WARNING: This chapter contains adult themes, reader discretion is advised.

Magnus' fingers trailed firm patterns up and down his back underneath his shirt. He couldn't remember whether it was he or Magnus who had unbuttoned it now – in fact, that probably meant Magnus had used magic to undo them rather than suffer any of the tediousness of actually having to undress him. Magnus' soft black woollen vest and bright orange silk shirt had seemingly disappeared altogether. Again, Alec suspected this had something to do with Magnus' magic tricks. But he didn't care. He was already halfway down the road to being completely and utterly lost in this wonderful moment and he wanted it to last forever.

Alec ran his hands down the smooth skin of Magnus' arms. He loved the curves of his lean muscles and the buzz of warmth that always seemed to linger on his body, even in the coldest of temperatures. He wanted to kiss every inch of him, to worship his beautiful body to let him know that he loved him entirely, unreservedly and unconditionally. Alec began his ministrations by moving from the Warlock's lips to his forehead and then trailed light kisses down to his cheeks and then his jaw. He could feel the change in Magnus' breathing as he caressed his skin lightly with his lips and teeth and tongue, teasing him ever so slightly and he kissed along his neck and down into the hollow of his throat. As he did so he could hear Magnus moaning his name in pleasure and couldn't help but steal a quick glance at his lover writhing beneath him. Magnus had his eyes shut and his lips parted and the sight sent a sharp and warming jolt of electricity through his body, causing him to growl low in his chest. Suddenly, Magnus was completely naked beneath him. He gave the Warlock a sharp look; the slight annoyance Alec felt over Magnus' excessive use of magic was something they both accepted as being like a game – it wasn't a serious thing and Alec understood that magic was an inherent part of his nature, but he still thought Magnus was a little lazy where everyday tasks were concerned and he enjoyed light-heartedly berating Magnus about it as much as Magnus enjoyed making sure he always did small bits of magic as often as possible. Apparently, Alec looked 'cute' when he was telling Magnus off. They both chuckled at the silent communication before Alec lowered his mouth once more to the Warlock's skin.

Alec continued peppering kisses across his collar bones and then down along his smooth, flat chest and stomach. He could feel Magnus' muscles tighten beneath his skin in pleasure and in torment, especially as he drew his tongue sensually along his hip bone. Magnus moaned unashamedly loudly. Alec loved Magnus' slim, defined hips and found them incredibly sexy. He had once been embarrassed to admit such a thing because he had thought it was more than a little weird – hips were just hips, there wasn't anything very sexy about them as a body part, it was more about what they did and how they moved one's body. But Alec loved the curve of Magnus'; gentle arcs of tantalising golden flesh stretched thinly over perfectly sculpted bone. Over the years he had gotten over this embarrassment, however, and had greatly rejoiced in having the ability to worship Magnus' hips as often as he wished.

Magnus gasped as Alec ran his teeth over the sensitive skin on the top of the Warlock's inner thigh, anticipating what was coming. He stole another glance at his boyfriend, whose eyes suddenly snapped open and gazed back at him, their colour darkened with desire and their black cat-like pupils dilated wide and circular. Alec smiled wickedly at him and Magnus' lips parted and he drew in a sharp breath as if he were about to say something, but he didn't; he simply looked back at Alec with a burning passion and breathless delight, the corners of his mouth curling upwards into a slight smile.

Alec continued to nip and lick just beneath Magnus' left hip bone and then, ever so lightly and quickly, brushed the very tip of his tongue over the very tip of his lover's shaft.

Magnus cried out, partly in frustration because it was only the most fleeting of touches and Alec continued along his other leg, biting, kissing and teasing Magnus' skin. He could hear his lover's breathing grow more and more desperate and ragged, but continued anyway, knowing that although this was driving Magnus wild he was also enjoying himself immensely. Alec only managed to get as far as his knees before Magnus had to give up.

"Alec – please," he choked out, barely able to breathe. His hand reached down and grabbed his dripping cock, trying to relieve the tension there. Alec batted his hand away and he whimpered pathetically. Only four years ago Alec would have never imagined that he, Alexander Lightwood, would be able to do the things he could do now; to render his lover completely helpless and burning with desire beneath him and to want to give anything and everything to that man.

