Hey guys! So this is it, the final chapter of this story. I hope you like it!

The mood in the foyer was light. The five Shadowhunters and Magnus sat around the room, Jace, with Clary on his lap, and Alec and Magnus, their hands clasped together, next to him on the single red couch; Simon and Isabelle on the floor nearby, his arm slung casually over her shoulders as she leaned against him. It was a happy picture: the six of them, unconcerned and all together in one place for the first time since before the battle, before everything that had happened. It was a welcome change.

As it turned out, the battle with Asmodeus, though it had been long and hard, had been a complete victory for the Nephilim. While there had been quite a few injuries, no lives had been lost. The worst damage sustained had been to Central Park itself. The Clave had enlisted the services of Catarina Loss before they'd left to make the park presentable to mundanes again.

The Silent Brothers had ordered Clary to remain in the infirmary under their watch and care of for a full week after she'd been rescued and Jace, after that first day of limited visitation, had spent the majority of his time by her side. Her coloring had come back during that long week, and she slowly came to look like Clary again, healthy and beautiful, with skin that was only slightly paler than usual at this point. Today was the first day she'd been allowed to leave, but even so, Jace had taken it upon himself to make sure she didn't overdo it, as she had a bad habit of doing. For now, this meant holding her close and enjoying simply being able to do so again while the others continued on with their conversation.

His own thoughts were elsewhere; on the story Jem had told Simon and him while they 'd waited outside the Infirmary door for news on Clary, and the conversation that had ensued later that night between Jace, the former Silent Brother, and Tessa, Jem's fiancée.

Tessa had Portalled to New York that night from the Institute in Los Angeles, where she and Jem were currently living, both to check on Clary and to speak to Jace. He'd met the warlock woman before, at Jocelyn and Luke's wedding, but hadn't known her story, either of theirs, at the time. Once his overwhelming fears over Clary subsided, Jace had found he had many questions. He had spoken with the two of them for over an hour that night, learning things about his father and his family that he'd never thought he'd get the chance to know.

He'd accepted and made peace with his past after the Dark War, but he'd never truly grown to have the pride and love for his family name that Shadowhunters were supposed to have. He'd viewed it as a new beginning to a history that had been lost and forgotten, a history that was up to him to rebuild. But talking to Jem and Tessa, two essential parts of his family's past, he'd found that the Herondale history, in fact, was not lost, not even remotely so. For so long he'd longed for something, some bit of information, some journal entry of Stephen's, that would jump out at him saying, "Yes. This was your father. This was your family. And you belong to it," and for so long, he hadn't found it. The conversation that night had changed that, and every doubt he'd still had, no matter how buried down and subconscious it may have been, vanished completely that night. For the first real time in his life, he knew exactly who he was, who his family was, and was proud of it. For truly the first time, he was satisfied to think of passing the Herondale name down to his-and Clary's- children one day.

He was brought back to reality by Clary's voice, addressing Magnus. "If you're a mortal now, completely human, like Simon was after Edom…" Her tone was unsure, as if she didn't completely want to ask.

"Yes?" Magnus prompted, his green eyes-just plain, human eyes now, on her.

"Then would you be able to Ascend and become a Shadowhunter like he did?" she finished.

Magnus paused for a moment, though from the look on Alec's face as he watched his boyfriend beside him answer, Jace could tell that this wasn't the first time the idea had been brought up between the two of them. "I don't see why I couldn't," Magnus answered, "From what any of us can tell, there is no longer anything magical about me. However, I don't know that I'll do that. Not right away, at least." He glanced at Alec beside him, whose gaze held nothing but love and what looked like resignation, "I don't know that I want to thrust myself into that world again so soon. I suppose we'll see."

"I'll stay with you either way," Alec told him. Magnus smiled. Despite himself, Jace still found himself slightly shocked at Alec's directness. His parabatai had come a long way from the shy, moody person he'd been just a year ago. He was bold now, and didn't care what others thought. He'd found his place and was proud of it. Jace was thoroughly impressed.

Looking back to Clary, the former warlock concluded, "But yes, I probably could, and no, I haven't completely ruled it out." She nodded, and he added, "Either way though, biscuit, you're all still stuck with me."

