"Did you just say 'rest of my life,'" Alec asked, not quite believing what he'd heard with his own ears. Magnus had said 'entire life' right? Alec hadn't imagined that?

"Don't change the topic," Magnus snapped, but Alec took no notice. He could sense the stillness in his body from his shock, yet somehow Alec didn't want to move. In this moment, his world, was only his heart pounding in his chest, his breathing shallow at Magnus's words. It wasn't like Alec didn't think he and Magnus were serious, but maybe thanks to how they'd started out, Alec had always felt like he was thinking a little more long term than his boyfriend.

"Do you really think of us that way?" Alec whispered, unable not to ask.

His voice dripping with sarcasm, Magnus replied, "No, of course not, because I want more exes, and another broken heart."

"Magnus!" Alec snapped. He was somehow both touched and totally frustrated by his boyfriend's response. How could he be sarcastic at a time like this?

"You thought what, that I'd get bored of you and move on?" Magnus asked his voice no longer annoyed, but soft and gentle. "Why is this a surprise, Alexander?"

"I-," Alec began, startled by Magnus's sudden shift in mood. "I guess I thought-" What had he been thinking? At this moment, Alec wasn't sure. Smiling, Magnus moved closer. He took Alec's hands in his, and locked their gaze.

"I had given up on love when you pulled at my heart, remember," Magnus whispered. "Whether we are together or not, you will be the last person I love, Alexander."

"Don't say that," Alec replied with a shake of his head. He pulling Magnus in by their joined hands, closing the space between them. "Don't talk like we aren't going to make it." Magnus smiled, then leaned forward and kissed Alec gently.

"Now, can we get back on topic?" Magnus asked, when they broke apart, but Alec was feeling too warm and fuzzy, too overwhelmed with love to get back into their fight.

"You should take the job you want, and I'll help with your living costs," Alec stated, firmly. "Heck, maybe I should move in."

"You really do want people to take advantage of you, don't you?" Magnus grumbled, clearly annoying. He pulled away a little.

"Not people," Alec smiled back. "Just you." It was strange to be fighting with someone, and yet be somehow more certain of their love than before. Though Alec wasn't really fighting anymore, even if Magnus still was. Alec was feeling a little too happy to be upset at the moment. An entire life with Magnus Bane. Just the thought made him smile.

"We are fighting, Alexander," Magnus snapped. "This is no time to be smiling like that."

"I love you," Alec told him. "What's mine has been yours since the moment I realized I couldn't live without you. That is just who I am. The simple truth."

"We are not married Alexander, and life is not that simple."

"Would it be that simple if we were married?" Alec asked, pensively. He knew the phrase 'what's mine is yours' was a married one, but Alec hadn't quite realized the implications when he'd said them.

"That is neither here nor there," Magnus replied.

"What if it was," Alec continued. "Here I mean." He'd thought of this before. He'd thought and rethought it, but he'd always found some reason not to say it. Possibly he'd been too insecure to bring it up then, but Alec had found new courage in the last few moments.

"You aren't making any sense, Alexander," Magnus sighed.

"Would it make a difference if we were married?" Alec said, with more certainty.

"Seems a bit excessive," Magnus mumbled, awkwardly not looking at Alec. "Getting married just so you can pay for everything."

"Okay yes, good point," Alec said. "My timing sucks and I phrased that badly, but I promise that I'm not doing this so I can pay for everything. I know it looks like that, but I've been thinking about this for a long time."

"You never mentioned," Magnus whispered.

"If I asked, would you marry me?"

"That is hardly fair," Magnus replied calmly. "You want me to give you an answer, yet you won't commit to the question."

Without a second's hesitation, Alec got off the couch and sunk to one knee in front of Magnus, looking up into his eyes.

"Magnus Bane, marry me?" Alec finally asked the question correctly and by the look on his lover's face, this time his meaning was understood. There was silence. It stretched on past the point where Alec could bare it so he broke it. Still on his knees, Alec placing a hand at the nape of Magnus's neck, looking his boyfriend right in the eye as he spoke.

"I love you," Alec began. "I love how happy it makes you when you think of a new pun."

"You always groan at my puns," Magnus said very softly.

"Is that not the reaction you're looking for?" Alec asked gently. Magnus's eyes widened a little, but Alec kept speaking. He was determined to leave no stone unturned. If they'd really been together this long, and yet communicated this badly, it was his job to fix it. Magnus needed to know exactly how much Alec loved him.

"I admire how hard you work. I love the way you passionately pursue your dreams, no matter the odds," Alec said. "And Magnus, I don't just love you for the things you're good at, for the things you value in yourself. I love you for every stupid, annoying, thing you do. The way you roll all the way over at night, and almost push me off the bed. The way you are stubbornly independent to the point of insanity!"

"I thought you hated how stubborn I am," Magnus whispered, but Alec shook his head.

