Cursed (Infernal Devices Fanfiction)

Chapter 14- Facing Fears

Disclaimer: SOME of the dialogue in this chapter, the main story plot (not my one) and the characters (apart from Grace and Philip) belong to the awesome mind of Cassandra Clare. Grace, Philip and my adaptions belong to me. So basically anything that isn't in the Infernal Devices.
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'Let me in and I will save you from the madness
Let me in and I will keep you from the storm
With every motion, every moment, that we've owned
I'll be here to break the fall.'

- Let Me In, Olly Murs

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-*-*-*-*- Grace -*-*-*-*-
"Are you all right?" Jem asked her after Tessa left. Will had come in and was sitting by Jem in the armchair, trying to read a book. Grace still sat on the window seat, hugging her knees.

"Jem, you need to get some sleep," Will said, trying to divert his attention. Jem discarded his comment.

"Grace, please," Jem said. "I need to know that you're all right." Grace shook her head. How could he think she was fine after he just told an almost complete stranger her darkest secret and worst fear? There was a reason she struggled to tell people. They made a promise to each other that they wouldn't, but Jem broke that promise.

"Just don't talk to me," she said. Jem hesitated.

"I know you're angry at me," he said as he fiddled with his glowing red crystal. "But I think telling Tessa about it was the best thing for you. It isolates you, Grace, and I'm not going to be around much longer to make friends for you-"

"Is this what this is about?" Grace burst out, standing up and throwing her hands up in the air. "Making friends? Come on, James. Is that seriously your excuse? No, it's not about that at all."

"I'm just trying to make sure that you have a life after I'm gone," he said, his voice as calm as ever but his face pale and covered in sweat. "And as many people as possible to help you through it."

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe I don't want to have a life after you've gone?" Grace shouted. "Jem, you are all I have! I literally stay around because of you! What else do you want from me?!" There was silence in the room. Grace expected both Will and Jem to be angry at her. Hell, she wanted them to be angry at her, but both just looked at her with sad expressions on their faces.

"Gracey," Jem sighed. "All I want is to make sure you have a family when I go. Will and Tessa can be that family. She wants to be your friend and I think you can be as close as sisters. You're just held back."

"I'm held back because I'm trying to limit who I hurt," Grace said. "Jem, at any point I could blow. I don't want to hurt any more than I need to."

"You are not dangerous, Grace," Will said. "You won't hurt anyone." Grace snorted and stormed towards the door.

"Tell that to the man underneath the Dark House," she said, slamming the door behind her.

***

"Will, whatever you came here to tell me, you better go back to Jem because it won't work," Grace said to the window in the library. Obviously her comment was directed to the person who had just opened the door.

"It's not Will, miss," the voice said. "It's Sophie." Grace turned around.

"What are you doing here?" she asked but not unkindly. "I'm afraid I'm not in the best mood at the moment, Sophie dear, so perhaps you should leave before I break something that you'll have to clean up after me."