This one is kind of short, but it'll give some of you some answers to questions you've been asking. By the way, THERE ARE SPOILERS TO THE INFERNAL DEVICES! If you haven't read the series involving Tessa, Jem, and Will, I highly suggest that you do that. I didn't reveal too much, but it was enough. When I first started writing, I didn't really think that they would be too involved, but I want to warn you all that if you hate spoilers... well, you're screwed. Simple as that. Either stop reading now, or get over it. Cause I had to put it in there. Anyway, I hope this answers some of your questions, and I'll be back later to sum up the story within the next few chapters!

Emily sat outside the infirmary ten hours later, still waiting for news. She wished that she could move, could work out her frustrations, could pace, something! But he body was too exhausted. It physically hurt, everywhere, and she didn't even have the strength to grab a stele and heal herself.

After she had called Caterina, that's when things started to get a little out of control. She was tasked with the job of getting everyone out of the dungeon, which wasn't an easy task. Jumping three stories with a body in your arms that ways as much as you do or more isn't as fun as it sounds, especially when that body is unconscious. But she did it, thanks to adrenaline, and by the time she got Chase out – it was extremely complicated because of his leg – Caterina and her crew had arrived.

They were mundanes, but mundanes that knew what she was and what the rest of them were. Emily wasn't really sure what she could do, how she could help, and she let them handle it. She pointed in the direction of the others, Simon, Conan, esc, and a group of five took off up the stairs, leaving Caterina, a few others, and Emily to tend to the rest.

"Am I going to find out what happened?" Caterina had asked as she checked on Jace.

Emily nodded, looking away. She couldn't see her family like this. She couldn't. "I'll explain it all later. I promise. Just… help them."

Luckily, no one else pried about how so many got injured, and they just did their job. Emily felt like she was just a numb blob of uselessness, wondering about and following them out of the hospital. She wished that Michael was the one that would be conscious right now, not her. He was born for this kind of stuff, for healing and caring. Being a fighter saved their lives to a degree, but now Caterina needed some massive assistance, a kind that she wasn't going to get from Emily.

She leaned back against the hallway wall, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes. All she wanted was to help, but she couldn't. She was stuck here, sitting on the floor, praying to a God that she didn't known if he existed to keep her family alive.

Sadly, that was all she could do. Any assistance she tried to give would only make things worse. Caterina's specific words were: You'll just get in the way, and if you want this done right, you'll leave.

That was harsh, but Emily knew it was true.

Her legs straightened out in exhaustion, falling against the floor and she felt like crying. Most of the time, a few iratze would do the trick, and she wasn't sure what was taking so long. Caterina was the best healer around. So why wasn't she done yet? What was taking ten hours to complete?

Sometimes, as she sat there, she wondered if she was actually feeling like she was losing her mind. Maybe if she had someone to talk to, to let out her frustrations with, that maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Her anxiety was starting to build more and more to the point that she might actually break. Her hands were balled into fists, and her eyes stung from unshed tears. Her head pounded. Her body ached. Although most of her pain was physical, all she needed was a bit of reassurance and she'd be fine.

She felt something nudge against her side, and looked down to the floor.

Her eyes widened as Church nuzzled up against her arm, his face rubbing back and forth as he purred. She didn't move, didn't breathe. This was the first time Church had ever willingly touched her without scratching the shit out of her, and she smiled. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make her feel a bit better.

She reached down, touching his head, and he leaned into her. Before she knew it, he was lying on her lap, cradling himself between her hip bones and closing his eyes as he fell asleep. She kept slowly rubbing his back, smiling down at him.

"I'm glad you can relax," she mumbled. "Please, go right ahead."

He didn't even seem to register her talking, and she eventually just let him sit there as her thoughts kept wondering. She wanted information, but couldn't have it. Would her father be okay? Her mother? Isabelle? Conan? Chase?

So many people were hurt that she felt physical pain at the thought of losing any one of them. As she sat there, she thought that Jonathan and Lilith had gotten off of this pretty easy. Sure, they were dead, but they deserved to suffer. They deserved the pain, the misery, but they just… died instead. So the rest of the living were suffering now, struggling to come out alive.

"Emily."

She glanced up, meeting the eyes of Inquisitor Penhallow. She was walking down the hall silently, and Church stirred in Emily's lap when the woman stopped a few feet from her, but didn't lift his head.

Emily never really cared for authority, something she got from her father. Although the Inquisitor wasn't exactly rude and hateful, she still didn't really care for the woman. She hated talk to her, feeling like every word she said was analyzed. But it was necessary. It was Emily's duty to call the Clave, blah blah blah, and she did was she was supposed to do.

Now she had to deal with it on her own.

"Hello, Inquisitor."

She stepped up in her suit, taking the spot next to Emily and sinking to the floor. It was the most relaxed Emily had ever seen her. "Any news yet?"

She shook her head. "Caterina has her hands full in there," she said as she glanced towards the door. "Who knows how long it might take."

A silence fell over the trio as they sat. It wasn't uncomfortable, but Emily still had something nagging at the back of her head. When silence fell, her mind wondered, and this time, it wondered to Jonathan.

