#tessa gray fanfic

[reality-exodus]

The Last Hours of a Herondale

Ch2 sparkles

Words:2k

Pairing: Matthew Fairchild x Fem!Herondale

I walked out on a fast pace without turning back or waiting for my brother's Parabatai. I was wearing my own coat now as I strolled down the alley to get on the bridge and find my way to the institute.

"He just worries you know" I heard, I could see Matthew walking behind me with the side of my eye, he was still holding his extravagant coat in hand. "And can you please stop rushing on my account I will get my alcohol, therefore I wish this was more scenic" Matthew joked. I admired the way he used his vocabulary always, sobber or not. I listened to his wish, my arms crossed across my torso, I was making this gesture to highlight my fury, although if I am being frank I was shivering to the freezing temperature of London.

"Didn't sincerely seemed like he was concerned about me, more like he did not have the mood to hear our father whine about his daughter to be wandering alone helpless in the streets of this horrific city, As if I am a damsel in distress." I barked, my nerves were still tense, I was too angry to concentrate on anything.

Matthew didn't reply immediately, he touched my shoulders carefully to place his coat on me, he observed my being cold. I tensed and reflexively turned to face him, shocked, not so much because of his gesture but with the fact that I felt as if I would see something. I always looked chill with my charisma therefore I was freaking out most of the time internally. "Do not worry, I know. It is not nice to watch another broken past." He assured me and I exhaled relieved lightly and placed my arms on the sleeves while he tied the belt around my waist gently.

"Its never the past that gets me unnerved. Even though I think I witness the worse of you every time you drink alcohol." I spoke and looked at him. I rarely seen his eyes so upclose. They were green, darker as if the reasons that got him drunk every day and night had shaded his eyes too.

"And what unnerves you?" He asked me. Despite the instability of his voice that seemed so familiar since he was more drunk than sober.

"When I see the future, I have only seen it a few times. Three to be honest." I spoke and looked elsewhere, I was scared to look for his comment or his eye contact, these were things I avoided speaking of, barely mentioned them to my parents. "I will get going it gets colder" I excused myself, expecting him into offering to escort me.

"I was leaving anyway, my beautiful bottle is right down this way." Matthew spoke and walked away from me. I smiled and started walking down the bridge.

The way there was peaceful and calming, I was gazing at the cloudy sky trying to make out at least a small, tiny star but the rain that started a few minutes ago was getting stronger. It felt nice, the droplets on the coat and on my hair made me colder but the feeling was refreshing as the wind blew as well. I placed my hand to the bottom of my chaotic braided bun and set it loose into the two braids and I started loosing them as well.

I was so peaceful and calm. Forgot about my fight with James, the vision of Polly, the demon splatter and the times I saw James disappear and Matthew almost lose his life. I opened the door and walked in unknown of the mess I was in. I hoped I wouldn't meet anyone. I only went inside Lucie's room, I hoped she would be awake. I knocked the door.

"Come in" her sweet voice sounded and poked my head in. "What happened to you? Where is James?" she asked, her voice sketched with concern as well as her expression, she stood up from her desk and approached me. We were the same height even though she was two years younger than me. Her hand got my wrist and pulled me inside her room. "If mama and papa see you, you'll scare them to death." She spoke.

"Nothing happened, we only killed a demon." I replied and threw my boots next to the door and walked to her mirror to witness myself the big deal. I, indeed looked horrible, my light brown hair were wet and filled with mud that made them stick together and my face had dirt as the rain spilled the light make up I wore. "James made it explode." I sighed.

"And why are you wearing Math's clothes?" she asked me. "You are shaking..." she noticed.

I smiled subconsciously as I took off the coat and let it fall on the ground. "He accompanied me up to a point on my way home and I was cold." I explained briefly as I started taking off the heavy and wet equipment. "Could I use your bathroom? I do not feel comfortable being on my own." I added with false hopes that she would not start the curiosity drill of questions.

"Why? What happened?" Lucie asked me as she assisted me, with great care to not trigger any seizure, to take off the rest of the equipment until I was with the underskirt.

"Nothing in particular." I spoke as I took her comb and started untangling the mass in my head trying to remove as much of mud as possible. I felt my sister's gaze upon my back and let out a sigh. She probably was the only person I was unable to keep secrets from. I was a pretty cold person therefore Lucie can read me, even though my pages are always blank. "Alright, I fought with James before I left. I was certainly right with my arguments. Perhaps, I was a bit harsh." I explained.

"Oh do not even worry, he won't remember it in the morning..." Lucie smiled lightly. "This is why you came here. To cover for him, so mom and dad won't know you returned alone?" her smile got bigger. She is such a sweet angel. When me and James fight she is more sad than we are. 'You are twins, you can't talk to each other like that, you are supposed to be two of a whole' she usually quotes and tries to stop our conflict which most of the time plays out into a best sarcastic comeback battle as we actually forgot what we fought about.

"You really think so?" I asked lightly and then walked into her bathroom as I started washing the mud from my face.

"Do you remember what you fought for?" asked Lucie and my smile disappeared lightly. "Well, since it is this serious, tell me about it." She encouraged me and I exhaled unwilling to so.

"Do not tell mama and papa... James started disappearing during the battle... It was a close call for me and Math, and especially for Math... After we killed it, we went at that stupid tavern they hang out... And I had a seizure with flashback. So we were kind of on edge both of us." I unriddle the events of the night as I filled the tub with water.

"I don't think you are worried that you spoke harsh to James. You are simply upset. Come on. Have your shower and I will get you some tea and then I can tell you about my book, so you take your mind off." Lucie giggled and I nodded with soft smile. I winked and nodded before she closed the door of the bathroom.

~

I came out of the tub and saw that my sister brought pajamas and underwear, freshly washed, they smelled vanilla and sandal wood. The clothes were mine. I wore them and walked out to the bed where I saw her laying with a book. "Feeling better?" she asked me and I nodded.

I climbed next to her on the bed and placed the book aside with a smile as she took her brush and removed the towel. Lucie began to brush my hair. I have curly and long hair, longer than hers, with the color of my father's while I had my mom's eyes, deep gray. The brush met a comb and she abruptly untangled it making me jump.

"I am careful, you know that" Lucie reassured me with a sweet smile, she knew I was anxious.

I didn't really felt when I fell asleep, I hugged Lucie's stuffed animal. Tomorrow would be a great day, the Carstairs would arrive. I was happy to see them, to see Daisy and Alastair again. I was probably the only one who found Alastair likeable but this didn't really matter, he didn't seem to care that much to converse with anyone. Us Herondales have a special place for the Carstairs family in our hearts. My father's parabatai was a Carstairs, uncle Jem became a silent brother under awful circumstances while he was on his death bed owing to a demons doings. I cannot imagine how my father was feeling back then, I do not have a parabatai like James has and like Lucie will soon have. I have a close relationship with Barbara and Anna Lightwood but none of them to a point to have such eternal and unbreakable bond.

Uncle Jem must be the only person I can talk to about the visions I see and not feel like a freak. The whole clave looks at me and my brother as if we are some kind of unexpressed danger against the Nephelim race. Even my mother and father are uncomfortable when we speak about it. Perhaps it is in my head. Uncle Jem always knows what to tell me to ease me and not make me feel... different from everyone else. Speaking of whom I had to summon him, I was obliged to report to him every single vision I had as well as the conditions it came under.

"Lina..." I heard in my sleep as I felt a soft shake. I turned around ignoring the voice and this is when the blanket was pulled violently from my figure. "Lina!"

"What!" I exclaimed disturbed and shot up.

"Get dressed we have to get breakfast the Carstairs will be here soon" Lucie spoke as she was literally jumping up and down on her mattress.

"Is James back?" I asked her.

"Yes he is." James replied and I turned my head to see our brother sitting in the arm chair on Lucies room, it was next to the pile of my dirty clothes.

"Oh Good morning" I greeted and sat up and leaned to the bedframe as I stared at him. The gash on his hand was fully healed and he looked well and rested.

"Oh Good morning to you too" He chimed therefore his expression was just like mine dead serious as we only stared at each other. I could sense Lucie darting her gaze between us.

