Magnus was at work which was the perpetual state of Alec's universe these days. Three weeks in, and Alec didn't regret his decision to stay here for the summer, though he was starting to wonder if he would come to before the four months were up.

Magnus had two jobs. He worked part time at the museum giving tours. Alec had been to three of them now, and knew far more about the history exhibits at his local museum than he'd ever thought he would. Magnus was also working manual labour, moving boxes from here to there.

It was so frustrating for Alec to think how little Magnus was being paid for his time. When you had a trust fund that amounted to seven figures, and a boyfriend you loved more than anything in the world working endlessly for minimum wage, it starts to border on ridiculous, at least in Alec's opinion.

Alec spent this time buying groceries, he then wouldn't let Magnus reimburse him for, cooking and waiting for his boyfriend to get off work. He was always so happy to see Magnus when he got home, and on the days Magnus worked at the museum he had the energy to really spend quality time together, but on the days Magnus worked his manual labour job, he basically came home and passed out. Alec would curl up beside Magnus in bed, lying awake for hours. The cats usually come to sleep beside them in the hopes that Alec would pet them before he fell asleep. When he awoke, the bed was usually empty as Magnus was already at work again.

Alec wanted to just hand Magnus some money and get his boyfriend back, but he knew this would lead to something bad. He knew just offering would offend Magnus, and could even lead to a major fight. Alec didn't want to risk it. He loved Magnus enough to put up with the boredom. A part of him wanted to call Izzy or his parents and complain about how much it sucked waiting around all day for Magnus to get home, but he didn't dare. Alec had learned his lesson. Still it got lonely. Jace was back home with Clary. Tessa was almost never home, and she wasn't much company when she was. So Alec fell back on the last friend he had left, who also happened to be his cousin.

"Over here!" Alec's voice called across the cafe. He'd just spotted Aline walking in, and wanted to make sure she saw him sitting in the corner of the cafe.

"Thanks," Aline said smiling. She accepted the drink he'd ordered for her, taking a sip.

"Sorry I've been such a horrible friend lately," Alec started. "I feel like I haven't seen you all year."

"Nah it's okay," Aline replied with a smile. "You know what they say about falling in love right?" Alec shook his head. "That it costs at least one friend."

"Nope never heard that one," Alec replied. "And I don't think I like it. It's so depressing." Aline laughed, taking another drink from her latte. Alec, remembering his, following suit.

"Kinda true though," Aline squirmed. "I mean since I met Helen, I haven't really been keeping up with you either."

"Let's promise never to forget to talk again," Alec declared.

"Deal," Aline laughed.

"Speaking of, how are things with Helen?" Alec asked.

"Amazing!" Aline squealed. "She's like some kind of angelic fairy queen goddess." Alec chuckled.

"Is that all?" he asked, still grinning.

"She's sexy as hell, hilarious," Aline gushed. "And for some insane reason, interested in me!"

"Why wouldn't she be," Alec smiled. "You're awesome." It was so wonderful to see his cousin happily in love. He remembered only too well how worried Aline had been to come out to her parents all those years ago, and how lonely she'd been after.

"Helen has this huge family," Aline continued. "Her dad had her and her brother from his first wife, then remarried and had a whole bunch more kids. Some of them are so young. She invited me to go visit them later in the summer once we find a place- oh wait I haven't old you yet! Helen and I are going to get an apartment together. I'm so excited to live with her, oh and not living in dorms. Excited for that too."

"Wow isn't that a bit soon?" Alec asked.

"When you know, you know," Aline shrugged. "You know?"

"Yeah," Alec sighed. He knew, but he kinda felt like Magnus didn't. Alec stayed and hung out with his cousin for another hour then Helen showed up. It seemed the couple had apartment hunting plans. Alec smiled and waved them goodbye, missing Magnus even more after seeing the looks of love in their eyes as the two woman gazed at each other.

