Please read Author's Notes
Chapter 36. Eyes Reflecting as Mirrors
In every part of a young man's life there is the crossing from childhood's wildest hour, to the very second you became a man. Alec in the heavy way his breath rose, and his shoulders eased back to face his destiny he did just that. In the lights of the cameras and the sounds of their eager claps he put behind him all his wide eyed childish fears, and became their King. His nerves died while his heart came to life again, and standing there with the entire world watching Alexander Lightwood became their greatest accomplishment; the one true survivor. He became their security to a brighter greater tomorrow, and most of all he found himself.
"There isn't any more reason to hide." He spoke not only to the crowd there gathered on the square, but as well the entire nation. "You can come out. You can face this day with me." Alec spoke to them careful to not sound too proud; he spoke to them like he spoke to Magnus, with as much love and conviction in his voice to secure his place in their heart. "This day. This very day, we start over. I will right every wrong, and welcome each and every one of you back to the security and safety of what it once was like to live above ground. Today the blood ends, and we start over again."
Jem was thankful to have Magnus there, and after the nurses had come in with their heartbreaking promises of releasing him today they had yet to return. The hour was growing late, and the afternoon was pressing on. Somewhere in the midst of the conversation floating between he and the Underground King, Magnus had stretched out beside him on the oversized bed, and Jem marveled at how rested he appeared. He had never known Magnus to be like this, having first met him in the middle of a bloody attack on the city streets, and from there on he knew only of the weight the man carried. Magnus had kept them all together, and wasn't given a chance to fall apart; Jem never told anyone of the nights he heard Magnus sobbing beside Alec's bed, or of the look on his face when he saw the Prince broken in Jem's arms. Ever since that dreadful day Magnus had become a shadow of himself, and they all feared of the man Magnus without his Alec. However, here sleeping on his side Magnus appeared to be a different sort, and one Jem was excited to get to know.
Always had he wondered what it was that had driven Magnus underground, and just like his own little rumors they had their own about Magnus. It was easy to be inspired by the stories all around him, but even more so Jem was thankful to have known the love behind it all. It gave him faith in the future, something he lost when William died.
Somewhere in the middle of everything he had found it easy to write, translating to paper what it was that very much deserved to be written in the stars. Theirs was a perfect love, Magnus and Alec, the sort you found in works of fiction, or legends of lore. They would be sung about in years to come, and every time Jem thought about it he heard his heart sing sweetly in his ears while it fluttered in his chest.
Title: Two Hearts Align Into One
Two destinies allied into one cosmic phenomenon
A love more true than fates power
A collide not seen before
Hearts beat as eyes connect
Neither knowing what's in store
Falling into place that first night
Hiding behind a thin veil
Wanting more, but fear running high
Neither made solely of steel
Wanting to reach up and touch the sky
Bitter feelings and tears
Forgiven kisses and stolen touches
Eyes reflecting as mirrors
Pulling him into their clutches
He closes his eyes
He sees those of only one
He doesn't want to sever those ties
He knows what must be done
Together they would fight
A seal of bonding forever marked onto skin
A kiss for all to see in the night
When two being fuse
A fight with eternity, they will prevail
A love to remain strong and true
"Is he asleep then?" Spoke a nurse who finally came to release Jem, and it was clear it was her first shift of the day. Jem smiled first to the woman, and finally down to where he had let his hand fall away from the notebook on his lap to trail his fingers through Magnus' hair.
"He is." It was clear on the nurse's face that the entire wing had grown to love Jem, and his sweet little voice; like a bird that one, who always sang sweetest in the early morning hour. Yet, like everyone they formed their opinions of the white haired boy too soon, and when the nurse asked if Magnus belonged to him Jem's face flushed bright red.
"Oh...n-no, he is just a good friend." He felt his face so hot that he feared if she checked his temperature that she would demand he stay, but the nurse's warm laughter eased away his tension.
"Forgive me. He is just very handsome, I figured it would take a man very handsome to win such a sweet thing as you." Her warm palm touched his cheek as if she praised a child, and to that Jem smiled as well.
"Actually, he belongs to me." Spoke another voice from the door, and Camille sauntered in the room like the deadly leather wearing panther that she was. Her blond hair whipped between her shoulder blades, and her accusing eyes cut through the nurse when she came around the bed. The nurse handed Jem the paper work to continue on her rounds, but left with promises he believed in that he could go home. Camille's heavy steps moved around the side of the bed to quickly smack Magnus' leg,
"Wake up." She barked at him in her monotone voice that seemed to pull her ruby red lips back over pearly white teeth that were as deadly as the poison on her kiss, "Your Prince is on TV."
Magnus was startled and gripped Jem's arm until he realized where he was, but it was Jem who smiled down at him, Camille had taken a seat to flip on the television while they all settled to watch Alec on the television set.
"I ask for a truce. I ask that for both sides to stand down, and I command only your patience. I will give shelter to those who are without, food to those who are starving, and a life to those who are without. I…" Alec's voice paused as he looked up from his hands to the crowd again, "I can't take back what was done. I can't give you back your fathers, your mothers, or the loves that were lost. But I can promise you the security that I will not let you fall."
Magnus covered his mouth with the tips of his fingers, and when the camera panned away from the thousands of faces it closed in on Alec—his heart soared. Look at him…he thought, how beautiful. So this was where he had to go? Somewhere Magnus couldn't follow, but into a world he fully understood. In many ways the forgotten had made him their King, and he accepted the role fully. However, watching Alec now made him realize that even he could wear a crown quite the same.
