"Look, I'm sorry! How many times do I have to say that?" She was trying to be sincere, but that slightly annoyed tone of voice was still there. Mainly, Terri was not accustomed to making apologies—especially not repeatedly and profusely, nor over something she should not have to be sorry for in the first place.
"You can't just yell at her like that! What are you even doing here, anyway?" First she had shown up at his work place, and now she was back in his house. Of course, it had been their house for over five years. Still, they had been married for over five years and she was still trying to lay claim to that, when she just couldn't, anymore. Will had moved on.
"I wanted to check out your new sweet ride." Terri rolled her eyes. Why did he have to try and push her away at every given moment? "To apologize, Will! I didn't mean it. I'm just… hurt." She realized today that she was so over the revenge. Sure, Emma was easy to pick on, but none of that was going to help her get Will back.
"You're hurt…" Will scoffed. A second after it slipped from his mouth, he cringed upon the very recent memory of throwing their divorce in her face. But she had attacked Emma, whom he had to stick up for, even if she was dating someone that was not him…
"I think you're forgetting who is living happily ever after." Terri had despised Emma since the moment they met. Of course, that was because the woman had been innocently winning over her husband, all along. The idea of the love of her life getting together with that dreadful red head made her sick, but she knew it was finally time for Will's happiness to come first.
He shakes his head. "She's seeing someone else…"
"But… I thought that…"
"I love her. But it's not enough. She's dating someone."
They just stood there, staring at one another, for a moment. Will's sad eyes watched her, sending the obvious message of the sadness over his most recent love loss, while the corners of Terri's lips turned downward, her own grief consuming her.
She sighed, before inhaling a deep breath. "I could… help."
"Huh?" The sadness in his eyes was quickly replaced with confusion, as he burrowed his eyebrows. "Help with what?"
"You know… Get Em—Get her back." She swallowed, hard, the nervous lump from nearly saying the woman's name clogging her throat. It was the best she could do. It wasn't like anyone would be helping her to win Will back.
"Terri, come on," Will said, almost irritated. But the pained expression on her face promoted him to soften his tone, a bit. "Why would you want to do that?"
"Look, Will, I know you think I'm this heartless dream crusher…" She glanced up, willing the tears to fall back behind her eyes. She had been reminded of that fact far too many times over the past several months, and knowing that it all stemmed from Will was the worst of it. "But if I haven't made you realize, by now, that I will do anything for you, then maybe I was a terrible wife."
Will opened his mouth, but no words came out. He wanted to continue to protest, but for entirely different reasons, now. Yes, he loved Emma, but Terri had obviously been through enough. "You really don't have to do that…"
"Just let me help you, Will… Let me try and make things right." Yes, a small part of it was for herself. Terri had been made to feel selfish and manipulative, and part of her wanted a shot at redemption. But her motives had always been in the right place. She had faked a pregnancy, out of her love for Will. This time, her actions would be right, too. She just wanted to make him happy.
"I don't even know if it'd work. She seems pretty into the dentist…" he grumbled. The first words out Emma's mouth, when he invited her to a joy ride in his new car, were, 'I'm dating Carl.'
"He's a dentist?" Terri laughed, when Will nodded. "Baby, you've got nothing to worry about."
XXX
"Emma! What a small world! We both have an appointment with the same dentist." Terri plastered a smile on her face. Not only did she have to pretend to be kind towards Emma, but she was staging an arrival to a fake appointment with a dentist she did not even go to. She and Kendra drove fourty-five minutes to see their dentist. It's not like they could trust anyone in Lima with their teeth.
"Not that small, actually," Emma chimed in, refraining from looking up, as she continued to skim through her magazine. "I believe there's only one other dentist in Lima."
Terri feigned a cough. "That's right. Well, it's still pretty ironic that we bumped into each other!"
Emma didn't even give her a response. Of course, their last run-in had been less than pleasant. Terri considered apologizing for the 'homewrecker' remark, but decided that might just make things worse, and opted for another tactic, instead.
"Wow, you're reading a public magazine! That seems like, you know… progress!" She tried to make it sincere, but there was something about praising a thirty year old woman for picking up a magazine that forced a patronizing tone, in her voice.
Emma slammed the magazine down into her lap. "Actually, it's my boyfriend's. And actually, I don't have an appointment, today. I'm waiting for Carl to finish working, because the two of us have a date." Emma's words were sharp and confident. She and Terri had gotten into it several times before, but usually, there was always a shaky uncertainty about the woman.
"Oh, well how about a little girl talk, while we're both waiting, then!" Terri exclaimed, clasping her hands in her lap and leaning forward. If she could fake a pregnancy for months, she could certainly pretend to be interested in the life of a germaphobe for twenty minutes.
"Terri, what do you want?" Emma snapped. Her face was tight and angry, and she finally turned her head in Terri's direction.
"Emma, can't we just put everything behind us, and start over?" Technically, Terri was putting a lot behind her, just by helping Will, like this. But first, she needed information.
"I'm not interested in Will, anymore, okay? You can stop with the games."
"I'm not playing games! I'm tired of compromising myself. Please… just give me a chance." Terri felt nauseated, pleading for Emma Pillsbury's sympathy. But she felt a little better, every time she reminded herself of what she was doing for Will.
"Fine."
Terri leaned back in her seat, smiling contentedly. That was much easier than she had expected. Then again, Emma was perfect. At least in Will's eyes she was, anyway.
"So really, tell me about this new boyfriend!" Terri demanded. She had to admit, it did pique her curiosity, wondering what kind of man could pull Emma away from someone like Will.
"Well, his name is Carl Howell. He's a dentist, obviously. He's nice… and smart, and funny… and handsome… Super, super dreamy…" Emma grew starry-eyed, becoming lost in the moment, no longer conversing with Terri.
