One Year Later

All in all, Magnus thought the evening was going rather well. The housewarming party had been Alec's idea but Magnus had thought it a splendid one. Any excuse to have everyone he loved under one roof was always a good idea in his books. Their guests had arrived around an hour ago and everyone had already helped themselves to the buffet table before naturally breaking up into smaller groups to talk and eat.

Alec was sitting with Jace and Clary nagging them for probably the hundredth time to pick a wedding date. They'd been engaged for a year now, even if they'd only let it slip to their friends a couple months ago. Magnus knew Jace's son had been born recently - though he had to admit he was fuzzy on the exact dates - and he assumed that was keeping them far too busy to think about planning a party. In fact, tonight was the first time he'd seen either Jace or Clary since the baby had been born. Magnus confessed he didn't know a lot about babies, except what Tessa had told him over the years, and by her account the fact that Jace had gotten out of the house to come to a house warming party at all was a miracle.

Simon and Izzy were sitting at the table eating with Jordan and Maia. Izzy and Simon's one year wedding anniversary was coming up and Simon had quite the event planned. Magnus knew this because Simon had gotten a lot of help planning it from both him and Alec. There wasn't much Alexander wouldn't do for his sister so when Simon had asked for Alec's aid he had jumped on the idea at once. Magnus knew Jordan was still working on his master's degree while working part time as a computer tech guy while Maia worked at the grocery store. He often wondered if those two would ever tie the knot. It was funny but once you got to a certain age and had been with a partner for a certain amount of time everyone just seemed to automatically assume you'd get married. The thought made Magnus chuckled lightly. It was ironic that he'd become one of those people. Before Alexander Magnus had always assumed he'd never marry. He wasn't sure why but it had just never occurred to me until Alec's out of the blue proposal.

Speaking of married couples, Aline and Helen were here as well. They were sitting with Tessa and Lucie near the sofa. Aline and Helen seemed quite taken with the little girl and their presence seemed to be giving Tessa a chance to finish her dinner uninterrupted. The two of them being so enamored with little Lucie made Magnus smile. Only a few weeks ago they had invited Magnus and Alec over for dinner to ask them, or rather Alec, if he would donate some sperm so they could start a family. Aline being Alec's cousin meant that technically the child would still be related to both of them if Helen carried the baby. After talking about it together they had agreed that it was a great idea. Magnus knew these things didn't happen overnight, but even so he was quite looking forward to being the fun uncle. Maryse didn't know about this yet but Magnus just knew she'd insist on being called grandma even if Helen and Aline weren't keen on the idea. Magnus could imagine only too well how she'd go on about a great niece or nephew being the closest she'd ever get to being a grandmother and were they really going to take that away from her. Alec would not so subtly remind her that she had two other children before sending her to Aline and Helen to ask what they thought. Just thinking about the strange dynamic almost made Magnus chuckle.

Before Helen and Aline had taken up their positions Lucie minding, Will had been in the role, but Magnus suspected he'd taken the opportunity to get seconds from the buffet table. Jem had been invited too, of course, but when Tessa had arrived she'd explained that he'd crashed early. This didn't surprise Magnus. Hemochromatosis treatment involved removing blood from the body which often left Jem very tired.

Last but not least Jon and Paige were here as well. Magnus noticed Jon had followed Will's lead and could be seen scooping more mashed potatoes onto his plate while Paige, having finished her meal, had headed over to ask Jace about his new baby boy. Magnus could tell Jace much preferred this to being nagged by Alec from the way he'd turned away from Alec to talk to Paige. Magnus was pretty sure wanting to always talk about your kid was a very normal new parent thing. He couldn't help but wonder if being an uncle was similar.

It was so lovely to be able to keep an eye on the entire party from his position in the kitchen. The layout of the room was just perfect for hosting an event like this. Magnus would never have thought to buy a house on his own, but he was so glad Alec had forced the issue because Magnus just loved their new home. The main entrance way opened onto a landing with two steps up into the living room. The dining room and back deck were all one big open concept, just perfect for entertaining a large group. The kitchen was on this floor as well along with a full bathroom. Upstairs there were two bedrooms and an ensuite bathroom. Downstairs there was one bedroom and an extra room off the laundry that almost counted as a bedroom. Alec had insisted on turning the upstairs room into a guest room so he could build a kitty cat wonderland in the basement. Alec had also extended kitty cat wonderland to include a custom made cat catio on the deck that ran up and around the house. To make their kitty cat wonderland worth it they'd even got two new kittens. In keeping with the pun theme their names were Charles Lickens and Pi-cat-so. Catsby pretty much just woke up for meals these days but Chairmen had taken to the new arrivals almost like a big brother.

