Chapter 4

Unmoved

*Copyright: I do not own the characters or the Mortal Instruments series, they belong to Cassandra Clare. All original ideas and concepts belong to yours truly.

Hello again. First I would like to say thank-you to all you lovely people who have been reading my story and keep me going. I love all of you for your wonderfulness. Secondly I would like to apologize for taking longer than I expected to update. This week was my birthday and I had a driver's test to study for. Also school decided to be one of those wonderful weeks where you have tests and/or projects in every class, and I got busy. I was also away from the computer for the last two weekends, so I haven't been able to write on my schedule I made for myself. My beta also apologizes because she had a tremendously busy week and she had zero opportunity to read until today. So I thank her for taking time out of her day to read this. I'm sorry and here's chapter 4. It's mainly the lovely Magnus and Alec so enjoy!

Songs:

Faithfully-Journey

Goodbye-Secondhand Serenade (Camille and Magnus)

Shelter-Hedley (Alec and Magnus)

Alec sat at his desk, his thoughts rushing. It had been three weeks since the beginning of school and they had already been given a test in European History. Magnus had had the idea to study together and Alec had said yes. They had decided to meet at his dorm room since Camille would be at the apartment practicing for an audition. Alec had thought to offer up the library, but had decided not to at the last minute. It wasn't that he was expecting anything but he figured it would be easiest to get to know him when they were alone. Besides, it was quieter in the dorm than the library at this time of day.

Alec could honestly say that him and Magnus had grown to be friends. Most of the time they spent together involved History but that was ok with Alec. He liked being with Magnus and he had grown to like Magnus more, everything he learnt enticing him just a little bit more. He had never thought that he would ever know Magnus when he first saw him at that tree. Alec didn't expect anything more than a friendship even though a big part of him was starting to want that. Magnus was just a friend and at that moment Alec was happy.

A knock sounded on his door and he felt his heart leap in his chest. He took a deep breath before getting up to answer the door. He opened it to see Magnus leaning against the door frame. He had toned down on the glitter that day and Alec had to say, he liked the simple look just as much. Magnus smiled at Alec, meeting his eyes. The colouring of them sent a shiver through Alec and he almost found himself lost.

"Hey, you gonna stand there marveling at me or are you going to let me in?" He cocked an eyebrow, amusement crossing his face.

"Oh. Sorry." Nice one Alec, nice one. Alec mentally slapped himself as he moved out of the way. Magnus walked in, heading for the Alec's bed on the right. Alec closed the door behind him, turning to look at Magnus. Magnus was in the process of removing his notebook from his bag. Alec crossed the room to take the chair at his desk. He spun around to face Magnus who was removing an iPod from his bag.

"You mind?"

"No."

"Good. I can't study otherwise." Magnus stood up, crossing to Alec's desk. He plugged the iPod into Alec's speakers, pressing a few buttons before the music started. A few notes filled the air before Alec recognized the song. Journey's Faithfully. Magnus hummed along as he sat back down.

"So, where do you want to start?" Magnus looked up at Alec, a strand of black hair falling in front of his eyes. Alec couldn't help but-to use Magnus' word- marvel at him. He was beautiful. Alec found himself distracted by the slight curve of Magnus' mouth, the silky dark look to his hair, and the never-ending green of his eyes. He was always finding himself distracted by Magnus. Everything he did was intriguing and slowly Alec found himself falling for Magnus. He didn't understand the foreign emotions flooding through him but he liked them. He liked Magnus.

Alec grabbed his notes from behind him, trying to come back to earth. He looked down to scan them quickly. "England good?" They were studying the very beginnings of the countries and after England there was about 10 more to go, not to mention the many they hadn't touched in class yet.

"Wonderful." There was sarcasm and agreement in his voice as he riffled through his notes to find one of the many they had on England. He opened his book to the correct chapter before looking up at Alec. "So, I guess we start from the beginning."

"…and then they all died. The end."

"Well, that's a great way to put it," Alec said.