He was still there, with Gemma, lying in that dungeon. Jonathan's plans were obvious through all of this. He wanted revenge, simple as that. He pretty much said that himself in so many words.

But what of Lilith? Emily had this feeling in the pit of her stomach that they missed something, missed some crucial detail that needed to be found. She understood most of it. She got that Gemma was used, possessed, and then killed. She got that Lilith used all these demons at her disposal, including her own son. But what is it that she wanted? What was it that she was after?

Emily had to find out.

"Where are you going?" Inquisitor Penhallow asked as Emily gently, as gently as she could in a rush, placed Church back on the floor and jumped up.

"I'll be back," she assured. "I'll have my phone. Have Caterina call me if there's any news."

And then she was gone. Her muscles suddenly worked again as she took off running, taking the stairs two at a time towards the elevator and hopping in. She pressed the button about a thousand times before it actually started moving, and she didn't even let the door open all the way before breaking out of the tight space, past the front door, down the steps, and into the night.

New York was alive, even at five in the morning. People were still walking, talking, most of them drunk but they were alive and moving. Emily made her way down the street quickly thanks to the glamours that were still effective, moving swiftly until she hitched a ride on the first taxi she saw and headed for Rochester.

Thirty minutes later, she was standing back in front of the hospital. It was especially creepy now that she knew no one was inside. She kept glancing towards the slightest movement, feeling like someone was watching her the whole time as she made her way through the hallways at a fast pace. The route was still the same, and she found the trapdoor easily enough.

But she didn't immediately jump down. Just for safekeeping, she pulled out the seraph blade that Michael had kept in his belt, holding it in her hands. She crouched down, looking into the dark den-like space. Her body kept telling her that she didn't have to do this. That she really didn't have to jump down that hole, because she wasn't going to find anything! Nothing would be different. There would be a dead Jonathan and Gemma, killed by Emily herself, and nothing else.

Sadly, her mind won out, and she found herself falling.

"This place reeks," Emily mumbled after she landed. The lights were still on, fading slowly as if the power was draining out of them. She could see Jonathan's… body, but she kept her eyes averted from it. Even if he deserved it, she couldn't look at him in that state.

Gemma, on the other hand, was a different story. She was on her stomach, the blade still sticking out of her back from the very spot Emily inserted it. It was the perfect hit, all things considered, so Emily slowly made her way over. She knelt down, pulled the blade out quickly, and flipped Gemma to her back.

She still didn't look too good. Besides the hole in her chest, the effects of Lilith's torture on her was what drew Emily's attention. The scars were healed, fading quickly, but the white lines were still clearly visible to a shadowhunter's eye. This girl was tortured, tortured beyond any sane person's strength, and Emily couldn't really blame her for letting Lilith in. If she was in that position, she would've wanted an out too.

She thought of Alec for a brief moment, about what he went through. Would he be okay? Would Magnus be able to handle it if he wasn't? What did Agramon put him through? Michael had said something about torturing him briefly before passing out, but Emily didn't know the whole story. She just hoped he'd survive.

Her hand reached out, almost like it had a mind of its own, and tucked a stray piece of hair from Gemma's forehead to tuck it behind her ear.

This girl held nothing but bad memories and pain to Emily, but she wished that she got to know her. No one deserved what Chase's family went through, especially Chase himself. His whole family was now gone. His father. His mother. His sister.

Gemma was gone because Emily took her from him.

How would he react to that when he woke? What would she say to him? What would he do? How could she face him? He fought to find Gemma for four years, and Emily crushed that hope with one slide of a blade.

Her legs seemed to give out, and she fell back. This was completely creepy, being surrounded by dead people, but he body wouldn't move as the realization came crashing down on her. The ceiling above her was suddenly in her vision as she realized how… stupid she had been. She didn't try to find another way. She didn't try to save Gemma. She didn't try to do what was best for Chase, for his family. She had one thought. She had one instinct, and that was to kill. She killed Gemma, without a second thought! Without a thought to Chase, to his feelings, to his reactions. She stuck that blade through Gemma's heart like she was a regular lesser demon, and that thought alone made Emily wretch all over the floor.

"I've definitely seen a Herondale look better."

Emily wiped her mouth, looking up at the voice that suddenly spoke. At first, she reached for her weapon, but stopped when she registered it.

Out of the shadows, looking not a day older than eighteen, was Tessa. She stepped up, Jem at her side and looking on guard, ready for anything.

Tessa was by Emily's side in minutes, crouching next to her and looking down at her. She cupped Emily's cheek, sadness and sympathy in her eyes. "Emily, whatever you're thinking, you have to know that this isn't your fault."

She couldn't focus on that. Her eyes went from Tessa's, to Jem's, back to Tessa's. "How – how did you…"

"Caterina called us as soon as she got your call," she explained. "She said that you might need someone here for you. She figured you'd come back, trying to find answers. Turns out, that woman knows you pretty well."

"We only met recently."

"Well, she's a people person." Tessa looked down at Gemma now, her brows pulling together. "This is the boy's sister?"

