Thought I'd try my hand at the whole confesssion of love that's bound to happen. This one-shot isn't as angsty as the other two. :) Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last 2 stories! You guys keep me goin'.

As usual, everything is Cassandra Clare's.

Tessa found him in the music room, his profile hauntingly illuminated by the stream of moonlight filtering in through the dusty window. He was sitting at the piano, playing the loveliest song she had ever heard. 'In fact,' Tessa mused, if people were songs, this one would be Will.' It reminded her of a lullaby her aunt used to sing to her as a little girl; she faintly remembered it being about a bird with a broken wing.

His hands floated effortlessly across the keys, the chords blending to make a song that told of brokenness and beauty, of lost love and loneliness. Letting herself relax in the music, she leaned against the door. It almost broke her heart when he stopped. He didn't look up, or move like she expected him to. He just sat there, hunched over, as if defeated. Tessa thought in that moment that he really did look like a fallen angel. He looked as if he had experienced a glorious taste of heaven, only to be barred from it for eternity.

"It's beautiful" she said, shattering the silence after a moment of watching him.

Will swiveled on the piano bench, and looked up at her, his expression unreadable in the darkness of the room. "My mother taught me how to play," he said quietly.

She slowly made her way over to the piano bench, and sat down next to him.

Not for the first time, Tessa wished he would let her see him, truly see him. His hands were still lightly resting on the keys of the last chord.

"What was your mother like?" she gently asked him.

"Does it really matter?" he queried, one side of his mouth turned up.

"Of course it does," Tessa said. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Will. I was only wondering."

After a pause, Will said, "She smelled like lilacs... and sunshine. She was lovely." His voice cracked.

Clearing his throat, he continued. "When we'd walk together in the garden, once in a while she'd stop to sing." Will smiled. "And at night, when he thought we'd gone to sleep, Father would ask her to dance. There was never any music, but he'd ask her to dance. My sister and I would sit outside the parlor, and watch them."

Will closed his eyes. "When it happened-" He could not go on.

Tessa lightly touched his limp hand, the one still on the piano. Then, she curled her fingers around his. She couldn't help noticing the softness of his eyes as he looked at her. Overcome with fatigue, he rested his head on her, his face buried in her shoulder.

"It's okay," she crooned softly, stroking his hair. "You don't have to tell me anymore."

Straightening, Will gazed at her, his eyes half lidded. Overcome with something, though she didn't know what, she brought her other hand to his face, her thumb stroking his cheekbone. Slowly, he reached up to touch her hair, shifting his attention to her curls, fascinated. Then, as if in a dream, his hand moved to her face, and cupped her cheek. He had the disbelieving expression of someone holding a very precious jewel. 'How my hands be holding something so exquisite?'

Tessa could barely stand it anymore. She wanted him to kiss her so badly, it was torture. She felt like every ounce of her body was straining for him, like he was sunlight and she was a desperate flower. Just as he leaned in, she stopped and pulled back, knowing what she was about to say would ruin that moment, but she also knew if she didn't say it, she'd never forgive herself.

"Will, you have to know… I don't want to be just another girl to you. I can't…I can't be used, like you suggested that day on the roof." Tessa choked, remembering his cold words.

Will gaped at her. "You believed me?"

He hurried to explain."Tessa, I had to say that, to make you to hate me. If you didn't hate me, you'd be safe from me, from my family-" he broke off, realizing he said too much.

Steeling himself, he continued "These past few days have made me realize that love is too precious to throw away. And believe me, darling Tess, I tried. I really tried. But something about you…" at this, Will's stare pierced her, his eyes burning with a ferocious intensity, "something about you wouldn't let me. Now I see I was stupid to attempt it."

Tessa's breath caught. He had called her Tess again. In that instant, she knew she was lost. She was lost to Will Herondale. This beautiful boy had entered her life and stolen her heart, her soul, even her mind, for every waking thought she had was about him.

"Tessa Gray, I love you." The sincerity in his eyes made Tessa freeze.

While she was struggling for something to say, Will broke in, a bit hurriedly, his face etched in pain. "Of course, I understand if you don't reciprocate my feelings, with the way I've treated you. I know it must be quite a shock to hear-"

At that, she found her voice.

"Will."

"- and I hope you will forgive me for suddenly declaring my –probably unwanted- love to you-"

"Will."

"-but please, don't ignore me? I don't think I could bear it if-"

"WILL. Stop. Talking."

William Herondale shut up.

Tessa laughed joyously. "Oh, Will! How can you think I do not love you? Silly, I have loved you ever since you came crashing into my room at the Dark Sister's house. I don't think I could ever stop loving you, and I truly mean that, considering I supposedly live forever."

With this dawning on him, Will's grin slowly lit up his face. In spite of the darkness, the room was bright with the light only his smile could bring. Then, without a second thought, he captured Tessa's face in his hands and kissed her.

She threw her arms around his neck, wanting - no, needing- to be close to him, to assure herself this wasn't a beautiful dream. She felt what she had felt before, an insatiable feeling clawing up inside of her, threatening to tear her to pieces if she didn't do something about it. Her hands clawed at his back, slipping under his shirt to feel his Marks underneath her fingertips. His hands found her hair, and began running his fingers through her soft, silky tresses.

Will turned her so she was straddling his lap, her skirts fanning out around the both of them. His hands were firmly on her back, supporting her weight. Her eyes closed as he leaned her back, tenderly kissing her neck, trailing up to her temple, across her cheekbone, and finally back to her mouth.

Coming up for air, Will paused and looked at Tessa's face. She was flushed, beaming, and he could not help but notice how incredibly stunning she was. He knew there would be hell to pay for it, in the morning. The guilt, over what he was doing to Jem. The uncertainty of their future together. Breaking away from the Enclave. All of it would darken his thoughts tomorrow. But for tonight, he had this. Tonight, he had Tessa.

Tonight, they had eachother.