At The End Of The Tunnel

by SweetDisposition34

When tragedy strikes, Emma finds herself in full custody of her two year old niece, Annie. And she can't do it alone. Will and Emma soon realize that Annie is the light at the end of their tunnel, and that they are the light in hers. Wemma/OC. Oneshot.

Is there a chance,

a fragment of light,

At the end of the tunnel,

a reason to fight?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Mommy?"

Emma swallowed. This was going to be so much harder than she thought. Tears pricked in the corner of her eyes for what seemed like the millionth time in the last day. She had thought that there must be some limit to the amount of tears her body could produce, but as a drop slipped down her cheek, she realized that she wasn't anywhere close to the end. With a sigh, she let a few more tears escape, not wanted to meet the eyes of the toddler who rested in her arms.

"Where's Mommy? Why you cryin'?" the little voice asked, and Emma choked back a sob. She felt Will's arm wrap snugly around her, and she buried her face in the crook of his neck for a moment before finally daring to look Annie in the eyes. "Annie, Annie baby..." Emma ran her fingers through the red curls of her niece.

How was she supposed to say this? To break this little baby's heart? She couldn't do it. "I... I can't do this, Will," she whispered, feeling her chest constrict. Her stomach clenched, and she pulled Annie closer to her. Afraid and confused, the little girl clung to Emma's cardigan. She had been wearing the same outfit for almost two days. This would disgust Emma on a normal day, but these past few days had been so far from normal.

She had never experienced pain like this before. "Annie, honey," she whispered, "Mommy and Daddy are very safe, and very happy now, okay? But they've gone away for a long time, and they told me to tell you that they love you very, very much, okay? And that they are always going to be watching you, baby, every single day. You just... you won't know it, Annie. But they'll be watching you."

A look of shock and panic crossed the face of the two and a half year old that sat in Emma's lap. "Where'd they go?" she asked, her brown eyes filling with tears. "They comin' back? Why... why didn't they tell me 'bye?" Annie choked, "I want Mommy!" Emma pulled the child closer, finally allowing herself to cry. After her latest onslaught of tears, Emma pulled away just enough so that she could look Annie in the eyes.

"N-no, honey. They're not coming back. They're... Mommy and Daddy are in heaven now, Annie. They're sorry... I'm... I'm so, so sorry, baby..." Emma let the tears roll down her cheeks, and Annie snuggled deeper into her aunt's chest.

"Aun' Emma?" she asked a while later, when Emma was attempting to doze on Will's arm. But sleep would not claim her and take her away to her solace just yet.

"Yes, sweetie?" Emma asked as she scooched Annie higher onto her lap, wrapping her arms around the small child as a comfort to them both.

"Where 'm I gonna live now? In a orpanage?"

Emma let out a chuckle in spite of herself. She bit her lip to stop it from trembling, but it was no use. Even her arms were slightly shaking now. She felt Will's strong hand grace her elbow, and he leaned over, placing a chaste kiss to her cheek. "You can do this, Emma," he whispered, and Emma found the strength, somewhere, that she needed to get through this moment.

"You're going to come live with me, Annie," she said, plastering a small smile to her face. The baby could tell it was fake though, with one look into Emma's eyes.

"Do you love me, Aun' Emma?"

"Oh, of course, honey," Emma whispered, kissing Annie's forehead, "More than anything. More than anything."

Earlier

5:32 PM

It had been a long day. With endless mounds of paperwork and college applications to sign and look over, Emma had barely had a moment to herself all day. She felt consumed with stress and discomfort, and also hunger, since she had skipped her morning coffee and lunch.

Usually, an email from Will in the middle of a busy day or even a text message from Carl would have cheered her up. But for two months, Carl had been out of the picture. Because of Will. Who, as of late, was her friend, and nothing more. Despite the clouds of sexual tension that surrounded them, Will and Emma had vowed to start small, start over, as just friends. And the fact that they both knew how things were going to end up was enough to keep them going in their friendship. Once in a blue moon, someone's resolve might break a little, and a kiss would be shared. But they would decide to keep waiting. And whenever the timing was right, the wait would be over.

And Emma had been feeling like it was time to stop waiting for a while now.

Lost in thought, Emma almost didn't hear her cell phone vibrating on the corner of her desk. Snapping from her thoughts, Emma blinked rapidly, glancing at the time before she answered her cell phone. 5:34 PM. Glee should be over any minute, she thought, maybe Will could walk me to my car.

"Hello?" she asked, uncertain about the restricted number that blared across her screen.

"Hello, is this Ms. Emma Pillsbury speaking?"

"Yes, this is she... Umm, who's calling?"

"This is Linda from Buchanan General Hospital, you're listed as the emergency contact for both Kevin and Jill Pillsbury?"

"Yes, that... that would be me," Emma felt her throat close up, but attempted to remain professional. They were probably just double checking the papers or something. "Has... has something happened?"

Linda took a deep breath, "Ms. Pillsbury, I'm sorry to inform you..." After that, Emma could only remember a few words. That tone. That was the tone that Emma herself had used with Kurt Hummel when his dad had a heart attack, that was the tone that her mother had used when her daddy died, that was the tone that the doctors used in the movies to tell the main character that her lover was dead, and that there was no hope. That tone was condemning enough, and fear gripped Emma as she tuned into the next few words. "... car accident... fatal for both of them... no chance... daughter..." Linda's eerily calm voice had made the tears fall faster, but she jolted at the last word.

Daughter. Annie. "Oh, God, Oh, God..." Emma's whole body shook with sobs. What was going to happen to Emma's adorable little niece, Annie? If both her parents were gone... her body wracked with sobs, and Emma felt herself doubling over in her chair. She was going to be sick. She lost her brother and her sister in law in the same moment. And things had been sour. That had always been sour between Emma and her family. After her eighth birthday, nothing had been the same. And now, Emma would never get the chance to change it.

It was this thought that eventually made the bile rise in her throat. The cell phone clattered to the floor, and Emma sobbed into her fist. "No... no!" The tears overcame her, and she felt lightheaded. Emma didn't hear Rachel pass by her office, she didn't see the girl run up three flights of stairs and down to the far hallway to get Will from his office. She didn't notice him entering, and she barely registered being swept into his embrace.