"Patience," he whispered to Magnus as he crawled up, over his body, so that their faces were almost touching. Alec lowered his head and planted a small kiss on Magnus' nose, causing his lover to giggle.

The Warlock's hands came to rest upon Alec's cheeks, his thumbs stroking along his cheekbones.

"Patience is a virtue that I am not sure I possess," Magnus told him smiling, though he had an almost dangerous edge to his voice. "Surely, Alexander, you know me well enough by now to know this." As he said this he pushed away Alec's shirt, making him remove it completely and discard it unceremoniously to the side.

Alec brushed Magnus's lips lightly with his own in response, but pulled away before he could deepen the kiss any further.

"Tease," Magnus panted. "Now I'm going to have to fuck you, otherwise I think I will burst."

Alec tried and failed to supress a moan that rose from deep within his abdomen. Magnus pulled his face roughly downwards towards him and kissed him hungrily, with a hard and forced urgency that told Alec he may have taken his whole 'covering with kisses' thing a bit too far. They kissed as if they were devouring each other's soul, completely lost in each other, their hands roaming each other's body unconsciously.

Magnus rose to a sitting position and manoeuvred Alec so that he was straddled across his lap, not breaking the contact of their mouths. The Warlock rolled to the side, taking Alec with him and pinned him to the floor. As a Shadowhunter it was a move that Alec could have easily prevented from happening, but he liked it when Magnus tackled him like this so he usually didn't do anything at all. It was a little uncomfortable on the floor, though.

"Maybe we should take this to the bedroom… or the sofa, whichever is closest," Alec told him in between kisses. Magnus was relentless, and Alec had to force him away to speak.

"No… time… here… mmmm," was all he got out of the Warlock, though suddenly his discomfort of lying on the cold floor of the loft was cushioned by something soft beneath him and he realised Magnus had magicked some pillows beneath his body and head. He mentally shrugged his shoulders (because he couldn't have done it physically with Magnus lying on top of him at this angle) and continued to passionately kiss his lover.

Magnus ground his beautiful hips down into Alec's, making them both moan and freeze for the briefest of moments. It was only then that Alec realised he was still wearing his pants and underwear and he tried to push the fabric down and away with the hand that was not currently tangled in Magnus' hair. Only a moment later Magnus had got the hint and helped him to remove the garments, freeing his erection for only a split second before the Warlock's own body was back covering his completely and pressuring down onto his groin. The skin-to-skin contact caused Alec to emit a very primal growl into Magnus' mouth and he bit down on the Warlock's lower lip roughly. Magnus moaned wantonly and pressed against him further, as if he was answering an erotic question.

He couldn't stand this playing and teasing anymore and Alec lifted his legs and wrapped them around Magnus' waist, signalling for Magnus to continue. He didn't have to wait long as Magnus fingers, now coated in slick, fragrant lubricant (again, probably magicked from somewhere because he was about ninety percent sure Magnus hadn't been carrying round a tube of lubricant all night) found his entrance and teased at it salaciously. Alec found it was his turn to whimper and when he did, as if in reply, Magnus' finger entered him in one fluid movement. Alec even found himself sighing in relief as his lover entered him, not feeling any pain or discomfort. Magnus began to stretch him and he pushed down on the sensation shamelessly, craving more. Magnus murmured in approval into his mouth, his tongue tasting and caressing him deeply. Another finger was added suddenly, causing Alec to cry out a sharp, "Yes!" And then another, which seemed to melt his insides and render him incapable of forming actual words.

He pulled his face away and with all his might he smiled at Magnus' hovering face, before completely losing control. Magnus smiled back. He squirmed beneath the Warlock and practically begged him to go on. And then the fingers were gone, but replaced quickly by Magnus' slickly lubricated length, which entered him with a barely restrained need. They both cried out incoherently as the Warlock buried himself deep inside, the sensation of being joined in this way too delicious and wonderful to endure silently.

With an agonizing slowness, Magnus began to move tentatively. When faced with no objection from the Shadowhunter he continued to pull his hips away; so slowly and carefully that Alec was sure Magnus was trying to kill him. He moaned in frustration, throwing his head backwards and being immediately grateful his head was now resting on a pillow else he would have hit it very hard on the floor.

