"It's going to be fine," Clary told him, her voice soft and tentative as if she were frightened he may explode in her face. She sat on the arm of the chair and touched his shoulder tenderly. "Do you want to get dressed yet?"

"What time is it?" he asked her, not lifting his head up but remaining desolate.

"It's half nine."

He shook his head in response. "I am worried I will sweat. It is quite warm in here isn't it?" Alec had only just noticed the temperature. He wasn't sure whether it was actually warm or whether he was getting sick. He really couldn't get sick. Not today. He had been waiting for so long for today. The happiest day of his life. But he had also not slept very well for the last couple of weeks either, so worried about the events of today.

Jace appeared in the doorway, stuffing a croissant into his mouth. He was dressed in his suit trousers and his white shirt already. Alec looked up just in time to see him enter and shower some crumbs as he chewed.

"Are you serious?" he asked his parabatai, absolutely mortified. Jace froze and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"You are going to get your tux dirty!" Alec exclaimed.

"Fucking hell Alec you scared the life out of me," Jace told him, shoving the remaining bit of pastry into his mouth. "Is he still freaking out?" he asked Clary with his mouth full, some bits of food escaping his lips. Alec was sure it would leave marks if it went on Jace's shirt.

"Got it in one," Clary said as she got up and strode over to her fiancé. She wrapped her arms around him, went up on the tips of her toes and pecked a small kiss on his cheek.

"Your hair looks nice," Jace told her with a happy smile. They were completely adorable together; even Alec had to admit that. Although he still got a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach when he looked at them and remembered how he had behaved towards the both of them when Clary had first snowballed into their lives.

Or maybe the feeling in the pit of his stomach was because he was so nervous.

Suddenly, Alec had to jump up. He ran over to the bin over in the corner of the room and threw up in it. Perhaps he was ill.

Great.

Jace put his arm around him to steady him.

"You ok there champ?"

"Shut up Jace, this is not funny. I can just imagine it now – I am going to throw up during the speeches aren't I? I shouldn't have eaten that Thai food last night…"

"Wow, ok, you need to take some deep breaths."

"Shall I get a bag?" Clary asked, now at Alec's other side.

"He just threw up in a bin, I don't think he wants to throw up in a bag as well," Jace quipped.

"You know perfectly well that's not what I meant. Shall I get him a bag to breathe into?"

Jace's joking and 'witty' remarks just washed over her now, like small waves rippling across an ocean. She was always so calm around him and such a good influence.

"Can you breathe?" Jace enquired of him. Alec responded with a groan and straightened up. Jace tried to support him but Alec just waved him off and stumbled back over to the armchair. He felt faint.

"Better go get the bag, Clary, just in case," Jace told her in a mock whisper.

"Please," Alec begged. "Please don't make fun of me."

He felt like he could cry. He didn't want to feel so scared, but he was so sure that he would mess up. He had already thrown up in a bin. Anything disastrous could (and probably would) happen.

"I need to go finish getting ready. And I need to go and make sure Izzy keeps on track getting ready herself – we don't want a repeat of the Engagement Party."

Alec remembered that Isabelle had turned up to Jace and Clary's Engagement Do two hours late because she couldn't find the lipgloss she wanted to use. Probably best that his sister had some supervision to ensure she wouldn't delay the ceremony.

Clary disappeared and Jace came and knelt down at Alec's feet.

"You can always change your mind and elope with me. We can move to San Fransisco and open a Bar and have lots of hot gay sex."

"What if Maia forgot that half the canapés are meant to be hot? Did she ask to put anything in the oven? Is she even here yet?!"

"You really do have a problem don't you?"

"Jace – I think I'm freaking out." Suddenly, he couldn't breathe.

"Well admitting it is the first step."

Jace took his hand in his and squeezed tightly enough to command Alec's attention. "Calm down Alec," Jace told him in an authoritative yet soothing voice. Alec took a huge breath and ceased to hyperventilate. "The person you love most in the world is going to get married to you today. So what if everything else goes wrong? Even if we are attacked by a hoard of greater demons this is going to happen. You will say your vows and you will mean them and you will spend the rest of your lives together and be happy."

He sounded so sure, but Alec's mind was racing. Would they really be happy?

"What if we drift apart? What if I mess it all up again and he leaves me?"

"He won't," Jace said, smiling at him. "You will be legally joined. Way too much effort to get a divorce."

