he behaved. If you forgive him, do it for yourself, not for him. It's a waste of your time to be angry," Magnus said, "when you're one of the most loving people I've known."
"Is that why you forgave me? For me, or you?" Alec said, curiously.
"I forgave you because I love you, and I hate being without you. I hate it, my cat hates it. And because Catarina convinced me I was being stupid."
"Mmm. I like her."
Magnus placed his palms on Alec's chest, the steady beat of Alec's heart under his hands. The rhythm seemed to strengthen him somehow. He needed Alec's strength to ask his next question.
"And you forgive me," Magnus said. "For not being able to make you immortal, or end my own immortality."
"There's nothing to forgive," Alec said. "I don't want to live forever." Alec intertwined his hands with Magnus's on his chest.
"We might not have that much time," Alec said. "I'll get old, and I'll die. But I promise I won't leave you until then. It's the only promise I can make."
"A lot of Shadowhunters don't get old," Magnus said almost choking on the words. Magnus didn't have the ability to keep talking about this. To explain how worried he was. He was trying to accept only having Alec for fifty or seventy years, but that was still impossible for him. Thinking Alec would die before that made it hard to breathe.
Alec turned in Magnus's arms and faced him. Those blue eyes seemed to be memorizing every detail of his face.
"Even if it were just days, I would want to spend them all with you. Does that mean anything?"
"Yes," Magnus said. "It means that from now on we make everyday matter." Time had been nothing but rain to Magnus most of his life. Something to take note of but not worry about. Something that happened around him more than to him. There had been brief periods where time had mattered more. The first mortal he had loved. Other times he had settled down but never so long as that first ti. Magnus had a feeling, this time, it would be different. Now time would be like water evaporating in the sun. Every second a grain of sand slipping through his fingers.
They stood holding each other in silence for a while. Then went back down from the hill, holding hands. Magnus saw Jem getting up from his seat next to Tessa and come over to them.
"Hello Jem," Magnus said, looking past Jem to the redhead sitting beside Tessa. "I see Tessa has finally had her chance to speak with Clary."
"Indeed," Jem said. "She is glad of it."
"I can tell," Magnus smiled.
"It is, of course, nice to see you again, Alec," Jem said.
"You too," Alec answered clearly surprised Jem had remembered his name. Magnus wasn't surprised by this. Jem had always been kind.
"You and Tessa should come over for dinner sometimes," Alec said. "I could show you how to use a cell phone. They are very useful." He smiled, and Jem laughed.
Maia and Bat come up to Alec then joining in the conversation. Magnus suddenly felt ancient. Talking about immortality had him thinking about the future again. He moved away from them back up the hill and leaned against the barn. Being with Alec made him so happy but he couldn't' stop himself from worrying about that was coming.
"You look worried," Catarina had appeared beside him and placed her hand on his shoulder companionably. She had blue flowers in her white hair that complimented her sky coloured skin nicely. "What is it? I saw you kissing that Shadowhunter boy of yours earlier, so it can't be that."
"No. Everything with Alec is fine," Magnus said shaking his head.
"I saw you speaking to Tessa, too," Catarina said. "Strange to have her here. Is that what's bothering you? Past and future colliding; it must feel a bit strange."
"Maybe," Magnus said, though he didn't think it was that. "Old ghosts, the shadows of might-have-beens. Though I always liked Tessa and her boys."
"Her son was a piece of work," Catarina said.
"As was her daughter," Magnus said. "I feel the past weighing on me heavily these days, Catarina. The repetition of old mistakes. I hear things, rumblings in Downworld, the rumor of coming strife. The Fair Folk are a proud people, the proudest; they will not take the shaming from the Clave without retaliation."
"They are proud but patient," Catarina said. "They may wait a long time, generations, for vengeance. You cannot fear it coming now, when the shadow may not descend for years yet."
Magnus didn't speak. He just looked out over the sea of mortal's who had somehow become precious to him.
"Ah," Catarina said. "You worry about them; you worry about the shadow descending upon those you love."
"Them, or their children," Magnus said. Alec was walking toward him now up the hill.
"Better to love and fear than feel nothing. That is how we petrify," Catarina said, and she touched his arm. "I am sorry about Raphael, by the way. I never got a chance to say it. I know you saved his life once."