"I can tease you too," Magnus whispered playfully, his face attempting and failing to hide how much he was struggling to hold on to his control; Alec could feel his lover's body shaking, all of his muscles tense and barely able to hold back the force of his desire.

"I love you," Alec managed to croak out – his head was not doing so well thinking up any retorts and he could only respond with stock phrases. This one was the first one that came to him, but he thought it was appropriate.

Magnus responded to those three words as if Alec had just said something gloriously filthy: he threw his head back and moaned loudly, pushing himself back into Alec as if his body could no longer stand to be parted by even a few inches and they both cried out in delight at the returned contact. They moved together, surfing on the wave of ecstasy that coursed through their bodies and losing themselves in a primal passion as their souls soared to the heavens.

Alec had no idea how long they went on like that, because time tended to dissolve around them when they made love. He had wondered over the last four years whether this would be something that would feel this good with anyone else, after all he was fairly limited in experience and Magnus was the only person he had ever been with. But he had resolutely decided that he didn't need for this to get better in any way – this was the absolute peak and anything else, anyone else would just disappoint him. Jace had once told him what it was like sleeping with Clary, despite his protestations and general nausea. The way he described it had reminded Alec very much of how it felt with Magnus: like the word was ending and beginning all at the same time; like a pure and blinding white light had wrapped them both in a fiery warmth; like they were hurtling towards the stars upwards and beyond; like their souls had become one.

He had spun off into space, lost in the sensation, when Magnus spoke.

"Look at me Alexander, I want to look into your eyes when you come."

Alec's eyes shot open, though keeping them open and focused on Magnus proved rather difficult, especially when the Warlock grabbed his cock roughly. He fought the urge to throw his head back and succumb with as much might as he could muster. He was aware he had set his jaw tightly and was panting now and must have looked like a complete idiot, but Magnus only moaned and pressed his forehead to Alec's own, not breaking the eye contact he had demanded. He felt the pressure build inside him like the beautiful swell of a crescendo in a passage of music only the two of them could hear. Alec was lost in Magnus' gaze and his eyes swam as they seemed to melt into the gold-green of his lover's, white-hot pleasure burning through his veins. But it wasn't until Magnus bit his lower lip, clearly fighting a losing battle to remain in control of his own body, looking so incredibly wanton and gorgeous that Alec couldn't hold back anymore and let go of the world.

A wave of bliss washed over him, both drowning and reviving him as he got swallowed up by the impossibly large blackness of Magnus' pupils. He knew he had called out Magnus' name, even though he immediately could not remember it. The Warlock shut his own eyes briefly, but snapped them open again with a great amount of effort as he came and they rode out their orgasms together, their stares locked in a steely determination, holding each other as if the world had crumbled around them and each of them were the only anchor to the other in a vastness too profound to contemplate.

They held on to each other for what seemed like an eternity, just gazing into each other's eyes. Alec felt himself floating slowly back down to earth and he pulled the Warlock closer to him, finally forgoing the eye contact to nuzzle his neck. He could feel Magnus begin to pull away from him, but he held on tightly.

"Alec, baby," Magnus said breathily, half laughing. "I need to…"

"No," Alec told him firmly. "I want us to stay here – like this – forever."

Magnus seemed to comply and rested his body weight on top of the Shadowhunter. Alec loved the feeling of his lover's weight on top of him; he felt safe and warm like this and as if the sensation somehow made the moment more real. However, despite Alec's demand that they remained on the floor he eventually felt his muscles ache from being pressed into the hard boards and was aggrieved to force them both up.

"Probably for the best," Magnus told him cheerfully as he buttoned his tangerine-coloured shirt carefully. "It's getting on for 1 o'clock now – everyone will be wondering where we've gone."

Alec stopped dead, dropping his hands away from his belt buckle in a panic. "Shit! I forgot about the party!" he exclaimed, dashing to collect the rest of his clothes from the floor.

"Relax," Magnus told him loudly, arranging his cuffs artfully about his wrists and rolling his eyes playfully at the Shadowhunter. "Besides, everyone knows where we are – observe the distressing lack of rescue parties," he told Alec with a smirk.

