It was like he could feel the ticking of the clock. Every second was one less in which to live alongside those he loved. Days turned to weeks, weeks to months. Those months were fickle, passing in some ways faster than the weeks. It surprised Alec when he realized it had been over a year since he'd stepped down as king.

In that time not too much had happened.

Alec and Magnus lived in a slightly smaller room now than when they'd been living in the King's keep, but Alec wasn't complaining. The space was still more than adequate and it wasn't like he and Magnus had to share it without anyone else. Max has had been given his own room long ago and seemed to need less and less parenting everyday. He spent most of his time with his teachers which Alec supposed was a good thing. Of course, Magnus had been right; Sarah was lovely and their Blueberry was happy. Though he didn't like it when his parents used what he referred to as his 'baby' name when his girlfriend was around, which Alec found quite adorable even if he missed calling Max their blueberry. Victor was shaping up to be a very wise leader and Alec had no regrets stepping down as king. However, he was starting to regret agreeing to help Ragnor out with the gardening. Why the ancient warlock wanted to dig around in the dirt Alec had no idea, but he always enjoyed the other man's company. Ragnor was a very interesting man to speak with.

"My back is not enjoying all this bending and lifting," Alec complained, standing up to stretch his sore muscles. "I'm not quite as nimble as I once was. All that sitting behind a desk instead of being out in the field has done me in." He laughed, stretching his arms over his head.

"It's strange to me," Ragnor mused, without looking up from the dirt. "How mortals can change."

"I haven't changed that much," Alec argued, his arms crossing over his chest. "I'm only 35." Ragnor was clearly surprised by his tone.

"Didn't mean to offend," Ragnor smiled at him. "I have no concept of how these things work. To me any physical change seems unnatural. I don't remember my childhood anymore."

"It's fine," Alec sighed, as he leaned down to get back to work. "I just wish all this change would stop." He laugh slightly at himself.

"Didn't Magnus tell you?" Ragnor asked puzzled. "I mean he's been nagging me for help ever since you stepped down as king. It's been rather annoying actually, wanting to portal here and portal there. Always unhappy with the results even when we figured it out. So ungrateful for all my help." Ragnor sighed. "Just because we weren't able to find a way for him to age doesn't mean we failed. Silly warlock. I tried to suggest he kill himself when you die," Ragnor laughed, lightly. "Just to annoy him, but Magnus didn't seem to think it was so funny. And I suppose it wasn't funny, pretty stupid actually, but why does that idiot have to be so serious all the time. I blame love. Before you he was so much more fun."

"Whoa, slow down," Alec said turning away from his task to face his friend. Alec had long considered Ragnor his good friend and knew the warlock to easily lost track of his thoughts.

"Magnus used to throw quite impressive parties, you know," Ragnor explained. "At least once a decade, any sooner and I wouldn't be up for the next one. The pixies in particular liked to play in the chandelier. I think I once woke up with them in my ears, though that might have been a dream… or a story."

"What were you and Magnus searching for?" Alec asked simply, trying to bring Ragnor's focus back.

"First Magnus wanted to age," Ragnor explained. "Then when we gave up on that search he wanted to look for a way for you not to age which was at least a little easier than an aging warlock. That, I had to confess, was one of the strangest idea my friend has ever had in all four centuries that I've known him. Including the time he decided to fly on a magic carpet. Again, I blame you, Alexander."

"And is there?" Alec asked eagerly, his heart racing, all else driven from his mind. "A way for me not to age?"

"Well, yes," Ragnor replied easily. "A rather obvious one. Did I not say that already? Magnus really should have told you weeks ago. He is a rather strange fellow that one, though I can't blame that on recent events. I'd say Magnus was always rather odd. Though that is to be expected from someone I met on a pirate ship. We never did find out where all that guano was going. Oh, well. I suppose it was no great loss to the world. I wonder if guano would help this grow. I don't seem to be much of a gardener, though I suppose..."

Alec was already running from the gardens, up to the Palace as Ragnor's voice faded. Why hadn't Magnus told him? It sounded like they'd been searching for months and yet his husband had hidden everything from him. Alec couldn't help but feel hurt. He knew how much Magnus loved him, however, doubt still crept into his heart that maybe his husband wouldn't want to be with him forever. Running past a group of young trainees being schooled by Jace and Jonathan, Alec started up the stairs. He passed maids, and cooks going about their lives before he finally reached the door and flung it open. There sat his husband, nose in a book with a cup of tea in his hand. Magnus had jumped at Alec's abrupt arrival, spilling the drink everywhere.

