And here we are! Happy Valentine's Day (to those of you who might celebrate it)!

I'm not even going to try to keep your attention. Just one thing: while I absolutely loved the tv-show Malec wedding. I actually use the one from the books for this. For various reasons, starting with the fact that I'd just finished reading "Queen of Air and Darkness" at the time; though the most important part, for me at least, was the fact that the wedding in the books actually had a mix of shadowhunter and warlock traditions and vows, which was particularly important for me in this fic. Some dialogue I actually copied verbatim for that very reason (just adapting some details to suit this 'verse).

Having said that, and without further ado, I give you: the finale of "Hands and Hearts"!


The Union

Alec doesn't know exactly how long he walks, or even where, though he eventually finds himself at Magnus's door (which is no surprise, really). He doesn't really stop to think about it as he touches the doorknob, the door swinging open at his touch alone, as the magic in Magnus's wards recognizes the nephilim and lets him in. He can feel that same magic enveloping him, welcoming him, and for the first time since accidentally eavesdropping on the Consul, Inquisitor and his own mother earlier tonight he feels like he can breathe… What he's not expecting, when he steps into his beloved's living-room, is to realize he's not alone.

Ragnor, Catarina and Tessa are all there, looking truly surprised to see him there.

"Alexander…?" Magnus calls, immediately picking up on the fact that something's wrong. "Has something happened?"

"I'm going to call off the wedding." Alec announces, still lost enough in his own thoughts that he doesn't notice the way everyone reacts to the abrupt announcement.

Magnus blanches, the news hitting him so hard he actually sways on the spot; Catarina jumps onto her feet, clearly angry on behalf of her friend; Ragnor looks seconds from roaring in fury, possibly even attacking the shadowhunter that dares hurt his friend like that; until Tessa stands and stops them all quietly. She might barely know Alec (only met him once before the arranged marriage got under way), but she's heard more than enough from Magnus; her old friend might have made wrong choices where lovers are concerned in the past (Camille comes to mind), but the way he speaks of Alec, never before has he spoken of a lover like that (not even of that bitch of a vampire); and also, the way the nephilim looks at her friend, the way they both look at each other in fact, every time they're in the same room, like nothing exists but the other. The feelings in their eyes then aren't something that can be faked.

"They lied!" Alec hisses, he's not really looking at any of the warlocks, instead pacing across the sitting-room, eyes on his own hands as he fights to keep them from curling into fists. "Or no, they didn't. Which is actually worse somehow. They… they're actually trying to use me, use us, to manipulate the Downworld. What the fuck is wrong with people?!"

That certainly freezes everyone. The Clave lied? About what exactly?

"Alec…" Tessa calls, softly. "Why don't you explain? From the beginning?"

So Alec tells them, he tells them about the conversation he eavesdropped on accidentally. How they kept talking in circles, around things Alec didn't know, and how he was supposed to 'do his duty' (never before has Alec hated that word so much)… About bursting in and confronting the three women, and about the ultimatum he gave them.

"You said what to Imogen Herondale?!" Catarina is in absolute shock about that.

She might not have met the woman until recently, but everyone in the Downworld knows about her, and about her deep-seated hate for werewolves, presumably since wolves killed the pregnant wife of her son, ending the life not just of the woman, but her unborn child as well.

"That I'd call the wedding off." Alec confirms. "There's no way I'll allow her, or the Clave, to use me as a means to manipulate Magnus, or his people. Not now. Not ever."

It looks like Cat's about to ask another question, when Ragnor blurts out:

"Wait… he's the one?!" He's looking at Magnus rather than Alec as he asks that question. "This nephilim. He's the brat you've been dating? The one that's made you so happy you act like a monkey on crack?!"

Magnus sputters, going into a rant about how he's no monkey; while Cat just turns to look at the nephilim, then at her friend, and back, time and again, as if trying and failing to comprehend what Ragnor's just said; Tessa just smiles beatifically.