"Emma... Emma, honey, what is it, please?" His voice sounded a lot like heartbreak, but his words were a jumble. She could only cry. "No, no, no... No... No..." Will attempted to comfort her. He whispered sweet nothings into her ear as he gingerly lifted her from where she sat at the edge of her desk chair. "No..." he sat down himself, pulling the woman he loved onto his lap.

"Please, Emma, tell me what happened? How can I make it better?"

"It's Kevin, Will..." She managed, the words choking out of her mouth. Kevin. That was her brother... although Will had never met him, he had always thought of Kevin as an asshole. He seemed like one, after the dairy farm incident. "Kevin and Jill," she sobbed, "... accident... they're gone, Will... and A-annie... alone in Virginia... Buchanan..."

"Woah, woah, Emma," she said, holding her tightly. She sobbed into his chest, and but couldn't care less about her tears soaking through his shirt. She clung to him for dear life, her fingernails latching to his shoulders. She was inconsolable, and Will stood up, taking her with him. "Slow down, honey," he whispered, "just take some deep breaths, alright? We're going to get through this, Emma. We're going to do this together, okay?"

He couldn't be sure, but he was almost positive that Emma had nodded against his chest.

He scooped her into his arms, and she let out a small gasp before succumbing into Will's grasp. The sobs had subsided now to pure shock. "Home," she whispered, but Will was one step ahead of her.

In a span of five minutes, he had Emma in his passenger seat, and was breaking all sorts of speed limits to reach her apartment in a record time. "Stay here," he whispered. He kissed her forehead, her body was rigid as he did so, and dashed from the car.

Emma had given him a spare key when they became close friends again, and he unlocked the door to her condo with ease. Stumbling into the apartment, he reached into her coat closet, withdrawing a small suitcase. He knew his way around her apartment like the back of his hand. Reluctantly, he pushed open the door to her bedroom. He had been inside dozens of times to put Emma to bed (every time they watched a movie, she would fall sound asleep in his arms, and he would carry her to her room after he relished having her in his arms for a few minutes), yet it felt wrong and foreign without her presence.

He hastily grabbed a few things from her closet and packed them in a hurried manner that he would probably get hell for later, when she was functional. Will slid open her top left dresser drawer and clamped his eyes closed as he pulled out a few bras and pairs of panties. His was thankful that his fingers had only closed around cotton, only briefly brushing something that felt a lot like lace.

Even now, it took the majority of his will power and self control to keep his eyes shut as the drawer closed. One day, he hoped, Emma would show him all of this on her own. And he didn't want to take away from that wish's value.

Seconds later, he was back in the car. He threw Emma's suitcase in his trunk and sped to his apartment. "Where are we going?" she asked, tears spilling from her eyes as she stared out the window.

"First," he said, taking her hand in his, "we are going to my place. And I'm just going to throw together a suitcase, and then we are headed to Grundy-"

"Will. I... y-you can't... you'll miss school, and you'll miss Glee-"

"Emma Pillsbury," he said, looking into her eyes, "You are insane if you think that I'm letting you drive yourself to Virginia, or even driving you there, and then just leaving. I'm not leaving you when you need me, honey. You're my best friend, and I love you, no matter what. And I can't let you be alone through this. You're going to need someone there for you, Em. And... you know that you are so much more important to me than my job? And Glee? Combined, and times a thousand, right?" he asked, letting his eyes meet hers.

"I... I didn't," she whispered after a long moment and tangible silence. "Know. But now... now I do. Thank you." She felt so numb, so rigid, she couldn't even process what was happening. All she could feel was a gaping hole where her heart should be. And all she could comprehend that was the more Will talked to her, and called her things like "Emma, honey" and stroked his thumb along her hand the way he was doing now, she felt less and less alone, even if just by a little bit.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

2:03 AM

She clung to Will's arm for dear life as the elevator doors opened. He looped his arm protectively around Emma's waist as they moved forward into the hospital. Kevin and Jill's car had been hit by a drunk driver, and had spun off the road, crashing into a tree and flipping upside-down. Kevin had remained in the car, but Jill had flown through the windshield. Emma blocked out the details, but Will listened intently to Linda's explanation of what had occurred. The couple had been moved from the ICU, obviously, and into a separate room that was secluded from the rest of the fifth floor.

Will nodded, and Emma began crying again. By then it was well past two in the morning, and though he was exhausted from the ten hour long drive, Will put his own needs aside. "Thank you, Linda. Could you just... give us a moment?"

The woman nodded sympathetically, and Will led Emma over to a group of chairs in the waiting area. Emma's mother had briefly greeted them upon their arrival with a nod, but was now trying not to cry. Crying would wake the little girl who was asleep in her arms.

"Come on, Em," he whispered, kissing Emma's temple and pushing gently on her shoulders so that she was sitting in the chair next to her mother. "Mrs. Pillsbury, I'm Will Schuester," he said, "I was... I was hoping to meet you under more... ideal circumstances, and I am so, so sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, Will," the woman croaked. Her voice was hoarse from so much crying. "It means a lot that you came here, you know. Emma's told me so much about you, Will. It's... nice to meet you too." Tears filled the woman's eyes, and she struggled to reach over and take Emma's hand. Will noticed the woman trying to juggle the toddler, and immediately offered, "Here, let me take her. I'll... let you two have a minute, okay?"

Mrs. Pillsbury nodded. "Here," she said, helped to arrange a sleeping Annie in Will's arms. "And you can call me Holly, alright?"

"Of course," Will said sadly, taking the baby into his grasp and taking the seat next to Emma. He watched looked at the baby in his arms as Emma fell into her mother's chest, both women crying.

"I... I never got to tell him, Mama..." Emma sobbed, "I never got to tell him that I was sorry... that I accepted his apology... he didn't know that I loved him, Mama. He and Jill never knew that I loved them and Annie and now... now I'll never get to say so!"

"Shh... Shh, baby, shh," Holly whispered into Emma's hair, her own tears falling. As if he was intruding on a very private moment, Will turned away. The toddler in his arms, Annie, looked exactly like a smaller version of Emma. Her hair lay in wild red curls that fell just above her shoulders, and a splattering of freckles covered her face. She had long, dark eyelashes, and her skin was a little darker than Emma's was. He was guessing that she got that from her mother, Jill. He remembered Emma telling him once how nice Jill was, and how cute her niece was. He had helped Emma pick out the child's birthday present last year. He still remembered the date- November 16- and wondered where this little angel would be spending her next birthday. Probably with her grandmother.