"You should go down there," Jem spoke having stood up to dress, and when Magnus turned to see the half naked boy pull his shirt on he knew he was right. Camille could stay with Jem, and together they could make their way down when he was finally released. But Magnus was afraid, of what he wasn't certain, but it was a very deep real fear. Yet, it was easy to go once he gave himself the push.
The city had transformed again, the stone streets vacant like this made Magnus think of the Underground. He was reminded in how lonely it felt separated from the surface, but with the late afternoon sun sinking further through the tall buildings it cast an eerie orange glow over what was left of London. Yet, it was not the darkness that kept him from the rest, but the truth in Alec's words as they echoed through the lonely streets. Every step that carried him to the square caused his heart to pound, and along the way he felt frozen unwilling to go any further.
"Together we can rebuild this city like that of our future, and secure within each other faith that we shall never fall again."
Alec's words were so beautiful, and spoken like a true King. Quietly at first, the words of the young Prince moved him, and the tears that came fell like rain as he took refuge on the stone stairs of one of the many cathedrals ruined by the war. Those who had taken refuge in the Underground had come to call these skeleton churches home, and clung to the symbols associated with their faith. At first Magnus had not noticed them, blood and fire had stained the stone walkways, but from the ash those forgotten started to rise.
"He said food," A voice came from behind Magnus as a young mother with her mix raced son moved from the rubble, "He will provide us with shelter." Spoke another face that came from the dark, and slowly one by one Magnus watched as the tattered souls of his once outcast kingdom started to make their way to the square.
"What if it is a trick?" It broke Magnus' heart to see the doubt, but what amazed him most was that not a single one of his once faithful subjects recognized him. Had he changed that much? His silence kept him invisible, but the desire was there to ease them along. They would come to love Alec, the whole world would; how could anyone not? However, he had led them under, but this moment belonged to Alec to lead them out. He loved Alec, and trusted him to do what was right. Their love would never be enough, but there was so much of him that just simply couldn't give up. Yet Magnus, couldn't face the crowd, and quietly slipped inside what was left of the tormented cathedral. However, he wouldn't get very far.
Their hands were gentle at first, but the solid weight of them were reassuring as in the dark entry way they reached for him.
"You are alive." A woman's soft words broke his heart, but it was the sorrow there in her eyes that claimed him. She had worried, and upon looking around at all of the refugees from the Underground it was clear they all had almost given up on him. "Everyone look. It's Magnus! He is alive!" They came at him slowly with open arms, and smiles relieved to see him standing there like a phantom in the archway of the door. "We were so afraid." One by one they gathered, the last more willing than the first to show their respects.
At first he wanted to question them, to call them out on hiding even now as the Prince was offering peace, but seeing the fear on their faces it was clear they had truly suffered too much to trust so blindly that of a governing official. But Alec was different—how did he convince them? Their children were starving, and each pair of lost eyes seemed so haunted.
"Where do we go now, Magnus?" Looking around he took a deep breath, and ran a hand through the soft hair of one of the children attached to his leg unwilling to let go. Guilt hit him hard that he had been dreaming warm in his love's arms while still the Underground suffered with no place to go, but this was it was it not? This was their chance to step out into the sun.
"Go…" Magnus said to the few able men, "Go gather everyone you can. Tell them its time. Tell them we will make our final stand. If what he promises is true, than we will make him swear it." With that hope did rise, and the many hearts pounding as one inside the cathedral started to move to follow their King once more.
The first thing Camille always noticed about Jem when he was pleased was the way his silver eyes seemed to light up like the brightest side of the moon. It was a pale color that made his lashes seem as black as Isabelle's, and his skin like snow. However, now what truly caught her heart was his smile, and the way his steps were absently taking him to the one place he longed for the most.
"Jem, the town square is this way." Camille quipped wrapping her long fingers in the bend of his arm, and that little action brought him back down.
"Oh, I know. I'm just…" He stretched to the top of his toes to look over the stone wall that had always divided the town into districts, and the university's bell tower was still there; still standing tall-like Jean-Luc, but it had been damaged a little during the fire. "I'm just excited is all." When the breeze pushed at him, his white hair brushed across his cheek, but Camille rolled her fingers back to brush it behind his ear.
"Go on, just come to the square when you are finished?" That was all Camille needed to say, and Jem gave a small nod to eagerly slip to the clock tower where Jean-Luc's office had always been—his heart soaring with wings far too excited to stop.
A/N: Omg…she updated! What! Guys…I have been a mess, and absolute mess. With work busier than it has ever been with Murder Trial after Murder Trial (serious two in one month, we normally only have one a year.) I've gone home in tears many times. On top of that while in DC for a much needed girls weekend out my phone was stolen. I've been super stressed, and so busy that I hardly have time to even eat. Plus my own father is facing felony charges, my half siblings have been living with me because our dad beat up their mom. (all is well now) So for this, I've wanted to say I'm sorry. If you follow me on Twitter you've known what has happened, but there wasn't a way to tell all of you. I guess I could have thrown up Author's Notes, but I know I get sooooo upset when I wait and wait and wait for a fic and it turns out to be an AN. So there might be two more chapters depending on how long the end runs, because I didn't get to cover HALF the stuff I wanted to.
I also am not pleased with this chapter, but I wanted to give you SOMETHING. I wanted to let you know what was going on, and that things are FINALLY calming down. Ky didn't get a chance to Beta this one because our emails are fail, so if you see something wrong holla. Plus go read her other fic, it's so cute.
The Poem Jem 'Writes' was actually written by SeptemberEnds for this fic. She…is amazing! That was in my inbox on a day that I was very heartbroken and made my day. Also check my profile over the next few days to see some killer art that was inspired by this fic. I love you all sooooooo much.
Things have been really really really really hard, so love me? –hugs- Thank you all.