Cassandra Clare owns all the characters and such. This is simply my version.

Chapter Two: The Source

Will didn't know where he was going, but it felt good to be in motion so he kept walking forward, wandering the halls of the institute aimlessly. He hadn't meant to be so abrupt with Tessa and Jem, but every time he was in her presence he found himself unable to say the things he really wanted to say. Instead what usually came out was some snide remark, or even worse nothing at all. And then he had stumbled upon her and Jem there together, standing so close to each other, obviously sharing a moment he was not, and never would be a part of. It would never be like that with him and Tessa, not any more. He had ruined any chance he had with her when he had pushed her away that terrible night on the roof. But it was better this way. She was better this way. He was no good for anyone, especially not someone as innocent and untainted at Tessa. She was pure goodness, still in love with the world and not jaded by its harshness. Will's cynicism could poison her if he let it, and he would do all that he could to prevent that from happening. Even if it meant staying as far away from her as possible. Even if it killed him a little bit inside every time he pushed her away through his harsh words. But it had to be done. The only other option would surely end in disaster.

Will looked up from the ground and realized that his wandering had led him to the outside of the broad library doors. The very same library that Tessa was now talking with Charlotte in. As much as Will consciously tried to avoid Tessa, apparently his unconscious would not be as obliging. He was about to turn and walk away when murmured voices through the slightly cracked door caught his attention. Despite the screaming in his mind telling him to walk away as quickly as possible, Will found himself edging closer to the slit in the door. After a moments hesitation Will pressed his eye to the crack.

All he could see was the profile of Tessa standing before one of the many bookshelves, slightly obscured by the edge of the door. She was staring off in front of her where he assumed Charlotte was standing, a slightly confused look on her face. She was listening intently to what someone was saying to her, someone with a male voice, Henry's voice. He was saying something about Mortmain and a location fifty miles west of London.

His interest peaked, Will pressed his face a little closer to the crack, listening hard.

Tessa didn't understand why Charlotte and Henry looked so grim as they told her the news.

"But that's a good thing, right? You think you know where Mortmain is, that's good, isn't it?" Tessa asked looking back and forth between the two of them.

Charlotte shot Henry a look before turning back to Tessa, hesitating slightly before continuing. "Well yes, yes it is a good thing. A group of us are going to the location our source gave us tonight to investigate. If the information proves to be good, we'll send in a second team and try to, uh, eliminate the situation." She paused again, looking down as if trying to think of what to say next. "But that's not really the reason we called you in here."

Tessa furrowed her brow in confusion, waiting for Charlotte to continue, but she seemed to be at a loss as to what to say. Henry, sensing her struggle to find the right words, picked up the conversation where she left off.

"It's not the information so much that is the issue," he said uneasily, running a hand through his flaming hair anxiously, causing its shoot out in all different directions. "It's the source that gave it to us."

"Ok," Tessa said slowly, still not understanding how this all concerned her. "Who was it?"

"A man named James Caldwell," Charlotte said, finding her voice again. "He has connections to the Downworlder underground. Very deep connections. He is very well informed. He…he says that he got the information from a very interesting source." Charlotte glanced up at Tessa now, their eyes connecting. "A source that was very intent on seeing that this information reached us here at the Institute…and reached you."

"But I don't know a James Caldwell," Tessa explained. "And I don't know who his source could have been. The only people I know in all of London live here in the Institute."

Charlotte looked over at Henry nervously, a silent conversation passing between them. Henry gave her a slight nod and Charlotte sighed, looking back at Tessa.

"Mr. Caldwell said he got the information from a Richard Gray…your father Tessa."

Tessa stared at them, waiting for them to keep talking, but no one said anything. They were looking at her apprehensively, like they were just waiting for her to break down in tears, or faint, or scream. But Tessa was unaffected by the information. She almost started laughing.

"I'm sorry, I thought I had told you earlier but I guess I never mentioned it. My parents are dead, they died when I was three," Tessa explained gently. She almost felt embarrassed for them and hoped that they wouldn't feel bad about the mix up.

Charlotte shot Henry a concerned look, biting her bottom lip in anxiety. Henry returned the look with one equally as uneasy. He took a deep breath, turning back to Tessa to try again.

"We're aware of what you had been told about your parents. Indeed, almost everyone believed that they had died in the accident." He paused slightly before continuing in an even softer voice, trying to lessen the blow. "But they never died in the accident, Tessa. You're parents are alive. And they're trying to warn you."

Tessa stared back at them stone faced, their words slowly beginning to seep into her mind. "I—I don't understand," she stumbled over her words, finding it hard to keep the growing alarm out of her voice. "They…they never…they're alive? They're here in London?"

"Now we don't know if they're in London," Charlotte said quickly. "They could have sent the message from anywhere really. But yes, they're alive." Charlotte allowed a small smile to pass her lips, knowing that the girl had just received impossibly good news. News that would change her life forever.

But Tessa was still just standing there, the same blank expression on her face except now all the color had drained from it.

Charlotte took an involuntary step forward, reaching out to the girl standing before her who suddenly looked so unsteady on her feet. "Tessa—"

But Tessa took a step back out of her grasp, shaking her head slightly. She began backing away slowly, the same scarily blank look on her face. "I'm sorry, I can't. I just—" and then she turned on her heels and dashed for the door. She wrenched it open in a blind flurry of movement and came face to face with a set of big round blue eyes.

Will was standing before her, clearly caught off guard, a look of shock and concern layered in his eyes. Tessa stared back at him, frozen in place.

Will was completely at a loss as to what to say. His mouth was hanging open, making slight movements as if he was trying to find something to say, but the only word that made its way past his lips was, "Tessa…"

Tessa never waited around to hear if he ever finished the sentence, she pushed past him, dashing down the hallway, running away from everyone and everything.