Speaking of the cats, they were all enjoying the company. Catsby was asleep near people which had become his version of socializing lately in his old age. The two kittens were whining for food despite having been fed twenty minutes ago and Chairmen Meow was rubbing up against Isabelle's legs while she tried to eat.

Sometimes Magnus thought that his life was actually perfect. Smiling to himself Magnus began moving towards his husband. No particular reason, except that he wanted to wrap his arms around the man. As he got closer their conversation came into earshot.

"It really isn't hard," Alec was saying. "Open a calendar and point."

Clary chucked. "It's more the party planning after the calendar-pointing that's the point. We just haven't had time."

"But it's your wedding!" Alex exclaimed.

"What's important to us is that we are together," Clary replied. "Everything else can wait until it's convenient."

Alex looked so dejected that Magnus decided it was the perfect time to steal a hug.

"From the look on your face you'd think it was your wedding being propounded," Magnus smiled, pulling Alec in close from behind so he could still see who he was talking with.

"They deserve just as lovely a wedding as we had," Alec insisted.

"Not everyone wants as grand a wedding as we had, darling," Magnus countered. "You just miss them since they moved out."

"I um…" Alec began but then he accepted defeat and mumbled something incoherent before falling silent.

"Told ya," Magnus added mercilessly.

"You are lucky I love you so dang much," Alec grumbled, leaning back into the hug for comfort. Magnus leaned forward as well, Resting the side of his cheek against Alec's head and taking a deep breath in. No matter how many years went by this man still smelled as good as he had the day Magnus had met him.

Though Clary was still facing Alec, Jace had his back to them talking quite animatedly with Paige. Magnus felt sure Paige was still indulging him and letting him talk about the baby endlessly. Sure enough as Alec and Clary stopped talking Jace's voice got louder and everyone's attention shifted.

"It was just not something I was expecting," Jace exclaimed. "People tell you about the 3 am feedings and the poop explosion and stuff but they never mentioned the phantom crying."

"What on earth is phantom crying?" Paige asked. "It sounds like a major phenomenon."

"Oh it's horrible," Jace said. "The baby is asleep or sometimes he's even at Annikas when suddenly I think I hear crying. I go check on him and the little guy is fast asleep not making a sound or I remember that he's not even home and call myself bat shit crazy."

"I think being crazy might be a prerequisite for parenthood," Paige chuckled.

"But you know what's even worse?" Jace continued, totally unprompted. "When he's sleeping and you think you hear crying but you know your crazy so you just tell yourself it's phantom crying over and over while you try to get some sleep but then the pitch changes or the volume or something and you suddenly realize shit that's real crying and you've been ignoring your child!"

"Parenthood is not for the light of heart," Paige agreed.

"You said it," Jace replied.

Magnus turned to look at Clary's face as she listened to her fiance talk about his son. It was very clear to Magnus that Clary loved her step son even if it was also clear to him that Clary was happy to be only a step parent. Magnus wasn't quite sure how he knew this. Maybe it was just because he's known her for so long, but there was something in her tone of voice when she spoke about the baby that made it obvious, at least to Magnus. He'd been noticing it for months now and he was very glad of it.

"And yet I still want them," Paige laughed. "I must be mad."

"You're perfect," Jon cut in almost automatically but still with genuine emotion. He had just returned from the buffet table and clearly only caught the last thing Paige had said. Even so he had answered it automatically. Magnus was actually rather surprised he wasn't holding a plate of food. What had he been doing then?

"You are biased," Paige scoffed.

The expression on Jon's face was quite something. He was looking at Paige like the only person in the room, the only person in his universe. The affection and love in his eyes was almost infectious and Magnus just knew something big was about to happen even before he opened his mouth to speak.

"Guilty as charged," Jon said with a smile. "And I plan to remain biased for the rest of my life, that is if you will have me." Paige's hand went up to her mouth as she gasped in surprise and Jon sank to one knee in front of her.

