Alec woke up with the strangest feeling. Something big was going down - or had just happened - and he sensed the shockwaves were headed his way.

"I'm sure you're exaggerating," Magnus sighed when Alec shared his worries. "You're making it sound like a tsunami is coming or something."

"It's a metaphor," Alec explained. "I don't mean like an actual natural disaster."

"Alright, but if a giant wall of water does hit the apartment I do expect a text," Magnus chuckled.

"Ha ha," Alec replied sarcastically.

Magnus grinned, that big beautiful smile that Alec loved so much. "See you when I'm home from work, love" Magnus said leaning forward to kiss his husband goodbye before moving towards the door.

"Don't work too hard," Alec called back. "Not that you ever listen." Magnus laughed and the door closed behind him.

Now what to do? Alec always did prefer his days off and, well who didn't? But days off with Magnus were always better. Alec didn't really have anything he needed to do today, except, of course, prepare for Armageddon.

Then again, that wasn't really true. He should start looking for a better job now that he'd graduated with his Bachelor's in Business. The grocery store was great and all, but it felt very much like a student job. Still, it wasn't like he had any great plans for his Bachelor's. After all, Alec hadn't even picked his major. Maybe real life decisions could wait.

Alec decided this was a problem for later, as he reached for his console remote and started the campaign he'd been working on yesterday after work.

An hour or so later, his units were making headway against the enemy when the door opened. Alec knew Paige had plans today and his handsome husband wouldn't be home till after five so he paused his game and turned to check.

"Hey," Jace said with so little feeling that Alec forgot about his game entirely.

"What happened?" Alec asked quickly, getting up to move closer.

Without speaking a word, Jace began to cry silently before wrapping his arms around his best friends shoulders. Alec hugged Jace back, at a loss for words.

He wasn't sure how long they stood like that. Jace crying, Alec attempting to comfort him, while the paused video game music played on repeat behind them.

"Who died?" Alec finally asked, unable to think of anything else it could be.

"Clary and I broke up," Jace finally said, almost choking on his words. "Can I sleep here tonight?"

"Of course," Alec said at once. "My couch is your couch. Sorry, Paige is already in the guest room."

"That's fine," Jace sniffed. "Couch is perfect."

Alec lead them over and they sat on the forenamed perfect couch. Jace still wasn't speaking. Alec took the opportunity to save and exit his game so they didn't have to listen to the same menu music anymore.

"That's better," Jace said.

"I should have at least muted it earlier, sorry," Alec added.

"It's fine," Jace contininued.

Alec wasn't sure what to do. Should he ask for details, or maybe cookies were a good idea? Unable to really think about what to do that would help, Alec just sat there. After a while Chairmen Meow - as Catsby wasn't up to much these days - came up to sit on Jace's lap and he started petting the cat absently.

The only sound was Chairmen's purring as the time ticked by. Alec almost spoke a couple times, then thought better of it. Maybe this is what Jace needed, silent companionship and a cat.

Alec wasn't sure how long it was until his best friend finally spoke.

"What am I gonna do now?" he asked.

"What do you want to do?" Alec replied.

"All those things that were taken from me," Jace answered.

"Ah," Alec said awkwardly. "Well maybe you don't need to know what to do next. Maybe you just need time to heal."

"I'm done school," Jace continued. "I'm single. I'm not speaking to my mother, and my job is just a student one that ends in a few months. How do you suggest I heal?"

"Time," Alec suggested. "And talking about how you feel with your friends."

"I feel like an idiot," Jace replied quickly. "How could I have been so stuipd! Thinking that we were soulmates, thinking that we could survive anything. We should have broken up a year ago."

"Hindsight is twenty twenty," Alec said. "There's no point living in 'should haves' and 'what if's'. What matters is now. I know it's cliche, but it's true."

"I suppose," Jace sighed.

"You know what you need," Alec decided. "Pizza and action movies!"

"Sure," Jace replied. Though he didn't smile, there was less darkness in his eyes.