"Don't scare me like that, Alexander," Magnus gasped. With a wave of his hand Magnus cleaned up the mess, then set his book down. "Why the dramatic entrance, my love?" Magnus smiled, but the smile quickly faded from his face as he gazed into Alec's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"You didn't tell me," Alec gasped, short of breath. "Why go through all the trouble of finding a way for us to be together forever if you don't tell me? Do you not want me forever?"

"You know that isn't why," Magnus replied softly, standing up and walking closer.

"Do I?" Alec asked. "You accepted my proposal, married me with a smile on your face and even if I knew it only meant for as long as I shall live-"

"I'm going to stop you right there," Magnus said firmly, pulling Alec close and wrapping his arms around him. "It meant the same to me as it did to you, my darling. I will be yours forever and nothing can change that. Not even your absence. We will be together always, even if only in my memory. There won't be a next time for me. There can't be another person I love as I love you."

"Then why didn't you tell me?" Alec asked again. His husband sighed.

"It isn't what you think," Magnus explained. "I don't know what Ragnor said but, Alec, you could die. I have no right to ask this of you when I can't offer the same."

"Look at me, Magnus," Alec whispered turning his husband to face him. "You have every right, but more than that, I want this."

"I'd rather spend one lifetime with you than-than," Magnus choked on his words. "I can't lose you, Alec."

"And that is why we have to do this," Alec replied firmly. "It was my love for you that created this new all inclusive world, our legacy. Nothing can take that away. We can try for forever now or we can spend the time we have until I am too old and frail to stand beside you."

"Even if it doesn't kill you," Magnus whispered through his tears. "It will hurt you, so much. You will be in pain, Alexander."

"It will be worth it," Alec smiled, wiping a tear from Magnus's cheek.

"Worse till," Magnus continued. "You will be marked."

"A warlock's mark?" Alec asked. Magnus nodded. "But I like your eyes." Alec lifted his hand to gently trace around his husband's eyes. "Being marked isn't so bad. Besides, Tessa doesn't have a mark. Maybe I won't either."

"Tessa has a mark," Magnus replied. "It's just hidden under her clothes and I have never met another warlock with as subtle a mark as hers. Even my just having cat's eyes is rare." Magnus gestured to his mark. "You could get bat's wings, claws, horns, a forked tongues, goat's feet, scales, gills, feathers, tails, skin and hair of any colour…"

"And what's wrong with that?" Alec counted with a smile. "Even if my skin turned orange and I grow a tail I will still be me. I will still love you."

"You having orange skin and a tail is still the best case scenario, Alexander," Magnus whispered back. "Most likely you will just be in great pain for days, then die in my arms."

"I won't die," Alec explained as if he could control such things.

"That isn't how it works. It isn't about force of will."

"Why not?" Alec argued. "How many firsts has our love already created? First openly relationship between two men. Between a warlock and a nephilim. First love to force the world to change to accept it. This isn't only about me finding a way to defeat time and be with you. How better can I complete the joining of our two peoples then by becoming one of them?"

"You don't have to do this for me, for your country, or for anyone," Magnus pleaded with him. "You aren't even the king anymore. I am sure the warlock/nephilim alliance will be fine if you remain as you are."

"I know the alliance is strong," Alec stated. "I'm doing this for me." He was done talking about this. As long as Magnus wanted him forever Alec had made up his mind.

"Alec you will never be able to hold your bow again," Magnus reminded him. "Won't be able to go on missions with your family. You won't have the Angel's blood anymore."

"I don't care," Alec said definitely. "I am doing this. If you want to stop me you will have to kill me."

"That would be wildly counterproductive," Magnus groaned. "Why don't I just lock you up instead." But Alec knew his husband well enough to recognize the defeat in his voice.

"You'd have to catch me first," Alec grinned. Quickly placed a kiss on his husband's cheek, then bolting from the room. He couldn't believe how happy he was. Smiling as he ran past his brother-in-law trying to wrangle the children and his mother trying to help. Jon and Jace or, as people had come to call them, the two J's, were still teaching basic knife skills to trainees as Alec passed them and out the Palace front door. Panting, Alec stopped in front of Ragnor.