"I've known deep down we'd end up here since that beautiful Christmas night on my parents couch," Jon said softly but he had the entire room hanging on his every word. "Since the day I met you all my hopes and dreams have started to become my reality. You are the light of my life and I ask you this with all my heart. Paige Anna Thompson, will you marry me?"

"Yes!" Paige exclaimed at once before throwing herself into his arms and kissing him. She didn't let him get up off the ground before doing this however and the two of them tumbled into an adorable kissing mess on the floor.

The next few minutes were just a chorus of cheers for the newly engaged couple. By the time Paige and Jon stopped making out and remembered they were surrounded by people, Alec had already proclaimed this to be the best thing ever and opened three bottles of champagne Magnus hadn't realized he'd been hiding.

The entire rest of the night kinda turned into an unofficial engagement party but Magnus didn't mind. These people were his family and anything that made them happy made him happy. Alec was having too much fun freaking out about how now he knew two engaged couples and needed to subscribe to more wedding magazines if he was to be of any help, to notice that his house warming party had been overshadowed by an engagement.

"You guys better not wait a year to pick a date," Alec whined.

"Oh don't worry," Jon replied. "We aren't nearly as patient as Clary and Jace are."

"Thank god," Alec whispered.

"I've always been more interested in the marriage than the party," Paige agreed. She turned to her fiance and added, "What do you think five months?"

"Easily," Jon agreed. "If we shorten the guest list we might be able to plan it faster."

The look Alec was giving them at that very moment reminded Magnus of the extreme-happiest expression in cartoons when they give the character those big cutie eyes and the background behind them turns into sparkles.

"You guys are the best," Alec gushed. "What can I do to help!?"

"How would you like to be one of my groomsmen?" Jon asked. Alec instantly agreed. "I'd ask you too Magnus but I think Paige called you for a bridesmaid."

Magnus couldn't help but laugh. "I'm in as long as we call it Bridesman."

"Deal," Paige chuckled.

Magnus almost jumped when Jon suddenly called across the room to ask Jace to be his best man.

"Of course buddy," Jace yelled back.

"You know you could have walked across the room, right?" Paige chuckled.

"But the food is here," Jon commented. She just smacked him on the arm playfully and got off the couch to walk across the room to Clary to be her maid of honour.

Magnus couldn't believe how efficient Jon and Paige were at planning this thing. In the space of one evening they had gotten farther than Jace and Clary had in an entire year. Not only did they have their entire wedding party selected but they also picked a date while everyone was there to make sure it didn't clash with anyones long standing plans.

"That's the thing about planning a wedding quickly," Paige had explained. "Sometimes people already have plans."

They'd even picked a venue: Magnus's new house.

"I just love the yard," Paige was explaining. "And it will be a small wedding so the size won't be an issue. The caterers could set up in your kitchen, the living room could be back up dining if the weather doesn't hold out."

Alec agreed at once even before Magnus had opened his mouth but that was okay. Magnus thought it was a lovely idea to do the wedding here and he knew it would make Alec beyond happy to be able to host his friends special day.

"And if everyone gets too drunk there's a guest room for them to pass out in," Jon pitched in unhelpfully.

"Ha ha," Paige replied indulgently. "Very funny sweetie. But it's going to be a dry wedding."

"I mean we can hope for good weather but I hardly think even you have the power to prevent rain," Jon answered.

"Dry event means no alcohol," Paige explained to her fiance.

"Oh," Jon replied sheepishly. Then he promptly stuffed his face with food to avoid having to speak again.

Magnus chuckled. They were a good match, those two. A good team. What skills one didn't have the other did. They were always kind to each other even when teasing and they wanted the same thing out of life. Magnus felt sure they'd do well together.

As the evening wore down to a close and people started leaving, Magnus felt like he was ready for bed. It had been a wonderful party but a party nonetheless and he was ready to curl up in bed with his cats and his husband. Just another ordinary day with his extraordinary soulmate.

My editor commented that this felt rushed and she is probably right, but since it's a one year later epilouge rushed couldn't really be avoided. Every chapter of this story until this one has never been more than a few weeks apart and suddenly there is a year gap! It was gonna feel weird no matter what I did.

There are 5 more epilouges left. Two of which are finished. Each one is a year after the last one and will say how many years later at the top. The years later is years since the last normal chapter. Please I would love to know what you think of this chapter. Feels like the end of an era guys!