There but for the grace of you go I
They had come through it. They had managed to escape from Edom and no one was left behind. Clary's alliance rune had been able to connect them all in a way no one could ever expect, and now that it was all over, well, it was even fun to joke about Lorenzo's golden magic in Alec's hands or hearing Jace unable to lie, which had led him to admit how much he found Meliorn attractive. Finally, the shared Heavenly Fire had brought the demonic realm to collapse, which no one certainly regretted.
Magnus’ portal had hastily brought them back to the Institute, where they had finally been able to catch their breath and lay down their weapons; and also to stop and talk and hug again, aware of the narrow escape, warmly thanking those who, like Lorenzo or Meliorn himself, had come to help even though none of their loved ones were involved. Was it the first step towards a true alliance between Downworlders and Shadowhunters? All of them really wished that.
It was time to say goodbye. Everyone really wanted to go home or otherwise retire to their rooms, to rest and finally bask in the warm sensation of being safe. Magnus opened a portal to the Seelie realm for the knight Meliorn and to Lorenzo's apartment, while Jace and Clary were already hidden in that bedroom they had been sharing for a while now. Finally he held out his hand to Alec. "Shall we go home, my shadowhunter?" he said with a tender look trying to express wordlessly how much love he was feeling for that boy - and how stunned he was and how grateful to everyone who had literally gone to hell to save him. Alec took his hand and smiled in response: a portal opened and they both passed through it holding hands.
Izzy and Simon were alone now. Simon approached her cautiously, as if he didn't want to spook her, and reached out a questioning hand. He had not forgotten that the Heavenly Fire had prevented him from touching her. But the Fire had vanished into Edom's abyss and Izzy was finally able to take that hand and intertwine his fingers with her own. "Simon, finally ... could you, I don't know ... kiss me?"
Not even in his wildest dreams had Simon thought he could receive such an invitation from a woman like Isabelle Lightwood. Almost timidly he bent down and brushed his lips on hers. "How about going, yes, I mean, somewhere where we can ... er, stay together for a while, the two of us?"
Isabelle laughed at that adorable shyness and pulled him closer. "Of course, my lovely Daylighter," and she walked away, dragging him to what turned out to be her bedroom. They came in and Izzy closed the door with a rune.
Simon was trembling with emotion. He had been dreaming something like that for a while lately and it was about to come true; would he be up to her expectations? Izzy, strong and beautiful and badass as she was, could have had whoever she wanted, and she had chosen him. He was terrified of disappointing her.
Isabelle became suddenly aware of his anxiety. "Come on," she told him.
Outside it had started to rain. A sweet, gentle rain that smelled of spring.
Holding hands they moved near the window, looking outside. In the distance, the city shone in the dark with thousands of lights, blurred by the rain, but around the Institute the large garden rustled as the drops pattered on the leaves of the centuries-old oak.
"Have you ever thought that in Edom it never rains?" Isabelle asked. Simon began to stutter. "Oh well, they certainly don't have problems with excessive humidity, maybe this means that demons don't suffer from rheumatism, haha, and then you don't happen to step into a puddle - and anyway there are no cars splashing you, and ..." . Isabelle put her hand over his mouth, smiling. Then she became suddenly serious. “Listen to the sound of the rain, Simon. It smells so fresh and earthy. Rain is life, Simon, water is life, and in Edom life can’t exist. I ... I want this with you. Life. A whole life”. She opened the window and that petrichor smell filled the room.
“Love me, Simon Lewis, love me forever, as long as I have life. And later, when you hear the rain drizzling - she put her arms around his neck - remember me for centuries“.