Lessons Still To Teach
By
Sydney Long
Authors Notes: This is my first Glee Fanfic! I'm a bit nervous about this new adventure but here we are and I hope that you enjoy! This story is primarily a Wemma fic but there's Finchel in it too! Long story short, summer vacation turns into summer school for Will and Emma as Rachel and Finn turn to them for advice on friendship and love. Please take a second to review…I've got a couple of ideas for other stories that can be pulled out of this one. You tell me if I should continue Enjoy!
It was the last day of school and Will Schuester was grading his last set of history finals before closing up shop for the summer. It had been a great year for his Glee Club, taking sectional and regional titles and placing 2nd at nationals. His fairly young Glee Club were now positioned to take to the title next year as Vocal Adrenaline would be back to square one having graduated most of its members this year. He understood that position as he was in it just last year when the rest of the original New Directions threw their graduation caps in the air.
Putting his pen down, he glanced over at the wall at the original team and their very first sectional win. They were so proud of that trophy. Truth be told, if he could have figured out a way to break it up so that each member could get a piece, he would have done it. Rachel was so sure of herself and her talent. Finn was just the opposite. Kurt had and still has, style written all over him. Mercedes wore her divaness with pride; Artie had always been their leader and the silent assistant director. Tina was the quiet one whose voice still packed a powerful punch. Santana kept things real and always reminded them that sometimes the truth hurts. Puck was their trouble maker but could pick a guitar as well as Joe Perry. Quinn had her struggles but taught them all that life sometimes gives you obstacles but they can be overcome. Brittany, well Brittany was Brittany. Mike had so many hidden talents it was a pleasure for all of them to peel the layers back on that onion. Sam, while not a part of that first win, quickly became such a vital part of the team and it was often forgotten that he wasn't always around.
These kids were Will Schuester's family. They always would be a part of it. Of course there were a few extended members, Blaine, Sugar, Lauren, Rory, Joe...they were all there to support him when times were tough and even now, he still misses them dearly. Occasionally he'll walk in to the choir room and expect to see Rachel running scales and Mike and Brittany working on a new dance. His current students possess all of the same talents, it's just different somehow. "Honey," Emma had said, "it's never going to be like that first group. They were special. They taught you just as much as you taught them and now it's time to make them proud. Teach these kids, learn from these kids."
Will's eyes then glanced at another picture on the wall, one that he had recently placed there. It was one he had Shannon take not too long ago of Will, Emma, their dog and the first ultrasound picture of their baby. This is the family he was most proud of and was thrilled to get to focus on this summer. Their road to happiness had been a bumpy one but they both think that only made their relationship stronger and now after nearly two years of marriage, they're ready to bring the next generation into the world.
He laughed to himself because sometimes he still can't believe he talked Emma into get a dog. She had gotten quite a handle on her OCD when they moved in together but every once in a while things would flare up when her stress level increased. That changed a bit once they got married. The whole life is messy speech really was the jump start Emma needed to defeat that inner battle. Knowing that Will would always be there to catch her if she fell, allowed her to let go of some things she battled for years. Emma was just as surprised at herself as he was that she willing to bring a dog into their new house but saw it as an opportunity to prepare themselves for parenthood.
They went round and round trying to figure out what kind of dog to get. Will wanted a big dog, Emma insisted it didn't shed. "All dogs shed honey," he remembered saying. That's when they took to the internet and came across Goldendoodles. Even more surprising was finding one in the local animal shelter. Doodlebug proved to be the perfect K9 addition to their family and Emma loved her to pieces. She didn't mind the extra grooming expense either because despite all of the progress she had made, there was no way Emma Schuester was going to let that dog be bathed in their home.
Glancing over at the clock, Will knew it was getting close to time when the final grades had to be turned into the office so he picked his pen back up and resumed grading, thankful he had chosen to give his classes a multiple choice final. Lost in the repetition of A, B, C or D, he didn't notice the figure walk up to the doorway of his office. Had it been Emma, he would have sensed it instantly especially today because she was wearing new perfume that he had gotten her for her very first Mother's Day.
"Shouldn't you be about done with the grading," the person said, "isn't it traditional for the Glee Club to sing their way into summer vacation right about now."
Will looked to find his golden star Rachel Berry standing in his doorway with a big smile on her face. He hadn't seen her since last spring when she came home from NYADA to watch her fellow New Directions get their diplomas.
"Rachel," he whispered standing up and walking around his desk to hug her.
"Mr. Schue," she said returning the embrace, "It's so good to see you!"
"What are you doing here," he asked gesturing for her to have a seat then returning to his.
"Summer vacation," she said, "I promised my dads I'd come home for at least a few weeks this summer. I've got a show to prepare for in late July, so it was kind of now or never and never wasn't an option."
"Knowing your dads, I can see how there really was only one option," Will smiled at the thought. He could just picture Hiram and Leroy arguing with Rachel. "What show are you doing?"
