A/N: Guess who has a Kindle e-book out!? Me! Also, I plan on the next chapter possibly being the last one and making a sequel set a year or so after this one. What do you guys think? I've also been thinking about converting this into an original fiction and publishing it. Sorry for the rambling.

37: Alec

I wake to the smell of French toast frying. I've missed Magnus's French toast nearly as much as Magnus himself.

Max is already up when I go in the living room. He's building a race track for his cars.

Magnus seems surprised when I come in the kitchen.

"I didn't know you were up yet. Strawberry or cherry?" he says, smiling.

"Either. I've missed you, baby," I reply, kissing him gently.

"Missed you more."

"Max, honey, breakfast's done."

"Oh, I ate a whole box of Frosted Mini Wheat," Max replies, grinning at me.

I stare at Magnus in horror.

"Why did you-That much sugar-He could get sick!" I tell him.

"He seems fine. He also had three glasses of chocolate milk," Magnus replies.

"I've never seen him look like that," Max pipes.

I rest my head against the counter.

"You're gonna be the death of me or Max," I groan.

"He was really happy when I gave it to him. Like I said, I don't know anything about kids," Magnus tells me.

"I know you don't. I'm not mad at you. Okay? If you'd known and done it anyway, I would be mad at you."

I don't like Magnus thinking he's in trouble.

Magnus and Max curl up in a chair with a book. They look so cute together. I can't help being a little jealous that Max connects so well with Mags.

At noon, Kai's owners drop him off. He's really excited to see Max.

"Okay, he's had his medicine, so he should be pretty calm. You have my number so you can call me if something comes up," the woman tells me, unhooking Kai's leash.

Wagging happily, he dashes over to Max.

"I brought some of his toys. There's some pudding in there too, but he only gets it if he's been a good boy," she says, handing me a diaper bag.

"We'll take good care of him. I promise," I tell her, smiling.

It's exhausting having two kids to look after, but it's worth it to see them both so happy.

"It's nice knowing not all hybrids have horrid childhoods," Magnus murmurs, watching as Max snuggles against Kai under the blanket they're sharing.

"I know. I thought everyone treated hybrid kids like you and Max were treated," I reply.

I smile when Magnus rests his head on my shoulder. I've missed holding him. I rub his back gently as he presses himself closer.

"I love you more than anything else," I whisper.

"I love you more. I wish I'd never left," he replies, moving his hand to my thigh.

"Me too. I've missed this."

"Is Izzy avoiding me?"

"I think she might be. She hasn't said much to me about us."

"What made Jace flip on me again? I thought he and I were getting along?"

"I honestly don't know. He had no right to do that to us."

Both kids wake up when the doorbell rings. It's Kai's owners.

"Was he good?" the woman asks, ruffling Kai's honey blond hair.

"He was a little angel. They wore themselves out and were sleeping when you got here," I reply.

"I'm glad. Could we do this again? Maybe Max could come to our house."

"Can we, Alec?" Max asks.

"You need to ask Magnus too. It's up to him also, not just me. Okay?"

With that, he crawls into Magnus's lap and gives him the best puppy eyes I've ever seen.

"Can I go over to Kai's? Pretty please?" he asks, sticking his lower lip out at the end.

"If Alec agrees, I've got no problem with it," Magnus tells him.

"How about Max spends the weekend next week? You guys deserve some alone time," Kai's owner suggests.

"That sounds great," I reply, seeing Magnus's enthusiatic nod.

"So that handsome neko is your boyfriend?"

"Fiance. I adopted him last August and then we got engaged around Christmas. Trying to find a neko-friendly place to have our wedding that's also gay-friendly is close to impossible."

Magnus, carrying Max on one hip, sashays over to us. There's really no other way to describe the way Mags moves when he's not scared. It's like half cat and half runway model. It's 100% hot, though.

"There's a place in LA that does neko weddings I think," the woman suggests.

"I don't know if we can afford it," I reply.

"Good luck."

I find a justice of the peace in Jersey four hours later. I write down the number so I can call them Monday. We might not get to have a fancy wedding cake or a huge honeymoon, but we can at least afford marriage.

"We're getting married. For real," I say in disbelief.

"You have the biggest grin right now. I get to keep you," Magnus replies, kissing me hungrily.

"We get to keep each other."

The thought I just might get to keep this beautiful, gorgeous person both awes me and terrifies me. I'm in awe because he's just so perfect and he's decided he loves me. I'm terrified because something could very easily happen. I don't want to lose him. Not again. When I'm with him, life feels a lot bigger. Without him, it's like all the color has been bleached from everything.