Back to the Future
"Gideon."
He rubbed his eyes, turning away from the brightness of the morning sun.
"Gideon, love. It is nearly eight. Gabriel's train will be here soon."
Gideon?
Gabriel?
Alec opened his eyes. A sweet face stared down at him, a scar running across her cheek drew his eyes in.
He looked away quickly, though.
"Gideon?"
She scrunched her face together in confusion.
"Are you ill?" Concern, with a twinge of offense, made her voice climb octaves.
"I must be," Alec mumbled. He sat up and she jumped back. "Who are you?"
"Sophie!" her voice squeaked.
"And you think I'm. . ."
"Gideon," she filled in. "But you are!"
Alec shook his head.
"My name is Alexander."
"I'm getting Will," Sophie said, fleeing from the room.
The room looked nothing like the one he had gone to sleep in the night before. This was formal-- entirely vintage.
Magnus' house was anything but. Unless he had redone the furniture again and hired a psychotic maid.
Neither would be a first. . .
Alec climbed out of the four-poster bed, walking towards the open window.
His eyes adjusted with every step.
He put his hands on the windowsill, leaning against it.
Wherever he was, it was most definitely not Brooklyn.
"Gideon?"
Alec turned around, his body instinctively responding to the name.
"Alec," Alec corrected to a man with black hair and shimmering blue eyes. Behind him stood a familiar face. "Tessa?"
Will put a protective arm out, blocking Tessa. It was obviously a reflex-- Alec did the same thing to Isabelle and Magnus.
"Do you know him?" Will asked, looking back at Tessa.
"No," she said, softly.
"My name is Alexander Lightwood--"
"Lightwood?" Sophie had appeared on the other side of Will.
Alec nodded, once.
"Where am I?" Alec asked.
"London," Will answered.
"London?" Alec looked back at the dense fog looming over the city. "And what year is it?"
"1880," Will said.
"That's not right," Alec said. "No, that can't be right."
Alec finally noticed the runes on Will's lower arms, his biceps covered with loose cotton shirt.
"You're a Shadowhunter," Alec said. "Okay. Um--"
"Gid-- Alexander, where are you from?"
"New York," Alec said, his voice unnaturally high-- and it wasn't just Gideon's voice. "And when I went to sleep last night it was 2014."
"You must have a fever," Sophie said, stepping in front of Will.
"I don't," Alec growled.
"I believe him," Tessa said. "I'll get Henry and Charlotte. Will, you should go get Gabriel and Cecily."
Will looked at Tessa. They seemed to be reading each other's minds.
He made a resigned sound.
"Keep him in here for now," Will said.
Alec looked back out the window.
London.
1880?
...........
The man with red hair had been pacing Alec for over a minute now, a overly-pleased look on his face.
"Henry, dear, please explain," the woman named Charlotte said.
"Time travel," Henry said.
"I got that myself," Alec snapped.
"No, but what did you say your name was?" Henry asked.
"Alexander Gideon Lightwood."
Alec's jaw dropped.
"Gideon--"
"He must be some distant relative," Henry said, excited once again. "What was your father's name?"
"Robert," Alec said. "His father was Andrew and his father was Isidore. After that I don't know."
"It's best you don't," Henry said. "We don't want to know too much about the future."
"Am I screwing up time?" Alec asked. Charlotte put a hand over her mouth to cover a gasp. Sophie looked up from where she was sitting, a concerned look on his face. Henry seemed unfazed.
"No," Henry said. "Time is like line. You can jump around all you want but you won't change anything. The universe is set into motion. You cannot bend it as you wish. You're one person. You shouldn't have the power. No, no. You were meant to come here."
"This is crazy," Alec said, shaking his head.
"But it worked!"
"Henry," Charlotte growled. "What did you do?"
"It was just an experiment," Henry said. "Harmless, or so I thought."
Charlotte let her head fall against one of banisters of the bed, defeated.