"I think you'd make a great Shadowhunter, Magnus," Isabelle put in, "I really think you should consider it."

Magnus blinked at her. "Did you not hear what I just said?"

Isabelle ignored him, "I mean, if you Ascended, the Clave couldn't say anything about you and Alec."

"Plus, it's not like they could refuse you," Simon added, "After everything you've done for them."

"That may be true, but I don't think Alec and I will be a problem. Times are changing," Magnus answered, defending his point, "Besides, I could never do it. That gear you're forced to wear? Hideous. Even if it has come a long way in the fashion department. I could never wear that."

"Yes, you could," Simon said, "You'd just dump a pound of glitter on it and be good to go."

Magnus looked to be honestly considering his point. Jace couldn't listen to another word of this. "Angel help us," he said, resting his chin atop Clary's hair.

"What?" Magnus demanded of him innocently, "You don't think I could pull it off?"

"Oh, I have no doubt you would pull it off. Which is exactly my point."

"You don't think I could pull it off. I see how it is. Your lack of confidence is noted."

Jace shook his head, more amused than anything else. Leaning down to whisper in Clary's ear, he asked, "You want to get out of here?"

After over a week of being stuck inside, he saw her answer coming a mile away. Still, he was happy when she nodded.

"Okay, well, on that note, I am leaving," Jace said aloud, as the two of them stood up, "And I am taking Clary with me. We'll be back later." And with that, he took Clary's hand in his and led her out the door.

There were few things Simon enjoyed more in life than kissing Isabelle Lightwood. There was nothing else like it; there was no one else like her. She was too good for him, even now that he was a Shadowhunter just like she was. She would forever be too good for him, and yet, somehow, she loved him anyway. He knew this because she'd just told him so.

It wasn't like it was the first time he'd heard her say it to him, but still the words sent pleasant shivers through him and made his heart beat in strange, irregular ways. No one, not even Clary, had ever made him feel quite like she did.

"I love you too," he said, and closed the small gap between their mouths once again.

Jace and Clary had started something of an exodus when they'd left. Magnus and Alec had followed behind not a minute later; to do what, Simon didn't want to know. They'd left though, leaving him and Izzy alone in the foyer, still sitting on the floor a few feet from the couch. Izzy, unperturbed, had simply stood up, walked over to the vacated couch, and planted herself on it, looking at Simon expectantly, clearly waiting for him to follow suit. He had.

And that was where they were now, on the red couch cushions, engaged in nothing short of a make-out session, and Simon, though his mind had gone almost completely blank by this point and his brain was likely a puddle of goo inside his skull, managed to muster up a single concern.

With some effort, he separated himself from her enough to ask, "Should we go somewhere else? What if your mom-"

"She won't," Izzy breathed, "She doesn't come in here much. And if she does, well…" she smirked, "She's seen worse things, I'm sure." She brought her lips to his again and the remaining bit of Simon's resolve crumbled and blew away like autumn leaves in the breeze.

This was his life now: Isabelle, and Clary, and killing demons, and having a purpose, and being awesome, and Isabelle. It was everything he'd wanted from the very first day he'd learned of this world, and it was all his now. Finally.

He'd gone home to his mom the night after Asmodeus and his army had been defeated, after he'd left the Infirmary on Brother Enoch's orders and found himself longing to see his mom and hopefully Rebecca if she was still in town. So he had.

He'd hopped the next subway to Brooklyn and had gone home for the first time in over a month, since everything had happened, and he had been welcome there like he hadn't been as a vampire. His mother had hugged him, smiling and relieved to see him alive and well. "Does this mean it's over?" she asked. He'd told her just enough of what had been going on to convince her to allow him to stay at the Institute until the whole mess was cleared up back when it all had first gotten bad, and had only spoken to her over the phone in the time since. He'd watered it down like crazy, and still she'd worried. Because she loved him. Because he was her son again.

He smiled. "Yeah. Everything's fine now. We won."

"And Clary?" she asked, worry again coloring her expression. Simon had told her over the phone what was going on the night before when they'd come back without his best friend and he'd been too distraught to talk to anyone else about it. Looking back, it maybe hadn't been the smoothest thing to do if he'd wanted her to not worry, but he hadn't exactly been thinking straight at the time.

He nodded, "She's gonna be okay."