Alec tried to get together with his cousin and her girlfriend as often as he could as the weeks went by. When Tessa was around and Alec was cooking she was always happy to eat with him. Alec found he quite liked having someone appreciating his cooking. And unless Alec was imagining it, she was putting on a little weight.

The day he arrived back at the apartment to Jem and Will fussing over her like she was made of porcelain, Alec put two and two together.

"You're pregnant aren't you?" Alec declared rather than asked.

"I thought we weren't telling people yet?" Will accused her.

"We aren't," Tessa snapped. "Alec is just bored and observant."

"Bored yes," Alec replied. Magnus was, as usual, at work. "Observant no, or at least not usually. You have been eating more though, and at weird times."

"She has," Jem laughed. "I woke up one night and caught her eating cold leftover ribs from the night before. And there was the night I had to bring her ice cream and pickles at 2am." Will was laughing along with Jem. Alec couldn't help but wonder who's kid it was, and why both Jem and Will were acting like it was theirs. Unless he really knew nothing about female anatomy, that wasn't possible. Oh well, Alec thought as he left them to it, not my circus, not my monkeys. He wasn't supposed to know yet anyway. And Tessa did indeed come and talk to him later that day to ask him to let her tell Magnus herself. Alec easily agreed. After all, he so rarely saw his boyfriend these days, he wasn't going to waste precious time on someone else's drama.

"Good morning," Magnus's voice was like music to Alec's ears. It was one of Magnus's extremely rare days off. Working two jobs seemed to mean you got one day off a month, and Alec couldn't even imagine how much that sucked, having never worked a day in his life.

"It is," Alec smiled turning to kiss his boyfriend. "Since you are here."

"I'm sorry," Magnus sighed, sitting up in bed. "I know you never see me. I shouldn't have let you stay." Alec wanted to argue that Magnus should have just let Alec help, but he kept his mouth shut.

"I might end up going home for a while," Alec confessed. "Maybe later in the summer, but I'm glad I am here now."

"I really can't blame you," Magnus sighed, pulling Alec close and kissing him softly. "I am the worse company."

"No, You are just absent company," Alec corrected him. "But when you're here you are the best company in the whole world." Magnus rolled his eyes slightly, but pulled Alec in a little closer.

"I hadn't really realized how much time employment took up," Alec mused. "Until I counted the clock during your shifts. It's crazy. Like two thirds of your life just for money?"

"Well when you aren't trying to make a year's worth of income in four months, and thus only working one job with sensible hours, it's more like one third."

"Still that's ridiculous!" Alec said stubbornly.

"Surely your parents work long hours?" Magnus inquired.

"Yeah but they are also home," Alec said. "They go in for meetings, do business trips, but it doesn't take up half their life."

"Must be nice," Magnus replied, and Alec could sense a hint of jealousy which made him mad, as Alec had offered this very deal, and Magnus had turned him down. But Alec didn't want to start a fight. He knew he had to get used to this if he wanted Magnus in his life, and there was nothing Alec wanted more than Magnus in his life.

"We have all of today though right?" Alec asked.

"Well I should probably clean the house," Magnus sighed. "Or some other domestic chore I've neglected. Oh I haven't done the cat litter in ages!"

"Ew," Alec laughed. "But forget all that. I can do that when you're at work." Or Alec thought, I can hire a one time maid service! "I want to spend today with you."

"I'd like that," Magnus smiled. "But I feel bad leaving you with all the housework."

"Well I am the one in the house most often," Alec argued. "So technically it's fair."

"I'm sorry," Magnus said again. "I don't like to think of you alone in this apartment all day."

"Nah it's fine," Alec smiled. "I hang out with Aline, get caught up on my netflix shows. You missed season two of sense8 by the way. It went up on Netflix a few days ago. I couldn't wait for you. It was too good."

"I can imagine," Magnus chuckled, and Alec congratulated himself for getting Magnus out of his guilty headspace.

