Hi you guys!

I just thought you guys should know I'm on a plane as I write this and while I was at a lay-over at *insert airport name here* I saw a guy who was a dead shot for Landon Donovan… *Didn't know I was in love with soccer/LA Galaxys did you?*

I started squealing and then my darling little brother looked up at me and said, "God you freak it's not him you know." Then the guy turned around and it wasn't Landon so I just went and cried to myself while listening to my newly downloaded Muse album at an Annie's pretzels till our flight boarded.

Then I started writing this… See how this all works out?

Anyways.. I'm going to cut to the story.. wait no

As always Happy Trails and Enjoy my lovely Readers & Reviewers

~L.C (who is very tired right now)

_xxXxx_

Song For This Section~ Black Horse and The Cherry Tree by KT Tunstall

The first week with Magnus around was one of the best "first weeks" that the Cirque Des Ombres had ever seen. He got along with just about everyone, what with his sarcasm and theatrics. Even the few souls who didn't take to Magnus instantly, Jace and Will were the worst offenders because as usual they had to be the token bad asses as some sort of circus "hazing", came around eventually just because everything about him was ridiculous but completely sincere and that's all that it took to join our little band of marauders.

I wasn't exactly sure how I felt about my fellow aerialist. On one hand, he was terribly good looking. A simple quirk of his eyebrow or a suggestive wink form across the big top from where he sat in the crowd because Luke hadn't decided what he wanted for our routine, set butterflies all a flutter in my stomach and caused my tights to become a little less comfortable. On the same hand, our conversations flowed and there was never an awkward pause, just comfortable silence, like we had known each other for years. Through these long winded conversations, I learned his favorite color is grey, but not just any grey. He had gotten this look over his face that was somehow heartbreakingly sad but also gloriously happy at the same time and whispered out from where he sat on the bench next to me, "You said you're from New York right?" an quizzical nod on my end before he continued with that same shattering expression, "My favorite color is that grey that the ocean and sky turns right before a storm hits. Not really black but not blue either. Just a grey that holds all the power of the storm but not everybody pays attention to it because it's just grey. What about yourself?"

His powerful description and sudden question threw me for a loop and I couldn't exactly come up with my favorite color on the spot because honestly I had never really thought about it that much.

"Black.. Just black."

Magnus threw his head back and laughed for a while. It spread like a disease and pretty soon a small smile played over my lips. We sat like that for a good thirty seconds and then I caught a glimpse of a sliver of barely visible skin, where his overzealous shirt didn't quite meet the silver metallic pants that looked like he had been poured into and my face fell instantly into contained anger and sadness. Where there should have been the gorgeous caramel skin, that seemed to glitter like Magnus himself was covered in tiny diamonds, was black and green with sickening tinges of purple layered into the quick reminder that I wasn't the only one with a past.

I had just been lucky enough to get out before that particular storm hit.

That first week went by too quickly though and then we had "war council" with Luke.

It wasn't as scary as all the performers made it out to be. Luke called you into his makeshift office in the back of the tickets tent and he proposed his vision for your act. The performer would then tweak it into something either grander or something more realistic, depending on the particular talent and Luke's general mood. Thinking back to the first time I got called back there, dirty and hungry, with Izzy in tow and Jace sitting outside talking to some red head that I would later know as the one and only Clarrissa Fray, all I remember was the fear that we would be rejected. I had trained my whole life in gymnastics but had only started the silks about two years ago. Knowing I wasn't the best but had to act like I was tore me up with nerves.

Now I was sitting in the same chair, in the office that hadn't changed except for a few photographs and a few baubles and trinket here and there. Izzy was lounging on a row of lawn chairs lined up to create a makeshift couch a few feet away, which was very different from the first time when she had sat prim and straight-backed with large brown eyes that tried so hard to hide the desperation and fear we all felt.

Looking out of the corner at Magnus in his outrageous sequined blazer and leather pants and seeing none of the anxiety that usually filled the newbies eyes made me check that off my mental checklist of things that made Magnus different from the others. Luke walked in the next second so my further consideration on the matter was thrown away.

Luke shrugged off the blue plaid button up that fit in with his usual uniform and exposed the plain white wife beater underneath before sitting down in his own folding chair. Steepling his fingers and lending a level, calm gaze on all of us, Luke took a breath, focusing his stare on Magnus who never wavered and said, "Okay, I'm assuming Alec and Isabelle debriefed you on exactly what this meeting is about?"

A devilish smirk covered Magnus's face and I was intoxicated by his full lips that sparkled slightly from a layer of gloss before I brought myself back to the present and caught those lips saying, "Oh yes, I've heard lots about this mysterious 'war council.' I'm curious if it lives up to the hype."

This pulled a chuckle from Luke and he nodded before continuing. "Yes. I've heard the rumors but I can promise you, I won't beat you over the head with a whip or anything like that. This is to purely meld our ideas and see the magic that comes of it."