"Now come on you two..." Lucie began when a ghost appeared in the middle of the room.

"Oh look at the two naughty Herondales following their father's footsteps once again. Stubborn as donkeys!" Jessamine floated in the room.

"Ah great, here were the commentary again." I spoke inside my teeth.

"Jealous much Lina? At least the ghost can form more ingenious sentences than you." James smiled at me. The revenge begun.

"At least the ghost has the intelligence to think before they speak nonsense." I smiled back, Lucie was saying we had the same facial features, even our teeth and expressional wrinkles were the same, everything except our eye-color. He had brown eyes, I had gray.

"At least the ghost has manners!" Jessamine whined at us. "Like father, they say..." she sighed and floated to the edge dramatically.

"Does she though?" James asked Jessamine and she turned her attention to him, her expression puzzled.

"You really do just barge in a room, that is really not lady like." I commented with a fake frown, my posture was suddenly fixed as I was remarking the good manners that my father always said were more important than anything else. She was the last Lovelace of her family name and now she was haunting my house.

"Uh Tessie really left your upbringing to Will didn't she?" Jessamine huffed in annoyance when my father opened the room.

"She indeed did, Jess. Aren't they adorably charming?" My father asked as he looked at us his eyes were smiling.

"So adorably charming that they get on my nerves almost as much as you do Herondale." Jessamine spoke up.

"Then I did a wonderful job." He smiled lightly and sat down on the bed next to me. "How did the hunt go? You must have returned late huh?" Will asked us. I could see his gaze searching for injuries or any sign that needed his attendance or an iratze.

"It went well actually. We found a Deumas demon" James spoke and then my father looked at me.

"And? What happened?" Will asked us, I could sense his enthusiasm.

"Well at first I was up the building watching Matthew and James. And they struggled a bit, so I thought I would step in." I smiled proudly and felt James' eyes on me.

"Yes, Lina stepped in and saved Math's ass..." James spoke and our mom stepped in.

"James! Language." She noticed and allowed him to keep going.

"She used the whip and injured it and lured it away from Math but then it cornered her and thankfully Thomas was there and assisted Lina." James continued and smiled at me.

"James recovered from the hit and he tried to kill it at first but then he had a gash on the hand during this attempt so me and Thomas kept it in line when my bright twin came slashed it and filled us with ichor and blood." I finished the story.

"And then we stayed at Devil's Tavern for a drink." James spoke up and looked at me.

"Or eight?" I lied with a giggle.

"Eight? Linette!" My mother exclaimed and made a move to touch my forehead and I pulled myself from the way.

"I am fine mom, I do not have temperature or something. I was only a bit dizzy and Luce offered to brew some lemon balm with anice to sooth my stomach." I exclaimed. They knew I was uncomfortable with physical contact.

"I was with her as well. And so were the boys its really not big deal, or the first time it happens" James tried to cover for me but he earned an almost infuriated gaze from our father.

"Well it isn't that bad..." Lucie intervened.

"Well I was celebrating the demon victory. And then I got entinced by the drunks around me?" I smiled and my father shook his head. "I know I am a girl and I shouldn't- ." I started off and then saw my parents exchange a look.

"Lina... It is not that. Honestly I couldn't care less what each one of those pretentious Clave members has to say about me, my wife, my children or my parabatai. Both me and your mother have been through the gossiping and it doesn't real phase us, it never did. We just want you to be safe." My father spoke and carefully took my hand I exhaled as I realized I was still wearing gloves.

"I don't see you preaching my twin about these. But anyway, I see your points and your concerns." I spoke and gave him a light smile and removed my hand. If you'll excuse me. I must get prepared for breakfast." I excused myself to go to my room. I didn't know how I felt and suddenly I wasn't in the mood of socializing either. Even if it was with the Carstairs.

#james herondale twin #lucie herondale #james herondale #the last hours #matthew fairchild x reader #lucie Herondale x sister #will herondale #will Herondale x tessa gray #wessa daughter fanfiction #the last hours fanfic #the shadowhuter chronicles #the infernal devices #thomas lightwood #christopher lightwood #anna lightwood #shadowhunters oc #shadowhunters #shadowhunters fanfiction #jessamine lovelace

[livingformyself]

So yeah everyone I'm not ready to leave tlh era... sooo any talented writer out there please add me to your taglist.... i repeat PLEASEEE

#alastair carstairs #thomastair #thomas lightwood #cordelia carstairs #the last hours #jem carstairs #will herondale #tessa gray #james herondale #matthew fairchild #christopher lightwood #anna lightwood #lucie herondale #jesse blackthorn #sophie lightwood #gideon lightwood #chain of iron #chain of thorns #chain of gold #tlh fanfic #tlh gang #grace blackthorn

[singitoutgirl26]

Does anyone know of a fanfic where it's modern day and somehow Will Herondale gets brought back to life and ends up in a poly relationship with Tessa Gray and Jem Carstairs with a happy ending? Because I really want to read a fic like that. Or even one set in the time period of The Infernal Devices where the three of them end up in a poly relationship? I need good fanfics to read for this universe😭 recommendations are 100% welcome

#herongraystairs #tessa gray #jem carstairs #james carstairs #william herondale #will herondale #theresa gray #the infernal devices #the shadowhunter chronicles #shadowhunter universe #shadowhunters #fanfic keeps me sane #fanfic recommendations #fanfic recommendations needed #victorian era #the mortal instruments #the dark artifices #the last hours #cassandra clare #the infernal devices fanfiction #fanfiction recommendation

[thevagabondexpress]

I'll admit to not having a stake in post-TLH TSC: I found the serieses that I adored and stuff after that or about people from the books I'm not so unhinged about . . . like Sword Catcher, they're things I'd pick up when out of other reading material but I'm not betting on any horses.

That being said, I would like to see Will and Jem and Tessa all together in the afterlife: just not because they've been killed off during the plot. Jem gets to have a good long life and he dies of old age and goes on to be young again with will, waiting for Tessa by the river.

Some centuries later, having lived a good, happy, fulfilling warlock life, Tessa dies a good death—say, saving people from a crashed starship. We see the three of them meet again, and go off into the sunset together, as Tessa fills her boys in on her work as, say, the Terran ambassador to the Clave on Betelgeuse 3.

#will herondale #tessa gray #jem carstairs #trio meetup thoughts #do i want tessa in space for particularly unhinged personal reasons? #which include some crossover fanfics i want to write someday? #yes that is the case

[cr3sswellsgf]

will herondale will herondale will herondale will herondale will herondale will herondale will herondale will herondale will herondale will herondale will heronda—

#will herondale #booksbooksbooks #booktok #bibliophile #book lover #wattpad #comfort books #fanfic #fanfiction #female writers #writersociety #the infernal devices #cassandra clare #james herondale #will and jem #jem carstairs #the shadowhuter chronicles #shadowhunters #my man right there #tessa gray #im in love #please fuck me #hes so tall #and handsome #as hell #wildest dreams #taylors version

[diana-bookfairchild]

@fluffbruary Day 22

How was your year, Tessa? Jem asked in the way of the Silent Brothers, in her head.

Their meetings on the bridge were so brief, barely cooling the aching grief of her mind and heart, and she yearned to draw him to her and never let go, to say my Jem and hear him say Wo ai ni.

She shook the urge off. Thus was the curse of immortality, and she had gotten better at bearing it over the years.

“It was good,” she said. “I worked as a nurse again, which was exhausting. I have all the respect in the world for Catarina. I think I’ll be going to university again this year.”

Which course would you want to study?

“Linguistics,” she said, spinning the bracelet Will had given her for their wedding anniversary around her wrist. “It has a few entertaining jobs lined up afterwards, which spares me from going into the Labyrinth for a while.”

She loved her fellow warlocks, and she loved working and researching in the Spiral Labyrinth – but after the incident seven years ago it was still hard to think about going back there. She had no doubt she would, though: to her it was what hospitals were to Catarina, what luxury was to Magnus, what the Shadow Market was to Hypatia, what Idris was to Ragnor, what his family was to Raphael. A constant, something you find yourself drawn to in the long years of loneliness.