"Sounds like a winner!" Terri gritted her teeth. Emma had been attracted to Will, so she couldn't imagine this guy was too unattractive. But she had fallen all over a married man, so it was not as if she was above pathetic swooning. "But is dental hygiene his only hobby…?" With Will's 'star-quality,' this dentist guy didn't really stand a chance.
"Oh, no. He's very talented," Emma stated, nodding, after snapping back into the present. "He was in an 80s rock band! Isn't that neat?"
"I see you like musicians…" Terri sighed. Now, that could be a problem.
"What about you, Terri? Any new men in your life?"
"Nope. No old ones, either. I'm just getting by…"
"Hey babe, you ready?" A deeper voice called out, as he walked into the lobby. "Oh… Oh, I'm sorry. Denise, did I have another appointment, today?" The pathetic looking receptionist just gave him a scared, wide-eyed look.
"Oh my gosh! This is so embarrassing!" Terri stood up, gathering her jacket and purse into her arms. She hadn't thought this far ahead. But if there was anything she had learned during the hysterical pregnancy scandal, it was how to think on her feet. "Did you know the other dentist in the district is also a Howell? How weird is that…?"
Carl and Emma glanced at each other, with matching confused expressions. They were a little cute together, Terri had to admit. But Will was in love, again, and that was what mattered… even if it was with someone else.
XXX
"You have got to be kidding me!" Terri was informing Will of her faux run-in with Emma, at the dentist's office, the day before. When they first talked about it, she had assured him that the one thing he could win Emma over with was his talent. As it turned out, Emma was still just as attracted to musicians and it was not simply a hygiene fetish, after all.
"Yeah, and he's hot." Terri could see why Emma found Carl attractive. But he seemed more like the red haired girl's type.
"Well, that part's fine. Emma has liked me all along, regardless." Will sighed. Emma did not seem vain enough to date the guy based on his better looks. It was the music thing that was getting him down. Will had been using singing to achieve everything, lately. But now that this guy could offer her that, Emma might be less inclined to overlook Will's past mistakes and take him back.
"Regardless of what? Will, you're the best looking man I know…" The words slipped from Terri's mouth before she had a chance to consider them. It was true, though. Perhaps the dentist had a more classic, manly look, but Terri could never be attracted to him, the way she was to Will. Maybe Emma had a different taste, but that was her loss.
Will paused, clamping his lips shut into a tight, straight line. He knew that he and Terri could not simply wipe away fifteen years of feelings between them. But that was what made working on something like this, with her, so difficult. The divorce was easier to cope with, when they simply spent all their time apart.
"Well… I don't think looks are Emma's highest concern, anyway," Will sighed, trying to change the topic. Terri had been attracted to him since they were kids. As adults, his situation with Emma was entirely different.
Terri frowned at Will's lack of self-confidence. She knew her lies had brought him down, quite a bit, and she hated herself for that. She had always given him a hard time, but she wanted the best, for him. She truly did want him to feel good about himself.
Will's statement got her thinking, however. "Now that I'm thinking about it… maybe her reasons are pretty material."
"What do you mean by that?" Emma had always been the type to look below the surface and really get to know a person. So, Will had to imagine that she saw something in this dentist guy, even if he had no idea what that would be.
"Have you seen her wardrobe, Will? It's all J. Crew, and the like. And dentists make a pretty penny…" Sure, Terri had pushed Will to do more, but she had always stood by him. Perhaps Emma wasn't confident enough in Will's supposed love for her to take on living off of two teacher salaries.
Will's face formed a scowl. Emma was definitely not that type of person. "Emma is not that shallow," he spat, emphasizing the other woman's name.
The hurt instantly appeared on Terri's face. Constantly, Will did things to remind her that Emma was so wholesome and purposeful, while she was the one with the shopping addiction and lackluster career. Now that they were divorced, and courtesy was no longer required, it stung even worse, having him berate her so directly. "And what are you implying by that, Will?"
Will sighed, running his fingers through his curly locks. Before Emma, he had never been so unappreciative of his wife. Rather than blame her, he felt he owed Emma, for opening him up to something more. But the past was behind him and Terri, now, and she did not deserve so much disrespect. "Look, I'm really sorry, Terri. I just don't think that's her motivation."
"Well, I guess I'll have to trust your word on that." She shrugged. Terri was fully aware that Will was rather blinded by his infatuation with Emma, finding her more flawless than she truly was. But she knew the feeling, just as well. Will had not been perfect in their marriage, but she had allowed herself to go to heinous measures to keep him, just because she was that consumed by her love for him. In a sense, she was still behaving that way, in helping her ex-husband win over another woman. "Look, we can do this. I have a plan…"
A grin worked its way onto Will's face, as he was unable to hold in a laugh. "Ter, do you remember when Alicia Francis started that rumor that you slept with Mr. Thomas, so he'd give you an A in History?"
"And we caught that bitch coming onto him on camera!" A smile spread across Terri's face, as she remembered when her relationship with Will had just begun. It had been the two of them against the world, back then. It took her back to being a teenager, all over again.
"And look at us, now… still scheming." He smirked. Fifteen years later, they were sitting in the living room, still coming up with ways to 'take down the enemy.'
"We make a pretty good team…" she said, softly, glancing up at him. Terri had to admit, this definitely beat where their relationship had been at in recent months. With her attacking Emma at every chance she got, and Will going off on her, in return. Maybe she could live with a friendship with him, after all. After everything they had been through, over so many years, she didn't think she could ever write him out of her life, entirely. She clasped her hands together, snapping back into the moment. "Alright, so we know he was in a band. But we don't know if he's actually any good… You don't have to be talented to start some shitty garage band, you know?"
Will nodded, hesitantly. She had a point, but right now, Carl Howell seemed to have everything going for him. The man was dating Emma Pillsbury, after all.