"Shame," Magnus muttered behind his hand and Luke heard this, he paid no mind and beat on with the meeting.

"Okay. I envisioned using all three of you. Isabelle of course, you'll be working with Lana and Jasper. Maybe that new stunt you said you had been working on? Then Magnus, Alec, I think you two can guess what you're doing, but here's the twist; I want you three connected." Luke sat back from his folding table desk and looked at us all with expect eyes. I honestly didn't follow and I guessed the other two didn't either from their quizzical glances. After the silence got a little depressing and Magnus mumbled something like, "I'm working on it sweetheart," Luke ran his fingers through his curly black hair and leaned forward again.

"That really wasn't the best explanation, but hear me out. You guys have heard the red string of fate myth right?" Approving nods from my sister and Magnus but I just stared not following yet again. Luke must have seen how utterly lost I was and he let out an exasperated sigh, "Alec, you're amazing really but you need to use Google or go on yahoo.. social networking, something. I'm sure Isabelle will be happy or Magnus will be happy to explain it in full detail later but all you need to know is that the Chinese believe that you are tied to a person who you are destined to fall in love with. Got it? Good! Now what I was thinking was that Magnus and Isabelle could be connected with a red rope or string-"

This was met with a dramatic noise between a scream and a squeak from Izzy's designated corner and an overly cry of, "Lover!" Which was meet with an equally theatric cry that was a whole 5 octaves deeper from my opposite side, "Come to me oh beauteous Isabelle!" I didn't even move my eyes from where Luke sat with a frustrated frown and smile fighting for dominance as Isabelle ran the four feet to where Magnus sat and jumped into his arms.

I glared at the two, who were both laughing lightly but I couldn't hold it for too long with that deep rumble ringing in my ears like the bells of a choir. I sneaked a quick peak over to wear Magnus and now Iz laughed in the only "plush" chair in the room and caught a glance of that silky jet black hair flying about and a giant smile exposing a line of teeth that twinkled about as much as the glitter crusting his skin and the black liner with silver sparkles about his eyes. It sent flutters all through my belly and my heart must have beaten loud enough for the whole room to hear it but I tried to refocus. "Working relationship, Alec. Working relationship!" beat through my head like a tribal drum and it settled the butterflies… for now at least.

Luke cleared his throat, the two quieting their murmurs, and once he had their attention he cleared his throat again and said, "Well yes, I think you two get the idea. Now Alec, " He pointed a calloused finger in my direction, "Alec, I think since you and Isabelle are obviously related I thought that it would be slightly ridiculous if you were a jealous contender for her love, so I'm thinking a disapproving force. So you and Isabelle have a silver string or rope and then a black one with Magnus."

Turning to my sister and fellow aerialist I inspected their faces, trying to gage their opinion. I thought it sounded pretty good actually and if their expressions were anything to go by, they liked it too.

Magnus was the first to voice his opinion and with a serious but somehow still sarcastic voice he said, "I like it. No offense but you guys could use some sex appeal and I can bring the sex appeal."

I rolled my eyes and thought, "No shit Sherlock!"

Isabelle must have caught me and she laughed before voicing her approval. Luke turned to me and I simply nodded. We were all in approval and Luke leaned back in his folding chair and steapled his fingers, the picture of careful consideration.

I knew what was coming next and I looked him in his eye and just nodded, letting him save his breath. Of course I would put the choreography together. I certainly wasn't going to let Isabelle do it! As much as I loved my sister, she could get a little reckless. Okay, a lot reckless and a little unreasonable.

"Great! Now get out of my office you three… I may or may not have figured you would agree with me so Reed is ready and waiting so Isabelle could you take Magnus here over to costume. Alec I need you to grab Jace and Clary and send them both down."

I nodded which I seemed to be doing a lot during this meeting and headed out, not checking to see if the other two were behind me. Setting off to go find Jace instead.

Song For This Section~ Stripper by The Sohodolls (I'm obsessed with Gossip Girls, arrest me alright? Also after rereading this part *specifically after they start trying on their costumes* with the song I giggled.. just wait you'll see ;D)

I heard the costume trailer before I saw it. Tucked away behind a group of housing tents, you had to know it was there to actually find it and I thanked my lucky stars that I had to drop by here earlier in the week to have the resident sower, mender, hemmer, and all around "artsy" person mend a whole in my tights after an unfortunate incident with some random cat. I really wasn't in the mood to ask for directions at the moment and I probably would have wandered around forever trying to find the rusted grey double wide.

A loud crash and a muffled, "Sorry! Gosh I-no I got it. Sorry I really should watch where I go. No I'm fine, thank you, Magnus was it?" Reed's apologies were audible through the crap walls and I let myself grin at his expense for a second before I composed my features and popped open the screen door.

