Author's Note: I like to think that Tessa has a sweet and awkward young warlock BFF who helps Tessa feel young, but who also is starting to understand, as Tessa does, the trials and tribulations of immortality. So I modeled that friend after the character of Ella Lopez from the TV show Lucifer, which I love. (I named her Ellen because I am so creative.) I would very much appreciate reviews on this fic, esp. about Ellen. I might write more TID fics in the future with her in it.
The primary events of this fic take place the day after the events of Cassandra Clare's short story of Jem and Tessa's reunion, "After the Bridge," which can be found here: post/96388203069/after-the-bridge-the-full-story-jemtessa.
For an immortal, Ellen Porter was understandably forgetful.
She, like her friend Tessa Gray, was a warlock. Ellen would often commiserate with Tessa over the fact that there was so much that immortals were expected to remember, because their lives contained so many more memories and facts and just things to remember than the average mortal's. Even so, Tessa's memory was so much better than Ellen's, and Tessa was more than four times her age. Darn her and her superhuman memory, Ellen thought, with a twinge of envy, and her grace and her elegance and her... tallness.
A child of the seventies, Ellen was what one could term as eternally youthful. At thirty-six, she looked no older than twenty (but had the memory of a much older person). She had kind brown eyes whose nearsightedness she corrected with thick-framed square spectacles (instead of magic). Lately, she could often be seen wearing ironic graphic tees since they came into fashion after the turn of the century. Her warlock marks were pointed ears, like a faerie's, which often peeked out from under her long black hair, and a blue tail that, more often than not, was responsible for broken crockery and furniture at home and at guests' houses, including Tessa's.
Luckily, Tessa was always gracious in the face of Ellen's clumsiness, and it helped that with a smile and a flick of the fingers Tessa could always repair whatever was broken. Ellen had a lot to be grateful to Tessa for; the younger warlock was in a bad place when she met Tessa at a comic book store in the nineties (they had reached for the same Captain America volume), and Tessa's unwavering acceptance of her-Ellen the warlock, the immortal, the nerd, the klutz-was everything Ellen needed that she never got from her family.
Even so, Ellen sometimes suspected that Tessa simply put up with her because she was so much older and even lonelier than she was. The younger woman, admittedly, had never loved and lost a love as great as Tessa's husband, Will. Despite the pain she still felt from losing him after all these years, however, Tessa always said that it was worth it, and that if it was something she wanted, Ellen would find a soulmate someday, too.
"There is absolutely no rush," Tessa had said one day when they met up for tea. "Everyone is running their own race, and we all complete our own milestones in our own time. Do not let anyone tell you that you must have something done by a certain age, or that there is a deadline for when you should fall in love or have children. This is even more true for those, like you and me, who live forever. Our lives do not follow the same currents as those of mortals."
"I know," Ellen replied, "but I feel as though-I don't know-as if there's a void in me that can only be filled by some great, epic love. In my case," she added ruefully, "love for amateur forensic science and graphic novels."
Tessa had laughed at that, but Ellen could tell that she was remembering something in her past.
What was amazing about Tessa was that Ellen seldom had to worry that her clumsiness with words might offend her. Tessa would know what she meant, no matter how gracelessly she said it. She took a deep breath.
"Tessa?"
"Yes?"
"Is there... anyone else for you? I mean, from what you told me, what you had with Will was so special and amazing, and I've never met the guy, but he sounded perfect for you. Do you ever worry that-what with the whole being-immortal thing-that it might be like, downhill from here?"
Tessa only smiled, wistfully. "There is someone else. But he lives very far away and we cannot marry. I tell myself it's a blessing that I still see him sometimes. But he is a part of my soul. I can't help but want to be with him always."
"Aw, Tessa, I'm sorry. I hope you guys find a way to be together. He's one lucky guy to have you in his life. I know I am; you're like a big sister to me, Tessa. I just want you to be happy."
"Thanks, Ellen," Tessa said, smiling as she took the other woman's hand. "You're very dear to me as well. And I am happy, to have you in my life."
Somehow they got to talking about the Spice Girls's new record, and then Tessa listened politely and patiently as Ellen geeked about the forensics of the latest mystery in Downworld-the disappearance of the young Greatsbaine werewolf boy. Shadow World investigations hardly had any use for mundane forensic science, but Ellen took great pleasure in putting the pieces of a puzzle together the way mundanes did: with technology rather than magic.