"So, you're going to sing her the most romantic song you can find. No has-been rocker who once sported a mullet could ever compete with the voice you have." Terri remembered when Will's voice made her heart melt, more than anything. It still did, but glee had clouded that, a bit. Whenever she heard Will singing, it made her think of glee club, and how he had begun putting it above her. But she missed his voice, and almost hoped he would give her a preview of whatever he was going to sing to Emma…
"You really think that'll work?" When he thought about it, Emma had always been quite fond of his musicality. He just needed the encouragement to put that ability to good use. "Thanks for not letting me give up, Terri."
"I just want you to be happy, Will." After months of him thinking that her only goal was to make him feel bad, she wanted to prove that his happiness had always and would always come first. She wished she could be the one to provide that, but if she couldn't, Terri would do whatever it takes to make sure he got it. "Well, I have to get going… Kendra wants to go out for dinner, tonight."
Will watched from the couch as she stood up and put on her sweater. "Well, thanks for everything, and I guess I'll… Um…" He wasn't really sure what to say, at this point. She had done a lot for him, going to speak with Emma and restoring his confidence. But should that be it, then?
"Um, I could come back later this week and help you pick out music… I mean, I at least know what sounds nice. I could do that, if you wanted, I mean…" Terri glanced down as she spoke, unsure of how she might come across. She wasn't trying to get closer to Will, with any ulterior motive in mind. She just wanted to help, and extend that offer.
"Sure, Terri, that would be great. Thank you." Truthfully, Will was enjoying her company, now that they were on better terms. In fact, their recent relationship was better than it had been during the last several months of their marriage.
Terri smiled, relieved that she and Will were finally getting along the way they used to, even if things had to be so different, now. "Alright, well, I'll be in touch. I'll, um, let you know about my work schedule," she said, making her way in front of the door, while Will remained on the couch.
"Okay, sounds good. Bye, honey." He wasn't facing her, but Will's eyes widened, as soon as the words fell from his mouth. He had hardly considered them, as they rolled off his tongue, by mistake.
"Wh-what?" Terri froze, with her hand on the doorknob. She had been so concerned about saying something she shouldn't.
"I… I'm sorry. Force of habit… It just… slipped," Will stammered, turning to face Terri, with a look of desperation. He breathed a heavy sigh. That was the least ideal mistake for him to make, with him and Terri spending time together, under these circumstances.
"It's okay, really. I understand. Goodbye, Will," she said, as calmly as possible, quietly shutting the door behind her. She had just as hard of a time remembering that she was no longer married to Will Schuester.
XXX
"And I thought I was the only genius in the family!" Terri's sister proclaimed, in the middle of Applebees. She didn't understand. She had just finished explaining to Kendra where she was earlier in the day and why, exactly, she had been spending time with her ex-husband. "Not that I approve of you getting back with that schmuck, but if that's really what you want, I totally approve of your scheming."
"Kendra! Kendra, stop. What you are talking about?" It was constantly a struggle for Terri to keep up with Kendra. Kendra was the older—and apparently wiser—sister. It always took Terri a while to catch up to her thought process.
"He is a schmuck, Terri, I'm sorry," Kendra said, popping a salsa covered tortilla chip into her mouth.
"No, about the scheming. What scheming?" Terri asked, trying to get Kendra to focus. She was quite confused…
Kendra rolled her eyes and sighed. "If you need help, you can just ask. But I think it's a pretty good plan… Making Will trust you, by acting like you're going to help him win that devil headed woman over, while you're really sabotaging her and winning him back, for yourself. It's pretty genius. I can't really help you much more, though. You already share my genes, so you're obviously way prettier than that weird little pygmy. And Will thinks with his pants, more than his head, so—"
Terri sighed. "Kendra, no. I'm actually helping Will win her back. He's moved on… I just want him to be happy." She wished she could say that was her plan. That she was still the same passionate, scheming individual who would do anything to hold onto her husband. But his happiness was more important, now.
"What? Why the hell would you do that? Will's a big loser, and unless you want him as your trophy husband, there's no use doing anything for him…" Terri knew Kendra hated Will. She always had. Will was great, though, tolerating her sister, because he knew that Kendra had always supported Terri. Her heart was in the right place, most of the time.
"I played too many games with my marriage. I can't afford to do the same with Will's feelings." She didn't blame Kendra for what happened, but at the same time, she was not about to take her relationship advice, again, anytime soon.
"Which is why you should just stay out of it. Let him self destruct. He'll ruin his life and the ginger's, simultaneously," Kendra said, sporting a twisted smirk, at the end of her statement.
"I'm not going to do that. I still care about him." Even if she and Will never spoke again, by the end of all this, Terri wanted to prove that fact to him. After everything that happened, she owed him that much, at least.
"Why?" Kendra asked, dumbfounded—a cheesestick literally hanging from her mouth.
"I…" Terri took a sip of her margarita, instead, because she didn't have a good enough answer.
"I'll tell you what. We need to get you some new eye candy…" Kendra immediately began scoping out the restaurant, looking for potential men that Terri would not want to date.
She let out a long sigh, scraping at the salt that lined the rim of her glass. Then again, perhaps Kendra had a point. Will had moved on. She was trying to let him go, by helping him with Emma, but maybe she needed to do the same, for herself. "Maybe you're right…"
XXX
"I'm just saying, it's really cheesy!" The sound of Terri's laughter filled the air, as Will's grin matched her facial expression.
"Keep laughing, Ter!" Will encouraged, with a sarcastic tone of voice.
"No, no!" Terri gasped, struggling to stifle her giggles. She put one hand in front of her mouth, while trying to fan the tears out of her eyes, with the other.
"Keep laughing! Keep laughing!" he prompted, hardly able to refrain from laughing, himself.
Terri gasped and squealed in protest, again. She realized exactly what he was trying to do and she was not going to let him get away with it.
"Yes, keep laughing! Laugh some more, Ter!" Will crawled over her, trapping her in one corner of the couch. He attacked her sides with his fingertips, relentlessly tickling her ribcage.
