Author's Note: So…. Here it is. The last chapter. The epilogue will post in a few days, and with it, a surprise for everyone. I've started work on a new fic some of you may be interested in. The new fic is pretty much my only saving grace. I hate saying goodbye, but I have to. I write my stories so that they may be enjoyed, but they must end sooner or later. Please enjoy this chapter, and please review. Thanks to everyone who started at Chapter 1 and in still reading at Chapter 19. I would still write even if no one read my words, but you all made this process rewarding and fun. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! ~Melissa

Chapter 19

Gideon's funeral was at sunrise the next morning. Will dressed in the same clothes he had worn to Jem's funeral and endured it as best he could, all the while wishing he was anywhere but the Silent City. Will could feel Jem's presence in the Silent City more than he could anywhere else, and was relieved when he the funeral was finally over.

Everyone returned to the Institute for a luncheon following the funeral. Benedict got uproariously drunk and Gabriel had to pull him out of the dining room. For all that had transpired between them the night before, Gabriel wouldn't dare make eye contact with neither Augustine nor Will. Augustine referred to him as "gone." Something had been taken from Gabriel. He might never be the same.

Will distracted himself from the events by feeding Ben a bottle while Augustine and Constance ate lunch. Ben fell asleep in Will's arms right after, clutching a piece of Will's white shirt in his tiny fist. Augustine finished eating and took Ben from Will.

"I'm going for some fresh air," Will said. He stood up, left the dining room, and went outside. Once to the front gates, he walked through them, and kept going.

The day before had been cold and unforgiving, yet today was the opposite. The air was still cold but the air no longer smelled of burning coal and smoky fog. Instead, there was the smell of spring, of wet earth and new beginning. The sky was a solid shade of robin's egg blue, with several wispy clouds high above.

Will walked down the paths he walked before, on the nights he had to escape Jem and the Institute. He traveled down the streets he once knew by heart. He passed the Devil Tavern without even noticing it and continued down the Thames. The water flowed past the docks quicker than it had the day Will contemplated drowning himself. That day he thought he had nothing left to live for and no one left to love him. So much had changed in three months. So much had changed in six months. So much had changed.

In time, Will came to a townhouse on the banks of the Thames. He climbed up a set of steps, went to the door, pulled out his stele, and drew an Unlocking rune. The door popped open and Will walked in, closing the door silently behind himself. He walked down the hall to the kitchen and stopped in the doorway. Will had come to this house many times before, in different emotional states, and planned to only visit. This time, he contemplated staying forever.

Magnus had his back to the door, humming as he scrubbed the top of his stove the mundane way. It was funny, Magnus was capable of miraculous feats of magic, yet he tried to be as human as possible. He scrubbed his stove with steel wool when he could have performed a spell and been done with the task long before now. Magnus preferred putting forth effort to accomplish something over getting it done quickly. He was someone who endured things, no matter how difficult, rather than taking the easy way out.

"I love you," Will whispered.

Magnus dropped his steel wool and turned around, his mouth open in shock.

"I didn't expect you," Magnus said quickly. "The funeral, and…"

"Expect the unexpected," Will said. He crossed the kitchen, took Magnus in his arms, and kissed him on the lips.

"I love you," Magnus said. Jem told Will that so many times, it had lost its meaning. With Magnus, he meant that he would love Will today, tomorrow, and in all of the times Will didn't love him back. It was more than just a declaration of his feelings; it was a declaration of Magnus's intentions, to love Will.

"I love you to," Will said. He closed his eyes and kissed him again, harder, this time.

Will took the steel wool from Magnus's hand and tossed it down. Magnus laughed and went to wash his hands before allowing Will to pull him down to his bedroom. They paused once or twice to lean against the walls in the hallway and kiss. The first time they were ever together, Will wanted one thing and got something else entirely. This time, Will knew what else he was going to get. In fact, he welcomed something else.

They fell into the warm, welcoming nest of Magnus's bed as their hands got tangled up in their attempts to undress one another. Will gave up, holding his hands up, and allowed Magnus to strip his white mourning clothes off. Will's skin was adorned with bright, freshly applied mourning runes in addition to his black, permanent runes. Magnus ran his hands over Will's chest. He teased his tongue in sensitive places over Will's body. Will reached down and pulled Magnus's shirt over his head. He touched the places on Magnus's body that gave Magnus the most pleasure.