"So now that I have you all to myself," Alec whispered, as he slowly trailed his hand down Magnus's side. "What shall we do?" Magnus groaned a little and pulled Alec in for a kiss as Alec's hands continued their exploration of his growing bulge.

Magnus was already breathing erratically as Alec felt his boyfriend's hands on him in turn. They just slept in boxers, which proved no obstacle to eager fingers. Alec had missed Magnus like this and wanted to savour him, despite how hard he was. Both naked, Alec sat up to straddle his boyfriend, before leaning down and slowly trailing kisses from Magnus's collarbone to his navel.

"Alexander," Magnus whispered. "You are a pleasure to wake up to." Alec chuckled against the beautifully tonned skin of Magnus's chest. The one perk of his labour job was how very stunning Magnus's arms were now. Before Magnus, Alec had never met a man he'd wanted so badly. Snuggling up to a tired Magnus at night was wonderful, but having a wanten Magnus beneath his hands was better.

"The pleasure is all mine," Alec whispered back, before reaching for the night stand. He covered his hands in the lube then rubbed his hands on each of them until everything was slippery. Alec enjoyed Magnus's soft gasps, and the way his back arched just a little. Alec leaned down kissing Magnus passionately, his tongue parting Magnus's lips so he could deepen the kiss. Then Alec started moving, rocking his hips and grinding their arousals together with the aid of the lube. The friction was amazing, and Alec was sure he'd be able to enjoy it for a while. Until Magnus sat up, wrapping his arms around Alec, grabbing his ass and pressing a finger to Alec's entrance.

"Magnus," Alec cried out as he made a mess of both their chests. Titling his head down, Alec could see Magnus's huge grin. Then Alec was on his back, Magnus above him nestled between Alec's legs as he kissed Alec possessively.

"I love you," Alec gasped out as Magnus released his lips. "God I love you so much."

"I love you too," Magnus replied, nibbling at Alec's ear lobe. "And right now I want you."

"I'm yours," Alec whimpered those words, true in every way. His heart was and would also belong to this man. To Magnus. Then Alec felt Magnus's fingers again, and his back arched as if of his own volition.

"To what degree?" Magnus smirked, his lubricated fingers indicating what he meant.

"Yes," Alec gasped as he lifted his legs to rest them on Magnus's shoulders. Magnus stretched him out, one finger, then two. Three. All the while, leaning forward and kissing Alec slowly. Magnus did this for so long, Alec felt his blood going south again.

Alec's hands were down at his sides, clenching the sheets. His legs on Magnus's shoulders, and Magnus's otherwise not occupied hand near Alec's head, holding the other man's weight. Magnus must have noticed Alec's growing arousal, because he felt the fingers inside him slowly trail up until they were working his erection, hardening it.

Alec was starting to feel wound up again. He was panting as he heard Magnus reach for something. Alec inhaled quickly in one great gasp as he felt Magnus, wrapped in a condom, press up against his entrance. This was something they rarely did, due to the discomfort the next day, but Alec didn't care. He could spend the whole day tomorrow laying on his stomach on the couch for all it mattered to him.

Slowly Magnus entered, his hand holding tight to Alec's hip. Alec gasped, and Magnus leaned back using the hand that had been supporting his weight, to move up and down Alec's length as Magnus moved in and out of Alec in the same rhyme. Alec felt like he was about to be undone every time Magnus thrust deep inside him, hitting that bundle of nerves at the same time Magnus's fingers teased his head. With one last thrust, Alec felt Magnus's finish, all his muscles tensing up for a moment. Alec was on the brink for just a second longer before Magnus's hands finished him off.

Collapsing down on the bed together, a happy sticky mess, Alec wound himself into Magnus's arms. For this moment everything was perfect. Magnus was here. They were in love, and high on each other.

The need to shower and eat, eventually drove them from bed. Once they were cleaned up and eating leftovers from yesterday, Magnus asked what Alec wanted to do for the rest of the day.