"No, Wiiiill! St—op it!" Terri shrieked, in between gasps for air and incessant laughter. She struggled for several moments, grasping at his wrists and writhing her body in all directions. But her laughter was uncontrollable, and before she could stop it, the smallest of snorts escaped. Will instantly retreated, and Terri clasped a hand over her mouth, pinching her nose. "You suck!" she shouted, nasally.
But Will's laughter was now uncontrollable, at this point—even after Terri had socked him in the shoulder. Terri had been so embarrassed, the first time her laughing had caused her to snort, in front of him. She still hated the quirk, even in her adult life, which had only promoted Will to tease her about it, even more. "You had it coming, lady! You insulted my song choice!"
"Oh, I would hardly call it that! You got it off a Nick at Nite rerun!" The living room floor was covered in albums, and they had been listening to music for hours on end. But suddenly, it was as if the perfect song had came out of nowhere, and appeared on the television screen. "I'm just kidding. She's going to love it." Terri nodded, smiling. The song was a sure winner. It was romantic and original, and Will's voice would sound beautiful, singing it.
Will smiled, too. Picking a sole song, to win back the woman he loved, had not been an easy task. But in hearing the reassuring words of the only other woman he had ever loved, he felt fully confident in his choice. "Thanks for helping me, Terri. I never would have been able to do this on my own."
"You're very welcome, Will. Even if you repay me by exhausting me, right before I have to drive home in the middle of the night!" Terri was just beginning to maintain a steady breathing pattern, after Will's torturous tickling.
Will glanced at his watch. It was already a quarter to one o' clock in the morning. Kendra's apartment was not extremely far, but Terri was probably exhausted, at this point, and it was getting late. "Maybe you shouldn't drive home…"
"Oh, it's fine, Will. Kendra's not going to feel like driving me back here, tomorrow, to pick up my car." Terri politely shook her head, appreciating his offer. But she had already been feeling like she was spending too much time with someone who was now her ex-husband.
"You could just stay over…" Will swallowed, the lump in his throat travelling over his adam's apple. Even though he and Terri had gotten reacquainted with one another, lately, there was no casual was of making that statement, to her.
"Will, I—" She tried to protest. It was far too much a conflict of interest for her to be spending the night in her old home—their old home—with her ex-husband, after helping him pick out a song to serenade the new woman in his life with.
"Terri, please," he said, cutting her off. "It's not a big deal. We're both pretty beat and shouldn't be driving. Come on, I'll just take the couch… alright?" He really didn't feel comfortable with her driving home this late. It might not be totally comfortable, spending the night under the same roof, again, but it still seemed like the right thing to do.
"Will, this is y-your place, now… If you're insisting I stay, then I'm insisting on taking the couch." Will was a gentleman, and Terri knew he was not going to back down on this. But she was not about to spend a lonely night in the bed they once shared, wondering about the different women that had been in it, recently—Emma, April, or otherwise.
Will sighed. "Alright, just let me go get you some blankets, okay?" He had rearranged the apartment, quite a bit. After moving some things into what used to be Terri's craft room, he now had more room elsewhere, for others.
Terri folded her arms and stood in the center of the living room. She was still in her blouse and skinny jeans, though her heels were sitting by the door. She wasn't quite sure what to do, at this point—if she should help, or make another attempt at insisting she just go home.
"Hey, Terri, can you come here for a minute?" Will called from the other room.
She hugged herself tighter. "Um, sure…" she called back, in a voice that was hardly audible from where she was standing in the living room. Each foot pressed into the soft padding of the carpet, as she made her way back towards the bedroom. She stood in the doorway, feigning a cough to make her presence known.
Will looked up from where he was leaning over the bed, gathering up an armful of blankets and pillows. He moved towards her, reaching out to hand her a gray t-shirt. "Here, I'll let you change into this, while I go set up your bed." He gave her a knowing smile, as she slowly released the shirt from his fingertips, before exiting the bedroom.
Terri froze, the thin material lying limp in her hands. The t-shirt was her favorite. Terri usually enjoyed wearing lacey nightgowns, or silk shorts from Victoria's Secret. But whenever she wanted to sleep in ultimate comfort, it was this men's gray extra-large Hanes t-shirt that she stole from her husband's closet.
Snapping out of her trance, she quickly changed, unsure how long Will would take. She neatly folded her clothing, folding her arms and holding them against her chest. She felt the shirt ride up the back of her thighs, a bit.
"Okay, Terri, you're all… Oh, uh… Ah…" Will walked back into the room, placing his hand on the back of his neck, as his eyes drifted down towards her bare, thin legs. It had been a while, since he had seen her in that shirt—since before the fake pregnancy had began. "The couch is, um… all set up." He swallowed, snapping his head back up.
"O-okay. Thank you," she stuttered, uneasy from his intense gaze. She moved around him, walking out the door, still clutching her clothes. Only after making it halfway down the hall did she hear a footstep and realize that Will was following her. Her face felt instantly flush, as she could feel the t-shirt swishing, just barely past the bottom line of her panties. Placing her clothes on the edge of the couch, she was quick to crawl under the fluffy, white blankets Will had tucked into the cushions.
"Comfortable?" Will asked, even though she looked anything but. Before he started coaching glee club, and she had the hysterical pregnancy, fights between them had been rare. When they did occur, however, a few times, he had ended up on the couch, tossing and turning for the entire night.
"Yes, it's great, Will. Thank you." She pulled the covers up to her chin, glancing at him from an awkward angle, compared to where he was standing. She felt like an adulterer, seducing a man whose heart belonged to someone else, even though she had basically been forced into these circumstances.
"Terri, why don't you just sleep in the room?" Will sighed. He knew she wouldn't be able to sleep well on the couch, and he had been the one to insist she stay over. Besides, they did not need to be so uncomfortable with each other, after all the years they had known each other.
"Will, seriously, I'm not making you take the couch. I know how much you hate it…" Even if they had fought more during the last few months of their marriage, than they ever had during their entire relationship, Terri never made him sleep on the couch during the fake pregnancy—she certainly didn't want to push her luck.
