I was stuck on this AU Malec's backstory. Then an idea popped into my head and after a research rewatch of The Mortal Cup, I was ready to get back to business on this fanfic.

Enjoy.

xxxxxxxxxx

Max glares at the laptop's screen.

AU!Magnus reaches over and squeezes his hand, "Max, it's okay."

Max shakes his head, "No, it's not. The timeline says you and Alec are in Florida, right now." He looks around, "This looks like the loft in Brooklyn to me."

AU!Alec smiles, "I'm still trying to process what happened."

AU!Magnus holds him tight, "Me too."

After holding each other a little longer, they went into the bathroom, so AU!Alec could see his new rune. Then they walked hand in hand into the kitchen. Max was at the table, typing on his laptop. While AU!Alec filled mugs with coffee, AU!Magnus spread cream cheese on bagels. Max refused a bagel but accepted a mug with a smile. His AU!fathers ate while he tried to figure out what was going on.

Its been over an hour since he first looked at the timeline in his world, and it hasn't changed. He taps on the keyboard as a portal opens by the front door. Magnus is back. He walks over to the table and hands Max his phone.

Max puts it next to the laptop, "How's Mikey?"

Magnus smiles, "He took a nap, now he's eating a plate of pasta bigger than him."

Max giggles, "Good."

AU!Magnus starts to get up, but Magnus shakes his head. AU!Magnus smiles, "Coffee? Bagel?"

Magnus laughs, "I'll get coffee." He gets a mug from the cabinet and fills it. He walks back to the table and sits next to Max, "So who are we going after?"

Max glares at the laptop, "Nobody."

"Nobody? What do you mean, nobody? Four warlocks are responsible for indirectly hurting Alec."

"I know Poppa, but the timeline says that Alec is fine and that they are in Florida right this very minute."

"Obviously, that's wrong, blueberry."

"Dah, Poppa." Max rolls his eyes as he pushes the laptop away.

Magnus finishes his coffee and sets the empty mug on the table. He taps on it absently as he thinks, "Okay, let's go at this a different way. So, you followed Alec through Central Park, right?"

AU!Magnus looks confused, "When?"

"When he was a boy."

AU!Magnus shakes his head, "No, why would I do that?"

"Because you were keeping him safe."

"When he was a boy?"

Magnus nods, "Yes. I've been watching over my Alec, and Mikey's Magnus became Protector of his Alec, when they were seven."

AU!Magnus shakes his head, "I didn't know Alec when he was a child."

Max sighs, "Try again, Poppa."

Magnus nods, "Okay, you met for the first time at the club?"

AU!Alec and AU!Magnus both nod.

AU!Magnus smiles, "It was instant."

Max giggles, as Magnus nods, "To finally look into his eyes and know he was the one."

"Yes, Clary says we just stared at each other."

Max looks at his father confused as Magnus asks, "Clary?"

AU!Alec nods, "Yes, I went after her. She bumped into Magnus..."

Magnus interrupts, "She bumped into me at the Pandemonium."

"Right, that is when I met Magnus for the first time."

Max looks at his father, "Poppa, what's the Pandemonium?"

Magnus sits back in the chair, "It's a club that I own."

"You own a club, Poppa?"

"Yes, Max. That's not the point, I didn't see Alec there."

AU!Magnus nods, "He, Jace and Izzy followed a shapeshifter inside. Clary somehow ended up in the middle of the action."

AU!Alec continues, "She ran out the room, I told Jace and Izzy to clean up, while I went after her. She bumped into Magnus."

"As I was looking at her, I heard somebody say behind me, 'this is official business'. I turned around, ready to yell at the ShadowHunter who dared to give me orders in my club. And got struck dumb by a pair of beautiful hazel eyes."

Max giggles as Magnus shakes his head, "Okay, that didn't happen with Alexander and I. But you said that you could sense each other."

AU!Magnus nods, "As I was looking at Clary, I could feel a calmness come over me, but I couldn't focus on it. Only when I turned around and saw Alec did I realize that the stress of the day was gone."

AU!Alec nods, "Clary told me later on, that we stared at each other for a good five minutes, until she got worried and tugged on my sleeve. I knew that Jace and Izzy had to be nearby, so ..." He looks down at his hands. AU!Magnus lifts his chin gently, and kisses him.

Magnus nods, "My Alec also had to hide his feelings for me at the beginning. Not only from everybody, but mainly from himself. But I was persistent and," he holds up his hand, "I got my man."

Max giggles, "Poppa was very persistent."

Magnus continues, "After bumping into Clary, she left and I went back to my party. I later heard that ShadowHunters had been in the club after a shapeshifter, but I didn't see them." Magnus shakes his head, "How did I not feel him there?"

