A/N- Hey everyone! This is my first fanfiction so please be patient, criticism is very appreciated, I'll try to answer any questions you might have, so please review to let me know how I'm doing, unlike a normal book, you can actually have some input in the plot because I'm very open to suggestions. Also, this story takes place after the end of Clockwork Prince, everything is the same, Cecily came to the Institute, Mortmain has not yet been caught, Jem proposed to Tessa, she said yes, Will found out the curse isn't real, Gideon is living in the Instute, Jessamine is locked up in the City of Bones and Henry and Charlotte are pregnant with a baby boy! The only thing that is different is that Jem and Tessa haven't announced their engagement yet, only they and Will know. Just wanted to let you know that school holidays have started but it's almost Christmas so the posts might not be very regular, but I will try to keep it updated as often as I can. Merry Christmas and Happy Reading!

Last Chance

Will still wasn't used to seeing his little sister, Cecily, in Shadowhunter gear. Not even now, after all this time had passed and so many things had happened. Everything had turned out for the best, well, mostly.
Charlotte and Henry got to keep the Institute and, as much as he wished she handn't, Cecily joined the group and was now in training to be a Shadowhunter, just as she'd wanted. The plus side was that Will now had contact with his beloved sister, but he hadn't wanted it to be this way, he didn't want her to be part of this cruel, dangerous world, a world in which love didn't come without consequences, if it were even allowed to be felt at all. Will had spent five years of his life pushing everyone away, building walls around himself in a seemingly endless persuit to keep anyone from loving him, for fear of their demise, due to a curse placed on him by a demon. When it had turned out that there had been no curse at all, Will had spared no time in confessing his love to the most beautiful, intelligent, funny and surprising girl he had, and would ever meet, Theresa Gray. But as it turned out, his best friend and parabatai Jem, had gotten there first. Will couldn't blame him, he handn't known that Tessa's face was the only face that Will could ever want to look at, that she was his reason for existing, the only reason, in fact, that he wasn't passed out drunk at a pub somewhere, for real this time.

Now, Will stood in the weapon's room, trying to teach his sarcastic and hard-headed but wonderful sister how to throw a blade, while next to him, Gideon was dancing around Sophie, trying to teach her how to land good kicks. And then there were Jem and Tessa, on the opposite end of the room, Tessa attempting to hit a target with several different types of blades while Jem stood behind her, throwing out instructions. Will watched Tessa, unaware of anything but her, he watched the dent that formed between her eyebrows when she concentrated, the smooth movements of her arms and legs, her long fingers as they released blade after blade, the soft, hidden delight in her features when they hit the centre of the target-

"WILLIAM OWEN HERONDALE!", it was Cecily. Will tore his eyes away from Jem's hand on Tessa's back as he congratulated her, to look at his sister. It was true what people said, that the two of them looked alike. They had the exact same shade of dark hair, the same smooth complexion, the same full lips, although her's were more naturally red, the same high, strong cheekbones, they were even both taller than average. But the physical similarities couldn't compete with their personalities, for every sarcastic remark, the other had one to battle, the same smirk upon their lips, the way that neither would give up first in a verbal debate, maybe that was why they got on each other's nerves so much, they were both equally stubborn, but that came in handy sometimes. He admired her for all the questions she asked and for having befriended everyone in the household, even Charlotte and Henry acted like she'd been there from the start, Charlotte taking on the same motherly affection with her that she had with everyone else. Even after all the times that he and Cecily had stormed off on each other, he couldn't deny that he loved her with every bone in his body and would take a million curses to protect her. She would always be his little sister, even now while she was yelling at him for something or other.

"-You're meant to be training me, but all you do is tune out and think about Raziel knows what! Gideon and Jem are actually teaching something when-"

"Maybe that's because Sophie and Tessa don't miss the targets by five feet and then demand that their instructors stay put and watch them miss every one by an extra foot!"

"If you were a better instructor then I wouldn't be missing it in the first place!"

Sophie, Gideon, Tessa and Jem had stopped and were now watching the two throw insults at each other as if it were some sort of funny play.

"If I throw a stick will you go away?"

"Oh kiss my big, hairy-"

"WILL!", a shocked gasp coming from the doorway, all six turned their heads to see, oh great, Charlotte. "Please don't use that language with your sister, and Cecily, you and I both know that you're purposefully antagonsing Will", Charlotte walked further into the room and once she had her back to the bickering pair, Will stuck his tongue out to his sister as if he were a six year old, while Cecily retaliated by making a rude gesture with her hand.

"Now, I've come to tell you that dinner will be in an hour, so pack up and make yourselves presentable please". She walked back out the door, with one hand on her small but noticeable baby bump.

Will followed right after Charlotte, presumably hurrying to his room while Cecily followed with an exasperated look on her face. Gideon and Sophie were next out the door, their arms almost touching, leaving Jem and Tessa alone in the training room. As soon as the others had dissapeared, Jem took Tessa by waist and kissed her, it was a short kiss, but an impossibly sweet one. Tessa looked into her fiancee's eyes, they were silver but glowing, presumably because Jem had taken the drug before the training session. She looked into his eyes, as he looked into hers, she had a feeling that Jem was seeing right through her, as he always did. Tessa loved Jem, she truly did, and she was going to marry him. She couldn't be happier about the fact, although whenever she thought of it, Will's face appeared in her mind, the way he looked when she had told him that she would be marrying his parabatai. Following Will's wishes, Tessa hadn't told Jem about that incident, figuring it wouldn't do to let her soon-to-be husband know about his best friend's love for his future wife.
Tessa placed her head on Jem's shoulder, feeling him sigh against her neck, sending shivers down her back.
She reached up to kiss him on the cheek, "We'll be late for dinner, I need to get ready". With this, she turned and began to walk out but he tightened his hold on her hand and gently pulled her back.