Something in the whole exchange seems to finally blow the wind out of Alec's sails, as he drops onto the nearest armchair, he curls up defensively into himself, face buried in his hands, as if trying to hide away from reality. Except, that's not who he is. Alexander Lightwood doesn't hide away from things just because they're hard. He's no coward.

"Wait, Alexander," something suddenly occurs to Magnus. "You haven't yet told us what it is the Clave's been lying about, or not lying, as the case might be."

"Is it the equality?" Cat asks, affronted. "Are they lying about that?"

"No," Alec shakes his head, taking a deep breath and straightening up in the armchair so he can look the warlocks in the eyes. "Well, I'm sure we all know not every member in the Clave agrees with the proposed changes. But that's not the issue here. At least those in the highest levels are being honest about offering equality under the law for all in the Shadow World. The problem is why they're doing it. Why now…" He exhales and runs a hand through his windswept hair. "I asked my mother, when she first told us about the new Accords, and about the arranged marriage, I asked her why now when this wasn't supposed to happen for at least another year or two. She told me that the reason Jia Penhallow became Consul was because Consul Dieudonné was killed by some members of the Circle who managed to survive after the Uprising and the trials. That it was like… a wake-up call, or something. Made them decide to do better. That was a lie… in so many ways…" He shakes his head, he feels angry, so very, very angry. "Malachi Dieudonné isn't innocent. The whole opposite in fact. He also isn't dead. He's a member of the Circle. I… I don't actually know who discovered this, or how. But there was a confrontation, which in turn revealed even more traitors in the highest ranks of the Clave. Jia and Imogen managed to call on the loyal Shadowhunters, and they won the fight. They won, but most of the Circle members didn't die, they fled. Dieudonné included. Also, apparently his last words before escaping with several others, were how the Circle would rise again, with Valentine at its head."

"Valentine Morgenstern is alive…" Cat murmurs, horrified.

"Well that's not exactly a surprise, is it?" Ragnor drawls. "Cockroaches are resilient, after all."

Cat and Magnus snort, while Tessa shakes her head with a small smile; Alec himself isn't sure if he should laugh, or be horrified… or both.

"That doesn't explain why the Clave would lie about any of this." Tessa points out. "I mean, maybe they wouldn't tell us. But why lie to you?"

"Because they knew, or at least my mother knew, I wouldn't allow them to use me to manipulate the Downworld." Alec answers honestly.

"Does she… does your mother know?" Tessa inquires, curious. "About you and Magnus?"

"No." Alec shakes his head emphatically. "No one knows. No one even knows I'm gay!"

Except… his mother knew, she had to know, right? How else would she know to pick a man for his arranged marriage? He supposes that isn't quite so important right now.

"What everyone does know is that I've done my best to do right by the Downworld over the past few months." Alec continues. "I've done everything I could to ensure that everyone is treated fairly, equally."

"You say the Clave wants to manipulate us." Cat murmurs. "How? What for?"

That sharpens everyone's attention. They all want to know the answer to that particular question.

"To fight for them." Alec explains, inhaling as he runs a hand through his hair, searching for the best way to explain it: "With the Mortal Cup lost for over a decade now, and demon attacks happening more and more often. It didn't become obvious until just a handful of years ago but our numbers are dwindling. If we then add all who've turned out to be with the Circle…"

"The shadowhunters won't survive an all-out war against Valentine and his ilk." Ragnor concludes in a somber tone.

"No, we won't." Alec agrees. "Truth is, even without a war I'm not sure we as a race will survive more than a few generations more… Though I suppose they're not focusing on that right now. But instead on the potential for war, a war that'd take our already reduced numbers and possibly drive us to extinction all the sooner. And that's the crux of the matter. That's why they're pushing for all this now. The new Accords, the arranged wedding. They want the Downworld to fight for us when the time comes and they think that this will give them that. That I will…"

He cannot even say it, but that's okay, the warlocks understand anyway.

"I won't do that, I'd never…" The shadowhunter shakes his head, feeling almost sick at the mere thought. "Magnus, you must know…"

"I know sayang, I know." Magnus goes down on one knee in front of his nephilim. "I know you'd never do that. Not to me. Not to any of us."

