Alec stood outside the house Magnus was inhabiting, staring out at the same city he'd been watching every night. Every sleepless, lonely, troubled night.

But he wasn't alone now. And even the tranquil city, dark and quiet, seemed to look different for it. The pale outline of each building seemed lighter, shinier. The sky was clear and a dark navy, rather than a foreboding black.

It looked…oddly beautiful again. Serene. Like the Alicante of his youth. Peace had been restored; his memories were redeemed. And Magnus, among others, had played a significant role in the preservation of so much that he loved, and swore to protect.

The movement of people passing below, the shadows of figures skirting across narrow windows inside the houses, the occasional sound of laughter and mixed voices nearby, it didn't leave the same bitter aftertaste. He didn't feel like they were mocking him, taunting him - these people that weren't alone.

It was almost as if they were waving, welcoming him back. Welcoming him into the fold. He raised his hand, as if waving back.

"What are you doing?" Magnus asked. He could hear the smile in his voice.

"Nothing," Alec replied, lowering his hand back to the cool, iron railing. A moment later those extremely long, warm arms slid around him from behind, clasped over his flat stomach with a gentle pressure. Alec didn't tense, but rather felt his body adjusting to the embrace. One vertebrae, one muscle at a time, almost sinking into the presence of that slender form stepping into place behind him. Leaning readily into the comfort and warmth of his chest.

Magnus's chin came to rest against his shoulder, lips pressing into the thin cotton of his t-shirt. "It's chilly out here."

Alec shivered. Yes, it was. But inside, with the fire going, it was almost too warm.

Well, that and the kissing. Ten minutes, maybe fifteen of continuous, relentless kisses. Alec had struggled to breathe – though without complaint. They had somehow made their way up the stairs without breaking the succession of hot, feverish kisses, altering and angling their mouths to accommodate the movement of their shifting bodies. Even when Magnus tripped once, losing his footing at the top of the stairs – Alec laughed against his lower lip, and tugged on it with his teeth as Magnus righted himself. Even then, he refused to let it end.

And Magnus had growled in retribution, fingers wrapping around and pulling gently on his hair, which made Alec gasp. Then he was walking backwards, the warlock – his warlock stalking him towards a closed door at the end of the hall, which he bumped into seconds later with a soft collision. They kissed against the closed door for a while before he realized that Magnus had reached around and turned the knob with a click, catching the shadowhunter – caught off guard, before he could fall backward.

Then they moved together once more inside what he came to realize was the bedroom. They didn't move towards the obvious destination, however – had remained standing while the kisses continued. And fully clothed at that, though Magnus had bunched up the end of his shirt in a restless fist. At one point, he thought he had heard the seam of his sleeve tear. But if some of the threading had come loose, there was no apparent rip.

Alec had needed to escape the heat for a moment. Besides, Magnus had taken a phone call on his own enchanted cell phone – probably checking back in at home. He vaguely wondered who, if anyone, was filling in for him. When he considered this, among everything else, that Magnus had chosen to willingly leave behind – or at least, temporarily set aside for him, it filled Alec with the same…crippling mix of gratitude/guilt/awe/love.

"I was just stepping out for a second."

"Not escaping from me, I hope."

"Little bit," Alec admitted, with a shy smile. But he turned his cheek to regard the warlock over one shoulder. "I needed to regain some oxygen to my brain."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Alec's smile deepened, and Magnus grinned, glance straying from his pale eyes to his flushed, slightly puffy mouth, and back up.

"So your parents are OK with this?"

"This night, or this, us?" Alec asked for clarification – really, just delaying having to answer that in full.

"I was talking about tonight."

"I didn't give them specific details about where I was going." Something shifted in Magnus's eyes, and Alec added quickly: "I didn't think they needed to know, but if I had told them, I know they would have been OK with it. More than OK."

"You think so? They have to know we're not just sitting around playing Parcheesi."

Alec had the blank look of unrecognition. Magnus's lip twitched. "Well, if they knew we were playing tongue-twister, do you think they'd mind?"

Alec made a sound and glanced away, his cheeks warming up despite the chill. "Do you think Isabelle tells them what she's really doing, when she asks to go out? I don't think so. They don't need to know stuff like that. They just want to know the basics – where and with who, and I don't think they'd mind that I'm here with you. They'll know I'm safe...and happy."

