Disclaimer: I am not Cassandra Clare. I own nothing, nor do I make any profit from this writing. If I was Ms. Clare, Magnus would probably rule the world.
This is just a one-shot I wrote about Tessa meeting the New York Institute's shadowhunters! Based off the CoHF snippet that says: "Clary," Jocelyn said. "Meet Tessa Gray." This is my first attempt at TMI fanfiction as well as one-shots, so please be nice. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated though! Without further ado, "Eyes of Gold and Blue."
"Clary," Jocelyn said. "I want you to meet Tessa Gray." Tessa was a very pretty and somewhat tall girl in her late teens or early twenties. Thick, dark hair framed her oval-shaped face. Despite her unlined face and youthful appearance, her steely gray eyes and slightly down-turned mouth told a story of not altogether happy life.
"Hi, I'm Clary Fr-Morgenstern." The young shadowhunter said. "Jocelyn's daughter." Tessa's answering grin was so sincere and transformed her serious face so completely that Clary couldn't help but like her immediately.
"I've heard so much about you Clary! And I happen to know that you are quite the artist." Tessa winked. "You'll have to show me some of your work one day." Once again, her request seemed so sincere, like she was genuinely interested in Clary's talents, that Clary felt she could trust Tessa.
"Of course! I'm nowhere near as good as my mom, though." At this, Jocelyn waved her hand in dismissal.
"Tessa has been alive awhile, Clary. It would do you good to listen to what she thinks. She's seen far more art than we could ever hope to." Clary gazed questioningly at the girl before her, wondering what she was. Not a warlock, because she bore no marks and she was very obviously not a werewolf or vampire. She was too human.
At the mention of her age, Tessa's smile fell back into the serious, slightly haunted look it had before. Jocelyn, not seeing Tessa's sudden change in countenance, looked at the clock on the Institute's wall. Her eyes widened in alarm. "Clary, I'm supposed to be meeting Luke for date night right now. Will you show Tessa around the Institute? I was supposed to but…" She gestured helplessly towards the clock.
Clary smiles. "It's fine, Mom. Go on. And if its date night, do you mind if I stay here tonight. I'd rather not be home with you and Luke while…" Clary trailed off and a blush crept up her neck and into her cheeks. Jocelyn looked conflicted for a moment.
"Do you swear you'll stay in Isabelle's room? And Maryse is here?" Clary nods vigorously. "Alright, I guess. If you come home in any way corrupted, I will hunt Jace down. Remember that Clary." Clary smiled despite her mother's threat against her boyfriend, and hugged Jocelyn tightly.
"Thank you so much! I promise we'll behave! Love you. Now shoo. Luke's waiting." With one last wave and a hurried goodbye to Tessa, Jocelyn was gone.
"I know you're wondering what I am. I don't know how you stand on the whole Downworlder thing, but-"
"Two of my best friends are a vampire and a warlock and my stepfather is a werewolf. I like Downworlders more than shadowhunters some times." Clary says truthfully. She had surprised herself when she had referred to Magnus as one of her best friends. When had Magnus stopped being Alec's very helpful warlock boyfriend and become simply Magnus? It didn't matter now, she guessed. That was over, and she hadn't seen the sparkly Asian in weeks, which made her heart ache a bit. She missed his friendship more than she realized.
Tessa shot her an appreciative smile and went on in a lighter tone. "Well, you know that the offspring of demons and shadowhunters cannot live. They are born stillborn. My mother was a shadowhunter, but she did not know. No one, not even the Enclave, which is London's branch of the Clave, knew. She was unmarked when an Eidlon demon was sent to her in the shape of her husband in 1862. I am the only child of a demon and shadowhunter that has ever existed. I am immortal and I also have… peculiar abilities."
"Like what?" asked Clary, as she was fascinated by her tale. Tessa was one-of-a-kind, just like she and Jace were the only humans to have the extraordinary amount of angel's blood that they did.
"I'll show you. Do you have a necklace or a ring that you wear often?" Clary immediately reached into her shirt and pulled out the Morgenstern ring she wears on a chain. Tessa took it and closed her hand around it.
"Before I start, did anyone else own this before you?"
"Well, Valentine and then Jace, but he gave it to me. I've been wearing for awhile now."
"It should be fine. It might take a second, but don't be alarmed." She closed her eyes and reached for the light. It blazed up almost immediately. Clary had a strong presence. The Change came on her, but it didn't hurt and surprise her anymore. She shivered as her body shrank and red curls overtook her dark brown ones. Clary gasped audibly as she stared back at a perfect replica of herself. "Impressed?" Said Tessa in Clary's voice. Clary nodded, still speechless.
