Please see this wonderful drawing by Cassandra Jean that inspired the very last scene of this fic (right at the bottom!). It does come with a spoiler warning as it is a snippet from COHF, but if you are reading this I am sure it won't be a problem!
post/48294608163/city-of-heavenly-fire-spoilery-art

Not really any other warnings for this chapter – but I think you've had enough lemons in this fic now!

"Alec! Magnus!"

There was loud pounding on the door and Alec awoke with a start. He was aching and sore from the previous afternoon and evening's activities. It didn't help that he was still feeling relatively weak from yin fen withdrawal, though thankfully he wasn't coughing up blood anymore.

"Wake up boys! Come on!"

More pounding, which now sounded like someone was kicking the door. His head protested with a painful throb and he looked down at Magnus' gloriously naked, sleeping form before him. He looked so beautiful in the morning light. Alec smiled at the memories from the previous night.

It had started out as one of those days that had the potential to be terrifically horrible, but had ended up being one of the best days of his life. After having mind-blowing sex with his boyfriend (a result of a rather worrying panic attack and a small argument – make up sex was the best), followed by a short and restorative nap they had shared a very long and sensual shower that ended up with even more sex. Then, the two of them, hand in hand, went to see Alec's mother in the library where they talked for a good hour about how they would handle Alec's father. Rather than the expected awkwardness, however, they had ended up having quite a fun time conspiring together. Alec's mom had definitely warmed to Magnus lately and it made Alec so happy he could burst with joy.

He had spoken to Isabelle, who had cried about their mother and father's relationship, but who soon perked up when his mother offered to cook dinner. Of course, Magnus being Magnus wouldn't hear any of it and insisted that he would take Maryse out for a "slap-up meal". He added that everyone else would also be welcome to join, though he couldn't exactly hide his annoyance that Izzy invited Simon along too, despite the fact that Simon didn't actually eat anything.

They had got dressed up and ate in a very expensive restaurant, though Jace had continually made comments about how the food at Taki's was better. There had been cocktails, which Magnus had insisted everyone drink, despite the fact that most of their group were underage. Apparently, being with Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn means you don't get ID'd for some reason. Needless to say, they had all become merry very quickly, including his mother who turned out to be delightfully sharp-witted and the life and soul of the party when she'd had a few.

They had returned to the Institute and had continued there; Magnus enchanted some of the drinks and they had talked long into the night. It was such a welcome relief from all the doom and gloom surrounding the impending war and Sebastian and a great distraction from having to think about his father, the new Inquisitor's, visit. No one had wanted the evening to end, which meant they finally went to bed at around 3am and he and Magnus only got to sleep around 4 – after another round of activity. Alec glanced at the small alarm clock on the bedside table. It was 6:30am; two and a half hours were definitely not enough and he let out a groan as the knocking became louder.

"Guys I'm serious! Dad could be here any minute!"

It was Isabelle. And she had a point. Alec shook Magnus lightly, not quite believing he could have slept through Izzy's ruckus. His lover stirred and gazed up at him calmly.

"Morning sugarplum," Magnus told him as he reached up and smoothed his hand through Alec's hair.

"I refuse to respond to that name," Alec told him as he pouted, though he couldn't quite mask the laughter in his voice. He got up and quickly flung on his pair of jeans that were hung over some half-unpacked boxes in the corner.

"Hurry up!" Isabelle was wailing, kicking the door in time to her shrieks. Alec opened the door abruptly and startled her.

"Bloody hell Iz!" Alec yelled back at her, holding his head to try and make a point.

"Why are you not dressed?!"

"I'm half dressed…" he argued, though he knew that was a lie.

"You need to put your gear on dumbass – you know Dad will want to see us train!"

"Morning Izzy!" Magnus chorused from behind him and Izzy became momentarily distracted form berating him.

Isabelle shot him a dangerous look before smiling sweetly in Magnus' direction. "Please put some clothes on Magnus," she told him as calmly as possible. Alec turned around to see Magnus stretching, completely naked and couldn't help but giggle.

"Alexander Gideon Lightwood that is not funny in the slightest. Just remember, we are doing this for Mom. And we all have to cover for you, so please take this seriously."

She stalked off angrily; he hadn't meant to upset her and he knew he would have to grovel later. Alec pulled on his gear as quickly as he could and Magnus began to rummage through the closet. Alec had to keep most of his clothes in the closet in his old room because there was simply no room in the one in this room for both his and Magnus'.