Max shrugs, "Maybe you were too stressed to realize he was nearby? Or he never got close enough for you to sense him."

Magnus nods, "It's possible, Max. Not that it matters at this point."

Max giggles, "No Poppa, it doesn't."

"Okay, moving on. So do you know Lydia Branwell?"

AU!Alec nods, "Yes, she was the Head of the California Institute. She retired some time ago."

"Was she appointed envoy here?"

AU!Alec nods, "Yes, back when Valentine was looking for the Mortal Cup."

"My Alec almost married her."

AU!Magnus laughs, "By the time she got here, Alexander and I were already a couple."

Max giggles, "Poppa, guess you were the only one who had to fight for Daddy."

Magnus rolls his eyes at his son, "I didn't have to fight for him, Max."

"Whatever, Poppa."

"Whatever, Max." He looks at AU!Alec, "When did you pick Magnus over duty?"

"The forsaken attack."

Max's eyes go cold, "Hodge."

AU!Alec nods.

AU!Magnus holds his husband's hand, "I almost lost Alexander."

Magnus looks at him, confused, "Lost him? My Alec was only scratched on his arm."

"The forsaken bit into Alexander's shoulder. I was able to stop the infection from reaching his heart. That is the only reason I was allowed to stay by his side, to help heal him. Otherwise Robert would have tossed me out the Institute."

Max sniffs, "Robert, being a pain in the ass in every world."

AU!Magnus weakly smiles as he holds AU!Alec's arm tight, "After his fever broke and he started to recover, I come home to shower and get some sleep. I returned to the Institute to check on him and stood by the door to his room. I was afraid to just walk in, so I waited."

AU!Alec kisses him, "I woke up and Izzy was there. She told me that Magnus had fought tooth and nail to stay by my side, and how close I came to dying. It dawned on me that I could have died without telling him how I really felt. I would have died without being true to myself. I walked out my room and you were there." He kisses Magnus again.

AU!Magnus smiles, "He grabbed my shirt and kissed me as I held him around the waist. I heard a gasp behind us. It was Maryse and Robert."

Magnus nods, "Been there, done that, got the dirty looks, didn't care."

Max giggles, "Another awesome kiss."

AU!Magnus continues, "Maryse looked at us with disgust, then walked away. But Robert. There was a look in his eyes, that made me push Alexander behind me. I bought magic to my fingertips and waited to see what he would do. Izzy came running out of Alec's room and got in front of me. I guess Robert knew he was outnumbered, so he left."

AU!Alec nods, "Mom eventually accepted Magnus. But Dad went to his grave hating the man that I love."

Max sniffs, "Sucks to be Robert."

Magnus asks, "How did he die?"

"Heart attack almost twenty-five years ago."

Max sniffs, "Natural causes? Shit."

AU!Magnus nods, "After Alec took over as Head, Robert and Maryse got a divorce. Robert moved to Vermont."

Magnus laughs, "Vermont?"

AU!Alec nods, "Yes, it seemed strange to us as well. But we never heard from him again, until we got word that he was dead."

"Did you see the body?"

"Yes, we had him shipped back here for the ceremony."

"Interesting."

Max taps the laptop's keyboard, "Whatever, but that doesn't explain why the timeline is wrong."

Magnus looks around, "Maybe it's not 'wrong', maybe it's glamoured."

"Glamoured? Why?"

"Because the warlocks that blocked Alec's love rune from appearing, are still alive and they don't want you interfering."

AU!Magnus holds his husband's hand tight, "But I went looking for Max."

Magnus nods, "True, but if Max had seen Alec dying, he would have shown up a long time ago."

Max nods, "I do remember seeing that you and Alec had retired and were travelling, so I stopped checking on you."

"When Alec got sick, they glamoured the timeline so that Max would have no reason to come here."

AU!Alec asks, "How do we find out who they are?"

"In order for them to block the love rune from ever appearing, they had to get to you before you had any reason to cross paths with Magnus."

Max nods, "Like when he was a baby."

Magnus nods, "Exactly. But your Daddy said they lived in Idris when he was born. It had to happen once Robert took over as Head because even he couldn't get four warlocks into Idris without being questioned."

AU!Alec nods, "We moved to New York when I was four."

Max starts typing as Magnus nods, "Same with my Alexander."

"But I don't remember all those warlocks being around me as a child."

"You wouldn't, since they would probably erase it from your memory."

Max's eyes narrow as he looks at the laptop's screen, "I think I got something, Poppa. When Alec was almost five, there was a Warlock Council Meeting in the Institute."

AU!Magnus thinks, "That would be around 1999. I was High Warlock, I don't remember any meetings here."

Max nods, "You weren't there. Lamar, Zachary, Gilbert and Ivan were the only warlocks Robert sent fire messages to."