"I could never hate anything about you," Alec said. "I love all of you unconditionally." He paused for breath. "If I'd known you were thinking about us in terms of forever, I think I would have asked you to marry me before now."

Reaching forward, Alec placed his free hand on the other side of Magnus's face as he finished speaking. "You are my soulmate, and I don't ever want to live without you."

"How can you be so certain?" Magnus whispered, so softly that he almost made no noise at all. Alec had never seen his boyfriend so stunned, so totally taken aback. It was as if this turn of events hadn't at all occurred to him.

"I could ask you the same thing," Alec smiled, back. "After all, you just said moments ago that you'd never love another."

"But Alexander, I've been in love before," Magnus whispered. "I have something to compare us to - you've only been with me - and I know what a broken heart feels like. I am certain I couldn't take the risk of opening my heart again which makes you the last person I'll love. It's different somehow."

"Doesn't matter," Alec replied easily.

"I-" Magnus began, but he seemed quite without the words to express himself. "It must-"

"It doesn't matter," Alec repeated. "It doesn't doesn't matter why or how many. All that matters is that can't sleep well without you beside me. I don't feel like I've truly done something until I've told you about it. Bad days don't get better until I see you smile. Just because I've only ever loved one person with all my heart, doesn't mean I don't know what real love feels like." Alec stroked his lover's face gently before whispering.

"You are amazing, you know that," Magnus whispered. There was a single tear running down his cheek. Alec wiped it away gently with his thumb.

"Amazing enough to marry?" Alec asked hopefully.

"Yes," Magnus whispered as he crushed his lips into Alec's. It was electric when their bodies touched, as if sparks were flying from where skin met skin. They were sprawled out on the couch now, limbs all tangled up.

"Oh Alexander," Magnus whispered into their kiss. "I've had relationships before that have lasted longer than our year together."

"And this is supposed to get me in the mood how?" Alec couldn't help, but grin.

"Sorry, I never seem to stay the right thing," Magnus chuckled. "I don't have your way with words. Maybe you should major in English, like Tessa." Alec couldn't help but laugh as well. However, his focus was on his hands, and their mission of removing Magnus's shirt.

"Ah no. I'm not gonna major in English, and I don't have a way with words," Alec replied easily as he tossed the shirt aside. "I suck at them actually."

"I beg to differ," Magnus scoffed, sitting up slightly. "What about all those things you just said to me?"

"That's different," Alec said, moving to close the space between them, and gripping Magnus more tightly with his legs.

"How so?" Magnus asked.

"Naked truth is easy to articulate," Alec replied, holding Magnus's face in both his hands.

"Longer relationships yes," Magnus said, leaning into Alec's touch as he finished what he'd been trying to say before. "But never so powerful. Everything is different with you, Alexander."

"Good to know I stand out," Alec smiled, as his hands moved down Magnus's skin. A wantun sound came from deep within Magnus's chest as they both lost patience with their conversation. Alec was laying flat on his back, his shirt gone, and Magnus above him. As they kissed, Alec worked at the buttons of Magnus's jeans. Magnus kicked them off, and soon he was pulling Alec's pants down as well. Alec wrapped his bare legs around Magnus's waist, and moaned slight as he felt their stift arousals press together.

There was muttered 'I love you's' and gasps from them both as the dance continued. Alec kissed his fiance, reveling in both the word itself, and Magnus's touch, exploring every inch of that beautiful caramel skin. Hands gently encouraged, while lips passionately kissed. Alec was too wrapped up in the moment to be concerned about them being the living room. Sure, Clary could technically walk in at any time, or even his sister, but Alec was far too preoccupied by the actions of Magnus's hands to care. They made love on the couch, then collapsed together panting, their hearts still pounding. Alec settled into his fiance's arms on the couch, spent, and smiling. He was resting his cheek on his fiance's bare chest. Just thinking the word in relation to Magnus meant Alec couldn't keep the smile off his face. At the moment he didn't care that they hadn't solved their problem, or even finished their argument. Alec just wanted to lie here in his fiance's arms, and bask in the emotional tsunami engulfing him.

"You're glowing Alexander," Magnus chuckled.

"Great sex with my fiance has that effect," Alec replied with a grin, lifting and turning his chin to rest it on his hands so he could look at Magnus.

"Fiance," Magnus said, shaking his head slightly. "Are you sure all that just happened?" He laughed. "Or are we dreaming?"

"Does this-" Alec began kissing down Magnus's chest. "Or this-" he trailed his fingers down Magnus's sides. "Or this-" he leaned forward, and kissed Magnus on the mouth. "Feel like a dream?"

"Oh yes," Magnus whispered, his arms wrapping around Alec, and pulling him closer. "But a good one." Alec laughed before settling on his fiance's chest again. He was listening to Magnus's heart beat, and he could feel Magnus's chest rise and fall. No sooner than he noticed this, than his breathing began to sync up with Magnus's.