"Why, hello, Alexander," Ragnor greeted them. "Have you returned to help me with these troublesome shrubs?"

"No, actually," Alec smiled. "I have come to tell you that I have convinced Magnus!" Speaking of his husband, Magnus made his appearance then, arriving huffing and puffing behind Alec.

"To help me with the weeds?" Ragnor asked.

"Never," Magnus remarked.

Alec sighed. "What were we just talking about before I left?" Alec asked trying to keep the sigh from his voice. The ancient warlock looked quite perplexed and didn't move for a moment as if thinking.

"We were discussing guano!" Ragnor announced. Alec covered his face with his hands.

"Maybe getting old isn't so great," Magnus scoffed. "If it means being as forgetful as him."

"Come now," Ragnor disagreed, turning to Magnus. "The chances that you live as long as me, even unaging, are very slim."

"Oh, thanks," Magnus said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "I feel much better now."

"You said you found a way for me to be a warlock," Alec stated trying to bring them back on topic.

"Oh, yes, quite," Ragnor said, standing up and dusting the dirt from his hands, suddenly all business. "Has Magnus explained the risks?"

"Yes," Alec said before his husband could get a word in.

"Really, Alexander, you must tell me how you bend Magnus to your will," Ragnor added. "I tried for the rational argument already and he was so stubborn. How did you get him to agree."

"I didn't agree," Magnus counted.

"I see," Ragnor mused. "That is rather confusing, I must say."

"How does it work?" Alec asked.

"Well children who are blessed get sick," Ragnor began. "If they are young and strong enough they come out of the illness as warlocks. Adults either aren't able to accept the gift or die as a result of the sickness. I could find no records of a shadowhunter ever receiving the blessing until I did a little more digging. Did you know there is a warlock who lives in the mountains who's almost as old as me." Ragnor chuckled. "He was quite enjoyable company actually. I must visit him again before the end of the century. Anyway, where was I… right so it seems my new friend once saw an adult survive the transformation. Though that warlock was killed during the trophy hunting fad a few hundred years ago so we can't ask her directly which is a shame. Those were my least favourite generation of your kind, I must say, the ones who hunted us for sport. In the end it only really hurt the younger inexperienced warlocks which greatly reduced us as a whole. Such a shame." He sighed, clearly lost in memories again.

"Ragnor," Alec encouraged.

"Oh, right," Ragnor said with a slight shake of his head. "Anyway so my theory is that this warlock woman who was blessed as an adult had help during her transformation from a warlock with specialist medical skills or perhaps more than one."

"You still haven't told me how you came to this conclusion," Magnus reminded his friend.

"Well, this woman was rumored to be the human lover of a warlock who specialized in healing," Ragnor explained. "The only person I've seen with close to his healing abilities alive today would be Catarina."

"So this warlock isn't around either?" Alec asked. "For an immortal race you sure do die a lot."

"And whose fault is that!" Ragnor snapped. His rague vanished quickly, but Alec thought he heard Ragnor mumbled, "Knife happy nephilim generation."

"The healer died shortly after his lover," Ragnor explained, once again in a normal voice. "Her warlock mark was quite beautiful. He might have died trying to get it back from the trophy hunters, though there is no proof of that."

"What was her warlock mark?" Alec asked.

"A pair of gossamer wings," Ragnor replied. "A rare mark indeed."

"Did she get this mark because she became a warlock as an adult?" Alec asked.

"Since she's the only record I could find of an adult transformation there is no way to know," Ragnor replied.

"Alright then," Alec said, taking a deep breath. "Where should we do this?"

"It's not that simple, Alec," Magnus replied. "If I can't stop you, I will at least ask you to talk to your family about it first." Alec had to admit he had a point.

The moment Alec explained his plan to Jace in the context of what if it was Clary, his best friend understood completely. Izzy's reaction surprised him. It seemed his sister has been expecting this somehow despite it being an impossibility until recently. Alec's mother cried, and clung to Alec, her arms around him. Maryse whispered in his ear all the things she would miss once he was no longer a shadowhunter, but she finished by telling him she was happy for him. Alec had expected Max to be happy, which he was, of course. What immortal child didn't want two immortal parents?

"You realize you didn't tell a single one of them that you might die," Magnus said as they left the Palace and headed to Ragnor's little workshop near the border of the old shield.