Alec groaned. He didn't want to think about divorce on his wedding day.

"He won't," Jace looked at him intensely.

"I think I might throw up again," Alec informed his parabatai with chagrin.

"Do what you need to do Alec. Only sort yourself out. It's 9:40 now and you definitely need to be ready by 10:40 at the latest I would say."

Jace got up, clearly his tack of trying to be nice to Alec wasn't working and now he was getting angry.

"I'm sorry," he told Jace. "I can't help it."

"Yes you can, Alec. Stand up"

Alec eyed him suspiciously but did as he said. Without a moment's warning Jace lunged at him, pushing him backwards and he narrowly missed falling right over the armchair.

"What the hell?!" Alec exclaimed as he found his footing. But Jace just smirked at him and pounced again. Alec dodged, though narrowly, and instinctively rolled his shoulder so that he struck Jace in the ribs. However, he hadn't been expecting his brother to attack him and he wasn't concentrating as he should. Jace stuck out his foot and floored him. He landed hard on his back and winded himself, but then managed to roll into Jace and make him lose his footing too. Alec pressed the advantage and brought him onto the floor with him. Jace was the most talented fighter Alec had ever encountered, but they had sparred against each other hundreds of times and Alec, although he couldn't match him, knew how to grapple with him.

They were rolling around wrestling each other on the floor, neither letting the other get the upper hand. This battle went on for a good five minutes before they broke apart, laughing furiously whilst they tried to catch their breaths.

"Thanks," Alec told him after a while.

"Don't mention it," Jace grinned. And then he leapt to his feet and offered Alec his hand to pull him up. Alec was glad he hadn't put his suit on yet.

"I'm going to leave you now so you can get dressed and preen yourself."

Alec snorted.

"And I will come back and get you when everything is ready and we are going to start. I don't want you to panic if there are any delays. You know how long it takes Magnus to get ready to go for dinner, let alone his own wedding. But I will make sure either myself or someone else who loves you keeps you updated and in the loop of what is going on at all times. I cannot keep wrestling you throughout the day to calm you down. The guests will get the wrong idea."

"Thank you," Alec told Jace earnestly and then flung himself onto him and hugged him tightly. Jace returned the affection enthusiastically.

"Do you mind doing me a favour?" he asked Jace, finally breaking apart their embrace.

"Sure," Jace said with a shrug.

"Could you go take Magnus the gift I got him? It is on the table."

Jace nodded and went and picked up the wrapped up package. "What's the smaller one?"

"Oh, can you take that one too? I got him an extra one just in case he doesn't like the first one."

"Seriously. After all the effort tit took to convince you to get him anything at all and then you got him two presents?"

Alec bit his lip nervously, which prompted Jace to agree to take the presents all too hurriedly, clearly worrying he had set Alec off again.

"Could you also go and see how Clary is getting on with persuading Isabelle to get ready in time?"

"Yeah, I will go and annoy them for you."

Jace squeezed Alec's upper arm encouragingly and went to leave.

"Oh Jace!" Alec called after him and his parabatai spun elegantly on his heels back around to face him. "Are you going to change your shirt?"

"Why –" Jace began, confused.

"Well we wrre rolling around on the floor…"

"Ok, I understand now that was not an enquiry but a direct order," he said with a smirk. "You're the boss today. I will make sure I change and that nothing or no one shall sully me else they shall meet their doom."

"Thanks," Alec said with a relived smile and sunk into the armchair.

"Wow, you look lovely," Alec told the girls as they walked into the room, make up applied and hair coiffed within an inch of its life.

"Which one of us?" Izzy asked him playfully.

"Obviously I meant the both of you."

He was just about managing to hold it together now. Jace was right. He wanted to marry Magnus more than anything else in the whole world and the small issue of a wedding, whether it ran smoothly or no, was not going to stop him from being wed to the love of his life by the end of the day.

"You look lovely too Alec," Izzy told him. She looked emotional and he hoped she wouldn't cry. He couldn't handle her crying. It would definitely set him off.

"Thanks," he said and tried to not look directly into her eyes.

"There is only about thirty minutes to go," Clary informed him. In a way which he was sure was meant to be nice rather than freaking him out further.

There was a light knock on the door and Tessa, Magnus' 'best man' strolled in. Clearly she hadn't even thought to wait for an answer. She looked very lovely and was dressed similarly to Isabelle and Clary in a blue dress, though Tessa's was shorter and paired with a matching jacket.

