"Alexander, it's your mother. Can we speak?"

What could Maryse Lightwood possibly want to say to him? It's been six years since they've spoken. What's changed? Is she trying to mend their relationship just so Jace and Izzy will come back into their lives? It wouldn't surprise Alec if that were the case. Did they have a change of heart about disowning him? If so, why now? Why not years ago when a relationship could have been salvageable? Can they even go back to having any semblance of a relationship at this point? Or did they see the newspaper article, and decide that they want to try again? What is going on here? Alec just stands in the middle of the foyer frozen in shock.

"Alec, son... are you there." That snaps Alec out of his thoughts quickly.

"Son? Son? Are you kidding me right now?" Alec says harshly, "After six years of no contact whatsoever, you decide to suddenly call. What do you want Maryse?"

Alec hears sniffling on the other end of the phone, "I miss you so much, Alec."

"How did you even get my number?" Alec asks, his tone more tired than angry as he paces in the living room.

"Alec, I've been keeping tabs on you for the last six years. Your father and I are attorneys, we have several private investigators on our payroll. I've had one of them following you almost exclusively since you've been gone." Maryse states in an exasperated tone.

"Following me? As in, stalking me? But why? You were the ones who disowned me, why do you care what I'm doing? And why now, why are you contacting me now?"

"I've told you Alec, I've missed you. I want to be a part of your life." Maryse sniffles again, "I don't expect you to forgive me right away, but I would like to earn your trust back."

"What about Robert? Does he want the same thing?" Alec is having a hard time believing that his father would want anything to do with him.

"When we heard that you were shot, Robert was beside himself. I think he felt responsible because your life would be vastly different if we had allowed you to stay."

"Really?" Alec asks skeptically. When his parents kicked him out, his father had never said anything about disinheriting him, Maryse was the vocal one when he came out. She's the person who kicked him out and told him he was a disgrace. Robert just sat there, silently scowling the entire time. Alec hadn't thought about that day in a long time, he all but forgot about that until now. But how would his life have been any different? They knew he wanted to become a paramedic. Alec decides to voice his thoughts.

"Alec, if we had never kicked you out, you could have been working in Manhattan instead of Brooklyn." She said the word 'Brooklyn' like it was some third world country, and not one borough over from Manhattan.

"Well it still doesn't change the fact that it happened, Maryse." Alec is getting angry again, "You made it clear that I was a disgrace to the Lightwood name, not him. So I'll ask you again, why are you contacting me now?"

"I've already told you Alec." Maryse's is losing her patience by the sound of her voice, "I miss you. I want you back in our lives."

Alec sighs in resignation. He's still sceptical, he knows that things won't just magically go back to the way they were before he was kicked out, but for the sake of himself, as well as his siblings, he's willing to try, "Fine. If you want to make an effort, my boyfriend's father is opening a new restaurant in Manhattan. It's just on the other side of the Brooklyn bridge, almost directly across from one of his current ones. Jace is his head chef, so you may see him there, although he'll be busy. I know Izzy and Simon will be at the party, please don't make a scene. I don't want -" Alec is cut off my Maryse.

"Alexander, stop rambling. It's not an attractive quality." She says impatiently.

"Look, you called me. You wanted to try to reconcile with me. Interrupting me and getting pissy isn't the way to do it, Maryse. And don't call me Alexander. You gave up that right when you threw me out." Alec cringes at the use of his full name, especially when she uses her reprimanding tone, "The party is next saturday, I can have an invitation sent to your house."

"That's fine. I need to go, I have a meeting in in five minutes. We will see you there." With that, Maryse hangs up. No 'goodbye Alec', or 'I love you.' She just hangs up.

Alec sits on the couch, discarding his phone on the coffee table. He feels strange, almost surreal. This is something that he thought he's wanted for the last six years, but he can't help feeling that there is a catch. Would they really be able to have this relationship? Would they be okay with Magnus's role in Alec's life? Would they accept his boyfriend? If his parents can't accept his relationship, then Alec isn't even sure if he can welcome them back in his life. Alec knows what it's like to not have Magnus, and he certainly doesn't want to be without him. Especially if it involves his parents, the ones who were so quick to throw him out just based off his sexuality.

Then there's his mother's attitude. She was so hot and cold with him, it almost gave Alec whiplash! One minute he hears her sniffling over the phone, almost as if she were crying. Then the next moment she was brash and seemingly impatient. She didn't sound like the same loving, caring person he grew up respecting. She seemed more like the cold hearted bitch that had kicked him out in the first place. Still Alec couldn't help the hope rising in him. It was dangerous, but impossible to squash. He tried to reason with the emotion, reminding himself that he should be skeptical. The inconsistency his mother had shown confused Alec, and that confusion helped keep his hope in check, at least for now. But still, Alec is worried this will all blow up in his face.

Alec is so wrapped up in this thoughts, that he doesn't notice Magnus walking through the door, or him speaking to him. Alec doesn't even register Magnus' presence until he feels two cool hands placed on each of his cheeks. Alec looks up, sees Magnus sitting in front of him on the coffee table, a worried expression marring his beautiful features.

"Alexander, darling. What's wrong?" Magnus asks nearly frantically. "You look like you've seen a ghost!"

Wow, Alec thinks. I must have been out of it for a while.

"More like heard a ghost," Alec answers, once he's cleared his throat.

Magnus, still looking confused, "What do you mean, love?"

"My mother called me." Is Alec's only answer.