Great, he thought, that will be an embarrassing entrance into the Institute then…

He shot Magnus an irritated stare but then smiled at him, not wanting him to think he was too angry. They dressed as quickly as they could to return to the party and Alec even insisted on tying Magnus' tie up rather than allow him to leave it hanging loose about his neck.

"But the 'just-tumbled-around-on-the-floor-and-had-mind-blowing-sex look is so awesome…" the Warlock had playfully pouted. He didn't even deign the comment with a reply, but when Magnus shrugged his shoulders, patted down his soft black vest and made his way to the door, Alec found himself glued to the spot and calling after him. "You not coming back with me?" Magnus asked him bemusedly.

"Magnus – wait just a moment – I need to say something"

The Warlock smirked and turned back to face him, folding his arms across his chest. "Well don't take all day about it; we don't want our friends gossiping too much about what we have been up to."

But no words seemed to come and, instead, Alec found himself fishing in his inside jacket pocket until he found the metal band he had been looking for. Magnus looked stunned for the briefest of moments before Alec strode over to him and knelt before him. He took the Warlock's hand in his own and slipped the ring onto his long and elegant finger without uttering a single word. Alec looked up to search his eyes, to see if he had understood.

"Is this what I think it is?" Magnus asked him in a small whisper.

"I won't lie – you kinda stole my thunder," Alec told him softly. Magnus examined the ring on his finger – the Lightwood family ring, but its shapes carved into a thinner and lighter band of rose gold, rather than the usual chunky and rather dull usual brushed silver.

Magnus looked at him, his head bent low so that their eyes met. "And you've been planning this?" he asked with a small half-smile.

"Of course," Alec told him fondly, trying to smile but finding his stomach knotting. Obviously Magnus was going to say yes to him, but he couldn't help feeling that somehow Magnus was disappointed. He hoped it wasn't the ring. He had had sleepless nights over the bloody ring. "I – I couldn't seem to find the right time to ask you and… well, you beat me to it." His stammered explanation made him feel like an idiot but the Warlock took his hand and squeezed it warmly.

"Great minds clearly think alike, Alexander," Magnus purred at him before pulling the Shadowhunter to his feet.

"And I promise that this time it's for real. I won't take this back. I couldn't do that to us again, even though I'm scared this is what I want – I'm ready," he announced, probably a little louder than necessary. It felt good to get that anxiety off his chest though it hadn't been his intention to have that particular speech accompany (and ruin) his proposal.

"Well you have already said yes to me so you can't go back now and change your mind," Magnus warned him with a mocking tone. "And I certainly won't be taking back my proposal, have no fear."

Alec felt his face flush with embarrassment over the remark, remembering that Magnus had been completely happy and willing to marry him three years ago. Magnus pulled him into an embrace. "I want to marry you Alec because I love you. I have never loved anyone like I love you and I never will. I want to share my life to you and I want to show the whole world that I am yours and you are mine," he whispered into his ear. Alec gave out an involuntary sigh and felt the tension leave his body.

"I love you too," he told Magnus sincerely. "And no ceremony in front of a large crowd will change how I feel about you. I don't need to get married to you Magnus – I want to. Because…" Alec looked into his fiancé's eyes. "Well, I don't really know why, exactly, but I do. And this way we get to show everyone that we will last, that we will go on together and that nothing can separate us. And we'll get loads of cool gifts and have an awesome party too."

At that, Magnus hugged him tightly and spun him around, laughing at his admission.

Alec walked into the training room and a chorus of whoops and cheers chorused around him. He felt his face flush crimson.

"Yeah, thanks guys," he told them sheepishly whilst rolling his eyes. It had been late when they got back last night and they had made sure to keep a wide berth of those partying late and went directly to bed. Both of them were exhausted and elated and wanted nothing more than to wrap themselves up in each other and sleep, which was exactly what they did.

Magnus had mentioned that nearly everyone in the party had known about the proposal, but this was the first time he had seen anyone since it had happened. Jace bounded over and folded him into an exuberant hug. "Congratulations," he told Alec with a bright and genuine smile. It made Alec's chest clench because if there was anyone in the world he still required approval from it was his parabatai. Jace had always supported his and Magnus' relationship and he knew Jace would be thrilled for both of them, but having that so heartily confirmed made him feel incredibly happy.

