Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, they all belong to Cassandra Clare.
A/N: I decided to write a kind of sequel to my other Jessa fic 'Home', so this was my take on it. It's short, but it is fitting for the season.
The year had flown by, flowers had bloomed, the sun had shone and leaves had fallen to the ground. Tessa and James had both watched this happen, though it affected each in different-yet similar-ways. Tessa knew that every day that passed and every season that she said goodbye meant one day closer to losing her husband, yet at the same time she knew she was giving her love and marriage everything she could muster. Her heart was completely in it, no matter what happened, she would live a life with James. One that he needed, wanted and deserved. Just like she had given Will.
And just like Will, James had given her the greatest gift of all. He'd gave her a family, a child. Their little Willow Carstairs.
James on the other hand-just like his wife, Tessa- he saw everyday as a blessing and never took a moment for granted. He lived for watching his love flourish for both his wife and daughter, just like it always had for Tessa and like it forever would for their daughter. They were the lights of his life, he wouldn't be the man he was if not for them. For that he was more than thankful.
He always knew that one day he would have to say his goodbyes to Tessa, even if he wished it would never come to pass. Though something that kept him beyond happiness was that Willow would always have a watchful eye over her, until it was her day to join him. And her Uncle Will, of course.
Christmas had come around quicker than expected, it felt like only yesterday that Tessa had watched-with her ghostly companion-in the doorway at the vision of her husband rocking their daughter to sleep in the moonlight. That was something that not even a thousand years could take away, and a memory she would never give up easily. Now as she watched, she smiled fondly down at the scene in front of her.
It was always strange to see James relax and become carefree, especially after all of those years of seeing him hurting or being completely silent and far away. But seeing him now, holding onto both of their daughter's hands as she walked between his parted feet through the snow, well it was a old James in a new body. It was a beautiful sight to behold. Will would be so proud.
Suddenly she was knocked back from a plough into her stomach, not hard enough to knock her down, but hard enough to disturb her footing. When she glanced down, she noticed white whispers drifting across her coat and down onto the steps of their front porch.
"Come on, Tess. Or do I have to throw another?" Tessa watched her husband, who had their daughter perched on his hip, but casually tossing a snowball up and down in the other hand. When she didn't reply, he raised his eyebrow along with his hand full of snow.
"James, don't you dare!" James chuckled and threw the snowball straight at her, which made contact at her shoulder and she scowled playfully as she made her way down the steps toward him. On the way down, she ran her hands over the wooden railing collecting snow in her hands.
When she reached her loved and little ones, she raised her hands full of snow and laughed lightly, smiling at Willow then grinning at James. She lifted her hands high above them, and noticed James was watching every move she made. Then she opened her palms.
The snow drifted in small snowflakes over their heads, all three of them under their own little flurry. Willow began to giggle trying to grab each little snowflake between her little fingers, and she watched as James eyes gleamed with happiness that matched her own. To anybody else it would have been a stupid, but the purity and simplicity in the act was enough for Tessa and James, and she knew he knew it as well. All they needed was love, hope and each other.
Not to mention, it made it all the better, because it was the first snowfall for Willow. So it was a memory to last for all eternity, and she wouldn't let either forget it for as long as she lived.