Fragile Hearts (TID - Will Herondale fanfic)

Chapter 40: The Beginning of Hope

ELEANORA'S POV
  Will lets out a guttural cry of pain. His arms are folded on the pillows in front of him, his head resting on them, his body tense like a bowstring.

  Blood spots the white sheets beneath him.

  Brother Enoch stands at one side of his bed, and beside him Jem, at Will's head, wearing an anxious expression. "Will," Jem says urgently. "Will, are you sure you won't have another pain-killing rune?"

  "No-more," Will grinds out, between his teeth. "Just—get it over with."

  Brother Enoch raises what looks like a wickedly sharp pair of silver tweezers. Will gulps and buries his head in his arms, his dark hair startling against the white of the sheets. Jem shudders as if the pain were his own as the tweezers dig deep into Will's back and his body tautened on the bed, muscles tensing under the skin, his cry of agony short and muffled. Brother Enoch draws back the tool, a blood-smeared shard of metal gripped in its teeth.

  Jem slides his hand into Will's. "Grip my fingers. It will help the pain. There are only a few more."

  "Easy-for you to say," Will gasps, but the touch of his parabatai's hand seems to relax him slightly. He is arched up off the bed, his elbows digging into the mattress, his breath coming in short pants.

  The tweezers flash again, and Will's hand bears down on Jem's, both their fingers whitening. Blood wells and spills down his bare side. He makes no sound, though Jem looks sick and pale. He moves his hand as if to touch Will's shoulder, then draws it back, biting down on his lip.

  He glances at me, as if asking me for help. I stand mutely against the door, my face white, my fists clenched tightly.

  Blood flows down on Will's back, and I never thought it was possible to feel so much pain by watching someone in pain.

  Brother Enoch brings the tweezers down again, and I hear Will suck in a breath.

  I can't move.

  I would gladly walk out, except Will asked me to stay. For him. I'm staying for him.

  "Ella, you can leave if you want to," Jem says, turning to look at me.

  I just keep watching the blood flow down his back.

~

  "He's fine now," Jem tells me, standing at my door.

  I nod mutely.

  "What's wrong?" He asks.

  "My father," I whisper. "I should tell you about him."

  Jem just stares at me. "It can wait." He finally says.

  I shake my head. "My father left the Nephilim for a reason. He got himself too involved with Downworld. He knew a lot. He thought it'd be a good idea to sell this information. He left and went to create an organisation. The Gericht. He knew everything every time. He grew greedy. Hungry for more information. He thought he could rule Downworld."

Jem doesn't say anything. He just shuts the door behind him quietly.

"Then one day he left us," I say, and laugh mirthlessly. "I was so happy. Caspian had left not long before. At thirteen we were already part of the Gericht. They became something like second family to us. A cold, heartless family. We were forced to behave like them.

"Caspian left the family, but he still worked for the Gericht. He never showed his face, though. When my father left I thought he may have died. He didn't attend any meetings. Nothing. When I met you, I quit the Gericht. Then my mother died."

"Your father," Jem says slowly. "He did it."

I nod. And I explain everything. The ring. My life. Caspian's. Why we did what we did.

When I'm done, I feel like some weight has been lifted off me. Jem nods slowly.

"Go see Will," Jem says softly. "He wants to see you."

I exhale and nod, then head out of my room, walking over to where Will is. I wear a plain dark blue dress instead of gear this time.

I knock on the door and open it, slipping in and closing the door behind me. I see Tessa still lying on her bed, and I feel sympathetic toward her. I can't imagine what I'd be like if I had lost Caspian.

Then I look away from her and see Will. He's got a loose shirt on and trousers and a black dressing gown.

I walk up to him and sit at the edge of his bed. His eyes track my movements.

"How are you feeling?" I ask, angling myself towards him, taking in his angelic features.

"My back doesn't have shards in it, so I think that I will be rather fine for now," Will says.

I can't seem to laugh. I just nod slowly. The image of his blood flowing down his back enters my head, and I look away.

  "Do you need anything?" I ask.

  Will reaches out and takes my hand. I can feel his heat. Iratzes increase body heat. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

  I nod slowly. "Okay."

  That's when I notice something on his bedside table. I see the familiar scrawl of Magnus's handwriting, and I pick it up.

  I flip it open and read through it, then look at Will. "Have you read this yet?"

  Will nods slowly. "Will you go with me?"

I laugh. "Of course, Liam." I look at him and smile. "This is it, Will."

Then I come to realisation. No more. No more trips to Magnus. Why did I stay here after the betrayal? For Will.

"Nora?" Will says softly.

I force back on my smile and look at Will. "You can hope, Will." I look at Tessa.

We sit there in silence. Suddenly Tessa stirs, and I let go of Will's hand roughly, standing up. Without a word, I head out.

~

  Caspian watches me. "You truly love him."

  I give him a pained look. "I never wanted to."

  "I know that," Caspian says, slightly sadly. "But love cannot be controlled."

  I swallow. "Father isn't dead yet. You know that, right?"

  "Yes," Caspian scowls. "We must find him. And then we have to end him."

  I lean my head back on the wall. "I know. We'll do it together."

  "I won't leave you again. You know that right?" Caspian says.

  I hesitate, then nod slowly. "I know that."