"I'll sleep there, too." She opened her mouth to protest, but he immediately cut her off. "Terri, come on, it's just us. I'm the one who insisted you stay over. Let's not make a big deal out of it." He really was not trying to make anything of it, but Will had kind of backed himself into a corner, at this point.
Terri sighed, standing up and gathering the pillows and blankets into her arms. "Will you let me get some sleep, if I agree?" she teased, stalking back towards the bedroom, once again. Will helped her put the blankets and pillows back into the closet, before retreating to the bedroom, and crawling into bed, himself. Terri paused, once more, standing awkwardly at the side of the bed. "Oh, um…"
Will rolled his eyes. "Terri, I'll go sleep on the couch, if you'd really prefer it that way, but I'm not going to allow you to. Besides, it's a big bed…" He knew it wasn't exactly conventional for a divorced couple to be sharing a bed, but they had known each other for years. It didn't seem like such a big deal. Then again, he had felt the same way about April Rhodes, and look where that got him…
"No, it's not that. It's just… That's my side…" Terri said, meekly, pointing to where Will was laying. In all their years together, they had always, consistently slept on the same side of the bed.
"Oh, wow, uh, I guess you're right, Ter… I guess I just haven't been paying attention to where I've been sleeping, lately," he said, nonchalantly. He watched her face fall at his words, probably assuming he had all but forgotten ever having her next to him, at night. But the truth was, from the first night she moved out, he had spent every night sleeping on her side of the bed, because it just felt a little bit less lonely. Still, now that someone was there to fill the void, a bit, he scooted over, allowing her to rest in her usual spot. It wasn't Emma… But then again, the only time he had spent in bed with her had not gone well, at all.
Once Will moved, Terri slowly crawled into what was once her designated side of the bed, carefully tucking herself in and turning away from the man lying next to her.
Will propped himself up on his elbows, watching Terri settle into the space he had been so accustomed to filling, for her. "Goodnight, Terri," he said, softly, before lying down himself.
"Goodnight, Will," she muttered into the pillow, allowing her eyes to fall shut. She was just beginning to drift off, when she felt an arm curl around her waist. She was about to sit up; put a stop to whatever was going on. But it had been so long since Will could stroke her stomach. The fake pregnancy had been more than just a lie, but also an entire barrier between them. Even if she wished he could have held her like this months ago, it was just slightly comforting, settling into his embrace.
The next morning, Terri woke up to the smell of coffee, and a cold, vacant spot, beside her. She might have thought she was at Kendra's, but her room there only fit a twin bed. She glanced at the clock—it was only seven o' clock in the morning. Will had work, but she had the afternoon shift, today. Pulling her shirt down, she hopped out of bed and made her way into the kitchen.
"Morning, Ter." Will grabbed another mug from the cupboard, adding a generous amount of both cream and sugar to hers, just how she liked it.
"Goodmorning," Terri greeted him in return, with a yawn. She wished she was in her own bed, still sleeping. Last night had just gotten too complicated.
He pushed her mug across the counter, to where she was perched on one of the stools. "Listen, Terri… I'm really sorry about last night. I didn't mean anything by it. I just…" He sighed, running his hands through his hair. He had gotten up so early, after, surprisingly, a very fulfilling night of sleep. But he was so worked up over his actions that he had yet to even change out of his sweatpants.
"I understand, Will. It's nice to have warm body beside you, at night." She had to imagine Will had been a little lonely, too, after having a wife at home, and in bed, every single night. But she was sure Emma had been keeping company, for quite some time. Not to mention the many other rumored women… For Terri, the only people she had getting in her bed would be whichever nephew had a nightmare, that night.
"I know, but that's no excuse." Will shook his head. "You're not just some 'body,' Terri."
"Oh, really? Than what am I?" Terri asked, sharply. She just could not play this game with Will. He was her very recent ex-husband, and she did not need to be reopening such wounds.
"Well, you're… my…" What was Terri, now, anyway? His friend? It felt strange, just calling her his friend. "You're someone I still and will always care about," he eventually decided on. It was true, after all.
"I see," was all Terri said, in response. It was all she could say. Because it didn't really matter if he cared about her, or not, anymore. Emma held his heart, now. And Terri was just trying to get hers back from him.
XXX
"Tell me how it feels to know love is real. I still can't believe my love for you is so strong. I belong to you. I belong to you. I belong to you. For all time… I belong to you." Will sang and played on his guitar the song that he had been learning over the past week. It was not long, but the lyrics were powerful, as well as the meaning behind them. He slung his guitar behind him, and smiled as Emma sat at the window ledge. It looked a lot like the television scene he had been inspired by. He could only hope it would turn out the same way, as well…
"You learned a song from Full House?" Emma said, with less enthusiastic expression than he would have preferred. But she probably just didn't understand it, quite yet.
"Yes. It's from a scene where Jesse realizes that he screwed up, and he wants to make it up to the woman he loves. So he sings that song to her at her window, like I just did." He smirked, a little bit, hoping the gesture would have to soften her. While he would have liked to write a song, himself, like Jesse did for Becky, on the show, his time was limited and he was not going to sit around and give the dentist an opportunity to completely steal Emma's heart.
"Carl and I hate that show," she said, flatly, still expressionless.
Will cringed at the way she coupled her name with his. "Yeah, but… the song…" He didn't understand how she was so unmoved. This was his second declaration of love, already, and this one had been entirely thought out. He could understand why the first one had seemed to spur of the moment, and she might not have taken it seriously, but he wanted to make sure she knew how much he loved her.
"Well, you know how I feel about John Stamos," she sighed, sounding impatient. "Look, Will, I have to go. Carl's inside and I'd rather this not wake him up. You can't keep doing things like this. I have a boyfriend."
"Carl's… inside?" Will froze. He was inside, at night, and asleep. Did that mean…?