Magnus sniffs, "Lamar and Zachary, no surprise there. Gilbert? Why does that sound vaguely familiar?"

"He's the one that glamoured himself as you, Poppa."

Magnus' eyes narrow, "Right, when you went to Maxine's fathers for help."

"Yes, that asshole. But who's Ivan?"

"Another low level warlock who wants to be somebody."

"All he is going to be is dead."

AU!Magnus asks, "Where was Maryse?"

"She was in Idris for a meeting with the Clave."

Magnus nods, "This way she won't ask why Robert is summoning warlocks to the Institute to 'meet' with his son."

AU!Alec looks from Magnus to Max, "What did they do to me?"

Magnus leans back, "A very powerful spell to keep the love rune from appearing after you and Magnus meet."

Max nods, "If they can't stop you from meeting, they figured out something else that will keep you from living happily ever after."

"Yes. Alec and I are destined to be together, but the love rune is not in every world. They knew there was a fifty fifty chance of it appearing in this world, so they wanted to insure that it didn't show up. Without it appearing, Alec dies and he stays dead."

AU!Alec shakes his head, "By the angel."

AU!Magnus holds him tight, "If I wasn't desperate and looking through other worlds, I would never have seen Max do wonderful things."

Max nods, "I refuse to let Alec Lightwood die in any world, but since they had this world cloaked, I didn't even know you were in trouble."

"Do we go to that meeting?"

Magnus shakes his head, "No, Mikey broke the spell, so going back in time to that meeting isn't necessary. What we need to do is prevent them from doing anything now. Oh and I guess you have to figure out how much to tell everybody about Alec's return to youth."

AU!Alec gives him a weak smile, "The current generation of ShadowHunters don't know who I am."

"But Izzy, Jace, Clary?"

AU!Alec blinks back tears, "All gone."

Max taps on the keyboard, "Shit."

Magnus nods, "I'm sorry."

AU!Alec nods, "Thanks."

There's a knock on the door. AU!Magnus stands and walks to it, as the others look at each other, wondering who it can be.

AU!Magnus opens it. AU!Simon hugs him, "Hi, how's Alec?"

AU!Magnus stares at him silently, not sure what to say.

"Oh shit. Magnus, I'm so sorry."

AU!Magnus shakes his head and steps back so that AU!Simon can walk into the loft. AU!Simon smiles at Max, "Hi," then stops when he sees Magnus, "There's two of you?" Then he sees AU!Alec. His jaw drops and he looks from AU!Alec back to AU!Magnus, "Magnus, it's Alec, and Magnus and", he looks at Max, "are you really blue?"

Max giggles, "Yes, and I'm Max."

"Okay." He looks at AU!Magnus, "Alec is young again, there's two of you and Max is blue."

AU!Magnus nods, "Yes, Simon."

AU!Simon walks over to AU!Alec, "Can I hug you?"

AU!Alec smiles, "Yes, you can."

AU!Simon hugs him tight, "Wow, you are real. Hey you got a new rune?" He sits down.

AU!Alec glances at Magnus and Max, "It's actually an old rune that was always there, I guess?"

Magnus nods, "You probably were born with it and if the warlocks hadn't have blocked it, it would have appeared naturally."

AU!Simon nods, "Okay, so what happened?"

AU!Magnus sits down, "Simon, I'm still trying to figure that out."

AU!Simon nods, "I would think so." He looks at Magnus and Max, "How about who are you?"

Max giggles, "We are from another world."

"Okay."

Magnus laughs, "Max is my son."

"Your son. And?"

"And I'm married to Alec."

AU!Simon smiles, "Of course, you're married to Alec. Who else would you be married to?"

Max's eyes twinkle, "Exactly."

"So this new, old rune had something to do with you finding the Fountain of Youth?"

AU!Alec nods, "It would seem so."

"Interesting."

AU!Magnus holds his husband's hand, "Simon, keep this to yourself for now."

AU!Simon nods as he stands, "Of course, Magnus. I just wanted to drop by and see how you were doing." He hugs AU!Alec and AU!Magnus, "And it seems that you are doing just fine."

AU!Magnus walks him to the door, "A lot better than I was doing this morning, that's for sure."

AU!Simon smiles as he hugs AU!Magnus one last time, then leaves. AU!Magnus returns to the table and sits down, "So, we go after those four warlocks?"

Magnus nods, "Eventually Alec is going to have to leave the loft. They will know right away that they failed."

Max nods, "Big time fail, Poppa."

Magnus laughs as a portal opens by the front door and AU!Catarina walks into the loft. She smiles at Max and Magnus. Then stops and screams when she sees AU!Alec.

He smiles and stands. He walks over to her and they hug. Tears run down her face as she holds him tight. She looks at Max and Magnus, "You did it."

Max smiles, "Actually Mikey did it, but we helped."

