A/N. Okay, so I guess maybe getting ten reviews for one chapter wasn't the best idea... I will keep that in mind. But, that's not a problem anyone should concern yourselves with.
Here you guys go, chapter 14! I hope it meets any expectations if there were any... And, watch out, we got some short, but sweet, Jem and Will parabatai feels ahead!
"Maybe I am... But I'm your hopeless romantic." He smiled, laying his head atop hers.
It was peaceful, the middle of the night. Will laying with Tessa in his arms, listening to her even, calm breathing, seeing her look so content. It was hard for her, when what happened to Jem happened. It was hard for everyone. He knew he would lose Jem, but now, he wouldn't, not entirely anyways. Jem had become a Silent Brother, by some miracle, he managed to bear the marks, though he still will never be completely like the others. He will still be Jem in some ways, he will always be Jem in one way or another. There was nothing that could take him away from them forever.
Will often hoped for a time when they could find a cure for Jem; he was the first person he befriended after he ran away from his home. It pained him when he realized Jem would die. Even though that was the pretty well the first thing Jem told him when they met. He was dying. But it never hit him that he was going to be alone again until he experienced Jem coughing up blood, struggling to breathe for the first time. Before then, he saw someone he could be friends with, for all time's length. Will could almost forget Jem was sick sometimes, and when he did, they felt on top of the world. Nothing could ever get in their way; it was just Will and Jem, ready to take the world.
But, now? What would happen now? This was the only way for Jem to survive, until some way to bring him back to his old self was discovered. Will imagined a day where he, Jem, and Tessa could be reunited, together again. Or, at least, Jem and Tessa could be reunited. Maybe in the future there could be a cure, there had to be. One day, something would heal him. Something could break him from the brotherhood and return him to being Jem.
Will was taken from his train of thoughts by Tessa beginning to stir in his arms. She squirmed around before settling back down, but with a look of fear on her face. Tessa's breathing began to quicken in her sleep, short breaths, gasping for air. "Tess," Will whispered, "Tessa, wake up. Tessa,"
Tessa began shaking her head, her eyes still shut, "No, I'm sorry. No, no." she whispered.
"Tessa, wake up. You're alright." Will claimed, keeping his voice low, but still audible.
"I'm so sorry..." she repeated.
Will gently shook her, hoping the light movement would wake her from her nightmare. "Tess,"
She opened her eyes with a loud gasp, jumping slightly.
"Tessa, are you alright?" Will asked, his voice gentle.
"I'm fine." she said, taking a deep breath. "It was just a bad dream." she claimed, nodding.
Will wrapped his arms around her tighter, pulling her closer to him. "You are sure you're fine?" he asked, kissing the top of her head.
Tessa nodded again. "I am." She took a deep breath. "I'm fine." she claimed and turned her head, giving him a kiss on his cheek. "I promise." she whispered, laying her head on his shoulder.
"What were you dreaming about?" Will asked, idly twirling her hair.
Tessa nuzzled her face into his shoulder more, "nothing." she mumbled.
Will stroked her hair, and nodded, not wanting to push her. "Are you sure?"
She nodded, closing her eyes.
Will sighed before giving her a kiss on the top of her head. She didn't want to tell him, she wasn't going to.
"Will, what time is it?" she asked, opening her eyes, and turning her head to face him.
Will looked down at her, one eyebrow raised, "why do you think I would know?" he asked.
"I don't. I just want to know." she claimed, batting her eyelashes.
"And, I don't suppose you will tell me why you care to know?" Will asked, batting his eyelashes back at her.
"Well, if you must know, I'm simply trying to see how long it was since the last time I got sick, or felt pains, or really anything. I wonder if it's something I can prepare myself for if I can figure out how often it happens..." she explained, pursing her lips.
Will nodded, he looked to the far wall, the only one with a clock, and could barely make out the numbers, he leaned closer, feeling a slight sting from the wound in his chest before seeing the time. "It's still quite early in the morning, Tess. Not quite yet one." he said, settling back down into the bed.
Tessa's eyes squinted. "How am I not still asleep then?" she asked herself, rolling her eyes.
Will chuckled and adjusted their position so they were both in their sides, facing each other. "Maybe because I am awake and you must do everything I do, for you strive to be as amazing as I am, one day." Will suggested, earning a laugh from Tessa.
"I wasn't asking you." she claimed, shaking her head.
"Is there someone else in the room then? Or have you gone mad and have taken to talking to yourself?"
"I talk to myself because I need expert opinions and advice, not because I'm going mad." she clarified.
"Of course, not mad..." Will muttered, a grin playing at his lips.
"What are you trying to say? Do you think I am?" Tessa accused.
"I would say there is only one way to find out if you are sane or not," he leaned forwards, pressing his lips to hers.
Tessa fell into the kiss, nothing in her mind but the feeling of Will's lips against hers.
When he pulled away, she looked at him, disappointed. "I wasn't done, you know." she claimed, arching an eyebrow. "And -not that I didn't enjoy that- what was the point of that?" she added.
"No sane woman would turn down a kiss from William Herondale." said Will, smirking.
Tessa rolled her eyes, "I can think of plenty of women, who are completely sane, who would never want to kiss you." proclaimed Tessa.