“How was your year?” She asked him, even knowing his response, because thinking about how her life was going sometimes made her incredibly sad.

It was well, he answered, entirely uninformative as usual. He always encouraged her to talk about herself and her life, and always refused to say much about his own.

Tessa spent all year yearning for this period, for the time she got to interact with the love of her life, and then when it came to it, when she was finally looking at him, she wanted to close her eyes and be done with it. She hated what life had done to the two of them, she hated how much they had lost: Will. James. Lucie. Cordelia. Jesse. Matthew. Christopher. Thomas. Alistair. Anna. Cecily. Sophie. Gideon. Charlotte. Gabriel. Henry.

She hated that looking at Jem and talking to him brought up so many sad memories of her past, all the people she loved and her memories of them tinged with grief and sorrow.

Silences were unfilled, but never awkward between them. As many conflicted emotions Tessa held for this, there was always a peace to be had with Jem, even with his eyes peacefully closed, in the  parchment robes of Silent Brothers.

Suddenly there was a loud commotion from the other side of the bridge. A few teenagers were creating a cacophony of noise, yelling at one another. One made gestures which were getting more and more agitated and exuberant by the second. Another stomped their feet and pointed between two of them, screeching about the sheer betrayal they left. It looked like those two were about to come to blows before the third pushed their way between them, hands on hips, and began to scold them, and then they stood there sulkily, occasionally glaring at one another.

Tessa threw her head back and laughed in a way she hadn’t in a while.

Jem was looking at her softly, and her breath caught. He almost looked the way he had, mortal, so many years ago.

It has been a while since I have heard laughter, he confessed.

Tessa found that indescribably sad. No matter how much she went through in life, she had never been devoid of laughter, in herself, in the people she loved, or simply on the streets she passed.

Why did you laugh like that? Jem continued.

“I just remembered something,” Tessa said, and for once, it brought the hot rush of joy rather than melancholy. “It was so silly. It was so long ago. We were such children.”

What was it?

“Cecily and Gabriel,” Tessa chuckled. “And the day Will found them. Also, coincidentally, the day they got engaged.”

I assume it was not quite that coincidental, Jem commented dryly, though she was fairly certain she and Will had told him that story when it had happened, Will nearly incoherent in his apoplectic, appalled rantings.

“No, it wasn’t,” she agreed, and she slipped back to the memories.

Gabriel and Will had been on an overnight mission, and Tessa and Cecily had stayed up until dawn for them, Cecy practically vibrating with impatience that she hadn’t been able to go. They’d watched the sky turned lighter as Bridget sang about murder in the background.

At that point, Cecily had completely lost her temper and gone to demand mission details from Gideon, who had never been good at denying his brother’s girlfriend, and caved instantly.

“Are you coming, Tessa?” She’d asked grimly, adding several daggers – her chosen weapon – to her holsters.

“Of course,” Tessa had replied. “I’m not leaving my sister to go out and get my husband alone.” That had gotten her a smile.

They’d gotten the carriage out, Cyril expressing several worries over them going out alone, and followed the trail left by their partners to a slime covered street.

“Cecaelia demons,” Cecily had said, her eyes blazing with that battle high Tessa saw so much but could never understand. “No wonder they’re late.” The both of them drew their blades and then charged in.

“Cecily!” Will had cried in fury. “What are you doing here?”

“You were late. I’m not sure what else I could’ve come for, Gwilym,” she’d replied, throwing a demon bodily off a stunned Gabriel. “Feel free to give me ideas, though.”

The four of them had made quick work of the demons, Will and Cecily trading barbs, and Will regularly trying to keep Tessa out of the way, which was rather useless.

“Why are you here, Tess?” Will had asked at the end, tiredly but tenderly, taking her hand.

Tessa had cocked her head to the side and smiled. “Cecily put it quite well. You were late. I hope you didn’t expect me to sit around and wait.”

Will had laughed. “Of course not, my Boadicea,” he’d kissed her hand. “What did you think of my performance?”

“You were rather dashing in the battle,” Tessa had allowed loftily. “But you wouldn’t have succeeded without me.”

“I would be incapable in every way without you,” Will had agreed mock solemnly.

“I don’t know,” she’d replied amusedly, “Cecy seems to keep you in line.”

At that, his face turned thunderous. “Cecily!” He barked. Cecily was nearly eighteen then, the same age they had been when they had met, but Will would forever remain overprotective – smothering, Cecily complained – over her. “By the Angel, I nearly forgot. Where is she?”

They’d found her in Gabriel’s arms, the two of them kissing like the world was ending. Tessa had smiled – you could say many things about Gabriel, but never that he didn’t adore Cecily. And she certainly remembered her own ‘we’ve survived, yay! Also you look hot fighting’ sex.

Will … did not see it that way. He had gone absolutely ballistic. He’d torn Gabriel away and thrown him to the ground.

Tessa had tried to calm him down, but to no avail.

Cecily and Will had gotten into a screaming match. Will raged and said she should have better decorum. Cecily swore at him in Welsh and called him a bloody hypocrite. Gabriel and Tessa exchanged a half-amused half-hapless look.

“How many times have I walked in on you and Tessa?” Cecily demanded.

“Tessa and I are married,” Will had snapped back. “That doesn’t matter.”

“Really, Will, you know we didn’t wait for marriage,” Tessa said exasperatedly. Gabriel winced at that. Will shrugged, knowing it was true and not wanting to argue with her, but his face was set.

“So, what you mean is if Gabriel and I were married, you would have been fine walking in on what you did?” Cecily had said, eyes gleaming with the Herondale promise of mischief and Tessa felt dread rise up in her. Gabriel made a choked noise.

Will laughed, clearly not considering that a serious question. “Sure, why not.”

“Very well then,” Cecily had tossed her hair back arrogantly and gone and knelt in front of Gabriel. Both Gabriel and Will’s jaws had dropped. Tessa had been unable to prevent an excited half-cheer half-laugh. “Gabriel Lightwood,” she continued, and the challenge in her eyes faded to something softer, something that made Tessa feel like a voyeur. “. I have never loved anyone before you, and I sincerely doubt I will after. Ever since I met you, you have kept pace with me, supported me, and challenged me, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you continuing to do those things. Will you do me the honour of being my husband?”

“Cecy. . .” Gabriel had sounded absolutely flabbergasted. And so, so in love.

Cecily had smiled at him, a moment so solemn and sweet not even Will had interrupted. “Do you have an answer for me?”

Gabriel had dropped to his knees as well. “For you,” he’d said. “The answer will always, always be yes.” They’d kissed, chastely but still somehow fiercely before parting, Gabriel having a hand on his fiancee’s cheek. “I am happy to spend the rest of my life with you,” he had continued softly. “And I am honoured you chose me.”

Cecily had grinned in a private, tender amusement. “I’m certain you would have been insulted if I had picked anyone else.”

Gabriel had snorted, taking her hand, slipping his family ring off his finger and onto hers, and pressing a light kiss to the back of it. “Rest assured; I absolutely would have been.”

“Congratulations!” Tessa had beamed, seeing that the moment had been teetering towards an end. Both of the lovebirds had startled slightly, before turning matching smiles to her. She moved rapidly to hug Cecily, and turned to Gabriel with his fiancée still in her arms. “Welcome to the family, Gabriel.”

Gabriel had smiled, obviously touched. “Thank you, Tessa.”

“The family?” Will had called, sounding revolted. But his expression hadn’t matched his tone, he’d been looking between the newly engaged couple, a furrow in his eyebrows. “Cecily, cariad, you’re seventeen.”

“Tessa was seventeen when she was engaged to Jem, and no one objected to that,” she’d pointed out in return, ignoring the slight noise Gabriel, who had never understood how they still considered Jem family, made. Cecily had, though. Cecily still called Brother Zachariah Jem, even though Tessa knew he slightly unnerved her. “We shall perhaps have a long engagement, but that does not matter right now.”

Will had sighed ruefully, considering this, hands in his pockets. Tessa had made her way back to him, and he’d almost unthinkingly come to her side. “I suppose there’s little left to be said then,” he’d commented. “Keep good on those promises you made, Gabriel, and we’ll be okay.”

