Will awoke to a panicked cry from outside his room. He sat up startled, but hearing the yelling once more, grabbed his witchlight and his dagger, flying out into the hall.
He turned, searching for the source, wondering if he was losing his mind, but another yell called his attention to a door he knew well.
"Tessa…" he spoke silently, and without hesitation let the door swing open.
Going to her bed he found her asleep. Worry and sweat covered her face. He set down his dagger and light, not caring that it turned off. Taking her shoulders in trembling hands Will shook her gently. When she didn't wake up, he shook harder.
"Tessa," he muttered urgently, "It's just a dream. Wake up."
One more deafening scream sounded as she finally woke, lungs grabbing for air as she frantically sat up. "Tessa, it's Will. You were yelling, and I came to see if you were alright. Were you having a nightmare?" He felt her go ridged under the grip he still held on her shoulders.
"Get off of me," she said coolly, swatting his hands away from her.
Grabbing his witchlight and weapon from her bed, he lit up the room. Tessa was glaring at him, face red with a sudden rage.
Will sighed gazing down to the floor where his note lay in shreds. "Are you ever going to forgive me?"
"It depends what you are talking about Mr. Herondale, it seems as if there are many things I need to consider forgiving you for."
Will's lips were a fine line. "I've done plenty bad things in my life Miss Gray and I do not plan to change my reputation for you."
"Fine then!" she retorted, voice rising, "I do not forgive you. For anything."
He turned for the door not wanting her to see the pain on his face, and left Tessa fuming, as he always seemed to do.
He tossed his witchlight into his room's open door, but didn't stop. He went down the hall, going down the stairs, grabbing a cloak from the coat rack at the landing, and left the institute, heading for a place that could make him forget, even if only for a moment, Tessa Gray.
Jem heard Tessa scream. A nightmare he guessed, getting out of bed, trotting down the hall. Her door was open already, Will shaking her awake. Jem couldn't help but think that he should have been there first. An unsettling feel of jealousy pricked his heart.
He'd listened to them talk; listening to the pain in Will's voice and the anger in Tessa's. He hid in the dark shadows of the hall as he watched Will leave. Thinking about what Will may have done to make Tessa so angry.
Knowing Will it could have been a countless amount of things, but Jem thought of the night he'd wandered into Tessa's room. She had been crying. Not even after Will had called Tessa a whore had she cried. This was something worse, something she didn't even want to tell him.
He entered her room after Will was down stair and out of sight.
"Are you alright?" he asked her, sitting down on the end of the bed.
"Fine," she murmured, face contorted as she tried to hide her apparent anger.
"Did you have a nightmare?"
Huffing, she looked up at him, nodding yes.
"Would you feel better telling me about it?"
Tessa thought Jem was always comforting to be around. It was his patience. He didn't tell push, just waited silently until she was ready.
She huffed again, nervously looking down at her sheets. "It was about you, and Will was there too, but you were sick – more sick than I've ever seen you – and Will was out getting you medicine, no one was here but me and you, and you were dying and I couldn't save you, only Will could because he had your medicine."
Though her voice shook, she held her composure through her entire explanation. Jem crawled closer, tilting her chin up to see search her eyes. "Tessa, I'm dying, but I'm not dead yet. I'm here now, and I care about you, okay?"
She nodded, closing her eyes. "I don't want you to die."
Leaning in he kissed her cheek. "I don't want to die either, not now that I have you." He kissed her other cheek.
They laid in bed, Jem's arms wrapped around Tessa, holding her close to his chest. She'd fallen asleep soon after Jem had promised to stay with her, but Jem couldn't settle enough to drift off as well. There were too many questions on his mind, most regarding Will. He knew they'd have to talk sooner or later. He couldn't keep his relationship with Tessa a secret from him forever.
He wondered where Will was right then. Was he at a pub? Out for only a bit of fresh air? Would he be back by morning? Jem couldn't help but to think that the happier he was being with Tessa, the sadder Will was without her. Did "All is fair in love and war" count when you are parabati?