"Wait just a moment, I wanted to talk to you about something, I was thinking we should announce our engagement tonight", Tessa couldn't help but smile at the way that his face lit up whenever he talked about their engagement. This was her best friend, the kind, gentle, happy, caring person whom she was going to marry. Tessa though about his question, Will already knew, and since things were settling down, it wouldn't hurt anyone to be able to hold hands in public.

"Yes, of course we can", at that, Jem buried his face into the crook of her neck. Tessa swore she could feel him smiling.

"Alright, let me walk you to your room"

All the way to her room, Tessa half leaned her head against Jem as they walked, listening to his gentle voice and subtly funny remarks. She had one arm snaked around his side, and one hand on his chest, while his was around her shoulder, holding her. The only reason they were being so blatant in the Institute's vast corridors was because Tessa knew everyone was getting ready for dinner. Tessa was getting lost in Jem's voice and almost missed the flash of black hair dissapearing around the end of the corridor, a shadow, a trick of the light. She didn't realise when her door came into view and saw Jem's hand reach out for the doorknob and open her door for her. He pecked her on the cheek, whispered his love for her and left, leaving the shadow of his hand against the small of Tessa's back behind.

Tessa walked inside her room and turned to face the heavily framed, floor lenght mirror on her wall. We are announcing our engagement, I should do well to look nice tonight.

Will sat in the middle of his bed, staring at the door he had just slammed behind himself. His eyes saw his room, it was pretty neat today, all the papers had been stacked on his wooden dresser and his clothes lay somewhat folded in a trunk at the foot of his bed, but his mind kept replaying the scene he had witnessed mere moments ago.
Jem and Tessa walking down the corridor, with not a care in the world, laughing together, entiwined within each other like a honeymooning couple, so close that you couldn't see where one ended and the other began. This image stole over all others like slowly spreading poison, blurring his vision, blurring the line between what was real and what wasn't. Will should be that person, the person Tessa would lean against, the person holding her as if he never wanted to let her go. This new scene scored itself in his mind, him and Tessa walking down the corridors just as she and Jem were. He ached for her touch, he wanted to pull the pins out of her thick brown hair and kiss her just like the night at that party, before Magnus had interrupted. But of course, then, they had been intoxicated with warlock powder. What he would give for once more touch, one more kiss. But it couldn't happen. Will loved Jem like a brother, and would never do anything to hurt him like this. In fact, he had noticed a significant change in Jem since Tessa. He had been taking less of the drug, but surprisingly had more strenght, he almost never fell ill now, and Will couldn't possibly take that away from him. Tessa was healing him, he wanted his parabatai to be healthy and happy almost more than he wanted Tessa.
But never mind that, Will stood in one fluid move, composing himself, and praying that Jem and Tessa wouldn't be out in the corridors again.

Jem sat in the seat next to Will, on Will's other side, Cecily was sitting, smiling down at her nails, next to her, Gideon, in his signature pose, leaning back with his shoulders relaxed and his arms crossed. On Jem's other side was an empty seat, the one in which Tessa would be sitting in soon, in front of him were Charlotte and Henry, the latter being more present than usual due to the fact that the couple were suggesting five baby names a minute to each other.

"I swear, if they call their son Margeurite, I'm going to run away", Will whispered to Jem.

"I think it's pronounced Mahr-ghe-ree-th", replied Jem. He saw Will look down and shake his head in silent laughter as the door to the dining room opened, for a second, Jem could only stare.
Tessa stood looking mildly confused, wearing a floor lenght gown that showed off her slim waist, with a bell bottom flaring out around her. She'd left her hair down but pinned a few strands off her face, the dress had a lovely neckline, round and low enough to show her princess collarbones, but maintaining modesty. Her clockwork angel lay on her chest, with a chain disappearing under the neckline of her dress. Jem knew what was at the end of that chain, it was his family ring, and with this thought brought a much happier one, she's mine. He couldn't believe something so beautiful was his, my angel. Jem, in his peripheral vision, saw Will look up and stare too, well, he wouldn't be much of a man if he didn't. Tearing his gaze from his angelic fiancee, Jem shot a look down the table, Cecily was smiling calmly up at Tessa, and Gideon was still as he had been before, seemingly lost in thought. Charlotte and Henry were still announcing that their baby would be called this or that.
Tessa made her way to the empty chair next to him, sat down, and felt Jem's hand reach for hers under the security of the table and her full skirts, meanwhile apologising for her lateness.

"That's no problem dear, in fact, here comes Sophie now". Jem saw Sophie smile at everyone while setting down a roast with green salads, pumpkin and potatoes.

Jem squeezed Tessa's hand and began raising his glass, with an exciting look towards her. "Everyone, I have some news I'd-" Jem felt Will stiffen at his side,

"Harry!", it was Henry, looking questionigly at Charlotte,

"How about Edward?", replied Charlotte,

"If we're going to go with something like Edward, I'd prefer Edmund"

"Vincent",

"Milton!",

"Edgar?",

"Harry!",

"You've already suggested that, dear", mumbled Charlotte with a sigh.

Jem looked at Tessa and rolled his eyes, Tessa shrugged at him and nodded. So Jem decided to try again, "Alright everyone, Tessa and I would like to share-",

"Charlotte have you heard anything about Mortmain lately, any new information?", wonderful, now Will was interrupting.

"Well, yes and no, there have been clues popping up here and there about his work, but none of where he might be. Now Henry, how about Ernest?"

Jem looked towards Tessa as if to say, well, we tried, felt an encouranging squeeze of the hand by her, and took comfort in the gentle, soft smile gracing her lovely lips.