I got a review that made me want to write, but I had my math midterm in between, and then life got busy and fell apart, so this is later than I would have liked.

It snowed the first day of November. Nor proper snow, fat flakes dusting the ground, dampening the quiet, like it always did in the countryside in movies. This snow was thick and iron gray as the clouds from which it fell. It had barely landed before it melted, but students were standing outside in droves, faces turned skywards, mouths open. Their uniforms were soaking across the shoulders, girls pushing each other and laughing, boys hanging against the side of the building, leaning against the walls as their hair fell from carefully gelled quiffs.

Tessa stared out of the window of her room, her mind back in a different set of grays.

"Tessie," Nate slurred, his breath thumping through the payphone receiver. "In a box in Aunties closet, there's a box." Someone in the background hooted. "Sh'up Davis!" Nate shouted. "I need you t' come an t'bring it." He giggled. "I'mwithma boyys!" There came down the line a smack as the receiver was dropped, then the buzzing of the dial tone.

Tessa pulled her boots in in two sharp tugs. "Aunty, I'm going out!" she called.

Harriet sat in the other room, sipping tea and brandy from the day bed, her cheeks pale. "Bring him back safe."

Tessa slammed the door.

It was six blocks to Nate's typical bar, and at night they were flickering neon lights and catcalls. The first time she'd walked, it had felt miles. But she was fifteen now, and had been dragging Nate home at all hours from all places for years.

Nate was outside when she got there, leaning up against the smoke-stained wall. He lurched towards her with a grin. "Tessie!" He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Did ya bringwhatIasked?"

"Nate."

"C'mon Tessie. I'll pay ya back. Iss just theboysaredesp erate. Pleeeease."

"We'dtakesomethingelse if you cannee pay. Pre'y lil lass, aren'tya." One of the other boys grinned at her, his teeth dark and cracking. There were gouges in his neck from scratching, and scars like chicken pox across his face. His thick Scottish accent was unmuffled by the alcohol he had so obviously been drinking.

"Shove off, Mickey," Nate said. "Unless she asks for it."

"Whatayasay. You askin'?"

Tessa fought back the urge to slap him. Nate's friends were a lot bigger than she was, and with whatever was in their systems, they were likely volatile. Besides, Mickey was far from the crudest of Nate's associations. He had come for dinner once, when they were younger. Apparently he was named after his father's favourite drink size. Harriet loved him. Or she had.

"No I'm not." She grabbed Nate firmly around the middle, draping his arm around her shoulders, and began to drag him away.

"Rescued by thelittlewoman!" One of the others called as the left. "I'll still be needing a pay out!"

Nate breathed in her hair. "You sure smell nice Tessie," he mumbled. "What shampoo?" Then he threw up at her feet, all over her shoes. Later, she had to bleach them to get the smell out, so they became grey too. Gray like the walls, like the sky, like Nate's hair in the streetlamp light.

Tess pulled up the hood on the jacket she had bought when out with Jessamine, and headed out into the snow.

Tessa huffed, knee bouncing, as Jessamine filed down the rough edges of her fingernails. "I understand that you're a scholarship student, I do, but that is no excuse not to take care of you nails. I expect you to come to me if you ever need a manicure, a colour, a file." Tessa rolled her eyes. She hadn't touched her nails since before she came to the Institute, and even before then, before Nate left, she'd never been the type to obsess over her appearance.

"Jessamine, I really appreciate this, but… how much longer do you think this is going to take?"

"You need to take better care of your cuticles too. They're creeping up your nail beds. It will be harder to paint designs now."

"It's just that Jem said he would tutor me in math, and last time I missed it because Gabriel kept me late at the gym, and I have a test tomorrow that I'm really stressing about."