"Hi Alec, how are you feeling?" she asked. Alec couldn't work out whether he may be a little bit jealous of Tessa. She was such good friends with Magnus, after all and Alec often found himself coveting the Warlock, which he knew was wrong, but he couldn't seem to help. But he wasn't sure. He certainly liked her and thought she was a great person so he often wondered whether he was jealous because he wanted to be her best friend. She seemed to have that effect on people – everyone was drawn to her.

"Fine thanks," he told her with a smile.

"I have a present for you – from your soon-to-be husband!" she enthused and Clary and Isabelle squirmed a little with delight, making it obvious they both knew what the gift was.

"Why do I always feel like I am missing out on something?" Alec sighed.

"Because you are socially inept," Isabelle observed, no hint of a joke in her voice and he scowled at her in a way only an older brother could.

Tessa held out a small, black velvet box.

"Did he – did Magnus get his?" Alec asked nervously, grabbing the box from Tessa's clutches.

It had taken many hints and the intervention of several people to convince Alec that Magnus would get him a wedding present and that he should get the Warlock one in return. In the end he had decided on something rather risky and got a back-up just in case. Strictly speaking, Alec had got Magnus two gifts but only because he wasn't sure if the Warlock would like one of them, or even consider it a gift at all.

"Jace has delivered both of them safely and told me to tell you he 'followed your instructions'," Clary informed him.

Alec fiddled with the box, his mind totally occupied with thoughts of how Magnus was reacting to the presents.

"Bloody hell, Alec just open it!" Isabelle told him impatiently.

"Alright alright."

Inside the box was a sheet of paper, carefully folded small. He puzzled his eyebrow at the three girls. "What is it?"

"Why don't you open it and see," Tessa suggested with a kind smile, though Izzy and Clary had rolled their eyes in annoyance.

He unfurled it slowly and gazed at the parchment. Dark lines forming a beautiful pattern met his gaze; it was somehow familiar though he did not recognise it and seemed to feel warm in a strange, comforting kind of way.

"Again, I repeat 'what is it'?"

"Clary?" Tessa invited the redhead to offer up an explanation.

"It's a rune," she said with elation. "Magnus commissioned me to work on it and he helped me come up with it." Her eyes were glistening slightly. Alec squinted at the shape, hoping it would make its power known but it just made him feel funny. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling just a little confusing; somewhere between a bear hug and the lightest of sensual kisses and it made his heart beat more quickly.

"It's a wedding rune," Izzy told him, barely able to contain herself. Alec's head snapped up in shock and met the gaze of three very smiley people.

"I don't…"

"Don't you dare say you don't understand Alexander Lightwood," his sister berated. "Clary has come up with wedding runes for the both of you. For the ceremony."

Alec was genuinely gobsmacked and was currently struggling to breathe, let alone puzzle out the situation.

"Well, I didn't exactly 'come up' with them. They have always existed – I think they are just very ancient. Probably pre-Raziel," Clary informed them all timidly.

"But – what – I mean, what does it mean?" Alec whispered, emotion suddenly flooding through him in a tumult.

"It symbolises marriage I suppose," Tessa said, tracing a small finger along the pattern in Alec's hand.

"I was actually picturing 'eternal love' when I drew it so…" Everyone stared at Clary, not quite believing what they were hearing. "So yeah, actually way more lame and soppy than marriage." She smiled nervously back at all of them and fiddled with a loose strand of hair, tucking it behind her ear precariously, no doubt trying to avoid messing up her hairdo and invoking Isabelle's wrath.

"This is…" Alec began. But then he couldn't find the right words and he choked up. Isabelle hugged him – practically tackled him – and then Clary and Tessa joined in, squeezing him tightly. He was completely overwhelmed.

"And this – it won't hurt him?"

He thought he had better ask. He didn't want his new husband to explode or anything.

"We have been practicing with non-permanent versions for a while now. He will be fine," Clary smiled at him.

"I love how you are worrying about him – you have years of practice drawing runes. He's had a couple of weeks. Yours may turn out to look more like a snail," Isabelle told him nonchalantly.

"Thanks Izzy – I feel super confident now," Alec scowled. He was starting to feel sick again.

Jace coughed loudly as he came back into the room.

