We go from here

Chapter 2: 'Falling in love with you'

[Author's Note:

I've included an external link to a piece of music that I would like you to play on loud while you're listening to this chapter. Your cue to play the music is when you read the word 'Stars'. Read slowly and take it all in, it's a beautiful cover.]

Simon held onto Izzy's hand as they walked back to Jace's room. Izzy had expected to find her brother trashing the place. Instead, he was sat quietly on the end of his bed, carefully folding the letter and putting it back into the envelope. This was worse. Izzy knew to expect Jace's outbursts, she had seen them after the explosion set from Simon's mark, but this was a whole different Jace; broken like an avenging angel and she didn't know if she should make an attempt to comfort him or run in the opposite direction.

She cleared her throat and Jace looked behind her to see Simon in the doorway. Jace gestured with the letter still in his hand. "...Does he know?" Izzy nodded sadly as she sat on the end of Jace's bed.

For once, Simon didn't know what to say. He sat down on the other side of Jace and the three broken souls sat in silence, listening to the upbeat music that was coming from down the hall. After several more minutes, Simon sighed and looked towards the closed door. "We have to go out there, guys. You know that. Everyone's going to be looking for us." Izzy stood up and took Jace's hand in one of her own. She held onto Simon's with the other. Simon put his hand on Jace's shoulder and found himself surprised when Jace didn't move away from it. "Let's just get through tonight, okay?" Izzy took several deep breaths, so she didn't start crying again. This whole nightmare was far from over, but they just needed to hold each other together for tonight. Tomorrow, everything else could follow.

***

A soft balled drifted through the hall. Alec was sat at his table, undoing his shoes slightly. He'd been standing all day, and while his heart was singing, he couldn't say the same for his feet. He'd been left entertaining all his older relatives, since his idiot siblings and their significant others were nowhere to be found.

Magnus ran his hand over Alec's shoulder and kissed his cheek before sitting down next to him. "What's the matter, Mr Lightwood-Bane?" Alec smiled at his husband. Husband... He would never get over saying that. His face hurt from grinning. "Well Mr Lightwood- Bane, all my idiot siblings have run off somewhere and my feet are aching. Just give me a minute." Magnus smiled and flicked his hands through the air. Immediately, Alec's shoes were no longer hurting him, and he quite literally had a spring in his step. Magnus spoke softly as he held his hand out. "Better? Can I take you somewhere Alexander?" Alec stood up and put his hand in Magnus' as he led him from the room.

Alec grinned as they walked hand in hand down the corridor. He raised one eyebrow. "You do know that my room is in the other direction, right?" Magnus beamed as the stopped walking and he turned around the face Alec. Magnus linked his hands behind Alec's neck and felt Alec's hands go to his waist. "A ravishing thought Alexander, but that's not where I'm taking you-" Alec raised his eyebrows and tilted his head. Magnus went up on his tiptoes slightly and rubbed their noses together as he grinned wickedly and bit his lip. "Not yet anyway. There's something I want to show you, come on." Magnus put his arm around Alec's back and walked him down the corridor, they got lost several times and Alec laughed as Magnus didn't want to tell him where they were going. The music got fainter and fainter as they moved away from the party.

Eventually, once Magnus found his bearings, they reached the end of a corridor. Magnus opened the old wooden door and they found themselves in the outside courtyard. Alec's eyes went wide as he took in the sight around him. The courtyard was covered in hundreds of tiny, white candles. Magnus held out his hand. "Alexander Gideon Lightwood-Bane , can I have this dance?" Alec held onto his hand carefully as they moved to the middle of the open room. Chimes that were hung in the courtyard made tiny twinkling sounds. Alec stared in awe at the sound and sight of the candles, as a million tiny stars shone above them. Magnus waved his fingers through the air and a soft and quiet melody began in the background. They didn't need lyrics, they wrote their own lines.

