A/N: Okay, I know I said this chapter was going to be the wedding chapter but something went wrong in my brain and it resulted in this. (Hopefully you'll all still enjoy it!) It's set just before the wedding anyway. The NEXT chapter will be the wedding for definite! (I swear on the Angel!)

P.S. I'm SUPER SCARED right now! I just found a HUGE spider in my bedroom! I HATE SPIDERS!!!!

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Chapter Three - Pressure.

Alec woke with early morning sunlight streaming through the gap in the curtains on to his face. He blinked, running a hand through his bed-messed hair. Today was the big day, the day he would marry Magnus. To be honest, he was very nervous. Picking up his mobile from the bedside table he hurriedly checked the time: 05:54. He never woke up this early in the morning unless he was nervous and he had a good reason to be nervous today. Glancing down, Alec smiled at the sleeping form of Magnus. Pressing his lips lightly to the warlock's cheek he pulled back the covers to get dressed. Once he was dressed in a pair of plain black jeans and a pale blue t-shirt and grey sweater he headed into the living room where Chairman Meow instantly started winding himself around Alec's legs. Alec laughed, "Okay, okay. I'll get you some breakfast."

He headed into the kitchen with Chairman Meow padding along behind him. He hurriedly pulled a can of cat food and a bowl from the cupboard and filled it before placing it down on the floor in front of Chairman Meow, who rubbed his head on Alec's hand gratefully. "See you later, Chairman." Alec whispered before he headed towards the front door to slip on a pair of shoes and his jacket before leaving the apartment. He needed to head towards the Institute to get ready for the wedding although he was going to be there hours too early. He found he didn't mind, he could just head up to his room or the training tower in an attempt to get rid of the butterflies that were fluttering around in his stomach making him feel sick.

The moment his feet touched the pavement he started running, down the street towards Brooklyn bridge. He let his feet lead him in the direction of the Institute as his mind swirled with wedding nerves. 'What if I forget my vows? What if someone objects? Or what if Magnus says no because he changed his mind?!' Alec worried as he ran, usually running cleared his mind but that wasn't the case today. 'Dont worry. You're panicking over nothing. You won't forget your vows, no one will object and Magnus definitely won't say no.' His conscience retorted, but his nerves didn't seem to calm down. He hadn't even taken his tablets this morning they were in the apartment on the bedside table. Truthfully, he hadn't been taking them for several days even though Magnus had made him promise to take them when he needed them and now he was starting to feel the effects of not taking them when he needed them.

For the past few days he'd started to feel weird like at any moment he might break down. His hands constantly trembled and he barely ate a thing, he looked paler than he remembered too. He stopped running once he reached Brooklyn bridge and stood at the rail staring out over the calm water. Alec sighed, he only wanted things to be perfect today and he got the feeling they were going to be anything but perfect. He bit his bottom lip, drawing blood as he thought about what today might be like all the plans had been made and now it was down to him and Magnus remembering their vows and those two important little words. I do. A memory from last week came to the forefront of his mind as he watched the sun slowly rise higher in the sky:

'He was sat on the sofa beside Magnus and together the two of them were discussing where they would set the wedding and who would be invited. "What do you think?" Magnus asked, running his hands through Alec's dark hair as Alec lay down, placing his head in Magnus's lap. "About what?" Alec questioned, opening his blue eyes. He'd been so relaxed he'd forgotten to pay attention to what Magnus was saying. Magnus smiled down at him, "You weren't listening were you?"

"I was!" Alec replied but the blush that coloured his cheeks betrayed him.

"I said, we should invite your friends: Jace, Clary and the rest. But also invite Catarina, Tessa and Zachariah. But I also think we should invite your parents." Magnus replied, nervously playing with a strand of Alec's hair. Alec stared up at him, "My parents? You know they'll refuse to come. They'll say they're busy with Council matters or something ridiculous like that just to get out of it."

"I know. But they might still come to the wedding. I mean it's your wedding. You're their son."

"No it's our wedding." Alec told Magnus sternly, for possibly the third time that day. Magnus smiled, "You know what I mean. I think we should still ask them."

