***This is a new story that I think is quite interesting. Please R&R!***

Tessa

She knocked hard on Magnus Bane's door, and if Jem was here with her right now, he would have laughed at her for her efforts.

"Open up! I know you are in there, Mr. Bane! Open the damn door!" She knew it was unladylike, but it had to be done.

"Come in, Miss Gray," Magnus said. "What may be the problem?"

"I need to get a cure for Jem. Anything. His condition has been worsening, and no solution is being found. There has to be cure. There has to be!"

"James Carstairs is in such a grave situation he cannot be helped." Magnus shrugged. She felt like slapping him. Something about his shrug wasn't right, though.

"Well, of course. Maybe there really isn't a cure. Or maybe there is a cure, and you are lying to me."

"Miss Gray-"

"I can quite easily distinguish truth and lies, Magnus Bane. You mustn't test me."

"You're correct, Miss Gray. There is a cure. But it is not proven to work."

"What is it, Mr. Bane?"

"You know William Herondale, am I correct?"

"Of course I know that bastard. What to it?"

"He... when he was little, about ten, he had opened a Pyxis box, containing demonic energies."

"And?" She had no idea about this. Will never did talk about his past.

"The demon energies overtook him, forcing him to kill his sister, Emma, and his dearest friend, Cecily. Before he could harm his parents, young William raced for the London Institute, demanding to be let in."

"Oh no, poor Will-"

"The only cure would be to transfer the demonic energies from William's body to James, since the other demonic energies would cancel out the addiction. But to transfer those energies... It is not even proven to be possible. And even so, the pressure of the demonic energies might end up killing James. William would not allow anyone else to carry his burden anyway, so it is completely pointless."

"Oh. Well, thank you, Magnus. If that is truly the only cure-"

"Which it is."

"Than I guess I have no other choice, now, do I?"

"I am afraid you don't, Miss Gray."

"I'll just have to talk to Will myself."

Will

A furious Tessa Gray stormed down his door, and did something so shocking William almost fell off his chair, which was something.

"You god damned bastard!" she yelled. Uh oh. She found out, didn't she?

"I can explain, Tessa-"

"That's Miss Gray to you, Herondale!" She took his chair, and flipped it over.

"Whoa there, lady!" He fell to the floor, which was a cool marble.

"Why. Didn't. You. Tell. Me. About. The. Damn. Cure?" Her voice held such venom that Will flinched.

"Er... I, I wanted to but..."

"But what, Herondale? ANSWER ME!" Her hair fell in wisps into his face as she lowered down upon him, and only the fierceness and anger in her eyes kept the smirk off his face.

"I didn't want James to deal with the crap that I deal with on a daily basis."

"So what you're telling me is that you'd rather have him dead then have him suffer pain? He's already suffering!"

"Suffering doesn't even describe it, Te-" he paused, "Ms Gray. Doesn't even begin to describe the... the battles in my body, it feels like I'm burning, getting run over by a horse, being boiled in demon blood and like I'm getting cut into a million pieces every second. I want to suicide, but I can't get myself to do it, because of Jem!"

"William, I-" Tessa started softly.

"Don't apologize. Just don't. It won't make a difference. You want him to feel that every second, than go ahead!" Will was fuming now. How dare she even suggest that he transfer his madness to his brother?

"William-"

"Don't call me that. It's Mr. Herondale for you." Perhaps that was a bit harsh, but it was needed. Tessa can't get something through her head any other way. "And that's why I want you to stay away from me, do you understand? I have demons living inside of me, wanting to take over. But I won't let them win. For Jem."

"Very well, William. But you fail to understand that your aloofness only makes me more drawn to you, to understand you. Maybe I could help-"

"You are helping, Tessa. The demons draw to your light, perhaps due to the fact that you are part demon yourself. When they draw to you, I don't have to fight them. But they're sucking on your energy, Tessa. They'll kill you, and if that happens..." He walked off, not wanting to hear anything else, but Tessa managed to yell out something that threw him off balance.

"Who's Cecily, Will?"