He wondered how they would tell little Annie that her parents were gone. He didn't know if he could stand to see the baby's heart break, but quickly reminded himself that he was here to be strong for Emma. Already, Will felt a strange attachment to Annie. The child had a piece of Will's shirt in her fist as she slept, fitfully no doubt (Will still had no idea just how comfortable and soothing his arms were. He had no idea that those arms were the most comfortable place for Annie in that moment). His attachment to the sleeping girl was probably because, if things had gone according to plan last year, his daughter wouldn't be much younger.

He wondered what her name would have been. Terri liked stupid names, like Summer and Callie. To him, those names sounded cheap and not meaningful at all. He had suggested the name Emma. He had thought it was perfect for both of them because Terri's all time favorite author was Emma Blair, a British romance novelist, and his all time favorite actress and singer Julie Andrews had a baby with the same name. It had made sense in his head... but it hurt to remember the epic fight that had followed that suggested. He remembered being called a cheater, a liar, an unfaithful and inconsiderate bastard, an asshole, a man whore, and far uglier things in the course of about ten minutes.

"Will?" Emma's scratchy voice filled his ears, snapping him from his trance. Her watery gaze showed just how much she needed him.

"Emma, sweetheart, I can't even..."

"Shh," she whispered, leaning her forehead against his. He looked over her shoulder for a split second, making sure that her mother was asleep. "Kiss me," she whispered. He opened his mouth to protest, but Emma cut him off. "Please, Will," she pleaded, a tear slipping down her cheek. "I... I need it right now, please, please could you kiss me?"

"Of course," he whispered. "Always, Emma. He took her hands as best he could with the child still asleep in his arms, "You don't even have to ask, Em. You could come up behind me and jump my bones for all I care," she blushed fiercely and chuckled in spite of herself as she shared the memory of her Rocky Horror fiasco a few months ago. That had been back in The Carl Ages. Will swallowed thickly, "Em, and I would still love it. Because you know that I love you, right?" She nodded. "I know," before snaking her hand up to tangle in the hairs at the nape of his neck and bringing his lips to hers.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

3:37 AM

"Excuse me? Ms. Pillsbury?" Linda approached the group of people who sat solemnly in the waiting area. Suddenly taking note of the three sleeping women, she turned her eyes to Will. "Sorry," she said, "the doctors just told me that it will only be a while longer. They're just cleaning up the bodies so that they look... well, somewhat normal before being transported to the funeral home to be officially cleaned off. I'm so sorry, get some sleep, it must be a really hard time for all of you."

"Thank you," Will said earnestly, rubbing his temples with his thumb and forefinger. "I, umm... I never actually met Kevin and Jill, you know. But Emma told me a lot about them. She loved them, so much... she loves Annie so much, too. She was just so upset..."

"Well," Linda said, "you're a wonderful boyfriend for doing all of this for her." Will didn't bother to correct Linda as she turned on the heel of her rubber shoes and walked back to her desk, taking a long sip of coffee. Will sighed, and Holly stirred for the first time in about a half hour.

"What was that about?" the woman asked sleepily, rubbing her tired eyes. Had she been awake? Had she heard everything? Silly worries filled Will's mind, but he pushed them away, they could be dealt with later.

"Oh," he said, sitting up a little more. "The doctors said that it should only be a few more hours. I know the wait is long but, umm, they're making the bodies more manageable for the funeral home to deal with." Holly's eyes teared up at the mention of the dead bodies of her son and daughter in law. "I'm so, so sorry for your loss, Mrs.- Holly."

At that, the woman relinquished a small smile, and Will found it a victory of sorts. They fell into a comfortable silence, and Will let his eyes fall on a sleeping Emma. She had her head pillowed on Will's shoulder, his coat providing a blanket for both her and Annie, who was softly snoring with her head under Emma's chin. He couldn't help but notice how Emma's arms were wrapped protectively around the little girl, and how perfect the two fit together. Someday, Emma was going to be a wonderful mother. He swallowed the lump that had somehow formed in his throat, and this did not go unnoticed by Holly.

"Will?" he turned his head to see the older woman also taking in the sight of her daughter and granddaughter.

"Yeah?" he asked, snapping his attention away from Emma. God, she was so beautiful. His eyes were glassy when they met Holly's and the woman cleared her throat.

"Will, Emma's has told me so much about you, you know." Her lips formed a tight smile, but her eyes stayed warm. Those big brown eyes reminded him so much of Emma's and, with that thought, he looked lovingly down at the woman who was sleeping on his shoulder.

"E-everything?" he asked, swallowing. Holly nodded.

"I think so. Not the details just... things. At first, I had half a mind to come down to Lima and kick your ass myself." Will had to chuckle at her bluntness. On the outside, Holly was a clone of Emma. But already, he was seeing their inner differences. "But then I met Carl. And I realized what a horrible choice my daughter was making. Because the whole time they were in Virginia, I knew that she was thinking of you. She... Emma loves you, Will. And if you didn't love her, you obviously wouldn't be here right now."

He choked, "I do. Love her, I mean. More than anything..."

She held up her hands. "You don't have to prove anything to me, Will... but, and I know that this is a lot to ask, she's going to need you these next few months. Or longer. Because when she goes back to Lima, it isn't just going to be her that she has to take care of." Will cocked his head in confusion, his eyes widening as he began to understand.

"But... how...?" there were no words.

"I had my neighbors bring over some important papers before you got here. The marriage certificate, birth certificate, dental records, the likes... and, of course, there was a will. I don't remember him saying much about it, but it makes sense now, I guess... Kevin always knew that a kid would be good for Emma. He, umm, he gave her full custody of Annie, should anything happen to him and Jill. And now, that the worst has happened..." Holly let out a sob, and Will reached across Emma's lap to take the woman's hand.

"It's okay... shh, it's gonna be okay, Holly," he whispered, squeezing her hand. "I'm going to be there for Emma, and for Annie, and for you."

"N-no..."

"Don't think about it," he told her, "I need to do this. It's my job, right? As Emma's... as her something?"