"Never." Alec reiterates wholeheartedly.

Which is why he's calling off the wedding. Even if it hurts. Even if it breaks his heart. He'd rather bleed himself than ever hurt his beloved in any way…

Silence lasts for a long time. Alec gets lost in his thoughts for a little while, pondering how he's going to handle things. How he'll tell everyone what he's decided, and if he can possibly do it without explaining why… He's not sure he can. But if he does, he'll be putting himself against the Consul and the Inquisitor, against the Clave as a whole, he'll stand alone… That's not what actually worries him though, no, his biggest worry is that they might choose to take it out on the Downworld, despite it being Alec's choice. They'd have no problem blaming them. Alec would hate being the reason for any trouble when he's doing what he's doing precisely to prevent it…

"What we need now, is a plan." Magnus is speaking to everyone in the room, though his eyes (his unglamoured golden cat eyes) never leave his shadowhunter. "A good one. Though let me make one thing very clear, first of all. Giving you up is not an option I'm willing to consider Alexander. Not for a single second. I'm not letting you go, not now, not ever. You're mine, now and forever my angel."

Alec cannot believe what he's hearing. That Magnus still wants him, that he's willing to stay, regardless of what his people have been planning, what they almost used him, used them to do… it's more than Alec could have ever imagined…

"Now and forever." He agrees wholeheartedly.

xXx

Alec doesn't make any attempt to hide as he returns to the Institute. It's late enough for some to consider it early instead. He stayed at Magnus's loft long enough for them all to make a plan, one they could all live with, and then a bit longer as his beloved helped him calm down, enough that he'd be able to actually talk instead of just shout at the Consul and Inquisitor.

Most people who meet Alec think him a pushover, weak even. That he lets Jace and Izzy do whatever they want because he isn't strong enough to put his foot down. Then again, those same people tend to believe that he chose the bow and arrow as his main weapon because he's either too weak or unskilled, or even cowardly for close-combat. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Truth is that Alec's very skilled with a variety of weapons, not just the bow and arrow. That one is the one he's better known for and which he chose for several reasons, most of which concern his family, and his desire to keep them safe. After all, if he can take the demons out before they get anywhere close to any of them, that's good, right? Also, being a long-distance fighter helps round up their team fairly well, as Jace is strictly a close-combat fighter, while Izzy does best in short to mid-distance fighting. As for letting them get away with things… if Alec's guilty of something it's loving his siblings enough to want them to be happy. If that means them having things and opportunities the Clave wouldn't agree with, well, what does he care about the limits the Clave might want to impose? He knows well enough what they'd have thought about his relationship with Magnus in any circumstances but the one they've found themselves in now. As long as Jace and Izzy's actions and choices don't put others, or themselves, at risk, he'll let them be. That's not being weak, he doesn't think, it's just… caring, loving his family (something he's not sure the Clave understands most of the time…).

In any case, he has no doubt that a number of people see him arrive, so he isn't at all surprised when he makes it to the Head's office to find all three women there and seemingly waiting for him (and if they think that their presence and attitude will intimidate him they don't know him very well, though he supposes they'll learn soon enough).

"This is what's going to happen." He announces as soon as the door closes behind him.

"Alec…" Maryse begins, in a tone that's probably supposed to be authoritative.

"Magnus and I will get married this evening," Alec speaks right over her. "Then we will proceed to sign the New Accords."

It's clear that all three women are satisfied by that announcement. They probably think he's chosen to capitulate… they've no idea.

"After that, mother, you're going to announce that I will be taking over as Head of the New York Institute." Alec continues.

"We've already discussed that will be happening in the future…" Maryse begins.

"No," Alec cuts her off. "Not in the future. Not 'some day'. Now. You can say that it's a show of good faith for our new working relationship with the Downworld, or just that you need to take your new post with the Inquisitor's office immediately and that's why we're taking over now. I don't care how you explain it off publicly. How much or little of a show you all make of it. But this will happen."

