Chapter 3— Magnus's Mistake
The morning found Tessa sitting anxiously in the library, her small, tidy trunk at her feet. She flipped through the book lying open in front of her absently. She wrung her hands nervously.
"Oh, would you stop fidgeting!" Jessamine snapped from across the room. She glared at Tessa, who blinked. Jessamine wasn't at all happy that Tessa had managed to get herself sent to another Institute. Now Jessamine would never leave.
Across the table, Will sat silently, his eyes locked on the warlock-girl. Tessa tried her very best to ignore his presence, and the darkening bruise on his left cheekbone, but she found she couldn't stop herself from glancing up at him every few minutes. Every time she did, he caught her eyes, and her head would snap back down stubbornly. There was no way she would let Will get to her.
The door cracked open and Jem slipped in, cradling his violin in his arms. Tessa smiled when she saw him, but it saddened when she realized he had come to say goodbye.
Jem smiled as he came to stand before her, though it looked force, and that saddened Tessa. "Good morning, Tessa," he said, feigning good-cheer. "Lovely day for traveling," he remarked. Tessa flinched. She tilted her head to look at him and tried her very best to smile, but she suspected it came out as more of a distorted look of pain.
"Yes, it's very pretty," she said weakly, observing the pale morning light coming through the tall windows. She glanced at Will. He was still watching her.
Jem walked across the room to the window and looked out at the road. When he turned back he motioned to his violin. "Do you mind if I play?" Tessa shook her head, gladdened to have something to distract her from her anxiety.
Jem rested his chin on the violin, drew back the bow and struck the first few notes flawlessly. Tessa rested her hand in her chin as she listened, engrossed in the music. It was a sad tune, soft and melancholy, but then it changed to something hopeful and beautiful.
As Jem played, Tessa's thoughts drifted to her life in America. When her Aunt Harriet had passed, Tessa had had to sell everything they had, including the small, two-bedroom apartment above the tiny German bakery. She supposed having place at the New York Institute should make her happy, since it would give her a place to live instead of the streets. But did she really want this life of Shadowhunters and Warlocks and Demons? Did she want to be reminded, constantly, every single day that she wasn't normal? That she was a monster…
No. No that wasn't what she wanted! She wanted to just go away and forget. She wanted to escape to the beach, and spend her days walking on the warm sand, blissfully unaware of the nightmare her life had become.
Tessa's musing was cut short when the clock stuck the hour. Not a minute later, Charlotte entered with Benedict and Gabriel Lightwood on her heels, and Jem's beautiful music halted.
"Just this way, sir," Charlotte was saying to Mr. Lightwood. Neither of them had noticed the four already occupying the room. "Magnus should be here any second."
"And what about Henry?" Benedict asked disdainfully.
Charlotte flushed. "Er—Henry is waiting, at the doors, for Magnus Bane." Charlotte tittered anxiously, grimacing apologetically. Benedict raised an eyebrow.
"Hmmm." Benedict sneered. Gabriel snorted.
Suddenly, angry at the disrespect the Lightwoods were showing Charlotte, Will cleared his throat and stood up, immediately rewarded with the attentions of the older Shadowhunters.
When he saw the arrogant boy, Gabriel threw an outraged look at Will, who had the audacity to wink. "How's the face?" he asked cheekily, pointing at the shiner marring the older boy's face. Gabriel flushed, and Benedict sent Will a hostile glare. Charlotte glanced at Will in warning, which he promptly rolled his eyes at.
Deciding she should intervene, Tessa stood up, a hand resting on the now closed book. "Charlotte," she said in greeting, with a smile. She turned to the other men and curtsied awkwardly. "Mr. Lightwoods."
Benedict nodded his head in acknowledgment, but turned away from her and Charlotte to sit in one of the open chairs. Gabriel caught Will's gaze and meaningfully leered at Tessa. Will's hands clenched and Tessa cringed.
Just as Benedict Lightwood got comfortable, the doors were thrown open and Magnus Bane waltzed into the room, smiling slyly, like a Cheshire cat. Henry jogged in behind him and shut the doors.
Upon entering, Magnus immediately strode up to Charlotte and grasped her hand. He bowed extravagantly and kissed her hand. "Echantee, Madame," he said charmingly.
"Er…Magnus Bane?" Charlotte asked timidly, eyes darting for help from the others.
"The one and only," Magnus replied artfully. Magnus turned his cat-like eyes to Will and Tessa. He winked at them before addressing Charlotte again. "So, where would you like this portal?"
.~***~.
"Goodbye, Tessa," Charlotte whispered fiercely as she hugged the younger girl tightly. She pulled back to look the younger girl in the eyes. "Be safe," she said, blue eyes watering.
Tessa's eyes filled with tears, but she forced them back. There wasn't any point in letting them see her cry. "Goodbye, Charlotte. Thank you so much, for everything."
Charlotte nodded. "Remember, Tessa, if you ever want to come back…there's always a place for you here." she said, smiling. Tessa nodded through her tears, and took a deep breath.
Behind Charlotte and Tessa, Magnus was waiting patiently, holding the portal open.
"Jem…" Tessa said, turning to him. Jem's eyes lifted from the ground sadly.
"Goodbye, Tessa," he said. His hand lifted up to grasp hers. "I'll miss you." Tessa couldn't stop from letting a few tears leak out. She flung her arms around Jem's slight body and hugged him tightly goodbye. Jem was surprised at the forward display, but he didn't dare stop himself from returning the embrace. Tessa's sniffled and stepped back.