Through her tears, Holly met Will's eyes. "Will. As her everything."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

4:16 AM

Emma had woken up shortly after Will's conversation with Holly. Although he felt more than sorrowful for Emma's loss, he felt slightly excited at the prospect of having a little girl in his life. By no means was Annie his child, or that she would ever be, but Holly made it clear that Will was to help Emma as much as he could. He was supposed to be involved in this child's life.

A few minutes after Emma stirred, Linda had offered up a spare cot in an empty room just down the hall. Annie needed some proper sleep, and Holly offered to watch over the baby as she slept. The look she gave Will as she left was the only instruction he needed. He had to tell Emma everything, and now.

After taking her hands gently in hers, and kissing her forehead, Will repeated everything that Holly had told him. At a few points, his throat closed up, and when he finally finished, Emma was broken in his arms. "Will..." her sobs echoed through the waiting room, and he kneeled in front of her, his hands on her knees. She gripped him as tightly as possible, her head falling into his shoulder. "I... I just lost my brother... how, how am I supposed to be a mother, too?"

"Emma," he whispered, stroking the wetness from her face with the pads of his thumbs. "I am going to be there, okay? Every step of the way, I will be there. For you, and for Annie. You can do this, Emma. I know that you can."

"I can't... handle... my own life is such a mess, Will, how I am supposed to keep the mess from anybody else's? I... I can't do it. I can't. I'm sorry but I... I just... I can't do it."

"Emma." He stood, taking her up with him, and drawing her tightly into his chest. He tilted her chin up with his index finger so that she could meet his eyes. The tears flowed down the pale contours of her cheeks, and Will sucked in a breath. "Emma, did you... did you see the way you were holding her earlier? How she just curled up in your arms, like it was the most natural thing in the world. How, somehow, when you were holding Annie, none of the germs and dirt that you're afraid of were on your mind?"

She was silenced, speechless. "I... Will, I haven't even thought of the germs since I got here. Since I saw her. I'm... I'm with all the people that make me forget..."

He kissed her then. Long and slow, and he didn't care who was watching. The waiting area was deserted anyway, sans Linda, who was probably crying into a tissue at the sight before her. The passion that moved their mouths together, molding their bodies into one, was what got her through. "Will," she whispered, pulling away. "I... I can't do this... this motherhood thing... without you."

"Good," he said, kissing her forehead. "Because you'll never have to." And with a final sob, she buried her face in the crook of his shoulder. "I love you, I love you, I love you..." she kept whispering the words until her eyes wouldn't stay open for another minute.

The next time she would open them, she would be wrapped in Will's arms, with Annie across their laps, and sunlight streaming through the windows of the lone hospital ward. Holly would be home, making calls, and sleeping off the night. And Annie would be just beginning to stir herself awake.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Two Weeks Later

Monday

"Home," she whispered, squeezing his hand. "Finally." Will pulled his clunker into the parking lot of Emma's apartment complex, sighing peacefully. Annie had been asleep for the last hour or so, and the relief from her constant babbling, though welcome, had made the last leg of their drive unusually quiet.

It had been established that Will would move in with Emma, for just a few months, to help her to get settled into the busy pattern of motherhood. Figgins had been informed of the new situation, and had told Emma that she could have all the time she needed. But, she was going back to work on Wednesday, eager to return to her life. Things were beginning to look up for the first time in what felt like forever, and so as the car slowed to a stop, Emma felt the familiar feeling of a new beginning inside of her.

"You get the suitcases, I'll take her up, okay? Just tell Jose to buzz you in," Emma said, kissing Will lightly on the lips before hopping out of the car. She was still grieving for her family, but it was time to move forward. She could still grieve, but she also had to live her life. If she stopped everything for too long, than there would be no way she could move on. She was a counselor, after all. This is what she told people for a living. And so even though it felt like a huge part of her was missing, and that she would never smile again, she was beginning to see the fragment of light at the end of the tunnel.

Will nodded, pulling the suitcases from the trunk and watching as Emma carefully unbuckled Annie's booster seat. "Aun' Emma?" the girl whispered, wrapping her arms instinctively around Emma's neck. "Where we goin'?"

"Home, sweet-pea," Emma replied quietly, wrapping her arms loving around the baby in her arms.

"My 'ouse?"

"No, honey, you're going to be living with me and Will now. But we have a big girl room set up just for you, okay?" Annie nodded, smiling, "A big girl like you, Aun' Emma?"

"Mm hmm," Emma said. The little girl never failed to melt her heart. The big girl room had been the glee kids' doing. After hearing what had happened from Will, they had insisted on helping out in any way they could. So, after pooling their money and collecting donations from other classmates, they had gone to work on Emma's guest room, transforming it into a butterfly and floral haven for the toddler.

"Is Wiw gon' be here too?" Emma nodded in reply, smiling as she reached her apartment door. The girls adorable Appalachian accent mixed with her two-year-old mannerisms made nearly all words impossible to pronounce correctly, including "Will." Will. After much deliberation, she had finally agreed to letting him sleep on the sofa. He had insisted that it was fine, but she had adamantly disagreed, refusing to subject him to such discomfort.

But in the end it really didn't matter, because both Emma and Will knew that couch arrangement wouldn't last long at all. Emma knew that her room would soon be "their" room, so arguing over a stupid couch was a pointless battle in the end.

Walking through the open door of the apartment, Emma set Annie down, letting the girl teeter through the rooms. "Wiw!" she called, and Emma put her hand over her heart as Will zoomed down the hallways, scooping up Annie in the process.

"Well hello there, Little Lady," he grinned, and Annie gave him a bear hug.

"I missed you!" she said, snuggling into him. Will swallowed. At first, these interactions with Annie had caught him by surprise. But upon learning just how affectionate a two-year-old girl could be, Will had jumped right in. The adoring look he had reserved just for the little girl showed just how much Annie meant to him, after such a short amount of time.

He would be a wonderful father one day.

"I missed you, too, Ann. How bout we go see your new room, huh?" he asked, the toddler nodding. Emma followed them both down the hallway, gasping as she entered her guest bedroom.

"Oh, Will... it's beautiful..." she felt tears prickling in her eyes, and Will adjusted his hold on Annie so that he could wrap and arm around her. Emma rested her head on his shoulder, sighing. Annie imitated her, dramatically sighing, then wiping at her eyes.

