The Infernal Devices Rewritten

Chapter 17 - In Dreams

Chapter 17

In Dreams

When the Shadowhunters returned, Will had shrapnel in his back and Tessa was unconscious. Charlotte made a mad dash to call for the Silent Brothers, Sophie was readying the infirmary and Jem had went to tell Evan - which was easier said than done.

"He'll be alright, Evan," Jem tried to sooth but Evan's hands were shaking. "In just a few days - Tessa as well."

Evan nodded quickly, "I know," Her voice was almost breathless. "It's just - stupid anxiety!"

"He asked for you," Jem said. "If you want to see him."

Evan nodded again, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes. A few deep breaths and a slow count to ten in her head calmed her enough to stand and follow him down to the infirmary. When they got there, Jem went to sit next to Tessa while Evan went to Will - the metal was still in his back but was covered with a thin sheet. Will's arms were folded tautly around his pillow, his face buried in it. His body tensed like a bowstring, Evan quoted.

"Will?" Evan breathed, sitting in the chair where - no doubt - Jem had sat.

He looked up a little, just enough to see her. "I'm fine," He grunted.

"Liar," Evan smiled a little. "Did you shield Tessa?"

Will nodded smalley.

"That was brave of you." Evan said.

"Jem loves her," Will said so lowly that Evan had to strain to hear him. "How could I not have shielded her? He would have done the same for -" Will cut himself off.

Evan prompted him with a raise of her eyebrow.

"He would have done the same for whom I love." Will said slowly.

"Of course he would have," Evan pushed his hair back out of his face gently. "She's going to be okay, too, you know."

"That is what Charlotte told me." Will said, tensing again. "Gah! It hurts!"

"It looks like it would," Evan agreed, earning a short laugh from Will. "You look like Iron Man - kind of."

"Who?" Will chuckled slightly.

"He's a billionaire superhero," Evan explained as Brother Enoch came in with wickedly sharp silver tweezers and 'spoke' with Jem. "He saves people everyday. He's from comic books, though."

"Sounds like me," Will teased, his face drawn with pain. "Evan? Will you - if you don't mind -"

"He wants you to stay with him as Brother Enoch takes the shards out," Jem said, suddenly at Will's other side.

Evan nodded, watching as Will - painfully - arched himself over the bed, his elbows digging into the mattress. Jem applied four of the same runes onto Will's shoulder moments before Brother Enoch dug the tweezers into Will's back without warning and pulled out pieces of metal. Evan didn't focus on Will's back, but his head, listening to each muffled cry as the tweezers plunged into his back and ripped out with another bloody shard, over and over again.

The runes (painkiller runes, Evan would later learn) seemed to do very little. Towards the end, Jem slipped his hand into Will's which seemed to ease the pain for him slightly. When it was over with, Will collapsed on the bed, exhausted, while Jem applied several iratze and blood-replenishing runes before Will had told him to go back to Tessa's side. Jem looked hesitant, but obeyed.

Evan brushed Will's sweat-soaked hair back again and he turned his head to look up at her. "Blood doesn't bother you anymore." Will stated.

"Nope," Evan agreed breathlessly. "Do you feel any better?"