"Tess." Tessa turned to face Will. He held out a hand to her, his vibrant blue eyes beckoning her, silently willing her to trust him. She found herself unable to stop from putting her hand in his and letting him pull her into his arms. Will embraced her, burying his face in her neck. Startled, she placed her hands on his chest, ready to push him off, but when he desperately clutched her to him, she relented and hesitantly rested her head on his shoulder. His hands fisted in her jacket, and his body shuttered. "Tessa don't leave me," he whispered in her ear, pleadingly. "I need you."
Tessa's eyes widened and she stiffened immediately. She made to pull back, but he held her tighter still. "Will…I…"
Will's resolve for a clean break had shattered last night, when her leaving had become a painful reality he would do anything to get away from. All he knew now was that he couldn't let her leave. He would do anything it took to keep her hear. All that mattered was that she understand. If she could just understand then he would have a chance! "Please, Tess. I'm sorry! Can't you see how sorry I am?" His voice broke, and his body shuttered again. "I didn't mean it," he whispered dreadfully, his heart aching. "I didn't mean it, Tess…"
Tessa closed her eyes. There was nothing she could ever say to this boy she loved, who had beaten, broken and humiliated her, but who was begging her to stay with him, that would ever be right. Tessa knew if she didn't leave soon—no, now—she wouldn't be able to force herself to leave, ever again. It was now or never. So she opened her eyes, squared her shoulders, and looked the shattered boy in the eye. "No, Will." She said firmly. "I'm leaving."
Will screwed his eyes shut and he gasped for breath.
He snapped.
Wills hands hysterically moved to her arms, and he grabbed her tightly, forcefully. He lifted her up in the air and shook her hard, not even realizing what he was doing. "Stay Tessa! Stay with me!" His voice rose to a desperate wail, and his soft embrace turned into a frantic shake. He heard shouting from behind him, but paid it no mind. All he knew was that he had to get through to her, but it wasn't working! Why wasn't it working?
"Will! Will stop, you're hurting me!" Tessa yelled, but the boy heard nothing. He didn't hear Jem shouting at him to put her down; he didn't hear Henry wave a mechanical contraption in the air, shouting about the noise; he didn't hear Charlotte crying out to him; he didn't hear Jessamine shout about gentlemanly manners; he didn't hear Benedict Lightwood's booming voice ordering him to put down the warlock girl immediately; and he didn't hear Benedict's son jeer him on cruelly.
All he heard was the breaking and complete destruction of his own heart, and all he saw was the broken look he had put on Tessa's face.
Ignorant to the cacophony surrounding him, his movements slowed. "Please Tessa," he whispered, for the last time. "Please don't leave me." From his cerulean eyes tears finally fell, and he did nothing to save himself from this show of absolute, complete, wretched weakness.
Tessa's eyes followed the path of tears. "Will…"
No one saw Magnus step towards Will and Tessa, forgetting the portal momentarily. His concentration slipped, and then the rest was history.
A screeching sound, unimaginably terrible, pierced the air, and then Magnus lost all control and the shimmering portal exploded before their eyes.
A/N Okay guys…Wow.
First, I'm so sorry for the long, long wait. I mentioned before that I was working on another story along wiith this one, and that one just sort of took over for a while. I don't know how it happened, but I just ended up spending more time on that one.
Another reason I haven't updated recently is I'm moving overseas in two weeks, so this summer there's been a lot of packing and moving-preparation stuff going on.
Just FYI, real quick. School starts for me on August 17th, but I techinically have to be in school all day for the entire week before that (the week I move there) for orientation. I'm not sure why, but my new school has week-long orientation, that both parents AND students have to go to, that goes from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day. Ridiculous much? My poor sister has to be at the school the day we arrive for this over-the-top orientation. Did I mention we're moving overseas? So jetlags going to be even more of a bitch than normal.
Next, I'm sorry for the shortness of this chapter. This is, basically, the real beginning of the story. This is the catalyst that leads to the rest of the story. Basically, in case anyone is confused, Magnus lost control of the portal and it exploded. Next chapter, they've been sent to the time of the MI. And yes, they're going to meet all the MI characters. I've been thinking of uploading this story again and putting it up as a Mortal Instrument Series Fanfic (because this one is an Infernal Devices Fanfic). So basically I'd have to exact copies of the story published, one as an ID fic, and one as a MI fic. The reason I'd do that (instead of just marking this as a crossover) is because crossovers get a lot less views. That may sound a little selfish or narcissistic, but I just want people to read my story. Unfortunately, when you select a fandom, the crossovers don't immediately pop up, just like the rated M stories don't. You have to go to a special page for them, and most people don't do that. So I figure if I just post this same story, word for word, as a MI fic as well, then the people reading the MI fics would get a chance to see it too. Because it really is an MI fic as well, considering the majority of the story takes place in that time, with those characters.
Also, tell me what you guys thought of crazy, out of control Will. It was a kind of random decision of mine to make him loose all control, but I ended up liking it. But, I mean, it was totally random and uncalled for, and probably extremely OOC, so tell me what you all thought of him. It would mean a lot to me.
Also, tell me if this chapter was terrible. Because I'm not at all happy with. Especially since it's such an important chapter. If I decide that I really hate it later, and I get some good reviews with good criticism on how to make it a lot better, then I'll revise it and repost the chapter.