"There is no other way to put it." Magnus closed his book sharply, stretching his long limbs as the book closed. They had been studying for two hours, had listened to everything from Journey to Lady Gaga to Conway Twitty, and had had a really great time. Alec hadn't felt this good since he got there. Being with Magnus was just so relaxing. They were able to joke about everything, which was a hard thing to do given the past two hours had been spent reciting dates. Alec felt like he wasn't pretending to be something with Magnus. He felt like Magnus saw everything he was and Alec was okay with that. Alec felt a peace and he felt a swell of happiness that he'd never felt before.

With every passing moment they spent together Alec found himself being more and more drawn to Magnus. He felt like he was really coming to know him, which is what he had wanted from the beginning. He did feel like there was something to Magnus that was hidden. He felt like beneath the sarcasm and the glitter there was another layer to him. He wanted to know what that layer was but then he knew he would never mean enough to Magnus for Magnus to open up about everything. They were just study buddies, nothing more.

Alec had managed to bury any thoughts he had about something more with him because he knew they were impossible. He knew Camille and him were on rocky grounds, but it still didn't warrant Alec getting his hopes up. Magnus would never like him like that, not for real. Thoughts like that were only for his dreams. Which is why he had started to grow a relationship with Anna. His original attraction was more than just first sight. He had grown to really like her, not romantically, but as a friend. She was a great girl and she helped keep his mind off of Magnus. He didn't want anything with her and he was happy the way they were. Alec had few friends there so he was happy he had Anna.

Alec was popped out of his reverie when Magnus' phone went off on the bed. Alec saw Camille flash across the screen. She had been calling for the last hour and Magnus had just ignored it, putting it off to the fact he didn't want to be interrupted. But Alec knew there was more to it than that. Every time she called Magnus got a look on his face that expressed a plethora of emotions. Regret, longing, sadness, irritation. Alec wasn't quite sure rather Magnus was pissed at her or if Magnus had done something wrong himself. Alec could almost see why it would be both.

"Magnus, I really think you should take that."

Magnus looked up at him, defeated. "Yeah, you're right." Magnus picked up his phone. "I'll be right back."

Magnus crossed the room, entering the hallway. Alec swirled in his chair, putting his notes back in his binder as he listened to the soft muffle of Magnus' voice outside his door.

"I told you not to bother me. I was in the middle of studying."

"Yes, with him. He's just a friend."

"It doesn't matter. Now, what did you want?"

"I told you I'd be home around 6."

"Well, it's not my responsibility to take care of that for you."

"I know you've been busy Camille, but I have a life too remember?"

"I know. I'm sorry."

"I messed up. Okay, I know."

"You have your faults too Camille."

"I'm saying there are things about you that drive me crazy, yes."

"I can list them off if you want me to."

"I don't know. I don't really feel like it right now."

"Hey, that's how I am. If you don't like it you can leave.

"I don't know if that's what I'm saying, maybe it is. Besides, this isn't a conversation to be had on the phone."

"I don't know Camille. What do you think?"

Magnus sighed frustratingly. "I can't do this right now, okay. We'll talk when I get back."

Alec was drowned in silence when Magnus' voice cut off. Alec pretended to busy himself with his notes as the seconds passed. A minute went by before Magnus walked in. Alec looked up at him. His face was emotionless, his bearing loose. On the outside he looked like he normally did; nonchalant and carefree. But Alec saw the turmoil in his eyes. There was pain there, a pain that Alec had seen many times before. He wouldn't necessarily say with Magnus it was heartbreak, but it was something.

Magnus walked over to the bed, sitting down slowly. He played around with his notes for a few seconds before stuffing them back into his bag.

"Magnus, are you okay?" Alec knew he shouldn't ask it, but he knew that look. Magnus needed to talk to someone and it might as well be Alec over some stranger.

"Just peachy. Why wouldn't I be?" The anger in his voice caught Alec off guard.

"Ok, sorry for asking." Alec swung back around, turning his back to Magnus. And that's what you get for trying to be a good guy. Great job Alec.