"You should hurry up gorgeous," Alec murmured against his boyfriend's smooth skin as he lightly kissed his neck and threaded his arms around his slim waist.

"Gorgeous am I?" Magnus purred at him playfully.

"Yeah, and you know it," Alec said, planting another, bigger kiss on his collarbone.

"If you don't desist and allow me to get ready I fear I may have to jump you and have my wicked way with you. And then we may have a repeat of what happened the other day – only this time with your father walking in on us rather than your mother. And I hear he is not as tolerant…"
Alec chuckled and drew away from the Warlock, retrieving his weapons belt from the floor and fastening it around himself as Magnus continued to rummage, still completely naked.

"You are definitely going to have to start wearing pyjamas," Alec mused, to which his boyfriend wrinkled his nose adorably. "And thanks for helping me with my hair…"

Magnus flashed him a wicked smile. "Don't mention it honeybear!"

Magnus had had to dye Alec's hair the previous night and it had been more embarrassing than the first time he'd had sex. That was what you got for dabbling in drugs though. A side-effect of the yin fen was the 'silvering' of pigmentation. Luckily, Alec hadn't taken it for too long so he had got away with a small streak of silver through the black of his hair, just underneath on the left-hand-side. It was easily covered up by the rest, but they had thought it would be safer if they dyed it black, just in case his father did spot it. Alec was just relieved that he had dissuaded Magnus from dying his hair pink or blue or green.

With a splash of blue light Magnus was suddenly dressed in rather sombre black leather pants. At least, they would have been sombre if they weren't so tight and fit the curves of his ass and hips so exquisitely and showed off the lines and shapes of his toned, lean thighs and calves. He wore a plain white button down shirt and held aloft two vests – one grey and one purple.

"Which one?" he enquired. Alec hated when Magnus asked for advice about what he should wear because Alec had absolutely no clue about clothes, not in the same way Magnus did. For Alec, clothes were a utility and nothing more; they served various purposes and should be as functional as possible.

"I think you should wear the purple one. And maybe a cravat," Alec told him seriously and decidedly. Magnus was clearly shocked because he almost choked.

"Did you just suggest I wear a cravat, Alexander?" Magnus asked him playfully, a wide grin spreading across his fine features.

Alec had never been this decisive or opinionated about Magnus' clothes before and he let out a sigh, knowing that he had aroused the Warlock's suspicion and needed to explain. "I can see what you are trying to do. And I appreciate it, honestly. I appreciate it a lot. But you don't have to mute everything down and wear monotone colours jut for the sake of my father. Or me," Alec explained.

"I will have you know monochrome is very in this season…" the Warlock pouted as he hugged the grey vest too himself, as if he were trying to defend the honour of the garment.

"Being colourful is who you are and I love who you are, Magnus." Alec could feel his blush spreading across his cheeks. "Besides, I like you in purple," Alec smiled.

"Well that settles it then!" the Warlock exclaimed happily. "Purple it is!"

Magnus flung the grey vest onto the bed and put on the purple one, which really was very beautiful, finely brocaded with a pattern in a slightly darker shade of purple to the shiny silk fabric it was inlaid upon.

"Just need to fix my hair and put on a bit of war paint," Magnus told him whilst fastening a belt about his deliciously defined hips whose oval buckle sparkled in gold and clear crystal. "Probably best we don't show up together if he is there already."

Magnus was right, of course, but Alec couldn't help but feel a sad pang in his chest at those words, as if Magnus was still his shameful secret to be locked up and never allowed to see the light of day. All Alec really wanted to do was show Magnus off to everyone and rejoice in the fact that this man was his partner, so glad and happy he was that their relationship had been re-kindled.

Maybe one day.

Alec could feel every muscle in his body tighten as the portal opened and his father stepped through. The man looked older somehow, as if he had aged a lot since the last time Alec had seen him. He was wearing black gear, but rather than his usual attire the clothing looked much newer and was now inlaid with runes in a shining and expensive looking silver thread.

"Well, I didn't expect such a formal welcome," he told them all and Alec thought he may have detected something behind his words; amusement perhaps? He had to admit it did all look a bit overkill. They were stood in a line, his mother, him, Isabelle and Jace, as if they were soldiers awaiting inspection. They wore their black gear and even their weapons belts, though Alec had decided not to sling his bow and quiver over his shoulder – they probably weren't going to get attacked in the back garden.
Again Alec thought darkly, remembering the time they had been jumped by a host of Forsaken before their fateful trip to Alicante a few months ago.