And then the crowd descended; Clary, Peter, Paul, Helen, Aline, Emma Carstairs and multiple Blackthorns who he couldn't recall the names of. The training room seemed to be a popular hang-out following parties and most of the guests would come up to the large loft space the morning after, many of whom were trying to work off their hangovers. Clary hugged him tightly and congratulated him whilst Paul ruffled his hair annoyingly.

"Come on, let's get on with training," Alec announced once he felt he had suffered enough.

"So where is your fiancé?" Jace asked him with a wide grin, emphasising the word as he picked up two crescent-shaped blades that glinted golden in the morning sunlight.

"He portalled the Consul and some others back to Alicante earlier and then went to meet a friend for coffee. No doubt he is delighting himself by gossiping about how much of a spectacle he can make the wedding day…"

"Oh come on, you wouldn't be marrying the guy if you didn't want a huge spectacle. Magnus and ostentatious parties go hand in hand," Clary reasoned with him. And it was true. The thought of a lavish ceremony and party to celebrate their nuptials actually made Alec feel nauseous with dread that he would embarrass himself, Magnus or his family, but the thought also made him feel a little dizzy and excited. Just a little.

Alec swung his quiver from his shoulder and placed it down carefully on the floor in front of him. He picked out an arrow and fletched it quickly. "I hate to admit that you're right," he muttered under his breath, though Clary clearly heard him because she beamed knowingly as Alec shot his arrow at the target, hitting the bulls-eye with almost a lazy thud.

"So will you have an open bar at the reception?" Paul grinned at him. Alec frowned in his direction, but he just smiled more widely as he hung upside down from a high rope like a monkey.

"Hey, if they have an open bar what difference would it make to you small-fry?" Jace goaded him as he and Peter pulled a very heavy-looking weapons chest across into the middle of the floor. Paul poked his tongue out at Jace and made a double flip in the air.

"I think an open bar is a great idea by the way," Jace told him very seriously and gravely, which earned him a light swat on the arm from Clary. Alec pulled out another arrow and readied it.

"You would think it was a good idea," he told his parabatai with a knowing smile.

"I'm just full of good ideas!" Paul yelled from somewhere up in the rafters, causing Alec to lose the concentration of his aim and he lowered the bow to look up at Paul tangled in rope so close to the top of the roof he was touching it lightly with his fingertips. A moment later he was spinning through the air and landed gracefully on both feet about two inches away from his brother. Peter jumped away nervously with a start and Paul laughed manically at his reaction. Sometimes, their dynamic reminded Alec a little of him and Jace.

"Did you hear that Pete? I have so many good ideas. Maybe you should listen to my ideas once in a while, like staying here with us rather than running off just because Izzy told you to," Paul told his brother, a little harshness creeping into his normally jovial tone. Peter was resolutely ignoring him, refusing to meet his gaze and had his attention focussed on the couple of throwing knives he had retrieved from the weapons chest instead.

"Ah so it's Izzy's fault – tempting you away from us with her stories of having a 'wild time' travelling, I see," Jace interjected as he tightened some strapping on his hands. Paul looked at him with a confused, rather angry expression, which made Alec stop dead and try to take better notice of what was happening.

"That's not what I meant at all," Paul said with some bite, which startled most of the training room and made everyone turn and stare at the brothers.

"Paul, just leave it," Alec heard Peter mutter desperately under his breath, shrugging himself past his brother and head towards the floor marker for the target next to Alec's. Paul looked hurt for a brief moment before Alec spied a steely determination come over him in a flood.

"Leave what? You're the only one who is leaving, Pete. If she cared about you at all then she wouldn't ask you to just go and leave all your friends and family."

"Ok, what's going on?" Alec asked with no small amount of exasperation, unable to stand there and witness the spectacle with no clue what they were talking about any longer. Trust Izzy to be at the centre of all drama. All the drama in the whole world ever.

"Nothing," Peter said sharply, cutting off Paul before he could speak and loosing one of the throwing knives at the same time. As the blades sunk into the target it was very clear that this was meant to be an end to the discussion. However, Alec wasn't just going to let it lie and he took a deep breath in readiness to probe Peter some more.

It was then a fire note appeared and startled him and he plucked it out of the air instinctively.