"Tell me you can fix this," Alec said.
"That, I do not know," Henry said. "I did not know it worked until this very moment."
"We will get you back to your rightful decade," Charlotte promised. "Henry is going to call in assistance and favors."
"Does that mean Gideon is in the future?" Sophie asked.
"Most likely," Henry said, a grin stretching across his face. "I do hope he is taking good notes."
Alec rubbed his forehead.
..........
"Morning, love."
Sleep clouded Gideon's mind, his reactions taking longer than they should have.
Sophie kissed his forehead, and he opened his eyes.
Only, it was Magnus Bane he was looking at, not Sophie.
"By the Angel--"
Gideon grasped for something, anything. He found only a pillow, and slammed it into Magnus' face, tossing him aside.
He jumped to his feet, expecting his mattress but found himself standing on an unnaturally orange couch.
His eyes went wide.
"Alec--" Magnus moaned from the floor. "What the hell?"
"Alec?" Gideon didn't recognize his own voice.
What was going on?
A panic spread through him.
He wasn't home.
The room was full of strange gadgets that looked like the deathtraps in Henry's lab.
"Yes, that is your name, isn't it?" Magnus asked, sitting up. He stared up at Gideon.
"My name is Gideon," he breathed. "Not Alec."
Magnus was silent for a second but then a cat-like smile stretched across his face.
Gideon took a step back, only to trip and fall back onto the couch.
"Oh," Magnus smiled.
............
Despite Will's order, Alec managed to convince Tessa to let him watch Henry work over a tiny sphere.
It was better than pacing around his room.
An hour went by and Henry had spent the entire time, screwing and unscrewing parts, replacing them with new ones, inspecting various pieces and screws.
Alec had no idea what was happening.
Sophie appeared at his side in the basement of the London Institute at some point.
"You should join us for lunch upstairs. Gabriel is curious," she said. "Also, I hate being around him alone."
"Gabriel is. . .?"
"Your-- his brother," Sophie said, pressing his lips together. "He's a little. . . overbearing. Please, Mister Alexander."
"Um, sure," Alec said, deserting his stool. He followed her upstairs.
He still wasn't used to the clothes or the manner of speaking.
He didn't like how unhappy this body swap was making Sophie, who was making a decent attempt to be kind to him.
Gabriel seemed to be a carbon-copy of his new self, with longer hair.
He held himself so formally, not unlike Will, who was standing off to the side.
They were all in the sitting room, a tray of tea and cakes sitting on a table, untouched.
Will had his arm around a girl with long black hair. He smiled down at her before noticed Alec.
Tessa was sitting in an armchair, watching Alec intently.
"So you are Alexander Lightwood?" Gabriel asked, stepping up to Alec.
"Yes," Alec said. There was a harshness to Gabriel's eyes. They reminded him so much of his father's.
"Hmm. You don't seem so horrible, Lightwood," Gabriel said.
"Lightworm," they both heard Will whisper.
"I'll have you know I'm a Lightwood now," the black-haired girl snapped. "I've always liked the name Alexander."
That made Alec smile.
"My name is Cecily, since no one is bothering to introduce me," she said. She lifted her chin, proudly. "I am Will's sister and Gabriel's wife."
Gabriel's eyes soften momentarily, as if he were coming out of, or going into, a trance.
A knocking sound echoed throughout the room.
"That would be Henry's assistant," Sophie said. She stepped away from Alec and disappeared out of the room.
Alec stared back at the group until he heard the doors open again.
"--constantly calling in favors. Yet, I come anyways--"
Alec looked back.
Magnus stood at Sophie's side, a grouchy look on his face.
"Another Lightwood family problem," Magnus grumbled, looking pointedly at Alec and Gabriel.
"Good morning, Mr. Bane," Gabriel said.
"Will your family ever not have problems?" Magnus continued, ignoring Gabriel.
Alec smiled.