Today, the younger warlock was planning to surprise her friend with a house call. Tessa didn't know that Ellen was coming over, as she visited only last week. But Tessa always welcomed Ellen into her home, so she hoped it wouldn't be a problem this time. Besides, Ellen always thought it was kinda sad that warlocks-even warlock friends-usually didn't see each other more often than once a decade.
Also, Ellen forgot something at Tessa's place. Again.
Two lattes in hand, Ellen fumbled to push the doorbell outside Tessa's London flat. She couldn't wait to tell her about the date she had last night. He was a young warlock, like her, and they'd had so much to talk about. He was kind and witty, and he even shared her interest in mundane forensics! To Ellen, that was kind of a deal maker. She wanted Tessa's opinion on where they should go for their second date...
Weird. Tessa usually answers the doorbell on the first ring. Maybe she's in the shower, Ellen thought. She rang again.
"Hey girl, it's Ellen, you in there?"
Finally Ellen heard footfalls on the other side of the door. A tousled Tessa, clad in a dressing gown, appeared at the door.
"Ellen! What a pleasant surprise," Tessa said, her body blocking the other woman's view of the loft. Her voice was quiet, as if she were trying to keep her voice down. "What brings you here?"
"Tessa, I really gotta tell you something so I'm bribing you with a latte. And," Ellen added with a flourish, stepping into the flat, "I forgot something at your place. I'm really sorry. But don't mind me, I know where to find it, so I'll be right back. Hey, you're usually up early, why are you still in your PJs?"
She didn't see Tessa hastily put down her cup and rush after Ellen, who was heading for the bedroom.
"Although I totally get it," Ellen was saying, latte still in hand. "Sometimes, as warlocks, routines get boring really fast. Just the other day, I started to wear mismatched socks, because why the heck not? Who even made the rule that our socks have to match, you know?"
"Hey, Ellen," Tessa said, catching up with her at her bedroom door. "You know, I can go get it for you."
"Nonsense," Ellen replied, opening the door, "I forgot it here, so I should retrieve it. You can go back to the living room-"
"Wait-"
Ellen stopped dead.
There was a naked man in Tessa's bed. A very, very fine-looking naked man.
She suspected he was asleep before he heard voices at the door. Now he was up, looking blearily from Ellen to Tessa, Tessa to Ellen.
Ellen felt her mouth drop open. He was gorgeous-dark tousled hair, dark brown eyes, amazing cheekbones, a full mouth. His muscles rippled when he pushed himself up on the bed, and Ellen saw that he had scars-faded runes?-all over his body, all the better to complete that gorgeous, rugged look. He pulled the bedsheet up over his slim hips.
"Whoa, um, hi," Ellen stuttered. She turned to Tessa, who was blushing. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry, I didn't know that you had company. I'm sorry, Mr., um, Gorgeous Specimen-"
Tessa cleared her throat. "Ellen, this is Jem. Jem, my friend Ellen."
"Hello," Jem G. Specimen said.
"Hi," Ellen replied, looking him over again. Suddenly she gasped. "Tessa, is this-?"
"I'm going to grab your stuff now," Tessa said hastily, quickly moving into the room and reaching into a drawer. She handed Ellen a bag. "This should be all of it. Could you wait for me in the living room?"
"Yeah, of course!" Ellen was grateful for the chance to exit the new #2 most awkward moment of her life. She whirled around, then turned back. "Nice to, uh, meet you." She gestured vaguely in Jem's direction. As she closed the door, Ellen mentally kicked herself. Make that #1.
Tessa woke to warmth all around her. She opened her eyes on an achingly beautiful sight: Jem-Jem!-was facing her, asleep, late morning rays of sunlight slanting across his face.
It was more than seventy years since she woke up next to someone she loved. Now his arm was slung around her waist. She felt her heart swell and tears threaten to gather behind her eyes. Instead she blinked and moved to kiss his mouth.
A soft mumbled groan escaped his lips as he responded, eyes still closed. Tessa felt his hand come up to cup her head, his fingers tangling in her hair as they kissed, deep and lazily.
