October 16th, 1905

Will pounded furiously on the brownstone's richly decorated door. The cool wind whipped across his face, ruffling his graying black hair across his forehead and procuring red splotches across his cheekbones. His heart banged inside his chest furiously. Worried he was going to pass out, he steadied himself with a deep breath. Nothing had shaken him up this badly since-

"Do not think about that right now," he told himself through clenched teeth.

The brownstone was quite large, for New York. While he waited, he took a moment to study it. Perhaps it would calm him down.

'Magnus has done pretty well for himself.'

Apprehensively, he glanced down the street, illuminated with streetlamps. Luckily, not a soul was in sight.

Will heard a shout. "I'm coming!" Despite his anxiety, he allowed a small smile.

The door burst open. Magnus Bane stood in the doorway, a dark figure against the brightly lit hallway behind him. Will marveled at his appearance. Magnus was dressed in a rich dark purple suit, magnificently decorated with yellow sunflowers and birds. Yet despite his outlandish clothing, Will's real disbelief came from the fact that the warlock's face hadn't developed a single wrinkle in the past 33 years.

Astonishment registered on Magnus's ethnic features, along with another emotion (one Will couldn't quite read) then was quickly smoothed out.

"William Herondale. I didn't know you were in New York. To what do I owe this pleasure?" he asked, his voice coated with false cheer.

He decided to cut right to the chase. "I know she's here, Magnus."

"Who, Will?" He was being deliberately difficult, stalling.

Will balled his hands into fists. "Tessa. I need to see her."

Magnus studied the older man's weathered, yet still frustratingly perfect face. "I don't think that's a good idea, shadowhunter."

Will said nothing for a moment, looking at Magnus's impassive face. His mouth was pressed into a firm line, his eyes unusually serious. They both knew Will had gone a bit insane. 'I must look like a madman,' he thought.

"Magnus, I don't think you understand," he began. "I'd like to- I must-"

"See here is where you are wrong, William. You came here because you love Tessa, am I correct? And it's not just a mundane love, for a mundane girl, as you thought at first. It's an all encompassing, passionate, almost unbearable sort of love. A love someone would happily die for, over and over again. You feel this love so deeply and wholeheartedly. It has been absolute torture to be away from her all these years. You think she was caught up in the death of Jem and her brother when she left. You think that she couldn't have handled anything else at the time. So you boarded a ship, -or used a portal- to America once you were sure she was ready. Now, you arrive, hopeful and excited to see her. You are almost positive she has been waiting for you; she may even have already known you were coming! If this is the case, William, I'm afraid I have unfortunate news for you."

Will, who had so far been listening to Magnus with confused resentment, held his breath. He knew that whatever Magnus said next would ruin him, despite Will's best efforts.

Magnus closed his eyes, as if he were in a sort of pain. Will waited, numbness slowly encroaching his heart. With an odd sort of detachment, Will noticed Magnus steeling himself, like a doctor would before informing someone a family member had died.

'And yet I have had the weakness, and have still the weakness, to wish you to know with what a sudden mastery you kindled me, heap of ashes that I am, into fire' echoed in William Herondale's head as Magnus gently told him the truth. The awful, twisted, truth.

"Will, she left because she didn't love you. I'm...sorry."

Magnus could barely stand to look at the man, now just a broken boy. He didn't want to have to do this- he prayed he would never have to do it- but Tessa had been adamant. Magnus understood that she was just trying to protect Will from loving her; she didn't want him to love a ghost, ripped apart from his world, barely living in the outskirts of his destiny. She said at first he wouldn't understand- that only the purest form of kindness is sometimes disguised as cruelty. But Tessa had begged him.

Will gritted his teeth. "I demand to see her."

Seeing that Will wasn't going anywhere until he heard it for himself, Magnus sighed. "Very well, then. Wait here." He disappeared back into the townhouse, calling "Tessa!"

After a moment, the door opened again, revealing a teenage girl in a white lace dress, carrying a book. Will gazed at her, astonished. She was still the same beautiful Tessa. Shock, happiness, then misery registered on her face, then nothing at all. She looked almost bored.

"Will." Tessa stated, her voice cool and sure. "What are you doing here?" She stepped out into the night air, closing the door behind her. She was not intending to invite him in.

He looked at her in confusion. "Tess, I.."

"Yes, Will?" Her gaze was unwavering, expectant.

Will swallowed, feeling sick. This was all wrong. She looked so much like Tessa, yet she was nothing like the Tessa he remembered. The Tessa he loved.

"I know its been..difficult..for you, with the death of Jem and your brother. But that was nearly 16 years ago. I've been searching for you ever since you left, convinced we could overcome this." He shook his head.

Tessa said nothing, impassive.

"Tessa, I love you. Surely you must know that! And to stand there, looking...looking as you look! By the Angel, Tessa where have you gone?" He was losing control. He took a moment to collect himself.

Her eyes filled with unshed tears. When he turned to look at her again, she pushed them back, letting her face settle into a cold mask once again.

"Will, I don't know what to tell you."

"What..what do you mean?"

Tessa took a deep breath.

"I mean I meant what I said, all those 16 years ago. I mean that his venture was stupid, that you shouldn't have wasted so many years looking for me. I mean I do not love you." She considered him, pitying.

Will's face had gone pale, his bright eyes now dull.

"I see."

She felt as if she were about to throw up.

Unable to look at him anymore, she pleaded, "Just leave."

Please, please. Just go away.

Without another word, the defeated man turned and left, shattered. He hurried down the deserted street, forced into a future neither he nor Tessa really wanted.

But when had anyone ever gotten what they truly wanted?

Tessa watched him retreat into the shadows. She stepped back into the warm house, shutting the door softly, heaving a sigh of relief.

"Magnus?" The warlock was sitting on the couch, gazing into the fire.

He looked up, startled. Seeing her face, he motioned for her to sit on the cushion beside him.

"Come here." He opened his arms, and she crawled into them, snuggling up next to her best friend on the couch.

"I did it." Neither of them said anything for awhile, continuing to watch the flames flicker and move.

"Everything changes," Magnus mused. "Except for us. I suppose I should be used to that by now. But I'm not."

She was not used to it either.

"Tell me a story, please." Tears were threatening to spill over, and she couldn't let herself succumb to them quite yet.

"Hmm..a story? What shall it be about?"

"I don't know..anything."

Magnus thought a moment. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful warlock girl named Tessa," he began.

She smiled.