But Magnus frowned, shaking his head. He saw Will and gave him a nod.
"William, always a pleasure," Magnus said.
Wait, Will?
The Will?
"You're Will Herondale?" Alec asked.
"So you have heard of me?" Will asked, looking over lazily at Alec.
Alec nodded, mesmerized.
The only other Shadowhunter Magnus had ever had feelings for.
And here he was.
They did look alike in a general sense, but there were obvious difference too, outside of the polar-opposite personalities.
Will was Jace.
"Yeah," Alec said. "I just-- wow. I'm sorry; ignore me."
"Where is Henry?" Magnus asked.
"Lab," Gabriel snapped, as if it was obvious.
"Gee, Gabriel," Magnus retorted. "I wonder why no one likes you."
"Magnus," multiple people chided.
He left with a flourish, his tailcoat trailing behind him.
..........
Magnus handed Gideon a cup of tea, his lame attempt at trying to help him acclimate.
Going to the past was one thing, Magnus figured, but the future was far more terrifying.
"What is it like out there?" Gideon asked.
"Everyone is fat, hates one another, and idolizes Kim Kardashian."
"What is that?"
"A Kim Kardashian?"
Gideon nodded.
"I wish I knew," Magnus said. He took a sip of his own tea.
"It's 2014, you said?"
"Yes."
"Over a hundred years," Gideon mused. "I should be dead."
"You are dead," Magnus said. "But your family lives on. There are plenty of Lightworms crawling around."
"Lovely joke, Mr. Bane," Gideon sighed.
"They run the New York Institute," Magnus said.
"Someone left London?"
"I don't know who so don't ask," Magnus said. "I spent my 20th century avoiding Shadowhunters."
"And now?"
"And now, they seem to live here," Magnus said. "But it's not so bad."
"We missed you in London."
Magnus laughed.
"I'm sure," Magnus said.
"Was that sarcasm?"
Magnus nodded.
"Can you send me back to my time?" Gideon asked.
"They're working on it right now, in 1880," Magnus said. "They get it, don't worry."
"And who is in my place?"
"Alec," Magnus said. "I'd forgotten all of this happened. Mainly, because I didn't care to write down what date Alec came from in 1880."
"I don't understand," Gideon said.
"I don't expect you to," Magnus said. "But Henry and I do. That's what matters."
"Poor Sophie," Gideon said. "She must be terrified."
"Worried, not terrified," Magnus said. "Everyone makes it out of this one alive, Gideon."
"But how long does it take?" Gideon asked.
"Another thing I failed to remember," Magnus said. "For now, just sit back and relax."
Gideon looked out the massive windows. His tea still remained untouched, and it was probably better that way.
...........
Alec had spent the day following Sophie around like a lost puppy, even watching her cook.
She told him it was better than him watching Henry and Magnus all day.
Though, he didn't mind seeing Magnus in his formal clothes. They were still brighter and more outlandish than what everyone else seemed to be wearing but Alec expected nothing less.
Charlotte, who seemed to be running everything, demanded everyone eat dinner, including the mad scientists.
But Henry and Magnus hurried their way through dinner, disappearing again within a few minutes.
Dinner was a loud and long affair, everyone catching up.
So Alec was left out of it. All he knew was the future and talking about that probably wasn't for the best.
When dinner was done, he cleaned up with Sophie and Cecily, with Gabriel pitching in every once in awhile.
Sophie showed him to a guest room but he was too restless to go back to sleep.
He didn't want to bother Magnus and Henry in the lab, so he wandered the Institute until he was on the rooftop.
He listened to London, which was a constant echo of hooves against cobblestone and the occasional shout.
As the moon continued the rise, the night got brighter and the sounds quieter.
He watched lamp after lamp go out in windows and curtains shut.
It was beautiful up here and he couldn't figure out why none of the London Shadowhunters were up here.
"I've spoken to Henry." Alec jumped to his feet, turning around.
