TID short story ( Fanfiction)

Chapter 17

Will came to a rest in front of the door he hesitated to open. From inside, he was able to hear the hushed voices of his sister and Tessa, clearly discussing about him. He wondered if he should go fetch Jem first before coming back later, but something made him press his ear against the door and listen closely.

"-Do not cast him from your heart. For if you do, you will regret it," Tessa spoke. "I will take my leave now, Cecily. You should choose your decision wisely."

The door gave way, and Will hurried to find a footing. He ended up steadying himself with a hand pressed against the doorframe, leaning in a little too close to the person who had opened it. It was Tessa.

Only when he realised that he was gazing too closely into her wide grey eyes did he straighten himself and took a few hasty steps back, making him hit the wall behind him.

"Were you eavesdropping on us, Will?" she demanded, a hint of a blush creeping up onto her cheeks.

"I was simply making sure that my sister was not exposed to any bad influence around here," he responded coolly, a small wry smile escaping him. Cecily was giving him a pointed look.

"Charlotte wants everyone at the dining room in five minutes, for a meeting. But be warned, it is not going to be pleasant."

He was about to leave when Cecily stopped him.

"Why not?" she matched his glare evenly.

"You'll find out. Have you even seen what Magnus is wearing?" Will grimaced. He turned to Tessa, an odd edge of his tone. "Have you met... your, uh..."

"My what?" Tessa frowned.

"I suppose not then," he grinned when he pictured her shell-shocked expression afterwards when she would meet her future self. His smile, however, faltered when he remembered the situation at hand. "Head to the dining room quickly. We have a crisis on our hands."

Without so much as another word, Will slipped away, leaving Cecily and Tessa exchanging bemused looks before heading towards the dining room.

----

Will took two steps at a time to Jem's room, feeling the urgency of the situation more and more by the minute. He thought he saw something white flash in a distance just when he was about to reach the top of the stairs, but quickly dismissed it when all he saw was an empty corridor.

He did not bother to knock on his parabatai's door, opening it as if it was his own room.

Needless to say, the sight in front of him was uncalled for. Jem was lying on his bed, his face pale but he was still smiling, Zachariah next to his bed talking to him, a fond expression on his features.

"I have seen too many versions of the past and future selves of others interacting with each other today," Will mused to himself. "I am starting to get quite jealous."

Jem did not miss the tensed look on his face. He quickly sat up, smoothing out the creases in his shirt. "What's wrong, William?"

"There's not much time for an explanation," Will went over to his side to help him up. "Charlotte will announce the situation at the dining room in a few minutes. We all have to be there. Are you well enough? You look awfully pale."

"I am fine," Jem waved his concern away, steadying himself on his own feet to prove a point. "Zachariah proves to be an even nicer company than you are, Will."

"Touché," Will offered Zachariah a grateful look, for being there for Jem when he couldn't be. "Now let's get going. Charlotte is waiting for us."