A/N: This is a smaller chapter than the previous two, which averaged around 1900 words, not counting my pointless rambling. This one is roughly 1,400 words, so about 500 words less. I feel like you won't mind, though, since I've been very good and have uploaded quite a bit in the last two weeks.

If anyone wants to know, my first day of high school was nothing short of exhausting. Going up and down three sets of stairs three times a day is not fun. I only got lost twice, and that was because the teachers gave me crap directions. . Although, I have to say, I think math is going to be hell. Algebra 2, I'm pretty much the only ninth grader in the class that's a girl. There are, I think, two other freshmen, but I'm not friends with them. To be quite frank, most of the class looks like it's filled with idiots. The girl I sat next to for the first two days was cool, though. She's from Germany! I think that's awesome.

Upload date: 9/1/11

Disclaimer: Cassandra Clare owns The Infernal Devices.

"You injured one of them?" Crawford asked.

"Master, it was unavoidable. There is no doubt they are skilled. I would have never gotten away without doing it."

"Oh no, I am not blaming you, Pelmith," Crawford said. "In fact, I'm glad you did."

Pelmith nodded as Crawford went on, "You might want to have a chat with the Eidolon. She's wonderful. You'll need to show her the ropes, at least. You know I can't do that. Mind you, it's still early in the process. I don't think the…new features will be showing for at least another two weeks. Once she starts growing, you can see her. I don't want her to be shocked too early. It could harm the form."

"Yes Master, of course Master…" Pelmith said again, nodding. To any other decent person, the amount of sappy adoration in Pelmith's voice would have been enough to make him vomit, but Crawford smiled, soaking the words in. He dismissed the demon and it scuttled away.

Tessa meanwhile, was outside, tending to the vegetable garden. Whoever had been minding the plants before had done a rather poor job: When Tessa first had seen the plot, the leaves of the plants were drooping and starting to wrinkle at the ends. Through her hard work though, they had recently to stand a little taller and regain their vitality.

It was a painful job. Only a few days ago Tessa's back was aching terribly, along with her neck and shoulders. The constant bending over was not helping her cause, either. Her only remedy was a drink Crawford fixed for her whenever the pains began acting up. He assured her it was just because her body wasn't used to the manual labor and that after a few more days it would pass. It was doing good for her health, he told her. Stop now, and she would never get used to it. The best thing was to keep at it.

Exhausted, Tessa put aside her shovel and fell back into the grass surrounding the garden. She looked skyward.

The sun had been setting while she toiled. In front of her was a beautiful fiery red, tinged with yellows and oranges. As she rolled her eyes closer to directly above her, the colors darkened. First to light pink, then purple, and then finally to the dark blue that meant the end of the day. Where she lay, Tessa could just see the stars were starting to appear, twinkling down at her faintly. The moon floated at the tips of the trees next to her.

She compulsively gripped the grass surrounded her. The blue and silver…she remembered something…a vague memory. What was it? It was right there in front of her…slowly fading into a deep pit of loss…

Then a picture entered her frame of mind…two boys…one with a light head, the other dark. She couldn't see their faces…Who are they? What are their names? I feel like I should know them…And she actually reached out with her hand, raising her arm straight into the air.

Then she felt another presence. Unwelcome. Stern.

"What exactly are you doing, Miss Gray?" came Crawford's voice. "Not resting, are we?"

"No, of course not, sir!" Tessa stood up and brushed grass off herself. She looked at Crawford, but was trying to make that image return to her…two boys…

"Miss Gray! Are you listening to me?"

"Oh! I'm sorry, sir!" Tessa blinked, frowned, and focused back on Crawford's disapproving face.

He sighed. "I need new blankets in my room, preferably as soon as possible. The current ones are starting to feel filthy. You'll get them, won't you?"

"Yes, sir…" In a daze, Tessa began to walk back to the house. She looked up at the sky once more, willing to see the two boys again.

As she rummaged around in the Crawford's closet, she couldn't help feel a little sad.

"But friendship is the breathing rose, with sweets in every fold."

- Oliver Wendell Holmes

"Ah, it's good to be back," Jem sighed after walking into the foyer of the Institute. "I've missed it."

"We've missed you," Henry said, coming suddenly from another room. "Good to see you again, Jem."

"Well, I did not miss this place one bit, nor am I glad to see it again," Jessamine said stoutly, dropping her satchel onto a nearby table and rolling in her case next. "I thought I might be able to learn how to be a proper young lady, but no. The boys have to turn into heroes and fight off some sick demon and chase it halfway out of the city." She sat down on the staircase with a huff.

"We're glad to have you back, Jessie," Henry said.

Charlotte descended the staircase, looking worn out. "Will's fine," she said before Jem spoke up. "The Brother Enoch is seeing in on him right now. He was falling asleep when I left." She sighed. "Henry, darling, can you help Jem with his trunk? Jessamine and I will take her things up to her room." Charlotte took hold of the one of the handles on Jessamine's case, Jessamine the other, and began walking up the staircase again. Henry and Jem did the same and followed them. The groups split at the landing.

"How was the school?" Henry asked as they placed Jem's trunk at the foot of his bed.

"I didn't think it was too horrible," Jem said, "although I'd say Will had more than his fair share of troubles."

"Ah, well…he wouldn't quite be Will unless he upset a few people, eh?" Henry said, smiling.

"I'm just glad we were able to leave before we had to bear the shame of being expelled. The way things were going, it looked all too clear that was going to be in the very near future," Jem admitted.

After dinner, Charlotte and Jem went up to Will's room. Charlotte told Jem that Will wasn't in any state fit to talk, so they came to a mutual agreement to peek into his room and then leave.

"He…isn't doing the best," Charlotte warned as they came closer to Will's room. The door was slightly ajar, letting a thin ribbon of soft yellow trail out into the hall. Charlotte nudged it open with a knuckle.

Will's eyes weren't looking at them. They were staring up at the ceiling, blank and transfixed on a point somewhere quite beyond the room. His face was pale and sweaty. It had thinned significantly in the few hours that they had returned. He was trembling violently, despite being under a thick layer of blankets. His mouth was slightly open.

As they watched, Will raised himself up into a sitting position. Even this simple action looked as though it took a great effort on his body, which was shaking harder than ever. With a wavering hand, he reached to the bedside table and took a glass of water. He put it to his lips and managed to trickle a little into his mouth before attempting to replace it on the table. There was a shattering noise, and then the tinkling noise of shards of glass falling to the floor.

It was the worst state Jem had ever seen Will in.

Charlotte gestured for them to retreat.

"What's gotten into him?" Jem said, almost angry. "He wasn't like this in the morning."

"I don't know," Charlotte said helplessly. "Brother Enoch says this is all normal."

"And Brother Enoch has dealt with an injury like this before?"

"I suppose he must have," Charlotte guessed. She exhaled. "Jem, I know you're worried, but try not to that much. Will's never put down for long." Jem felt a small weight on his shoulder when Charlotte rested her hand there momentarily before leaving Jem alone in the dark.

He went back to the door and looked through the door again. The splinters of glass still lay where they had dropped. One sharp piece reflected the muted light from the lamp and glared back at Jem, making him squint. Will still stared into nothingness, as white and noiseless as a corpse.

As quietly as he could, Jem backed away and closed the door.

A/N: Hm. Not a happy chapter. I think it has to do with me listening to a piano cover of Due Tramonti while I was writing. Poor Jem, he's all worried about Will :(

Anyone else realize the date? September first? I SHOULD BE AT HOGWARTS! Pottermore hasn't sent my welcome email yet.

Yesterday was August 31. RIP, Princess Diana.