Will says "if there's a life after this one. Let me meet you in there, James Carstairs" and Jem never forgot.
He thought about it while he was dying, slowly each day. He thought about it while thanking him for choosing him as his parabatai.
He thought about it while he watched over him and Tessa, from afar. While he played the violin at Cordelia and James's wedding.
He thought about it while he cried for his death. The jade pendant in his closed palm. Human, real, tears falling down on it.
He thought about it again and again. While he rejoined with Tessa, while they raised a child together. While the took in another Herondale.
Especially, oh, when he had to leave the room during Julian and Emma's parabatai ceremony.
There were a lot of moments that went around his mind while he was dying. Too many shared memories, too little time.
But those were the only words that never left him, even in death.
And they were still there, just hidden, when in a modern London he was looking around. Playing with a pendant he always had but never knew how.
That's when someone bumped into him and let out a curse.
"Not really polite, are you?" Jem asked, amused.
The stranger rubbed his own shoulder, raising his head and freezing in place.
Dark curls, blue eyes that he'd never forgot. That Jem always tried to remember, never catching the right shade.
Beautiful rich eyes were looking into his and Jem's hand went to the pendant. He opened his mouth, closed it and opened again.
He didn't know what to say.
He took his face in his hands. No marks adorning the skins but memories, Jem's but not really, quickly coming to mind. Like a past life. Or most likely: exactly that.
And Jem smiled. Healthy, happy and so close to tears.
One word, full of so many emotions. Too many to describe but one as clear as their eyes: love.
snowghoul
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