"'We' Mr. Lightwood?" Jia seems to be the only one to notice that detail.

"We." Alec confirms. "Magnus is to be my husband, and it's traditional for married couples to share the duties of the Headship of an Institute. If we're truly going to prove to the Downworld that we're willing to see them as equals, it starts here." His eyes narrow as he adds, purposefully: "If we want them to be willing to fight our enemies we must show ourselves willing to fight theirs as well. Starting with the inequality that has persisted for so long."

All three women seem to be surprised to different degrees by his speech, and his demands. Imogen is the first to recover.

"You seem particularly… invested in this downworlder Mr. Lightwood." Her voice sounds perfectly even, though Alec can still hear the threat in her words.

"I'm invested in doing what's right Madam Inquisitor." He retorts calmly. "You want the Downworld to fight side by side with us? Give them a reason. Show them that we're just as willing to fight side by side with them. That's the only way this is going to work."

They don't seem entirely certain yet. Alec doesn't care. This is what's going to happen, and he's not backing down, not for anything…

xXx

Alec seeks Izzy out just before the start of the ceremony. After spending most of the morning sleeping and then a late brunch in the mess hall he walked around the Institute, checking on things, making sure everything's in order. He got several congratulations, particularly from those who know him best. Underhill confirmed that he'd switched around some patrols to ensure that those known to be against either him, downworlders, or the coming marriage (or all three) would be the ones out on patrol during the wedding, to minimize the chance for trouble (which Alec's very grateful for). He knows that there are likely going to be a number of transfer requests in the following days, especially when his ascension is made official. He doesn't care, even if he ends up with low numbers, they'll be people he knows he can trust, both inside and outside of the Institute, not just at his back, but at Magnus's, that's all that matters in the end.

After that he went to do some moving meditation in one of the training rooms, followed by more traditional meditation in his bedroom, and then a long warm shower. The clothes he's dressed in aren't different from the usual shadowhunter gear (though they're in fact brand new, not yet stained by blood, ichor, or worn out by use). It's important, he believes, to remind everyone that's what he is, still, regardless of who he might be marrying. His identity's not going to change. It's also why he convinced Magnus not to tone down his own attire as he originally planned to. They're going to make a statement, the two of them, in more ways than most might expect. Which is why he goes looking for his sister in that moment.

"What is it?" She asks, stepping out of the bathroom.

Izzy, as sister of (one of) the groom(s) is in a dark-gold dress, she also plans on wearing jewelry with blue stones, in deference of the warlock side of things.

"I have a favor to ask of you." Alec explains.

"What kind of favor?" She asks, curious, dropping the towel she was using to dry her hair.

"I'd like you to tie one of these around your left wrist." He explains, pulling a strip of cobalt blue silk out of a bag he's holding. "Then I'd like you to see how many of the shadowhunters here in our Institute would be willing to do the same."

Izzy's eyes go wide.

"Alec… do you know what this means?" She asks very, very softly.

"I know." Alec nods calmly.

She knows as well. Even if she might never have been to a warlock wedding herself. Izzy's been around downworlders much longer than even Alec. She looks at the ribbon in her hands, then at the bag, then back at him. When the question comes he's already expecting it:

"How long?" It's not exactly what he thought she'd ask, but he supposes it amounts to the same.

"How long I've known Magnus, or how long we've been dating?" He asks, the slightest hint of mischievousness in his eyes before he adds, for good measure: "Or how long I've been wanting to marry him?"

As far as Isabelle's concerned, that's answer enough.

"I've got this, big brother." She assures him with a wide smile.

He helps her tie the strip of cloth around her left wrist and then hands her the bag, before turning to leave, he still has to do one last check-up of a few things, and then find Jace and talk to him about a few things before the ceremony starts. He's already at the door when Izzy calls out to him one more time:

"I'm happy for you Alec." She murmurs, still smiling.

"I'm happy too." He admits with an almost shy smile.

And that, that makes everything perfect.