"Think it's time," he told Alec and Isabelle, Clary and Tessa slipped away quietly, giving him reassuring hugs and softly spoken words of encouragement as they left.

Everything had passed in a blur, but at the same time he knew he would remember every single second for as long as he lived.

They hadn't had a procession down an aisle or anything else quite so twee, but had walked together, hand in hand, towards a raised area where Jem had stood, returning the favour from when Magnus had married Jem and Tessa on Blackfriars Bridge a few years back. The garden was beautiful, full of twinkling enchanted lights and fragrant with autumn flowers and evergreens. Canopies of silk enclosed them, after Alec had panicked about it raining. But it didn't rain. The low October sun shone fiercely everywhere, its light penetrating through the thin fabric cocoon and bathing them in warmth.

Their guests, a relatively small number, were all stood to welcome them and all looked resplendent and smiling. Alec would probably not remember every single face beaming at him but there was the feeling that they were surrounded by their family and friends entirely. People who loved them.

The love in the garden and throughout the ceremony was a palpable thing that one could easily feel, hear, taste, smell and see.

And there was Magnus, beautiful and perfect in a light grey suit that looked as though it belonged in a different time. But it suited him. Magnus was from a different time, from lots of different times. But, most importantly, he was here now and the grey colouring made his skin almost glow in its golden hue. Alec had to use all of his self-control to not run his fingers over every shining exposed part of skin on Magnus' body.

Words of promise washed over them both and they exchanged rings like they had planned. And then had come the recent addition to their ceremony – the drawing of commitment runes. Not the traditional Shadowhunter ones, because Magnus couldn't take those kind, but powerful symbols of love and shared vows. Magnus had drawn skilfully and caringly, making sure Alec was alright every other second. Alec took more time, not wanting to hurt the Warlock, though Magnus showed no signs of pain or discomfort.

And then there was applause and cheering and waves of noise and commotion. But Alec could only see Magnus. All of his senses were completely occupied by his husband.

It had been Jem who had practically shoved them through the bustle and into the Institute, to a quiet corner of a sitting room. Alec collapsed into one of the chairs in a mixture of relief, exhaustion and elation. Magnus knelt beside him and held his hand. He would have to thank Jem later as it was only then he realised the favour it had been; for them to have a moment alone together today.

"So how does it feel, husband?" Magnus asked him with a bright smile, deliberately turning the word in his mouth in a way that made Alec's heart flutter.

"Like my heart will explode. Like I have just woken up and the world is infinitely better. Like my soul is new and light and somewhere else. Like I could cry. And laugh. And run and run and run anywhere because I have you beside me."

"Um – ok – wow," Magnus returned with a bemused expression. Alec looked at him properly, gazing into his eyes, not quite remembering what he had just said in answer to the question. He could feel himself blush a little because he was sure it had been soppy. "That good, huh?"

"I love you so much," Alec told him, knowing that putting his feelings into words was not his strong point.

"And I love you too Alexander, my husband," Magnus returned with a squeeze. "You have no idea how good that feels to say that."

"Yes I do," Alec said with a sigh and kissed the Warlock tenderly.

"And thank you, for my gifts."

Alec's stomach dropped. "Um, did you like them?" he asked nervously. "I mean, they weren't anything compared to yours. A new rune for Shadowhunters and Downworlders to use in wedding ceremonies. Wow. I could never have imagined…"

"Shhh," Magnus cut in. "Did you not notice I was wearing the cufflinks? They're beautiful." He held up his sleeve for Alec to admire and the golden links gleamed at him.

"But what about the other present?" Alec asked timidly, in a small voice. "I know you don't usually like photographs, but I thought now that you are mortal and, you know, settled down…"

"Alec, I can't even put into words how I feel about the photo album."

Alec looked at his husband, whose eyes were glassy with tears.

"I never kept many photographs because it was too hard to look at people who were lost to me, who I didn't remember as well as I should and all I had left was a faded piece of paper that captured only a very small part of them. But you're right. Things are different now. I never cared for photographs, but now I find I want to preserve my memories of us and guard them jealously. I can't believe you managed to amass so many!"

It was a big relief to Alec. He wasn't sure how well a collection of photographs of him and Magnus, which he and Jace and Isabelle and Clary, even Peter and Paul had managed to collect over the years, would go down. Magnus hated looking at photographs and it was the one thing that Magnus did not have that Alec felt decidedly absent from their lives. He was glad his husband liked them and wasn't offended or upset by them.