They were naked together almost immediately. They didn't have to speak or discuss what the other wanted: they already knew.

Before, Will watched the encounter in the third person. This time, he only saw it as a string of the very best parts. Magnus lay on his back, dug his heels into Will's hips and let out the most lustful groans Will ever heard him make. Will spent some of the time with his eyes closed, feeling Magnus beneath him, pulling him into himself. They didn't have to watch. They only had to feel.

When they each unraveled, Will collapsed onto the bed and held Magnus in his arms. They were ready again not long after and began again with neither having to ask for it. It was marvelous, Will thought. So many words were wasted on love, when only three actually mattered. Will didn't have to say the words to mean them. "I love you" could be said without ever having to speak.

When they were finished, they lay together covered in soft blankets and held each other until they fell into a deep sleep.

It was well past midnight, when Magnus sat up in bed beside Will. At the same time, a candle ignited on the bedside table and out a piece of paper. Magnus caught the paper and unfolded it. Will lay with his back to Magnus and stared into the darkness.

Everything was about to change. Now, things would be separated into before, and after. Before Charlie was born, Jem died. After Charlie was born… the possibilities were infinite.

"Sophie is in labor. We need to get back to the Institute," Magnus said. He rested a hand on Will's lower back, as if he to knew things were going to be different now.

"Let's go," Will said.

They dressed quickly, stepped through a Portal, and landed on the Institute's front lawn. Will grabbed Magnus by the hand and pulled him up the steps and inside. They went upstairs to find Henry sitting outside Sophie's room. Behind the door, someone was sobbing. Will almost fell backwards as the gravity of the situation hit him in the chest. Sophie was about to give birth to Jem's only son.

"I need…" Will mumbled. The door opened and Charlotte looked out.

"She's asking for you," Charlotte said. Will grabbed Magnus by the arms and kissed him on the lips before following Charlotte into the room.

Tessa was sitting on the bed, braiding Sophie's hair and talking quietly to her. The midwife was there, who Will recognized as Augustine's mother. Sophie stopped crying when Will walked over and took her hand.

"I'm sorry," Will said. "I should have been here."

"You weren't," Sophie snapped. "I was all alone when I went into labor. I was terrified. I was in pain. You weren't being the perfect man you've been for the last two months. You were being your lazy, unreliable, pleasure seeking self. Not that I blame you. I'll forgive you, this time."

"I'm sorry," Will repeated. "What's going on?"

"I'm in a boat load of pain and I want this baby out of me, now," Sophie said. "And…" Her eyes flickered away from Will's, "I miss Jem." Will kissed Sophie on the back of her hand. In that moment, he could have started to cry, because he missed Jem as well. Jem should have been there.

"I miss him to," Will said.

Sophie labored for the rest of the night. Will stayed with her and helped her pace around the room when she felt like walking. The rest of the world faded away. There wasn't a crowd of people outside, waiting to hear the baby's first cries. It was only Will and Sophie. Will stopped noticing Charlotte and the midwife, who were a constant presence.

At dawn, Will left the room to get a cup of tea and to update everyone. He found Magnus and Tessa sitting together in the hallway. Tessa's head was on Magnus's shoulder while Magnus's head rested against hers. Their fingers were twined together casually. Beside them, Henry snored. Will didn't disturb them.

After another few hours Will went out to find everyone awake. Jessamine had joined them as they ate a make shift picnic breakfast outside of Sophie's room. Other people still staying at the Institute got wind of what was going on. They wished Will and Sophie the best of luck. After another hour, Will didn't have time to go out and let everyone know what was going on.

Will and Sophie could have spent the entire time she was in labor thinking about how Jem should have been there and wasn't. They could have cried over how much they missed him and how much he would have wanted to see this, but they did none of that.

When it came time to push, Will let Sophie lean against him in the bed and brace herself with his hands as she screamed. When Sophie swore she couldn't do it any longer, when she started to cry hysterically and insist that she wasn't ready for any of this, Will didn't let her know he was crying and thinking the same thing. He just told her over and over to keep trying, to keep pushing, just a little more. Sooner or later, it would have to work.

