Disclaimer: SOME of the dialogue in this chapter, all characters (but Grace and Philip), the main story line and settings belong to the magnificent Cassie Clare. Grace, Philip and my own story plot belong to me. The Infernal Devices do not belong to me.

A/N: This chapter will be a bit all over the place as I'll be covering a large space of time. Sorry if it gets a little confusing...but enjoy! Oh and this will be longer than most chapters have been ;)
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'In the eyes of a saint I'm a stranger
We're all trying to find a way
At the death of every darkness there's a morning
Though we all try
We all try
We're all one step from grace.'

- Grace, Rag N Bone Man

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-*-*-*-*- Grace -*-*-*-*-

Grace sat bolt right up, thinking she was still in the caverns under Cadiar Idris. But she wasn't. She was in her bed, dressed in her night gown and smothered under blankets. Will was sitting in the chair next to her, his head in his hands as he tried to contemplate what had just happened.

Philip was sitting on the trunk at the end of her bed, watching hee with sad eyes.

"Will?" she had asked. "Philip?" Will jumped to his feet, crushing her with a hug while Philip just smiled.

"Oh God, Grace," Will whispered. "God, I thought I was going to lose you too." Grace was confused.

"Will, I'm fine. I feel completely fine." It was true. She felt so light, better than she had felt in a very long time.

"Are you sure?" he asked frantically, checking her over. "There's nothing wrong? Nothing at all?"

"No," Grace said. "I feel...free. But where's Tessa? Is she all right? And Henry and Charlotte and Cecily? Is Jem...?" Will opened his mouth to speak but was cut off when the door to her room opened and Brother Enoch walked in, followed by Charlotte whose face was pale and worried.

"Charlotte?" Grace said. "Charlotte, is everyone all right?" Philip moved to sit next to her on her ned with Will opposite. They gave each other a look which made her heart lurch.

"Grace," Brother Enoch said. "Everyone is recovering. They are being seen to now. However there is something you must know about...about your own condition."

"Yanluo's gone," Grace said. "I know that. I-I can feel it." Charlotte gave Brother Enoch a pained look. She looked so upset and stressed, but something told Grace that it wasn't all to do with Henry.

"There is more to it than you think, Grace," Brother Enoch said.

"Like what?" She asked hesitantly.

"It seems that when Tessa Changed into the Angel Ithuriel, the angel freed you from Yanluo," Brother Enoch said. "However, as you know, it was impossible to detach Yanluo from your soul without killing you, and so, for a few minutes, you were dead."

"I know," Grace said, slightly confused. "I don't understand why you are telling me this." Will reached out a hand and laid it on her wrist, as if to comfort her for Brother Enoch's next words. Philip looked down.

"In order for you to live, Ithuriel has split his own soul and used some of it to join with yours," Brother Enoch said. "Whereas before you were part demon, now you are part angel, and all the powers that come with an angel's fire come with it."

Grace blinked. That was why she was feeling so light. She no longer had the weight of Yanluo crushing her, but now she felt another presence within her, but one that was willing to work with her. But her heart was hammering as the shock settled in.

"By the Angel," she whispered. "How is that possible?"

"There's more," Charlotte said quietly.

"What more is there?" Grace exclaimed.

"The angel's soul has another effect on you," Brother Enoch said. He hesitated, as if trying to work out his wording. In the end, he gave up and said what he wanted to say outright. "You are now immortal, Grace. Your life has been extended indefinitely. From now on, you will not age."

Will's hand tightened on Grace's wrist. "Grace, are you all right?" She was breathing heavily as she tried to take in what just happened. Immortal? It just couldn't be possible. But when she saw her parents, what she thought was a dream, didn't Ithuriel mention a price? This had to be it.

"Can everyone just leave me for a moment, please?" she asked quietly.

"Grace..." Philip said but Grace shook her head.

"No, Philip. Please. I need...I need to be alone." That was when everyone got up and left her. Philip gave her one last look before he shut the door gently. Grace curled up and finally let the tears fall.

***

A week later, Grace was in the training room wearing gear, a target set up opposite her. Will was there, leaning against the wall with Philip next to him. Charlotte had allowed him to remain in the Institute and help Grace learn to control the heavenly fire that now scorched through her veins from the part of Ithuriel's soul that resided with her.

