Jem and Tessa Fanfic.
What if there was no cure for Jem's "condition"? What if the only way to save him was for him to become a Silent Brother? And if so, what if he changed his name to Zachariah? So, given all of this, what will happen when Tessa and Jem reunite after a very long time in modern day New York City with the characters from TMI as witnesses? Read and find out.
"So, do you even glow in the dark, little Shadowhunter?" Magnus Bane said with a taunting smirk as he walked up to Jace and Clary.
"Yes, and I can shoot flames out of my hands. It's all quite fascinating." Jace replied dryly.
Clary smiled a little. At least some things never changed. Jace was still Jace with his constant sarcasm and quick wit and Magnus was still Magnus, willing to torment Jace every chance he had.
"Hello, Magnus" Clary said as she elbowed Jace in his ribs. "I didn't think I'd see you here."
Magnus looked at Clary and smiled a little, his smile not reaching his eyes. "Neither did I, but I couldn't give up the chance to see the Human Torch in action"
"I still don't know who this Torch guy is." Jace said
Clary ignored him and said, "I'm glad you came. You've helped so much."
"Magnus." Clary jumped at the voice in her head. She turned to her right and saw Brother Zachariah; she hadn't even noticed his presence until he had spoken.
"J-, Zachariah, didn't figure you'd be here." Magnus responded sounding a lot like Clary had a moment ago.
"Yes, well, I wanted to see how the Herondale boy was doing." Brother Zachariah said, turning his head a little towards Jace and Clary, a strand of his black hair escaping the cover of his hood.
"Well as you can see he is quite all right, not even glowing at the moment." Magnus said, glancing around the room slightly.
Brother Zachariah didn't notice Magnus's wondering eyes as he continued to stare at Jace, or what appeared to be staring seeing as his eyes had been sown shut. He seemed to almost sigh as he turned his attention back to Magnus. Clary would have given anything to know what the Silent Brother was thinking.
"So it seems. What are you doing Magnus?"
"Nothing, nothing at all." Magnus responded as he tore his gaze away from whatever he had been staring at and back to Brother Zachariah.
"Looking for the Lightwood boy I..." Brother Zachariah stopped as a figure approached from the direction Magnus had previously been looking.
Clary was baffled at their friendly banter and Jace seemed equally as confused, though the mention of Alec did cause Clary to momentarily forget as she looked at Magnus, who was holding a neutral expression on his face. Though Clary thought she saw the slightest hint of pain in Magnus's cat like eyes.
"Magnus," the figure said with a smile as it approached. Clary could tell now that it was feminine. The woman looked to be about Clary's own age, perhaps a little older, and had brown hair and grey eyes. Clary couldn't help but think she looked familiar.
Magnus looked as if he wanted to bolt and Clary realized he was uncomfortable, but he smiled and nodded at the new comer.
"Tessa," he said with a nod, body rigid, as she stopped beside him. Brother Zachariah was just as rigid and turned slightly so that his back was no longer facing Tessa. Jace gave Clary a curious look and she just shrugged in return, just as baffled at the Silent Brother and Magnus's sudden discomfort and tension in the air.
"Tessa" Brother Zachariah said in a way as if he had been holding his breath. Clary was shocked at the amount of emotion, of the sadness, that that one word held.
The girl's smile disappeared and she stiffened at the sound of her name and for a second Clary thought she saw a glimpse of pain in her eyes.
"Jem" Tessa said, with just as much emotion in her voice Brother Zachariah had held. Clary looked at Magnus who still seemed extremely uncomfortable.
"It's been a long time" Tessa said with a slight, almost sad, smile.
"Yes, it has." Clary was a bit surprised that Brother Zachariah wasn't talking directly to Tessa with the emotion his words held, but with the way he had reacted Clary figured he was still too surprised to notice that the others could hear his words as well.
"I haven't seen you since your hair got its color back. I wonder if your eyes would have gained their original color back as well." Tessa said almost dreamily as if deep in thought as she stared at the Silent Brother intently.
Clary had a feeling they knew each other well and should leave the two to talk about old times, but her feet seemed glued to the floor and she couldn't move.
"Perhaps. I'm surprised to see you here."
"In New York City?"
