Alec pushed the door to the apartment open and walked into the hallway, shoving his keys back into the pocket of his jacket. He looked around. He hadn't seen the car parked before he went in, so he suspected Magnus wasn't home, but he wanted to make sure. He didn't want to run into him.

Once he made sure no one was home, he went into the bedroom and opened the closet. He needed clothes. He had worn the same clothes for a few days, now, and he had cursed himself a thousand times for not being smart enough to pack clothes when he had left the first time. He certainly couldn't wear these clothes any longer, especially not tonight, when he and Jem were going out. He should have just brought clothes in the first place. But then, Magnus had been there, and Lewis had been there, and he had just needed to get out.

He sighed, grabbed a sports bag lying in the bottom of the closet, and put it on the bed. Then he started getting clothes from the closet and putting them in the sports bag as quickly as he could. He took all he could fit in there.

And then the front door opened.

He didn't even notice the sound of Magnus walking in, not until the bedroom door opened and Magnus was there, looking at him. Not until he spoke.

"What are you doing?" Magnus asked, quietly.

Alec stopped in his tracks and stared at him. Then he sighed and went back to putting his clothes in the bag. "What does it look like I'm doing?" he asked. "I'm leaving. Don't act so surprised."

"It's New Year's Eve," Magnus said, watching him.

"I'm aware," Alec answered. He kept his eyes on the clothes, and he kept his hands busy.

"What about our New Year's kiss?"

"Magnus," Alec sighed and stood still by the bed, looking at him. "I told you, we should have broken up long ago. All the other New Year's kisses shouldn't have happened. We shouldn't even have had one." His eyes were full of sadness, and he started fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

"If you and me were such a mistake, why did you stay with me for so long?" Magnus demanded. He had raised his voice, and he sounded angry all of a sudden, instead of sad and defeated.

"I'm selfish," Alec answered, not missing a beat. He had thought about that for countless of hours over the years, especially since he got out of the coma. "And don't raise your voice to me. I'm doing the right thing, here. I'm helping you."

"Helping me?" Magnus exclaimed. He didn't bring his voice down at all; he just kept raising it. "How are you helping me by leaving me? I love you! I don't want us to get a divorce, I want you! You're all I want for the rest of my life!"

"I'm giving you a way out," Alec said, lowering his voice and closing his eyes for a second. "Why can't you just be happy about it and take it, when we both know that's what you want to do?" He opened his eyes again.

"It's not what I want," Magnus said, looking at Alec as if he was crazy. "Why would you think that?"

"Don't lie to me, Magnus," Alec said sternly and opened his eyes to look at him. "I don't know what you think you're gaining from that."

"I'm not lying to you," Magnus said. His voice was quiet, now, and he sounded about as sad as he looked. "Why would you think I don't want to be with you?"

"That's not ..." Alec started, but he sighed and looked away. "That's not what I meant. I know you want to be with me. I still don't understand why, but I know you do. But I'm not good for you. You're better off without me, and Lewis certainly is. I'm trying to do what's right for both of you, why don't you see that?"

"But I love you," Magnus said and stepped closer to Alec, taking both of his hands and wrapping his own around them. He gave them a light squeeze.

But Alec sighed and pulled his hands out of Magnus' and he stepped back. "Sometimes love just isn't enough, Magnus," he said and looked Magnus in the eyes, despite of how badly he wanted to look away. He couldn't handle that hurt and broken look in his eyes. "I'm sorry, but I know I'm doing the right thing." Finally, he looked away and at the sports bag on the bed. He didn't remember if he had everything he wanted – he probably didn't – but he zipped it shut anyway, and hung it by the strap over his shoulder. He looked at Magnus again.

"Alexander, you can't ..." Magnus weakly protested.

"I'm sorry," Alec said, and he took at few steps forward and kissed Magnus on the cheek, a tiny kiss, and then he left the apartment.

"Why, hello there," Alec heard a voice from behind him say. The fact that he had heard him was remarkable; the music was so loud he had had to shout just to talk to Jem for the past hour. He turned around to see a man who looked to be a few years older than himself. He looked so much like Magnus that, at first glance, he had almost thought it was Magnus. He pushed away the feeling of disappointment and tried to give the man a small smile. "And who might you be?" the man asked.

"I'm Alec," he said. He would've shaken the stranger's hand, but he was on the way back to Jem with the drinks he had just purchased for them; both his hands were full.

"I'm Zacharie," the man said with a smile on his face. "And you are beautiful." Just as blunt as Magnus then, it seemed.

"Thank you Zacharie," Alec said with a small smile. "But I really should get back to my friend. I've kept him waiting long enough." He gestured at the drinks in his hands with a nod.

"Ah, I see," Zacharie said. "I shall come with you!"

"That's really not-" Alec began, but was interrupted.

"Lead the way!" Zacharie exclaimed, and followed Alec when he started walking a moment later.

When they walked up to Jem, he smiled at them. "Who's this?" he asked when they came close enough to hear and gestured to Zacharie.

"This is Zacharie," Alec said as Jem shook his hand. "And Zacharie, this is Jem. My friend."

"A pleasure," Zacharie said to Jem, but then turned his attention back to Alec, even as Jem said something about the pleasure being all his. "Would you like to dance?"

"Oh," Alec said as he put the drinks on the table they were standing by. "I don't really dance. I don't have much rhythm."

"Ah, that doesn't matter," Zacharie said. "All that matters is that we have fun, yes? Dance with me."

"I-" Alec began to object, but thought better of it. He was supposed to be out as a single guy, out to have a good night with Jem. He needed to let go. He was seperated. "Okay," he said, then, and forced a smile. "Why not?"