Grace remembered when she had asked him to help her learn. He had readily agreed, but his enthusiasm faded when she explained why. Being immortal had changed everything for Grace. She told Philip that as much as she wanted to be with him, she couldn't because she knew she wouldn't be able to stand watching his die. She just didn't have the strength. He reluctantly conceded to her, but Grace remembered the way he stroked her cheek and tucked a loose strand of hair from her face.

"I will always love you," he had said. "No matter what you say or do, I will always love you, and I will always be there for you." She hadn't said anything, only walked away to her room.

"Now try and concentrate," Philip was saying now. "Heavenly fire is triggered by strong emotions, so in theory if you control your emotions then you can control heavenly fire."

"I can control my emotions just fine," Grace retorted. "How do you think I controlled Yanluo?"

"Yanluo was different," Will said. "It just used anger and fear. Heavenly fire uses any emotion." Grace took a deep breath and turned to face the target again.

"You would think that controlling an angel would be easier than controlling a demon," she muttered.

"You're not controlling Ithuriel, you're working with him," Philip said. "You'll become a master with practice and time."

"I'll have plenty of that," she murmured. Philip looked down and bit his lip, but he didn't say anything.

"And besides, if you keep setting fire to the dining room table, Charlotte will have a fit," Will added to lighten the mood.

"Not. Helping," Grace said through gritted teeth. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Will smirking. It was the happiest she had seen him since Jem left, since Tessa released Ithuriel. It pleased her to see his smile again even if it was only temporary. He hadn't been himself, just walking around the Institute with no apparent destination. Sometimes he would smile then turn to his side only to find that no one was there, and then his shoulders would drop and he'd carry on walking.

Grace herself wasn't much better. She often sat with Tessa in her room, just watching and waiting for her to wake. Tessa would toss and turn, crying out for her brother and Will and Jem. Grace would try her best to ease her pain, to control the heavenly fire enough to free Tessa from it, but she just couldn't.

If she was honest, how could she free Tessa from her nightmares if she couldn't even get rid of her own? Grace had thought that now Yanluo was gone she wouldn't have anymore bad dreams, but that wasn't true. In fact, they were much worse than before, and so she would wander the halls of the Institute at night.

Suddenly her hands lit up with the ghostly blue glow of heavenly fire. She shrieked and threw out her hands, shooting a fireball at the target. It hit, but the entire target exploded, making Will and Philip dive out the way.

"Well, I guess that was better," Will said, blowing a lock of hair from his face as he stood to his feet. Philip gave him a look.

"Next time, perhaps you could hit him," he said, jerking his head at Will. "It might knock some sense into him."

-*-*-*-*- Jem -*-*-*-*-

If there was one thing Jem knew better than anything, it was his twin sister. He had just woken Tessa and had spoken to her, then he went to Will and said his goodbyes. Now, there was only one person his had left to speak to.

And he dreaded what he was about to say.

He found her out in the Institute garden, sitting on a branch half way up a tree, a sketch book open on her lap. Grace was never one to be obsessed with nature, but perhaps the fresh air was clearing her head. Perhaps it had something to do with the angel that now rested within her. He didn't know, but nonetheless, that is where he found her.

He stopped walking as soon as he reached the tree and looked up at her. She had frozen, her pencil still on the page, but she didn't turn to look at him.

"Hello, Jem," she said quietly.

"Hello, Grace," he replied. "Would you-would you please come down? I would like to speak with you...if that's all right?" Grace closed her sketch book and jumped down from the branch, landing lightly on the grass.

Jem took a moment to look at her. She still had the dark circles under her eyes from a lack of sleep, but at least her skin had more colour. She looked healthier and lighter, but the way she looked at him had changed. But he knew it was his own fault.

"You've seen Tessa and Will?" she asked. He nodded.

"Yes, but how are you?" he asked. She glanced up then back down again.

"I'm all right," she said. "Ithuriel is easier to live with than Yanluo. Every so often he'll talk to me, give me advice. It's slightly strange, but I'll get used to his presence. But I don't want to talk about me or being immortal. I just want to know how my brother is."

"You know I can't tell you much," Jem said. "I've only just started my term of service in the Silent City." She shook her head and laughed a little.