Gabriel’s eyes had been wide at the approval. Cecily looked happy and irritated at the same time, saying “You have no right to comment on my relationships, Will!” while he’d stared at Will, the two men nodding sharply simultaneously moments after.

“Welcome to the family, I suppose, Lightworm,” Will had continued resignedly. “I probably won’t call you that anymore or prank you. Much.”

And with Will and Cecily still arguing, with Gabriel still looking delightedly dazed, they had made their way back to the Institute.

That is quite the story, Jem said, and he sounded wistful in her head. Tessa wasn’t sure if it was her own bias or if he actually did sound that. And it was very Cecily of her to propose.

“It’s fairly common now,” Tessa agreed. “But back then it was nearly unheard of. Cecy did love breaking stereotypes,” she said softly, and for once, the memory of someone she loved brought her joy rather than pain.

Tessa was immortal. Nearly everyone she loved was dead, and those still alive could die someday. She would outlive Jem, and it wasn’t a guarantee that she wouldn’t outlive her immortal friends.

But that wasn’t the point, she realized with a startling clarity. The point was to make memories like that which would make her smile years in the future. The point was that you lived, and did everything you could to live well. The point was the choices you made and the people you loved. The point was having those people, even for a short while. She thought of Gideon and Sophie, and of Gabriel and Cecily, who had lost their Barbara and Christopher so early into their lives and had still not regretted a second of it.

Tessa swallowed the lump in her throat, and looked at Jem: no longer a melancholy piece of the past, but the hope and happiness of her life there that she carried into the future.

“I think I’m going back to the Spiral Labyrinth,” she decided on a whim. “I’ve missed it a lot.” And she had, she realized.

You will? Jem asked, sounding surprised.

“Yes,” she said firmly. “What about you? Any New Year’s resolutions?”

I’m not sure, he admitted.

“That’s alright,” Tessa said, smiling. “We’ve got time.”

#fluffbruary #fluffbruary 2023 #the infernal devices #the shadowhunter chronicles #jessa #wessa #gabrily #tessa gray #jem carstairs #cecily herondale #cecily lightwood #gabriel lightwood #will herondale #fanfiction #fanfic #fluff

[faithfromanewperspective]

liquid conscience spinning deeper

quote from one of my all time fave existential songs and a new chapter!! chapter 2 (+1 if you're on ao3 which is where it is) read it at

or a snippet (there is more of this chapter than what's here!) under the cut. canon compliant. yes there are chain of thorns spoilers.

tied up, hazy, and emotionally unaware everest is the bathroom at the top of the goddamn stairs i could harvest every dream that i ever had headaches beat me down to a lifeless stare i'm hoping that maybe one day it could start to make sense have you found what you're looking for? heartbreak's useful to a man that is on the fence he's not faithful to a god for the consequence golden lady with a mind that could cut a stone who could love me if i start giving you my soul? your blissful eyes will open. a brand new voice has spoken.

Matthew passed James and Cordelia in the hallway, only managing a stiff grin at his parabatai and the girl he still loved. Everything felt like a strange dream, and he wondered if he could go ask Jem for more of the stuff that helped him sleep last night. It was probably a bad idea. Pity, because he could do with something. He didn’t really need to find his mother, he didn’t really knew where she was. He didn’t know where his father was either, or Oscar. Charles had stayed in Idris, which was probably for the best. Matthew didn’t feel like being on guard constantly against snide comments, or worse, his brother’s awkward attempts at actually being kind. He wandered the Institute corridors aimlessly, adept at looking like he had somewhere to go: he kept up the lie that he was going to find Charlotte. A few of the stragglers who had been crashing at the Institute since the battle pulled him aside and praised him for his heroism during the battle, though all of them made different guesses about what had actually gone on. (One of them was Esme Hardcastle—he didn’t know why she was here.) Matthew corrected none of their stories. He could get used to this: being praised as a hero. He wondered how long it would last. Probably not long, and then they would get back to criticising what he wore and how he spent his free time. Still, he could make the most of it, fielding the attention for Jamie and Thomas and—oh. Christopher.

Keep your head up, he told himself, or someone is going to ask you what’s wrong, and then it’ll just give them more reasons to talk about your family and your friends.

Eventually he ran into Lucie and Jesse, who were walking with Oscar, obviously looking for him. Oscar started running, bounding up as Matthew bent down to greet him. Oscar, just like his three best friends and Lucie and Cordelia usually did, had a way of lessening the ache in his heart until he could get through whatever he was doing. He realised now, how the presence of someone he loved and who somehow loved him kept him present in the moment, on his feet, and not thinking too much about the same unproductive things. He wondered how much the drink had really done. If it had stopped him from feeling the love that might get him through as well as taking the edge off the pain.

“—you would like a dog, wouldn’t you? You simply could bond with any animal, Jesse, and that’s okay. We will just have to own a zoo.” Lucie’s voice was laughing as she spoke, and Jesse gave a soft chuckle and said, “You always entertain me, Luce.”

Matthew couldn’t help but resent them a little. Hadn’t he once called Lucie that?

“Math!” Lucie said, clearly oblivious to what he had just been thinking. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you. I thought Jesse might kidnap Oscar, he’s been growing fond of him. But I knew that Oscar would miss you so much”—Jesse gave her a look that said she was lying—“and we wouldn’t be that cruel. See, Jesse, look how much he missed Math.” Then she turned to him. “How are you feeling?”

Matthew was taken aback—how was he meant to answer that? “My head hurts less than it has for several days,” he said. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to spend some quality time with Oscar.”

He saw the hurt on Lucie’s face out of the corner of his eye as he walked down the hall past them, and made his way to the music room, where he knew he wouldn’t be disturbed. He lay down on the rug and pressed his face to Oscar’s fur, trying to breathe.

He had no idea how long he lay there, Oscar’s panting like a steady rhythmic drum keeping him from falling apart.

Then someone came and sat next to him. James. And it wasn’t his wishful thinking: Matthew could feel him, his parabatai bond stronger without the drink in his system. Even if everything else hurt. He heard a shuffle and imagined James lying on his back next to him, staring at the ceiling as he liked to do while thinking or having a conversation. Matthew willed himself to move, pull his face out of Oscar’s fur, but he knew James wouldn’t care. And he was tired.

“I thought of you, you know,” James was saying, and Matthew knew he had—he hadn’t lost himself so badly as to think James didn’t care for him, “when I was there, dying, hoping I’d killed Belial. I remembered how my father described it when he thought Jem died, and hoped that after Edom you’d have it in you to keep going. I knew you would but I hoped you wouldn’t have to. Math, I’m here. I’m done being reckless for now, at least for a little bit, after so many close calls. Uncle Jem has said I need to lay off the heroism for a bit. Cordelia healed where I stabbed myself with Cortana—”

“I wish you would not keep saying that so casually, ‘oh, today I went to the park with Oscar and yesterday I stabbed myself with my wife’s sword to kill a demon possessing my body and almost died while my parabatai was choking on the floor behind the coronation room and only didn’t die because my wife’s healing powers tied to the Mother of Demons had not yet run out because she hadn’t realised Cordelia tricked her but it’s fine because I make sure I almost get killed every three days or so,’” Matthew murmured.

“I knew you were awake,” James said, and Matthew thought he heard a slight laugh in his voice. Matthew was amusing. He ought to remind himself of this more often.

“As it turns out, the Silent Brothers and my body agree with you on this one. The lack of oxygen for a few minutes while Belial died would have left a mundane unable to think or do anything ever again. Uncle Jem says it may have damaged my brain, and if it has, it’s hard to know how long it might take to recover. So I’m banned from patrolling now, just like you and Tom.”

“What are we going to do now?” Matthew found he could roll over to look at the ceiling now, one hand still on Oscar’s back. “We’ll be just like mundanes. Might have to take up painting.”

“Unable to defend ourselves if anything comes to London for a while. Except Cordelia. Oh, and that’s another thing. We had to tell Uncle Jem that she was a Paladin.”