"You okay, Ann?" Emma asked, reaching for the little girl. Annie was passed to her aunt, and the little girl nodded. "I'm okay. I jus' miss mommy and daddy a little bit," she admitted. "This isn't like my 'dder room."

Emma ruffled her curls. "I miss Mommy and Daddy too, Ann. But you know what?" Emma asked, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Remember what I said? How Mommy and Daddy are always watching you from Heaven? And that God missed them too much, so he had to make them angels, right?" Annie nodded.

"I 'member. It just makes me sad sometimes."

"Me too, honey. Me too."

A moment of silence fell over the trio as they took in the setting around them. They were always going to miss Kevin and Jill. But this was a new chapter. And now, in that moment in a room covered in butterflies and pink, the makeshift family felt closer than ever. "I love you Aun' Emma," Annie whispered, resting her head on Emma's shoulder. Emma kissed her forehead, and Annie stretched out another chubby arm, pulling Will closer. "I love you too, Wiw."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Wednesday

"You ready, baby girl?"

Annie nodded, slipping her tiny hand into Will's. Emma had to go sign in with Figgins and have a small meeting earlier that morning, so Will had been put on Annie duty. "All ready." Together, they pushed open the front doors of McKinley high school.

Will was planning on using the daycare program that was run by students during their study halls. Also, Emma had gotten countless calls from members of the faculty (including Mrs. Figgins), promising her that they would watch Annie any time Emma needed it.

"It's big in here," Annie said, looking up at Will, a little unsure.

"C'mere," he said, smiling as he scooped her up. Annie's hands went immediately to the curls on the back of Will's head, at the nape of his neck. That was her favorite spot, and Will and Emma had learned quickly that the curls could passify the two-year-old like no other toy would. "We're gonna go to my office first, okay? And then we're gonna meet up with Aunt Emma, and then we're gonna drop you off at daycare, alright?"

"I don' wanna go to daycare, Wiw, I wanna stay here wif you!" Annie's eyes filled with nervous tears, and Will was quick to sooth her. "Shh, shh, Ann, remember what we talked about last night?"

Reluctantly, Annie nodded. "Yeah... how I have to brave today 'cause Aun' Emma and you gotta do your work and then if I'm good I get to meet somebody named Directions." Will let out a chuckle, shaking his head at the girl's clueless innocence.

"New Directions, Ann. It's a club, and they sing a lot. And they have a special song, just for you, right?"

"Right!" Annie chirped as Will set her down on the floor to unlock his office. It was going to be a long, stressful day back at work, but somehow, one smile from the little girl made it all worth it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Wednesday Afternoon

3:03 PM

"Alright everyone," Will said, "Settle down, settle down," New Directions took their regular seats, but everyone remained on the edge of their chairs, excited and overjoyed to have their coach back. "So, as you know, the brother and sister-in-law of our very own Ms. Pillsbury sadly passed away last week. And even though this was a tragedy, really, there was a little light in it all. So, I would like to introduce you all to the newest member of new directions, Ms. Annie Pillsbury," with that, the door opened, and Emma entered, Annie in her arms.

The club cheered, and Annie blushed and hid her face in Emma's shoulder. "Ann," Emma said, "Don't be shy, Sweet-pea, say hi to everybody..." Emma stepped closer to the students pointing each one out, "And that's Quinn, and Rachel, and Noah..."

Annie lifted her head, smiling at the club. "Hi," she said, smiling, before she spotted Will. "Wiw! I haven't seen you aw' day!"

"Hey there, Ann," he said, smiling as Emma set down the toddler, who rushed over to hug Will around the legs. He hugged her back as best as he could, then lifted her up onto his hip. Rachel smiled, "She seems to like you, Mr. Schue," the teen grinned, raising an eyebrow.

"That she does," Kurt agreed, "You know, Ms. P, she's sort of like Annie from the movie. Like Little Orphan-" Mercedes elbowed him before he could finished, and he flushed ten shades of red when he saw the daggers in Quinn's eyes. "Sorry," he said quietly, "I didn't mean to... bring up a..."

Before things could grow any more awkward, Emma broke the silence with a smile. "That's fine, Kurt, I know you didn't mean to." The unfailing warmth in her eyes what what the glee kids loved most about their guidance counselor/very-nearly-co-director, and time and time again, she proved just how strong she was. This was one of those times that they all sort of marveled at how much strength and optimism could come from a person as tiny as she.

"Aun' Emma, are they gon' sing me a song? Wiw promiseded," Annie said from her newfound perch atop the piano. Quinn let out a chuckle, thinking of how her own daughter might be saying funny things like that now, if Quinn had known her. She sighed. "I think we should sing a song for you, Annie," Quinn said, standing up.

The rest of the club followed Quinn to their places by the piano. Annie smiled, enjoying the feeling of being surrounded by everyone. It made her feel special. "You're pretty," she remarked, pointing to all the girls in the room. She looked at Tina and smiled, reaching out to touch the blue streaks in the teen's hair. "You're hair looks like the ocean."

"Thank you," Tina smiled shyly.

"Aun' Emma? Can you make my hair look like the ocean?"

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Two Weeks Later

It was a rainy Friday when the club finally discovered the living situation of their teachers. Emma had just picked up Annie from daycare, and the child was resting her head sleepily on Emma's shoulder. Puck was just a few steps behind them, and jogged to meet with the girls.

"Hi Noah," Annie smiled, reaching out to run her fingers along Puck's newly grown-back Mohawk. Over the last two weeks, she had learned the names of all the glee kids, and most of the faculty members.

"Hey Ann," he smiled, just as thunder rocked the sky above them. Emma shuddered, grateful that Will was already pulling the car around. Annie let out a screech as lightening lit up the darkened sky, and she buried her head in Emma's shoulder, shaking in fright.

Just as Will's clunker pulled up, Annie asked quietly, "Aun' Emma, can I sleep in you and Wiw's bed tonight?" Emma flushed as red as her hair, and bit her lip as she looked over at Puck.

The teenager held up his hands. "I didn't hear a thing."

The next day, almost all twelve members of New Directions had "accidentally" called her Mrs. Schue.

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Four Months Later

Emma rolled over in bed, blindly reaching for Will through the darkness. In their months of co-habition, Will had only lasted about a week on the sofa. It wasn't even that the couch was uncomfortable, but it was that having Emma in his arms was the most comfortable, natural thing in the world. Their friendship had evolved too, and now they were more in love than ever.