"Do you have copies of some of them? Or a way we can get copies?" Magnus asked, drawing Alec up from his comfy armchair into a tight embrace.

"Why? What are you scheming?"

"I am hurt and deeply offended that my husband thinks me no more than a treacherous Downworlder."

Alec sputtered, trying to voice his objection and reassure Magnus that was not what he meant. But Magnus laughed heartily at his discomfort and held him closer, despite his protestations.

"There was this one photograph that was particularly wonderful and I think I want to have a copy of it, that's all. You know, to just keep and carry with me…"

"Which one?"

With that there was a scuffling noise outside the closed door and in burst Jace, with an apologetic Jem in tow.

"Found them! They weren't consummating the marriage or anything!" Jace yelled backwards. There were some giggles and Alec froze, mortified.

"Come on you two, you're missing your own wedding party!"

"Well, it was nice while it lasted," Alec sighed.

"Just promise you will save the first and last dance for me, ok?" Magnus asked with a wink.

"Go on! She's a joy – seriously – she'll go to anyone, even Jace," Clary enthused, passing her new little sister into Alec's arms. He wasn't sure he should be given the responsibility of holding a small baby, having no experience, but even Jace had managed it without dropping the child on her head so he wasn't about to let the side down.

Clary was beaming and evidently exceptionally fond of the new addition. Jocelyn and Luke looked worn out and extremely grateful that their baby was being passed around the party. Little Josephine had dark hair, not red like her mother's and sister's and possibly the cutest button nose Alec had ever seen. He couldn't help but coo just a tiny bit when she began to fuss and wriggle in his arms.

"By the angel that's hot," Aline Penhallow observed loudly, "my ovaries are screaming". A gaggle of guests had been watching him with interest holding the baby, Magnus among them and were now laughing heartily.

"Down ladies, he's mine," Magnus announced and came over to Alec and the baby.

"Hot?" Alec asked sceptically.

"There is nothing on earth more attractive than a good-looking guy cooing over a little baby. Fact," Clary informed them, to which Magnus agreed sombrely.

"Maybe I should get one then. You know, to add to my general sex appeal," Alec teased as affectionately swung the little girl in his arms, which she seemed to enjoy. If gurgling denoted enjoyment.

"What an excellent idea," Magnus told him with a wink, startling him so much he almost fell over and started to stammer. "Let's have a go then."

Alec passed the baby over to Magnus with some encouragement from Clary, trying to take deep breaths.

"Hello Josie," Magnus said in a cute, baby-like voice.

"You don't have to speak to her like she's a kitten," Alec objected, but Magnus didn't listen and spoke more gibberish as he cradled her.

"See what I mean?" Clary asked him. "Hot."

Alec just had to shrug in agreement.

"Your runes I designed – mom and Luke want to get them too. Is that ok?" she asked him.

"Of course, why wouldn't it be?" Alec told her with a fond smile.

She seemed relieved and then laughed at Magnus' play with her little sister.

Alec looked – properly looked- at Magnus and little Josie Graymark and he could swear his heart melted there and then. He wouldn't have described it as 'hot', but something about the image made him want to hold on to something for risk of his insides doing a flip and throwing him off balance.

"How is the wolf situation?" Magnus asked, which Alec felt was a little insensitive. He saw Clary visibly flinch, but then she just sighed heavily and reached up to hold her sister's tiny hand.

"There have been signs. No changes though and we have had a full moon since she was born," Clary informed them.

"She looks to me like she will make a completely fearsome, total kick-ass werewolf. And if not, she will make a completely fearsome, total kick-ass Shadowhunter," Magnus said whilst rocking Josie rhythmically up and down.

"I know it shouldn't matter. But lycanthropy is a disease and she will either have it or not. And if she has it then that means she can't be a Shadowhunter."

It was actually heart-breaking to see Clary so distressed over this – the one person he knew whose advocacy for Downworlders was always so resolute and firm. But she had a point. Unlike other Downworlders werewolves were not strictly a 'race'. Lycanthropy was an old demon-origin disease that could affect all humans. It was the same as vampirism. Only, werewolves could lead relatively normal lives and have children, who may or may not have inherited the disease from their parent. And suffering from lycanthropy meant your blood was affected. Even Nephilim blood was not strong enough to fend off the symptoms and Shadowhunters affected with the condition could not accept runes of any kind.