Blood spurted out of his mouth. "Tessa! Will! Where are you?" he yelled. Jem needed his powder, his drug, but he was in no condition to get it.

"Jem?" Tessa said, as she raced and got him the silver box. "Jem, you'll be all right, you just have to take some of this, you'll be fine..." But she sounded more like she was trying to convince herself.

Slowly, his vision became more clear, and Tessa's tears was the first thing he registered.

"Don't worry, Tessa. I'll be fine."

"For how long is this going to go on, James? This will end eventually."

"You think I haven't asked myself that? The truth is, all we can do is wait for it to come. And each moment is a gift, I suppose." That made her smile.

Her smile gave him all the hope to fight, in reality, he thought, but he wasn't going to tell her that.

"Yes, I suppose it is. Now, come on, sit up," she said to him. He followed. She reached out her hand to touch his, and their skin brushed slightly...

Boom! The door slammed open, and there stood the angelic devil, William Herondale. He was a flash of black and blue, literally. His eyes were turning a deadly black, and he had bruises all over his face.

"What happened?" Will asked him.

"I should be asking you that."

"Six-Fingered Nigel."

"I told you to stay away from her."

"And I didn't listen." His eyebrows twitched.

"That's not what really happened, is it, Herondale?" Tessa asked, and he noticed Will flinch.

"Did you not listen to what I just said, Miss Gray? Six-Fingered Nigel!" What was up with these two? Why the new formalities?

"I heard you, and I don't believe you. What's new?"

"Are you implying that you know more about my life than me?"

"No, Mr. Herondale, I am implying that you are lying!"

"It's verbal irony."

"I am implying that you are lying, not using verbal irony," Tessa replied icily. "Listen-"

"Listening is not something that I am used to, now, is it?"

"Than you better get used to it, Herondale, or I swear-"

"I swear what?"

"Ugh! Just answer the damn question."

"Tessa, you have been behaving quite unladylike lately," Will observed.

"It's not like you're a perfect gentlemen yourself, so I don't see what right you have to point that out."

"Ah, but I don't imply that I am a gentlemen in the first place."

"Don't sidetrack me, William, and answer me. Where were you?"

"I don't find it quite a necessity to inform you."

"Hello? Jem is still in the room, you know!" Jem said, a little annoyed.

"Sorry, James," Tessa said.

"Jem, sorry."

"Thank you! I'm acknowledged."

"What were you two up to in here, huh Jem?" Will wiggled his eyebrows, changing the subject. He and Tessa blushed.

"I don't see why you need to know, William," Tessa replied.

"And I don't remember asking you to interrupt in our conversation."

"If it involves me, than I'm part of the conversation, Will-"

"Not again!" He put a hand up to his forehead, and ran his fingers through his now messy hair.

"Anyway, what were you two up to, huh?"

"You know, it's all a big scandal. Some kissing... maybe a little bit more..." Tessa teased. She winked at Jem, who turned red.

"Glad to know I'm rubbing off on our innocent James, eh?"

"He's anything but innocent, believe me." At that moment, Sophie raced in and saved him from replying.

"Mrs. Branwell wants all of you to come down for dinner. It's 8 in the evening."

"Thank you, Sophie," Jem said, and he and Tessa raced out the door, with William reluctantly following behind.

Jessamine Lovelace hadn't always been so mean, so uncooperative. There had been a time in her life when she had been carefree, nice, even helpful. Then her parents died, and that changed her. For the worse, like it did to William. Death always has that impact on a person.

"Miss Lovelace, Mrs. Branwell has invited you down to dinner," Sophie said.

"Yes, Sophie. Tell her I'll be down in a minute." She studied her appearance in the mirror. After her mum's death, she had made it her wish to be perfect. To be the daughter she had always wished for.

Putting on one of her crimson red dresses, (for god only knows how good red and blond go together), and leaving her hair cascading down, she raced to dinner. Usually, she didn't even bother, but something felt special today. She would find out soon enough.

Taking a seat next to Henry, she took a spoon and studied herself like she usually did. Somehow, her eyes were the only ones who truly understood Jessie.

