Last time on The Meeting of The Institutes: mostly Tessiam fluff, we learn that Jack has had a huge crush on Tessa since they were kids. Will executes phase one of his master plan (get Jack to go drinking with him) with little resistance. (I'm sorry this is late! I had a crazy weekend then the uploader was being stupid and my Dad was nagging me to clean my room. I'll stop making excuses now… =.=)

The pub that Jack led him to wasn't as dark or shady as the bars Will was used to, but as long as Jack did something stupid in a drunken haze Will was okay with it. They took two seats at the bar. Jack asked for a beer. American, Will mocked inside of his head, absolutely no taste. Will got his usual gin, and they drank. Will was impressed with Jack and how much he could handle. After about an hour Will was exceptionally hammered, but Jack was still self-aware and coordinated.

"Why aren't you drunk?" Will slurred.

"I don't get drunk. It takes about four bottles of brandy to get me tipsy." Jack said brightly. "It's a gift." Will took another swig of his drink and muttered to himself something indecipherable, then slumped down on the bar, knocking over some glasses. "And now it's time go home. " Jack said as he lifted Will to his feet and slung an arm over his shoulder to help him walk. They had made their way about a block away from the bar when Will pushed Jack away and attempted to walk by himself.

"I'm a bloody shadowhunter I don't need some mundane to help me walk." Will muttered to himself as he leaned heavily against the wall and walked using heavy steps.

"Come on Will you're going to hurt yourself." Jack said as he tried to help Will down a step. Will shoved him again, and clambered down the step, almost falling twice. He made it to the next lamp post when he unceremoniously fell flat on his back, narrowly missing a puddle of muddy water. Jack hastily came to prop him up.

"I hate you." Will slurred with a menacing glare.

"Why?" Jack said with an amused tone as he lifted Will back up.

"You stole Tessa." Will said flatly.

"I believe it was you that stole her." Jack said, matter-of-factly, but maintaining his amused attitude. "Because I don't believe she was yours in the first place," Jack added teasingly. Will spat some undoubtedly good insult at Jack that was regrettably lost due to the fact that he was having trouble stringing together comprehensible phrases. So instead he did another death glare. Jack chuckle good naturedly and said, "So I take it you fancy Tessa?" Will didn't answer. "Well go tell her. We'll all get a good laugh out of it." Will stopped for a moment, his intoxicated brain considering whether to go confess his undying love or not.

"Fine." He said "I'll do it." Will said, standing up straight.

"Wait- really? That was a joke, you don't have to." Jack hurried to say. Will turned to him and said,

"Just because you were too much of a coward to say what you think doesn't mean I have to be." With that Will started walking down the street, feeling considerably less drunk. Jack stood there watching him go with a looking conflicted, and a little hurt.

Will arrived at their hotel without tripping and falling along the way. He steeled his nerves before picking up what he thought was a small stone and flinging it at Tessa's window. His drunken brain completely overestimated the distance he was throwing and completely underestimated the size of the rock, so instead of producing a tapping sound against her window, the rock went through the window, shattering it and hitting the wall with a loud crack. There was a short scream before a figure in white appeared beside the window holding a bow with an arrow trained on Will. He vaguely wondered where she got the bow, but those thoughts were soon replaced when she stepped into full view. Tessa lowered her weapon.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING WILLIAM?" Tessa shouted at him, causing him to cringe. Then realization dawned on her. "You're drunk aren't you?" When Will didn't reply she sighed, and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Goodnight William." She turned away, carefully picking her way around the broken glass.

"Wait!" Will shouted back. "I have to tell you something!" Tessa sighed again,

"What is so imperative that you need to scare me half to death in the middle of the night?"

"I love you." Will said. Tessa stopped dead in her tracks and slowly turned around.

"You don't mean that." She swallowed. "You said yourself that you're drunk."

"Yes I do!" Will argued. "I have since I first met you and you hit me with a vase."

"Then why did you say those things to me?" Tessa said, dangerously close to tears.

"I-," Will faltered, "I don't know." Tessa looked at him wearily, and said again,

"Goodnight, William." She turned again away from the window. Will knew that now was the time to go all out.

"I'm sorry, Tessa. Can't you see how sorry I am? I was scared and I didn't know what was going on with me. I mean, I've never needed anybody. Until I met you. Please Tessa." Tessa didn't dare look at him. She knew that one look into his beautiful eyes, and all the walls she had painstakingly put up would fall down. All the parts of her that needed Will would break free. She knew she wouldn't be able to say no. So she closed the curtains, sat down on her bed and cried. She cried because she didn't know what to do. She was at war with herself, her head against her heart. And neither one of them was going to win anytime soon.

Will just stood there. He blinked hard as the last few minutes sunk in. He had told Tessa exactly how he felt. Hell, he had shouted it in the middle of New York! And she just left. Isn't that what she wanted? To understand him? He was angry, but only for a few seconds before he was encumbered with pure dejection. He felt numb as he walked inside and collapsed on his bed. But he didn't sleep. He just replayed the night over and over in his head. It hurt, but he couldn't stop, so he just sat there and let himself be miserable. Tessa was doing the same.

(A/N) I know what you're thinking: "Hey! What happened to all the fluffy Tessiam humor goodness?" Well plot happened! That's what! Don't forget to review! Because if you don't I will never know if I am a passable angst writer. I will also be sad. Like this: :(. Is that what you really want? Is it? Well see you next week! One more thing! To get everyone in the Christmas/Holyday spirit I thought it would be fun if everyone said their favorite food or activity during the Holydays. Oh, come on it'll be fun! My favorite thing about Christmas is the ginger bread that my dad makes every year since he was 7. And Christmas Eve Mass (it's actually not mind numbingly boring. Go figure...)

Your turn!