"Tessa dear, math isn't a part of the real world. You'll never get to move out properly if you're head is in a textbook. Your nails, however, you be just what you need to snag a bachelor that will drag you head over heels out of this-" she waved her hand at their room, the creamy bedsheets and product covered vanity, the little chandelier and gold footed nightstand- "and into this." She pointed at the intricate doll house on her desk. It was facing them so as to show off the tiny chintz armchairs in the lounge, the mahogany dresser in the bedroom.

Tessa had heard more about the doll house than she ever would have liked. It was Jessamine's pride and joy, an exact replica of the house she had lived in with her parents before their untimely accident in their private plane, and her exile, as she called it, to boarding school. There were tiny dolls too, 'Mommy' and 'Daddy' together in the kitchen, right now, and baby Jessamine curled up safe in her crib.

"I think I'd prefer my nails plain," Tess sighed. "No designs"

"How about white, with a little gold swirl on the thumb? That will g nicely with your dress for tonight."

"What?"

Jessamine rolled her eyes. "Really Tessa, do you every pay attention? Gabriel's having a party tonight. Well, his father is, but loads of people are going. It's going to be good."

"I really do have to study. I mean, math is a bitch."

"So leave her at home! You promised you'd go with me."

Now that she thought about it, Tessa did remember something about a party. She just hadn't realised it was tonight. And she really didn't want to bail on Jem again- they always had a good time, him somehow making even studying bearable. Next to his easy companionship, a party where she knew hardly anyone sounded practically unbearable. "I'll think about it."

Jessamine huffed.

"It depends how much math I get done this afternoon. You know, the sooner you finish my nails, the sooner I start, the more likely I am to be able to go!"

At last, Jessamine released her hand. "You need to get out more. You've been here nearly three weeks, and despite being my room mate, you're practically unknown. Being friends with Heronstairs helps, but they're just two guys. You need some girlfriends, some memory makers. Study math this afternoon, but tonight? You simply must come."

Tessa sighed. "Okay, okay. I'll try."

Jem huffed, bouncing a knee, as one of the Brothers peered into his eyes with a little light. "You've been taking less," he said, echoing Jem's frantic, guilty thoughts. "It will weaken you." He swished to one of the tables at the edge of the hospital wing. "I'm giving you a new prescription, and some extra yin fen for the time being. Do you need someone to go to the supplier?"

Jem shook his head.

"Take a dose when you get back to your room, one shot." The Brother's thin lips were pinched even further than usual. "Then take a nap. Classes tomorrow should be fine, but you need eight hours of sleep tonight in order to maximize the effectiveness."

Jem stood, accepting the form and package. "Okay."

"This episode weakened you further. It could have been prevented had you taken your proper dosage."

Jem nodded, his jaw clenched. He brushed his silvering hair out of his eyes with long thin fingers.

"You're lucky I'm letting you go home tonight. Someone will check your room periodically to make sure you're still okay."

"Will can do it."

"Someone responsible."

Jem sighed. "Fine. Thank you for your help, Brother."

The older man inclined his head in acceptance, then turned and left the room, robe rustling like leaves in wind.

As the door swung shut behind him, Jem exhaled sharply. He threw the with all his strength at the wall thirty feet away, his breath heaving. It hit with a dull thud and slid, undamaged, to the floor. Jem shut his, his Adams apple bobbing as he swallowed, calmed his breathing. With measured steps he crossed the room, picked up the package, and returned to his dorm.

Tessa knocked only moments later, her face alight, her arms full of textbooks. Jem grinned. "Good to know you can keep a plan."

"Come on, that was Gabriel being a dick. I'm usually on time and to plan. Well, I'm a little late, but that you can blame on Jessamine."

"Yeah. Nice nails."

Tessa rolled her eyes. "Now. What the hell is a logarithm?"

Will strode through the crowds. The bottom floor was a masquerade, mostly adults in cocktail wear, coattails and sweeping gowns and embroidered masksd. Money was everywhere, in the marble floors and grand stair and soft lighting. In the fabrics of the dresses and the colours of the drinks and the quality of the drugs that were so openly used the police would have to arrest everyone there. Of course, Will knew what he was looking for, so the average passerby might be innocently oblivious.