Everything inside Matthew froze for a second. He’d been trying so hard not to think about her—about Daisy, who had saved the world and saved James’ life yet again. Who had beaten herself up so much for her connection with Lilith, and Matthew had seen her go through that in a way no one else had. Who had been so relieved when it was gone—if a little dazed. Who must be worried about what people would think if the truth got out, even if she would never let anyone see it.

“Why?” he asked. “James, what? Why?”

#you are my unfinished business #the last hours fanfic #post chain of thorns #before the epilogue #parabatai #james herondale #matthew fairchild #lucie herondale #will herondale #tessa gray #grace blackthorn #henry branwell #charlotte fairchild #cordelia carstairs #jesse blackthorn

[older-brother-kit]

The Sibling Matchmakers Club

Ch. 6: And So It Begins

here’s the link to the latest chapter on AO3!

normally I’d post the full chapter here as well but I thought it’d be easier not to this time since I doubt a lot of people remember this story and I know it’s kind of a dead fandom at this point. either way, here’s the first chapter on both tumblr and AO3 for anyone who’d like to check it out! it’s a Parent Trap AU for Herongraystairs, with Mina, James, and Lucie getting switched!

#tsmc #herongraystairs #tsc #the shadowhunter chronicles #tlh #the last hours #tda #lucie herondale #james herondale #mina carstairs #kit herondale #tessa gray #will herondale #jem carstairs #fanfic #my writing

[thefictioness]

Who wants pain and suffering? I've got some to spare :'3

A little something I conjured up about Jem's time of dying. Kind of a parallel to the epilogue about Will's.

Original work by @cassandraclare

#herongraystairs #jem carstairs #fanfiction #fanfic #shadowhunters #tsc #the infernal devices #tid #will herondale #tessa gray #mina carstairs #wessa #jessa #cassandra clare

[silver-magic-ships]

Finally, finally, I’ve finished Chapter 2, so this is shameless promotion. 

Chapters: 2/6 Fandom: The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Last Hours Series - Cassandra Clare Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Matthew Fairchild & James Herondale, Cordelia Carstairs/James Herondale, James Herondale & Will Herondale Characters: Matthew Fairchild, James Herondale, Will Herondale, Cordelia Carstairs, Tessa Gray Additional Tags: everyone else pops up, I can't help it i know they're there, Post-Canon, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Whump, Canon Compliant, Spoilers for Book 3: Chain of Thorns (The Last Hours Series) Summary:

Matthew wasn’t having the best week. All things considered, it really shouldn’t have been this way - the weather was just beginning to warm up, the days were getting longer and London was losing the constant fog it always seemed to acquire in February.

Nevertheless, here he was for the third night in a row in some gutter in some miserable part of this great city. It was almost ironic how few times this used to happen and how often it did now that he was sober. It seemed wrong. Though that could just be the fact that the world was very slowly beginning to spin in the wrong direction and turn yellow. Was the sky meant to be yellow?

#james herondale #matthew fairchild #will herondale #jem carstairs #cordelia carstairs #tlh fanfic #tlh #tsc #the last hours #the shadowhunter chronicles #my fic #cassandra clare #tessa gray

[imherongraystairstrash]

Home is where the heart is (wessa family)

I know! It's been a while (to say the least) but I *finally* present a fic for all of you who are still reading them! If you haven't realized, I'm having a lot of trouble writing fics I actually like, and so I haven't been posting much. But, I shall not burden you with anymore boring this about my life, so here's the fic (that I didn't proof read, so please don't come at me):

...

Tessa was pacing nervously across the institute halls, her mind running at a million miles per hour. Thoughts came and went in a flurry; she couldn’t seem to calm them no matter how hard she tried. So, for the past four hours (yes, four hours), she’d been unable to do anything but worry. 

She couldn’t read, she couldn’t sew, she couldn’t train. She’d tried organizing her things, only to get more stressed, and make a mess of her already tidy things. 

Finally she had desisted from trying to do anything useful and had let herself worry. She had assumed that after a while she’d run out of things to worry about. What she hadn’t taken into account, however, was that her brain would simply go in circles, thinking about the same things over and over again like a broken record player. 

Will, who must have suspected his wife’s tendencies after years of marriage, had put his hands on both of her shoulders and looked into her eyes, telling her to not worry and kissed her forehead before reluctantly leaving her to go to Idris. 

Tessa had promised him she wouldn’t and though she didn’t mean to break his promise, the second he left, worries invaded her mind and refused to leave. 

She had only managed to make a cake in the time Will had left. After leaving it on the cooling rack, she would check on it every twenty minutes until Bridget got tired of her popping into the kitchen so much and prohibited her from coming in until it was teatime. 

Tessa suddenly felt the urge to check on the cake, almost going against Bridget’s orders when she heard the front door of the institute open.

“We’re home,” Will said cheerfully.

Tessa ceased her pacing and rushed to the staircase to see both Will and James standing by the door. James had been bent down, fixing a latch on his truck, before she looked up and saw his mother. Tessa’s heart skipped a beat and she stood frozen for a split second before she quickly went down the staircase, clutching the banister as she descended.

James smiled weakly at her and she came down. When she reached the final steps, she practically jumped them and threw her arms around her son. She held him against her, caressing his hair and rubbing his back lovingly.

“Oh Jamie bach,” She said, “How I missed you.”

“I missed you as well, Mam,” James said, rather muffled, since he had his face pressed to her shoulder. 

“You didn’t deserve it,” She whispered in his ear, so only he could hear it. “You didn’t deserve to suffer like that.”

“Neither did you,” he said softly.

Tessa pulled away. “Why didn’t you tell us something was wrong the second it happened?” 

“I didn’t want you to worry,” 

“We are your parents,” she said exasperatedly, “it’s not your job to shoulder every burden that comes your way, Jamie. That’s what we are here for, and if you face a problem, you tell us. I thought you knew that.”

James looked down, “I just didn’t want your feelings hurt.”

Tessa leaned down and looked into his eyes. “It hurts me more to know that you felt you had to suffer to spare my feelings. Promise me you will never do that again, Jamie. Please.”

James nodded quickly, not quite able to look her in the eyes. Tessa looked at him a second longer before crushing him into another hug. 

“Jamie! I hate to admit that I missed you, but it has been truly dull with only Mam and Papa here to keep me company.” Lucie said, hopping down the stairs. 

James only grinned at her. 

////

The Herondales were finally reunited. Currently, they were enjoying each other's company in the parlor, where they frequently spent time together. Though the remaining Herondales had maintained their tradition since James’ time away, it wasn’t quite the same. Now that James was back, however, the evenings spent together seemed just like they were before. 

Will had decided to sit on the floor (for reasons that are unknown) by Tessa’s legs. Lucie, always willing to accompany her father, sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder and she read alongside him. Tessa stroked James’ hair from where he was laying on her lap. His eyes were closed and his facial expression serene. 

Will was enthusiastically reading out loud from a book when Lucie sighed dramatically. 

“Can we skip this scene?” she asked, “It’s incredibly dull.”

Will sputtered, “Skip this part? Lulu, have you gone mad? How are we going to simply skip a scene out of a Shakespearean play?”

“By flipping the pages until you see the next scene.” Lucie said, rolled her eyes.

Will’s eyes widened as he stared at her. “Take that back, Lulu.”

“I will not.”

“Lucinda,”

“Lucinda?!” Lucie said. “Since when is my full name Lucinda?”

“Since I realized that ‘Lucie’ doesn’t sound intimidating enough.”

“Should’ve thought about that before naming me.”

“Can you two stop bickering?” Tessa said, exasperatedly, “Jamie just came back and this is how you act? Can’t you be civilized?”

“James understands the dire situation we are in, don’t you Jamie?” Will said. 

James smiled, clearly amused.

“Just skip the scene, Will. Lucie’s right, it is terribly boring.” Tessa said.

“Thank you!” Lucie said, at the same time that Will gasped. 

“I guess now we know where Lucie gets her disgraceful opinions about literature from.” Will said. “James?”

“Sorry Papa,” James said.

“No!”

“It doesn’t contribute anything to the plot.” James argued.

“Is that so?” Will said. “Then why did Shakespeare write it?”