"No, here."
"I could say the same for you, but I came to talk to Magnus about something."
They both looked at Magnus who seemed to get more uncomfortable the longer the conversation continued. "She's right. We were gonna reminisce about the late 19th century together." Magnus responded.
"Invite Camille and myself and, if he was still here, Scott Woolsey, and we would have a wonderful conversation about good ole London." Zachariah said in what Clary did believe was a very sarcastic manor.
"Or an awkward one," Magnus muttered before responding with, "You know as well as I that Camille hasn't been seen since the Lilith incident.
"Really, Jem." Tessa said with a sigh. "You sound a great deal like Will."
"Do I? What about you, Magnus?"
"Well, it is hard to get rid of that Herondale spirit." Magnus said as Tessa and Zachariah both looked at him.
"Indeed." Tessa said looking back at Zachariah. "Jem, could..."
"Yes." Brother Zachariah said when Tessa stopped.
"Jem," She tried again. "Could you take your hood off?"
Brother Zachariah merely stood there for a while before moving his hands up to his hood, where he paused for a second before pushing it back to reveal a headful of dark hair. After doing so he let his arms fall back to his sides
Tessa moved closer to him and lightly touched his face with her fingers and then ran her hand through his hair. A slight sighed escaped her lips and her eyes seemed tormented by a wide range of emotions. She lowered her hand and placed it over his heart and he raised a hand and placed it over hers. They stood there like that for a few seconds and then at the same time pulled away.
Tessa opened her eyes and a single tear escaped. "I wish things could have been different for us both." She said sorrowfully.
"So do I, my dear Tessa, so do I?" Zachariah said with equal sorrow before putting his hood back up and walking away.
Clary and Jace stood there in silence as Tessa and Magnus watched him walk away.
"I'm sorry, Magnus, I didn't mean to interrupt your conversation." Tessa said and then turned and looked at Clary and Jace for the first time. "Sorry I did not introduce myself, my name is Tessa Grey. It is nice to meet you, Jonathan Herondale, Clarissa Morgenstern."
"Jace. Clary." Clary and Jace corrected her at the same time, still a little dumbfounded.
"I see Henry's red hair made it through the generations. That is good to know I do suppose." Tessa said and turned to look at Magnus. "I'll talk to you later." She told him and walked away the opposite way as Brother Zachariah.
"What was that," Jace asked after the three of them stood there in silence for a few moments.
"Immortality." Magnus said sadly and walked away as well.
Jace and Clary merely looked at each other. But as Clary watched Magnus walk away she recalled her last conversation with Brother Zachariah.
"Were you ever in love? Before the Brotherhood? Was there ever anyone you would have died for?" Clary had asked.
"Two people", said Brother Zachariah. "There are memories that time does not erase, Clarissa. Ask your friend Magnus Bane, if you do not believe me. Forever does not make loss forgettable, only bearable."
Clary got the feeling that the two people Brother Zachariah had been talking about were this Will Herondale and Tessa herself. He had had to watch everyone he loved and cared about fade away as he continued on through time. So had Tessa Grey. They had even lost each other for reasons unknown to her. It was clear to Clary that Zachariah and Tessa had meant the same thing to each other and held the same bond that Jace and herself had, and that even that had been ripped away. Yet, even after over 100 years they still loved each other and felt the pain of not being able to be together.
Clary looked at Jace and tried to imagine what it would be like if they both had eternity but could never be together. A shudder went through her as she realized it must be the most terrible heartache there was and couldn't imagine the pain ever being remotely bearable. Then she was relieved knowing that she would never have to face that possibility. But her relief was short lived and soon replaced by sorrow, not only for Brother Zachariah and Tessa, but also for Magnus. For he was in the same boat as them. Gifted with eternal life, but cursed with having to watch time and those he cared about most vanish together.
Clary was shook out of her thoughts as Jace grabbed her hand and warmth spread through her. She looked up at him, her previous thoughts forgotten, and touched the side of his face gently with her free hand.
"Let's go Torch, I'm sure Simon or Alec or someone is looking for us." Clary said looking into Jace's golden eyes.
"I still don't know why people keep calling me that." Jace said with shake of his head as he let her lead him through the crowd.