Tessa let go of the Change and smiled once again at Clary. "How about that tour?"
"Of course. We can start in the training room. It's one of my favorites." Tessa thought of Will and Jem, and how they retreated to the training room when they wanted to forget their problems. She was truly a shadowhunter. As they wove their way through the maze of the Institute, they made small talk. When they reached the training room, Clary swung the door open and led Tessa inside.
Alec and Jace were sitting back to back in the middle of the floor, both shirtless with weapons belts slung around their hips. They both looked up, their eyes passing over Clary and settling on the newcomer behind her. Clary heard Tessa breathe in sharply behind her. She turned and was startled by the expression on Tessa's face as she looked back and forth between Alec and Jace at a dizzying pace.
She had lost all the color in her face and her eyes were dry, though a century's worth of sorrow was collected in them. She was slumped against the doorframe and her arms were wrapped around her torso like she was holding herself together, and if she let go there was no way she would ever be whole again. Her breaths were fast and uneven, as if she had ran a long distance and stopped abruptly.
Alec and Jace jumped up, concern written all over both of their faces as they rushed to help Tessa. When they approached her, Tessa's arms shot out and she placed her hands on both sides of Jace's face, her thumbs stroking under his eyes gently. "You have James' eyes. The shade is identical." She lets her hands slide down his neck and arms and grip his hands. She lifts them closer to her face, rotating them back and forth in awe. "You even have their musician's hands." Her eyes then travel to the star-shaped scar on his left shoulder. A wistful smile graces her face. There was tenderness in the way she touched him, like a mother would touch her child, and it kept Clary from interfering.
Jace looked at her uncertainly before she released him and turned her gaze on Alec. "Oh, Will." She whispered, letting her hand run lightly over his cheek. "I can tell you're a Lightwood. Gabriel would be so disappointed you look so much like Cecy and nothing like him." She says louder with a fond smile. This encounter seemed more romantic, and Alec stepped away from her in discomfort. Tessa came back to herself, looking horrified.
"I'm so sorry. You just- you look so much like my family. I have already far overstepped my boundaries, but honestly this cannot be worse than what I've already done. Jace, I have been told there are three Lightwood children and that you are one of them, but would you have any reason to resemble a Herondale?" At his incredulous look, Tessa begins to backtrack. "I know its crazy, you just resemble him so much and-"
"I am a Herondale by birth, but my father died long before I was born, as did my mother. I should have died in her womb, but I was saved by the most vile shadowhunter that ever lived." Jace says bitterly. Clary puts a comforting hand on his arm as he continues. "I've been here since I was ten, after he pretended to be dead. This is my family and I am a Lightwood. But I am, and always will be a Herondale as well." He looked at Tessa, daring her to contradict his words.
She smiles. "I know this will mean nothing to you, but my husband would have been so proud." At his blank look, Tessa decides to explain. This boy did descend from her, after all. "I told you that you that you have James' eyes. He was my son. I married Will Herondale in the 1800s. You are my great-great grandson, or something like that." She laughs lightly, wonder on her face. She rounds on Alec again. "And you. You look just like Will. Will's sister married a Lightwood and you are very obviously descended from that side."
"So I've heard." Grumbled Alec. "Camille Belcourt told me. Several times." Alec's face lit up with a realization. "If Will married you, he probably didn't sleep with Magnus, right?" Tessa let out a burst of laughter, and covered her mouth after seeing Alec's scowl.
"No, he didn't. At least, I should hope not. Though Magnus did kiss Will once to get rid of Lady Belcourt." Tessa's use of 'Lady' did not go unnoticed by the New York shadowhunters. She truly was from a different time period. Alec's face relaxed for a moment before it turned red and he opened and closed his mouth over and over, as if he didn't know what to say.
"What?" Alec finally managed. "You let your husband do that? And… with another man?"
"We weren't married then." Tessa shrugs nonchalantly with an easy smile. "Besides, Will had been bit by a demon and had absolutely no idea what was going on." Alec's eyes bulged.
"Magnus took advantage of him?" He said in disbelief.
"I don't think Magnus kissing a hallucinating shadowhunter one time over a century ago is the worst thing he's ever done." Jace pointed out with a mischievous smile. "Haven't you heard about Peru?"
Alec blanched and Clary and Tessa laughed as Jace began a detailed retelling of the raven-haired shadowhunter's ex-boyfriend's embarrassing adventure in Peru, despite Alec's fervent protests.
So what did you think? Loved it, hated it? I would love to know! Also, about James Herondale's eyes being gold, it is stated in the Bane Chronicles Book 4, 'The Midnight Heir."
R&R!
