Summary: Modern AU. Will and Tessa had been dating for some time, but suddenly he leaves her. Songfic to Haunted by Taylor Swift.
Disclaimer: Plot and characters belong to the amazing Cassie Clare and the lyrics belong to the talented Taylor Swift!
Whenever Tessa was in pain, she sang. She would sing her heart out and pour her emotions out like a waterfall. And right now, she felt as if she needed to sing until she had no voice left.
You and I walk a fragile line, I have known it all this time but I never thought I'd live to see it break.
Tessa loved Will. She didn't believe it until after he left. Well, I guess that's how the saying goes. Tessa thought, you don't know the true value of something until it leaves you. But, the thing is, she thought he loved her too. Boy was she wrong.
She felt that as time went on, it was like walking on eggshells. She felt as if she had to thread extremely carefully around Will. Lately, their relationship was on the edge, but she never thought it would get to the point where he would leave.
It's getting dark and it's all too quiet, can't trust anything now. And it coming over you like it's all a big mistake.
She's just left Will's apartment after their fight. It was now around 8:30 and the sun had already set. She thought back to their fight that had occurred not even 10 minutes ago. Who knows, maybe Will was regretting it as much as Tessa was.
Oh, I'm holding my breath. Won't lose you again. Something's made your eyes go cold.
She'd lost him yet again, but this time, he wasn't coming back. Lately, he'd been colder towards her. He wasn't her sweet yet snarky and sarcastic Will. He was a cold sarcastic now. His eyes had gone purely cold and she couldn't see a single speck of light in them. They were a dark, dark blue, and they didn't light up when she was around. Not anymore.
C'mon, c'mon, don't leave me like this. I thought I had you figured out. Something's gone terribly wrong, you're all I wanted. C'mon, c'mon, don't leave me like this. I thought I had you figured out. Can't breathe whenever you're gone. Can't turn back, now I'm haunted.
She thought she'd had him all figured out. What made him happy, what made him angry. What made him loving and what made him distant. What had she missed? How had this gone so horribly wrong? After all, he was all Tessa wanted. All she needed. But he left her, and now she couldn't breathe. Will was her air. He was what she needed to survive, to truly live, and now he was gone. I can't keep running back, though, she thought. It's time he decides whether he wants me or not.
Stood there and watched you walk away. From everything we had, but I still meant every word I said to you.
He said they were through, and she put up such a fight. They'd had falling outs before, but this time was different. He was leaving her and everything they had behind. For good. He'd never let her love him, and waved her away every time she tried to tell him, but she still meant it. Now she knew, that no matter what he did, she would still love him. Unconditionally.
He will try to take away my pain, and he just might make me smile. But the whole time I'm wishing he was you instead.
"Go to Jem," Will had said. "He will take better care of you."
And he was right, Jem would've been the more sensible choice, but it wasn't Jem that Tessa loved. Jem would've been sweet and would've made her smile even in the darkest times, but it didn't matter. All Tessa wanted was Will.
Oh, I'm holding my breath, won't see you again. Something keeps me holding on to nothing. C'mon, c'mon, don't leave me like this. I thought I had you figured out. Something's gone terribly wrong, you're all I wanted. C'mon, c'mon, don't leave me like this. I thought I had you figured out. Can't breathe whenever you're gone. Can't turn back, now I'm haunted.
She'd probably never see Will again. She had to face the truth, he was gone. But, why was she still holding onto that tiny sliver of hope. Hope that maybe he'd chase after her. There was nothing to hold onto, yet she was still hoping.
I know, I know, I just know. You're not gone, you can't be gone, no!
Tessa hadn't realized it had started to rain. Of course it was London and it always rained, but for some reason, tonight, it was as if the heavens were crying with her. She could feel the hot tears streaming down her face. She hadn't allowed herself to cry in front of Will because tonight, he wouldn't be there to hold her. But now she cried as she sang, her heart shattered into little pieces, hoping a certain someone might come and help her put the pieces back together.
"Tessa!" a voice called. The voice had been in her dreams every night for the past 19 years of her life. The voice belonged to her childhood friend, her schoolgirl crush, her true love. The voice belonged to Will Herondale. Tessa turned around to see Will, drenched in water, running after. She couldn't use her words as beautifully as he could, so she sang instead.
C'mon, c'mon, don't leave me like this. I thought I had you figured out. Something's gone terribly wrong, won't finish what you started. C'mon, c'mon, don't leave me like this. I thought I had you figured out. Can't breathe whenever you're gone. Can't go back, I'm haunted.
All he did was look at her, and all she did was look at him. Will walked to her and held her face with both hands, using his soft, yet calloused thumbs to wipe away the tears still streaming down her face.
"I'm so sorry Tessa. I'm sorry for being a coward and pushing you away instead of telling you the truth." Then he told her his story. His story of how he had hurt his older sister, Ella, who had died trying to protect him. How he believed he was cursed, and thought everyone who loved him would be hurt. How all he was trying to do was protect Tessa.
All she could do was stare, her own gray eyes baring into his midnight blue ones. She thought about how she was wrong, that he wasn't heartless. He'd let down all his walls for Tessa and now she saw a 19 year old boy with a broken, tragic past. She realized she loved him even more at this moment.
"Say something Tessa," Will begged, looking very vulnerable, as if he was afraid she would truly leave him. Tessa's lips curved into a small smile. Tessa put her arms around Will and embraced him.
You and I walk a fragile line, I have known it all this time. Never ever I thought I'd see it break. Never thought I'd see it.
Tessa pulled back and looked into Will's eyes. "Oh Will, I knew that what we had was barely hanging by a single thread, and I hoped I'd never have to see the moment when it would break. And now I know, that I will never have too, for that thread has grown stronger and stronger, and it will never break, not in a lifetime."
Will looked relieved as he grinned. What a beautiful smile it was, so bright it lit the rainy London night.
"Tess," he whispered. Then he leaned down to press his soft lips against hers. Through that one word, Will showed Tessa how he felt about her, and through their kiss, she showed him that she felt the same.
No, she would never, ever, see that fragile line break, for now it was stronger than ever before.