Tessa stood and watched. She watched everything; all the way up there she felt that she could see everything, the tall buildings that touched the sky, creating shapes in the clouds stretched for a vast distance. The tall points of the buildings, where they climaxed into the sky and pierced the blue of the day, with white lines of cloud and fluffy white pillows that floated away briskly in the sharp wind that pierced her cheeks and made the end of her nose red. The mesh and grey spires that obscured her vision loomed in the way and over her head, she knew they were to keep her safe but she didn't feel at ease. It wasn't because of the height either. This isn't New York, she thought, this isn't home, the place where she grew up with her Aunt Harriet and Nate, the buildings weren't as high and intimidating but it wasn't London either.

Will stuck to the wall of the building, edging his way ever closer to the exit that would take them back to the ground, his face a pale shade of green, giving his faded runes a ghostly imprint on his skin. Jem sauntered past him, his face at ease and his usually silvery tone was bright. He walked past Tessa, swiftly planting a kiss on her temple.

He was never usually this, happy.

No, she thought, she had seen Jem was happy and the way he was acting now wasn't that, he was giddy, almost childlike. He leaned forward onto the ledge pressing his nose against the metal wires that criss-crossed in front of him, he had one hand up, his fingers holding on to the metal and his long fingers intertwined with them, like they intertwined with her own hand. Simon appeared next to him, the wind blowing his hair all over the place and he leaned forward with Jem, overlooking his city.

They laughed, Jem's face lit up, his silver eyes creasing as he laughed, and she felt a laugh escape her own lips at the sight of him. Simon's eyebrows furrowed together as he watched Jem, he could see it too, that something wasn't right.

The vampire patted him on the shoulder in a friendly manner and left to find Clary. She guessed he was going to find Clary, that is where he always seemed to be but she grabbed his arm before he could leave. She felt the coolness of his skin radiate onto her own and she suppressed a shiver and he looked down at her sympathetically, for someone so skinny, he was surprisingly tall.

"You've noticed too." She said, "Jem, I mean, he's different."

"You've been giving him drugs..." He said, raising his eyebrows at her, "I presumed they were for medical reasons but from the looks of it, I was wrong, he looks off his head."

She frowned at the statement, not quite sure what to make of it. "They are for medical reasons, but this has never happened before, he seems more-"

"Alive?"

"Yes. But that's not the point, how does he seem to you? I noticed it when we were eating; he wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Jem has manners, I don't understand it."

"When you guys arrived he looked ill, paler than me and his eyes are quite a shock when you first see them, they freaked me out, they're like mirrors." He answered," It's like he recovered overnight and I don't know what's wrong with him but I'm guessing that's not normal."

Tessa was confused.

"What happened to him Tessa?"

"It's an extensive story and I do not wish to tell it without permission, Simon I'm sorry." She said, regaining her composure, but she felt comfortable around Simon, like she did with Jem, and Will on occasion. Simon shuffled closer to her, so he was out of the direction of the wind that blew his collar up and touched his cheekbones. He didn't look so much like a vampire, especially since he was out here in the light of day, the sun picking up the lighter streaks in his hair and eyelashes, he was beautiful in the way that Jem was, slim and tall, not the usual choice but there was no denying that there was something about him. The way the muscles in his face changed as he smiled, the curve of his neck and his pale skin where his prominent collarbone melted into the white T-shirt with black letters scrawled across the front, "I blogged your mom." She didn't understand but she didn't want to ask. But it was his eyes, like Jem's that made him different, and slightly chilling, but most vampires are. They were like black tunnels that seemed to go on forever; no contrast between his iris and where the colour should be. She couldn't help but stare, not out of attraction just wonder; there were so many questions she wanted to ask him in particular out of all the people she had come by in this year.

He shuffled self-consciously, and moved out of the way for an elderly couple dressed in floral shirts and khaki hats, with binoculars around their necks. The building was beginning to get particularly busy. "It's ok, I wouldn't want Isabelle going round and telling strangers about-"he paused, clearing his throat, "my condition."

"That you're a vampire?" She asked frankly, knowing that no one would turn around to notice them, they wouldn't believe them. They were New Yorkers-they stopped for nobody.

"Yes-"

"How did you become a vampire?" She couldn't resist asking, despite this making her a hypocrite; she couldn't stop the bad habit. Simon smiled at her, a laugh forming at the corners of his lips and his eyes creased at the corners. She smiled.

"Maybe next time," he said, "How come you're engaged to Jem, at sixteen?"

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing." He said rocking back on his heels, "You're just young to be engaged is all."

"What does your t-shirt mean?" She said changing the conversation, laughter erupted from his lips that had been pressed into a thin line. "What did you do to my Mom?"

He struggled for breath as he laughed again and Tessa laughed too, not even knowing what he found so funny but she went a long with him, it was the most genuine emotion she had felt in a while and had the guts to convey, and not have to worry about hurting anyone.

"I didn't do anything to your mom." He emphasized the 'your' and Tessa raised her eyebrows at him, he looked hurt, a mocking smile appeared against his will and she had almost forgotten he was a vampire.

Their day continued to the park that was submerged in the cascading grey buildings and when they were in the heart of the never ending path ways and grassy planes, you almost wouldn't be able to tell that you were surrounded by a city. If it wasn't for the noises of the yellow machines and corporate people in business suits yapping down their phones, (Jace had explained the contraptions to her earlier, but she still wasn't so sure how they worked) carrying a paper cup in one hand and a leather case in the other.

Jace stretched out on the grass, his short t-shirt lifted up to the middle of his torso and he let out a dramatic sigh, a young couple looked over, shooting them an evil stare. He pulled Alec down next to him; Alec huffed and rolled over, leaning on his elbows and letting out a yawn to rival Church's and looking round self-consciously.

Tessa noticed Jem walking off and staring at a tree, he looked at the base and his glance followed the brambling trunk all the way to the top. What was he doing?

"What is he doing?" Will said, standing next to Tessa.

"Something's not right."

"I know." Will scratched his arm, pulling up the soft cotton of his shirt revealing something that glowed a strange shade if purple. She seized his hand, rolling up the sleeve and she gasped. His parabatai rune shone a dull purple that seemed to reflect the light. The usually still lines moved, they intertwined with each other, winding up and down, twisting and then falling apart completely. So that there were three straight lines on Will's arm, they repaired themselves and then repeated it again.

"Tess-"

"Will, what is this? Was it the drug? Do you feel okay, I mean the connection between the two of you, is it normal?" The questions poured out of her mouth and toppled into the empty space between the two of them. Will looked at her inquisitively.

"The connection is the same as ever, if not stronger. I know he's well, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong but-"Sudden realisation came over his face, and his face seemed to glow red hot with anger, he snatched his arm away from Tessa pulling his sleeve down.

"Magnus, that bastard."

I should be updating regularly from now on. But if you can't tell from this, Simon is my favourite character and his and Tessa's friendship seemed quite likely, but let me know what you think!