Zacharie lit up in a smile and took his hand and dragged him with him towards the dance floor. Alec looked at Jem over his shoulder and shouted he'd be back soon. Jem looked a little worried, but nodded nonetheless.

Zacharie didn't stop when they reached the dance floor, though. He dragged Alec all the way across the room, to the wall, and pushed Alec up against, and started kissing him. Alec was surprised to say the least, and didn't really react at first, and when he did, all he did was flip them around so Zacharie was against the wall, and he was leading the kiss. Zacharie didn't seem to have any problems in it, though. He put his hands on Alec's side and pulled him closer to him, and Alec pushed himself even closer. When they had to stop for breath, he didn't pull back more than a few centimeters from Zacharie's face, just enough so that they could breathe.

Zacharie was wearing an arrogant smirk. "I knew you wanted me," he said confidently.

"Don't ruin it," Alec said with a smile and moved in to kiss him again, but Zacharie put a hand on his chest and stopped him. Alec frowned. "What is it?" he asked.

"It's been a while," he said. "You need to check in with your friend, and I need a drink. But after that, we can get out of here."

Alec couldn't help but smile. "I need a few more drinks before that," he said and took a step back from Zacharie. "And then I'm all yours. Good?"

"Good," Zacharie said with a smile. "It's only a couple hours till midnight, and I want to end this year and begin the next one with a bang."

Alec almost blushed, but smirked instead. "I'm good with that," he said. "I'll go talk to Jem for a second, and I'll meet you at the bar." He didn't wait for an answer before he turned around and went back to Jem.

"I didn't think you were ever coming back," Jem said teasingly when Alec walked up to the table.

"Well," Alec said, picking up the drink from before and took a sip. He knew Jem wouldn't leave when they had drinks on the table, and he certainly would've stopped him from drinking it if he had left. He was completely sure Jem would've kept an eye on his drink. "He did propose that we get out of here."

Jem raised his eyebrows and watched him for a few seconds. "And?" he asked, when Alec clearly wasn't going to elaborate. "You didn't say yes, do you?"

"Why not?" Alec asked. "He's nice, and he's good looking. Why wouldn't I say yes?"

"Alec," Jem said, sounding practically exhausted. "I'm all for getting over Magnus, and all that, but first of all, do you really think it's been long enough for you to be ready to have sex with something else? Because I don't. And second, do you really think it's wise that the person you go out and have a one night stand with looks that much like Magnus?"

"I ... Guess not," Alec said hesitantly. He had been ready to leave in an hour just a few moments earlier. But Jem was right. Of course he was. But he wanted to ignore it, and just drink until he nearly passed out, and go home with some guy, no matter who that guy might look like. He wanted to lose himself for a night.

"I'm not going to tell you what to do," Jem said, and tried to keep it short as he could see Zacharie headed for them. "But I just don't think he's the right person to go for right now."

Alec didn't even have time to answer before Zacharie popped up at his side, placing a drink in front of him on the table. "You two are looking awfully serious," Zacharie said and took a sip of his own drink. It was blue.

Alec attempted to play it off with a flirty smile and looked at Zacharie. "I thought I was going to meet you at the bar," he said and picked up the new drink. He took a sip.

"Ah, there were no people at the bar," Zacharie said. "I thought I'd buy you something and spare us some time."

Alec nodded, and took a bigger sip of the drink. Whatever it was, it was delicious. He smiled at Zacharie. "Want to go dancing again?" he asked, and by the way Zacharie smiled it was obvious he knew what he meant.

"Definitely," he said. "Drink up, and we'll go."

They both drank the rest of their drinks and just as they were about to leave again, Alec turned to Jem. "You don't really need to stick around for my sake," he said. "We can just meet up back at the hotel later or tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah," Jem said. "I'll probably stay out for at least a bit longer, but if I don't see you, I'll just see you tomorrow. Have fun."

Alec's face split open in a big grin. "Will do," he said, and turned around and went with Zacharie.

While Alec assumed they were headed to the same wall as before, to do the same as before, Zacharie steered him in another direction. "Where are we going?" he asked, but instead of answering, Zacharie only turned around to face him and kissed him until they were both breathless, and then he kept going without answering the question. When Zacharie opened the door to the bathrooms, and dragged Alec inside a stall with him, all Alec said was, "Oh," before the door was locked, and he was pushed against it, and he was kissed again. He nearly breathed out in irritation, because Zacharie still hadn't understood – he wanted to be in charge tonight.

He let Zacharie stay in charge for another moment, while Zacharie opened Alec's pants and pushed them down, and then he pushed Zacharie away and looked at him. He pushed down his boxers. "Suck it," he commanded, and when Zacharie didn't move, he growled. "Did you not hear me? I told you to suck it! Get to work!"

Finally, Zacharie fell to his knees and did as he was asked.

When Alec left the bathroom on his own, it had been nearly an hour. He went to look to see if Jem was still there, and was slightly disappointed when some couple stood at the table where Jem had been. He sighed and decided his mind was far too clear for him to get through the night, and went to the bar. He told the bartender he wanted something strong, and he didn't care what it was, and was handed a shot of some kind with clear liquid. He downed it and asked for nothing.

That's all he remembered the next day. He didn't wake up next to Jem, like he usually did; he didn't wake up next to Zacherie; he didn't wake up next to anyone he remembered seeing at the bar the night before.

He woke up in a large hotel room – almost as big as his and Magnus' apartment. He woke up next to Scott.

AN:

So. Yeah. I don't really like this chapter all that much, and I kind of want to end this story with a good chapter. So. The final chapter will be the next chapter, or the one after that. I don't know yet. It'll only be a few chapters though, that's for sure.

So. Review if you like.

Lea