MODERN AU – WESSA

Disclaimer: Where is your heart? – Kelly Clarkson is not mine, just featured in the story.

Disclaimer: Cassandra Clare owns all her characters, I own my plot.

"I don't believe, in the smile that you leave, when you walk away and say goodbye. Well I don't expect, the world to move underneath me, but for god sake could you try. I know that your true to me, you're always there, you say you care. I know that you wanna be mine." The music played out through the speakers, flowing through the now mostly empty apartment on the third floor.

Old and dusty cardboard boxes, lay on the floor, piled up on top of one another, covered in sticky tape with multiple labels on it, ready to be shipped out and off to New York. Tessa was in the kitchen, the music only faintly echoing throughout the room as she bubble wrapped yet another mug, placing it into the box. She stopped packing for a moment, leaning against the breakfast bar and taking it all in. She was moving away, going back home. She should be happy; excited even but her heart and head was full of regret, anger, sadness, and the worst thing of all. Loneliness. Even though she was moving back home, there was no one there for her. Her parents were dead. Her brother living in Paris with his wife Jessamine and all of her friends and the people she found to be her real family here in London. She would be alone again. Before she could even realise it the tears started falling, even after she closed her eyes they seeped through her lashes, trickling down her cheeks uncontrollably. She went weak at the knees falling to the ground, her head in her hands and her sobs getting louder the longer she cried. She was having another anxiety attack. She hadn't had them since she was a child, but in the last few weeks since the hasty changes that had occurred they were becoming more frequent. She was struggling to breathe now. Fishing her phone out of her pocket she speed dialled the only person she needed, the only one who could make it all better. It rang for a few moments, and she wondered if he wouldn't pick up because it was her calling. She tried to take in a deep breath, but the way her heart was beating just made her choke on the air as if that was even possible.

"W-Will." Tessa breathed out, her voice cracking, the tears now stinging her eyes as if they were poison.

"Tessa, Tess what's wrong?" William practically yelled through the phone in concern. This was the first time she had called him in weeks, and she didn't sound like she was okay either.

"I-I can't bre-breathe properly William." She cried through the phone, she was now completely collapsed against the kitchen cabinets, not able to move without feeling like she was going to pass out, her anxiety attacks were never this bad, but she guessed there was a first time for everything.

"Where are you Tessa?" he asked quickly.

"I'm at- I'm home." She said, her head was spinning, she felt sick to the core.

"I'll be there in a few minutes, hold on Tess." William said, hanging up.

William dropped the groceries he was buying around at the corner shop and ran the four blocks that separated him from Tessa's apartment. His heart was racing, what happened? Why was she crying and why couldn't she breathe? William pushed on, running as fast as he could, and soon he arrived, opening the front hastily with the spare key under the mat.

"Tessa where are you?" he yelled in fear throughout the apartment. If anything, if anything happened to his Tessa, no he didn't know what he would do.

"K-Kitchen." She hiccupped, hoping it would be loud enough for him to hear. William rushed into the kitchen to see her on the floor, in a second he was by her side, laying her down. Her body needed to relax, and her breathing needed to be controlled for the attack to pass.

"Deep breaths Tess, deep breaths, like mine…" He said, her shaking hands gripping his as she tried to mimic his calmer breaths. "In and out, see you're doing it." She closed her eyes and moments later, she was starting to recover. He pulled her up slightly resting her head against his chest as he leaned against the cabinet. William sighed in relief that she was okay.

"By the angel Tess, you scared the life out of me." He stated with a shaky laugh, before pulling her closer to him, afraid that if he let go, she would be gone. She turned slightly, so that she was now hugging him, she held on tight also afraid that he would leave.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... I-I didn't mean to. I just, I couldn't… I can't leave Will, I can't." Tessa mumbled into his chest, soaking his t-shirt in the salty rivers, flowing from her eyes.

"Shhh, it's okay honey. You don't have to. You don't have to." He couldn't help the few tears slipping out of his eye and landing on her forehead. He rubbed soothing circles on her back, trying to stop her from crying. Once the crying died down, he picked her up, and carried her to what use to be their bedroom. Everything in the room was gone, save the bed and sheets. Gently he laid her down on the bed, her dark hair now messy and sprawled across the cream pillows. Her eyes were bloodshot, cheeks stained a dark pink and it made his heard clench to see her in this position. He brushed her cheek, wiping away the tears before kissing her forehead. Turning around he said a silent goodbye ready to leave, he didn't know what to do, and he was so confused. Before he could move further her hand shot out, grasping a few of his fingers.

"Don't leave me. N-not again. Please." She begged softly, tugging on his hand. He bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from crying there, but the decision was easy. He would always choose her in the end. He kicked his shoes off before going on the opposite side of the bed, lying down next to her, pulling her close and holding her in his arms, comforting her, whispering apologies and peppering her sleeping face with soft kisses.

"I'm so sorry, I promise you now Theresa, I'll never leave you again." He promised, laying his head next to hers and closing his eyes.