The Cure

The engaged couple sat next to each other at the dinner table holding hands and laughing, but they didn't know a pair of midnight blue eyes was watching them. He sat and watched them with his jealousy bubbling on the inside of himself. He knew he should be happy for them, for his parabatai, for the girl he loved, but he just couldn't. Every time he saw them together he looked sick to his stomach.

He couldn't bare the pain anymore and looked at his dinner plate but he knew they were still here and that would haunt him forever. He wished that he hadn't believed that stupid curse in the first place. How could he be so clueless?

What the blue-eyed boy didn't know was that she felt it too. She felt guilt every time she looked at Jem and pain every time she looked at Will. She loved Jem, but she loved Will too and one stupid curse held back and changed everything that could've been. What if there had been no curse? Would she be sitting at the dinner table with Will and laughing at his jokes?

Jem was going to die soon and then there would be only her and a boy who she loved but couldn't have because she felt like she was betraying Will. She didn't want Jem to die and leave her in that awful position. She loved Jem so much and she loved Will so much so which one did she love more?

Tessa shook the stressful thoughts from her head and looked into her fiancé's silver eyes. Then she couldn't help but wondering what his death would be like. This beautiful drug was killing him and nobody would be able to do anything about it. There had to be a cure somewhere, anywhere. He was he beautiful nightmare.

Everyone had retired to bed. Will had gone off in distress to wake up to live one more day of it. Charlotte, Henry, and their baby went off to sleep also totally oblivious to what was going on. And Jem had not been feeling well, took some of his drug, and went to bed and sleep with it slowly killing him. Tessa, she lay in bed with only her thoughts of what life should have been.

She was supposed to have a normal life like a normal girl, living in New York with her aunt and her brother. Maybe she would have an admirer by now, a normal one, one that would live as long as she would, one that she didn't have to worry about getting killed by demons or a drug.

She was snapped out of her thoughts by the institute-summoning bell. Tessa jumped out of bed and ran to her dresser. She put on her dark blue jeans and black tank top. She let her long brown hair flow around her shoulders and ran out her door and down the corridor to the entrance hall. Will was already there, and Charlotte and Henry, and Magnus Bane.

What was he doing here? She approached the door slowly and the others caught sight of her. Will had an excited look in his eyes and a happy one. The first Tessa had seen since the drawing room. Charlotte and Henry both looked like they couldn't believe their eyes and Magnus was standing in the doorway, grinning, and holding a clear vile of golden liquid.

"What's going on?" Tessa asked.

"Tessa dear, I have found the cure for you new fiancé's drug." He said and then he wiggled his eyebrows. Tessa's mouth dropped open and she stood there frozen in her steps with wide eyes.

"You found the cure," she whispered and then she practically sprinted to Magnus and tackled him in a hug. He smiled and nodded his head back and forth as he hugged her back. He had become quite fond of Tessa. She was a beautiful girl. Tears pricked her eyes and she pulled back and smiled at Magnus. "That's amazing! How, where did you find it?"

"Well I heard that you two had gotten engaged and I thought I would get you an engagement present. I looked up Yanluo and researched what its blood is made of. Then I make an exactly opposite compound and here it is," he said smugly. His eyes shot over to Will who was looking at the floor and then back to Tessa's stunned eyes.

He could tell why Will was so attracted to the young warlock. Her big grey eyes were so bright and inviting it felt like getting lost in a cloudy sky. She was tall and thin in a willowy, beautiful way, and she was smart, caring, and all kinds of kind. She had a personality that brightened her simple looks and made her gorgeous.

"Well when can we give it to him?" Tessa asked urgently.

"Tonight. Go wake him and tell him to come down and make sure he brings his drug." Charlotte, Henry, and Tessa started their way down the corridor. Will was about to go to, but Magnus called him back. "Will we need to talk." Will stopped in his tracks and turned back towards Magnus.

"Do you know want to know why I really found the cure?" he asked. It wasn't really a question because he was going to tell will even if he didn't want to know. Will stared at him with a blank expression and so Magnus decided just to tell him.

"I found it because maybe Jem fell in love with Tessa because she was the first girl he has actually had feelings for. Maybe when he realizes he has longer to live he will also realize that he doesn't actually love Tessa."

Will just stared at him blankly. Magnus thought Will might remain silence and was about to speak again but then Will said, "Jem's not that kind of person. I can tell. I can see it in his eyes."

Magnus looked at the broken boy with sadness. Even though the curse is gone the aftermath is still in effect. "Look, Will. Tessa is a beautiful girl and not one you should let go of." Just as he said this the two people heard excited voices down the hall and Will turned away from Magnus to meet his parabatai's amazed eyes.

Magnus walked over to Jem and started to give him instructions, "First you need to talk a handful of the drug. It will hurt, but it is necessary." Jem did as he was told and then collapsed onto his knees. Will could see the pain in Jem's eyes from a few feet away. Tessa was knelt beside him with one of her hands occupied by one of his and her other resting on his shoulder.

Will came over and knelt beside him also and whispered soothing things to him only Jem could here. Mostly about his parents and China, and how the pain would be over soon. Jem's pale white cheeks started turning red from fever and he opened his eyes in question of what to do next.

"Now you need to drink this liquid," Magnus said gently. He carefully unscrewed the tight lid and held it out to Jem. "Now you must understand before you drink this that the effects will happen quickly. You will probably pass out immediately and not wake up for a day or to while it is taking affect."

Jem nodded in understanding, took the vile, and swallowed it in two big gulps. Magnus was right. Jem passed out immediately and Tessa held out her hand to catch his head. Henry lifted Jem in his strong arms with some assistance from Will. They brought Jem up to his room and Charlotte following him.

Tessa stayed behind until they left and then she led Magnus out the door and to the gates. They walked in silence with a quiet thanks hanging in the air between them. When they reached the gate Tessa reached up to Magnus and gave him a soft peck on the cheek. When she pulled back Magnus smiled sweetly at her.

"I do whatever I can sweetheart," he said then he walked out the gates and disappeared in a second. He vanished back to his own home she supposed or maybe he had other heroic work to attend to.

On the way to Jem's room Tessa ran into Charlotte and Henry in the dim corridor. "Where's Magnus?" Charlotte asked in confusion.

"I sent walked him out," Tessa replied.

"Thank you dear. You should go get some rest. It has been a hectic night." Then they wandered down the rest of the corridor back to their own bedrooms and left Tessa in the corridor alone. Tessa needed to check on Jem and continued down the corridor until she stood outside of his wooden door.

Tessa quietly slipped inside and looked up to meet emeralds staring back at her.

"Tessa, you need to go get some rest," Will told her. He stood up and walked near to where she was standing.

"No, I'm fine. If anyone needs rest it's you. It's fine, I'll stay and watch him," she said without meeting his eyes. She still couldn't bring herself to do it.

Will on the other hand was staring right out her. The way she looked at the floor, the way the moon reflected on her pale skin making her look ethereal, they way her brown hair flowed around her in gentle waves. She looked like an angel. Jem's angel, he chided himself.

"Come on, Tessa I'll walk you to your room," he said gently.

"No, Will. I won't even be able to sleep," she complained.

"Fine," said Will. He went over near the window and pulled up to plush armchairs next to Jem's bed. He flopped down in one and beckoned Tessa over with his hand. She walked slowly over to the armchair. She sat down and neither of them said a word.

They both sat and stared at Jem, but neither of them were thinking about him.