So if baby Josie had inherited her father's lycanthropy, she would not be able to be a Shadowhunter.

"Well I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing," Magnus said, finally handing back Josie to her big sister. "Tradition and heritage are very fine things indeed. But one needs neither for a good and wonderful life. She is loved and that is the main thing. And with all of the changes in the laws now, she will not grow up without Nephilim influence. Her mother has a Shadowhunter heritage. Her sister is a Shadowhunter. Her father used to be one. She is the lucky one in all of this. She will also have a Downworlder heritage whether she changes or not, and she will have a family who are united and who love her, no matter who she is."

Clary smiled, but Alec could tell she wasn't entirely convinced.

"Well, she is great. Very cute," Alec told the red-head, totally aware of how lame he sounded but not really knowing what else to say.

"Are you still talking babies over here?" Jace asked as he sauntered over to them.

"No – Josie has just been charming everyone that's all. Want to hold?" Clary asked her fiancé.

"Am I allowed to decline without causing you and my future in-laws offense?"

Clary shook her head triumphantly and handed Jace the baby. He seemed comfortable enough with her, as if he had handled her a lot, which he probably had.

"You may want to go and have a look what is currently occurring on the dancefloor," Jace told Alec with a conspiring air.

He and Magnus walked over there hand in hand, resolved to dance and do a bit of spying at the same time.

His sister was dancing rather exuberantly with a werewolf called Jared. He had very muscular tattooed arms and would have looked attractive if it weren't for all the scars and facial piercings. Even his crooked nose (where it has clearly been broken at some point) had a roguish quality to it, but his thick neck and buzz-cut hairstyle just made him look like a thug. A quick look around and it was obvious to spot Peter sulking in the corner, watching Isabelle intently and with a good amount of anger. It was a little unnerving.

And then Peter was on his feet and on the dancefloor, looking murderous and heading towards Isabelle and Jared. But he spied Magnus and Alec dancing, hovering close to Izzy and her partner and he backed off a little. Peter took a visibly gigantic breath and approached the couple calmly, asking for a dance with Isabelle.

Surprising to Alec, his sister agreed with little fuss and thanked Jared for the dance, dismissing him coldly but politely. Her and Peter dance awkwardly and stiffly. Neither speaking.

"Ow," Magnus said under his breath.

"Huh?"

"You just stood on my foot. You are quite clumsy when you are not concentrating."

"I am riveted to the soap opera that is my sister's life. Sorry."

"Go ask her to dance," Magnus suggested, sounding a little agitated.

"Why?"

"Do it now Alexander."

Alec broke away from Magnus slightly perplexed, but when he saw Peter and Isabelle were now stationary on the dancefloor, him gripping her arm and her blazing with fury he knew his husband had been right. He had to intervene now or risk a full-blown fight in the middle of their reception.

"Isabelle," Alec announced firmly, redirecting hers and Peters attention. "Dance with me?" He attempted to smile too, but he just knew he couldn't hide his panic. Peter hadn't let go of Isabelle's arm and only did so when Alec spun her away. He noticed Magnus throwing an arm around Peter's shoulders and leading him from the dancefloor. Isabelle watched him go.

"What was all that about?"

"Just a misunderstanding," Isabelle mumbled, not meeting his gaze and staring at the floor as she stepped in time to the music.

"Look, if he is causing you to feel uncomfortable or he is pushing things too far you need to tell us. We can help. Make sure he knows where he stands."

"Oh Alec," Isabelle sighed and wrapped her hand into his. "You really are rubbish with social interaction."

"Enlighten me then," he told her warmly, even though she was being rather rude.

"Well that's the problem. I don't know where he stands. I can't tell him to back off because I don't know if I want him to back off. And I can't let him pursue anything when I just don't know that is what I want. It's not fair on him."

"Can't you at least give him a chance?" he suggested, to which his sister scoffed.

"Too late for that."

"Why? I am sure he would appreciate even the smallest opportunity to give it a go with you Iz. A proper go. And you owe it to yourself to at least try and be happy. Maybe you could go on a date?"

Isabelle laughed hollowly, which Alec felt was a little uncalled for. He was only trying to help.

"Isabelle, tell me how I can help. Tell me how your big brother can make this better?"