It was just Magnus.
"We have decided that it's probably best if I wipe everyone's memories of this little fiasco," Magnus said.
"I suppose," Alec said.
"When Gideon returns, I'll explain everything to him; I'm sure he can keep a secret," Magnus said. Alec nodded.
"What about you?" Alec asked.
"I'll do some erasing here and there but I won't completely erase it," Magnus said.
"Alright," Alec said. He bit his lower lip. "Did you and Henry fix it?"
"No," Magnus said. "But I've done all I can. Henry has to work out the rest. He will though. I trust him."
"Okay," Alec said.
"Are you normally this shy?" Magnus asked.
"Depends on who I'm with," Alec said.
"I'd like to ask you a few questions," Magnus said. He was the one who sounded shy now. "I'll erase my memory of your answers but I'll write myself a vague note. The future is more daunting when you know you'll most likely live to see it."
"Uh, okay," Alec said.
"Do you know me, in the future?"
"Yes," Alec said, smiling.
"How?"
Alec hesitated.
"I shouldn't tell you," Alec said. "I don't want you to be influenced when you meet me. You like to make your own choices."
"I do," Magnus said, his eyes flashing as if he was remembering Alec. That was, of course, impossible, but Alec could of sworn there was recognition in his amber eyes. "You must know me well then. Am I happy?"
"I believe so, yes," Alec said.
"Do I get out of London?"
"Definitely."
"Do-- do I lose anyone else?"
"How do you mean?" Alec asked.
"My friends," Magnus said.
"You'd tell me that death is inevitable in life," Alec said. "And that you can't protect everyone."
"Who?"
"I don't know them all," Alec said. "You don't talk about the past like that. You live in the moment."
"You never ask me about my adventures?" The smile on Magnus' face was wavering.
"You told me about Will. And Peru. And Tessa Grey and Jem. I know about Marie Antoinette. I know you better than anyone else," Alec said. "Or so I think."
"Camille Belcourt?"
Alec winced, hearing her name again.
It was taboo between him and Magnus now.
"No," Alec said, softly. "It doesn't work out."
"Does it hurt to try?"
Alec looked up at him.
"I suppose the future is inescapable. Our destiny is already set."
"She's hard to escape," Magnus said with a daring grin.
"Maybe," Alec sighed.
"And one last question, Alec."
Alec nodded. He was suddenly tired.
"Do I love you?"
"Yes," Alec said, breaking his one rule.
"Then I look forward to the future." Alec watched Magnus leave. He stopped at the doorway, looking back at Alec. "Though, what I could see in a Lightworm is completely beyond me."
...........
"Television is not entertaining, Mr. Bane," Gideon said, decisively.
"Well, there's nothing good on," Magnus sighed. "National Treasure 2 isn't on. Dance Moms isn't on. Honestly, Duck Dynasty is the best thing I can find and that's not even good."
"Is that about the Chinese?" Gideon asked. "I heard they were having political troubles."
"Duck Dynasty is not about a Chinese dynasty, but good guess," Magnus said. He shut off the TV. "You should probably go to sleep. In all of the movies, you change back while you're asleep."
"Movies?"
"Oh dear, I miss Alec," Magnus sighed.
"I miss Sophie," Gideon said, absent-mindedly. "And proper clothing."
"Don't let Alec hear you insult his sweaters."
"Is that what this thing is?" Gideon scoffed, holding up his arm. The baggy sleeve slipped down. "Ridiculous."
"You just don't know comfort," Magnus said.
"I'm sinking into this couch. No wonder Americans have such bad posture," he said, gesturing to Magnus.
"I'm offended, Gideon. I truly am," Magnus said.
"How is it that you haven't changed over the years?" Gideon asked, crossing his arms.
"Strong sense of personality and self."
"Wait, is Tessa here?" Gideon asked.