It's easy enough to find Jace, as he's in the small antechamber on the side of the big room where the wedding will take place. Standing by the door to it. The blonde's holding the jacket Alec will be wearing for the ceremony; though, as is tradition, he won't be putting it on until it starts. It's dark-blue leather, with golden lining on the collar, the sleeves, as well as in the thread used to embroider runes of love, fidelity, trust and commitment into the garment. He knows Magnus has a similar garment, only made of silk, which Tessa will be holding for him.

"Robert just arrived." Jace informs him. "He gave me the ring before going inside to see to the seating arrangements of the Clave representatives."

The ring, of course. Magnus too gave back the ring at some point, to allow for Alec to officially slip it onto his finger (again) when the time comes. On that same vein Jace will be giving Magnus Robert's ring for him to put on Alec's finger. Signaling Alec's new position. It's not like Robert will stop being a Lightwood, but officially Alec will become the head of the family as much as of the Institute… not like Robert's done much for his family in recent times, already the younger Lightwoods are far more likely to go to Alec whenever they need help with anything, than to their father. That's the way they prefer it.

"So…" Jace continues. "You're about to become a married man."

"I am." Alec nods, he wants to tell Jace the truth, but isn't sure how.

For so long he believed himself in love with Jace, and it was until he met Magnus, until he fell for him, that the nephilim understood what love, romantic love, truly was like. Then he realized that while he might love Jace, he was never in love with him. Jace was his brother, his parabatai, and that was how it was supposed to be. Nothing less, nothing more.

"So…" Jace murmurs again, tone deceptively mild. "Think I could go and comfort the poor little wolf-girl who's being left behind for the sake of this marriage?"

Alec blinks. It actually takes him a few seconds to understand what Jace is talking about.

"There's no wolf-girl!" He hisses, affronted.

Jace seems actually shocked by those words, though, as Alec soon learns, not quite for the reason the hazel-eyed would have expected.

"I knew that," the blonde says quietly. "Wasn't sure you'd ever admit it."

Yet again Alec's left just blinking as he tries to wrap his mind around the implications of that particular statement. Because Jace cannot mean… he cannot possibly know…

"There was never a girl, wolf or otherwise," He says, testing the waters.

Jace nods easily, proving that he indeed, somehow, shockingly, knew.

"Alec, I'm your parabatai." He reminds the other boy softly. "I know. I've always known."

The black-haired young man feels like he can barely breathe.

"I've just been waiting for you to be ready to tell me." Jace admits.

Truth be told, Alec's not sure he'd have ever been ready, if not for… everything else.

"I'm sorry," He apologizes sincerely. "It was nothing against you I just…"

"You weren't ready," Jace reaffirms.

"I'm not sure I'd have ever been ready without all this, without… without Magnus." Alec finally admits, then takes a deep breath and reveals, in more words than he used with Izzy: "I told you there's never been a wolf-girl, never been any girl, but that doesn't mean there's never been anyone at all. It's Magnus, it's always been him."

This time it's Jace's mismatched eyes that go wide in surprise. He might have known that Alec was gay, might have been willing to joke with the rumor that Alec was dating someone in secret, he clearly wasn't expecting that not only Alec had truly been dating someone all these months, but that someone was his soon-to-be-husband: Magnus Bane!

"This isn't just an arranged marriage to you, is it?" The blonde realizes the obvious.

"It never was." Alec shakes his head for emphasis.

"Well, good for you!" Jace truly believes that if anyone deserves a love match, it's his parabatai.

A chime echoes through the Institute, warning all attending the wedding that the ceremony will commence soon. Jace pulls a strip of blue silk from a pocket (and Alec can only wonder when Izzy had time to give one to him, he barely stopped at all in his path from her room to finding Jace in the antechamber!), tying it around his left wrist expertly.

"Shall we?" The blonde asks the other boy, signaling to the door.