Magnus rested his head against Alec's shoulder and they rocked slowly to the music. Magnus placed his hands on either side of Alec's head. Alec shivered slightly but he couldn't tell if it was from the cool breeze or the feel of Magnus' fingers as they brushed the side of his neck. Alec licked his lips and touched their foreheads together as they moved back and forth in each other's embrace. "I want you to know that I love you so much Magnus. I never imagined that I could ever love someone as much as I love you. My whole life, I had never imagined that I could possibly meet someone as magical and wonderful as you." Magnus kissed him gently as they swayed softly to the music. "I love you too Alexander. You are my heart, my soul, and my everything. You were worth waiting 800 years for, and I'd wait another 800 just to be with you again-" Magnus stopped speaking for a second and Alec looked into his eyes. "Alexander...there's something else that I need to tell you." Alec rested his head on Magnus' shoulder, his eyes were closed in absolute comfort. "Then tell me."

They turned slightly as the music continued. Sweet violin music that wrapped around them like a warm blanket. Magnus spoke against Alec's face. "Do you remember back when I told you that Izzy was an excellent liar? When I saw her in the hunters moon?" Alec stopped swaying for a second. He looked into his husband's eyes, wondering where this was going. He started panicking slightly. "Is she okay Magnus?" Magnus started moving to the music again, guiding Alec with him as he turned. He chuckled slightly, putting Alec at ease. "It's not about yin fen, don't worry-" Alec sighed as they moved gracefully in each other's arms. Alec's hands were on Magnus' waist. "-but there is something that I need to tell you first. Do you remember after our trip to Paris? When you held my hand and you took me to place the lock?" Alec smiled as he ran his hand over the back of Magnus' head. "How could I not?" Magnus gulped as the music picked up slightly. "Well... after I thought you had broken up with me..." Alec stopped dancing and looked at Magnus with concern. "Yes..."

Magnus went up on his toes and kissed Alec's head softly. Tears ran down Magnus' face and Alec's eyes reflected them back. "Magnus...What happened?" Magnus traced his thumb over Alec's cheekbone. "I went to see the lock Alexander and you have to understand that my heart was braking... I took the lock off our place Alexander. I couldn't bear seeing it when I thought I would never hold you in my arms again..." Alec looked down sadly, not feeling hurt. He didn't know what he was feeling. "And what did you do with it?" Magnus rested his head on Alec's shoulder again, as they both stood still. Tears ran down both of their faces "I melted it down Alexander, I'm so sorry." Alec paused to wipe the tears from Magnus' face. "It's okay Magnus, shhh..." He pulled Magnus against him. "Come here ...don't worry...it doesn't matter."

They stood still for several moments before Magnus spoke again. "Are you mad Alexander?" Alec rubbed his hands against the side of his face, feeling numb. "I'm not mad Magnus, your heart was braking. I remember... after I thought that I'd lost you, I searched nearly all night for you. I rang Catarina and we searched until she had to go back to Madzie. When Jace asked me, what had happened the next morning, I was so broken and exhausted that I couldn't even express my emotions anymore...I threw myself into missions until I saw you again." He sighed. "...I just... I just can't believe it's gone. It was supposed to be a symbol of our eternal love remember? And what about Izzy being an excellent liar anyway? I'm guessing that you told her? Magnus nodded. The music was stopping, and darkness was starting to fall. "She knew yes... but only because she made our rings." Alec looked in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Magnus held Alec's hands in his own. "I said that I melted it down Alexander, not that it was gone." Magnus licked his lips. "Alexander, we put that lock up together as a symbol of our eternal love, a love that knows no bounds, right? Did you ever read the inscription inside your ring?" Alec hesitated, he hadn't taken it off since it was put on. Magnus pulled his matching ring off his own finger, an exact replica to Alec's. He turned the ring in the light, so Alec could read it clearly as the music stopped.

'Aku Cinta Kamu'- Indonesian for 'I love you'.