Robert Lightwood eyed the group nervously and Alec found himself praying that his father would not talk to him first; unfortunately, he wasn't that lucky as he noticed his father's gaze fall upon him.

"Alec," he said with a small, strained smile as he strode up to him. Alec felt his stomach flip and then his father pulled him into a tight, though rather cold, hug. He could feel Izzy bristling next to him with the shock.

"You look absolutely dreadful," he told Alec seriously, pulling apart from him and looking him up and down. To be fair to the man, he did sound genuinely concerned.
"I'm fine now," Alec told him in a small voice. "And congratulations," he added quickly and as brightly as he could manage.

Anything to try and change the subject.

His father smiled again, looking slightly relieved.

"Yes, it's very good news. I feel so honoured and humbled and can't wait to get to work. How is your training going now? Mom said you haven't been able to do much for the past couple of weeks since the attack." The mood had lightened suddenly, now that his father had realised that they weren't all going to attack him or start any arguments.
"I have to admit, I am really out of practice. I need all the help I can get, so me and Jace are going to put in a couple more hours a day on top of patrols to try and get me back in shape." Alec could see Jace look at him abruptly out of the corner of his eye as he lied and he wondered whether that look meant Jace would be happy about Alec wanting to train with him again, or whether he would be pissed off that he had just roped him in to spending more time with his parabatai and less time with his girlfriend. He would have to worry about that later.

"Good," his father smiled at him, seemingly happy and placated now as he turned away from Alec and grabbed Isabelle in a hug. Alec let out the breath he had been holding in and shot a quick look at his mother, whose expression was blank and rather unreasonable.

He spotted Izzy's stiff response to their father's affection out of the corner of his eye and wondered if she was ok; he desperately wanted to push his father out of the way and protect his little sister. It was a ridiculous thought because although their father was not the most tolerant of men he was still their father and he did love them and care about them in his own way. His father wasn't going to hurt Isabelle, but after seeing how upset she was yesterday about his visit Alec was in over-protective mode. She had confided in him not so long ago about their father's affair with another woman; he had thought it was entirely inappropriate that their mother had burdened his little sister with such knowledge, but at least he could now understand Isabelle's general iciness towards their dad.

"Jonathan," his father said as he turned to face Jace. It was quite clear that his dad had no idea whether to hug Jace or just offer him his hand for an amiable shake. The fumbling continued awkwardly for a couple of seconds before Jace had the decency to take a step back and flash his father a winning smile.

"Whoa, Robert. It's so nice to see you – we all missed you – but I wouldn't come too close. Can't risk burning the new Inquisitor." He laughed and his father followed suit. It would seem Robert Lightwood was in a good mood today.

"Well, it's good to see you too," his father replied as he uncomfortably patted Jace's upper arm and wheeled around quickly to Alec's mother. They stared at each other for a moment and Alec could feel his insides squirm with embarrassment and grief. There was nothing in their expressions to indicate any emotion of any kind and it was deeply upsetting.

"Shall we go inside?" his mother suggested, gesturing towards the great building. His father gave a short, curt nod and they both turned and walked off towards the door of the Institute. The three siblings all exchanged dark, wary looks before following.

After travelling up to the main part of the Institute in the lift in deafening silence, Alec, Isabelle and Jace hung around in the hallway before making their way to the Training Room where they would join Clary. Their mother and father had gone off to inspect the weapons room and the library, where Magnus was currently pretending to be working for them. Alec slumped against a wall and let out a groan.

"Hey, come on, it will be ok," Isabelle told him with an enthusiastic smile and a tight squeeze of his arm.

"I just pray Magnus won't be too over the top…"

Jace snorted. "That's like saying 'I hope Church won't be too cat-like'. Where's the other furball by the way?"
"No idea," Alec shrugged resignedly. "Probably hiding somewhere. By the Angel I envy him…"

"Oh it's not all that bad!" Isabelle piped up chirpily.

Alec and Jace both looked at her and groaned in unison as she bounded off to the training room and they were forced to follow. Alec would never understand women; their moods could change as quickly as the weather, though with much less warning. Alec briefly mused whether he would never 'get' females because he was gay, but a quick glance over to his parabatai's face indicated the puzzlement and lack of understanding must be true of all men.