"Yes, Will! My boyfriend, Carl, is inside. If you don't mind, I'm going to join him," she spat, placing her feet back on the ground, inside her house. "Goodnight, Will." She shut and locked the window, then flicked off the light, leaving Will in the darkness, outside.
XXX
"She's having sex with him," Will spat into the phone. The words seemed vile, coming out of his mouth. Terri had always embraced sexuality, providing for him to do the same. Emma, on the other hand, was the first person to make him so sensitive towards it.
"Well, Will, they are dating," Terri's voice was confused, on the other line. "Well, wait… How did last night go?"
"She hated it. And then she left, without even wanting to talk, because he was inside." Will should have known that this was bound to happen. After all, Carl was her boyfriend. But Emma was different. What about this man had made her want to give up everything—something he had wanted to share with her. "Her first time was supposed to be with me…"
Terri shuddered at the thought of Will having sex with that woman. But then it registered, what he had just said. "Wait… What? Are you saying…?"
"Yes, she's a virgin. Well, was… I guess… before Ca—" Will hated the name more and more, every time it crossed his mind or passed through his lips. The man had stolen his Emma's innocence. "Carl…" he finally finished. Terri roared with laughter on the other line, causing Will to sigh in frustration. "Stop it, Terri. She's a very respectable woman." He immediately clamped his mouth shut and mentally kicked himself. He had to stop making these backhanded comments towards Terri.
"Well, I seem to recall you doing some pretty unrespectable things with me—and to me." Terri smirked so much that he'd probably hear it in her voice. Will may never view her the way he did Emma, but she wasn't about to let him take on some holier than thou attitude. "You can't tell me you wouldn't jump at the chance to do the same with her."
"Right…" he sighed, getting up to pace around the kitchen. He had tried to do the same with Emma—at her request, of course. But it had been entirely unsuccessful. How had this Carl guy managed to get so intimate with her? Will was the one who was truly close to her.
"So relax. She probably just, I don't know, saw the light, or something…" She paused to consider that statement, and rolled her eyes. It shouldn't even have surprised her. Yet, she had spent so many nights agonizing over the idea of Emma taking her place in Will's bed. Still, with Emma doing the nasty with her dentist and Terri helping Will, it was bound to happen, eventually. That was a fact she simply had to accept. "I'm certain not all hope is lost…"
"Right, right…" Will ran a hand through his hair. He wasn't sure what else to say. Terri seemed to be handling the situation surprisingly well. "Well, can you come over and help me figure something else out, then?" The song must have had some sort of impact, even if it just got her thinking about him, again. He was sure Terri would have another idea that might go over better.
"Will, I—" This gesture was never supposed to be about spending time with Will, and that seemed to be all she was doing, lately. She loved their new… friendship, or whatever it was. But she was supposed to be helping him move on, while doing the same for herself. Still, every time they were together, they incidentally they fell back into old routines. It didn't seem right. "You know what, I think I'm going to talk to Emma, myself," she stated. Fighting for Will to get Emma was the last thing Terri ever pictured herself doing, but it seemed like the best thing to do, if they ever wanted closure.
"Are you sure that's a good idea, Ter?" he clenched his teeth, to himself. He knew Emma was certainly not Terri's biggest fan. But she said things had gone well, the last time they spoke at the dentist's office. And Terri could be rather persuasive…
"Just trust me, Will." Terri fought back the tears, brimming in the corner of her eyelids. This was all just a part of being selfless.
XXX
Terri rapped on the thin door of Emma Pillsbury's condominium. She had written down the woman's address, during her brief stint as nurse at McKinley High School. Of course, back then she had expected she would be using it to keep the woman away from her husband, rather than get them together.
The door swung open. "What do you want, Terri?" Emma snapped. "I know you didn't really have an appointment with Carl, the other week."
"I have an explanation for all that." Terri tried to keep her voice calm. She wanted this to go as quickly and as smoothly as possible. She brushed past Emma, making her way into the small living room, standing somewhere between the coffee table and the couch.
"Well, here's my explanation: I've moved on! Maybe you should, too." Emma stood by the door, still holding it open, as if her little declaration was enough to make Terri up and leave.
"Emma, just sit down and listen to me!" This was hard enough on her, without having to deal with all this attitude from little miss high and mighty.
Emma looked as if she was considering a retaliation, for several moments, but she finally shut the door and hesitantly made her way into the living room, sitting down on the couch. "Fine. Let's hear it."
Terri sat down next to her. She decided it was best to get straight to the point. "Will is in love with you. I don't know how or why, but he is. And I do know that he is the best man I ever met. So, if he's choosing you… you're lucky. And he deserves to be happy. And if you're someone he loves that much, then you deserve it, too." She decided to be as honest as possible. Maybe Terri did not think so highly of Emma, but Will did, and that was all that mattered.
Emma's eyes widened. She looked somewhere between awestruck and absolutely terrified. "But… But I love C-Carl…" she said, shakily. There was no way she was entirely over Will. And how could she be?
"Look, I don't know much about your dentist. But I do know everything about Will. I know he can be selfish and hypocritical and he lets his desires get in the way of his sense and compassion… But he has more passion than anyone in the world. And that makes any amount of time in his presence worthwhile. If he wants to spend his life with you, you better damn well take advantage of it." Surprisingly, Terri felt a small sense of relief wash over her. It was take a while for her to recover from a broken marriage with the love of her life, but knowing that she was doing her best to make him happy made it seem a little better. It gave her hope that someday she might deserve the same happiness, too.
XXX
"Emma!" Will declared, before she had even fully entered his office. He immediately stood up at his desk, where he was grading papers. It seemed like ages, since he had last heard the click of her heels approaching.
"Hello, Will," she said, calmly, folding her hands and resting them on top of the material of her skirt.
