Jessa's room was pink. An intense bright shade of pink. Her bed was black and white animal print with pink pillows. Above her bed was a pink canopy with white christmas lights adorning sat down and stared at her belongings. Still in the places they were left. Untouched for 3 years now.
Looking back, Jace knew why she had so much color in her life. She had none of her own. Her life was far more complex than his own. She had been sick her entire life, a family disease that had made it's way to her. The only girl in the family line. Looking back he knew that their great-great-great-great grandfathers had been best friends. They were meant to meet.
Beside the bed was a picture of Jace and Jessa outside the institute one day. Izzy had secretly taken it when they thought no one was around. They were smiling, Jace looking at her as she looked away shyly. He'd said something to make her blush, he remembered. Behind that was another photo. It was one they had taken together in his room. She was smiling widely as he placed a kiss on her cheek.
And behind that was the wall she had decorated with pictures of herself and the family. Alec, Izzy, Max, Church and himself. The small family they had created for themselves after moving here.
One of his favorites was of him and Jessa holding a tiny Max. He wasn't very old at the time, but they'd both fallen in love with him as their new baby brother.
Jace turned to another wall. A wall that Jessa had painted a message for him to always remember.
"Wait for me somewhere between reality and all we've dreamed of."
In a flash, memories came flooding back to him.
"Jessa, you've got to be faster." Hodge instructed.
She looked up at him, pinned under Alec.
"Try again. This time with Jace."
"That's not fair and you know it! Jace has trained much longer and harder than her." Isabelle protested.
"She's also smaller, it gives her more room to move, to avoid his attacks." Alec responded.
"Come on, Jess. Don't be scared." Jace smirked.
"Of you? Please." She rolled her eyes.
"Jace, go easy on her." Alec insisted.
"No, don't!" Jessa laughed.
She brushed her black bangs out of her face and gave Jace a devilish smile. Before Jace knew it, Jessa was already on top of him and trying to pin him to the mat. Jace wrestled back and flipped her so her legs were pinned, but her upper body continued to fight. She used all the enegery she could to raise her legs off the mat. Jace smirked, as she managed to squeeze her legs free and roll back out of his grasp.
"Ohh...wow." Izzy said.
Jace and Jessa watched each other cautiously. Each waiting for the other to move. A smile slowly crept across Jessa's lips as she tilted her head sidways. Jace raised an eyebrow, waiting, anticipating her next move. The door to the attic swung open and Maryse stood.
"It's almost midnight. Everyone to bed." She said, firmly.
Everyone groaned and filed out of the attic.
"You could have had me." Jace said, passing Jessa.
"Oh really? In what way?" I responded.
"Oh, darling, in anyway you want." He smirked.
Jessa rolled her eye, annoyed.
"Jessamine." Maryse said, behind them.
She stopped and turned to face Maryse, "Yes?"
"Are you feeling alright?"
"Yes, why?"
"You haven't taken your medication in three days."
"I'm aware." Jessa responded.
"You don't think you should take it?"
Jessa realized that the group had stopped walking behind her. She glanced back at them, their eyes fixated on her.
"I think I'll be fine for a little longer." Jessa bit her lip.
"I don't think that's a good idea, dear." Maryse said, touching her cheek.
"You know what it means if I take it."
"Jessamine, you're treading on thin ice."
"I've been treading on thin ice since birth." Jessa responded.
"If you're sure."
"I am."
With that Jessa turned and rejoined the group. They seemed to all be focused on her.
"What was that about? Are you sick?" Izzy asked.
"It's nothing." Jessa shook her head.
"Are you sure it was nothing? It seemed pretty serious." Alec questioned.
With that she sped up, wanting to get away from them. She wanted to be alone. She disappeared into her room and locked the door behind her. She sat on her bed and held her knees close to her chest. Beside her bed sat a silver box. One that had been in her family for generations now. She hated it. Tears streamed down her cheeks. It wasn't fair. It wasn't. How could this be her life? She slammed her eyes shut and bit her lip.
"Jessie...?" Someone said outside her door.
Jace.
"What?" She responded . "You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Liar. This had made her a liar.
"Can I come in?"
"I'm going to bed Jace..."
More tears streamed down her pale cheeks.
"Okay, I'll see you in the morning I guess."
"Kay."
"Night."
"Night."
She listened as he walked away.
The next morning she rejoined the group to train. She and Jace resumed their training. Hodge, Isabelle and Alec watched intently, hoping Jessa would take him. Suddenly Jessa fell to the mat and began coughing. Her hands were squeezed so tight into a fist that her knuckles were white. Jace and Alec raced to her side, lifting her to a sitting position. Both stared at her with shock written on their faces.
"What did you do?" Alec stared. "Izzy, get mom!"
Blood was splattered on the mat and was covering her lips. She closed her eyes, coughing into her hands.
"I'm sorry Jessa! I'm so sorry! I didn't...I..." Jace stammered.
"No..." Jessa shook her head, as Maryse entered the room.
"By the Angel, Alec pick her up and bring her!" she stared.
"Maryse I'm sorry!" Jace said.
Maryse didn't respond and Alec scooped up Jessa. Isabelle and Jace watched helplessly as they disappeared.
"What did you do?" Izzy asked.
"I don't...I don't know. I wasn't even trying my hardest. She had me..."