Alec shut his eyes tightly as tears began to make them sting. He sighed. It would be nice if his mom and dad could be there to see him and Magnus get married but there was no way they'd approve of the wedding let alone agree to be there. Magnus entwined his free hand with Alec's as if he could sense the young Shadowhunter's distress. A tear slipped out from under Alec's closed eyelid. "Just think about it." Magnus murmured, brushing away Alec's tear with the back of his hand; without letting go of Alec's hand, Alec nodded.'

They'd sent Alec's parents some invites despite Alec's first negative thoughts but neither Robert or Maryse had replied. Alec pushed himself away from the rail and began running again, the snow crunching underfoot. He was getting closer to the Institute now and his nerves were spiking higher and higher. Tears pricked his eyes and he blinked, the tears slipping down his cheeks. He ran up through the gate and up the stairs. The door sprung open freely under his hand, he shut the door behind him and headed up the staircase towards the training tower. He grabbed his phone and looked down at his messages as he slammed the door to the training tower shut. There were no messages or missed calls yet. He hurriedly dressed in his Gear and hooked a shaft full of arrows over his right shoulder, he went around the room setting up targets before he started shooting at them.

*****

Magnus woke alone in his room, he frowned as he glanced at the empty bedside table. It wasn't like Alec not to leave a note. He got out of bed and hurriedly dressed in a pair of plain jeans and a sequinned shirt. "Alec?" He called as he walked barefoot into the living room, Alec wasn't there either. 'I wonder where he went.' Magnus thought as he stared down at the noteless coffee table. He headed into the kitchen next and front Chairman Meow licking the rest of the food from his bowl, there was no bowl in the sink which indicated that Alec had also slipped breakfast again. Magnus sighed, Alec had been skipping meals a lot recently. Magnus had attempted to persuade him to eat and Alec had promised he would but Magnus knew he never did.

He glanced up at the clock, it was seven o'clock. The wedding was set for two o'clock, he had seven hours before he would have to get ready and head towards Brooklyn Bridge for the wedding ceremony. He headed towards the front door of his apartment and grabbed his phone from his coat pocket. He scrolled through his list of contacts until he reached Alec's name. He clicked open the contact and pressed the dial button and waited listening to the dialling tone. 'Come Alec. Please pick up.' He thought, tapping his foot nervously.

"Hi..."

"Alec! Where are you?!"

"This is Alec, sorry I can't take your call at the moment. Just leave a message and I'll try to..." Alec's voice said through the recording.

"No, I'm sorry but he won't be able to get back to you today." Magnus's voice echoed in his own ears, "Alec's busy."

"Magnus!" Alec laughed, "Stop! I'm making a voice recording!" The message ended and a beep followed and Magnus realised that, that was his cue to speak, "Alec. Where are you? Please call me. I'm worried. I love you." Magnus said before ending the call. He opened the messages on his phone and sent a text to Alec which read the same thing.

*****

Alec's phone started buzzing from the shelf in the training room, he sighed as he yanked his arrows out from the wood of a target. 'Let the calls begin.' He thought, leaving the phone to ring as he hooked an arrow back onto the string of his bow and repeated his training regime for the third time. His phone buzzed once after the ringing ended. 'And the texts.' He thought as he dived into a roll along the floor, landing on his knees he fired at a target. The arrow thunked dully into the wood in the middle of the target. He dropped his bow and arrows to the side and pulled a Seraph blade from his belt and he began to attack one of the practice dummies. He ducked and whirled and slashed at the dummy, sweat pouring from his head pasting his fringe to his forehead. His phone started ringing again but he still ignored it devoting his entire attention to his training regime. If he was entirely focused on this he wouldn't have to think about his nerves.

*****

"Okay Magnus. I'll look for him here." Jace replied, shutting his phone he turned to face Isabelle who was holding onto a warm mug of tea taking small sips from it. "Alec's disappeared." Jace said in reply to her questioning stare, "Magnus thinks he might of come here."

Isabelle sighed, "He chooses to disappear seven hours before he is due to get married and he has to get dressed and everything. Did you know he also sent invites to the London Institute?"

"Yeah." Jace replied, draining the rest of his coffee, "He told me about it a while ago. I think he's hoping Cortana's going to be there."

"Do you think they will?" Isabelle asked.

"They're not as narrow minded as Robert and Maryse. I think they will." Jace replied, setting his mug down in the sink, "Well, I'd better go and look for the elusive Alec Lightwood. He's probably moping around in his room." He shrugged and headed out of the kitchen.