"Since when do we abide by the rules?" she said. "Especially when it comes to us."

"There is no us anymore, Grace," he said, turning away. She could see the puzzled look on her face.

"What do you mean?" Jem took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He knew what Brother Enoch had told him to say, but he wasn't sure if he could go through with it. He knew that it was the only way for Grace to be truly free, but after everything they had been through, it was excruciating to end like this.

"We're on two different paths now," he said. "We cannot focus on the past; we must move forward."

"Yes, and we will move forward together," she pressed. "As we have always done. We are brother and sister, Jem, and no angel or the brotherhood can change that."

"It changes everything, Grace!" Jem cried. This was the part which destroyed everything. "You don't understand! I only became a Silent Brother because I knew you couldn't control Yanluo alone! You were a danger to everyone!" She blinked and took a step back.

"You don't mean that," she whispered. "You're trying to push me away because you don't want to tie me to this place. I know what you're doing, Jem."

"It's your fault we're here in the first place!" Jem said, every word a lie. But she had to believe him. If not, she'd never stop looking for a way to free him, a way that just wasn't there. "It will be better if if we don't meet. Ever. Otherwise...otherwise we can't move on."

"I don't want to move on."

"We have to."

"Why are you saying this?!" she exclaimed. "I don't understand you. Just a week ago you were holding my dead body and now you don't want to see me again?"

"The only reason I'm a Silent Brother is because you couldn't be trusted," Jem said viciously. She gasped, stumbling back. "I couldn't trust you not to harm Will and Tessa, or anyone else for that matter. I did what I had to do." For a second, Grace's face hardened and Jem could practically see the heavenly fire burning in her eyes.

"You know, mother and father warned me you would do this," she said. "But I just never thought you'd sink as low as this. After all we've been through to stay together, this is how you want it to end?" She hesitated, shaking her head and blinking rapidly.

"Goodbye, Brother Zachariah." 

"Goodbye, Miss Carstairs." Jem turned to walk away from her, blinking tears viciously from his eyes. He left his beloved sister just standing by the tree, watching him in disbelief.

He made his way to the Silent Brother's carriage where he was met by Brother Enoch. "Why did I have to do that to her?" he asked. "I ripped her apart."

"Because if you didn't, she would never have let you go," Brother Enoch replied. "She would have searched for a way to reverse the Ritual till the end of time and for her, that would be a very long time."

"But-"

"Brother Zachariah, this is the only way for her to be truly free," the Silent Brother interrupted. "Do not make it harder for yourself. You had to severe all ties. Your former parabatai and fiancé would have accepted your path, but you sister never would have." Jem sighed and nodded, climbing into the carriage and heading for an eternity of darkness.

What have I done?  He thought as he rolled through the Institute gates for the last time as Jem Carstairs.

-*-*-*-*- Will -*-*-*-*-

Will stood with Tessa in the ballroom of the Institute, dressed in a smart tux. It was the Christmas party and he was currently watching Philip and Grace dancing to a slow song. He didn't know what had happened between Jem had gone to see her, but when he came out to the garden later on, she was just sitting under the tree, staring into space.

Later that night, Will had just come back from a patrol with Gideon and Gabriel and was walking through the corridors when he heard her screaming. He bolted to her door, throwing it open and finding her sitting up in bed, her knees drawn up to her chest and shaking violently. He went towards her immediately, holding her in his arms and murmuring gently as she sobbed into his chest. At some point, Tessa had come in and explained that she had also heard her. Together, they sat up into the early hours of the morning, whispering to each other as they guarded Grace from all the dark.

When the Christmas ball had come around, Will begged Cecily, Sophie and Tessa to convince Grace to go. The three girls agreed, helping Grace get ready. They fitted her dress and styled her hair, but Tessa had told him that she had been silent the whole time.

Now, he watched her finish the dance with Philip then slip away, out of the ballroom. He stepped forward to go after her but a man got in his way, a man that Will hadn't seen in years.

"William Herondale?" he asked. Will was so shocked that Tessa answered for him.

"Yes," she replied. "I am Theresa Gray. And you are?"

"Elias Carstairs," he said. "I am Grace and James's uncle." Tessa looked to Will, a clear signal that this was for him.

