Hiiiii Everyone! I decided I needed some more Will x Tessa in my life, so here's another soppy/fluffy fanfic for y'all. Hope you enjoy...

*** Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, they belong to Cassandra Clare, who is amazing. However, I do own this plot. ***

Just a note, I have never taken any therapy sessions before, and so I'm not entirely sure if I've described them like they are, so sorry about that, and if I need to change anything, please leave me a comment.

Also, I am lucky enough to have a caring family and I've never experienced domestic strain or abuse, so sorry if I get that wrong, too. But for anyone who is going through that, many, many people are behind you, and you do need to look for help. Please stay strong. Things will work out.

Anyway, off topic. Here we go, and sorry in advance for soppiness.


Will tugged the hood of his jumper more firmly over his head and scowled at the reception lady. "I have an appointment."

The woman behind the desk was short, with light hair pulled into a practical bun. Her name tag read; Hello, my name is Charlotte Branwell.

Undeterred by Will's aura of 'do not talk to me', she smiled at him brightly. "What's your name, dear?"

"Will Herondale." he said shortly.

Charlotte looked down at her computer screen and frowned. Will scuffed his foot against the carpet, wishing he was somewhere - anywhere - else.

Charlotte smiled apologetically at Will. "I'm afraid Harriet Gray, your therapist, is on leave at the moment, so I believe there is a fill in, if that's okay. I apologise in advance for - "

"Whatever. I don't care." Will interrupted rudely. "What room?"

Charlotte raised an eyebrow at him, before glancing back down at her computer. "Room seven, dear."

Will needed no more encouragement. He stalked off. Let's just get this over with.


It had been almost a week since his mother had called him down from his room. Her dark hair, much neater than his own, was hanging over her face like she'd forgotten to brush it, and her blue eyes were flustered. "Will, I've been meaning to talk to you."

"Yeah?" he said shortly, leaning back against the door frame.

She looked at him and sighed, closing her eyes. "I've booked you in for a therapy appointment."

Will straightened, eyes wide. "You did what?"

"Your father and I thought it would be best, and honestly, I think we should have done it years ago."

Will glared at her. "That's not your decision."

She met his glare. "I'm afraid it is."

Will turned to leave, fuming. He felt a hand on his shoulder and shrugged it off.

"We just want to help you." his mother said from behind him. "I know you're still having trouble sleeping - "

Will rounded on her, furious. "And just how do you know that? Have you been spying on me?"

His mother looked stricken, and she lifted her palms to him like a show of innocence. "I've heard you crying out at night - "

Will felt the anger boring through him, the anger he'd been trying to control for five years. "YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO SEND ME TO THERAPY! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO COMFORT ME LIKE ACTUAL PARENTS!"

He was shaking, and he tried in vain to steady himself as he turned and walked back up the steps. He could see his mother out of the corner of his eye. She was standing, frozen to the spot, her arms wrapped tightly round herself as if to keep herself from falling apart.

Will wasn't the only one that was broken in this family.

He reached his bedroom door and leant against it, his anger leaving him.

He was so tired.

"Your first appointment starts next week." his mother said quietly. "You'll be going to an appointment every second day for a few weeks, and then we'll change it back to once a week."

Will looked back at her. Her blue eyes were much like his own, expect his always looked furious, and hers always looked weary.

"Sometimes," she said, after a moment, "family isn't enough, Will. I've tried to reach out to you for five years, but you alway turn away. Maybe this time, it'll be different." There was still hope in her voice, and it hurt.

Will turned and opened the door to his bedroom without a word. He wanted to slam it shut, but found that he couldn't be bothered.


Will shook himself out of the memory as he knocked on the door with a large black seven stuck onto it.

"Come in!" came a voice.

Will pushed open the door. And stared.

The person sitting at the desk was very different from what he had expected. She looked about seventeen, the same age as him. She had long chocolate hair that curled around her in waves, and soft grey eyes.

The girl stood up from her chair with a nervous smile. "Hi. My name is Tessa Gray. You must be Will Herondale."

She was wearing a red jumper that was too big for her and faded denim jeans, and there was a pencil tucked behind her ear. Will realised he was staring when she raised an eyebrow in a mute prompt. He gathered his composure. "Huh. I thought you were going to be some old lady in a knitted cardigan."

Tessa raised both her eyebrows this time. "Well, you're not what I was expecting either." she said, and then blushed. It was kind of cute.

Will looked around the room. It was small, and painted a boring shade of hospital white. There were a few posters on the walls with pictures of toddlers grinning and cheesy quotes about happiness underneath.

Tessa's desk took up most of the room, and there were two chairs on either side, facing each other.

She pointed to the empty chair as she sunk back into her own. "Please sit down."

Will walked over to the chair and collapsed into it, slouching as much as he could so she would get the message.

Tessa pulled out a large black book half filled with notes. She flicked to a new page and wrote his name up the top, in swirling letters.

When she looked back up again, Will's chair was empty.

"What - " he heard her say in surprise, and then she pushed out her chair and peered under the desk. Will smiled lazily at her from where he was lying on the floor.

Tessa sighed. "Please get up. I don't actually work here, and I need you to be co-operative."

"I don't want to sit in a chair and watch you write notes about my life struggles." Will told her. "In fact, I don't want to be here at all."

Tessa looked at him, her grey eyes changing from soft to stormy. "Get up." she said firmly.