As Magnus began stroking his hair, Alec closed his eyes. Though it was the middle of the afternoon, Alec felt so peaceful; he could have fallen asleep. He knew he shouldn't, but his mind was foggy with happiness, and he didn't want to think anymore.

Alec woke up, not sure how long he'd been sleeping. He was still resting on Magnus, so he thought it couldn't have been sleeping for long. Sitting up and rubbing his eyes, Alec asked Magnus.

"I didn't know you were sleeping," Magnus smiled. Alec decided this meant he hadn't actually slept for long enough to matter, and settled back down. Magnus's arm wound around him, and Alec closed his eyes again. They remained like that for quite a while until Magnus cut the silence.

"I am going to take the volunteer job," Magnus's whispered voice cut through the air.

"That's great," Alec whispered back. He wanted to ask exactly what Magnus had been thinking while he'd been sleeping, but decided to just count his blessings and not pry.

"I miss you at night too," Magnus continued. "When you aren't there." He paused then added. "Alec, would you like to move in?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Alec replied, beaming. Sitting up more, so he could bring his lips closer, Alec kissed Magnus. They were lazy kisses, slow and deep, without the hint of moving to something more.

"At least if you are living here too, I wouldn't feel so bad about you covering the bills," Magnus sighed as they broke apart.

"Hey Magnus," Alec said, placing his hand on his fiance's cheek. "Rest of our lives, remember? I help you now, you help me later. We support each other."

"That's a lovely thought," Magnus replied, but Alec could tell he didn't really believe this would happen.

"If you'd told me on my first day of university," Alec began. "That within the year I'd fall in love with my soulmate, and befriend the biggest idiot at my old high school, I would have laughed and told you such a thing was impossible." Alec stroked Magnus's cheek gently before adding. "Anything is possible."

Before Magnus could reply, they were interrupted by the sound of the front door handle turning. If not for the moments silence, they would have missed it. Alec scrambled to pull a blanket up over them both as they heard the door click open. Seconds later, they heard the sound of the door closing, a bag being dropped on the ground, and then footsteps headed their way.

*Hides from smut lovers*

...yes I know this was smut-less. Sorry, not sorry...

Honestly, I have had most of this written for AGES! The last line of chapter 57 where Magnus is thinking how he will never love again after Alec was foreshadowing for this scene. I've had the proposal and the fight before hand written since about then in some form or another, but I hadn't quite worked out the beginning till more recent chapters as the reason for the fight unfolded and after the 'yes' I had literally nothing written at all! It was almost a block or the closet thing to writer's block I've ever had. I had this note at the end of the chapter for the longest time "Add smut here to finish chapter"... but I just never wanted to write it. No clue why. I wasn't feeling sexy I guess. *shrugs* Some days the smut almost writes itself and others I just can't add it no matter how I try.

Anyway I hope it was worth the wait. I do seem to be all together too good at dragging shit out don't I? Then again if I wasn't this story would definitely have been complete ages ago so...

Nicolad111213 How dare you disable private messaging! *cries* (to clarify I reply to all reviews with PMs unless unable to then I do this)

Your review:
I just read every chapter in the last 24 hours and I have to say I'm genuinely upset that I'm all caught up!

My reply:
wow.. o_O The whole story in 24 hours! Shit that's crazy! I am officially impressed. :D I do understand the disappointment at being all caught up. But never fear! I update pretty fast, like a few times a week. I know it isn't as the same as reading over 200,000 words in one day but... its still fast compared to most writers on this site. :) Thanks for reviewing and I hope you review again many more times! How did you like that cliffhanger huh? ^_^ Hehe. I LOVE reviews. They are my crack.
PS - if you turn PMs back on I'll reply to your future reviews that way or we can keep doing this. :) Thanks again. Also I am curious if you have read any of my other 5 multi chapter Mortal Instruments fanfics?

Sneak Peek Chapter 87

Clary thought he'd walk away then so she could leave but he didn't. The classroom was empty now but for the two of them.

"I'm headed home," Clary said, after a moment, trying not to be rude.

"I'll walk with you," Brett replied. With a shrug Clary turned to leave with Brett walking beside her. Locker's were required to be emptied out for the summer so Clary decided to collect all her things from there before heading home. To her surprise Brett kept her company the whole time. They talked mostly of class and Van Gogh but also about the professor herself. The light casual conversation continued up until Clary and Brett were at the end of the school grounds.

"Isn't your house that way?" Clary asked, pointing in the opposite direction Brett was going.

"Maybe," Brett smiled. "But I was enjoying our conversation." Clary laughed. Digging into her bag she pulled out a slip of paper and scribbled some numbers on it before handing it over.

"Here text me," Clary said. "And we can keep talking about art history. Maybe even pick a study time." She waved then turned in the direction of home. "See ya."

"Bye," Brett said back also waving.

PS - You can thank my complete lack of self control for me not holding onto this cliffhanger longer. My beta told me to make you guys wait till Friday. Please review to say thank you. :)