Will was throwing knives when Charlotte came in. He heard her before he saw her, the footsteps she took were loud. What Will didn't know was that behind charlotte was the new boy she had told him about. His tred was so light that it was silent on the hard floors.

"What is it, Charlotte?" He snapped. He hated this irritable facade, butknew it to be nessecary. He quite liked Charlotte, sometimes he thought she might even be more motherly than his own mother.

"I've been looking for you for hours. Didn't you recall what i told you yesterday, that we were welcoming a new arrival in the institute today?" She asked, innocently. She knew he remembered, she also knew what his answer was going to be.

"Oh i remembered, i just dont care."

The boy laughed. It was a pleasing sort of melodic sounds, but it still pierced Will's soul. It had been a while since someone had laughed at something he had said. The laugh reminded him painfully of Cecily.

"Dont mind Will ; hes only moody." Charlotte said to the boy, he didn't seem to be taking any notice of Charlotte. His silver eyes were fixed so hard on Will will was afraid Jem could see straight through his facade, and yet there was something about the boy that Will liked. However the idea of the boy seeing straight through him was more terrifying that was real.

"Will herondale, may i introduce you to James Carstairs of the shanghai intitute." She said, introducing them formally as was the custom. Will and they boy-James- didn't change their expression.

"Jem. Everyone calls me Jem, you can too." He said, with a kind smile. His eyes wandered over to the targets and weapons of the room. Will's knife was still fixed several meters out of the centre of the target.

"Well, if everyone calls you that it's hardly any special favour to me, is it?" To Will's surprise, Jem laughed again. Will forced himself not to laugh and keep his expression neutral, but he felt Jem making dents in the armour he had built over himself, and he both hated it and loved it.

"I think you'll find James Carstairs, that if you keep to yourself and let me alone, it will be the best outcome for both of us." Will said, hearing his welsh accent resonating and echoing slightly in the changing room.

"I haven't trained since I left Shanghai, I could use a partner-someone to spar with." Said Jem, seemingly ignoring Will's last statement. Will couldn't help feeling slightly manipulated, like the boy was playing him expertly, making will slightly and angry and scared, much to his surprise.

"So could i," Will replied,"but i need someone who can keep up with me, not some sickly creature that looks as if hes doddering of to the grave. Although I suppose you might be useful for target practise." He felt like he had gone a little too far, and yet it was true, the boy was sickly and pale and thin, his whole demenour seemed, careful, even fragile, yet even he had not dared say that much outloud. He saw a horrified expression cross Charlotte's face. He had completely forgotten she was there at all. He did not have time to ponder her expresion before Jem provided him with an answer;

"If by doddering off to the grave you mean dying, then I am. I have about two more years to live, three if I am lucky, or so they tell me." His expression did not contort in pain or fear or in any sort of emotion you could name. In fact, it did not contort at all. Will was horrified by what he had said and shocked.

"I..." He started.

"You may use me for target practise if you wish." Interrupted Jem, who went to yank Will's knife out of the wall.

"It seems to me I have little to fear, from such an exercisefor you are not a very good shot." He said as he walked back to stand beside Will.

He threw the knife into the centre of the target, where it quivered slightly, no one moved as Jem continued;

"Or you could allow me to teach you, for I am a very good shot."

Will regarded him with caution. He liked Jem, and he thinked Cecily would like him too. He was calm and patient without being emotionless.

"You're not really dying, are you?" Will asked.

"So they tell me." Will expected him to shrug, so calm was he speaking, but Jem didn't shrug.

"I am sorry." Will said, and he meant it.

"No. Don't be ordinary like that. Don't say you're sorry. Say you'll train with me." Said Jem, he had pulled the knife from the target, and held it out, hilt first, for will to take. Will took it, their skin brushing. The contact assured Will that Jem was real. That perhaps, for this one boy, he could let his walls crumble, just a little bit.

"I'll train with you." Will said.

Will and Jem trained well together. Jem was a patient tutor, but terrible with a seraph blade. Will taught him to spar better, teaching him his weak spots, Jem taught him how to think, how to regard his enemy's weaknesses, how to take his feet out from under him, and they grew into friends.

One night, Will was lying awake in his bed, still dressed. He was trying to think, he had offended Sophie, and it was really bothering him. He had considered talking to Jem, but he highly doubted Jem was still awake. Instead, he heard some sweet melody coming from the hallway. Stepping out into it, he followed the sound further down the hallway. He was almost certain now that the sound was coming from Jem's bedroom! It was a violin, and Will carefully turned the knob on Jem's door and shut it slowly behind him. He had not yet memorised the inside of Jem's room, and he was not examining it now. Instead, he sat across from Jem, watching his bow strike the voilin.

Jem was oblivious to Will's prescence, his eyes closed. Unfortunatly, Will chair creaked as he sat forward, and Jem's eyes snapped open. Will heard him gasp.

"Will!" He took a deep breath.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you..." Will apologised. " I couldn't sleep, and I heard the music..." Jem nodded slowly.

"Is something bothering you Will?" He asked. Will considered telling him about sophie, but that wasn't really what was bothering him.

"Jem I-" His throat closed. He couldn't tell Jem. He couldn't he couldn't he couldn't. Not about the curse, he would die.

"Will! Are you alright?" He ran over to his friend. Will didn't answer his question, he could never answer it sincerly, because he wasn't alright. He was never alright.

"James, do you ever miss you family?" Will asked.

"Will my family is dead! And even if they weren't, they're on a different continent right now. Is that what's bothering you? Do you think me unhappy William?" Asked Jem. Will could see the concern in his friend's face.

"That's not what I asked." Will said. His voice and face were expressionless.

"Yes. Every day I think of them, and it is around that time, when i start to pity myself and my misfortune that I tell myself, will misses his family too, and yet he stays and the institute for my sake... I thought, I thought maybe you had forgotten, it has been 3 years Will." Jem said.

"I do not stay for your sake James, I stay for theirs! And I can't tell you why and it is killing me! Do you have any idea what that's like?" Shouted Will. The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. His face flushed scarlet as he realised his mistake. He had insulted Jem... Even Jem looked shocked, but Will didn't know what by. In shame, his anger still bubbling dangerously close to the surface, Will walked very quickly back to his room. He heard Jem calling after him.

"Will! Will wait! By the angel! Will..." Will slammed the door as he heard Jem's voice get quieter and quieter.