Alec watched the demon disappear with a loud howl of anguish. He hoped there were no mundanes around.
"Alec," Magnus said, in a shaky voice. "They're getting stronger."
Alec knew who "they" were. The demons. Growing every day in number and in strength.
"The Clave has been notified." He said, even though he knew this served no justice in Magnus' eyes.
"Then what are they doing about it?" He asked angrily, shaking his head. "Do they not believe us?"
Alec sighed. "Nothing. Not until a big attack."
"We can't rely on the Clave, Alexander. They don't care until it affects them." Magnus started walking back to the apartment. "I know some do. But not enough."
Alec followed him. "The Clave is still selfish and unreliable. But we're getting better. Learning to accept difference."
"Why don't you tell that to Helen Blackthorn!" Magnus shouted, then put his head in his hands, regretting it immediately.
Alec held back tears. He never cried at nothing, but having Magnus shout at him wasn't nothing.
Magnus put his arms around Alec. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted at you. None of this is your fault."
"Okay. Do you want to go to Taki's tomorrow?" Alec said, his own way of apologizing.
"Okay."
"Okay."
"This is so cliche," Magnus laughed.
"But I'm on a roller coaster that only goes up." Alec smiled, "Let's go to bed."
~~~~
Alec sat on the bed, freshly showered, and flipped the page in Magnus' notebook, the one about his life.
"Have you gotten to the part about Will?" A voice came from the doorway. "He wasn't a lover, just so you know."
Alec smiled. "Spoilers."
Magnus sat down on the bed next to him. "So. What do you think about my life?"
"When did you fly through the desert to start your new life as a cactus? Should I be worried?"
Magnus waved it off with his hand. "Sixteenth, Seventeenth century, it's hard to tell."
"What happened to Tessa?" Alec asked suddenly.
"Tessa? She joined the warlocks of The Spiral Labyrinth for a bit. Doing her part in the war. Now she's with an old friend."
"Brother Zachariah?"
"James Carstairs. He was, I think, pairabatai to one of Jace's ancestors."
"Then Emma isn't the last one. Does she know?"
Magnus shook his head. "Not yet."
Alec, though he knew it was ridiculous, felt the injustices of the world then, weighing him down. Nothing was fair, not even for someone like Jace, who seemed perfect on the outside.
~~~~
Magnus lay awake next to Alec, listening to the gentle sound of his breathing. He didn't think he'd ever been married before. Certainly not to a shadowhunter.
Alec was almost finished the little book Magnus had given him, and he was preparing a sequel. Answering Alec's questions had brought him back to the past, and he couldn't help but think of how similar Alec and that other Lightwood boy were. Gideon was his name, wasn't it? Or was that one Gabriel?
Alec mumbled in his sleep and reached out to Magnus.
"Alec, it's okay." Magnus lulled him back to sleep, and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. The inky black hair on his head reminded him of Will, and his sister, Cecily. She had married that lightwood boy, hadn't she?
That meant that Jace and Alec, if distantly, were related. he wondered if Will had been watching them all, and sighing, because Magnus hadn't taught Jace that demon pox song. If you're watching right now, Will, let me tell you it's for the greater good.
He fell asleep eventually, In Alec's arms, and they listened to eachother's dreams.