2008

The brisk London air was harsh against Jem Carstairs' face. The cold was one of the few things that remained the same in the city from the time he had lived there as a boy. That, and the London Institute standing as high and old as ever.

There were a few reasons he had decided to come to London a week before his meeting with Tessa. The main one was that he wanted to get used to the way things were now. The cars, the phones, the clothes… it was all so different, and he wanted to give himself time to get in terms with it all, and also to accept the fact that everyone he had ever cared for –excluding Tessa- was gone for good. All but one.

Jem reached the Institute, and the gates opened easily, responding to his Shadowhunter blood. He remembered the time automatons had gotten hold of some of his blood and were able to enter. He shook his head to clear away the memory. At the stairs leading up to the doors of the Institute hovered the person, or rather, the ghost, he had come to see.

Jessamine Lovelace, beautiful as always, even in ghost form. Jem had never actually been attracted to her, for she was too mean too often for him to fancy her. However, he was observant enough to be able to tell she had the kind of beauty that men drooled over.

"My, oh my," ghost-Jessie said, "I have heard the rumors, but I thought they were only that. Rumors."

Jem smiled. "Hello, Jessie."

"Even if I believed them, I didn't think you would visit. I thought you would go straight for your lovely Tessa."

"I visited you once in the Silent City cell, so why would you think that I would not visit you again now?"

"Like I said, I did not think I was a priority. Though I guess you have a point; you have always been a sweetheart. I disliked you the least."

"How sweet of you to say that," he responded lightly.

"So tell me, why are you here?"

Jem felt a little offended. "To check on you, of course," he answered, "And to thank you for saving the Institute's residents from Sebastian's attack."

Jessamine looked mildly surprised. "To thank me?" she asked, "The current residents themselves didn't thank me."

"Which is why I'm here to do it," he responded, "You deserve it. It was very noble of you. I'm proud of you, Jessie. You finally did the ordeal to set you free, did you not? You can move on to the next life, so why haven't you yet?"

"I suppose I've become attached to this place. I like it too much, and I don't want to leave. It's consoling to see the descendants of those we loved grow up, generation after generation, and to help them whenever they needed it."

Jem knew all too well what she was talking about.

"Tessa visits whenever she's in London, too," she continued, "Usually around this time of the year. I was expecting her, which is why I was so surprised to see you."

Jem smiled. It was so very refreshing to talk to someone he knew and loved, and who expected nothing from him. It was sweet to feel like the old times once more (with the exception of Jessie being nicer). If he concentrated enough, he can imagine the last one hundred thirty years didn't happen, and he could be happy again.

"Are you still in love with Tessa?" Jessamine asked randomly.

Jem looked down shyly, then nodded.

"I will be waiting for the wedding invitation, then."

That made him laugh. "Wedding?" he wondered, "I'm still praying that she loves me after all this time, and you're already thinking about the wedding? Don't worry, though, if it ever happen –and I hope it does- you're definitely invited."

"Good," she said, looking satisfied, "I can't wait!"

With that, she turned invisible. Jem figured she liked solitude and that that was his cue to leave, so leave he did. The reunion had gone well, and he promised himself that as long as he could, he would visit regularly. Then, for the hundredth time that week, he got the choking sensation at the thought that he couldn't say the same about his other beloved friends –Will, Charlotte and Henry, Sophie, or even the bloody Lightwoods- ever again. He could only visit their graves.