Alec on a date. For those of you who read TID, did you realize who I put in the last chapter? For further reference, all of the chapters will be in Alec's POV, unless I tell you otherwise :) Read and review please!

XOXO

It was a Sunday, and so that meant no training at the Institute. After another mostly sleepless night, I was exhausted. I finally gave in, but I didn't want to suffer through another terrible dream. I asked Hodge to whip up a sleeping potion, giving him the truth: I'd had nightmares, and I hadn't slept at all. He questioned me no further, and I slipped blissfully into a dreamless doze.

I woke to someone shaking my shoulder, hard. Blearily, I blinked my eyes.

"Alec! Wake up!"

I groaned. "Izzy..."

She put her hands on her hips. "It's four forty-five, Alec! You've been sleeping since eleven. And when, exactly, did you plan on getting ready for Magnus?" Shit. I had totally forgotten.

"I have time, Izzy, leave me alone."

"You call three hours time? What are you going to wear, huh? I have to fix your hair and you look awful, no offense, you've got bags under your eyes and we need to clean those up and maybe some makeup wouldn't hurt either-"

"Izzy. Please. Shut up. And no makeup!"

But she was already pulling me out of bed and pushing me into the bathroom. "Go take a shower. And use this!" She threw two bottles in the shower. Shampoo and conditioner, no doubt expensive, but I hardly cared. "Magnus likes that scent. Sandalwood. I noticed at his party!" Izzy crowed, obviously pleased with herself. I sighed. Great. But I couldn't argue with Isabelle when she was in a mood.

I came out of the shower, freshly scrubbed and smelling strongly of sandalwood. I tied a towel around my waist and looked around for my clothes. I heard a sharp rap on the door. "Don't even think of wearing that old ratty sweater and those jeans," Izzy said. "Wouldn't dream of it," I grumbled under my breath. I had to admit that although Isabelle could be slightly irritating at times, she was on top of the fashion trends. But when I saw what she had picked out for me, I stopped and stared. "No. Nope. No way, Izzy, what are you thinking?" She had laid out a tight black shirt studded with silver accents on the shoulders, paired with leather skinny pants. "Ugh. No way in Hell am I wearing this, Isabelle!" She pouted.

"I worked so hard on it, though!"

"Ew. Just...I'll get something."

She sniffed. "You! All you wear are sweaters and jeans! Fine. I'll change it. You owe me! Remember last week! I did save your ass from that Ravener." She flounced from the room. I huffed. A minute later she came back, holding a less conspicuous outfit. No metal, no leather. It was actually a black sweater, although the neck was much lower cut. She also had slim black jeans, but at least they weren't the leather monstrosities she took as fashionable."I'll be in my room," she sang out. "Come straight there when you're dressed." Angel save me. That could only mean one thing. I pulled on the jeans. They were tighter than I usually wore, but they weren't over the top. The sweater was familiar to me, something I was comfortable with...except for the neckline. It cut low on my chest, and it reminded me of one of Isabelle's tops. I made a face. Oh well. I walked down the hall and knocked on Izzy's door. "Come in!" she sang. I walked in, glancing around as I did. Flamboyant and glittery. Just like Isabelle...and Magnus. I shook my head to clear it, and sat down on the bright pink stool in front of a glitter-framed mirror. Isabelle walked behind me, with a comb and a jar of white cream.

"Uh, Iz?" I said nervously. "What are you gonna do?"

"Don't worry!" she said. "I'll make you look pretty!"

"Not different!"

"Just pretty!" she laughed. "You're such a scaredy-cat."

In the end, she did make my hair look nicer, I guess. Instead of messy flopping over my eyes, it was smooth and swept low across my forehead. I drew the line at makeup, but I thanked her for helping me. Being nice looking for once helped with my nervousness. Maybe then Magnus would think of me at least an option to date. "Izzy..." I faltered. she stopped putting the final touches on my hair.

"Yeah?"

"What if...well, what if he hates me?"

"Alec!" she spun me around so I was facing her. "Alec. Listen to me. Just be yourself. And...if he doesn't like you, well then that's his own fucking loss. Okay? He'll love you. I mean, I may be wrong, but I don't think he just gives anyone his phone number and tells them to call him." I guess that made sense. "Now go and make him love you." She grinned. "I'll make up an excuse for you to be gone."

"Thanks, Isabelle. For all of it."

"What are sisters for?"

The walk from the Institute to Magnus' apartment was passed in a nervous daze of worry and excitement. What would he think of me? How would I talk to him? Before I knew it, I had arrived at his door. I took a deep breath. This was it. I pressed the buzzer, and almost instantly a voice came over the speaker.

"Hello?" Damn, even his voice was perfect...

"It's me, Alec."

"Well, what are you waiting for, Alexander? Come on up."