"Tessa doesn't know this ever happened," Magnus said. "I erase everyone's memories as soon as you get back. I erase most of my own memory. You can't tell them that this happened. Henry wanted to make sure we didn't bring on the future too early."
"I suppose that's sensible," Gideon said.
"Of course it is," Magnus said. "I thought of it."
"I don't like you, Mr. Bane."
"Good night, Gideon," Magnus said, standing up. "I'm going to bed. You can crash wherever."
"Crash?"
"Sleep-- I meant sleep." Magnus rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Lightworms."
.............
Alec was trying to go back to his room when he was caught by Will.
"You are up late," Will said, accusation dripping in voice.
"I was on the roof," Alec admitted.
"Ooh, sneaking around, are we?"
"You remind me of my parabatai," Alec said, stepping towards Will.
"How so?"
"He's a Herondale," Alec said.
"Ahh, my progeny," Will smiled.
"Something like that," Alec sighed. "He's pretentious, annoying, arrogant, selfless to the point of putting himself in danger."
"Why, Alexander, that sounds nothing like me," Will responded.
"Sure," Alec said. "And I could never understand why I loved him so much."
Will smiled.
"My parabatai would say the same about me."
"Jem," Alec filled in.
"Who told you?" Will asked. He went pale, as if someone had just stabbed him.
"Jem, he's happy, in the future. It works out okay, Will. Tessa too."
Will took in a sharp breath.
"I needed to hear that, Alexander, but you can understand how it might be overwhelming."
Will fled the hallway.
"Thank you."
Alec turned around. Tessa's head was peeking out behind a door.
"He did need to hear that," she said. "I just hope it's true."
"It is," Alec said, still frozen to his spot.
"You are a good man, Alexander," Tessa said. "I look forward to meeting you in your true form."
"Thank you, Tessa."
"Though, I don't like the way you talk," Tessa said. "The future has no class."
"Formality doesn't mean class," Alec said.
"Ah, touche," she said, shutting the door.
Alec was alone again.
He began his journey through the halls again, looking for his room. He had forgotten where Sophie had shown him.
So when he came upon the library, filled with couches, he just laid down in there, hoping that he wouldn't wake up there.
.............
"Good morning, love."
Alec opened his eyes, relieved to see Magnus hovering above him.
Quite, literally, hovering, upside down, arms dangling down.
He poked Alec's nose.
"Did you know that yesterday, you-but-not-you smacked me with a pillow?"
Alec smiled at the thought.
"How was 1880?"
"Something," Alec sighed. "Everyone forgot that day?"
"I forgot most of it as well," Magnus said. "But yes, none of them remembered. They later described the day as being incredibly forgettable."
"What did you remember?"
"I knew that you and Gideon switched places for a day. Then it was the year 1880. You and I spoke on the roof. As to what about, I couldn't exactly tell you."
"It's weird having you hovering above me," Alec pointed out.
"Maybe," Magnus shrugged. "Gideon was very boring company. I'm making up for loss excitement."
"Don't insult my great-great-great-great-great grandfather."
"I think you over your 'greats' and you're wrong," Magnus said. "You ended up being Gabriel's descendant."
"I know how my dad got his personality then," Alec sighed.
"Mm," Magnus hummed. He snapped his fingers and he was freefalling, landing on top of Alec, leaning his head on his elbows which were on either side of Alec's head.
Alec let out a gasp. Magnus was far too heavy to be belly-flopping onto him.
"I missed you," Magnus said.
"I was gone for less than 24 hours," Alec said. "But I technically saw you so--"
"Ah, but could you do this?"
Magnus slipped his hands out from under his chin, putting them on Alec's cheeks, still warm with sleep. Magnus kissed him, softly.
"I suppose not," Alec whispered. "But I did get to see you in a tailcoat, which is something I won't be forgetting any time soon."
Magnus smiled, his lips brushing Alec's forehead.
"Yeah, I don't think there's any chance of you forgetting that."