"Seriously, what the hell has happened to you?" Jace asked him incredulously, picking him up off the floor for the fifth or sixth time.

"You know what happened," Alec bit at him, not wanting to say the 'D' word aloud.
"Bro, you took some yin fen a couple of times – I never thought it would completely sap you of all your previous training."

Alec could feel anger bubble in his core as he lunged with the blade once more at Jace, who spun effortlessly and dodged the blow. The golden-haired boy smiled sweetly at him and Alec felt the rage dissipate; he could never stay angry with Jace even though he was infuriating and he knew that his parabatai was only trying to push him into working harder.

"You know, I do honestly think that you've just got really good Jace," Izzy observed as she pulled out a few arrows from the target. "If we had all known celibacy would turn you into some crazy Shadowhunter Superman then we would have warned the ladies away from you a long time ago." She fletched the arrow and pulled it back taut in the bow and Alec noticed Clary try to hide her embarrassed face a little.

"I believe you did warn them; every last one of them. But my powers of seduction were just too awesome to overcome."

"Hey!" the red-head complained loudly.

Alec began to laugh as the door to the Training Room flung open and his mother, father and Magnus swept in. This made his laugh catch awkwardly in his throat and cause him to have a coughing fit. Before he knew it he had Magnus, Jace and Isabelle all grabbing him and trying to make sure he was ok. He tried to bat them away and reassure them he was alright, but their concern was unrelenting.

Because that's subtle…

"Alexander!" Robert Lightwood's voice rang out and Alec saw his father rushing over to them too.

"What on earth – are you ok?" His father's voice was heavy with concern and something bright and warming flicked on down inside his stomach. Despite the overwhelming sense of doom that his father might uncover his secret about taking drugs and getting raped and beaten in a downworlder nightclub, he couldn't help but feel a warm satisfaction that his father did, in fact, care about him.

"I'm fine!" he managed to strangle out between coughs, trying to push everyone away from him, desperately needing space and air.

Alec felt Magnus' strong arm steer him forward a few paces, pulling him away from the crowding of his family and he squeezed Magnus' shoulder in gratitude.

"It's just an after-effect of the poisoning," Magnus assured the group loudly.

That's not un-true. Drugs are a type of poison.

Then the Warlock sat him down in a chair that he had obviously conjured. Magnus knelt beside him and stroked his thigh and back comfortingly as he gasped for breaths between each cough.

"Get away from him."

Alec heard his father's voice angrily sound and then the sudden loss of contact. He looked up in time to see Magnus sprawled on the floor a little away from him. The shock of the situation was more than enough to make him stop coughing and he looked on in awe and horror as his mother and sister grabbed his father and hauled him backwards and away from his boyfriend. Magnus got up quickly, blue sparks crackling at his fingertips.

"Magnus no! Don't!" Alec cried out. As quick as a flash, Jace was in front of Magnus, shielding the group from the Warlock as magical blue energy swirled about his hands menacingly.

Everything passed in a blur and Alec sunk down into the chair and cradled his head in his hands. He hoped for a brief second that if he was very quiet and closed his eyes he would find this was all a horrific nightmare and he would wake up in his bed, snuggled next to Magnus. As the arguing grew louder and more heated, and Alec heard his name yelled quite a few times he realised that there was no avoiding it - he would have to intervene.

"SHUT UP!" he boomed at the top of his voice. Silence descended immediately; even Alec was not aware he could shout that loud. "I'm fine! What the hell is all this about?!"

"What did you do to my son Warlock?!" his father bellowed. Alec noticed, not without amusement, that he was being rather successfully restrained by his mother and Isabelle. In any other circumstance Alec may have laughed to see such a bear of a man being trapped by two girls.

"What haven't I done to your son, Robert?!" Magnus quipped back venomously.

"Magnus!" Alec berated, finding his comment completely unacceptable. His lover had the decency to look down at his shoes sheepishly, realising he was out of line. Jace was stood directly in front of and facing Alec's boyfriend with his arms crossed, acting as sentinel. Alec couldn't see his parabatai's face, but something told him that Jace was laughing and finding this all terribly amusing. He felt himself go red and looked down at his hands. To his surprise, he found a redness staining his in addition to the flush of embarrassment reddening his cheeks. Blood. Alec felt his heart sink. It looked a whole lot worse than it was, but he had been so sure that this particularly unpleasant part of the withdrawal had stopped and he tasted a bitter disappointment that he wasn't yet recovered along with an unmistakable metallic tang.