Then, it did.

Sophie fell back against Will as the midwife lifted up the baby. Will got a glimpse of him before he was whisked over to a table. Charlotte went over to him, looked down, and gave Will a nod. Sophie rested her head against Will's chest. She sighed and held Will's hand tighter. Will leaned down and kissed her on the lips because in that moment, he loved her.

"Go to him," She whispered, "Tell me how he is."

"You did amazing," Will said. He kissed her again. "You did such a good job, Sophie. You're amazing and beautiful and…"

"Were not doing this," Sophie said. "Stick to the plan, Will. Now go to him and see how he is."

The baby started crying then, filling the room with loud, glorious cries. Will climbed from the bed and went over to the table, where Charlotte was vigorously patting the baby dry. She swaddled him in a blue blanket, picked him up, and turned to the bed.

"Give him to Will, please," Sophie said. "Will wants to see his son."

Charlotte looked up at Will as she held the baby close to her chest. Will knew what she must be thinking, that she would never see the day when Will became a father. She knew Will, and had seen all of his worst moments. Charlotte looked at Sophie, who nodded, before she placed the baby in Will's arms. The baby cried harder. Will rocked him, holding him close and calming him. Will returned to the bed and sat beside Sophie.

"We'll call him Charlie," Will mumbled. He brushed a few sweaty strands of hair from Sophie's forehead and kissed her temple.

"James Charles," Sophie said. "He's a Carstairs alright." She touched Charlie lightly on his head, where a streak of black hair ran down the center of it. Charlie's eyes finally opened.

"Oh," Will said. His first feeling was fear, followed by shock.

Charlie's eyes were blue, nearly the same color as Will's, and flecked with silver, the way Jem's were before they changed completely to silver. Sophie scowled at Will, no doubt wanting an explanation.

"I had nothing to do with that," Will said. "Really!" Sophie rolled her eyes.

"Why don't you tell everyone the news?" Charlotte said. "Give Sophie some time to feed the baby. Then, you have work to do." Sophie lifted her hands and Will placed Charlie in them.

"You'll be back soon, right, Will?" Sophie asked. She was looking from Will, to the baby, and back again.

"Right back," Will said. "I promise, I'll be right back." He climbed from the bed and walked over to the door. The midwife was explaining something to Sophie, who nodded and looked down at the baby with a blank expression. Charlotte came over to Will.

"Is there something going on?" She asked. "Sophie isn't acting like she just gave birth. She seems…unattached."

"We never expected this to happen, is all," Will replied. "She just gave birth to Jem's son…"

"She is this baby's mother," Charlotte said.

"And I'm his father," Will said. "Sophie is tired, Charlotte. Leave her be. Like it or not she and I know what is best for our son." Will and Sophie anticipated that Charlotte might give them trouble. They had anticipated everything.

The group in the hallway hadn't changed much. Jessamine was leaning against Tessa, yawning as they sat on the floor, and Magnus and Henry were talking quietly. Tessa looked up, noticed Will, and jumped to her feet.

"We heard him cry…So he's arrived?" Tessa asked. Will nodded, a smile on his face, and Tessa wrapped her arms around him, giggling and holding him tightly. Jessamine followed, giving Will a hug as well, and Henry shook his hand. Magnus hung back, looking unsure. Will gave him a smile and turned back to Tessa and Jessamine as they started asking questions.

"What's he like? What's his name?"

"Is Sophie alright?"

"He's big. I feel bad for Sophie, but she's fine. A little tired," Will said. "The baby takes right after Jem. We named him James Charles. Sophie is feeding him now, and then I have to take him down to the Silent City. Can you find me Augustine? He said he would be here…"

"I'll find him," Tessa said. She hugged Will once more and hurried away.

Magnus leaned against a wall, away from everyone. He wasn't as put together as he usually was. His hair was a mess from spending the night sleeping in the hallway with Tessa. He and Tessa had both been there for Will when Will didn't even realize it.

"Magnus," Will said. He put out a hand and Magnus took it. It didn't matter that Henry was there, as was Jessamine. The Institute was still full of Lightwoods, and their relatives, and everyone else who had come to Gideon's funeral. Anyone could see them, but it wasn't worth hiding anymore.

