Coming Back (TID & TMI Crossover)

Chapter 20

(Okay guys, this is a long chapter. Just stick with me. Thanks! Enjoy!)

Will closed his eyes and swallowed. He had seen the village burned. The automatons running ramped in the streets. The terror of the citizens' eyes. Looking back, it wasn't as horrible to look at compared to the sight right now.

You had to watch your step for skeletons. It might just be a rib or femur, but that sickening crunch still made you feel the vomit rising into your throat. Jem was pale, and Will could see the outline of his son hesitating at every bone, even if for a fraction of a second. The town was scorched and the burnt wood was rotting away.

Will stopped in the middle of town. "Jem, you look in that area. I'll look over here. At noon, we'll meet up back here," he said, gesturing with his hands. When Jem had turned his back to them, Will turned to James. "You get where I didn't mention." He saw a pair of gold eyes wink at him before disappearing. Will nodded and scanned his area.

In the movies he had seen, this was all very suspicious. It was quiet. Too quiet. Then again, what did you expect of a ghost town? Will named his seraph blade and cautiously walked through burnt frames of houses and old barns. At one point, he stopped, realizing he was in the room he had stayed in this town. Looking around, he found a rusty dagger and shoved it into his belt. At least if it didn't kill someone, it might give them a disease.

Will had been walking around for an hour when he heard something crack from behind him. Instincts taking over, he snapped around and crouched near the ground. A flash of black darted in the corner of his vision. Pretending it was nothing, he kept walking for a minute or so. When he felt the person was near, he turned around and jumped onto the figure, pinning it to the ground.

After a moment of struggle, Will looked into the face and moaned. "Tessa, why aren't you in New York?"

"I was, but you forget I am a warlock, and guess what? I can make Portals." She rolled out from under him and pushed herself into a sitting position. Will squatted and covered his face with his hands.

"The whole point was to keep you safe."

"Jamie got to come."

"He had to hit Jem before he could! He barely escaped!"

"Why won't you let me just help you?"

"Uh, I don't want you to get hurt?"

"Give me a real reason why I can't fight. Pretend you barely know me."

Will paused for a moment, then sighed. "I give up. You can fight. But if someone gets killed, you grab Jamie and get out."

Tessa nodded her approval and the two of them stood up. "Let's go find the other two," she suggested.

They walked in silence, both tensed up, ready to fight. Will looked at the watch Jem had bought him. It was 11:47. Will gestured for Tessa to follow him, and they both walked to the middle of the rubbish. They waited for a moment, Will checking his watch often. He shared some bread with Tessa, and after they ate, he glanced at the clock again. 12:04. Will began to pace. 12:11.

"We should go looking for them," Will suggested, standing up and beginning to walk. Something jerked his legs out from under him and he sprawled on the ground. Flipping onto his back, a fist (he thought?) struck his face repeatedly before letting up.

Through a slitted eye, he watched Tessa grin maliciously. Her face slowly began to morph into a face of someone he dreaded. Her rich brown hair turned stringy and white. Her pure doll face turned wrinkled and masculine. "So trusting. I believe Jonathan was right in saying Herondales are known for their jawline, not their brains," Aldous Nix snarled. "And how sorry Tessa would be to see you like this." A claw clamped on Will's throat. "How pitiful."