Tessa held the wet wash cloth tenderly in her palm, dabbing lightly against Will's dirty face. She wiped away the dried blood, leaving clean trails across his skin. They did not speak to one another, Tessa's irritation radiating from her, nearly tangible. She dipped the rag into the bucket beside her, rinsing it of the grime and blood, before tugging the collar of Will's shirt aside impatiently and once again applying it to his skin. He winced, but otherwise didn't move, didn't speak.
Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. "William," she began in a hushed whisper. Her eyes were narrowed, focused solely on her task. She refused to look at him, but could easily feel the weight of his gaze on her. "You need to watch out for yourself." Her voice hitched, and she took a breath and continued, "You don't have Jem to watch your back anymore-"
Suddenly Will turned and caught her wrist between his fingers. His beautiful blue eyes, dark as the Atlantic ocean during a storm, shining with unshed tears, stared at her icily. "Don't," he warned, hissing through his teeth. "Don't you dare." Will's knuckles whitened, and his lips pursed into a thin line.
Tessa swallowed down her anxiety, her gaze darting between Will's face and the hand that held her. "Will," she tried gently, and unconsciously his grip tightened. Her breath caught in her throat. "Will, you're hurting me." His eyes widened a fraction, and hastily he let go, turning away. He stood, meaning to leave. Tessa struggled to her feet, pushing the heavy skirts of her dress aside. "William," she called out, "William, wait." He stopped midstep, his shoulders tense, back straight. His chin was held high and he glared stonily ahead, hands clenched into fists at his side.
Tentatively, Tessa stepped before him. With one hand, she reached up and cupped his cheek. "Look at me," she pleaded. A moment passed before he did, and she gazed into his eyes as the walls he kept up came tumbling down. They fell, just as Jem had. Will tilted his head into Tessa's palm, closing his eyes. "Tess," he purred, and her heart jumped. "Tess, I'm sorry."
And then, he crumpled. Tessa knelt beside him, holding Will in her arms. He sobbed quietly, but there were no tears that stained her dress, that escaped from the corners of his eyes. Tessa pressed her lips against his forehead, tears threatening at the backs of her own. "Shh," she murmured, "It's okay. It's okay." Will leaned back, and she looked down at him, forcing a smile on her face. He reached up and brushed his fingertips, light as a feather, across her cheek, trailing them down to the base of her exposed neck and collarbone; Tessa shivered beneath his touch.
"Tess," he said again, voice thick, "I'm sorry."
A single tear fell from her left eye; it was said once that if the first tear fell from the right eye, it was from happiness - and from the left, pain. "Darling," she answered, "there's nothing to apologize for." Will closed his eyes, one hand gripping Tessa's tightly like a lifeline. She let out a shaky breath and set her chin atop his head. "There's nothing to apologize for."