Simon was flabbergasted as he walked toward the newest coffee shop in town. For hours he had been trying to figure out why Raphael Santiago would want to meet with him at a coffee shop of all places. It couldn't possibly be because he simply wanted to talk; that would never make sense.

It was dark out, of course, since Raphael would never see the sun again. Simon frequently thought about how lucky he was to be a Daylighter. He knew that those like Raphael would always envy his situation, but lately he hadn't been seeing it as anything other than a curse.

Sure, he could still live his normal life, but since Alec had passed and Magnus had left town for an undetermined amount of time, Simon was now completely alone. Jace had been the first to go. Then in just a handful of years he had lost Clary and Isabelle as well, Alec had simply sealed the deal. Of course, all of their children were here, but they were all grown and no longer needed Simon who had felt decidedly alone since the loss of Alec.

Simon entered the coffee shop to see Raphael sitting alone in a corner booth that was far from any of the other late night patrons. He walked over to see that Raphael had two coffees on the table already.

"I'm assuming this isn't a date, or are you finally admitting your feelings for me?" Simon couldn't help it, he may never get comfortable with trying to be close to Raphael.

"Have a seat, Lewis. I just want to have a talk." Raphael's words could have been cold, but Simon could sense the soft tone to them.

He slid into the booth opposite Raphael, grabbed his coffee mug and held it up towards Raphael as a way to say thanks.

Raphael flashed him a weak smile. "I want to start by saying I'm sorry for your loss."

Simon must have looked confused because Raphael continued, "I understand Alexander Lightwood has passed," He paused. "Magnus and I are closer than one might think, although I may never get used to calling him Lightwood as well."

Simon couldn't help but smiling; Magnus changing his name had made Alec happier than almost anything else Magnus had ever done for him.

"Where has Magnus gone, then?" Simon had only gotten a short text from Magnus saying that he was leaving town barely a week after losing Alec.

"He's headed to Indonesia. Apparently to visit where he grew up, and I read between the lines here, to grieve over Alexander in a place where no one knows their names. But that's not what I'm here to talk to you about."

Simon set his coffee down and leaned back in his seat, spreading his hands to indicate that Raphael was free to continue.

"Look, Simon," he was unsure that Raphael had ever called him by his first name. "I know we've had a pretty rocky friendship." Wow, must be the understatement of the century, thought Simon. "But I do understand the crushing reality of the loneliness you're probably beginning to feel right now."

Simon was staring intently at Raphael, shocked that this conversation was actually happening. There was no way that Raphael was going to sympathize with him.

"I know that right about now it's probably hitting you that you are, indeed, much different than you used to be. Oh, sure, you've always known that, but it's never truly hit you until now."

Simon slightly inclined his head, indicating that Raphael was not far from the mark. The more time Simon spent thinking about it, the more he understood that he was not okay with spending eternity without his friends, his family. Isabelle had been gone for over three years, and yet every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was her face.

There were still times when Simon would think of something funny and turn to tell her, only to have to take a break and regain his composure. When they had lost Isabelle, Alec had taken him by surprise and had begun spending more time with Simon. They had become more like brothers than ever before. And now Alec was gone, too.

"You're not eating regularly, are you?" Raphael's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"How.." Simon had just recently realized that fact himself.

"Not that I can't see it in your face, you look sick. But I also know from experience. You seem to be forgetting that we are much more similar than you would care to admit."

"Okay, so what? I haven't exactly been keeping up with my eating schedule. What do you care about that?"

"It's not that I care what your blood intake is. I care about the thoughts I know are causing the reduction in blood intake."

"What are you talking about?" Simon was getting angry. There was no way Raphael was going to sit here and tell him exactly what was making him feel this way when Simon couldn't even figure that out for himself.

"Oh Lewis, don't pretend like I don't understand what you're going through, it's insulting, really. But if you don't want to talk to me about it, there's someone else who I would dare say understands it even better than I do."

Simon raised an eyebrow. He did not want to have this conversation with Raphael of all people.

"Magnus, of course. Really, Lewis, it doesn't take a genius to see that one." Simon had to admit that he was absolutely sure Magnus understood more than anyone else.

"There's no way I'm tracking Magnus down and getting him to help me with this, Raphael. He's hurting more than I'll ever understand right now. He-"

"Let me stop you right there, Daylighter. I'm not saying that you should track Magnus down immediately. You're right, he's crushed. I've never seen him like this. I'm simply trying to show you that you're not as alone as you might think." Raphael paused, watching Simon's reaction to what he was saying.

"I would be the first person on this Earth to say that Magnus needs his time and space right now. He needs to heal. That may take him a while, of that I have no doubt. But what I'm trying to get you to understand is that Magnus cares for you. And once he has taken some time to cope with this, I know better than anyone that he will be more than willing to help you through it, too."

Simon was shocked. He had never heard Raphael talk this way about anyone, as though he really cared. He knew that Magnus cared for him, they had become family. But there was no way that Simon was going to ask him for help right now, he had lost Alec, too.

He was slightly confused as to what Raphael's purpose was. There had to be something in it for him; this conversation was far too personal. "What do you know about Magnus?" His voice came out much harder and colder than he had intended.

"I know more about Magnus Ba- damn, Magnus Lightwood, than you understand, Simon. If you'll allow it, I'd like to tell you my part in his story."

Simon considered this. He didn't want to invade Magnus' privacy, he knew that Magnus's past was something scared to him, but he was curious as to why Raphael seemed to care so much about this situation. He inclined his head, "Why not?" Raphael smiled in earnest before continuing.