Looking After You

The Arrival

Chapter 2 - The Arrival  

 Peoples voices filled my ears when I woke from free falling from the tree. I opened my eyes slowly, looking around to see hundreds of people with large shopping bags walking on the pavement beside the streets filled with the metal machines. Looks like something Henry would build. I thought to myself as I stumbled up to my feet, catching myself on the tree.  

"Well well, you hit the ground pretty hard huh, William." 

It was a mans voice from behind me, I turned and saw him, the man who helped me with so many downworlder doings. Magnus Bane. 

I was shocked for a second, wondering why of all people that I could wake up to, did it have to be him. 

"Excuse me?" I didn't have time for this, I needed to find Tessa.  

"If you're thinking that you will be able to see Tessa, you're wrong. I'm the only one who can see you right now." Magnus regarded. Oh so he can read my mind too. 

"And if you're thinking that I can read your mind too, I can't, you're just predictable in this state, my apologies" He smirked. Was he making fun of me? This isn't the time to be joking, I needed to find my wife.  

"What do you mean you're the only one who can see me?" My voice was shaky, odd sounding to my ears not having heard myself in years.  

"You're just a spirit now, William. I can see you because I used magic" He chuckled softly.  

"Did you know I was coming?" I asked. 

"Nope, just pure luck, I missed seeing you William" 

"Does Tessa miss me? Where is she? I want to see her" 

Magnus seemed caught off guard, and stumbled on his feet a little. 

"I don't know where she is at this exact moment, but I do know that around 8:00 at night, once a year she goes to Blackfriars bridge..." He drew out his words.  

"Is she going to be there tonight?" My heart was pounding in my chest thinking about hearing her voice. Magnus nodded thoughtfully.  

"I don't know what it is with you and timing William, but you came at the perfect time. You will need to drink this if you wish to hear." I took the bottle Magnus was holding and placed it in the pocket of my jacket, not paying any attention to what he had said. I looked away hastily to the direction of Blackfriars Bridge. With that Magnus turned and walked in the opposite direction. I looked around frantically, I needed to know the time. I ran towards the large group of people, searching for a mundane with a watch, but none had watches, only black rectangles that would light up and have the time. 

5:58pm Sunday November 6th, 2004. 

2004? Was that the year? Time has passed, Tessa must have moved on from me by now, but I wasn't going to give up, I need to see her. And I also need to see Jem.

Jem was Brother Zachariah, but Tessa and I have never called him that. He was still our Jem. I wondered how he was, if he could see me or not, if he was alive. Silent Brothers are immortal, but can still die. James was my parabatai, my partner in battle. I looked down and pulled on my flawless white shirt and looked at the silver parabatai rune that had once tied Jem and I together. I stroked my finger along the swirling lines, tracing it. After a brief memory of Jem I viewed the perimeter. Tall buildings, asphalt roads, and was that electricity? London was so much different than I remembered, but still the same noise level, but filled with new noises too. I don't exactly know what these metal objects on the road are, but they do fascinate me.  

Trying to tap on someones shoulder to check the time was pointless, since my hand went straight through them. This was going to take some time to get used to. I wanted to return to the white room, and watch people from above. In the white room I was alone, no one to bother me, and I wished for someone to finally talk to. I'm surrounded by these people, but no one can see me, so either way I am always alone. Tessa and Jem were my main priorities right now, angsting about how I've been alone for the past fifty plus years isn't going to help me. I glanced at another mundanes black rectangle to see the time. 

6:23pm.  

How am I supposed to wait an hour to see Tessa, the woman I've been wanting to see? I need to see her now! My breathing was fast paced, I was trembling. I don't think I've ever been so anxious about meeting someone for the second, first time. Magnus said she wouldn't be able to see me... how am I going to tell her I'm there, to tell her I love her?  

I made my way to Blackfriars bridge and sat on the bench and closed my eyes. I sat and calculated the hour by minutes, then seconds. 

7:46pm 

7:47pm  

7:48pm  

7:49pm 

7:50pm 

My heart was racing, thinking about seeing her again, to sit beside her and watch her read. Mangus said she came here once a year, on that day the same time. Did she meet someone here? I instantly figured she had a new love, someone to make her smile. I knew I felt my heart crack a bit, but I'm happy for her, Tessa's happiness is my happiness. 

7:58pm 

7:59pm 

8:00pm 

I opened my eyes and saw my brown haired beauty sitting across the bridge from me, reading 'A Tale of Two Cities' Her favorite book, and the book I signed.