Halfway up the stair he began to feel the bass, throbbing in his chest. Rounding the corner, the lights turned multicolour and flashed, like a disco, or laser tag, Will couldn't help but think; another display. Already there were kids slumped in the hallway, obviously wasted. A few off the doors were still open, displaying various scenes of undress and discord.

The big room at the end of the hall was the source of the lights and music, and it was full of thrashing teenagers. There was a table at the end covered in hard alcohol and mini sandwiches, manned by a pretty girl with a mane of curly blonde hair, her shoes six inches high and sparkly.

"Will!" he heard somebody shout. "Oh thank god."

He turned. Tessa was fighting her way towards him, her hair slipping from it's up-do. She was wearing a little white dress that was obviously borrowed from Jessamine, as it hugged her every curve in a way he knew she would have protested. "I didn't expect to see you here. I thought you were studying."

"I was, with Jem earlier this afternoon. But he was pretty tired and had some other homework, and Jessamine showed up and dragged me here, so…"

'Pretty tired', Will knew, was what Jem said when he meant 'sick'. He wouldn't stay long, he decided. But Tessa was here, so lovely and happy to see him. He at least should… "Can I get you a drink?"

Tessa swallowed visibly. "I don't really drink. I mean, its fine if you do, I guess, but not for me."

"How about lemonade? No alcohol. I think I saw some at the table."

Tessa smiled gratefully. "Sure. Sure thank you."

"C'mon."

"Lemonade?" She shouted at the girl behind the table, who's heels were now tossed in a corner with the empty bottle, though her tread was no more steady.

"Downstairs!" the girl shouted back, pointing to be sure they understood.

Tessa shook her head at Will.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her out into the hallway, where the noise was significantly reduced. "She said there's lemonade downstairs, yeah?"

"Yeah. Oh well."

"Let's go." He pulled her towards the stairs, where a number of the adult's jackets had been draped over the bannister. He tugged a floor length white throw coat over her shoulders and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Now we'll fit right in."

"We need these to do that," Tessa giggled, pulling two masks from the display vase. Will slipped the black one over his hair, his blue eyes piercing. He held his hand out for hers, suddenly desperate to touch her again. She held very still as he fastened the gold tie around the back of her head, careful not to catch any stray curls. Her hair was silkier than usual, and almost gold. Jessamine's work, he suspected.

"Ready," he breathed.

Tessa smiled over her shoulder at him. "This feels oddly formal."

"Masks are kind of weird, aren't they. Awn ni!"

"I don't know what that means, but I'm guessing 'come on'," Tessa sighed as dragged down the stairs.

"Close," Will grinned. "Directly, I think, it means, 'Let us go,' as in 'Le us go now, you and I.'"

"Eliot."

"You're such nerd, naming poets at party."

"You're more of one, reciting."

Tessa was too busy grinning at Will to look where she was going. She crashed into a small Asian man in a midnight blue velvet suit, glistening buttons done only halfway up to expose rather a lot of golden skin. He blinked, his eyelashes heavily loaded with navy glitter.

Will bit back a smile. "Mr. Bane!"

He smiled back without teeth. "Ah, young Mr. Herondale. What brings you here?"

"Mr. Bane is the psychology teacher at the Institute, among other things. He heads the QSA."

Tessa nodded. "Nice to meet you. I'm Tessa Gray."

"The pleasure is mine."

"Mr. Bane, we're here for the rager upstairs, but why are you here?"

"I'm with my girlfriend. She's much more in favour of this type of event than I am." He waved his drink in their faces, flashing gold nail polish and a number of rings. "The drinks table is to your left, but don't tell anyone I sent you."

"Thanks."

The two turned away, continuing in the indicated direction. "He seems… cool?" Tessa suggested.

