Chapter 4: The Artist

Tessa POV
Jem stood there holding Church and looking up at the huge door of the Los Angeles Institute. "You don't have to do this Jem. I know how much you love that cat," I said looking from him to Church.
"I want to do this Tessa," Jem began walking up the steps of the institute and I followed. Once near the door he set down Church and spoke softly to him, "Now you stay here and wait for Emma and Jules ok?" Church meowed in response and Jem patted him on the head. "That's a good cat." Jem stood up and look at me.
"If I've said it once I've said it a million times. You love that cat way too much." I said, as me and him walked down the steps. "How do we even know Emma and Jules are going to be here?"
"We don't but that's the beauty of it, ain't it? Not knowing everything all the time."
"You are enjoying this mortal thing way too much." I looked at him and noticed for the first time that he was more relaxed than he had been in years.
"Can you blame me? Now we get to grow old together."
"Actually you get to grow old and I get to stay the same."
"Don't be mean. Let's try to stay positive. We still have another good 80 years together."
"Jem that's 80 years of you growing old and me staying the same. 80 years of sickness for you and 80 of nothing changing for me." I said realizing how different our relationship would be from now on.
"Tessa this doesn't change anything between us. I still care for you as much as I did the day I chose to marry you."
"Jem this changes everything while you grow--"
"Tessa now you're just repeating yourself. Do you remember what I said that day?" Jem asked as he stopped walking.
"I do remember but it's not the same," I said, looking down at my feet.
"It is the same. I couldn't promise you how long I would live back then and what did you tell me back then?"
"I said yes," I muttered.
"Exactly now is this any different?"
"I guess it really isn't that different but..." Jem was always one to talk sense into people. It was one of his many talents and one of the many things I love about him.

Jules POV
Emma and I walked back to our rooms. We had just gotten back to the institute and we were exhausted. I grabbed Emma's hand and pulled her away from her bedroom door.
"Hey, come on Jules. I want to go to bed. That was an exhausting day."
"I know Emma." I turned her by her shoulders so she was facing me. "I have a little present for you first." I said looking into her eyes.
"What?Jules you didn't have to--"
"Yes I did. Now come on." I said dragging her down the hall. I pulled her into my room and closed the door behind her.
"Jules really this isn't necessary," she said as I shushed her and ran to my trunk and searched for her present.
"Here it is." I said putting it behind my back.
"Jules please I don't deserve this."
"Quiet Emma I want to give this to you and nothing you say will convince me otherwise." I pulled out the painting I had been working on for weeks. At first I wasn't even going to do anything, but after a lot of arguing with myself I decide to paint something. I had asked Clary if she could teach me how to paint while she was in LA. Which was why she wanted to talk to me during the party. "I hope you like it. It's really not that good." I gave her the painting and hoped for the best. It was a picture of Idris. All the buildings and people in the street. But the part that I was most proud of was the Demon towers. Those were the hardest parts to do and took a lot of help from Clary, but in the end the lighting and the shapes were near to perfect. The towers had their classic soft glow. In this painting nothing was really happening. It was just a normal day in Idris.
"Jules this is so amazing," she said holding the painting to her chest. "Thank you. It's beautiful."
I felt my cheeks blush, "Aww it was nothing," I said scratching the back of my head.
"Well thanks anyway." She then did something I never thought she would do. She leaned up and gave me a peck on the cheek then slipped out of the room. I just stood there like an idiot with a stupid grin on my face.

Emma's POV
I held the painting to my chest I could feel tears welling in my eyes. "Well thank you." I then did something I didn't even predict. I got on my tip toes and kissed Jules on the cheek. In my surprise I ran out of the room and closed the door.
Once I got back to my room I looked at the painting again. It was beautiful. The colors were so calm and pretty. I could feel a tear run down my cheek. This was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. I hugged the painting. "Thank you Jules," I muttered to myself.
Then I took the painting and leaned it against the wall. 'Tomorrow I'm going to hang this up.' After that I got in my PJs and slipped into bed. I took one last look at my present and then laid down and let sleep take me.
***
I woke up to the sound of soft purring near my head. I started to feel something soft rub against my face. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and turned my head to see what was bothering me. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I stifled a scream.
"Emma, Emma it's ok." I saw Jules run from the end of my bed to sit next to me.
"What is that?" I asked leaning up on one elbow. "Is that a cat?"
"Shhh Emma. It's ok. Yes it's a cat." He said gently pushing me back into bed to relax. I have never seen Jules act like this. " How about you go back to bed. It was a long day yesterday."
"About last night. Jules how did you do that?"
"Do what? Let's not talk about it now. You need your sleep." He pulled my covers back over me.
"Jules?"
"Yes?"
"What is all of this about? Being super nice to me. And painting me an amazing painting." I said pointing to the painting I had leaned against the wall. "And the cat in my bed to wake me up in the morning? And then immediatly you put me back to sleep? What is going on Jules?" I asked again sitting back up.
"Well you know I just thought since we had such a crazy day you'd want to sleep some more," He said nervously.
"Jules what is this all about? You're acting really weird."
"It's just you know I ... um..."
"Spill it Jules." By now I was getting really annoyed.
"Nothing never mind. I'm just being weird," he said trying to laugh it off.
"Ok," I was suspicious of his motives but brushed it off as Jules being Jules. "So what's with the cat?" I said pointing at the cat in his lap. I needed to change the subject.
"Oh! Yeah right. I found him on the front step. I think it's Church."
"Church!? You mean the cat from New York?" I asked taking a closer look at the gray persian that was lounging on Jules' lap. "How did he get here?"
"I don't know, but I really doubt that someone would just let him find his way here," Jules said petting the fur ball.
"So what? You think that it was brought here?"
"That's my best guess."
"That's odd." I said as I reached to pet it. Then for no reason it bite me. I jumped back and let out a tiny yelp. "What the hell!" I screamed.
Jules lifted the cat out of his lap and came closer to me. "You ok?"
"I'm fine but the little bastard bit me." I said clutching my finger, that was now bleeding a little.
"Let me look at it," he said taking my hand.
"Jules really it's nothing."
"It is not nothing my lady," Jules said really dramatically
"Really?" I was unimpressed.
"Play along. Come with me." Jules picked me up and carried me to the bathroom.
"This is weird. You're weird. This day is weird. The world is weird." I groaned.
He sat me back down on the sink and smiled, "And that's why you love me."
I glared at him and he just kept smiling like a total idiot. Finally I broke. "Fine I love you." I muttered before grabbing the bandage that Jules held in his hand.
"I knew I could crack you," he yelled down the hall after me.
"Whatever you idiot," I yelled back.