Magnus sucks in a sharp breath, "What?"

"I was showing Clary out, then once the door closed, my phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, but assumed it was one of my doctors calling or something!" Alec's voice sounds on the verge of hysterical, even to his own ears.

"And what did she say? I swear, if she only called to harass you, I'm going to give her a few choice words of my own!" Magnus exclaims. A ghost of a smile forms on Alec's lips at how protective Magnus is being.

"She called saying that she wants to reconcile. She... she said that she misses me." Alec whispers the last part.

"Oh Sweetheart," Magnus says, rubbing his thumb across Alec's cheekbone, "You don't sound very sure about it. Tell me what you're concerns are. We can sort this out together."

Alec tells Magnus everything. There's not a single detail that he left out in the retelling of his conversation with his mother. Alec barely notices how monotone his voice sounds. Almost like he's reciting the ordeal from a script. He feels this sort of detachment as he gives Magnus the details. There are way too many emotions running through Alec's mind to even form his own opinion at the moment. As Alec finishes, he can tell Magnus is absorbing what all was said.

Magnus eventually speaks, clearing his throat beforehand. "How do you feel about your parents coming back into your life?"

"I... I don't..." Alec lets out a frustrated groan, both hands gripping his hair. "I don't know how I feel! There are so many things running through my mind right now, I can't say exactly what I'm feeling!"

"Hey," Magnus says soothingly, rubbing both hands up and down Alec's thighs. "Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and clear that beautiful head of yours. Then really think about your emotions, and talk to me."

Alec does just that. After a few minutes, and taking quite a few deep breaths, he opens his eyes, staring into those unique golden-green eyes that he's fallen in love with. "Okay." Taking one more deep breath. "I feel hurt, which I don't think will ever go away. I feel hopeful at the prospect of having my parents back in my life. I'm angry that it's taken them so long to come around, but I'm also confused for that same reason. I can't help but be skeptical."

"Okay, I understand the hurt and anger, because they were dicks for treating you that way in the first place. The skepticism is also justifiable. The way you described your mother's actions over the phone just don't seem to add up to me." Magnus says, almost as if he's trying to analyse Alec's emotions as well.

"I know!" Alec exclaimed, gaining some semblance of life back in him. "That's just it, one minute she's acting like the caring mother I grew up knowing, then the next, she's stone cold like she was when she kicked me out!"

"That's exactly why I'm conflicted about you reconciling. Alexander, don't get me wrong, I would love to see you have a relationship with your parents. With that being said, I also don't want to see you hurt by them again. I'll do anything I can to keep them from hurting you." Magnus says with conviction.

"I know you will, and I appreciate that more than you could ever know." Alec says, a small smile creeping up.

"What reasons do you feel conflicted? Maybe we can sort this out." Magnus asks.

"Part of me... well part of me feels like the only reason they want me in their lives is so Jace and Izzy will start talking to them again. It's only been a couple of months since Jace left, and Izzy explained how she chewed them out when they met her back in California. The timing seems to fit." Alec stops to think some more. "There's also the article in the paper about me, as I said, she told me that my dad flipped his shit when he saw it. Maybe in the back of their minds, they figured that I would always be here, but with me getting shot and nearly dying," Alec mumbles a quick 'sorry' and gives Magnus an apologetic look when he notices him flinch, "They realized that anything could happen."

"I can completely relate with how they could have felt on that one." Magnus says with a sad smile. Alec leans forward and gives his boyfriend a quick, chaste kiss on the lips.

"Then there's the whole thing with my dad!" Alec says, becoming frustrated all over again.

"What do you mean? I thought you only spoke to your mother?" Magnus questions.

"That's the whole point! When I was kicked out, it was my mother who did the kicking out. My father never said shit." Alec says venemately. "He didn't say a single thing. My mother said that when he saw the news article, and was upset - if that's even true - that's when she decides to call! Not only that, but that article came out weeks ago!"

"Ah, I see. So you're now questioning your father's stand on this whole thing. That makes sense, but again, I just don't want you to get your hopes up with your parents. Did your mom say whose idea it was to hire the PI? If it was your mother then maybe her intentions to have you back in her life are honorable, but if it was your father, we might be able to figure out his motive." Magnus says thoughtfully.

"I don't know." Alec sighs out tiredly, then adds, "She made it seem like it was her idea, but I don't know for sure."

"Okay, at the party I promise you that I will not leave your side even for a minute. When your parents approach you, I will be right there the entire time." He paused then added, in a quieter voice. "Unless of course you want me to leave."

"I want you there," Alec smiles.

"Good," Magnus smiles back. "Then the moment they cause a scene, or I detect the slightest bit of unwanted tension from you, they're leaving."

Alec leans forward, his head resting on Magnus' chest and Magnus immediately wraps his arms around Alec, rubbing his back comfortingly. He inhales deeply, savoring Magnus' scent, "Okay."

After a few minutes of comfort, Alec pulls back. Magnus smiles down at him and moves from the coffee table to sit beside him on the couch. Alec watches as Magnus pulls out his phone and begins texting. Alec is about to ask who he suddenly felt the need to text, when Magnus asks for the Lightwood's address. Alec smiles, nuzzles into Magnus' neck and recites the address he grew up at. After Magnus sends the text off, he moves to where he's laying on the couch, with Alec laying on top of him. Magnus circles Alec in his arms, and Alec drifts off to sleep listening to Magnus' steady heartbeat.