Will closed his eyes and put his arms behind his head.

She swore under her breath, but Will heard her. "Please, get up." Tessa said finally. "I don't want to be here any more than you do, but I had to fill in."

Will squinted at her through half shut eyes. "I don't care what you do. Just leave me here. I want to sleep."

Tessa glared at him, and then she closed her eyes, breathing out through her nose. She stood up, picked something from her desk and then crawled under her desk to lie beside him.

"What are you doing?" Will asked, surprised.

"Shh. I'm reading." Tessa said, opening a book. Her side was pressed against his.

Will looked at the front cover. "A Tale of Two Cities?" he asked.

Tessa looked at him. "Have you read it? It's my favourite book."

Will had read it, in fact, it was his favourite book as well. But he didn't want to get to know this girl, interesting as she may seem. He didn't want to be here and he didn't want to prove his mother right.

He wanted to sleep.

Will shook his head. "Nup. But from what I heard, it sounds pretty lame. Tragic, unrequited love and beheadings."

Tessa stared at him. "But that isn't what it's about at all! It's about justice and fighting for equality and human worth. I can relate to every page."

"Whatever." Will said, closing his eyes again. "One man's trash is another's treasure and all that. I'm going to sleep."

And so he did, under the desk, with Tessa reading quietly beside him. The only sound was his quiet breathing and Tessa turning the pages.

He slept peacefully for the first time in weeks.

They both jumped at the sound of an alarm. Tessa hit her head on the underside of the desk and groaned.

"What's that?" Will asked.

"The alarm. Your half an hour is finished." Tessa said, crawling out from under the desk.

Will crawled out too, and stretched. He made his way to the door.

"One moment, please." Tessa said. He turned to see her looking at him, grey eyes unreadable.

"Yes?" he asked, hand reaching for the doorknob.

"I need you to help me." Tessa said. "I need to get some notes about you. It could be anything, but I need you to work with me." She paused, and then sighed. "You were sent here whether you wanted to be or not, and that means you need help in some way. Please let me help you. I need it as much as you do."

"Why?" Will asked, pulling his hood back over his head.

"I won't answer your questions until you answer mine." Tessa said firmly.

"I don't see the point," Will replied, "in spilling my life story to someone I don't know, who will take notes about me and ask me stupid questions about how I feel."

Tessa looked at him for a long moment. "I don't see the point in trying to get you to open up to me, but I have to try. I promised my aunt. She works here, but she's on leave and they had no one else to fill in except me, the paperwork girl. I'm going to be terrible at this, but I'll try. You need to try as well."

Will blinked. "I don't have to do anything."

Tessa turned away and shuffled her notes. "See you on Tuesday. And please be prepared to talk to me."

Will opened the door. This time, he did slam it.


It was dark when Will got home that day. He had taken as much time as possible to walk home, stopping at any place that would distract him.

He opened the door, and realised he hadn't taken nearly enough time.

His mother was crying in the kitchen doorway, and not quietly either. She was sobbing, her whole chest heaving. "Every time, I say the same thing. And you don't ever listenI!"

Will stopped in the hallway, following his mother's gaze. His father was sitting on the couch in the joint living room, his head in his hands. The massive TV screen behind him was showing an exciting-looking football game, but the sound was on mute.

Will watched the tiny players run up the field, kicking the ball effortlessly to each other. Deep breath, deep breath, deep breath.

"I don't know what you want me to say." Will's dad looked up. His eyes were bloodshot and pale, and there was a large purple bruise crowning one eye. Will could smell alcohol from where he stood.

"I want you to apologise!" his mother yelled, her hands in fists.

"Hi Mum, hi Dad." Will muttered. "How was your day? Mine was good, thanks."

"I've been putting up with your shit for years!" his mother continued, completely ignoring Will. "You're an adult, believe it or not, and you need to act like one instead of leaving me to deal with everything!"

"Mum - " Will began.

Will's father was on his feet, and he was a lot taller than Will remembered. "Don't tell me what to do." he growled, his words slightly slurred.

"Ok, fine! Feel free to gamble away our house and anything else you want!" his mother screamed.

"What?" Will said, not sure if he'd heard correctly.

"And while you're doing that, you can go and buy yourself another stash of beer - "

"SHUT UP!" Will yelled, throwing his school bag to the floor.

His parents turned to look at him. "Will - " his mother began, "Maybe you should - "

"You ask me why I won't talk to you." Will snapped.

"Will." his father said, not gently, "Go to bed."

"Not until you tell me what you've done this time."

"He gambled away our house." his mother said, slumping against the wall. Will watched her eyes darken as she took yet another blow and gave up fighting.

"He what?"

His father flinched. "It wasn't like that! I - "

"Yeah. I'm sure you have some excuse that will make things alright." Will snapped, his fists clenching.

"Will, honey." his mother said wearily. "Go to bed. We'll talk in the morning."

"Like hell we will."

His mother held his gaze. Will looked away first, suddenly disgusted. This was his family. This was his life, his reality. Losing an entire house because of his father.

But Will wasn't much better, it seemed.

He picked up his bag and walked past his parents to the stairs. He took them fast, hoping to leave his anger behind in the lower floor.

But when Will slammed his bedroom door, the whole house shook.


Thanks for reading! Can you guess what happened in Will's past? Reviews always totally welcome!