"It is nice to meet you, Mr Carstairs," Will said stiffly.

"I-I was wondering if you could tell me where my niece is," Elias continued. "I would very much like to speak to her, especially since James has...well, since James went to the Silent City." Will glanced at Tessa who nodded encouragingly.

"This way," Will said quietly, walking towards the doors and not looking if Elias was following him. He walked to the library and pushed open the doors gently. Grace was sitting on the window seat inside, her emerald green dress billowing around her as she leaned her head on the glass.

"Grace," Elias said. She turned, her lips parting in surprise.

"Uncle," she said. "I didn't know you were here." Will took his leave then, knowing that it was something he wasn't meant to intrude upon. Their voices faded as he walked back to the ballroom.

-*-*-*-*- Grace -*-*-*-*-

Snow had started to fall as Grace watched Cyril and Philip readying her carriage. After her conversation with her uncle, she had returned to her room and changed into gear, also packing a bag with everything she needed.

Her uncle had offered her Cortana, the sword that Jem was supposed to have on their eighteenth, but she had refused the gift, saying that he should give it to Will instead. It wasn't because she didn't want the sword, something told her that she shouldn't take it. That and the angel whispering in her head that it was meant for someone else. Grace found out later from Philip that Will had refused Cortana  too, peaking Grace's interests further. She was sure, though, that she would find out one day who that sword would belong to.

"We're done, Grace," Philip told her as Cyril disappeared inside again.

"Thank you," she replied. She hesitated. "Thank you for everything, Philip. It hasn't been easy for us, I know, but you've always understood me in some way." He smiled sadly.

"I just hope we'll meet again one day," he said. For a moment, they just stared at each other as they snow fell around them. He really had changed since she had first met him, since he had promised he would find a way to help her. How time flies.

Philip leaned forward and brushed his lips against her in the gentlest of kisses. "I hope that you'll find your purpose somewhere," he whispered. "And that you'll find your happiness."

"Goodbye, Philip," she said softly. He nodded and she watched him climb the steps and walk into the Institute. Grace turned to climb into her carriage but a voice called out and stopped her.

"Were you going to leave without saying goodbye?" Will asked. Grace smiled as she turned.

"I was counting on you turning up," she said. "Although you were a little late." He walked down the steps slowly until he was a metre in front of her.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" he said. Grace sighed but nodded. "Why? This is your home, Grace. We're your family. Don't leave us now. Don't leave me. Please, I need you. I can't lose another sister."

"I'm leaving you in good hands, Will," she said, looking over Will's shoulder and at Tessa who stood on the top step. "And you've never needed me, Will. You're not losing me either."

"Then why are you leaving? Is it about Jem?"

"There are too many memories here, Will," she said softly. "Too many things that I need to forget."

"But good memories too, right?" he insisted. She smiled.

"Good memories too," she confirmed. "But I need to go. I'll come and visit every so often, but this place just isn't right for me anymore. It's time that I move on." Will looked down but Grace could see the solitary tear trickling down his face. She slid a hand under his chin, wiping away the tear with her thumb.

"Don't grieve for me, Will," she whispered. She hesitated then reached into her pocket, pulling out two crystal necklaces. Will gasped when he saw them.

"Magnus fixed them for me," Grace explained. She unlatched one and drew in over Will's head so it rested on his chest. "They've been modified so they now connect you and me. They don't even register emotions anymore but allow me to keep an eye on you." Will laughed through his sadness.

"I want you to hand this down to your children," Grace said. "I want you to tell them to hand it down to theirs and so on. That way, I will always protect the Herondale line. Whenever you, or they, need me, I will always be there." Grace drew the familiar chain around her neck and both crystals lit up again.

Will tightened his jaw and took a deep breath. "Good luck, Gracey," he said.

"And you too, Will," she replied, looking back at Tessa again. "I think you have quite a life ahead of you." Will hugged her and then she turned, climbing into the carriage. The driver flicked the reigns and she rattled out of the Institute, leaving Will and Tessa behind her.

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I am sorry if this made you cry....but to make up for it, I have an epilogue planned that I think you'll enjoy!

Don't forget to vote and comment! Thank you sooooooooo much for your support! It really does mean the world to me.

Love y'all!

CricketCat