Magnus.

As soon as I leave the interview room, I see Alec and Jem outside. I dive for them and pounce on Alec from behind.

"Thank God that's over" I breathe, oddly comforted by his shampoo as I breathe it in.

"Did they say anything?" Alec asks, turning around to face me.

"Not really…that I was helpful, we all have been, and they're able to move on with the case now"

"Sounds promising" Jem adds. He's looking tired and lifeless. I touch his jaw and he flinches. "I'm ok"

"You'll be fine" I agree, smiling. "All of us will be. Speaking of Will's… where's the idiot gone?"

"He went to the cafeteria with the others" Alec says.

"You met?" I ask, eyes wide.

"Briefly. I introduced myself and he was reasonable"

"Reasonable" I echo. "Well you aren't dead or half way down the street so I'm guessing he sort of likes you. Did I mention how protective he is?"

"While you were drunk, yes" Alec smiles and the space around me seems warmer. I latch onto it and take his hand, and then Jem's too.

"Shall we meet them in the cafeteria?" I suggest.

"I'm fine here" Jem says.

"You're freezing" Alec says, frowning. "Let's go inside"

"I don't want to" Jem argues, folding his arms over his chest. "They're in there and I'd rather not deal with them at the moment. As soon as I know the police's decision on Jace, I'm leaving"

"Jem-"

"Don't. I'm mad. I'm annoyed and I'm furious and unless you can just be you right now then there's no point in you staying here. Alec's understood that, can't you?" Alec gives me a look and then a small shrug.

"Okay, fine" I try to remain positive. "We can stay here"

"Thank you" Jem says quietly, settling himself back against the wall with his chin buried in his zipped up coat. Alec gives my hand a squeeze and shows me a small smile. I smile back, glad that the two of them have found some sort of mutual ground to stand on.

OOO

Luke comes over in about another two hours to explain what's happening.

Sebastian and Haig are being charged with assault, and they've given names to the other people who were present during the attack. All of the witness accounts had proved that Jace had no physical part in it. He'd known about the attack and was – for all intents and purposes – a witness, a by-stander, but primarily an accessory. He had been peer-pressured into the goading, but had an undeniable part in the whole thing.

Things fizzle out over the next few weeks. We all agree that we don't want to know Jace's sentence, and he's fine with not telling us – all of the Lightwoods are. Alec knows, his family know – of course, but we're being selfish; we don't want to know how much trouble we got him into in the end.

Alec's found a common ground with Will in the form of hair gel. But that's about it. Will is dubious of Alec, and Alec walks on eggshells whenever Will's around. I think they try to psych each other out. Will's been around a lot more – he's going to stay in the country for a few more weeks until things settle – then he'll move back to France. That's his plan.

Jem and Tessa are in the process of making up. It shouldn't take too long with Will being their guardian angel from both angles. It gives him a distraction, something to do.

Which conveniently keeps him away from Alec and I. Especially at times like now, on a date. On a public date, in a corner café that – granted, nobody has heard of – but it's in public and he called it a date and we're together.

"You're drifting again" Alec leans forwards across the table in between us. "Everything ok there up with the rainbows?"

"Yes!" I blurt. "I was just thinking"

"About?"

"You" I grin.

"Cheesy" He laughs.

"Hm. I could be thinking about other stuff – so thinking about you is definitely on the right track"

"Right track?" He raises his eyebrows and looks every bit of the confident Lightwood he is. "What other tracks do I have?"

"I don't know" I laugh. "You know what I mean. I could be thinking about Jem and Camille and Tess and Will – I could be thinking about Chairman. I mean, have you seen how cute he is?"

"Of course" Alec rolls his eyes and smirks. He's getting cocky now we're getting more comfortable with each other. But I find myself liking it.

"Then again, I could think of other things. Like … your coming-out story"

"My what?" He goes still.

"When you told your parents you liked me- or maybe you didn't say that specifically – I don't know"

"…You want to know that?" He asks carefully.

"You're my boyfriend" I tell him, leaning closer and grinning like a cat. "It's all I think about"

"Seriously?" He's so gullible!

"No!" I laugh. "But now you mention it, I am curious"

"Then…can we go back to yours?"