"I-I wasn't expecting you," he said, nervously. Had Terri already spoken with her? She must have… "I mean, after what happened last time…"
"I didn't mean to judge you so harshly," she stated, glancing at the floor, before blinking a few times and forcing her gaze to remain locked with his. "I'm sure you can understand why I was frustrated, but I'm beginning to understand where your motivation came from. Surprisingly, it was Terri who helped me see that, actually." He nodded, as she confirmed his thoughts. "She said that you are the greatest, most passionate man she knows. And that… that if you love me, I must be… Well, I think she finds that we deserve each other." Emma smiled a bit, at the end of her sentence.
Will, on the other hand, was standing there, mouth agape, simply trying to wrap his head around what was happening. "She said all that…?" Of course, Will was aware that Terri had cared for him, and still did. That was made clear by the way she had been helping him over the past couple weeks. But the extent of it had not been as evident. Maybe it was because he hadn't heard it for so long. Or, perhaps it was due to the words coming from the mouth of Terri's sworn enemy.
"She did," Emma said, nodding. She allowed a small, laughter-filled sigh to pass through her lips. "Even Terri seems to think we're perfect for each other."
That could not be true… could it? Terri had been helping Will, because it was the right thing to do for him, not because it was the right thing to do. "And now… you're here?" Will said, trying to focus his attention back on the woman in front of him. Whatever Terri said about had been enough to convince Emma to come back.
"Look, Will, I don't know exactly what this means… But you—we… you know, us—at least deserve the opportunity for an explanation." She widened her eyes, staring at him, expectantly. "So, here's your chance. Let's hear it."
XXX
"Is everything alright? Your message seemed so urgent." Terri had rushed out of Sheets 'N' Things as quickly as possible, to meet Will at his apartment. He had only just gotten home moments before she was stepping inside and taking off her jacket.
"She gave me a chance. She actually gave me a second chance!" Will informed her, still in disbelief at what had just taken place.
"That… That's really great, Will." Terri did her best to grin and bear it. She wasn't thrilled that he was with Emma, of all people. But she had been trying her hardest to move on, and being happy that he was finding happiness was a part of all that. And he did seem rather pleased, at the moment. She smiled, in spite of herself, but for him.
"I told her that I made a mistake and that she did not deserve what I had put her through and that I was terribly sorry." Will smirked, sighing, as he tried to recall the words that had surprisingly spilled from his mouth, just a short while ago. He had rehearsed what he would say to her, if he ever got the chance, so many times, but it did not go as planned, by any means. "And I told her that I hope she is so happy with Carl, because I could never be with her." Terri's eyes widened, as she stared blankly. Her jacket slipped through her fingers, falling to the wooden floor, and Will immediately bent down to pick it up, and placed it on an end table. "Terri…?" he prodded, trying to obtain eye contact. "Why don't we go sit in the living room and… and talk."
"No!" Terri snapped, finally turning her stare back on him. She was in complete disbelief. "Tell me, right now, why you turned her away. Why did I waste all my time on this? Do you know how it was to—."
"Stop," Will requested. He watched her eyes grow dark, holding her gaze. Then, he grabbed her shoulders and leaned in, covering her mouth with his own. They remained still, for a moment, as their lips connected. But Terri's bottom lip quivered between the two of his. Will opened his mouth, but as soon as she tried to reciprocate a sob escaped and she pulled back.
"What are you doing?" Terri shrieked. She rarely ever allowed herself to cry in front of anyone—even Will. But before she knew it, a steady stream of tears was flowing down either cheek. Her shoulders shook as she clamped her eyes shut, holding her arms across her chest.
"Terri, I couldn't be with her, because… because of you." He took another step towards her, but she put her hand out in front of her, waving him off and shying away, like she could not stand the idea of him coming any closer. His face fell, as did his spirits. Even if his subconscious had carried him through the entire thing, he had felt so confident, leaving Emma like that. Truthfully, he still did. Even if he could not grasp what was going on with Terri, he knew now that he would always have these feelings for her.
"How could you do this n-now…?" She opened her eyes, but they were clouded with tears. As unaccustomed to crying as they were, she could already feel them getting puffy and her face growing red. "After I helped you with her… Ihelped you get Emma back!" Her crying grew harder, as she said the woman's name. Did he not understand what she had gone through? "I had to let you go…" The pitch in her voice heightened, as she could barely get the last words out. The entire process had been all too painful; the wounds too fresh to be reopened, like this.
"Are you… dating someone?" Will asked, hesitantly, eyes wide with concern.
"Will!" Terri shook her head in disbelief. How did they get like this? Will and Terri had always been so secure in their marriage, completely content, having been in their relationship for the past fifteen years. Now, Will was fighting for other women, and having concerns about competition for her.
Will drew in a deep breath, and then released a long sigh. Things with Terri were supposed to be simple—easy, even. He knew this all could have been avoided, if only they had worked things out in the first place. But they were still the same Will and Terri… Nothing should stand in their way. "I don't want to do this, anymore. Terri, I lo—."
"No. No, please, don't." Terri looked down, shaking her head. She took steps away from him, until her back collided with the door. "I-I have to go," she insisted, shakily grabbing at the door handle, until she managed to get the door open and steal into the hallway, just before another sob caught her throat escaped her lips.
"Terri! Wait!" Will called after her, but she was already gone. This time, she had been the one to walk out the door.
XXX
"Get the hell out of here, Schuester," Kendra spat, the second Will's face appeared in the doorway.
"Kendra, please," Will sighed. "Just give me a chance to explain." He tried to make his way past her, to get inside, but she was relentless, in blocking the path. He knew she couldn't be too happy with him, but since when had Kendra ever had the best understanding of his relationship with Terri?
"After the condition you had Terri coming home in, the other day? Not a chance, buddy." Kendra leaned against the doorframe, cross one arm over her body, and holding a glass of wine with the other. Her eyes drilled into him, as she showed no remorse, despite his misery.
Will cocked his head sideways, as his mouth fell open, giving her a look of pure exasperation. "I want to talk to my—to Terri."