Alec takes a deep breath, focusing on relaxing his whole body, a limb at a time, and when he's done he nods. Time to get married to the love of his life.

xXx

Brother Zachariah is the one presiding over the wedding ceremony. Jia Penhallow and Ragnor Fell stand at his sides, representing the Clave and the Spiral Labyrinth respectively. Alec and Magnus approach the altar from opposite sides of the room, Jace and Tessa behind them. Once they make it there their companions help them into their respective jackets before stepping back and to the edge of the dais, leaving the couple front and center.

"Through the centuries," The Silent Brother (the only one Alec's met whose mouth and eyes aren't sewn shut, though he has no idea as to why) starts: "there have been few unions between Shadowhunters and Downworlders that have been recognized as such. But a new age has now dawned, and with a new age come new traditions. Tonight, as Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood blend their lives and hearts, we stand ready to recognize this union. To witness a bond rarely seen between two people, a true bond." If anyone has any thoughts on his choice of words, no one comments. "Alexander Gideon Lightwood. Hast thou found the one thy soul loves?"

It's a question asked at many a wedding: part of the Shadowhunter ceremony for a thousand years. The crowd hushes, the hush of holiness, of sacred ritual observed and shared. Even those from the Downworld, who cannot possibly know just how important such words are share in the silence, as if somehow sensing the weight of the moment.

From the corner of his eye Alec can see that several shadowhunters, his parents included, seem more than a little taken aback. It's clear they weren't expecting that particular turn of phrase, for the word 'love' to be used. It never is, in marriages known to be political. Then again, while they might not know the truth about Alec and Magnus, it would seen the Silent Brother does…

"I have found him," Alec answers without hesitation. "And I will not let him go."

"Magnus Bane," Zachariah turns to the warlock, and there's something in his tone, like a mix of joy and melancholy that's impossible to understand. "Hast thou gone among the watchmen, and in the cities of the world? Hast thou found the one thy soul loves?"

"I have found him," Magnus responds, eyes fixed straight on Alec. "And I will not let him go."

If Jia herself is surprised by the choice of vows she doesn't show it as she steps forth for her part in the ceremony: "Now it is time for the exchanging of runes."

Alec's hand trembles slightly, not enough for anyone but his beloved to notice, as he pulls his stele out. Golden-eyes meet hazel ones as the warlock silently asks if the nephilim is still sure that he wants to proceed as planned. Alec nods minutely. Many things might scare him, but not Magnus, never him. Alec might never admit it out-loud, but he's always been a romantic at heart. He's always wished for that special love, the true kind, the kind that would make him want to draw a wedded-union rune over the heart, rather than the hand. The greatest show of a True Love Match. It's something that, truth be told, he never thought he'd have, not with him being the eldest, the heir of the Lightwood name, and his deep-seated desire to protect his siblings in any way he could. And now… not only he has this chance, but Magnus truly is the love of his life…

Alec's hand grows steady as he stares at his beloved, waiting. Jia opens her mouth, probably to point out Magnus's need to pull up the sleeve of his jacket. Except before she can do that, Magnus goes to unbutton his shirt instead. The silence that falls in the room is so heavy it almost seems to make it hard to breathe. Alec pays the people around them no mind, he only has eyes for Magnus as he presses his stele to his chest. He doesn't even need to look at the rune as he draws it, knowing each and every trace by heart already. So instead, his eyes never leave his beloved's face as he recites his vows:

"Love flashes out like fire, the brightest kind of flame. Many waters cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it." His voice is fluid, strong and so, so full of love. "Now place me as a seal over thine heart, as a seal over thine arm: For love is strong as death. And so we are bound: stronger than flame, stronger than water, stronger than death itself."

The crowd is only beginning to recover from that shock when Alec's next actions compound it as he passes his stele to Magnus before, swiftly and without hesitation, undoing the buttons of his own shirt, opening it just enough for the warlock to draw the wedded-union rune on his chest as well. And Magnus does, at the same time he pronounces the warlock wedding vow:

"My love for yours, my heart for yours, my soul for yours, Alexander. Now and for all time."

There. It's done. The ceremony might not be over just yet, but with the stark black runes on their chests it's now completely official and binding.

