So here is chapter two. I'm sorry it is so abysmally late, but I took the advice of vampirelover081 and expanded so this is what happened.

Once again, indebted so very very very much to Team Jem Carstairs, for excellent beta work and generally telling me when an idea will not work.

As always Cassandra Clare actually owns the characters, I am just mangling her work.

So.. yeah that's it for me, but none of you read that did you? Yeah I didn't think so. But anyway here it is.

Will gazed out of his window, or rather what had been his window, it had been a year since he had set foot in this room or even this building. When Jem had died he hadn't been able to handle it, the worry and sympathy coming from everyone, so he had retreated inside of himself. Turning his stories of loose women and drunken brawls into fact and staying out later and later at nights until one morning he just hadn't come home at all. He had heard that Charlotte and Henry were looking for him, but he had just slipped deeper into the hell of London's underworld eventually leaving England completely. He knew they hadn't been surprised when he came home later and later smelling strongly of alcohol, they had expected it even. They thought it was how he dealt with life. They weren't wrong. He knew his leaving had saddened them, but surely they hadn't been surprised. He had made it clear that since Jem was no longer there nothing existed that could keep him at the Institute.

He leaned his forehead against the glass pane and breathed in the London air. Air that was thick with smoke and soot, and tainted with the smell of the Thames. He felt something stir in his chest at that, recognition maybe, whatever it was it wasn't emotions. Will'd had little time for those before Jem had died and even less since. He was almost certain it was recognition; London was his city after all. Even with all that he had seen, nothing moved him the same way London's skyline could. It was a city made for William Herondale, with its persistent rain and bleak grey sky it had always reflected his mood. He had missed this city.

Below he saw the gates open and the carriage come in. He turned away from the window and headed towards the door, to meet them. As he left he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and he stopped to take it in. Briefly he wondered if they would even recognize him, he had changed so much in the past year. His skin had become paler, a by-product of living nocturnally, his Marks now stood out against his skin like a scorch mark on the most expensive of silk, and his hair had darkened as well it now hung in his eyes, hiding them. He had lost weight too he realized, his clothes no longer clung to him snugly, instead hanging off him. But doing little else besides sleeping and hunting and occasionally eating would do that. But it was his expression and eyes that had changed the most. Once his smile had been mocking, sarcastic now it was just sad and rare his eyes were still a deep blue, but they were flat. They used to show that he had secrets, secrets that he had chosen to hide. Now they were empty except for an all consuming sorrow. The kind that might pull you under and drown you if you let it. He shook his head and turned away from the mirror.

He silently slipped out of the door and down the stairs finding his way towards the entrance of the Institute as flawlessly as if he had never left. As he wound his way down the familiar passage he found himself remembering all the times had had walked the same path either with Jem or to see Jem or worrying about Jem. He raised his hand to his throat to touch the jade pendant that hung around his neck, he hadn't removed it since the day he had received it except for one time, to string it around a leather cord and place a new pendant on it. A silver pendant that had one diamond and one sapphire sitting side by side with the rune for family entwined around them. It was his way of remembering not only his friend, but also himself, and the innocence he had lost at twelve.

He shook his head at the memories, banishing them the same place he kept his emotions. He got to the entrance just as Charlotte and Henry came through the door, Will smiled at the normalcy of it all. Henry took Charlotte's coat for her and kissed her cheek, she smiled at him and Sophie darted forward to take both their coats as Will realized what he had missed when he left. Looking at Charlotte and Henry, he admitted with some resignation, that Jem's death had at least brought them closer together. When one door closes ...

He was hidden in the shadows, with his hair melding in the darkness. He saw Charlotte's eyes flick in his direction and he moved back, pressing himself against the wall, intending to slip away at the first moment but he wasn't fast enough. One of Charlotte's throwing stars flicked past his ear and imbedded itself in the wall. She had missed on purpose.

"Come out of the shadows, and don't try anything." Her voice was firm, and Will could see that she had another star in her hand, and that Henry's hand lingered around his waist where his broadsword was strapped. A year ago Will would have had a retort for that, now however, he just walked out with his hands held very carefully away from his body. He heard Charlotte's gasp as his features were thrown into light, and then she ran to him and threw her arms around him.

"When did you get here?" she demanded, her voice shaking.

"About an hour after you left this morning, I came in and stayed in my room no one even knew I was here." She pulled back and looked at him, her eyes critical.

"You're thinner, and paler. And why didn't you tell us you were coming?" She punctuated that sentence with light punches to his arms.

"I didn't know. It was only last week I started travelling in earnest. Before that I was somewhere in Germany I think." He trailed off. He hadn't paid attention to where he was or what he was doing except for when he was fighting. Then he had been aware of everything.

"You don't know where you were?" Charlotte's voice was accusing. Will briefly closed his eyes and swore at himself for the slip up.