Magnus squeezed his side in reception to his words, kissing the top of his hair. Alec closed his eyes. "Not that we're like typical children. But I think they still like to go through the motions sometimes. As if we have anything more to fear from dating than fighting demons."

Magnus chuckled. "I don't know. A week ago, you were still kind of squeamish about it."

Alec conceded the point with an embarrassed smile, letting his hair fall forward into his eyes. "Well, I'm not afraid now."

"And I love the change," Magnus breathed against the top of his head, then shifted to kiss the edge of his averted cheek, nuzzling against him.

All of the city was open to them from this vantage point. It was possible that anyone could be watching them, just as they had the same opportunity from the balcony. Funny, how the idea kind of thrilled him now, rather than made him apprehensive or self-conscious.

Alec turned within the span of Magnus's arms, tilting his head back to stare up into his extraordinary eyes.

"I'm ready to go back in now," Alec told him, partly because the warlock was blocking the way – but also because, in their present position, that would require Magnus initiating the movement first. Unless Alec pulled away – which he wasn't ready to do yet.

Smiling playfully, Magnus fisted his hand around Alec's white t-shirt and walked backwards, drawing the wiry shadowhunter along with him back into the bedroom. Alec laughed, winding his arms up and around Magnus's neck while the warlock began the kissing again.


Son of a burnt biscuit. I had this lengthy list of replies for you all, and FF ate them. Again! I want to call it off and just post the chapter, but I really owe it to you all to try again, and so I will. Grr. Sorry. Mommy and daddy are just having another spat. It'll be OK.

AeryonSun: Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed the early chapters. I'm thinking about revising some of them when I get a chance - been a while since I looked at them. Always room for improvement!

Gwinnya: Thank you! You're the best FFGF ever. And I understand you perfectly. I love that you come back so often. It's a must, if we're going to continue going steady.

Katara-alchemist: Thank you!

Awesomesauce123: Thank you. You stroke...my ego so well;)

chisora: Thank you! I like to bring happiness to the people. And I know the feeling - it's exciting.

JaBoyYa: Thank you, my succinct friend.

kitsune of the twin blades: Sorry you had to wait so long. You know I usually keep this updated daily. I've been slacking.

Romantic-Faerie: Thank you! You are spoiled, indeed. But it's my pleasure. And I hope you won't flip your top if this ever ends. If and when it does, well...there's always hope for a sequel!

Lallie Owesome: I don't think it will end this week. Or next week. I'm not sure when, exactly, but I've been told I can't stop for the rest of my mortal life.

Some Things Don't Have To End: Thank you. I think madmen typically are portrayed as giggling. Or crying. Or wripping out hair - although I'm glad you haven't suffered any hair loss from reading this story! I have been known to laugh and shed a little tear on occasion, however. And what did you think of the latest round of kisses?

Charlotte -LOVE-: I take anything and everything you can give me! It doesn't have to be a contest for length. I enjoy seeing what you have to say, even when you paste my own writing - which admittedly, makes me self-conscious. Though it's nice to know the parts that made a particular impression. I hope you're feeling better! And that you enjoy the latest installment. Lemme know what you think - no world records need be broken in the process!

jinnabun: You show me yours, I'll show you mine! No, really. Did you think I'd give out trade secrets for free? ;) Thanks for the review.

rednblack-cat: Thank you! And for the record, I admire your courage - volleyball scares me. Pretty much any competitive sport where balls fly at my face, and I know I won't be able to fend them off, makes me nervous. So bravo!

Lost-in-Thought-15: What is this, with being threatened by my deceased readers? I'm going to be haunted to my own grave! Haha. Don't worry. The pressure and the expectation will keep me going, even when the inspiration wants to take a nap. If the demand is there, I will comply.

LA-EL-AS: That's crazy talk! I 3 Malec too! What! Thanks for reading. I'm glad you liked.

xxgabigailxx: Thanks for going to such lengths to review! I feel special.

shoue: Thank you! That's alot if praise in one sentence. I'm glad I managed to cover all the bases;)

Isclanel: Welcome back! I'm always looking to impress you. In the beginning, I wasn't sure if you really liked this story or not. At times, I'm still not sure - in parts, if you're complimenting or poking fun at me. But as long as you keep coming back for more, I'm happy.