She holds AU!Alec tight, "Where is Mikey, I want to give him a big hug as well."

Magnus smiles, "He's back in his world."

She holds AU!Alec's face in her hands and kisses his forehead, "Welcome back to us."

He smiles as he wipes away her tears, "Thanks Catarina."

She nods as she holds his hands. She smiles at Magnus, "His world?"

Magnus nods, "Yes, he's our son from another world."

"I assume, 'our' is you and Alec?"

Magnus smiles, "Yes, as Simon said, 'who else would I be married to'."

"Simon? He was here?"

AU!Alec nods as he and Catarina walk to the table, "He just left."

She nods, "I noticed that new rune on your neck. Is that the cause of your resurrection or is it an effect?"

"I think it's a little of both."

Magnus nods, "Catarina, since you're here, you can check over Alec, as we can fill you in."

"Check him over? For what?"

"Just to make sure all his protection spells are still there." Max sniffs. Magnus squeezes his son's hand, "You can stay."

Max kisses his father's cheek, "Yeah, for THIS Alec's exam I can stay."

Catarina looks from Max to Magnus, "Am I missing something?'

Magnus smiles, "I'll explain as you check Alec."

She nods as she waves her hand and medical equipment appears on the table, "Let's begin."

xxxxxxxxxx

AU!Magnus hands AU!Catarina a glass of wine as she sits down after examining AU!Alec. She takes a long drink, "Okay, Alec is fine. In fact he is better than fine. He's immortal."

AU!Magnus chokes on his martini, "Immortal?" He looks at Magnus and Max, "Do you know about this?"

Magnus nods, "In the two worlds that Alec also has the love rune, after his death, it not only bought him back but gave him immortality."

"Does your Alec have it?"

Magnus nods, "It appeared just after we met." He holds Max's hand, "He died three weeks before our twentieth anniversary."

AU!Alec's eyes widen, "By the angel. And now?"

Magnus smiles, "Two years later and our love is as strong as ever."

Max kisses his father's cheek. He smiles at AU!Magnus, "Mikey's father has the love rune. He was stabbed in the Institute and was bought back to life, just like my Daddy."

AU!Magnus sits back, "Wow."

AU!Catarina nods, "But how is that possible?'

Magnus shakes his head, "No idea, Catarina. How is it possible for a ShadowHunter's rune to be empowered by warlock magic in the first place? But it has happened three times that we know of. Just another of Mistress Destiny's mysteries."

AU!Magnus nods, "And blessings."

Magnus nods, "Yes, and I thank her every day for blessing me with Alexander and Max."

Max kisses Magnus' cheek, "I thank her for you and Daddy, Poppa."

AU!Magnus rests his head against AU!Alec's, "This is beyond me."

Magnus nods, "I didn't see my Alexander grow old, so I can't imagine what that was like for you. But I saw him die. I saw him bleed out. I kissed his cold lips. I cried until I had no tears left. My body, my mind, my very soul were numb for the two hours that he lay on the bed dead. All I can say is, you survived what was the worst possible time in your lives together and you came out okay."

Max holds his father tight. Magnus kisses Max's head.

AU!Catarina stands, walks over and hugs them. She wipes away her tears, "Please tell me, I was there for you."

Magnus nods, "Yes, my dear Catarina, you were."

"Good." She walks over to AU!Alec and hugs him, "Once those bastards have been taken care of, you and I are going to have a day together."

AU!Alec smiles as he stands and holds her tight, "Yes."

AU!Magnus stands. Catarina holds him. She takes his face in her hands, "You keep him safe."

He nods, "With my last breath."

She smiles, "I know that." She kisses his cheek, "Take care of yourself as well."

AU!Alec smiles, "I'll make sure of that."

She laughs. Max walks over to her. She hugs him, "It was nice meeting you."

Max smiles, "Same."

Magnus walks over. She holds him tight, "I meant what I said about meeting Mikey."

Magnus nods, "I'll let his father know."

"Good." She opens a portal and leaves the loft.

AU!Magnus looks at Max, "The warlocks?"

Max nods, "I know where all four of them are."

Magnus nods, "Good."

AU!Alec nods, "Yes, I've been stuck in this loft for too long."

AU!Magnus smiles, "So have I."

Magnus nods, "They need to be taken care before Alec can leave the safety of the loft."

AU!Magnus walks to the bar, "I'll make us a pitcher."

AU!Alec walks to the counter, "I'll get the coffee."

Max and Magnus sit at the table. Magnus squeezes his son's arm, "Time for a plan."

Max nods, "Yes, Poppa."

-tbc-

xxxxxxxxxx

Gilbert was a pain in the ass in Deja Vu.

Ivan was a pain in the ass in Once a Protector, Always a Protector.