Most nephilim seem to be completely shocked and speechless still. So it's probably a good thing that it's Ragnor's turn to speak up:

"The rings now," He instructs.

Alec takes the ring Jace offers him, as Magnus does the same with Tessa (Jace having handed her the right ring just before the beginning of the ceremony).

"With this ring I thee wed," They're rather simple words, though no less powerful for it.

"Alexander Lightwood-Bane. Magnus Lightwood-Bane. You are now married," Brother Zachariah announces. "Let us rejoice."

Ragnor and Tessa raise their left hands, blue and gold sparks shooting off their fingers to fall upon the two grooms like tiny falling stars. And it doesn't end there, as every single warlock in attendance follows suit. It's a show of support and a blessing both, and a very important part of the warlock wedding ceremony, especially when someone of Magnus's rank and status (both as the son of a Prince of Hell, and as the High Warlock of Brooklyn) is involved. Though perhaps the true surprise comes when Izzy and Jace raise their own hands. They might not be able to shoot any sparks of their own, but the move calls attention to the strips of blue silk tied around their wrists, as well as the runes for love, faith, commitment, family and loyalty they've drawn on their skin, their own form of a blessing. That surprise only grows as, slowly at first and then faster, every single shadowhunter from the New York Institute present follows suit in this gesture. It's impossible to miss they're all wearing blue silk ribbons as well, and at the very least one rune on the back of their hands, with their best wishes for the newlyweds (they might not know the truth about the love Magnus and Alec share, but they know the Lightwood heir, they trust him and they'll follow his lead, in this as with everything else).

Raphael Santiago, high ranking member of the New York coven is the first downworlder not-a-warlock to follow. He might not have magic, or any sort of blessing to give himself. But the gesture is meaningful enough in the end. More vampires, werewolves, and even seelies follow his lead. In the end even Maryse raises her hand, she's not wearing blue silk around her wrist, but Alec supposes that at least she's trying, it's more than he'd have ever expected.

The nephilim is abruptly pulled out of his wandering thoughts as he finds himself being pulled forth by the lapels of his blue and gold jacket, so he ends up pressed fully against Magnus.

"Time to kiss the groom." The warlock announces cheekily, before doing exactly that.

Alec would laugh if he could. As he doesn't, he wraps his own hands around his new husband's and kisses him back with as much feeling. He's pretty sure some people must be having a stroke right about now, but he cannot bring himself to care anymore. Who cares what the Clave thinks? They've made their choices, and will live with them. By tomorrow he and Magnus will be the highest authorities in the New York Shadow World, both for the Nephilim, and the Downworld. It should be a terrifying thought, so much power in their hands. Alec just feels excited. The opportunities that are now open to him, to them. All the ways they can make things better… it's amazing. But first, first he'll enjoy the greatest blessing the Angel's ever given him, being hand in hand, heart to heart, with the love of his life…


So, what do you think?

Thanks a lot for reading. And if you'd be so kind to leave a review/comment, I'd love it. Tell me what you liked, what you didn't, what you'd have liked to see. Also, on that same vein, would anyone be interested in a sequel? Thus far I'm on the fence about that. I have an idea for one scene, which I think would go very well in this 'verse. And yet, one scene isn't enough for a fic, so I'd need to work on something else for the rest of it, and I'd like to know if anyone's interested or would you rather I leave it as is.

To anyone who might be interested in any of my other projects. I have a pretty short One-Shot I'm currently editing, which I hope to be posting next week. The premise for that, if you're curious, is: When was the last time a Shadowhunter died of natural causes? (Anyone wanna guess what that might mean for a fic?).

Oh, and on the front of guessing. No one actually guessed what was going to happen in this finale. At most the comments seemed to imply a belief at Alec pulling something similar to the deal with Asmodeus in 3.18, someone ever pointed out that Magnus deserved to know. As you must know by now, nothing like that happened so... yeah.

Thanks again for reading, and hope to see you all around! (I have a number of other SH fics, and some in other fandoms too, as well as three original novels that are available through Amazon).