Usually, couples dated and got engaged and married and honeymooned before having a child, but their relationship had always been wacky and out of order. Baby first, then friendship, then dating and now... this. Bliss.

He pulled her instinctively into his arms, tucking her head underneath his chin as she threw a leg over his. Their toes wiggled together in darkness, and Emma let out a soft chuckle. He kissed her lips, whispering his love for her sweetly and softly through the darkness. "Mmm... Will," she whispered, showering his jawline with kisses as he sucked at her pulse point, the tender spot right beneath her ear. "I love you so, so much..."

The pitter patter of little feet, followed by a wail, broke their embrace. "What the...?" Emma sat up, but Will pushed her back down. "Go back to sleep," he kissed her forehead, "I got it." Reluctantly, Emma curled back onto her side, feeling guilty for leaving Annie and guilty for wanting Will all to herself.

Meanwhile, Will threw the covers off of his boxer-clad form and jogged quietly into the hallway. He almost plowed into Annie, who was making her way through the darkness, crying and scared. "Wiw," she pleaded reaching her hands up for him.

Will knelt down, scooping Annie into his arms. She clutched his shirt in her fist with one hand, the other flying to the curls by his neck, as always. Her big "crocodile tears" soaked through the hem of his shirt, and he pulled her closer, rubbing soothing circles along her back.

Emma sat up upon hearing the soft sobs of her niece and Will's footsteps across the bedroom floor. "Oh no," Emma said as Will set Annie on the bed. She wrapped her arms around the girl, who snuggled into her immediately, "Baby, what happened? Annie?" The toddler didn't reply, just cried harder.

"Sweet-pea," Will said, coaxing the baby from Emma's chest, "Annie, talk to us. Tell us what happened." Annie snuggled herself in between the two adults, who stretched out beside her. Emma drew lazy patterns with her fingers on Annie's belly until her breathing soothed out into a slow rhythm.

"Aun' Emma?" Annie whimpered, "Can you tell me 'bout my mommy and daddy?"

That caught Emma off guard, "Of course honey... is that why you were upset a few minutes ago?" she ran her fingers through Annie's curls, kissing the girl's cheek, which was still wet. Annie was crying again now, her small frame shaking.

"Mm hmm..." she said, "I try to think 'bout them sometimes but this time I didn't 'member what dey looked like! And I tried and I tried but I couldn't do it and they're gon' be mad at me! 'Cause you said they were watchin'!"

"Oh, Annie," Will said, pulling both the toddler and Emma close to him. "Y-you... it's okay to forget a little bit. You were so little, honey, and it's okay that you don't remember up here," Will said, tapping her head lightly, "Because your always gonna remember your mommy and daddy in here, right?" he tapped the same finger over Annie's softly beating heart. "And that's the most important place, okay?" Annie nodded, turning to Emma.

"Aun' Emma, today Jimmy Falcony told me that I didn't have a mommy and daddy. And I got mad and told him no, and he told me yes, and that's why I was tryin' to 'member," she said sadly, snuggling into her aunt. Emma exchanged a worried glance with Will before pulling Annie as close as possible. Will scooched closer so that she was sandwiched between the adults. "And he said I was missin' out, Aun' Emma..."

"No, no, no," Emma whispered. "Annie, sweetheart, you know your mommy and daddy are always going to be your biological parents. I know that's a big word, but it means that they're like your tummy parents. And you look like them and talk like they did. But... sweetie, I know you might not understand it right now, but me and Will are like your heart parents, okay? Even though you don't look like us, and you aren't related to Will, we're always going to be here for you in the same way that your mommy and daddy would, alright? So just... remember it like that, alright, sweet-pea?"

Annie reached up and gave both Emma and Will a kiss. A while later, when they thought that she was fast asleep already, the little girl spoke again. "Aun' Emma? Wiw?"

She only addressed them both together when she really wanted their attention, so they immediately turned into her, and Will cuddled her closer. "Yeah, Ann, baby?"

"Would you guys be mad if I called you Mommy and Daddy sometimes?"

A tear slipped down Will's cheek, and he looked over to see that Emma was crying too. "Oh, goodness no, Annie. Never..." she said, kissing her baby girl goodnight and wrapping her arms around her family.

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One Year Later

"So all I gotta do is throw these flowers? And walk pretty?" Annie asked as Emma fixed the bow in her curly red hair.

"Yupp, that's all you have to do, okay? And you just follow Quinn, and Rachel, and the rest of the girls, alright?"

"Mm hmm," Annie said, jiggling her feet in excitement. "You look pretty, Aun' Emma," she smiled. Even though she had began calling Will and Emma "Mom" and "Dad" fairly often, they were still her Aunt Emma and Will on an everyday basis.

"You do too, baby," Emma said, kissing the top of her head as the wedding bells began to chime.

As they said their "I Do"s, Annie stayed happily at Quinn's side, entranced by the beautiful setting around her. She didn't understand exactly what was going on, but she knew that it was a good thing.

Towards the end of the first dance, a few hours later, Will beckoned for Annie to come over to he and Emma. He scooped her up, pressing her in between him and his wife, and kissed her cheek. "We're a family now, baby," he whispered in her ear, and Annie knit her eyebrows together.

"I thought we was always a family, Wiw."

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One Year Later

The family went down to Virginia for the anniversary of Kevin and Jill's death. Annie, who was know three and half years old, barely had any memories left of her parents. But, from the stories her family told her, they were great people. And had loved her very much.

Will sat on the couch, his arm around Emma. Annie was asleep across their laps, snoring quietly. Holly had gone to bed early, claiming that she was tired from the day, but both of them knew that she was just taking a day to be upset. And that was more than okay- Will needed more than both hands to count the times that he had woken up in the middle of night to the cries of Annie or Emma.

"Who would've thought that we'd be in the same spot as last year?" Emma asked, running her fingers through Annie's curls, which had been taking on more of a blonde hue lately. Just like Jill. "You know... together, with her asleep, right where she should be."

Will fingered the wedding band on Emma's finger. That was one major difference... He smiled shyly, "Who would've thought we'd have a daughter, Em?" he asked, his voice thick and teary all of a sudden. Emma turned to face him, her eyes were glassy too. "I... I never thought that it would be this wonderful, Will... It wouldn't be, though... I-I couldn't have done it without you, you know," she whispered, kissing him softly.