"That's because I won't die," Alec told him again. Alec guessed that his strong belief of his survival was all that was keeping Magnus from locking him up.

They walked into Ragnor's workshop, potion vials and spellbooks lay on every surface. He'd asked for this space when Alec had been in power and had received it instantly, having more than earned it. The former king lay on a wooden table, covered in a soft blanket. Magnus's hand in his, Alec listened to Ragnor talk about what would be involved. Then he waited, while Ragnor and Magnus summoned a demon. Letting the demon touch him went against all Alec's instincts. He wasn't sure what Ragnor promised the demon in return and he really didn't want to know. It could have been magic or gold, precious memories or the promise of a favour. Either way Alec trusted Ragnor enough not to ask.

As Alec started to feel sick, he noticed the light blue skin and kind smile of Catarina Loss as she entered the room. All three warlocks were chatting over him, trying to help him with the illness. Alec could feel pain in his limbs and back, bright and burning. It reminded him of the poison that had almost killed him over fifteen years ago, the day he'd met Magnus. It was as if his whole body was screaming to be free of whatever had gotten a hold of it, but Alec's mind disagreed. He didn't want to be free of it. He wanted to ride this out because he knew Magnus was waiting for him on the other side. In his delirium, Alec could hear the three of them whispering about his condition. Nothing they said alarmed him, and it was a good distract from the pain. Magnus never left his side, and Alec was sure he got through those three day only because of his husband's presence.

When Alec opened his eyes the world was wrong. His body moved so very slowly, his eyes not nearly as sharp. Turning he saw Magnus and smiled.

"Am I orange?" Alec asked. His husband didn't reply, but simply flung himself on Alec, holding him so tight Alec thought he would suffocate for sure.

"It's like a dream," Magnus whispered. "A beautiful dream happening before my eyes."

"Now I'm worried I'm orange," Alec sniggered. When Magnus pulled out of the hug Alec looked down at his hands. They were the same, though again he noticed how slowly they moved. He hadn't realized how different warlock reflexes were. Warlock. He was a warlock. Alec took a moment to process that. He closed his eyes and brought his attention to his body. What was different? He could still sense his limbs, his heart beating in his chest. Reaching up with his hands Alec checking for horns and found none. When he opened his eyes Alec he was once again surprised by the blur.

"Warlock eyes aren't very good," Alec observed. "I used to be able to read that over there." He pointed to the small print on one of Ragnor books across the room.

"Follow me," Magnus said smiling, and extending his hand. Alec took it and together they walked outside. It was a beautiful clear day, the sun high in the sky. Alec realized he was hungry, but there would be plenty of time for that later. He wanted to know where Magnus was taking him. They stopped just outside the Palace near the balcony of their room.

"See up there?" Magnus began, pointing to their balcony.

"Yeah," Alec said warily. His husband was being oddly quiet and Alec wanted to know why. Magnus waved his hand and one of Alec's shoes vanished from his feet and reappeared on their balcony.

"Now go get it," Magnus said grinning. Alec's first thought was to yell back that he had no idea how to fly and would probably need weeks of lessons with Ragnor just to float a piece of paper, but then he realized something. He had new muscles, in need of stretching. Extending those muscles Alec suddenly found himself wider.

There really wasn't any other word for it. These new limbs were long and Alec could feel the power in those tight muscles. Moving them Alec found himself suddenly in the air. He easily retrieved his shoe and floated back down to his husband.

"I have wings?" Alec asked, still rather taken aback. Magnus just smiled at him before reaching out to stroke whatever was attached to Alec's back. He turned his head and saw black feathers. It amazed him when he moved them and saw the effects before his eyes.

"Raven's wings," Magnus corrected him. "And your eyes too are more like a bird's, though they are still blue."

Leaning forward Alec kissed Magnus, pulling him close as Alec stretch his new wings. Flapping and feeling the air move to his will Alec sent them high into the air, supporting Magnus with his arms.

"I told you I wouldn't die," Alec whispered into Magnus's ear.

"And you were right as always, my love," Magnus replied, before kissing him again. Though Alec had known with perfectly clarity that he'd survive, he could see now the difference in his husband. Magnus had likely had a very stressful three days, but Alec had the rest of eternity to make it up to him.

THE END

Thank you for reading my story. Please check out my many other Malec fanfics if you enjoyed this one! And if you are interested to learn about my original story projects follow me on twitter writesalott