Seconds ticked by that felt like minutes. Alec had never seen Magnus show any deep emotions before. It was almost like he was cut off from the deep rooted emotions in him. He was never in a bad mood, never sad or angry. He was always just happy. Alec could put that down to him just not having seen Magnus otherwise, but he had feeling Magnus wasn't an emotional person either way.

"I'm sorry." Magnus' voice was small in the silence that enveloped them.

Alec didn't turn around.

"It wasn't right for me to snap at you." Alec heard Magnus stand up and swing his bag over his shoulder.

Alec turned to look at him, seeing the sadness in his eyes. What had Camille said on the other end of the line to make him feel like this? Alec thought Magnus was done with her, or at least that was how it sounded when Magnus had brought her up. He said that their relationship was faltering and that he figured it was about time anyway. He said he'd be okay if they broke up and maybe it was time he moved on. He hadn't looked like he was lying when he said that and he didn't sound like it either. It was almost like in Magnus' head he was ready to move on but in his heart he wasn't. Maybe he wasn't ready to leave Camille because of everything they had had. Maybe he still loved her in some remote part of himself. Alec would never know.

Magnus met Alec's gaze and Alec saw something soften within them. Magnus smiled lightly. "I had a great time today, despite the fact I'll never look at France the same again." Alec smiled in remembrance on one of the many history facts they had tried to lighten up. "We'll have to do it again."

"Yeah, we will."

Magnus stood there for one more second before turning and leaving.

Alec watched the door close behind him hoping he'd be okay. Maybe he'd work it out with Camille. Maybe that happiness would come back. But deep down, the selfish side of him wanted Magnus to leave Camille so he'd be single. But he covered that up by saying he wanted him single so that he didn't feel dragged down by Camille anymore.

Alec turned back to see that Magnus had left his iPod. Alec thought about returning it to Magnus but thought better of it. Magnus would already be gone and it wasn't the time for that. Alec sighed, throwing his head back to look at the ceiling. The whiteness took him over, but slowly it transformed to Magnus' face. He saw the way he talked out of the left side of his mouth sometimes. He saw the way his eyes sparkled every time a 30 year-old song came on. He saw the way he bit his pencil when he was thinking and pretended to be drumming with his fingers when he got bored. (Alec made a mental note to ask Magnus if he actually played the drums or not.) He saw the way Magnus smiled and a happiness took Alec over. He wanted him. He didn't just want to know him anymore. He wanted him. He wanted to call Magnus his. Alec had only wanted that once before, but now he wanted it with an intensity that was overwhelming. He wasn't scared or ashamed of the feeling either. He was actually happy. He felt a weight lift from his shoulders with the thought. He wasn't scared. He wasn't scared of what he felt for Magnus because for once it felt like it was right.

Magnus unlocked the apartment door, putting his key back in his pocket as he walked inside. Camille sat at the small table next to the kitchen, her hands clasped on top. She looked up at him, a sadness in her eyes. The both knew what was coming.

Magnus dropped his book bag on the floor, crossing to take the chair across from Camille. He looked up to meet her eyes, his heart hurting for what was to come. He didn't want it to happen per se, but he knew it had to. It was a long time coming.

A few minutes passed between them before Camille spoke. "What you said on the phone, is it true?"

"Yes."

"So that's it then? Are we not even going to fight for it?"

"There's nothing more to fight for." He looked up to meet Camille's eyes. They were wavering. "We've fought enough already. Neither of us is really truly happy here, you know that. Anything emotionally romantic we felt for each other died months ago when…"

"When the baby died."

"No." Magnus took in a breath, letting the silence fill him. "No. The baby came before I ever felt anything for you." Magnus placed a reassuring hand on top of Camille's, feeling a spark fly through him. Camille looked down at his hands and he felt a small tear hit his hands. "We started breaking apart when our lives started taking different directions."

"But why?"

