TID short story ( Fanfiction)

Chapter 23

Everyone was taken aback, but no one more so than Jem.

"I-you must know that I cannot possibly ask for you to do this," he said weakly, his silver eyes blown wide. There was strong reluctance in them, for Johnathan to give up his life, but there was temptation in his eyes too. Tessa could tell that the latter was winning-no matter how just and fair Jem was, he always made an exception for Will. Always.

"You aren't," Johnathan looked thoughtfully at his sword, stained with the blood of Mortmain, and then back up at Jem again. "I made the decision myself, and I'm not going back on my word. Will brought me back into this world with his blood. It must be fair then, for me now to return the favor."

Clary stepped away from her circle of friends to approach him sadly. "Johnathan..." she began, but it was the only word she could say.

"Take care of my sword, Clary," her brother took her hand and gently wrapped her fingers around the hilt of Phaesphoros. "You can have this to remember me by. Tell Jocelyn that I'm sorry."

Clary shook her head, and jumped at Johnathan for a hug. She rested her head against the side of his neck, where he could feel her curls of flaming orange hair tickling his shoulders.

"Are you sure that Jace wouldn't kill me for this?" he said innocently, cheeks slightly flushed.

"I'll make sure that he wouldn't," Clary drew back, sighing. "I've always wanted a brother. Looks like I've got my wish come true, the right way this time," she smiled sincerely at Johnathan. "Thank you."

Tessa watched Johnathan's whole face light up like a Christmas tree as he beamed at Clary. The New York Shadowhunters all nodded at him with respect. Tessa thought that she saw something in Isabelle's eyes shift, as if she had changed her mind about Johnathan. Jace broke away from the crowd without hesitation, offering him a hand. The other boy stared at it in giddy disbelief, apprehensively taking it and giving Jace's hand a firm shake.

It was quite a heart-wrenching sight. The lost boy with green eyes had finally gotten the forgiveness he so desperately wanted from those he had wronged. If Johnathan really had to die tonight, this would be the way that he would've wanted to go. Despite everything, Tessa smiled at that thought.

Johnathan then came to a kneel in front of Will, holding his pale hands out and watching them glow with a strange blue aura.

"After all that you have done, don't you think that you deserve a second chance in this world?" Jem stared despairingly at him.

"There's no place here for a ghost like me," Johnathan grinned light-heartedly. His body was gradually rippling into the same translucent misty blue on his hands. "And there's nothing for me here. Not anymore. But Will is different," his green eyes were the last to fade into a glowing turquoise. Johnathan looked like nothing more than a ghost now. "He has something to return for, unlike me. He has you, James. And you too, Tessa Gray. And the whole lot of you," Johnathan's cloudy eyes glazed over the London Shadowhunters enviously. "The family that he had learnt to build over the years of his childhood. No one should ever give up on something as precious as that."

Jem opened his mouth as if wanting to say something, but he was at an utter loss for words. Instead, he merely reached over to clasp Johnathan's transparent hands tightly. "Ave atque vale, Johnathan Morgenstern."

"No, no, no," Clary whispered hoarsely from under Jace's embrace. "He's a Fairchild now... he doesn't deserve a name like that after all that he has done..."

Johnathan gave a last smile at that, and his figure dissolved into a sea of blue stars. Jem withdrew his hands once he found himself clutching at nothing but air.