His mother had sighed, "Oh, thank God," and grabbed his hand, "So you'll be sticking around here now? You'll be home at night again? Living here?" Simon nodded and his mother pulled him in for another hug.

That had been a week ago, and for the first time in a long time, everything seemed to be normal. This was his life now, the life of a Shadowhunter, and even with everything that had transpired over the past weeks, Simon had never felt as right as he had since Ascending. This was his life, and it was as if it had been this way all along. He'd been born to be a Shadowhunter. Now, he had the rest of his life to enjoy it.

And he couldn't wait.

The halls of the Institute were deserted as Magnus led Alec through them by the hand. He wore his usual wild array of colors and patterns: baby blue T-shirt, red leather pants, green scarf, and, to top off the loud ensemble, a black and white zebra striped hat-a fedora, Magnus had called it. His hands also bore exactly five rings each, every one a different color and stone, one on every finger. It seemed that even without his magic, Magnus was still as vibrant as ever-both inside and out.

Alec would never understand his boyfriend's fashion obsession. Ever.

Still, that wasn't what was on his mind as the former warlock led him through the ancient, wallpapered hallways. His thoughts were scarier than Magnus' obsession with absurd clothes. He cursed himself for thinking the way he was, but he couldn't help himself. Some part of him, deep down, was still self-conscious and insecure, still scared that the relationship between them wasn't as sure a thing as he'd thought it was.

"Where are we going?" he asked, trying to think of something else.

"To your room-what used to be your room anyway. Isn't that obvious by now? You did live here for most of your life, Alexander."

"Oh," was all he said. Magnus, hearing his tone, cast him a strange look, but didn't press.

"I decided we were due for a little… time alone," he elaborated.

And just like that, Alec couldn't take it anymore. Digging his heels into the floor, he resisted against Magnus' lead, forcing him to either stop walking himself or let go of his hand. "Magnus, stop."

He stopped. "Why?" Magnus asked, his expression growing concerned at the look on Alec's face, "What is it, Alexander? What's wrong?"

"Just…" Alec took a deep breath, steeling himself to say the words that he needed to say. "You're human now. You can have a life now instead of the existence you had before. I know everything is different for you now… Just-" He looked up from the point he'd been studying on the floor to meet Magnus' eyes, "Just tell me you aren't going to leave me."

Magnus looked blown away. He blinked at him for a second. "Why would you ask that?" he asked finally.

"Because you said, more than once, that you don't want to become a Shadowhunter; that you don't want to be a part of that world again. You told me you want to experience life as a mortal; that you don't want to have to constantly worry about the pressures of the Clave and the Shadow World. That you want, for the first time, to live a truly normal life. And that's fine, except that I am that world, Magnus. How can you not be a part of this world and still be with me at the same time? You can't. And I know you can't. So-" he took a shaking breath, "So if you're going to break up with me, please just do it. Please."

Magnus was openly gaping at him now. "Alec," he breathed, looking shocked. "Alec, I'm not going to leave you." He took a step forward and Alec, for the first time in a long time, had to resist the urge to step back. Magnus' eyes, so unfamiliar now without their golden slits, and yet so familiar at the same time, bored into his, looking more open and honest then, Alec thought, he'd likely ever seen them. "I couldn't leave you. Not any more than I could go on living without my heart beating in my chest. As if I'd even want to if you weren't there with me."

It was Alec's turn to blink. "You don't?"

"Of course not. I love you, Alexander. Don't you know that by now?"

"I just thought-"

"That my becoming mortal would take away my feelings for you? That could never happen. I don't want to be a Shadowhunter, no; I don't want a life of fighting. But if it was the only way I could be with you for the rest of my life, I would Ascend in a heartbeat. You know I would. I would do anything."

Alec could only stare, panting as if he'd just been running, into Magnus' eyes. And then in the next second, without him really knowing how they ended up there or who had moved first, they were in each others arms and Magnus was kissing him and he was kissing back and the last of the fear that had gripped Alec, had held him in place like a vise since Magnus had become human, disappeared.

And it was only then that he realized just how unnecessary they'd been in the first place.

"Catarina did a good job," Clary said admiringly, leaning back against Jace, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were lying about there being a battle here."