Swiveling my head and taking in the scene, I was relieved that not so much damage was done. Magnus looked worried for the 24 year olds safety and was trying to restack various sparkling fabrics onto a preexisting pile on a folding table; meanwhile, the tiny pixy of a seamstress was hastily working on reorganizing different pieces of paper on to a cork board and trying to apologize. Isabelle just lazily stretched out on a crème chaise lounge that looked out of place among the metal folding chairs and collapsible shelves, looking at the two with a smirk.

When the door swung closed behind me and made the annoying swak sound that only screen doors in double wides could, all three heads turned toward me and I blushed under the brown, honey, and emerald gazes before looking away. Pushing aside a few pieces of paper with different designs on them and a few more yards of fabric onto a different block and sat down on whatever exactly was underneath them.

Looking around at the red walls peppered with corkboards and designs upon designs and the cheap shower curtain that sectioned off a section to try on whatever Reed had sewn this time, I got lost in just sitting there and picturing what exactly this production would look like. I imagined the flow and how exactly we were going to work Izzy's horses into our act and what musi-

"Alec I was wondering if I could show you my designs because Isabelle and Magnus theirs." Reed's clear tone brought me out of my daydream and I looked up at the mess of strawberry blonde curls and the pale outstretched hand holding a piece of paper. Taking it slowly so as not to snatch it wrong and cause the skinny, short man to fall over as he so often did, I held it in front of me and looked it over.

The black lines formed a simple pair of tights, similar to what I had before, which were a nude color but the defining difference was the strings of white, black and red that twined up and down my legs coming up and wrapping almost my entire waist. In my minimal fashion knowledge, it was impressive.

"Oh it's not good is it?" I looked up to where an anxious Reed was still standing above me, biting his nails, from his minimal 5'6" height and I quickly shook my head.
My voice was as perky as I could make it with my raging head ache when I said, "No, it's great Reed. Honest."

A new voice sounded through the trailer as the screen door slammed again.

"Reed I was just down talking to Joce and we're going to New York! We could visit the tweedles. I heard they got married have baby girls and Dwight's down in, and you have company. Hi guys!"

I turned around on the box, which I had just figured out was what I was sitting on after much contemplation, to see Shane dressed in his usual band tee and jeans, curly black hair uncontained and a goofy grin covering his mouth.
"All the grace of an excited puppy," I thought to myself. Then a procession of events caused Reed to trip on thin air and Shane to catch him in a spinning move straight out of some foreign romance film.

Isabelle made an exaggerated, "aww," and Magnus looked over to me with raised eyebrows and I simply shrugged. It wasn't uncommon for the two and as with every time the "Casablanca catches", or so we had dubbed them, Reed blushed as Shane said with that big goofy grin, "Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast."

I rolled my eyes, but if I was being honest I was slightly jealous at how obviously in love they were. Magnus sighed in a way that I couldn't tell exactly the cause before saying, "Well you two are quite the little chick flick but Reed hunn I do believe that you wanted us to try on your designs, which are fabulous by the way."

This got the two to comeback from their personal little bubble, Shane going off to sit somewhere in the corner, dialing a number before stepping back outside and Reed took one look to his retreating form before he stood up, cheeks blazing so red that I believe he had me beat in the red faced department , then picked up 3 different suits of nude with ribbons tangling through the pile. Face turned down he mumbled something about being excited to get started.

Isabelle spoke up for what seemed like the first time since I entered the double wide and said in a highly suggestive voice, "So who strips first boys?"

My face flooded with color and I refused to look up to where I knew Magnus was going to be standing there, with that damn eye brow quirked and smirk playing over those damn luscious lips. I refused to look up. Refused!

So I was relieved when Magnus said, "I'll go first. Don't peak around that curtain you two. People usually have to pay for that kind of stuff.

That got my attention so I snapped my head up, staring incredulously at him. This just earned me that damn eyebrow and that damn smirk!

"Working relationship! Working relationship!" I stared hard at my scuffed up black converse and tried to ignore the scrap of the shower curtain being pulled back or the scrap of it being pulled back. The crack of Magnus's belt buckle coming undone and the schluff of those skin tight leather pants sliding off those gorgeous fucking legs.

Then it hit me, Magnus was going to be in his under ware in seconds, not ten feet from me. I felt heat cover my face and I stared daggers onto the shag carpet below my converse trying to ignore that fact.
What was the count I wanted for the choreography again?

What did I want to ask Luke?

What color silks did I want for Magnus and I?

What about Magnus?

"Oh yeah, he's half-fucking-naked ten feet from you dumb ass! How is that nothing? How is that something you ignore?" I shook my head trying to think of anything but Magnus's… half-naked stuff.

Dead puppies.. stinky men on the subway.. something anything to keep this situation from getting embarrassing!

I was saved by the figurative bell as the shower curtain was pushed back again and Reed offered me my suit to go put on while he tailored Magnus's.

"Oh thank god," I murmured.

Isabelle snickered from her laid back position on the couch. "He's not going to help you."