"This is Gemma. I – I'm the one that–"

"It's going to be alright, Emily," Jem spoke for the first time. Emily shook her head, closing her eyes as her stomach flipped against and threatened to empty its contents once more. He was at her side instantly, pulling her into him as she pulled her to her feet at the same time. She buried her head in his chest, not quite crying, but not exactly relaxed. "You don't have to explain it to us. We're here for whatever you need us to do."

Emily nodded, but then she pulled back and found herself slapping Jem across the cheek. It's not like she thought about it! Her body just acted, something that's been happening a lot lately, and he immediately dropped her.

"What was that for?" He asked as he grabbed at his reddening cheek.

"We needed you two!" Emily screamed. She backed up, making sure Tessa and Jem were both in her vision. "Both of you. My entire family was almost killed and if you were here, this would've gone completely different. You could've helped, instead of disappearing like you do. I get that you're not exactly about the Clave, that you don't really care, but dammit! I almost lost my family, my life! Chase's family is gone! My dad might be dead! And what did you two do?"

"Were helping," Jem interjected. His silver eyes looked sincere, and he wasn't one to lie. But his statement seemed like hokum. "You're here for answers, are you not?"

Her voice suddenly ran like a coward and hid, keeping her silent. Her eyes went back and forth between the pairs in front of her. For a split second, she wondered if Tessa had Changed into Emily, reading her thoughts about the current situation at some point in the past. But she shook that thought away. It didn't matter if she didn't or not. What mattered was that Jem was actually talking about important stuff.

She swallowed, somehow finding her voice, and said quietly, "I am. What is it you two know?"

"It's not what we know," Tessa said. "But what we can find out."

"Meaning?"

"You are aware of Tessa's ability, yes?" Jem asked. He stepped closer to the dark haired girl, taking her hand in his. "You're aware that she can tap into other people's minds?"

Emily nodded. "My grandmother told me stories. And I've heard the stories about you two and William a thousand times. But how is that supposed to help me now? We needed that earlier, when Chase and I were running around like lost puppies."

Tessa's head cocked to the side, and her eyebrows rose slightly. "In my opinion, I do believe you are still looking like a lost puppy. Or like Chairman Meow. That cat always gets lost."

"He's an idiot," Jem muttered. "Church is way better than him."

Emily pulled at her hair with one hand. "Guys, not that I don't love the banter, but what is your point?"

"What is it that you came her for, Emily?" Jem asked.

"Answers."

"How are you expecting to get those?"

Emily opened her mouth, but immediately shut it. She didn't exactly have a plan when she bolted from the Institute. Her body acted on instinct when she was tired and exhausted, but she never had a game plan. Maybe she hoped that Gemma would somehow miraculously have the answers to Lilith's plans, but that was high hoping.

Emily sighed, dropping her hands to her sides and wrapping them around her torso. She felt small, so small and helpless and confused and frustrated and lonely. "Honestly, I don't have a clue. I just wanted to know what Lilith was up to, but I came up short, as always."

"That's what I thought," Tessa said. She stepped back, looking down at Gemma before kneeling next to the dead girl. With both hands, she pried apart the chest piece of her gear. She looked up, waving Emily over.

She obeyed, making her way to Tessa's side and kneeling down.

The rune that was known as Lilith's mark covered the top right of Gemma's chest. The red glow was still there like in the stories Jace had told her, but it was fading.

"See this?" Tessa pointed to the rune. "This is Lilith's rune. It's a part of her, whether she knew it or not. She puts a part of her in each and everyone one, making a connection between the user and the master. In a way, you can think of it as an item of possession."

"Okay?" Emily still didn't have a clue where this was leading.

Tessa spoke slowly as Jem settled himself next to Emily, keeping into between the couple. "You can think of this as an item. In a sense, it could be known as a watch, a necklace, anything like that but the point is, it's still useful to me."

Emily's head jerked to the side, staring at Tessa with wide eyes. "You're not saying what I think you're saying. You can Change, using the rune?"

She nodded. "Lilith's rune is unique to only her. It make the connection to her that I need."

"Can you do that?" Emily asked. "Can you change into a demon? Much less a greater demon? Isn't that kind of… dangerous?"

"She's Changed into an angel before," Jem chimed in. "I don't see how a demon could be different."

Emily remembered that story, how the Shadowhunters and Magnus and Tessa fought Mortmain, but she remembered one crucial detail specifically. "Tessa," Emily said softly, "didn't that almost kill you?"

Tessa nodded as if this was old news. "You forget that was many, many years ago. I've grown stronger." She reached down, pressing her hand to Gemma's upper chest, wrapping her hand around the top of the girl's shoulder. "Emily, all you have to do is say the word, and I can get you the answers that you want."

Emily bit her lip, thinking about it. If Tessa was confident in her abilities, Emily was as well. Hell, the girl had much more experience in this kind of thing than Emily didn't anyway, so there was no doubt that she knew what she was doing. And this way, Emily could find out everything. She could find out what Lilith was up to, what she wanted, what the purpose of all this was. This was what she need.

She met Tessa's brown gaze, and nodded. "Do it."