Will pulled both of his leading ladies into a closer embrace. "You could have, Em... you would have. You have no idea how strong you are, honey..." Emma let her eyes close as Will softly hummed an unidentifiable tune. And soon, all three of the Pillsbury-Schuesters were asleep on the sofa, in the dim glow of the fire place.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Two Years Later

The five year old raised her eyebrows. "Do we have to keep him?" she huffed, dragging her feet along the white hospital corridor.

"Yes," Will chuckled, ruffling her strawberry blonde curls. "Of course we do. He's your little brother... or cousin, technically... but definitely more like a brother, right?" Annie shook her head.

"No. I don't want him."

"But I thought you said he was cute, Ann," Will said, taking her hand and guiding her over to a row of chairs that faced a glass wall with newborn after newborn baby behind it.

"Yeah," she said softly, leaning her head on Will's arm. "But that doesn't mean that I..." she tried to hide a sniffle, "want him forever."

"Ann?" Will turned to face her, taking her shoulders in his hands so that she would look him in the eyes. His face fell when he saw her teary eyes, and he immediately realized that this was probably about. They had had this talk countless times, but with Peter actually being here, it made the situation all the more real. "Baby, don't cry," he whispered, pulling her over the arm rest of her chair and setting her gingerly onto his lap. She immediately wrapped her skinny arms around Will's neck, burying her face in the crook of space between his jaw and shoulder. He felt her tears seep onto his skin, and he rubbed circles on her back as her hands flew to the spot on the nape of his neck that had always soothed her. She turned a curl around her fingers, sighing.

"Annie, why are you crying?" he asked softly, kissing her temple. She shook her head fiercely, trying to deny the tears making their way down her rosy cheeks, but failed. "I..." another sob wracked her body, and Will scooched her closer to him, pressing her small body against his large one.

"Ann, you can tell me, Sweetheart. It's okay... you... you know that I love you, right?" The way she clung to him more tightly after the words left his lips proved that he had hit the nail on the head.

"But..." she whispered, "You get to be Peter's tummy parents and heart parents. He gets both. And that means that you won't love me as much. Because Peter is gonna look like you and he's gonna have to live at our house and he's gonna need you and Aun' Emma too..." a tear slid down her cheek. "And your gonna like him more because you're his 'logical daddy and his heart one..." Another sob escaped Annie's lips, and she buried her flushed face in her hands.

"Oh, Annie..." he said, tilting her chin so she could meet his eyes. "Look at me, honey... I love you so, so much. And so does Aunt Emma. And that's never ever ever going to change, no matter how many new babies come, okay? And you are every bit my baby as Peter is. Whose birthday party did we have last week?" he asked, and she blushed.

"Mine." It was barely a whisper.

"And who was sleeping in our bed just last night?"

"Me."

"And who did we tell first about the new baby?"

"Me."

"And who do I tell every single day that I love more than the moon and the stars?"

Annie sniffled, pointing to herself. "Me..."

"You," he whispered, kissing her on the forehead and wrapping his arms as tightly around her as humanly possible. God, he didn't know how he could have ever lived without this kid.

"And who was the one that a fell in love with from the first minute I saw her, in a hospital just like this? Whose the one who I am going to love forever and ever, and am always going to be there for, no matter what happens?"

"Me," she whispered, kissing Will on the cheek. After laying her head against his shoulder for a few more minutes, Will felt Annie smile against his neck. "Daddy?" she whispered, and Will tried to keep it together. But every time she called him "Daddy," the waterworks always began, just a little.

"Yeah, baby?"

"Can I go meet my brother now?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Three Years Later

"Are you okay?" Annie asked, her eyes filled with sympathy as the master bedroom. She climbed up onto Emma and Will's bed, curling up against Emma's back.

"Not... not right now, honey," Emma whispered, a tear falling from her cheek. Her and Will hardly ever fought, but they had been picking at each other all day. And the blowout argument that they'd had in his office today at school had left her a mess. Thank goodness that Rachel was taking Peter today to play with Barbara and Gene, her twins.

"Why are you crying, mom?" she asked, worried. Emma had been upset in the car on the way home from school, too. And Annie was scared. Will had Glee rehearsal, and they were supposed to go watch today, but Emma hadn't wanted to. She'd had a "headache" and needed to "lay down for a while."

"I'm just a little sad, that's all. I'm okay," Emma promised, "I will be in a little bit."

"Did you have a fight with Will?" Annie asked, biting her lip. They hardly ever fought. And when they did, they always made up quickly. But it seemed like today, Emma was more upset than she would usually be after bickering with her husband.

"Yes," Emma answered after a long moment. She rolled over on the bed to face Annie, holding the child's hands. "But it'll be fine," she said, pulling Annie close. The child had always given her more comfort than she could ever imagine. Holding Annie in her arms was like nothing Emma could ever describe.

But then Annie reached her skinny limbs around Emma, curling herself up close. She pushed Emma's head so that is rested on her chest. Emma pulled Annie closer, pillowing her face in the girl's purple t-shirt. If she thought holding her baby girl was amazing, being held in return by her was twice that.

She never thought that she'd ever be able to get to hold someone like she held Will. To trust someone that much... but with Annie, it had always been different. Her family made her feel like germs ceased to exist completely.

"Are you guys gonna get divorced?" Annie asked quietly, making Emma sit up sharply in bed, gasping.

"Annie Pillsbury," she said, looking the girl in the eyes, "Heavens, heavens no. Where would you get a crazy idea like that, baby?"

"Marcia Gellar told me."

"Told you what, exactly?" Emma didn't hate anyone, but if she did, it would be Marcia Gellar. She was the Queen Bee bully of the third grade, and had been taunting Annie lately with her astounding knowledge of the world and everything in it. Emma never thought that she would ever think it of an eight year old child, but quite frankly, Miss Marcia Marie Gellar was a bitch.

Annie sniffled, "Nothing. Just that... when parents or 'guardians'," Annie made the air quotes around 'guardians,' showing Emma exactly what her classmate had done. Emma was already seething, and Annie hadn't even finished the first sentence of the story.