“Lack of editors?” Tessa said.

“He was intoxicated?” James added.

“Mid-life crisis,” Lucie concluded.

Will looked at his family in shock. “My own family horrifies me.” He turned back around slowly. 

Tessa nudged the back of Will's head playfully. She looked back down at James and saw him smiling softly with his eyes closed. Tessa’s expression softened; how could anyone be cruel to her sweet, soft-spoken Jamie? He had always been even tempered, kind and eager to help those around him. He was so sweet, it didn’t make sense as to how someone could treat him any way that wasn’t kind. 

Tessa had desperately wanted James to have a wonderful time at the academy. Both she and Will would spend hours thinking about how James might be faring. Of course, they had faith that James wouldn’t be completely alone, as they were certain the Lightwood boys and Matthew Fairchild would be friendly towards him. But, they also knew that James was so incredibly different from the other boys his age, and they weren’t blind to the fact that a number of shadowhunters thought his golden eyes weren’t “natural”. 

As they were parents that only wished the best for their child, they were worried; of course they’d be. But neither of them could have imagined in their wildest dreams that James would inherit powers. Nor could they have imagined that they would appear in the most inconvenient time possible. James’ situation was vastly different from Tessa’s, since Tessa’s powers had never manifested on their own. Not only that, but Tessa didn’t even have access to her power until she was sixteen, while James was still only fourteen (practically a baby, in Tessa’s eyes). It was safe to say that Will and Tessa were more than worried upon hearing about James’ situation. 

Now Tessa looked down at James, relieved he was here, safe from scrutiny of those with little empathy. She planted a kiss on his forehead. James opened his gold-colored eyes and shared a smile with her.

/////

Tagging (I really hope the links are workingg): @tsccreatorsnet  @atla-lok143  @rinadragomir  @youngreckless  @autumnangel20  @julemmaes @cupcakesandkittens  @no-scones-allowed  @ninacarstairss  @stxr-thxif   @icouldnotask @jordeliasupremacy  @cordelia-cardale  @will-effing-herondale  @axoloteca @heronstairs2014 @ilovemanicures @ti-bae-rius @alastair-esfandiyar-carstairs1 @readersconfessions812 @nightshade3465 @livvyheronstairs @zemiraa @proudtobealuthor @neurogliadudette @theenchanteddreamer @cheeseandmacarons @shadowhunting-hoolingans @writeordie-4 @amchara @myangelbach @livingformyself @dancing-under-the-moon @julescarstairs @wouldyouknowmeblind @grace-lightwoodd @livingformyself @ilikebooksandtvshows

#james herondale #tessa herondale #tessa gray #will herondale #lucie herondale #tsc #the shadowhunter chronicles #tlh #tid #tsc fanfic #ana fics

[lucyofhell]

Looking for a Max, Diana, Rafael, Mina, Maia and Lily chen for a shadowhunter rpg!

If you’re interested the account is la.institute

🔒 = 18+ admin required

🔐 = 18- admin required

⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆ TMI ⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺

﹒Lily Chen﹒open

﹒Maia Roberts﹒open

﹒Will herondale﹒open

⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆ TDA ⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺

﹒Aline Penhallow﹒open

﹒Tavvy Blackthorn‎‎‎‎﹒open

﹒Raf Lightwood-Bane﹒open

﹒Max Lightwood-Bane﹒open

﹒Diego Rosales﹒open

﹒Auraline Queendaughter﹒open

﹒Divya Joshi﹒open

﹒Cameron Ashdown﹒open

﹒Diana Wrayburn﹒open

﹒Gwyn Ap Nudd﹒open

⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺

Come rp!

#the shadowhuter chronicles #shadowhunters #shadowhunters roleplay #shadowhunter rp #tsc #tsc fanart #twp #tda #magnus bane #alec lightwood #malec fanfic #malec #julian blackthorn #emma carstairs #jemma #tessa gray #wessa #jessa #seelie queen #jonathan morgenstern #the wicked powers #the mortal instruments #the dark artifices #ty blackthorn #kit herondale #livia blackthorn #mark blackthorn #cristina rosales #roleplay #cassandra clare

[vwritesaus]

      ‘So…’ Alastair hates how shaky his voice is, how completely wrecked it sounds to his own ears, and is grateful that Kit is the only one who can hear him. ‘You are aware of them, then? Of my sins?’       ‘Not sins, Alastair. Misdirections, yes. A child’s attempt to survive in a harsh environment, yes. But not sins. And yes, I do know. We all do, eventually, though I won’t say how or when.’       Alastair’s heart plummets. ‘I see.’       ‘I will also say this.’ Opening his eyes, Alastair finds volumes of sympathy pouring out of grey alongside something much softer. Kinder, just like her smile. ‘Sophie and Gideon will understand, as will Charlotte and Henry. You just need to give them the chance to do so.’       ‘And Fairchild? Matthew, I mean.’ Despite the visible hesitation on her face, Alastair instantly corrects himself before she can avoid his question with an apologetic, ‘No, that wasn’t fair of me to ask you that. I do beg your pardon.’       Tessa struggles to make her smile stay, and she quickly busies herself with tucking a piece of hair behind Mina’s ear.

Snippet #1 | Snippet #2

~

says she's gonna post the full fic in a couple of days

doesn't work on the fic for nearly a week

oops! sorry ♡

but here's another small snippet to compensate, and i mean it this time when i say that the fic is coming VERY SOON. maybe even... gasps tomorrow!? monday!? i'm working on it right now and am determined to get it done ASAP >:)

~

tag list: @astriefer @drunkonimagination @melanielocke @alastaircarstairsdefenselawyer @have-a-holly-jolly-angstmas @livingformyself @ayaashryver let me know if you'd like to be added!!

#the shadowhunter chronicles #tsc #the last hours #tlh #alastair carstairs #kit herondale #sophie lightwood #gideon lightwood #charlotte fairchild #henry fairchild #matthew fairchild #tessa gray #mina carstairs #thomastair #thomastair fanfiction #thomastair fic #fanfiction preview #fanfiction #fanfic #time travel #post chain of iron #canonverse #a (too few) hundred hearts #there are certain parts of this fic that were hard to write #not bc i couldn't get the words out or was struggling to make it sound good structurally #but bc my heart was breaking and sought to comfort instead of causing pain :') #this is one of those parts #im sorry alastair but plot needs must

[uthers-bald-head]

The Twelve Days Of Shipmas - Day Eight

Fandom: The Infernal Devices

Ship: Jem Carstairs and Tessa Gray

Word Count: 700

Jem and Tessa ponder their relationship amidst the search for Mortmain.

#fanfic #the infernal devices #tessa gray #jessa #christmas

[astriefer]

Dinner Night With the Herondales

Pairing: Gabriel Lightwood & Cecily Herondale

Summary: The title is pretty self-explanatory. Plus baby Anna is a little thunderstorm and her family loves her a lot.

Length: +2k

CW: none

It's a fic for my dearest friend and one of the coolest people I know. happy late birthday!! <3

The lightwood Townhouse, London 1886

Two-year-old Anna Lightwood marches from the nursery, eyes twinkling. She walks across the lounge as her father follows her, trying half-heartedly to retrieve his stolen hat. "Mam!"

Keep reading

Gabriel puts no real effort into it, more concerned Anna doesn't crush into a wall. He seems amused if anything, and by the mischievous smile plastered to Cecily's little girl's face, it's clear she's quite enjoying herself too.

She only stops pacing around the room when she's in front of her, Gabriel on her heels. Bright, eager blue eyes look at her, a replica of her own.

"Ma," Anna says, in that childish, high-pitched voice of hers. Cecily smiles and crouches down so Anna doesn't have to tilt her head so high. Cecily wouldn't be able to do it soon.

The hat was far too wide on her small head, falling forward and covering her eyes. The dark-haired woman fixed it for her daughter. "What a lovely hat you have there, cariad bach."

Anna touches it, pleased with the compliment, and giggles. Her chubby hands grasp the brims of Gabriel's hat – with effort, as it was huge on her – and tilting it as if she's in a show, bowing to her crowd. It only results in the hat falling on her face again. Cecily's heart fills with warmth as she laughs. So confident her daughter is, making mischief and standing for what she wants. Even if it was her husband's hat.

