Hey, I'm Emily and this is my first Mortal Instruments story. Feel free to check out my Harry Potter fanfics if you want. I don't own any of the characters – Cassie Clare is the real mastermind behind this series. Please review and enjoy!

Chapter 1

Discovering the Hidden Truth

Magnus stared at his reflection in the mirror. Only dressed in his bright blue briefs, he could clearly see his flaws. His very feminine waist line, his stomach with a creepily non-existent belly button and most of all, his cat-like eyes, which were usually outlined by eye-liner, mascara and eye shadow, but they were all removed at that moment. Sometimes he had trouble deciding what he hated most – it was coming down between his stomach and eyes, currently, and had been for the last twelve decades.

He had been watching himself for the past half hour while Alec was out hunting with Jace and Izzy. Originally, Magnus was going to do paper work, but had split some of his coffee down the front of his shirt and onto his paints. Thinking it was best he change but couldn't be bothered wasting his energy and magic, he went to his bedroom to physically change himself. However, after taking his shirt and pants off, he ended up just staring at himself and not in all a conceited way. He felt his eyes start to water as he fingered where his belly button was meant to be. Magnus had often asked himself 'why?'. What did he do to deserve such an ugly fat stomach? Why did he end up with a demon for a father? Why could he be normal? The only good thing about life was Alec and even then that was going to end eventually due to the perils of immortality on Magnus' part.

Alec. Alec was the best thing to happen to Magnus. Magnus loved him so dearly and he knew, despite Alec's embarrassment and shyness, that Alec loved him back. Magnus and Alec still hadn't gone all the way, which Magnus was a little glad about – Alec wouldn't see the complete hideousness that was cursed upon the man he called his boyfriend. Magnus had no clue what he would do if Alec ever saw his true body, without make up and magic to keep him looking perfect...probably cry and hide, after all, that's what he has been doing all his life.

Magnus felt a small droplet fall from his eye as he finally broke and let his feelings of remorse for his looks out. Glaring at his appearance in the mirror, he let out a scream and punched the glass, which shattered. Glass cut his hand, embedding itself in his flesh, as well as falling and breaking into smaller pieces on his floor. Magnus stared numbly at his hand before he let out a howl of agony, not for the physical pain, but the feeling of his heart breaking. He crumpled to the floor, ignoring the shards of glass as some cut his legs. Panting as he cried to himself, thoughts echoing through his head. Why? Why is he like this? Why did he deserve damnation for who his father is? Why? Just why? Magnus stayed curled up in a ball, still and silent as tears slipped from his eyes, their stream never ending. One falling as another one came. He no longer paid attention to his surroundings.

Magnus didn't know how long he laid there. At one point, he thought he heard the front door open, but ignored it. He stayed where he was and felt ready to sleep. As his eyes shut, he heard footsteps near the door.

They popped open as Alec called out loudly, "Mags? Where are you?"

Magnus slowly registered that Alec was home, as a welcome warmth entered his heart, however, with this warmth, came the realisation that his lying in his own blood and shards of glass, his body has cuts all over the tanned skin. His cheeks are damp with drying tears and his eyes red and puffy from all the crying. Magnus blinked as his eyes widened, and he went to sit up, but the bedroom door opened and Alec stepped it. He was looking at the ground. Magnus tensed when he knew he had no time to clean up. Alec's gaze rose, until it landed on Magnus. His eyes widened in shock, before horror took over his features.

"Magnus!" he shouted in terror and worry, running to Magnus' side faster than an average human, with the aid of his angel blood and the agility rune carved into his skin. "What happened? Did you trip? Are you alright? Can I help you? Do you need anything? Oh my god, Maggie, how did this happen to you? Was it a client? If anyone hurt you, I swear I'm going to-"

"Alec," Magnus interrupted, as Alec rambled on at such a fast pace, he had trouble understanding. "Wow, Allie, slow down." Alec immediately stopped at the use of his nickname which Magnus called him when in private. His eyes softened as he reached out and traced the tear tracks on Magnus' face.

"Oh, Magnus, baby, what happened to you?" Alec asked him softly, his fingers moving to run through Magnus' thick black locks. Magnus had to try to concentrate on what he was saying at the feeling of Alec's fingers running through his hair sent him to his own personal nirvana.

"Ah, n-n-nothing. I–uh–merely lost my footing and landed into the mirror, making it break." Magnus stuttered, his eyes lowering so he didn't have to eye straight into his boyfriend's blue eyes.