"Everyone needs to calm down," Alec reasoned. "Dad," he called out to his father, who had now broken himself away from his family and was stood with his arms crossed and sulking. "Magnus wasn't hurting me, he was helping me. I was poisoned…"
"Bullshit," his father spat and took the entire room by surprise. "Oh come on, what sort of demon poison is that bad? That Warlock has done something to him!"

"Magnus hasn't done anything Robert!" Jace interjected. Alec felt a little flutter in his chest for his parabatai, recalling all of those times Alec had argued with his father about Jace and stuck up for him, whilst the other boy had sat there stoic and apathetic. "You are just being paranoid. We are not sure what type of demon Sebastian sent or what properties its poison had. All we know is that the poison was bad and Alec almost died; if it wasn't for Magnus, your son would be dead."

His father's face washed ashen and his features softened slightly.

"It's true, Robert," his mother spoke up. "Magnus saved our son and we are indebted to him. On top of that, he is helping us try to find a way to stop Jonathan Morgenstern, which he really doesn't have to do so I am sure you would agree that you and the Council treat our guest with the utmost respect."
At that, his father pried himself free of the two women.

"Alexander, I want a word with you in the library. Now. The rest of you – I shall be observing one of your patrols this afternoon so make sure you are marked and ready to go in ten minutes." His father spoke in a measured and emotionless voice before he stalked off and out of the training room, slamming the door behind him. Alec rose out of the small chair and made to follow him.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Magnus yelled, rushing to him to try and stop him from going after his father.

"You don't have to go and talk to him Alec," his mother told him seriously. "Or, if you do, I can come with you if you want."

"Thanks Mum, but I want to speak to dad alone. It won't take long," he told his mother, smiling warmly to try and reassure her. "I'll meet you all outside in a bit. Jace, can you get my bow and arrows for me?"

"Have you been marked with another fearless rune?" Jace asked him, raising an eyebrow playfully despite the seriousness in his tone.

"No," Alec told him matter-of-factly. Magnus took Alec's hand in his own and gave it a squeeze. "But it's about time I grew up and dealt with this."

"Please don't tell me you're going to tell him about everything that has happened," Magnus pleaded with him, his verdant gold eyes shimmering with anxiousness.

"No, you all did a really great job with covering for me and I'm not stupid – I'm not going to go and admit to the Inquisitor that I have been breaking the law. But it isn't about that, trust me. This is about me being gay and being in a relationship with a downworlder. He thinks I'm ruining my life, which is why he is being so forceful. I need to at least try to get him to understand."

His father was sat stiffly behind the large desk. Alec could recall the many times he had seen Hodge sat behind this desk, pouring over letters and ancient texts. His parents had given over the library to Hodge when he had been here and been their children's tutor and had favoured the smaller office down the hall for any important work, when they were here and not on business in Idris. Alec couldn't help but miss his old tutor, even though the man had betrayed them. Seeing the large, dark figure of his father sat behind Hodge's desk seemed disjointed to Alec, like a piece of the puzzle that didn't fit but had been crammed into the picture anyway.

Alec sunk into a chair opposite his father, who sat as still as a statue, his eyes cold and glass-like.

"I had a nightmare once and I woke up screaming. You came to me, rushing into my room and you swept me up into your arms and hugged me tight. And you told me that I had to be brave. That the world was full of dark and evil things and that it was my destiny to meet them head-on because I was the blood of the Angel and it was my duty to protect those who could not. You told me that I had to fight the darkness, not scream and run away from it."

"What's your point?" his father asked him flatly, no trace of emotion on his voice.
"Most parents comfort their children when they're afraid. They wrap them up and tell them they will protect them, that there is nothing to be scared of." His father remained silent and stared at him impassively. "But you didn't. You were never like that. That moment changed my life because although I had plenty of nightmares after that I never woke up screaming ever again. I have been afraid plenty of times, but I have always tried to face my fears. I have always appreciated your honesty, Father, because it made me an honest person too."

"And I suppose you're going to tell me next that this is your life and I need to butt out?"
Alec was a little taken aback by the obvious mirth in his father's tone and all he could do was nod his head slowly in confirmation.