Cecily finds it hard to believe one can possibly love so hard. But she looks at her husband, his green eyes meeting hers. There's this undeniable emotion in his eyes as he looks at her and their daughter, pride and adoration and happiness she feels just as much.

While she gets back on her feet, Gabriel swoops Anna into his arms. The toddler squeals and squirms, her dark hair is revealed when he lifts the hat from her face and puts it neatly on his head. Anna, in an instant, retreats to kicking her arms and legs in protest. The maid enters the lounge just a moment after, quick to bring Anna a hat fitting her size. It matches her dress, a blue shade or two lighter than Cecily's own outing dress.

Gabriel thanks the maid while Anna, still not satisfied, attempts to steal his hat once again. The pout on her face makes it hard to do anything but laugh. "You're a little troublemaker, aren't you?" He says, arching an amused eyebrow at his oldest daughter. Anna, ever unapologetic and confident, puts her hands on her waist and makes a sound of pure dissatisfaction.

"You two, stop it," Cecily sighs. Inside, however, she finds it very entertaining. Being done herself, she takes Anna from Gabriel so he can finish the last touches on his appearance.

"Well," he says with a broad grin, finished fastening his cuffs. He gestures broadly to the door as he links his and his wife's arms together. The graze is gentle and warm. "Off to Wales, we go."

*

"I can't believe it," Gabriel grumbles. It's the fifth time he says this sentence accompanied by a grumpy face he wears ever since they entered the carriage.

"Oh, hush," Cecily says. "There are worse things than that."

"It’s the third time this week!" Gabriel proclaims, visibly annoyed. "And it is only Wednesday." The blue-eyed woman presses her lips at his words, adjusting the toddler on her lap as he continues. "I have never," Gabriel huffed, "ever imagined I'd be subscribed to the `steal-your-in-law's carriage` membership."

Much to their surprise, when they left their townhouse earlier they found the carriage raider – without the carriage and with a note. Soon Gabriel came to the realization his dear in-law, Will, had 'borrowed' his carriage to a visitor of the Institute that wished to go to town but had no carriage available. Had Gabriel's brother lived far from them, they would have gotten stuck.

"I don't believe you had much of an option," Cecily responds, biting down a snort. She seems hardly as irked by her brother's antics. It only agitates him more. "Not that you were asked, for the matter."

The carriage comes to a halt in front of the London Institute. After climbing the stone stairs leading to the door, the three Lightwoods are ushered inside by a maid. She offers to take Gabriel's hat. He refuses, instead letting Ana toy with it like she so loves to do.

The maid bows and quietly rushes to call her masters. No longer than a few minutes later, Tessa Herondale steps into the room.

"Cecily, Gabriel," she welcomes them warmly with open arms, a smile tugged on her lips. They rise from their seats to embrace her. Cecily presses a kiss to her cheek as well, and Tessa kisses Anna's forehead. "It's been some time, hasn't it?"

"Indeed," Cecily agrees, putting her hand on her sister-in-law's forearm. They met in enclave meetings and when they had to visit the institute from time to time, of course, but nothing other than work for the past month. "We've been so caught up with tending to Anna, we barely had time for anything else."

Tessa smiles kindly at them. "The joys of parenthood, I suppose."

Gabriel glances at Tessa's hand, resting on her swollen belly, pregnant with her and Will's first child. "Is it truly safe for you to travel through portals?" he asks. "Do pregnant women suffer any kind of side effects from it?"

Tessa waves her hand dismissively, clearly unbothered by his concern. "Frequent travels through portals are not recommended, but there's no real harm. Besides," she adds as if in an afterthought, "Charlotte is the consul and she visits Idris and London regularly. I doubt she – or Henry, frankly – would have put the fetus in danger if that was the case."

"Oh," Gabriel seems and sounds relieved. The tension set in his shoulders loosens by a fraction. "Right, of course."

Tessa eyes him suspiciously. Before she can query him about that, he changes the subject. "If we're yet at the topic of children," Gabriel grimaces. "You should know that dear husband of yours is one, too. And a thief."

Tessa raises her eyebrows in question, so the green-eyed man elaborates. "He stole our carriage."

"Again?"

"Exactly what I was saying," Gabriel nods. He looks at Cecily who just rolls her eyes. He sighs, and Tessa sighs, and if Church – who is asleep on the lounge's window - could sigh, he would have done that too.

Tessa shakes her head, but shrugs. "William," she says if it solves all Gabriel's problems. "I'll have a word with him."

"I hope your baby won't grow up to be a thief like their father," Gabriel murmurs. "I hold high hopes for it, considering it shares at least half your genes." He'll love the child nonetheless even if they would be an immaculate copy of Will, and all three of them know that. Still, he wishes his nephew would be a bit less impish. Wistful thinking, he knows.

Tessa pushes back brown curls behind her ear. "No matter, now. Shall we go to the portal?"

They agree, so Gabriel picks up little Anna, still fiddling with his hat, and together they go towards the portal of the London institute.

*

Heronadle estate, North Wales

"Oh my," Linette Herondale says when they appeared on her estate's doorstep. "My beautiful granddaughter, how much you've grown!"

"Hello to you too, Mother," Will jokes, then lets himself be swept into a tight hug. "We’ve come for the food."

"I'm sure you did, cariad, " Will and Cecily's mother says in a lighthearted tone as Edmund opens his arms to welcome his family as well. 

Cecily hugs them and watches as her parents hug her husband and daughter just as firmly. After they all get inside, they sit around the broad dinner table. Scents of Cecily's childhood food flare her nostrils. It's been too long since she had a meal of her homeland - the maids serve them cawl, and bara brith, and she feels so nostalgic she almost burst into tears. She concentrates on eating, meanwhile keeping a watch Anna doesn't devour anything she shouldn't. Gabriel, on his part, concentrates on bantering with Will and discussing the latest events of the London Enclave. He asks for a napkin and Will throws it at him.

"Anna, aren’t your father and uncle ridiculous?" Cecily smiles softly at her daughter. She points her finger up, then continues, "Please, never learn from them."

Anna burst out laughing. Gabriel shakes his head at the accusation. It's hardly his fault he has Will as his brother-in-law.

"Why are you so cruel, younger sister, despite we share the same blood?" Will chuckles, just as Gabriel says, "Well, you still married me."

"Not much I can do about the first thing, " Cecily drawls. The people around the table laugh, while Gabriel seems pleased with himself and Anna babbles happily for no reason.

At one point, once they finish dinner and drank some wine - except for Tessa, who's pregnant, and Cecily who said she doesn't feel like it - they settle in front of the fireplace. Cecily and Gabriel sit on the loveseat in front of Cecily's parents, Tessa in the armchair while her husband plays with Anna on the rug.

They brought various toys Anna enjoys with them to dinner, but she is entirely fascinated by a new game her grandparents brought her. It was a colored wooden train carriage, big enough to not be a hazard to Anna's safety.

"Ai'n," she says to Will, pointing at the train. He grins, nodding. The toddler then yawns, so Gabriel gets up to pull her into his arms. It was soon her bedtime, and his parents-in-law made sure to have a bassinet in cases like this. Before he turns to go, Anna protests. Pushing her palms on his chest to get his attention, she looks her father in the eye. "Ta'ain," she demands.

"The young lady got some attitude," Edmund points out, amused.

"Like mother, like daughter," Will muses as Anna says gibberish to Gabriel, to which he nods. She looks very grave and demanding, probably in an attempt to tell him what she wants.

Cecily's about to remark back to her older brother when Gabriel lands his eyes on Cecily, and there's only admiration in them. "I agree. And aren't they perfect?"

He flushes at the realization of his saying, catching the train toy before quickly disappearing out of the room. When he finally returns, Anna is not with him and his cheeks are just slightly less red.

"Rydw i'n dy garu di," Cecily whispers to him when he takes his seat next to her. Gabriel turns away, mostly so they wouldn't see how he fails to repress a wide grin.

