This chapter doesn't necessarily take time after the previous chapter.
1941
Today was Tessa's least favorite day of the year. That was because tomorrow was her favorite.
When there are merely hours before one's favorite day, Tessa thought, each of these hours felt like a year itself, and thus, she hated that day.
Tessa started the day by taking a shower, then she had breakfast –an omelet and coffee, which Magnus had gotten her addicted to- then went back to her room. She looked through her closet, trying to find the perfect clothes for the next day. She ended up picking a red knee-length dress with black dots, and its sleeves reached her elbows. If Jem could like it, she thought, he would.
Magnus was sitting outside, translating a Latin manuscript, oblivious to her nervousness. Tessa didn't know why she always got nervous before her annual meeting with Jem; it wasn't like he was a stranger, but ever since Will had passed away –she whimpered at that thought- he had started to become more and more emotionless.
After picking the clothes, Tessa had nothing to do. So she started pacing back and forth her room in her and Magnus's New York apartment. There wasn't much in her room; brown bed with beige sheets, brown closet, white walls, and a brown desk for her studies. She also had a few souvenirs from her life in the London Institute; a framed picture of her and Will reading A Tale of Two Cities, her son's Herondale ring, a copy of her daughter's first book she had written, and finally, a black and white picture that included the very old London Institute crew: Will, Jem, her, Jessamine, and Charlotte.
While Tessa was pacing around in her room, she was thinking of the excuse she was going to use this time to get Magnus to make her a Portal. She had already used "I want to visit my favorite bookstore in London" and "I want to check on the head of the Institute there" and some others. But Tessa had a feeling that Magnus knew she was onto something; she was going to London at the same time of the year every year…
A knock on her door drew her out of her thought. She went to open it, and Magnus was standing there, with a letter in his hand; Jem's confirmation of their meeting tomorrow, no doubt.
Magnus smiled at her, "A letter for you, again."
She mumbled a thanks, took the letter hastily out of his hand, and turned to read it:
Dear Tessa,
You know our meeting on Blackfriars Bridge is sacred to me, but the mundane war in London is worse than ever, and the Silent Brothers are being frequently called by the Institutes all around the world. Therefore, I cannot meet with you this year.
With great apologies,
Jem
Tears trickled down Tessa's cheeks, but she barely noticed them. How could Jem just dismiss their meeting like that, and only one day before it? She understood that he was already breaking various rules by going to the bridge every year, just to see her, but still. That day, that mere hour, had helped her survive, had helped her go through Will's death. Looking forward to seeing Jem had kept her going even when she was at her lowest, thinking longingly of death. And now he justـــ
"He isn't wrong, you know. The warlocks in London are sending notes to all our kind to stay away from there. I wasn't going to let you go anyway," said Magnus from behind her.
She turned around to face him, her sadness turning to anger, "You read the letter? How could you do that? It's personal!"
"I only read it now, over your shoulder, when I saw you crying. I apologize, perhaps I shouldn't have, but I got worried."
He seemed to be waiting for her response, but all he got from her is more tears and her best deadly glare.
"Besides, it's not like I didn't know about your meeting anyway."
"Excuse me?!"
"Come on, Tessa. I'm not stupid. Each year at the same approximate time, a fire letter arrives, then the next day, you leave to London, and you come back happy yet somehow sad. I could see the pattern. So last year I followed you."
"You- you followed me?" Tessa looked around for something to hit Magnus with. That meeting was their secret! No one was supposed to know. It took her years to tell even Will about it.
"Tessa…" Magnus moved forward to hold her. She would have pushed him away, but she was already overwhelmed with anger and despair to find the energy for it. Instead she found herself crying into Magnus's shirt, just as she had so many times before. She hated it. She hated people seeing her crying and feeling sympathetic towards her, but the tears wouldn't stop flowing.
"I understand," he murmured, "Well, I probably don't. I don't go sneaking around and breaking I-don't-know-how-many rules to see a good-looking Silent Brother, but I'm here for you."
I'm here for you. He had said that so many times before, and he always kept that promise. Tessa sometimes wondered if she could ever pay him back, or if there would ever be a time when she didn't owe him. They had forever, she knew, perhaps someday she could be there when he needed her.
"But- but you can't tell anyone," Tessa said through her tears, "It's a secret."
"Yes, of course. Your secret will go with me to grave. That will be a long time."
Tessa laughed, "Good. Oh, and Magnus," she fixed him with a look, "if you ever dare read my letters or follow me again, I will-"
She couldn't tell him what she would do, because he had already raised his hands in surrender and left.
Thanks all for reading! It would be awesome if you left constructive reviews; I feel like this chapter wasn't as good as the others. Thankfully, I already have the idea for the next chapter, so hopefully it won't take as long as this one did. Also, if you have any ideas for future chapters please let me know :D