"I don't think you understand. No one messes with my baby sister." Will had always appreciated Kendra's protective attitude towards Terri. Terri needed more people like that. He could understand her frustration with him, especially now, after he had let Terri down. But currently, this was not helping him get anywhere, as far as making it up to her.
"If you care about her, you'll let me make things right," Will insisted, trying to push his way through, once more. But Kendra stepped in front of him, once again, more forceful than ever.
"Back off, Will!" she shouted, throwing her arm forward and splashing the contents of her glass onto his face.
"Ah!" He clamped his eyes shut, but not before the alcohol managed to seep its way in, overwhelming him with a burning sensation.
"What's going on out here?" Terri had faintly heard Kendra's barking, and a man shout. But she ran into the living room to find her sister swinging an empty wine glass between two fingers, and her ex-husband desperately rubbing at his eyes. "Kendra… What did you do?" she said, in shock.
"Don't worry about it, Terri, I've got everything under control," Kendra shouted back, but kept her eyes sharply on Will, who had yet to open his own.
"No… I have to help…" Terri sighed and sped over to the door, past Kendra, and ushered a very blinded Will inside. She was definitely not yet in any condition to be tending to her ex-husband, but the conscience she had developed was telling her she had no choice.
"You need to NOT help, is what you need to do!" Kendra bellowed, placing her hands on her hips. Terri flashed her the best sympathetic look she could manage, before leading Will to her bedroom. She understood exactly where Kendra was coming from—after all, she had gotten herself in this predicament by offering to help Will, in the first place. Still, there was more to it than just grabbing him a wet wash cloth.
Will sat on Terri's bed, viciously rubbing his eyes, while she ran a wash cloth under the water. "Stop doing that! You're just going to make it worse," she called back, before ringing it out and bringing it over to him. "Here…" she said, leaning over and dabbing his eyes, softly.
Will felt instant relief, as the cool cloth rested against each of his eyes. They still burned, a bit, but he was able to open them, finding himself face to face with Terri. "Thanks…" he said, softly, staring up into her blue orbs, which he could still see shining, despite his impaired vision.
Terri's breath hitched, as she stood in front of him, for a moment. Slowly, she walked away to put the wash cloth back in her sink. "I… I'm really sorry about Kendra…" She said, keeping her distance. She couldn't really blame Kendra, given the circumstances, and who her sister was, as a person, but Will didn't quite deserve eye wounds.
"It was worth it, Terri. I'm here, now…" He stood up, walking over to her, slowly. He wanted nothing more than to tell her how much loved her and for her to fall back into his arms and for everything to be the way it was supposed to be—like the way it was before.
Will reached out to her, but Terri pulled back, drawing her arms across her chest. "Why did you come over here, anyway?" She had spent the last several days torn between sadness and anger; crying and throwing things at the wall. But above all, she felt the restoration of hope that she had not felt since the divorce. She couldn't quite help it. Will always gave her that feeling. But the circumstances were different, now, and she promised herself to be more careful. Will was the only person she had ever let her guard down in front of, and because of that reason, he was the only person that had ever been able to hurt her.
"I've made so many mistakes, Terri, and letting you go was the biggest one I ever made. But you're the best thing I've ever had… And I just couldn't let myself let you go, again." He watched her eyes well up with tears, as his did the same. He had put so many people through so much pain. But if only he could get back the one thing in his life that made sense, then maybe that would provide redemption.
"It feels like you already have, Will. It feels like I'm already gone…" She clamped her eyes shut, allowing the tears to fall down her face, carrying bits of last night's mascara, when Kendra forced her to go out to dinner, as she had hardly felt the urge to do herself up, that day. She leaned against the wall, as a high pitched sob escaped her lips. She hated that he could make her feel so weak, especially since he had stopped being the one to build her up.
"But it doesn't have to be, Ter. There's fifteen years of… of us. We can rebuild that… We can get that back, and have it for the rest of our lives." In that moment, he decided to make a move again, slowly stepping forward and placing his hands against the side of her shoulders. Her small frame was shaking. He leaned his head down closer to hers, as her eyes fluttered open, but still unwilling to look up at him.
"Why now, Will?" She spoke softly, her breath reverberating against his face. "Why didn't you want to get it back when everything fell apart in the first place? When I was so lost and scared that I… that I did…" Terri covered her eyes with one hand, trying to mask her sobs from Will. But she could not keep them quiet, or stop her shoulders from shaking beneath his grasp. "Besides," she gasped. "You love her. Just a week ago, you said you love her…"
"The lie… It hurt me so much. I wasn't sure how to cope, after that point. Everything seemed to be leading me one direction, and I handled the whole situation all wrong." Will's stomach dropped. It wasn't fair, what he had put everyone through. But now that he realized how much he loved her—how much he would always love her—there was just no letting go. Unless, of course, she really already had… "My life hasn't been going right, since you left it. I tried… everything… to fill that void. I thought dedicating everything I had with you, to fighting for Emma, would do that. But listening to her relaying everything you had told her about my passion… and the worthiness of my love… It made me realize that you're the only person worth loving. I'm never, ever going to hurt you, again. My life will never be right, without you, Terri."
Terri allowed her upper body to fall forward, curling into his chest. His arms immediately enveloped her, as she sobbed into his white, wine-stained t-shirt. "I only ever did anything I did because I love you…" she cried. Her words were muffled and she was inhaling the strong odor of red wine, so she lifted her head. "I wanted to let you go, so badly. I wanted to help you with Emma, because you said you lo-loved her… And I've realized that your happiness is most important. But that's because I love you. I love you so much, Will Schuester." She would never let go. And now, finally, she knew that neither would he.
Will wiped the tears from her cheeks, trailing his lingering fingertips down the side of her face, softly outlining her jaw. She looked sad and beautiful, but they both seemed so lifted, now. Because their love was always made to be indestructible, no matter what they went through. Whether he had known or not, nothing would ever be able to stand in its way. And he did know that, now. "I love you, Terri Schuester. I have always loved you. And I will always love you."