"He has his moments, I suppose. You look a little pale. Do you want to sit here a sec, and I'll bring back the drinks?"

"Sure. Thank you."

She watched his retreating back cautiously, sinking onto the plush stool. She scanned to room, people watching, when she thought she saw a familiar set of shoulders. The masked man turned in her direction, and she was sure, suddenly sure. Those blue eyes, that particular shade of blonde hair, the grip he kept on his glass, were all too familiar. Then he scooped into his arms a beautiful girl with silver blonde hair, and swung her around, kissed her. Beneath the mask, she could see the fine boned features she had become well accustomed to during her time at the institute.

Does this look like lemonade to you?" Will asked, returning, and held up two bottles of cold yellow liquid, cracking the lid and smelling one. "Yeah, it is."

"Thank you." She took a small sip.

Will smiled at her. Already he could feel himself relaxing into the fell of her company, the ease of conversation. Talking with her was addictive, her laugh, her posture, the way she'd gripped his hand as they ran down the stairs. He took a sip of his drink, feeling it fizz in his mouth. "We should probably go back upstairs. Its unlikely Ms. Belecourt will be so forgiving if she finds us."

"What makes you say she's here?" Tessa looked distracted, her gaze lost in the crowd.

"Well, as Magnus, or Mr. Bane, said he's here with his girlfriend, and the two are going out, and one plus one tends to equal two…"

"Gotcha." She reached our and grabbed his hand again, and he felt electricity jump across his skin. He didn't let go though.

Upstairs, the music was just as loud, but he could swear it had gotten worse. The lights were playing across Tessa's face, making her mysterious and beautiful. They caught in her hair, her soft hair, playing off her clips like diamonds. He tried to keep his eyes from the top of her dress, from the exposed skin and beauty of her shape. But he couldn't keep his eyes from hers, so alight, from the shape of her lips. Suddenly overwhelmed, he kissed her.

He didn't know what he was expecting, but it wasn't the arms around his neck, the desperate kiss in return. He heard whoops and cheers as he dragged her out onto a balcony and closed the door. She deepened the kiss, her hands playing with his curls, and he wanted to play with her hair too. He pulled the pins out one by one, watching it fall in soft waves around her shoulders. "Beautiful, he grinned across her lips.

She giggled, and pulled him in again. The jacket he had stolen from the railing was on the ground, and then so was her wrap, and he was tugging at the laces up the back of her dress, so old fashioned and inconvenient. He didn't want to stop kissing her, but he had to, for a moment, as her little hands came up to undo the buttons on his shirt. He leaned in and kissed her neck, her collarbone, distracting her, distracting himself, lost in her. He blood was fire in his veins, and he wanted, needed, more.

A mildly amused, distinguished laugh from the doorway drew them apart momentarily. Will turned from where he stood between Tessa and the railing, careful to keep in front of what he was sure was now rather more exposed skin than originally intended. He wiped his lips, grinning. "Mr. Bane."

"You had to have the lemonade, didn't you."

Tessa peered over Will's shoulder. "What?"

"It's got molly in it. Come on, I'll call you a cab back to the institute."

Tessa pulled tighter the laces on the back of her dress, tugging up the neckline and smoothing her hair self consciously. She blushed.

"Will?" Mr. Bane asked.

The boy's gaze was fixed on a shadow creeping across the Lightwood's lawn, a man with hair so dark it seemed almost blue in the moonlight. In a moment, Will had jumped over the balcony rail and was running across the lawn after him, silent, but steps intent with anger.

Tessa turned to Bane. "What the hell was that?"

A nice long chapter, it turns out! And fun to write (:
Tessa's unease at the party was partly based off my own at my school's Semi-formal this week, but Tessa and Will had their first kiss! (That's more thank I can say hahaha… *cries*)
R&R please, comments = love = happiness.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxooxoxoxoxoooxoxoxoxooxxoxo