Grinning, Alec pretended to check his watch. "Give me another hour then I'd like to relive watching up with Magnus Bane, naked."

Magnus playfully hit Alec with a dish towel. "You are sore, admit it."

"I admit to nothing," Alec replied, though he knew the way he was walking gave him away. He, however, had no regrets.

"You are so stubborn," Magnus laughed, pulling Alec in to kiss him.

In the end, they spent much of the day in the apartment just enjoying each other's company, though they did go out to get lunch and lattes around two. Having been in bed till almost eleven, breakfast had been a rather late event.

It was a perfect day, but it was only a day. The next morning Alec woke once again to the cold, empty space beside him. He spent the day cleaning house, as sitting down wasn't that comfortable. He'd thought about hiring someone, but Alec was so bored he actually needed the distraction.

Eventually Tessa did tell Magnus about her pregnancy and that she was moving out before the baby came. Magnus was happy for her, but was clearly sad to lose her as a roommate. There was much hugging, and in Tessa's case, crying. Alec just caught the word hormones among the muffled sounds of her tears as she hugged Magnus.

"I'm so happy for you Tessa," Magnus told her when they broke apart.

It wasn't until later, after Tessa had left and Alec and him were sitting together on the couch, that Magnus seemed to realize what this meant for him.

"I can't afford this place without her," Magnus groaned suddenly. Alec wanted to suggest that he move in and pay for everything. He wanted to tell Magnus to quit that back breaking labour job and enjoy his life, but Alec remained silent. Technically he'd already agreed to room with Jace again in September, but that wasn't why he didn't voice his suggestion.

"A problem for another day," Alec said smiling as he turned sense8 back on.

"At least some guy named Whispers isn't trying to lobotomize me," Magnus sighed. "Oh how I love watching tv shows about characters with more problems than me." Alec laughed and rested his head on his boyfriend's shoulder as the show played again.

Alec was getting used to this slight, but constant anxious feeling that had come to rest in his chest. He knew it to be fear, the fear of losing Magnus, but Alec was trying not to pay it any heed. Magnus loved him. Magnus's arm was currently wrapped around him. Alec fell asleep in Magnus's embrace every night so why was he afraid?


I have been writing this story and my other story SO freakin fast these last few days I can't even! 5 updates across two stories in two days... damn... and that doesn't even include this update! This chapter was all ready to go yesterday and yes I mean already saved on fanfic with the sneak peek copied in and the author's note finished. I made myself wait because like wtf is this writing non-sense anyway?

I had writer's block for almost a week and it sucked so much that I seem to have bounced back with a vengeance. lol. If you haven't already please check out my Malec fantasy AU 'Royal Dilemma.' It's my first story with external conflict only. The world doesn't want Malec but they are secure in each other for once. Nice change right? Alec will have to change the world to be with Magnus but that's what makes for good romance. ^_^ Romeo and Juliet style minus the suicide.


Sneak Peek Chapter 54

Celine and Clary spent most of their days together. Celine was a school teacher and thus had her summers free to spend the way she wished. Clary was glad to have company while Jace was at work. Celine was a lot like Jace in many ways. They were both blonde and there was something of her in the shape of Jace's eyes, but also Celine had the same open heart as Jace. The difference is that Celine hadn't spent so long trying to hide it. Clary didn't think anyone else could see Jace's good side the way she could, except Celine.

"He was the cutest baby in the whole world," Celine gushed one day when they were looking at Jace's baby albums. "Those little blonde curls and bright eyes captured the heart of every person who laid eyes on them. I used to bring him to school with me and he'd wouldn't even cry when he was passed around. Also loved the attention I think."

Clary turned the page of the album and saw two blonde babies. Her stomach twisted as she understood who that was.

"They were about two in this," Celine said. "First photo I have of Sebastian and Jace together." She had been happy but then sighed, downcast at the thought. "I don't know what happened. I thought he'd be friends for life."