Alec jumped up at once and ordered pizza because returning to the console and setting up Netflix.

The pizza arrived half way through the first movie starring gun fights and car races. Towards the end of the third movie, Jace fell asleep on the couch.

Alec put the subtitles on, then turned the volume on the movie down to a whisper so it wouldn't wake Jace. Alec pulled a blanket off the back of the couch to cover Jace, then got out his phone. Next, Alec texted Magnus on what was going on, assuming when Clary came to him Magnus would need the heads up.

Jace was still asleep and the movie was over when the front door next opened. It wasn't quite five yet which meant this had to be Paige. Turning around, Alec learned he was right.

"I had just the best day ever!" Paige exclaimed, before Alec shh-ed her and pointed to Jace. "Sorry," she continued in a whisper.

Leaving sleeping Jace on the couch, Alec got up to move closer to her. "And what dare I ask was so amazing about your Saturday?" Alec inquired.

"Met someone," Paige grinned.

"Really?" Alec said raising an eyebrow. "This morning it was all why did I agree to his blind date and can't I get out of it and now it's 'I met someone'?."

Paige just shrugged. "Don't judge a book by it's cover," she said.

"Well I'm happy for you," Alec smiled. "Just maybe don't mention it to Jace, at least not for a couple of days."

"Why what happened?"

"He and Clary broke up yesterday," Alec explained.

"Oh damn," Paige whispered back. "Why?"

"I'm not totally sure," Alec answered. "He wasn't feeling super chatty so I did my best friend thing and ordered pizza."

"Really? Pizza," Paige scoffed. "For a broken heart only sugar will do."

"Carbs are kinda like sugar," Alec defended himself.

"I suppose carbs do break down into sugar but they don't taste like dessert," Paige disagreed. "Just give me an hour in the kitchen to change your mind."

"I won't argue with that," Alec grinned. "Man, I hope you never move out." He sighed, affectionately. Paige just rolled her eyes.

Alec killed time on his laptop while Paige did whatever Paige did best in his kitchen. Within a half hour the smell wafting through the door had Alec up and out of his chair.

"What is that heavenly aroma?" Alec mused as he followed his nose.

"It's your oven," Paige replied.

"Yum," Alec enthused.

The smell was even enough to wake the dead as Jace rose moments later, inquiring after the oven as well.

"They are called beer brownies," Paige said. "Quick and easy and makes the house smell fantastic."

"Quick and easy for you," Alec corrected. "I feel like if I tried to make them the place might burn down."

"Nonsense!" Paige scolded him. "If you can make pancakes, you can definitely make brownies. Very similar principles."

"I make pancakes from a mix," Alec reminded her. "You add water. A monkey could do it."

"You can make brownies from a mix too," Paige explained.

"Yeah but they don't smell like your brownies," Alec reminded her.

Paige was never very good at taking compliments, though Alec knew she deserved every one of them, and he was resolved to keep giving them to her especially if it meant she'd keep cooking.

"Why are they called beer brownies?" Jace asked as she was slicing them up and putting them on plates.

"Because you add a half cup of beer to them," Paige said. "Or cold coffee if you'd rather."

"We have beer in the house?" Alec asked surprised.

"We don't anymore," Paige laughed. "Magnus will probably say baking his last bottle of stout into brownies is a waste of his good beer but-"

Alec took one bit of brownie and decided his husband's beer had been sacrificed for the most noble of causes.

"Worth it," Alec mumbled as he consumed his second brownie.

"Hey!" Paige scolded him. "Only Jace gets seconds."

Alec hung his head, crestfallen. "Just cause I'm happily married I don't get extra treats?"

"That's right!" Jace stated firmly as he took the whole tray of brownies away, holding them tight to his chest.

"Okay fine, but at least let Paige have one," Alec protested. "She baked them."

"Oh, I don't like brownies," Paige laughed. "They're all yours, Jace."

Jace narrowed his eyes at her. "She's a witch," Jace decided. "What woman doesn't like chocolate brownies?"