"I don't know what to do – I keep trying to walk away but I just can't seem to stop myself. I don't want this. Not right now anyway."

"Izzy, you're being vague," Alec told her with a sigh.

"I know and I'm sorry. I'm just not ready to spill yet ok?"

And he danced with her and held her close and tried to comfort her. He so desperately wanted his sister to be happy again. But then he knew that she felt Simon's loss all too clearly. If he had lost Magnus then he was not sure he could move on so maybe it was better to not judge and not push her into a relationship she did not want.

"Mind if I cut in?" Peter asked him. Alec looked sceptical and involuntarily squeezed his sister's waist protectively.

"It's fine Alec. I was angry before but now I have calmed down. We need to talk," his sister told him with a reassuring smile.

And he left them to it, talking intently and without anger and hoped for the best.

"So did you find out what was wrong?" Magnus asked him. Jace was now at the piano and entertaining the guests whilst showing off.

"No. Did you speak to Peter? Did he tell you anything?"

"Only how she has been stringing him along and then changing her mind and how frustrated he was because he couldn't seem to do anything right."

"The usual Izzy drama then."

Magnus pulled him close and kissed him deeply.

"What was that for?" Alec asked, unable to wipe the grin from his face.

"I just love my husband," Magnus shrugged. "Say, do you want to get out of here?"

"We can't leave Magnus, it's our wedding party," Alec returned with a small chuckle.

"Fine, but we should probably go to bed. We need to be up early tomorrow."

"Are you really that keen?" Alec asked playfully, leaning into the Warlock a little provocatively. Magnus nodded enthusiastically.

"It is quite late – gone midnight now so technically not even our wedding day anymore."

"The night is young! You aren't going to leave your own party early are you old man? Not the great Magnus Bane?"

"Stop teasing me or you can catch a flight to Rome," Magnus countered, pulling Alec into him by his hips and grinning salaciously.

"Well I have never been on an aeroplane before."

"You will arrive there all tired and icky," Magnus argued, a haste to his tone leading Alec to believe that Magnus was starting to take him seriously.

Alec had to concede that travelling the mundane way over to Europe would likely be exhausting and Magnus hinted about preserving their energy for the more important parts of their honeymoon.

The Warlock had insisted that he would organise the trip but Alec had been adamant that this one they would plan together. He loved it when Magnus surprised him, but really felt like a honeymoon should be agreed upon by both parties. They had decided together that they would spend two nights in Rome and three nights in Venice because they were the most Romantic locations Alec could think of within his limited experience; they would then travel to Vienna for two nights so they could attend the opera (Alec was still annoyed they had missed the opera in Vienna on his and Magnus' very first trip away together because of Camille. It seemed like such a long time ago now but Alec thought it would be nice to re-visit some of their favourite places from that vacation); they would then have five nights in Hawaii at an exclusive, luxurious resort before spending a night in San Fransisco and a night in LA, just because Alec had never been and Magnus insisted they go for 'the nightlife' He was mildly terrified of what that could mean, but then he would get to visit the Los Angeles Institute and see Helen and Aline.

"I'm off to bed guys, I'm beat," Isabelle informed them. Alec raised an eyebrow at her. "Wow, you been taking lessons from Sir Sarcasm?"

"Who?"

"She means me," Magnus said with a roll of his eyes.

"Anyway, congratulations and I will see you in the morning before you head off, ok?"

"Can't believe you are going to bed…"

"Believe it bro!" she said chirpily. At least she seemed happier than earlier, though Peter was nowhere to be seen.

Isabelle hugged and kissed them both enthusiastically before taking her leave.

There was more dancing once Isabelle left, as well as some dodgy singing of show tunes (all Magnus). They just about managed to see and speak to every one of their guests, thanking them for coming and were truly exhausted when they finally decided to go to bed.

Magnus made a brief attempt to be sexy but managed to fall asleep in the middle of a kiss. Alec berated him for it of course, but he couldn't help but feel secretly relived as his head hit the cool pillow and he closed his eyes. Sleep came easily and he could swear he drifted off with a smile on his face.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this one! I shall keep apologising for the delays in getting new chapters added in hopes you won't get too pissed with me and stop reading! Please leave some feedback if you have time - whether you loved it or hated it I really do appreciate knowing what you think!
The next chapter will involve quite a big plot twist and things will start to get interesting. This one is going to be a looong one! So thank you to all who have stuck with it :-)