"Name one." Will said with a scoff.
"Sophie."
Will shook his head. "She doesn't count." he said.
"And why not?" Tessa asked, with a flourish of her hand.
"Because, she's known me for a long time, and doesn't like me. Thus proving, she is not normal... How can't you like me?"
"You made it very easy to hate you, you know. I'm not going into detail, but you've said some horrible things to me, to everyone in the past." she said, trying to keep the old memories away.
"But that happened a long time a go, Tess. I never wanted to say any of those things to you; you know that." Will reached his hand to grab hers, lacing his fingers with hers. "I love you, now you know. The curse, everything was hard, when I found out it was a lie, I felt dead inside. All the things I had said, were for nothing, everything I did-"
Tessa pressed her lips to his, cutting his words short. She moved closer to him, running a hand through his hair.
When she gently pulled back, Will smiled at her. "Was that your way of telling me to stop talking?" he asked, chuckling.
"Possibly..."
"Well if it was, perhaps I should talk more." he said with a wink.
Tessa rolled her eyes, with a laugh. "Or, I could do something very unladylike and slap you." she said with a smirk. "I do think it would be more fitting."
"Oh, Tessa, be honest." He shook his head, "would you really slap this?" he asked, indicating his face.
"Yes." she stated. "If I had to." she added, looking away for a moment.
"So in other words, no."
"What makes you think that?"
"I am far too handsome to want to slap." he said with a smirk.
"Well, don't make me slap that smirk right off of your face then." she countered.
"Dear me, I think I have lost Tessa... Who are you?" he asked, looking curiously at Tessa.
"You do realize, I could change into someone else if I wanted to, don't you?" she returned.
"Yes, I do. And please, if you ever change into me, don't make me do anything regrettable." Will shuddered.
"I do like that idea..." she murmured, grinning at him.
Will's eye widened in panic, "Tess, please. If you ever did..." he trailed off, shaking his head.
Tessa giggled and shook her head. "Will, I'm only joking. I would never do that. I feel like changing into someone is... it's like an invasion of their privacy. I wouldn't do it unless it was for a good reason." she explained.
Will sighed in relief. "Thank you." he said, Tessa smiled.
"What do you want to do today?" she asked, though it was still too early to do much of anything.
Will took a thoughtful look before speaking. "I'm not sure when I will be allowed to get up and leave, but I do assume it will be soon enough. When I do, Silent Brothers will come and check on you... Hopefully Jem..."
"Of course you only want Jem." she said a weak chuckle escaping her lips.
Will put his hand on her cheek, "would you rather anyone else? I assume not, Jem will be here, he will check on you." Will stated firmly.
Tessa smiled, turning her head and kissing the inside of Will's wrist. "Fine by me," she said, nodding.
Will took his hand away from her face, resting it at his side. "Tess, you look tired." he said, just as Tessa yawned.
"Perhaps I always am. I don't get enough sleep anymore, it seems." she claimed, rolling onto her back, looking up at the ceiling.
Will sighed, propping himself up on his elbows. "Then sleep. You need it." he said, "you haven't been well, depriving yourself of sleep is only going to worsen what's going on." he declared, shuffling closer to her, and sitting up.
Tessa looked over to him. "Aren't you going to sleep?" she asked, another yawn escaping.
Will shook his head. "I honestly am not tired. You, however, are." he claimed, running the back of his hand across her cheek. "Sleep, Tess." he whispered.
"Maybe I don't want to." she said, a glance up at Will.
"Tessa, sleep. You are tired, I can feel it." he claimed, placing a kiss oh her forehead. "Go to sleep."
She sighed, closing her eyes, trying to grab sleep, but letting it fall through her fingers. She felt a small pull in her mind, sleep slowly coming with it, taking into the darkness once again.
Tessa was woken by the sound of something falling. Shattering to be more precise.
She glanced around the room, seeing Cecily standing above a shattered mug. She was facing a wall, but soon turned around to face Tessa. "Sorry." she said, biting her lip and giving her an apologetic look.
"What were you doing?" asked Tessa.
"I came to bring this," she indicated the shattered cup, "to Will. But, upon seeing you in here, I though I should leave you two be. I may or may not have walked into a wall when I glanced back for a split second."
"Walking into walls. Can walking become more graceful?" Tessa said with a giggle.
Cecily rolled her eyes. "I imagine walking down the aisle is more graceful than into a wall." she said, a smirk on her face.
Tessa grinned, imagining herself in gold, walking down the aisle on her wedding day, Will standing at the altar, the ceremony. Everything would be perfect, it would be their day, only them. Everything would be amazing.
A/N. Guess who walked into a wall when she was making herself tea this evening and had to share the struggle through her story? Yeah, I am the most gracefully challenged person around...
Aside from that, how'd everyone like this chapter? I feel awkward, my chapters are a bit on the not-so-exciting side right now, but hey, next chapter, big things will be addressed. I'm assuming many of you know what, or have an idea at the least...
Got any ideas? Drop me a review or PM me if you want to have hope in seeing them in this story! While you're at it, follow or favourite if you haven't already and become a magical rainbow unicorn! Well, no... I can't guarantee that you will be that, but... Dude, how cool would that- off topic! Oh, whatever...