Jessa sat on her bed after showering. Her wet hair hung down in front of her face as she brushed it. She heard the door open behind her. Moving quickly and reaching for her stele, she saw Jace standing in the doorway. Her room was dark, lit only by the Christmas lights above her bed.
"By the Angel, you scared me!" she said.
"Yeah, it's just me..." he shrugged. "Come in." she responded softly.
Jace closed the door behind him and walked closer to her. Her skin looked a bit paler than usual. Her eyes seemed colorless.
"I wanted to apologize for..."
"Don't." a small smile crept across her faded lips.
"What?"
"You didn't to anything wrong, it wasn't you. It was me."
That didn't even make senesce to him. How had he not caused her to fall to the ground and bleed.
"Excuse me?"
"It wasn't you. Don't worry."
"Explain?" he raised an eyebrow.
"It's not that easy..." she shook her head and lowering her eyes. "Please just accept that."
"I can't! I can't just see what I saw and not think that I did that!"
Jessa seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, toying with her dark hair. Without looking up, she uttered 3 words.
"I'm dying, Jace."
She didn't sound happy or sad. She said it as if it were something in everyday conversation.
Jace stared at her with a blank face. It seemed to have drained of color as Jessa's eyes traveled back up to him.
"W...what?" he stammered.
"I'm sick...and there's nothing that can be done."
His face grew whiter. Jessa reached for his hand. He let her take to and sat down beside her.
"You're almost as white as me right now."
"How long have you known?" Jace asked.
"A long time." Jessa nodded. "Do the others know?"
"Just Maryse and Hodge. They were told before I came. They keep my medication, if you could call it that, with them, just in case things like today happen."
"What do mean? What medication? Why not an Izrate?"
"They don't work on things like this. Only in superficial wounds. Things that would heal on their own."
"What wrong with you? Why can't we heal you? The Silent Brothers!"
"Believe me, they've been trying to for years. They couldn't even help the first person who passed it down. That was in the 1800's. He was attacked with his family in Shanghai by a Greater Demon. His parents begged for his life, so the Demon agreed to allow him to live, but not without a price. He was left with a craving for the Demon's blood. And the sickness made it's way down a long line of boys, until it finally reached me. I go as long as I can with out it, until it makes me sick, like today."
"Jessa...I don't know what to say."
"Well that's a change!" She laughed.
Jace smirked, "So how do you...how do you manage?"
"Well, I'm more or less just drug junkie...except with demon blood. It's in me to desire it. I don't want it, but without it...the withdraws alone will kill me. It's just easier to give in and live a little longer than to try and over come the addiction."
"Jessa, that's... horrible."
"It's not so bad once you're used to it. I've been living with it since I was born...it's something
I've always known. My father died from it...thats why I ended up here."
"Is that why you appear so pale?"
"Yeah, and why my eyes have no color."
"But you're hair."
"I get it dyed every few weeks, it's actually a metallic silvery color. Not attractive in anyway."
Jace tilted his head, looking at her.
"What?" She asked.
"I can't see you any other way." He shrugged.
"Pale and colorless...that's me." She laughed.
"And yet...there's a perfection about you." He blurted, catching himself off gaurd.
Suddenly Jessa's cheeks were pink...a rare moment in her life. Jace smiled, seeing the color in her face.
"Well, now you have some color." He said.
She still didn't know what to say.
"Did you...uh...did you just say perfection?" She stammered, smiling.
"Um...yes." He nodded.
They both sat awkwardly for a moment. In it's own odd way, Jace found her room lit in a romantic way. Maybe it was them creating the mood, but Jace felt drawn to Jessa. She watched nervously as Jace moved closer. Her eyes were fixed no his. Everything seemed to disappear around them as his hand touched her face softly. She swallowed as he was less than an inch away from her now. His lips finally brushed against hers, causing goosebumps to form all over her body. She closed her eyes and kissed him back. Jace ran his tongue gently across her lips causing her to part them. She felt herself melt a little when his tongue touched hers. They were kissing. Her mind raced as she processed that thought.
"Jessa?"
They pulled apart quickly and Jace scrambled to his feet.
"Yeah?" Jessa responded.
"It's Isabelle...can I come in?"
"Of course we know it's you Izzy. We can hear your voice." Jace said in his usual tone.
The door opened and Isabelle entered.
"What are you doing here?" Isabelle eyed Jace.
"Making sure that Jessa is alright. She's fine." Jace responded.
"Yeah." Jessa nodded.
"Well I was just checking in on you as well. Do you need anything?"
"No, I'm fine, thanks." Jessa smiled.
"If you change your mind, let me know." Isabelle said, reaching for the door.
"We should leave you to rest." Jace followed Izzy.
He smiled at her before leaving. As the door closed Jessa let out a quiet squeal. She'd never kissed a boy before. She knew Jace had kissed many girls, his kiss seemed expert. She jumped out of bed, opened the door and saw Jace halfway back to his room.
"Jace." She said.
He turned on his heels and looked back. Jessa clung to the doorframe as he began to walk back. He stood before her.
"Yes, Miss Jessamine?"
She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss. Jace's eyes were still closed as Jessa stepped back. A smile was spread across his lips.
"Goodnight." She said.
His eyes opened and he nodded, "Night, Jessie."