I pick up my cup and finish the rest of my hot chocolate, taking his hand and instantly guiding him out of the café and straight back to my apartment.

OOO

Alec.

We're curled up on his sofa, the blanket spread over our legs. It's nice and comforting and encouraging, and he doesn't need to prompt me to start.

"It was that night Max brought up Honest Sundays?..."

"I know it" He says, his hand stroking mine.

I sigh and recall what had happened.

OOO

"I took your turn – sorry" Jace had changed the topic, nudging my knee with his. "What's your insecurity of the week?" He'd tried to lighten the mood, and the only way he was going to feel anywhere near better is if I joked with him.

"You failing highschool" Jace quirked a grin and I knew I succeeded. "You have been going out a lot – and then you sit and brood in your room; I'm not sure you're studying so, yes, for all I know – you may fail the year and God that would be embarrassing"

"Alec" Max snapped. "We're supposed to be taking this seriously"

"Hey, it's a serious worry of his" Jace turned on Max, but we both smiled away the joke and laid it to rest.

"So?" Jace turned back to me. "What's your deep dark secret?" Tearing my eyes from his, I stared at my hands before closing my eyes and taking a very, very deep and dizzying breath.

"I like guys"

"So…Magnus?" Max said in a heartbeat.

"Yes" I agreed, straight away. "Oh God – wait-"

"Took ya' long enough" Izzy grinned but couldn't help a laugh.

"Cool" Jace added, nodding. "No – wait…that's shit!"

"Jace" Mum scolded quietly.

"I've lost all brotherly rights. I'm not knowledgeable in that…area. How am I supposed to-"

"You're not even the older brother Max laughed.

"But-"

"I'm still your brother, idiot" I nudged Jace and he grinned, backing down from trying to ease my nerves; Having the acceptance of Izzy, Max and Jace was fine – but facing my parents?

"We're cool with it, right?" Jace turned to them both, sat holding hands on the opposite side of the coffee table.

"It certainly changes a few things" Dad scratched at his neck, but nodded encouragingly. "I've raised you to stand by what you believe in. If this is what makes you happy – then…that's fine with me"

"With us" Mum nodded, and suddenly I had the feeling that she may have already suspected something. She's tearing up- I don't think I've ever seen her look like that before.

"So…Magnus" She asked thoughtfully. "Would this be the Magnus Bane I encountered that time? In the supermarket?"

"Probably" Izzy nodded and mum laughed, swiping at her eye.

We talked about him for a while. Dad umm'd and ahh'd in the right places and seemed calm about the whole thing. Mum found everything hilarious and Izzy was adamant that half of our being 'set up' was her idea. She then admitted to knowing about Magnus and the redone art project. I then told her that I had my suspicions and that she'd just confirmed them.

"I'm sorry" She ducked her head into her blanket but I tickled her out of it. We continued discussing stories for the majority of the evening before we say goodnight and go to bed.

OOO

"That's it?" Magnus peers at me, disbelieving. "No hassle? No crockery being thrown? You didn't get kicked out, obviously – but-"

"My family accepted it" I laugh. "I'm grateful it was that easy"

"I suppose – how very anti-climatic"

"Sorry to disappoint" I sigh, but he wiggles his feet under the blanket and I put mine over his.

"So what, you just all went to bed and you woke up the next morning and nothing had changed?"

"…That was the night Jace told me what he did to you and your lot at the pool" I'm wary to bring it up again. "So I went to bed angry with that, and woke up angry with it in the morning. I didn't have time to think about how things might be different"

"I'm sorry"

"He told me – I'm glad for that" I shrug. "Anyway – what's your coming out story? Seeing as we're on the topic and apparently it's what we ask on dates"

"I didn't ever really have to. It was taken as a given"

"Seriously?"

"Do I look like I could be straight?" I give him a look over and apparently I take too long. His eyebrows raise in concern. "Wow…lots a' thought there"

"No…you're right. You're impossibly gay" He spurts into laughter at this and suddenly tackles me backwards, kissing me close.

"You're impossibly cute" He murmurs. "And mine. And in Izzy's words – it 'took us long enough'" .

OOO
AN: The End

Ps. I have trouble with endings and I hate them!