"Tessa," he murmured, his mouth finding its way to the curve of her throat. Tessa's breath quickened. She wrapped her arms around him and slung a long leg over his hip.
The doorbell rang. Tessa froze; Jem didn't seem to hear. She squeaked when he nipped her collarbone-that got his attention.
"Tessa?" he whispered, clearly still half-asleep.
"There's someone at the door," she said, pulling away reluctantly. "Stay here, I'll go get rid of them." She planted a kiss on his cheek.
"Hmm." Jem flopped back onto the bed, his hair an adorable mess on her pillow.
Tessa retrieved her dressing gown, which hung off the side of her nightstand. She could feel Jem's eyes on her as she secured the tie around her waist, and despite everything they did yesterday-did it really all begin with their 128th meeting on Blackfriars?-she blushed. The material only brushed the top of her thighs, and she remembered vividly how it ended up tossed so carelessly onto her bedside table...
-Jem's hands inched under her nightgown. She could feel him trying to control himself, standing so close to her and yet only touching her there. His voice was ragged when he whispered in her ear to keep it on.
In bed, he untied her kimono-style robe with the sash between his teeth-slowly, deliberately. Little could top corset-ripping Jem in the sexiness department, but in her mind, he just outdid himself. They made love again, slow and languorous. Again she forgot to stifle the sounds she made-
Tessa shook herself out of the memory. She was shutting the bedroom door as the doorbell rang again.
"Hey girl, it's Ellen, you in there?"
Oh, not a neighborly noise complaint, Tessa thought with some relief. Quickly she padded to the front door, trying to smooth her hopelessly tangled hair. She didn't get the chance to tell Ellen her almost unbelievably great news, but she knew that when she did tell her, it would be in her own time.
She did not, however, expect Ellen to come swanning into her flat, headed straight for her bedroom.
With quickly dawning horror, Tessa realized that her attempts at forestalling Ellen's entrance to her room were failing. Silently she cursed the other warlock's ability to be so casual-sometimes too casual-consequently forgetting her claims to awkward nerd status.
Jem was right where she left him, albeit more awake and confused. Tessa felt her cheeks redden. This was not how she imagined this morning would go.
After sending Ellen to the living room, Tessa looked apologetically at Jem.
"I'm sorry, Jem, this is not how I pictured this morning. I didn't know Ellen was coming over-"
"It's quite alright," Jem replied with amusement. He got out of bed and gathered the clothes she had flung across the room last night. "I'm happy that you have had friends throughout the years. To be there for you when I could not."
He stopped in front of her. "Go to her. Then maybe later you can tell me how you pictured this morning."
Then the bastard winked at her before disappearing into the shower.
"Before you say anything, I don't blame you."
Ellen was seated on the velvet couch. She looked up from eyeing the array of discarded clothes-including the antique corset, gown, and crinolines-and turned a cheery expression at Tessa when she entered the room. Tessa cursed inwardly, again; she had forgotten the state in which they left the living room last night.
"I mean, not that I thought of blaming you, of course not; after all, I'm the one who barged in here in the first place. But the unanswered texts and all-I don't blame you at all, really. If I was in bed all day with someone like that, I wouldn't answer my phone either, 'cause damn. You go, girl."
Tessa laughed embarrassedly. "This is not how I wanted you to know, Ellen, but Jem... He's the one I told you about."
Ellen gasped. "I figured as much. Wow, Tessa, I'm so happy for you!" She gave her a hug.
"Thank you," Tessa said, hugging her back just as hard. "I'm very happy, too. But what did you have to tell me about earlier?"
"Oh no, I won't even think of staying a second longer. You enjoy yourself with Mr. Hottie Pants now. I'll be in town for a couple more days; I can tell you later." Ellen stood up. "Besides, I want to hear all about how it happened, too. We'll make a date and meet up. Unless," she said, her voice dropping mischievously, "you want to continue to ignore your phone."
"Stop it," Tessa said in a mock-hurt tone. "I'll see you soon, then, Ellen. Don't forget your bag of ingredients."
"Nope, not again," Ellen said, clutching the bag and moving towards the door. "Not after what happened the last time I forgot it."
"You will never let me live this down, will you?"
"That's what friends are for."