Will pulled Magnus against him and kissed him on the lips. Magnus kissed back, his arms around Will's waist as he held him there. It wasn't a little kiss, over in two seconds. It lasted at least ten and contained gratuitous amounts of tongue.

"Get a room!" Jessamine exclaimed. Will laughed and pulled Magnus into another room. He pushed Magnus against the door and kissed him again. Magnus pulled away, shaking his head.

"So Sophie is alright?" Magnus asked.

"All things considered," Will replied. Magnus nodded. He took his hands off of Will's waist and shoved them into his pockets. Will stepped away from Magnus. They were in Charlie's room, which used to belong to Jem. Most of Jem's furniture remained and was joined by a crib and changing table. Henry had gone out two days before and brought back a gigantic stuffed giraffe which sat in the corner of the room. "What's the matter, Magnus?" Magnus walked over to the crib and ran a hand along the railing.

"She gave you a son," Magnus said. "You had a baby with her, Will. That does things to someone. You both went through something major and now you have a baby. If you want to be with Sophie, if you want to be a family with her…"

Will walked over to the crib, took Magnus's face in his hands, and kissed him on the lips.

"You and I have just begun," Will said. "I need you now more than anything." Magnus closed his eyes and kissed Will once more.

"I'm here for as long as you need me to be," Magnus said.

Once Charlie was fed and dressed, he was put into a carrier for his very first trip down to the Silent City. Will would be able to hold him close to his chest to keep him warm. If everything went as planned, Charlie would sleep almost the entire time. Will and Charlie wouldn't make the journey alone, as Augustine and Henry would accompany him.

Every baby born to the Nephilim was required to make the trip to the Silent City. There, the baby's name would be written in the records of all the Shadowhunters who had ever lived, and protective spells would be placed on the baby to ensure that he would be safe until his 12th birthday, when new spells would be required.

"Ready?" Augustine asked. Charlie was already bundled close to Will's chest, sleeping soundly.

"Ready," Will said. He bent down and kissed Charlie on the top of the head. Already, he was feeling something more than just love for the baby. It was as though life had existed before Charlie, but it hadn't been nearly as wonderful.

Henry and Augustine led the way from Sophie's room down the hall and downstairs to the sanctuary. From there, they went to the Silent City. They stopped often to check on Charlie, who was traveling perfectly. In no time at all, the four of them stood before the Silent Brothers as Will recited Charlie's name as James Charles Carstairs.

"They'll take him now," Henry said. A Silent Brother walked over and held his hands out. Will carefully placed Charlie in them. The Silent Brother went to another room, with two others following him.

Will had been twelve when Henry brought him to the Silent City for his enchantments. It had been a frightening experience. Will started for the door to follow the Brothers, but Augustine held him back.

"He's going to be fine," Augustine said. "The Brothers have been doing this for thousands of years. Come with me. I have something to show you."

Augustine pulled Will away from the entrance to the Silent City. They went down a long, dark passageway. Will tried to turn back but Augustine kept a firm hold on his arm as they walked deeper into the Silent City. Various rooms were connected to the passageway. Some were small rooms, only big enough to walk in and turn around, while others were large and had benches people could sit on. Far away, there was the sound of stone being hammered away.

"Ben was all distraught yesterday, before the funeral," Augustine said. "I took him for a walk, trying to get him to sleep, and found something you might like to see…."

Augustine walked into a room that was big enough for the two of them to stand shoulder to shoulder. There was a large dragon carved into the wall, painted red and gilded with bits of gold. Jem came to London with a steamer trunk emblazoned with that same dragon, which was the symbol for the Shanghai Institute. This room was the burial chamber for all Shadowhunters born or raised in Shanghai. The walls were covered with names carved into stone. Pungent scented candles flickered in each of the corners of the room.

"Here," Augustine said. He pointed to three names carved in a corner, just above a candle, then stepped back. Will walked over to the corner and read the names.

James Jonathan Carstairs, Sr.
Jia Boyuan- Carstairs
James Jian "Jem" Carstairs Jr.

"I don't know where his ashes are, or what was done with them. They're here somewhere," Augustine said. Will ran his fingers over the letters of Jem's name. Every Shadowhunter who lived and died had their name carved somewhere in the Silent City. Will wondered where Jem's mark was left, and now knew.