"And then he saved mine," Magnus said, but he didn't say more. Alec had joined them. Alec nodded to Catarina then addressed Magnus.
"Magnus, we're going down to the lake," he said. "Do you want to come?"
"Why?" Magnus inquired.
"Clary says it's pretty," Alec said shrugging. "I mean, I've seen it before, but there was a huge angel rising out of it, and that was distracting." He held his hand out to Magnus. "Come on. Everyone's going."
"Carpe diem," Catarina said to Magnus. "Don't waste your time fretting." And with that, she picked up her skirts and wandered off toward the trees. Magnus took Alec's hand and let himself be lead to the lake.
Magnus summoned a collection of blankets and jackets for the group once he and Alec arrived at the lakeside. He knew were Bed Bath & Beyond kept their warehouses. Alec was it seemed in too good a mood to annoy Magnus about paying for them.
Magnus lay on a blanket next to Alec listened to his voice as Alec named all the constellations in the sky. This was such a happy moment. Simon and Izzy whispering together. Her face brighter somehow. Clary was in Jace's lap, and she was leaning against him. He watched as she showed Jace a book that looked very old. He suspected it was Tessa's copy of the Shadowhunter Codex. He watched as she gave Jace the ring Tessa had been dying to give him for months. After that, they were kissing, and Magnus turned away.
"When did you learn so much about the sky, Alec?"
"One of my tutors," Alec said.
"Shadowhunting is quite the well-rounded education it seems," Magnus said.
"I guess," Alec said. "I know some demon languages too. But only how to read them."
"I sometimes forget how many languages I know," Magnus said. "I know that sounds strange."
"I always want to hear everything about you Magnus," Alec said. "Strange or not."
Magnus pulled Alec in closer. He could feel a chill in the air and only momentarily released Alec to use his hands to create a magical blue fire at the center of their group.
"What are you worrying about?" Alec asked.
"What do you mean?"
"The friend you were talking to when I came to get you," Alec said. "She said you were fretting."
"Oh that," Magnus said. "The faerie trial and its consequences. I worry about the future now more than before. Now that there are so many people I care about."
"Did you not used to have so many friends?"
"No so many friends were are always in danger," Magnus said. "Though Ragnor always played it safe and yet he died. Raphael was also clever and caution. I never really worried about them but they are gone. There is no way to know. You can die in your bed or survive fighting on the front lines every day."
"I am too happy to worry about anything right now," Alec said. "With you here and Simon back. Maybe being mortal means you are better at being in the present."
"You are wise beyond your years my Alexander," Magnus said.
They sat in silence after that. The others moving and talking around them. Magnus wanted to freeze this moment in time. Alec here in his arms. All this friends safe and whole.
Time, of course, would not freeze. The fire faded, and the sun went down. Everyone was reluctantly getting up and heading home.
Magnus walked hand in hand with Alec as they left the wedding. Most of the guests were long gone now, but Luke and Jocelyn were still there entertaining a few stragglers. Magnus was surprised to see Catarina. He thought she would be back at her beloved hospital by now. Alec had called her his friend but not used her name. He realized he had never introduced them. This he felt needed to be rectified at once.
Magnus released Alec's hand quickly saying he would be right back and went over to the blue skinned warlock.
"You are still here," he told her.
"Really," she said grinning. "I hadn't noticed."
"Would you like to come over to my place sometime soon?" Magnus said. "I realized you haven't actually met Alec. At least not properly."
"That is true," Catarina said. "I would like to meet this love of yours that is as you say not like any other." She smiled. "He must be a remarkable person indeed."
"He is."
"On one condition," Catarina added. "You don't cook."
"Done," Magnus said. "Alec likes to cook anyway."
"And he cooks," Catarina teased him. "Quite a catch indeed."
"I am leaving now," Magnus said turning his back on her.
"I'll text you," Magnus heard her call to him as he skipped back to Alec. Taking his hand again.
"What are you smiling about?"
"Oh that was Catarina," Magnus said. "The women I was talking to when you came to ask me to join you at the lake."
"The one who convinced you, you were stupid to break up with me?"
"The one and only," Magnus said. "I invited her to come over and see us."
"I look forward to meeting her," Alec said.