"We are your parents, Ann. Not your stupid 'guardians', okay?" Emma interrupted, pulling Annie into her lap and resting her chin on Annie head. She leaned against the headboard, and both girls stretched their legs out towards the foot of the bed.

"-I know," Annie smiled slightly, continuing. "She says that when they fight, it means they don't love each other, and that they're gonna go to City Hall and get divorced. Forever."

"Annie?" Emma said, "Look at me. Will and I might get in a fight now and then, but that does not mean that we love each other or our children any less. And I promise you that we will never, ever, ever get divorced, okay?"

"Okay."

Later that night, Will put the last of the dishes in the sink and walked over to his wife, wrapping his arms snugly around her waist. "I heard what you told Annie," he whispered, kissing her neck. "I-" Emma cut him off, spinning around in his arms, and pulling away from him.

"I... I'm sorry Will... I shouldn't have spoken for you like that, I mean, if you ever get f-fed up with my crazy and want to leave... by all means," a tear slipped down her cheek, "...go, b-but... that Marcia Gellar really just pisses me the hell off a-and..."

He silenced her by smashing his lips to hers. That was one of the select few occasions that he had heard Emma curse, and he had to chuckle. "Em," he said, after pulling away. He held onto her tightly, walking her to the bedroom. "You can speak for me whenever you want to, honey. You're my wife." He kissed her eyelids, then her lips. "And you always will be."

"Gosh, Will, I'm so, so sorry... for yelling today."

"Me too," he whispered, "But lets put it behind us, okay?" He lay her down on the bed gently, crawling up her body until their lips were even. "Because I could think of much better things we could be doing..."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Five Years Later

"She is thirteen, Em! How could she have a boyfriend? How could she have an asshole for a boyfriend!" Will was angrier than he could ever remember being.

"Will, if you're not quiet, she's going to hear you!" she snapped back, running her fingers along the stubble on Will's chin. "And no, she does not have a boyfriend anymore... he broke up with her, Will."

"Is that why she's so upset..." he turned away, massaging his neck. "What the hell is wrong with that boy?" He asked, his voice pained. "Who could look at Annie and not fall in love with her?" He exhaled sharply, grabbing his car keys off of his nightstand and storming towards the bedroom door.

Emma grabbed his arm before he could, spinning him around by his elbow. "What do you think you're doing? Where do you think you're going, Will?"

"I'm going to go give that little shit a piece of my-"

"William." Emma raised her eyebrows. "Lets be logical, okay? Instead of going to beat the crap out of some little kid you've never met, and embarrassing your daughter beyond all get out, how about you think of some more productive things you could be doing, hmm?"

He sighed, flopping down on the bed. Emma was right, as always.

The next morning, Annie found a post-it note on her bathroom mirror. 7:30 tonight, Breadsticks. Dress nice.

"Why are we going here again?" she asked, rolling her eyes as Emma ushered the girl into the fancy restaurant. She turned to the hostess. "We had a reservation..." Emma winked, nodding towards Annie.

"Oh," the girl said, not getting it at first. Then, "Oh. Right... I think your, umm, date is right over that way..." she pointed towards the center of the restaurant. Annie's eyes teared up, her mouth fell open.

Because there, at the best and most expensive table in the restaurant, in his best suit, was Will. Smiling as wide as ever, holding a huge bouquet of flowers. She blushed, smiling widely. And Will knew that he would do absolutely anything to see that smile.

To make his girl feel beautiful.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Four Years Later

"I'm going!"

"Annie Juliana Pillsbury, you are doing no such thing!" Emma shouted. She hated raising her voice at her daughter, but Annie was putting her in a bad situation. Annie got invited on a date to a party. That was fine... there was an agreement that Annie could go to high school parties, but there was to be parents home, and no alcohol. And Annie had been good about it.

But, if there was drinking... Well, both Will and Emma had obligations as teachers to uphold, and that meant that any student caught with alcohol by a teacher needed to be punished. Even if that student was a child, or friend of that child, of two teachers.

And the party was not a good scene anyway.

"Everyone is going to be there, Emma!" Annie yelled, tears blurring her vision. She knew that their first names always made Emma and Will itch with uncertainty. She knew just how to push their buttons.

"I doubt that, Annie," Will said, resting a palm on her shoulder. She flinched away from his grasp, and Will's heart stung.

"I'm going!"

"You will do what I say," Will said again, more sharply this time. He knew it was coming. He knew it was coming as soon as he said the words.

"YOU'RE NOT MY PARENTS!" the seventeen-year-old screamed, running into her bedroom and slamming the door. Will wasn't sure whose heart broke the loudest.

It was after two AM when the door to their bedroom creaked open. Will's head felt heavy, and his eyes stung, bloodshot. Emma's face was puffy from crying, her hair a mess. Annie was right. They weren't her parents. They never would be.

Wordlessly, the teenager stepped into the room, crawling over Emma so that she was snuggled between the adults in the bed. "Annie." It was the only word that Will could form coherently. "I'm so, so sorry, baby girl... you're... y-you're right. We're not your parents," he said, sighing. His whole body felt heavy. Depressed. Empty, because she had spoken the truth, finally.

"Dad. Enough. Mom... Emma, Will... you guys are my parents. In every way that counts, remember?" Annie's voice was laced with tears. She let out a sob, and Emma pulled her against her chest.

"Annie. Baby."

"No. I'm... I-I'm so sorry I yelled... I never should have said that... it wasn't worth it. None of this is worth losing you guys. You'll... You'll never know how much I love you, you know."

"Yes we will," Will whispered, kissing Annie's hair. Her hand found the place at the back of his neck. The place that she still loved. "We always have, baby... because we feel the same way, okay?" he swallowed thickly, and Annie nodded.

"I love you Mommy. I love you Daddy." And as the teen fell asleep with Will and Emma's arms wrapped tightly around her, she felt like she was two years old again. She felt safer than ever in the arms of her "heart parents." She still remembered that conversation like it was yesterday. Will and Emma had been the fragment of light at the end of her tunnel. She didn't remember her biological parents, but she remembered the sinking feeling that the world was ending when they both passed away.

But most of all, Annie remembered the immediate safety and comfort when she was in the arms of the people who loved her the most. And she never wanted that feeling to go away.

And as Will kissed her temple, and Emma snored lightly in her ear, she knew that it never would.

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The end. Read, review, critique, love!

-Liv