"Wait, no we should purchase... ice-cream ."

Alec Lightwood was no Sherlock Holmes, but he knew something was up. Magnus's low-key attire and inability to understand half the things Alec said were definite clues but the fact that Magnus actually wanted to 'purchase' ice-cream was the final straw. Magnus hated the food.

The texts Isabelle had sent were probably the only reason he was looking out for anything strange, he couldn't help but think the situation over in his head. How would Magnus have called Izzy if he was with him?

From there it was a quick jump to this moment and the realisation that this wasn't his Magnus.

What reason would anyone have to summon up a fake boyfriend? Unless they wanted to distract him while they went after the real Magnus. Mentally cursing and seriously worried, Alec had no idea what to do.

"You don't like ice-cream." He'd replied after a moment of silence.

"Yes, well tastes change don't they?

Tired of going along with whatever this was, and angry that he was being played for a fool, Alec dropped the calm facade. (Admittedly it wasn't a very good one as he'd been getting worried looks from strangers for the last 5 minutes, probably wondering why he looked like he was ready for murder.)

Quick as lightening, he pushed the surprised intruder against a graffitied wall, his arm against his throat, leaving his right hand free to quickly apply a glamor rune, already conscious of attention he was getting.

"Who are you, where is Magnus Bane?" He tried to keep his voice neutral, not to make his fear evident.

To say the man looked surprised was an understatement, but his expression quickly went from shocked to mildly embarrassed. It was strange seeing someone who looked and walked and smiled in the same way as his boyfriend, but who seemed to be someone else entirely.

"Such a Shadowhunter." the man breathed, and, was he smiling? "In answer to your question, I am Magnus Bane, surely you noticed."

"If you are Magnus Bane then when was he born?"

The man's eyes widened. "I- I told you that?"

"That's not an answer." Expecting to have caught the fake Magnus out, Alec was disappointed when he was able to sufficiently come up with his year of birth. However, the man was now looking at him in a different way, as if he almost couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"Listen Shadowhunter, I'll throw caution to the wind. If I trust you enough to tell you my birth date, which can I mention /no one/ knows, then you must mean a lot." Then, under his breath. "Holy hell I can't believe I'm doing this."

Alec narrowed his eyes.

"I may or may not have accidentally portalled here from a slightly different time."

Stunned silence. A small smile. It wasn't long before he was suppressing laughter.

"You idiot."

"So Will, how long have you known Tessa?"

The redheaded one seemed to never stop talking, the other Herondale didn't seem to mind it.

"A few years," He answered truthfully. He couldn't help but smile at the memory of their first meeting.

They were walking through the streets of New York (some subtle interrogation had told them where they were) towards the institute. Waiting for a moment to leave the two Shadowhunters and go and look for Magnus (surely he had his energy back now?), Will bided his time by taking note of every tiny thing the future held that he would probably never have lived to see. Massive coloured photos plastered on walls or signs. Black tinted glasses that Will thought would only hinder sight and not improve it. Mechanical carriages that Henry would have loved.

He realised with a jolt that Henry would now be dead. As would everyone he knew. Charlotte. Gideon. Sophie. Gabriel.

Cecily. His little sister was probably a part of the Silent City.

"So what brings you to New York?" This was, again, directed at him. This time, he welcomed the distraction.

"It's quite a long story actually."

The golden haired boy cut in. "That's a shame because we're almost here."

Will cursed himself for not having taken off with Tessa by now. He had no idea how to act around these future Shadowhunters and he was convinced he would give himself away in a second.

Their group turned a corner and Will was confronted with the sight of a towering church that must have been the institute. He was pleased to see that some traditions had not died out.

Why it was even necessary for them to be going to the institute Will wasn't sure, the girl had just insisted that they come back with her, so before they knew it that was what was happening.

Will hung back for a moment, letting the other Herondale go first. He was still not over the idea that the boy in front of him, who was the same age as him, was very likely his ancestor. Of course, the idea of him and Tessa having children had been spoken of, but only in passing when talking about the seemingly distant future. (Travelling in time 130 years really gave him a new perspective on time.) He had never thought to meet his great-great-whatever relative before he'd even met his first child. Will watched the boy, his golden hair and golden eyes were not typically Herondale, though what was he to know about that kind of thing this far on in his line? The confident way in which he walked told Will that they were similar enough, in fact, the boy's whole posture and stance were very close to Will's own.

It strange, he thought, the parts of him that had been inherited.

No doubt there were aspects of his personality that had been inherited from other Herondales or whichever bloodline his mother descended from.

Will couldn't help himself becoming silently fond of this boy, he was, of course, a Herondale.