They were in Central Park, in their usual secluded spot, seated in the green grass, which was scattered here and there with fallen leaves. The surrounding trees were various shades of red, yellow, and orange, the ground level and whole, interrupted occasionally only by families picnicking, little kids running around, and New Yorkers throwing Frisbees and footballs back and forth in the nice weather-mundanes going about their lives, unconcerned. It was just another ordinary day in early fall, like any other. There wasn't a trace of evidence to suggest that there had been a viscous battle in this very field just a week ago. Not even a little.

"But, of course, you do know better. I'd never lie to you," Jace replied. He was playing with her hair, curling it around his fingers absently. It was a new habit he'd picked up recently, but Clary honestly kind of liked it. It was a very normal gesture, comforting and nice.

He looked about as close to a mundane today as was possible for Jace to look, in a navy blue T-shirt and jeans. He was, of course, probably armed, but he was good at hiding it.

"That's good to hear," she commented, closing her eyes against him and enjoying the sunshine and the light breeze that was blowing through, ruffling their hair. It was the first time she'd been allowed outside since Yanluo had kidnapped her. The same four walls of the Infirmary had been easier to endure when Jace was there, which had been most of the time, but she was extremely glad to finally be free of them.

She felt worlds better. It would still be a few weeks before she was back to normal, and surely at least that long until Jace would allow her to even think of training again, but, all things considered, she was grateful. He had told her what had happened to Jem as a child and she had spoken to the former Silent Brother herself briefly as well. She knew things could have been much worse. And knowing that, she would take the residual pain and weakness that Brother Enoch had said would probably linger for a little while happily. She was alive and she would grow up and live a normal Shadowhunter life. With Jace.

"Mmm," he murmured, moving to lie down in the grass and pulling her with him. She rested her head against his chest and looked up at him, craining her neck awkwardly.

"So what now?" she asked him.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that there literally has not been a time since I found out I was a Shadowhunter that we weren't dealing with something. First, it was Valentine, then Sebastian, then everything with Simon, then Asmodeus. I mean we literally haven't gotten a break since all of that first started and now everything is just over. So what exactly do we do now?"

"You mean, what exactly is 'normal' when you've never actually experienced anything of the sort?"

"Something like that."

Jace grinned. "Well, to be honest, there is no such thing as 'normal' when you're a Shadowhunter. There will always be something else to deal with, just usually on a smaller scale than what you're used to."

She looked up at him again. That wasn't exactly an answer to her question. "So you don't know," she summed up.

"What's to know? We live, we train, we fight. It's what we do."

"C'mon, Jace. Seriously," she chided, wanting a better answer than that. She shifted so she was lying next to him and looked at him full on.

Jace sighed and propped his head up on his hand so he was looking down at her. "Honestly, Clary, before I met you, I simply lived my life from one fight to the next. I never wanted or needed anything more than that. But then you came along and changed everything for me. You taught me that life was more than that. I have no more idea than you do about what happens next, and I don't really care, as long as I get to have you for it."

Clary opened her mouth to reply, but the words died in her throat. She closed it again and simply smiled up at him. "I love you, Clary," Jace continued, "Words can't even express how much." He didn't give her time to reply, or to do anything, before he leaned down and was kissing her, making the rest of the world disappear.

And if the people in the park saw them: the teenage boy and girl kissing passionately in the corner of the grassy plain, if they could see the scars on their skin from runes and battles fought, or the callouses on their hands from weapons, or the hardened maturity in their eyes from the pain and losses they'd both experienced and shared; if they could see anything in that moment but for the all-consuming love that was far too strong for any ordinary hormonal teenage couple to possess, they kept their silence.

And there you have it. City Of New Beginnings is officially finished.

First off, thank you SO MUCH everyone for reading. Your reviews were so much fun to read! Thank you for every follow and favorite. Thank you for everything. You guys are so awesome!

I will be posting some one-shots and stuff for TMI in the somewhat near future, so be on the lookout for those, as well as some more of my usual PJO stuff. And as always, if you have any ideas for future stories, feel free to let me know. I'd love to give them a shot!

Again, thank you guys for everything. It's been fun and a pleasure writing this for you! Thanks for reading and I hope I did the ending justice.

Until next time!

-LiveLaughLove728