She fed on the tasty peas, although she missed Agatha's food. She had made everything, even broccoli, seem yummy. But she missed her mum's cooking the most.

"Hello, Jessie, I see you have made your way to dinner? Finally, you've stopped making Sophie do all that work," William said. And her peacefulness was gone in an instant.

"She's a maid, William. It's her job to work," Jessamine replied, not wanting to pick a fight. Not right now.

"Like it's your job to be a complete wet blanket to everyone," repeating her line back to her face. That did it.

"It is not much different from your job, is it? Hanging around girls with loose morals? I assume it is only time till Tessa also becomes one of your woman, as you phrase it."

"Don't you dare-" William started, but was cut off by James.

"It seems, William, Tessa will need a little bit more protection from your ill intentions, no?" Jem said, attempting to lighten up the mood. It worked, because Jessie had a smile on her face, and Will's frown turned up on the corners.

"Of course, Jem will be there to protect me, huh?" Tessa said, making Jem blush. What was she missing out on?

"Did something happen between you two?" Jessie asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"They say they're involved in some sort of scandal," William replied, smirking.

"Maybe we are, William, eh James?"

"Assume what you need to." But when Tessa turned to wink at Jessie, everything was clear. Of course! Tessa was playing with William. Although, there was no denying the affection for James in her eyes.

James hand found Tessa's under the table, which Jessamine observed. She was more observant then anyone gave her credit for.

Yet, even her observant gaze couldn't catch William's clenched fist under the table, nor the pain in his eyes. No, that was Charlotte.

"William," Charlotte said after dinner ended. "May I talk to you for a moment?" Her tone was polite enough, Will thought, but her glare was serious, perhaps even angry. He couldn't tell.

"What is it, Charlotte?" said Will, maintaining his façade.

"I saw your..." she seemed to be struggling for words, "Um, affection for our dear Tessa. Now, she is an honourable ally to the London Institute, and I would prefer it if you didn't do anything to make her leave."

"Yes, I'll keep that in mind, Charlotte. Are we done here?"

"Not quite. I also don't want you hurting James in any way."

"Okay, I won't hurt James." He turned to leave, but Charlotte wasn't quite finished.

"I know about the cure, William. And James had better not die due to you."

William kicked and punched his door. Poor thing, it had been his punching bag for so long now that there were dentures on the normally white paint.

Either give the madness, or let him die, Magnus had said to him. Should I give the madness? Should I let him face what I do everyday? Tessa's right in a way: he suffers either way, why not try and keep him alive?

His insides started to boil over at that moment. The demons. He imagined pushing the lid of the box close. That always seemed to assist the situation at hand.

No. He won't bear this pain. He wouldn't let Jem bear it. Death is more... peaceful for him. If this is truly the only cure, though...

His door was thrown open, once more by Tessa.

But her face was twisted in pain this time, instead of anger. It truly distorted her features.

"Mr. Herondale, I'd like to talk to you. About James." What now?

"Go on."

"His condition has been worsening."

"Oh, really?" he said sarcastically. She rolled her blue-grey eyes.

"Yes, really. And I thought... Since there's no cure, why don't we make him happy for the rest of the time he's in the Institute?" This was interesting.

"By making him gulp down all the beer and whiskey he can possibly consume?" She ingored.

"Let's throw him a party. A ball, almost. And some violin players would be in order as well, for we all know how much James loves the violin."

"That's a great idea, Tessa," he began, "Only, things like this revolve around money. Money we don't have." A mischievous smile lit up Tessa's radiant face.

"Don't worry about that. What else is my skill for?"

Well, that was the chapter. Please R&R! Let's say... five reviews till the next update!

Till next time, a teaser:

James hand went around her waist, pulling her closer. Her breath got more and more ragged by the second, her heart skipping a beat. She could almost make out the muscles beneath his shirt.

"Tessa," he began.

"Hm?" she asked him. His voice was soothing to her, almost like a melody. Yet, something felt off about it. It wasn't as reassuring.

"I-" And then there was a huge boom! 'Probably one of Henry's inventions,' Tessa thought. Boy, how wrong she was.