"Because we're two very different people. We just don't understand each other Camille and we want different things in our lives than what the other can provide." Magnus paused. "We have to stop holding on to our fantasies of each other and let go. We've spent too long pretending this is something it's not. Now, I see the way you look at that guy at the theatre, and I know he likes you. Maybe he can give you everything you want that I can't."

Camille's eyes were fixed on Magnus' hand on hers. She looked up from them slowly, meeting Magnus' gaze. "Did you ever love me?"

"Not as much as you deserved."

Camille nodded softly, pulling her hands out from under Magnus'. "So this is goodbye."

"Yes." Magnus felt a part of his heart ache. It was a foreign feeling that overwhelmed him. He was feeling love. He was feeling for Camille as he had never felt before, and it was in the moment that he was leaving her. But it was for the best, and his heart understood that.

"A part of me is happy, but another part of me doesn't want to end this."

"I know. But we're hating each other Camille. We've been hating each other for months and we can't keep living our life like this." Magnus met Camille's eyes. "You're the best thing I've ever had in my life Camille, and I will never forget you. I meant what I said when I wanted to thank you for everything. You've made me a better man and I will never forget you." Magnus stood up, crossing to stand next to her. Camille looked up at him. He knelt down, brushing his lips against her cheek. "Thank-you."

Magnus stood up, moving backwards towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Somewhere." Chairman Meow ran to him at that moment and Magnus took him in his arms, deciding then that he'd take the cat with him.

"Will you be back?"

"To pick up my stuff." Magnus grasped the doorknob, turning it slowly. He gave one last look at Camille. "Go be happy Camille. You deserve it." He smiled and left, leaving Camille in the apartment alone.

She'll be okay, right?

She's not your problem anymore. You're better off without her anyway.

But…

No buts. She was ruining you and it was time you got rid of her. She survived without you once didn't she?

Yes.

Then stop moping and go find yourself a place to stay for the night. That one with the beautiful blue eyes wouldn't be a bad place to start.

Magnus started down the hallway, leaving behind a part of his life in the dust. It felt good to finally let her go, to finally put an end to all their unfinished fights. Leaving that apartment took the biggest weight from Magnus' shoulders that it almost felt like he was in a dream. He thought of no more foot massages, of no more nagging and fights. He thought of silence. Now Camille and him had been through a lot and Magnus wouldn't regret those days, but he was definitely not regretting leaving her. Now he was free to live his own life. He was free to be Magnus Bane. He was no longer tied down by guilt and he was no longer being with a woman that he felt an obligation to from the start. Now he was free to love who he wanted on his own terms. And there was a certain someone he had in mind for that.

Alec heard a knock on his door. It was the same forward, hard knock that Alec remembered had belonged to Magnus. He looked over at his clock. 11:45. Alec had only been trying to sleep for 30 minutes, and now with the presence of Magnus just beyond that door, sleep was even more of an impossibility.

Questions flooded through Alec. Why was he here? Had something happened between him and Camille?

Alec got up slowly, walking towards the door. He opened it, catching the silhouette of Magnus in the doorway.

"Magnus, what are you doing here?"

"I need a place to stay for the night. Can I crash here?" His voice was quiet, but Alec couldn't distinguish the emotion in it.

"Yeah, sure. Come in." Alec moved out of the way, letting Magnus into the room. He moved slowly as he entered. It was then that Alec saw he had been holding something.

It was a cat.

Alec looked from the cat to Magnus but didn't want to ask. Magnus needed to sleep. They would talk in the morning.

"Thank-you." Magnus met Alec's eyes, managing a smile as he went to the bed. Alec watched his shadow move as he fell back on to his own bed.

He didn't sleep well that night, but he was okay with that because he woke up to Magnus.

So...good? Bad? Please review and let me know what you think. Next chapter will be up in a week or so...hopefully. The chapter's done but my beta's in New York so she won't be able to read for a few days. Anyway, the next chapter will mainly be Magnus and Alec along with a little bit of everyone's favourite blonde, Jace. For all you waiting for Magnus and Alec to get together I promise it will be soon. Thanks for reading! Stay tuned!

Be the change,

Amber