"All those places sound the same to me, so no; I'm not exactly sure where I was." Charlotte nodded, but didn't look like she believed him, but before she could say anything Henry placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Let the boy rest Charlotte." She nodded and stepped away from him, indicating that he should lead the way. He looked around a new thought striking him.

"Where's Tessa?" Henry and Charlotte exchanged glances, the kind of glance that meant there was bad news coming. He felt a cold dead thing slip into his stomach; he hadn't had any contact with the Institute in a year. It was very likely that she could have died, or run off or returned to America.

"She's out, but she should be back soon."

"Well, I'm not waiting for her." Will turned around and walked towards the library. Charlotte and Henry followed, staying just behind him. He moved silently down the hall, not turning his head or acknowledging anything, but it wasn't like he just didn't notice, more like he was studiously avoiding looking at anything Charlotte noticed. When he reached a place where the hallway branched off he stopped and stared. The patch of darkness he was staring at was a staircase. A staircase that led to Jem's room. Will looked up at the darkness with an extremely pained look on his face, his hands clenching and unclenching, his jaw working.

"Will, it's that way." Henry pointed down the hall. Will's head went down, and when he looked up at them his face was drawn and closed, but his eyes told a different story, they were dark and sad, but when Charlotte looked closer she realized that they were also deep, and full of secrets. He saw her looking and his face changed, his mouth coming down into a hard line, his eyes clouding and his eyebrows drawing into scowl.

"I am aware of that Henry." He spun on his heel and marched down the hall without another word. Charlotte breathed out and looked at Henry. He had a speculative look on his face.

"He's still there, he's buried deep but he's there." She leaned against Henry, finding comfort in his strong frame. He put his arm absentmindedly around her waist.

"It's not that he's buried that worries me though, dear, but what it's buried under." Charlotte turned to look at Henry his words striking a chord in her. With Will it was a very real and terrifying thought. She leaned closer into him, fighting back the worry that was slowly creeping in.

Will sat down in a chair facing the window, his eyes welling up. He had come very close to losing it in the hallway, and right now he was fighting the urge to smash something very breakable against something very solid, to replicate the shattered mess inside of himself with a shattered mess in front of him. He leaned forward and pressed the palms of his eyes. Tears leaked out of the corners of his eyes. He heard footsteps and hastily wiped them away. He looked up and saw Sophie standing in the doorway. She came in with a tea tray and a plate of scones and left without saying a word, but giving him a look of deepest loathing before closing the door. He didn't react, some things never change and Sophie's opinion of him was destined to be one of those things. More footsteps distracted him Charlotte stood in the door, her face concerned.

He turned away and looked out over London, the sun was just setting, and it cast an orange glow over everything. Like the city was on fire, Will thought to himself, his lips wryly pulling themselves up into something vaguely resembling a smile, but more like a sneer. It was the biggest expression of life that had been on his face in a very long time.

Charlotte sat down in front of him, startling him. Instinct had him reaching for the misericord that was hidden in his boot before recognition set in and he relaxed. She watched him out of the corner of her eyes.

"You've gotten quicker with your reflexes." She said, trying to start a conversation Will merely grunted and stared out the window, looking equal parts the bad angel and Adonis. Charlotte looked at him and realized the difference in Will's appearance went far beyond the physical changes. The entire way he held himself had changed. Will had always been closed off, held himself away. But now he almost held himself contained she realized, like he was pulling deeper inside himself, whereas before he had just been tensed to spring.

"Where were you Will?" he jumped and turned around almost like he had forgotten she was there. He closed his eyes for a moment.

"Out." Was all he said.

"Will, I need to specifics." He voice was firm and he opened his eyes and looked at her. A lazy, slow look the kind that comes before a deception.

"I really don't see what for, Charlotte. Unless you are planning a vacation that is, in that case I would be more than willing to help you." He stood up and walked around the room taking it all in. It was killing him to be light and flippant like this. He could practically hear Jem saying "Now Will." He closed his eyes and drew a shaky breath. He turned back to Charlotte. She frowned at him, and opened her mouth to speak. Before she could however, the door to the Institute opened and a girl's laughter rang out.

Tessa's laughter, it made his heart contract painfully. He took a deep breath and walked over to the scotch on the mantle as footsteps hurried up the staircase. But they were off, like she was running or tripping, he couldn't place it. As they drew closer he poured himself a glass and closed his eyes, leaning against the mantle and doing his best to look unaffected. At the exact moment the door opened Will's eyes did the same, and one thought ran through his head. Showtime.

'Charlotte, sorry we're late, but traffic… " Tessa stopped when she saw Will. He turned his head and looked at her. She was beautiful, grey eyes, brown hair, slim. Everything about her was exactly as Will remembered it, even her voice. For a moment, he was happy. Then he saw who was behind her.

Alright, you know the drill. That blue button right there is what you press to let me know what you thought, what I screwed up and what you think should happen. (I will be taking that into consideration) and just generally your thoughts on today's political and socio economic issues... I mean what!

But seriously, click lemme know and I'll see what I can do.