"This one," Paige laughed. Jace backed away, clearly pretending to be wary of her and protective of his brownies. It was actually quite comical.

Just then they were interrupted by Alec's cell phone ringing. Who calls these days anyway? Alec thought. As he went to check the caller ID, he remembered the one person who still called him instead of texted.

"Hey mom," Alec greeted her as he picked up the line.

"Hello Alexander dear," Maryse said. He could hear the smile in her tone. "How are you?"

"Good," Alec said, then added more quietly. "Apart from my friend being miserable. How are you?"

"Which friend?" Maryse asked in that way parents do when they ignore the question you asked in favour of asking one of their own.

"Jace," Alec explained as he moved away from the others to talk privately. "Clary broke up with him."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Mayrse said. "I could call at another time if you'd like."

"It's okay," Alec said. "He's busy eating Paige's brownies. What's up?"

"Well, as you know, your father and I conducted a little bit of an experiment these last few months," she began. "And you did so well, and we are so proud of you that we decided it's time to give you your credit cards back."

"Oh," Alec said. It was amazing how he'd all but forgotten about this. With both him and Magnus working they'd been able to pay their bills and afford a reasonable amount of luxuries without a problem. In fact, Alec had even been putting a little money away for a rainy day.

"You don't sound very excited," Maryse added.

"Sorry," Alec replied quickly. "It's just that I almost forgot about all that."

"I know," Maryse replied, her voice almost beaming. "Don't you remember what I said."

Alec wracked his brains, and then it came to him. "I could have my cards back when I didn't need them." It hadn't made any sense to him at the time, but now it was clear as day.

"Exactly," Maryse replied. "You'll find all your cards reactivated and paid off. Maybe it's time to treat that hard working husband to a nice dinner, hmm?"

"Thanks mom," Alec said with real warmth.

"Well, you earned it," she added.

"I mean thanks for teaching me," Alec continued, finding it hard to say the words, but knowing they had to be said. "Thank you so much for giving me that push to be independent."

"What are parents for if not to teach their children how to be adults?" Maryse replied.

"So is it Izzy's turn now?" Alec laughed.

"Maybe," Maryse replied. "Though I'm not sure if that would be the best way to teach her. Your sister's lessons might have to be a touch more complicated."

"Good luck," Alec smiled. "Give my love to dad."

"I will," Maryse replied. They exchanged 'love ya's and hung up.

Alec moved back towards the others to learn that Jace had almost finished the entire tray of brownies.

"Wow," Alec said actually impressed. "Even after all that pizza."

"Dessert gets a separate stomach," Jace informed him.

"Not scientifically sound, but I'll allow it," Paige laughed.

"I ah heard you just now," Jace said after a moment. "You think Clary broke up with me?"

"Well yeah," Alec said. "Isn't that what you said?"

Jace shook his head. "I broke up with her," he corrected.

"Oh," Alec mouthed.

"And I think I'm ready to talk about it now," Jace told them. "Thanks for putting up with my silence all day."

"That's what friends are for," Alec smiled.

Been writing more lately and it seems you have all adapted to my lazy style updates so I kept this one un-published for a couple extra days so you guys could catch up. ^_^ What do you think of the Clace shockwave so far?

Sneak Peek Chapter 161

"Talking to yourself again," Simon chuckled.

Izzy turned on the couch to face him where he sat at the dining room table with his laptop.

"Well am I wrong?" Izzy argued.

"I know better than to say that," Simon smiled.

"Cheeky," Izzy grumbled. She heard his laugh again, then the chair scraping against the floor and footsteps. The next thing she knew Simon's arms were wrapped around her from behind. He was kissing her neck.

"Distracting me won't work," Izzy lied as she attempted not to be distracted.

"Oh yeah?" Simon replied slyly.

"Hmmhmm," Izzy mumbled. He'd moved down from her neck and was kissing along the bare skin of her arm. Izzy was suddenly very glad she'd chosen the sleeveless shirt today.