"Do you remember that time when Jace went to Paris for a month?"
"Fuck yes. I was absolutely miserable. So were you, if I am not wrong."
"Yup. I had just broken up with my first serious boyfriend and all I wanted do was rant, but you were useless in the love department. You kept telling me it was my fault for dating a Downworlder."
"Clearly, a lot of things have changed." Alec said with a chuckle as he passed the bottle of vodka back to his sister.
The brother sister duo were currently sitting on the roof of the Institute passing the bottle back and forth and reminiscing about days past. It had been a week since they got the news of Jace's return and yet no further information had yet been communicated. Fed up, and a little heart broken, the two had found solace in each other as they usually did.
"But you know the one thing I hope would never change?" Izzy asked looking at the New York skyline, so bright even in the middle of the night.
Alec turned to look at his sister, silent question in his eyes.
"Us. I mean you and me and Jace."
"We won't. No matter what happens we will always, always be there."
Izzy remained silent as she took another sip from the bottle and gazed at the city beneath them.
"I have these nightmares," she continued, "ever since that day when Jace, you know. Of you screaming out in pain, falling to the floor unable to feel him through your bond. That was the first time I saw you show that you were in pain. All my life you were my big brother, stoic and strong and invincible. To see you like that was the worst kind of wake up call. In these dreams of mine, everything is exactly the way it happened except when we reach Idris, Jace is already gone. Clary didn't make a wish and we lost everything. I see the scene play out every night and I always wake up a little more broken."
Alec sighed. If he had it his way no one would ever, ever hurt his siblings again. Not the Clave, not Valentine and his demonic son, not even his parents.
"I have gone and ruined the mood now, haven't I?" Izzy asked as she kept the bottle down.
It took a moment for Alec to realise that Izzy was speaking again.
"No, its just sometimes I wish things could go back to the way they were, before we ever met Clary."
"Me too. But then I see you with Magnus, remember Jace's smile when he and Clary finally kissed, listen to Simon going on and on about something and I think maybe it was all worth it."
Now that was a sentiment Alec could agree with. All the pain, all this suffering, he would go through it all over again if it meant he could have Magnus. Just kiss him once, hold him for one more night.
Hell, even Clary had started to grow on him. The poor girl had been out of her mind with worry for Jace. Not finding any other outlet for her angst, she had put it all into her training. Six months later, she was a damn good Shadowhunter. And Alec was fucking proud of her.
"I still think you and Simon are a weird couple. But if he makes you happy, I guess it's okay." Alec said, looking at his sister with a teasing grin. Desperately trying to make he smile.
"He does. I don't know how or why it happened, but I really like him."
"You deserve it Iz. You really do."
Izzy just hummed in the response. He didn't know how long the two of them sat there, soaking up each other's presence. But it was Isabelle who broke the quiet once again.
"I miss him so much, Alec."
"Me too."
"When we were children, Jace and I used to sneak on the roof sometimes. We never told you, we knew you wouldn't approve of it. He taught me pretty much everything about the stars and the constellations. But there was one thing he said that stayed with me all these years."
Alec smiled. He had known about these little night time talks. Jace had invited him, but he had (as his sister has guessed) been too worried about breaking the rules so he had declined. All these years later he was happy about his decision. Happy that Jace and Izzy got to share something so special.
"What's that?" he asked.
"Jace told me the difference between True North and Cardinal North."
"And what is the difference?"
It was only after he got no answer for a few minutes that he realized : Izzy was no longer listening. Rather, she was looking at something (or someone) behind Alec and looking at her eyes Alec was worried she was about to start crying. And when the new person started speaking, Alec was worried that he might start crying as well.
"The difference between the two is that Cardinal North is just a direction on the map. True North, is very simply put, home."
And as Alec turned and saw Jace kissing Izzy's forehead and wiping away her tears, he realised he was looking at his True North.