His father let out a deep sigh. "The thing is, Alexander, there are many opposed to your relationship with Magnus, me included. There are also those who celebrate it as an important step for the Accords. You are treading a dangerous line, Alexander. You have caused intrigue and upset amongst our people as well as through Downworld. If it wasn't for the threat from Jonathan Morgenstern then you would be currently under investigation."

"For being gay?!" Alec yelled out, hardly believing what he was hearing.

"Yes, and for your relationship with a Warlock. In a time when Nephilim are dwindling in numbers it is seen as important that each of us do our best to reproduce and ensure the survival of our species. Do you not see how your relationship with this Warlock appears to everyone? It looks like you are not just shirking your own destiny, but you are also throwing the whole idea of Nephilim destiny back into the faces of the Clave."

Alec sat there, feeling so cold he began to shiver. He had never thought about it like that before. He had also never thought about having children either. He didn't know what to say; too many random thoughts were swirling around his head.

"Count yourself lucky, my boy, that the Consul currently finds herself in a similar position to myself. I just wanted to warn you that the council has already had discussions about your relationship with Magnus Bane and whether we should allow it to continue. You will, no doubt, be pleased to hear that the Council currently have more important things to worry about and are also counting your extreme youth in your favour. I can only hope you will change your mind about the whole shameful business in the near future."

"How can you say those things?" Alec asked his father quietly, a dangerous edge to his voice. His father cast a steely glance back at his son.

"You have no idea how much I had to defend you to the Council, Alexander. Can you not imagine what it was like for me? Having to sit there and know that I may not be given the Inquisitor's position because you've decided to rebel by having an affair with a male warlock?"

Suddenly, Alec was on his feet. "So that's what this is about! You are embarrassed by me?!"

His father rose quickly too and matched Alec's gaze. Robert Lightwood was a tall man, but Alec briefly noticed that he and his father now stood at the same height.

"Of course I am embarrassed! What father wouldn't be disgusted?!" he snarled back at Alec, but as the words escaped his lips his expression dropped into a mixture of shock and horror.

"How dare you," Alec whispered dangerously. He was sure he had never been this angry in his entire life.

"Alec, I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…"
"I will have you know that we are all embarrassed by you too! Your relentless drive to feed your ambitions for power! Your infidelity! Your willingness to abandon your own family! I'm not the shameful disgusting one here, you are."

"Alexander please, just listen to me…"

"I am done with listening to you. If you are here to address me as the Inquisitor then I shall listen if this is officially sanctioned Council business, but not otherwise. And I want you to know that if the Council did ever decide to give me the Ultimatum of being with Magnus and being a Shadowhunter I would choose him. Every. Single. Time. And that would be a shame, because you know what? I am a great Shadowhunter, Robert. It would be the Clave that loses, not me. Being a Shadowhunter is my calling, but it isn't the only thing that defines me anymore; I would give it all up for him. So now I am warning you: don't make me choose."

His father gawked at him with his mouth open a little in surprise and disbelief.

"I will be waiting at the Entrance with the others so you can assess the patrol. Do feel free to bring along your own weapons because I honestly cannot promise to protect you right now," Alec finished sternly, before sweeping out of the room and his father's presence, leaving the other man rooted to the spot and staring after him as he slammed the door.

Isabelle noticed him first as he opened the grate on the elevator with such force he made the entire structure vibrate. Her small pretty face furrowed with concern at him. It had felt like he was going to have a heart attack on the elevator ride down. What had he been thinking? Speaking to his father – speaking to the Inquisitor – like that?! But he was still too angry to assess the situation objectively or feel too much regret or fear for the repercussions. An uncomfortable silence descended on the group, who all stared at Alec tentatively.

"Wha –" Isabelle began.

"I don't want to talk about it, Izzy," Alec cut her off sharply. Jace handed him his bow and quiver silently with a deep, sad and probing look in his eyes. He and Jace had an almost telepathic bond with each other on account of the binding ritual performed on them when they were younger, and he could tell his parabatai knew that now was not the time to talk about what had just happened.

Magnus rushed over to him then and grabbed his hand.

"Alec, are you ok?" his lover asked him, his voice a little shaky.

Alec turned on his smile for Magnus and turned to look at him, wanting to reassure him that everything was alright. However, when he saw his boyfriend's face, Alec found himself unable to keep anything in and the words burst from his lips uncontrollably.

"I told him that I would choose you. If I had to choose between being a Shadowhunter and being with you. I'm sick of being scared of him and what he thinks about me – about us."

