AN: This is the last chapter! Enjoy!

Will

Charlotte was startled by the doors of Jem's room opening quickly and loudly. She watched as Will wasted no time running to his Parabatai's side, holding a small container.

"Charlotte-" Will began, but he didn't need to finish.

"Alright, alright," she said, reluctantly leaving Jem's side. "I am leaving." She left the bedroom, straining not to look back as the doors shut, leaving her in the hallway alone. Will was always protective about Jem's secret. Even to those who already knew about it. She stopped questioning it years ago.

She stood in the hallway alone for quite some time. She had to brush off Sophie who was wondering why Will burst through the Institute doors so late at night in such a hurry. It made Charlotte wonder what time it was. Hopefully not too late. She had a lot of work to do.

Her head snapped up when she heard the doors open. She looked at Will who was trying to hide his worry with a casual look. Something he had been doing for quite a while and could no longer hide from her.

"I was almost too late." Those were the first words out of his mouth. He was blaming himself. Just like he usually did.

"Will," Charlotte said, reaching to put a hand on his shoulder but he brushed her off and turned away. "Will," she said again a little more sternly. "Will look at me."

He turned around and looked at her, his eyes filled with sadness. He wasn't even trying to hide his worry anymore.

She sighed. "This isn't your fault, Will. You know it's not. So stop blaming yourself."

"I put myself in charge of taking care of him." The word were spoken so softly she almost didn't hear them. "And I am doing a pretty terrible job."

Charlotte let out a small noise of surprise. "Will! No! Don't say that! Think about how upset Jem would be if he heard you talking like this. You have to stay strong for him. We all do."

"He's dying, Charlotte!" Charlotte stepped back as Will snapped. "And that's how it will be until he just can't fight anymore."

"You think I don't know this?" Charlotte asked him, feeling her anger also rise. "I took him in under my wing knowing exactly what was going to happen. I have always known that Jem will eventually fade away."

Will turned around, not being able to look her in the eyes anymore. "I told myself I wouldn't get too attached to him," he whispered.

"What?" Charlotte asked. She had heard him, but wasn't sure what he meant.

"When I found out about what happened to him, I told myself I wouldn't get too attached to him," Will explained. "I made myself promise. But. . . I broke it. I broke my promise. And now I just can't imagine going on without him. I can't imagine going on without him telling me to stop being so obnoxious, or to apologize to Jessamine, or fighting along my side. I-" he broke off, not being able to finish. Charlotte noticed a tear was sliding down his cheek.

Will was crying.

Charlotte watched as his shoulders shook with sobs. She approached him cautiously as if she was trying to avoid startling a wild animal. She very slowly put a hand on his shoulder. . .

The reaction was almost immediate. He didn't shake her off like she expected him to. Instead, he turned around, and threw his arms around Charlotte and began to cry into her shoulder.

"Shhh. It's okay," she whispered, keeping a hand on his back. "It is alright to let yourself cry when you really need to."

Will just continued to sob into her. He hung onto her tightly, as if he would never let her go.

Charlotte plopped down in bed, feeling completely exhausted. First Jessamine, then Jem, and lastly, Will.

Being a motherly figure is hard.