"May I have a minute, please?" Will asked. Augustine quickly left the room. "I don't know where you are, Jem. I just want you to know… he's beautiful. I'm going to be my best for him. Just know he's in good hands. We have this. I'll come see you later." Will knew that was a lie. Jem wouldn't have wanted Will to waste his days talking to a wall.

After a few minutes, Will left the room and returned to the entrance of the Silent City. Augustine was there, talking with Henry, as somewhere, far off, Charlie screamed and cried. Will shoved Augustine aside and started toward the room the Silent Brothers had taken Charlie. Henry grabbed Will and held him back.

"You must let me go!" Will exclaimed. "He needs me, Henry!"

"He's fine," Augustine said. "Be patient. This is part of the process." Henry let Will go. Will slumped against a wall, running a hand through his hair.

"What if he's sick?" Will asked. "What if Jem's addiction got passed on to Charlie? What if…"

"You would have known by now," Henry said. "He's going to be fine, Will."

"I can't do this," Will said. "I don't know if I can be the father he needs me to be. I should just find someone better qualified. I don't even love his mother the way I should. How can I love a child who isn't even mine?"

"Will, you're doing it," Augustine said. "Look at you- you're a disaster. You've been crying for the past ten minutes, did you know that?" Will shook his head. "You'll love Charlie for no other reason than because he needs you to love him. You can do this, Will, so give yourself a chance."

Minutes later, a Silent Brother walked out carrying a placid Charlie wrapped up in the blanket he had been brought to the Silent City. The Brother claimed that Charlie was hungry, so Will glared at him before sitting down and feeding Charlie the one bottle Charlotte had sent with them. When Charlie was finished, they began the long walk back to the Institute.

Once back, Will handed Charlie off to Sophie and crawled into bed. He slept a few hours and woke up when Charlie was ready to eat again. The afternoon was spent entertaining visitors. Much to the delight of everyone living at the London Institute, and much to the chagrin of the Lightwood family, the birth of a baby took the focus off of Gideon's death. Will claimed Charlie must have had a little Herondale in him, as demonstrated by his impeccable sense of timing.

That night, Will covered Charlie with a tiny blue blanket and crawled into bed with Sophie. Magnus was spending the night in Will's room, just mere steps away if Will needed him. Charlie woke up two hours later, then an hour after that. Will got up with him each time and brought him to Sophie to feed. Life had changed, for the better.

In the beginning, it had only been Will. Then Jem, Jessamine and Sophie came to the Institute, and Magnus arrived as well. Will left Wales to escape family, yet had come to London and found a new family to belong to. As Will rocked Charlie back to sleep in the early hours of dawn, he looked down at the tiny baby he held in his lap and decided that everything finally felt perfect.

Two days after Charlie turned six months old, Sophie climbed aboard a ship and set sail for new horizons. When she docked in New York, Magnus was there, waiting. With both magic and good story telling, Sophie melted into New York high society as Sophia Carstairs, a young widow who had lost her husband in a tragic accident and had come to New York for a fresh start. Jem had told Sophie that he wanted her to have a husband who loved her and a family all her own. Within a year of moving to America, Sophie realized that dream. She wrote to Will every month, and remained a presence in Charlie's life despite the distance.

When Charlie was ten, another child arrived at the Institute. Both his parents had perished fighting demons, making him an orphan. Will adopted him and gave him the last name of Herondale. Two years later, a little girl arrived, and Will adopted her as well. Much to Benedict's frustration, Will took great pleasure in tainting the Herondale line with children born to less known families. Will never fathered any children of his own, but that didn't matter. There were more than enough Herondale's to further the line.

Jem told Will to love again, and so Will did. When Magnus returned from America, Will moved into the town house with Tessa and Charlie. Tessa took the apartment upstairs as her own, while Charlie was given a room downstairs, between the library and parlor. Will and Magnus shared the room across the hall. They lived comfortably together for many more years.

Charlie had everything Jem would have wanted for him. He had Tessa as his mother. She taught him right from wrong, while Will taught him everything else. Magnus was the doting uncle who believed Charlie could do no wrong. It wasn't a perfect family, Will knew, but it was a loving family, and that was all that mattered.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Review? Please?