*cowers in fear* Don't kill me! I love Jem... The beginning is a Bruce Springsteen song, also called 'The Carnival.' Spoilers for Clockwork Prince,

Sundown, sundown/They're taking all the tents down/Where have you gone, my handsome Billy?

Sundown, sundown/The carnival train's leaving town/Where are you now, darling Billy?

We won't be dancing together on the high wire/Facing the lions with you at my side anymore/We won't be breathing the smoke and the fire/On a midway

Hanging from the trapeze/My wrists waiting for your wrists/Two daredevils high up on the wall of death/You throwin' the knife that lands inches from my heart/Sundown

Moonrise, moonrise/The light that was in your eyes has gone away/Daybreak, daybreak/The thing in you that made me ache is gone to stay

We'll be riding the train without you tonight/The train that keeps on moving/Its black smoke scorching the evening sky/A million stars shining above us like every soul livin' and dead/Has been gathered together by a god to sing a hymn over your bones

Sundown, sundown/Empty are the fairgrounds/Where are you handsome Billy?

Charlotte had once thought that Jem would take all that was human about Will with him when he went, leaving the boy angrier, more liable to lash out. She hadn't thought that he would become an empty shell.

Charlotte entered the library, and, upon seeing Will there, went over to him. He didn't acknowledge her presence. His red mourning Marks stood out stark against the white clothing he wore.

Henry, Tessa, and Cecily followed Charlotte into the airy room. The three, like Charlotte herself, had red eyes and wore white, and Tessa fingered the jade pendant she wore.

Will still stared straight ahead, his usually bright blue eyes glassy and dead. His black hair was mussed, and his clothes were wrinkled as if he'd slept in them. With the loss of his parabatai Will had stopped caring, and his apathy was more frightening than his hostility. Before finding out his curse was fake, Will had been cruel, most of the time, with moments of tenderness. After finding out his curse was fake, and, to be honest, after Tessa broke his heart, he was buoyant, jumping into things, cheerful. Now, following Jem's death, he was languid, practically as dead as his best friend.

Will stood and listlessly left the library, trying to avoid the rest of the Institute family. His feet wandered the path with no input from his conscious mind. All the same, he was not at all surprised where he ended up.

Will opened the door in front of him and silently slipped inside.

Jem lay on his bed, looking for all the world as if he were merely sleeping. Will fell into the chair he'd spent so many nights in, counting Jem's breaths and praying to whatever god there was that the silver-haired boy would make it through the night.

Sitting there by Jem, Will broke down. Sobbing, he didn't even hear the door open.

Tessa carefully slipped her arms around Will, and he turned to look at her. Her grey eyes were wet with unshed tears, and when she spoke, her voice shook.

"I'm so sorry, Will," she murmured. "I loved him, but he was your parabatai. I'm so sorry."