"So, Tessa, how much longer it is until you're due?" Linette asks, sipping from her tea. Her legs are crossed and her other hand rests on Edmund's.

They were always affectionate like that, and Cecily has always viewed them as the perfect couple. She grew out of this, learning no marriage is perfect, but she still sees the way they look at each other with love, even after all those years.

"A few weeks," Tessa replies, leaning back against the armchair. Her voice softens, and Gabriel can't describe the emotion written on her face. "I cannot wrap it around my mind. It's something I feel I still ought to get used to."

"We weren't sure we could ever have this," Will comments. He reaches to caress the back of his fingers against Tessa's belly, no longer a bump like it was a few months ago. "It's still difficult to comprehend, you know? That we're creating life."

Cecily and Gabriel look at each other and smile quietly. They watch the other couple have this moment together. They discussed their lives and their loved ones before Linette lifts herself up from the coach.

"Cecily, annwyl," she says, "can you help me with something in the kitchen?"

Cecily obliges and follows her mother until they reach the small space of the kitchen. When they're inside and there's no one to hear, the older woman starts, 'Is there anything going on?"

Cecily frowns. "What do you mean?"

"You might be a grown woman now, and a mother," Linette crosses her arms, "but you're my daughter, and the fact remains intact. There's something you want to tell us, I've noticed it all evening. What is it?"

Cecily levels her eyes with her mother, the same dark blue both her and her brother share. "Nothing bad, I promise," she brushes dust off her blue skirt and straightens up. "Just wait."

She walks back to the parlor, her mother next to her. Gabriel gazes at her as she sits down next to him with a quizzical look. "I think it's time," she concedes, taking Gabriel's hand in hers.

"Time for what?" Tessa quirks an eyebrow at her, and Cecily takes a breath before nodding toward Gabriel.

"We didn't come just the three of us. Cecily, myself, and Anna, that is."

"Oh?" Edmund looks puzzled. "Who else? I've seen no other come through the portal?"

"Well…" Gabriel and Cecily both turn their gaze down.

To Cecily's flat stomach.

"Don't tell me…" Tessa's voice trails off. Cecily's gleaming eyes are her answer.

"Heavens!" Linette puts her hands over her mouth. "Are you pregnant?"

Cecily nods, letting Gabriel rest a protective hand on her stomach. She doesn't need it, and he knows she can handle it on her own just fine, but he also wants to be close to the baby, to her.

It follows a few reactions from all four of the other people in the toom:

"Pregnant!"

"How long have you known?"

"Oh, angels, another Herondale."

"I'm going to have another grandchild?"

They let themselves be surrounded by the love and questions of their family, smiling the whole time.

*

When they returned home with sleeping Anna, Cecily throws her hands around Gabriel. He wraps his hands around her immediately, holding her close. She says the same thing she has said earlier, and on their wedding night, and when he's done something stupid, and when their Anna was born. "Rydw i'n dy garu di."

*

Taglist (I know it's not tlh sorry if you didn't want to be tagged): @ary-es @all-for-the-fanfiction @justanormaldemon @life-through-the-eyes-of @rainingpouringetc @tessherongraystairs @cordelia-in-the-right-skin-tone @takethetrain

#I just thought OH she wouldn't think I made her something if I post it a few days late!! jsjx #the infernal devices #tsc #the shadowhunter chronicles #gabrily #wessa #cecily x gabriel #gabriel lightwood #gabriel lightworm #cecily lightwood #cecily herondale #will herondale #tessa herondale #tessa gray #anna lightwood #tid fanfic #tsc fanfic #my writing #styx.txt #they are parents your honor #family dinner is sometimes nice

[sherlocksstuff]

Chapter 3: Morning Wake-Up Call

It had been week since Mina arrived in London. Kit hadn’t protested much to Mina when she informed him about staying at Blackthorn hall.

"Silly Melon… Mina mine it's time to wake up," a soft voice whispered, pulling Mina from her dreams. She blinked and found herself staring at the pale Grey London sky. Once again, she had fallen asleep outside in Blackthorn Hall's gardens. To her, it was the best place to take a nap, even in the winter, and a simple heat spell could fend off the cold.

This time of year was always difficult for her, ever since her parents had passed away. Kit was there for her, but he had his own life in London now. She hardly saw him since he took up the responsibilities of running the Institute with Ty. Emma and Julian had come to Blackthorn Hall for the London Christmas party, and Mina had been glad that she could stay with them then the institute. However, he had been occupied with Enclave matters since their arrival.

"Mina, food's here," Dru called, interrupting her thoughts. "Coming!" she yelled back.

Julian's voice greeted her as she entered the house. "So, you fell asleep outside again, Min?"

"It's not my fault that your garden happens to be the best place to nap," Mina replied with a grin. "Besides, I was bird-watching."

Julian raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying her excuse. He exchanged a glance with Emma, a silent communication they seemed to share effortlessly.

"So, Mina, I was thinking we should train more later with Cortana. You're getting really in tune with her," Emma suggested.

Mina nodded enthusiastically. "That's a good idea. I need to train more. Are Kit and Ty coming for dinner, or is it just us?"

Dru answered from across the table, "Kit texted that they're a bit delayed, but they'll be here soon."

"Good thing we ordered pizza for dinner," Mina said with a grin, glancing around the kitchen. Emma and Julian were sitting close together, and Dru was to her left. Church, her dad's cat, lay asleep in the corner with his feet up in the air, on a bed she purchase from the pet shop.

Their dinner was cut short when Dru's phone rang. Kit and Ty hadn't made it for dinner; they were dealing with more Enclave problems. Strange occurrences, like unexpected portals, had been happening all over London.

"This sucks," Mina muttered, to which Church responded with a contented "Meow."

"You're right, Church. I still have you," she said, petting the cat affectionately. Church was known for being somewhat unfriendly to people other than Emma, but he was her dad's cat, and now he was hers.

Later, lying back on the ballroom floor, Mina pulled out her phone to text Max, her best friend. Loneliness crept over her; maybe coming to London so early had been a mistake. She sent a quick message, "Max, you up?" and waited for his response.

While she waited, her thoughts wandered to her parents. What must the place have looked like when James and Lucie were her age? She couldn't help but wonder. Her phone buzzed, breaking her reverie.

Max: Yeah, actually heading to London Institute with Bakpia. You're there, right?

Mina: No, at Blackthorn Hall, but I'll portal there now. What's happening, though?

Max: Don't know, something about portals, but not the usual ones that open in different places.

Mina: They're letting you help out? Jules and Emma left me at Blackthorn Hall, said they'd be back.

Max: Well, I'm 19, you know, and you're still underage, so…

Mina: I can still help out! See you there.

Opening a portal had become second nature to her; she could do it in her sleep if she wanted to. With a few practiced gestures, the portal opened with a shimmering silver hue.

Stepping through, she arrived at the London Institute's courtyard. The ancient building's spire loomed above, casting a shadow that reminded her of gothic cathedrals. She made her way up the steps and into the Institute, expecting to find Max.

"Min-min, what are you doing here? I thought you were at Blackthorn Hall," Kit called out, jogging down the stairs.

"Kit!" Mina exclaimed with joy, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug.

"I was texting Max, and he said he was coming here, so I portaled here," she explained.

Kit looked at her with a serious expression. "I know you want to help, but for now, stay in the Institute, okay?"

Mina was about to protest when he continued, "Listen, some weird things are happening, and I need you to stay put. Max, Rafe, and Tavvy are going to be here too. If we need your help, you can join, but listen to Rafe and Tavvy, understood?"

"Fine," Mina grumbled. "But I still want to be there for the meeting."

Kit sighed, his expression softening. "Alright, you can come to the meeting, but promise me you'll stay put otherwise."

"What about Ash? Is he here too?" Mina asked.

"No, he's in Faerie, asking about what's happening here. Now scram, Min," Kit said with a smile.

Mina ran up to the library. Hopefully Max and the others would be up there.

#mina carstairs #shadowhunters #max lightwood bane #kit herondale #the shadowhuter chronicles #rafe lightwood bane #jem carstairs #tessa gray #emma carstairs #Cortana #fanfic #London institute