Said blue eyes stayed on his face, as Alec took in what Magnus said. Slowly, he opened his mouth to speak. "Maggie, please don't lie to me. You know I hate that."

"Lie?" Magnus muttered, hating it more and more, but he had an image of confidence to uphold and he couldn't show his perfect Alexander just how weak he really was. "I didn't lie. I tripped."

"Baby, please." Alec leaned forward and rested his forehead against Magnus'. "Don't lie to me. Just tell me the truth. I won't judge you or anything. You know I love you and because I love you, I need to know when you are hurting because my job as your boyfriend requires me to comfort you in times of need. Let me protect you, baby, let me be your rock. I won't let you down." Magnus felt his eyes start to water again as he shut them tightly and willed himself not to cry again. Alec, however, had different ideas. His hand travelled down Magnus's face and rested on his cheek and he whispered. "It's okay to let go and allow yourself to show a softer side, Maggie. I'm here, I won't let you drown in your own tears. You've been doing that for decades, I'm here to catch them now and help you float. I'm here, baby, I won't let anything harm you again. Just let it out, Maggie. You can tell me anything."

Magnus felt tears slip from his eyes and his watery eyes got worse and he started sniffling before finally, the floodgates opened and Magnus burst into tears. Alec didn't gasp or anything, he merely lowered his hands to Magnus shoulders and pulled his boyfriend to his chest, wrapping his strong arms protectively, encasing Magnus in a loving embrace. The warlock felt basking in the feeling of being wanted by another person. Magnus brought his hands up too, and placed them around Alec's waist, clutching the younger man. Alec sat there, ignoring as shards to glass cut him too, his mind preoccupied.

"What is wrong, baby?" Alec whispered after at least fifteen minutes of Magnus' crying and Alec's comforting silence.

"I...I...I don't...deserve...you." Magnus sobbed, but still clutching onto Alec.

Alec's eyes widened and tried to pull away from Magnus to look at him in the eyes, but the warlock wouldn't let him. "You don't deserve me? Maggie, if anything, it would be the other way around. And why don't you deserve me?"

"Because you're beautiful. In the inside and out." Magnus started to choke on his sobs and Alec rushed to try and calm him down.

"Are you saying you're not beautiful?" Alec asked, shocked. Magnus is beauty itself. And Magnus is also the confident, not this scared and sad man in front of him. "How can you think that?"

"I've spent hundreds of years being called the devil child, ugly, an abomination. I've spent years having pretend nothing hurt me and to fight for myself and protect myself. I hurt so much, Allie. So, so much. And you don't deserve to be with such a haunted man, a man who can't move on from his past. You deserve so much better. In fact, you deserve the best."

"But Maggie, you are the best." Alec countered, softly grabbing Magnus' face again after he finally managed to pull back away from the warlock to look into his eyes. The eyes Alec had fallen in love with the first time he saw them. "I can't get any better than my Maggie." Magnus let outa shriek and started shaking his head. "Yes, you are, Magnus. And no matter how you look, you are the man I love and I know that you've spent years trying to protect yourself, but I'm here now." Magnus continued to cry and Alec swallowed harshly, not liking the pain he could see his boyfriend in. "What in the name of the Angel do you see ugly about yourself, Maggie?"

"My eyes, my stomach, my thighs, my hair, my teeth, my lips, my personality-" Magnus started rambling off, as Alec's eyes widened again. How could his perfect in every way boyfriend think this about himself.

"You know what Maggie," Alec said quietly, as Magnus stared at him in hope, love and a bit of desperation. "I'm going to show you all the reasons I love you and how you are so perfect."

"But-" Magnus started, but Alec shushed him softly, raising his hand to place gently on Magnus' lips.

"I love you, Maggie." Alec said, as determination entered his tone. "And if I have to shout to the whole world...or you...I suppose...as to why my amazing, love, beautiful, wonderful boyfriends is perfect, then I will." Alec paused as Magnus watched him with eyes full of wonder. "You are perfect Magnus Bane," Alec said firmly, his hands moving down to capture Magnus'. "And most of all, you are always going to be my Maggie, my love and my perfect other half...but it seems to me that it's time to show you that."

Alec passionately kissed Magnus on the lips before winking at his shocked boyfriend and striding out of the room, moving to get the first aid equipment for Magnus' cuts as Magnus' eyes stayed where Alec had been standing before hand, only one thought in his mind. What is Alec planning?