Magnus' mouth dropped to the floor.

"So you basically told him where to shove it?" Jace asked him playfully, breaking the tension somewhat.

"Jace!" his mother and Clary both scolded at the same time, causing Izzy to giggle.

"I -" Magnus began, but as he spoke the sound of the elevator could be heard once more and they all turned and watched as Robert Lightwood descended slowly, a haughty look plastered about his face and his eyes fixed sternly at nothing in particular.

"Will you be joining the Patrol Clary?" he asked nonchalantly as he pulled on a pair of black leather gloves and walked towards the entrance, not looking any of his family in the eye.

"Yes," she answered nervously.

"Good – if we have time we will stop off somewhere so I can observe a couple of drills and see how you are getting on. I can then re-assess your need for a tutor as we cannot spare someone to come here full-time just to train you alone." She nodded curtly to him as he turned around at the doorway and faced them all. Alec could feel the tension prickle around him and, as his father faced him and Magnus, his boyfriend pulled their hands apart. The loss of contact from Magnus made his hand feel very cold and a flash of pain and anger mixed with resolve and a kind of happiness sparked through him.

I don't want to hide anymore.

"Well come on then," his father announced exasperatedly as he stepped to one side to allow them all to filter past him and out of the door. Isabelle made to move first, followed by Clary and then Jace. Alec, instead, caught Magnus' hand and pulled the Warlock towards him, causing the other man to fall clumsily into him. Alec caught him, of course, and dipped his boyfriend's body in a romantic embrace before kissing him with as much passion as he could muster. He tried to convey every ounce of love he felt for him in that moment and, although Magnus was taken by surprise at first and resisted, his lover finally gave in and kissed him back fervently, holding on with one hand on his hips and the other on his shoulder.

"I think you've proven your point Alec," his mother's voice rang out. Magnus pulled his face away from him then and gave him a smirk and a wink before the Shadowhunter pulled him to his feet and stood up straight. He glanced over to his mother and saw the betrayal of a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. His father loomed at the doorway, stiff and emotionless and Alec stared him down. There was a moment when Alec's heart began to falter and he almost looked away first. Almost.

His father turned around and left quietly.

"Way to go with not drawing attention to yourselves," his mother told him quietly, a large smirk now adorning her face. Alec smiled warmly back at her before following the others outside. True, he had promised himself that he wouldn't be the one to stir anything up in his father's presence and he had promised his mother that he and Magnus would be discreet, but he had felt something release inside him earlier in the library. It was like he had been holding an elastic band taut and it had only been a matter of time before it snapped. He had thought he wanted his father's approval; it turned out he didn't care whether he got it or not and the revelation had been surprisingly liberating.

The cool air hit him as he stepped outside and he breathed it in deeply and with great satisfaction, immensely proud of his sense of accomplishment.

I no longer have to hide him.

The group were waiting for him just outside the front gate.

"Alec!"

He had just reached the bottom of the dark grey steps when he heard his name being called. He turned to find Magnus rushing after him and his boyfriend almost bowled him over as he bounded down the steps after Alec and grabbed him by his shoulders. Before Alec could really tell what was happening his lover's hands tangled themselves into his hair and pulled his face up so that their lips locked. Startled, Alec tried to laugh.

"Alec, we have to go…" his sister's voice sounded nervously in the distance. But then Alec's body took over and he shut his eyes and melted into Magnus, savouring the sensation of hot lips and tongue.

"Alexander!"

At the sound of his sister's voice calling him by his full name, Alec broke away reluctantly.

"Be careful," Magnus told him seriously, his beautiful eyes alight with desire and a promise.

"See you later darling," Alec smiled at him. And then the Shadowhunter turned to leave, knowing his boyfriend would probably be a little bit surprised to hear Alec utter a term of endearment towards him in front of all his family. Alec knew he would fight and drill well this evening because he felt lighter than air. Even his father's sad and apologetic glances couldn't bring him down. He supposed this must be a little like how Jace felt when the heavenly fire coursed through his body.

It really was very strange what foolish things love could make stupid people do. And it was strange what wonderful things love could make you accomplish as well.

A/N: well this is it!

Hope you enjoyed this and thank you ever so much for all your lovely reviews! Please don't forget to review this chapter or the whole fic – I really do appreciate ALL of your feedback!

Much love,
Princess Laubie x