Please give me a call urgently.

- Jia

"This conversation is not over," Alec warned loudly, causing all of the uncomfortable attention that had been focussed on the Hawkswoods to suddenly rest on him. He felt his cheeks heat up and he left the room hurriedly, his bow still in his hand as he made his way downstairs to the library to make the call to the Consul in Alicante. Nobody followed him, which was a massive relief.

He arrived at the library to find Izzy sat on a couch reading. She looked forlorn – that was the only word to describe it really. Like one of those melancholy heroines from Regency literature. She looked up at him as he entered but didn't say anything, just returned to her reading when she saw it was Alec. And he couldn't help feeling that she would have preferred him to be someone else just at that moment.

Alec didn't say anything either, but walked straight over to the desk and picked up the black phone that was a direct line into Idris and called Jia.

"Consul Penhallow," she answered curtly.

"Hi Jia, it's Alec," he told her, causing Izzy to look up at him abruptly from her book. Alec and the Consul were most definitely on first name terms, but Alec wouldn't have just called her up like that if it hadn't been urgent and his sister was always curious.

"Oh, Alec, good," she replied, sounding more than a little relieved. "I'm glad you called me back – we received some information this morning that I wanted to share with you. Raphael is back in New York and at the Dumont with the clan."

"Oh, well, um… thanks for telling me," Alec said, slightly confused. Raphael had been travelling since the Dark War, but it wasn't really a surprise that he was back now to fully take up his position as head of the Manhattan Clan.

"No," Jia told him firmly. "I had a message come through from Raphael – he said he tried to get in touch with you last night but couldn't…" Alec suddenly felt very guilty for spending the entirety of the previous night with Magnus and deliberately ignoring everything and everyone else. "Anyway," the Consul continued. "He believes that he has received a message from Camille."

There was silence for a few moments as Alec's brain attempted to process that.

"B-b-but Camille's dead!" Alec practically shouted down the telephone. At this, Isabelle sprang to her feet, her book falling forgotten onto the floor, as if she was ready for battle.

"So we thought," Jia mused. "But Raphael is convinced. He is sure that Camille is alive. You can understand why I needed to bring this to your attention."

"What did it say?" Alec asked, suddenly feeling his stomach twist.

"I'm sorry?" Jia replied, somewhat confused.

"The message – what did it say?"

Camille's 'death' had been fortuitous for Alec because it had meant she couldn't interfere any longer with his and Magnus' relationship and the steps they both took to fix it after her involvement. Magnus had grieved her loss, but there had really been no love lost as far as Alec could tell. In a way, it had reassured him that Camille had no power over Magnus and that had helped. But really, the last thing he wanted was Magnus' evil and destructive ex-girlfriend to appear back in their lives to wreak havoc. Not right now, after they had just got engaged. Not ever.

"Oh yes, the message," Jia continued, either briefly too flustered to remember this important piece of information or deliberately trying to avoid telling Alec about it. He suspected the latter. "Well it is quite strange actually."
As if undead ex-girlfriends dying and then not dying so they were undead again isn't.

"Raphael received a note which he claims is from Camille. The note, however, was addressed strangely."

"Go on," Alec urged her, half of him not wanting to find out about this note at all. Izzy kept waving her arms around and staring pointedly at him so that he would explain what was happening and it was a little distracting.

"It was addressed to 'Raphael Santiago, The Dumont Hotel, For the Attention of Alexander Lightwood of the New York Institute."

Oh great.

"And what did it say inside?" Alec asked, not meaning to sound weary but not being able to completely help it.

"It just said 'Help'."

All I can say is that I AM SORRY! I am sorry this has taken me so long to update! I have been completely snowed at work and in the middle of attempting to buy a new house! Eek!
For those of you still following and reading - THANK YOU. Thanks for staying interested and invested. If you have totally switched off now because I have yet again taken an age to update then please do feel free to go back and read form the beginning :-)
Reviews help, although I daren't say I deserve them for keeping you hanging for so long!
As you will notice, this story is now decidedly non-canon (but only when you consideer CoHF) but I am determined to finish despite this! It may interest you to know we still have quite a way to go... But I am enjoying this departure from writing strictly within canon and I may even have a go at writing some more non-canon Malec!