"We're set to begin rehearsal on NYADAS Fall Production of the Sound of Music in August," Rachel answered, "I've been cast as Leisl and Kurt will be playing Frederick. It's not Maria or the Captain but we're happy with our roles nonetheless."
"That's great," he said noticing a bit of humbleness in her voice. She genuinely seemed okay to not have the lead.
"I know what you're thinking," she said picking up on his response, "I see this as a challenge to work that much harder to be a scene stealer. People will remember that I played Leisl when they see my name shining in lights on Broadway."
"I admire your drive," Will said, "you've never lost sight of your dream."
They sat in silence for several minutes. Will knew that Rachel had more she wanted to say but was skirting around the issue. What neither of them knew was that Emma had just walked up to her husband's office to see if he had finished his work and would be ready to head home soon. She was starting to get tired and was ready to kick back and let the summer begin. When she heard Rachel's voice, she stepped back a second to listen to the conversation.
"You know Mr. Schue," she said, "once upon a time; this was your dream too."
"You're right it was. I wanted nothing more to stand on a Broadway stage and sing my heart out," he said, "I had my chance to sing on that stage and when I finished the song, I found myself searching an empty theater looking for Emma."
"But she told you to follow your dream," Rachel said, "She encouraged you to do it."
"Yeah," he said thinking back to that day. He had to believe that when Emma encouraged him to go, it was in hopes that he would one day find his way back to her. "She did."
"You know," Rachel said, "you never told me what happened, why you changed your mind. I mean I know you said we had a job to do and that was to win nationals but that wasn't really the reason, was it?"
"It was part of the reason," he said sitting back looking at the picture again. He remembered when they took it. It was their first official family portrait and yes, he might have a goofy first time dad grin on his face but this was also his dream, "Emma was the main reason. When I sang on that stage it was amazing and I'm so glad I had that moment. The excitement of singing on a Broadway stage disappeared quickly when I realized Emma wasn't there to share that moment with me. That's when I realized that my dream had changed."
"I just don't understand how you can let it go so easily," Rachel said.
"This might not make much sense but letting go of the wrong thing is so much easier than letting go of the right thing," Will said, "I learned that lesson the hard way."
"So you really have no regrets about walking away from it," Rachel said, "Mr. Schue, the guy that replaced you won a Tony!"
"Rachel, the only regret I have is not stopping Emma that day in the hallway when she was wearing my vest and kissing her silly. I should have told her I would see her in a few days. I can only imagine how broken she must have felt when she walked away," he said shaking his head to avoid the sob building in his throat. "I felt broken on that stage. It meant nothing without Emma."
Emma felt a tear slip down her cheek having heard her husband share that with his former student. She had heard it all before. In fact those were the first words out of his mouth when she found him sitting on the floor in front of her office the day after the Glee Club returned from nationals. "It meant nothing without you," he had said. A tear slipped down her cheek that day too, when he stood on his knees and hugged her in the middle of the crowded hallway. Working that day was almost as difficult as working through today. The summer ahead presented so many possibilities, both then and now. Of course now, the fact that she was four months pregnant had a small part to play in the dragging of the day.
"I have a new dream now, well maybe it's not a new dream," he said pulling Emma out of her thoughts and back into the conversation in the small office, "Emma has been my dream from the moment I met her and let me tell you, I live an amazing life because of her and now we're working on a little production of our own."
"Wow Mr. Schue," Rachel said looking over at the picture he was lovingly looking at, "I never thought of it that way."
"You can have both dreams," he said, "the thing you have to decide is if one is worth living without the other."
"I…" Rachel started to say. It was then that Emma decided if she was going to make her presence known, she needed to do so now. Will might need her side job as the guidance counselor, the office really did need his final grades, and she really wanted to go home and cuddle with her husband.
"Sweetheart," Emma said knocking on the doorframe to his office, trying to pretend she hadn't been standing outside listening to his conversation, "they're asking for your final grades in the office, are you finished yet?"
"Oh um," her husband said starting to shuffle the papers on his desk.
"Hi Mrs. Schuester," Rachel said standing up.
"Rachel, hello," Emma said hugging her, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."
"Yes you did," he whispered in her ear when she stepped back from the Broadway hopeful. Upon her confused look he continued, "I could smell your new perfume."
"You didn't," Rachel said completely oblivious to their quiet exchange, "we're just catching up. Seems like so much has happened since the last time I was here. I mean, look at you. You look wonderful."
"Thank you," she said smiling as both she and her husband absent-mindedly placed a hand on her belly.
"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet," Rachel asked.
"Not yet," Will answered sitting back down at his desk to finish up his paperwork while they chatted, "we'll find out in a week at our next doctor's appointment."
"That's still up for debate," Emma said sitting on the edge of his desk, "I sort of want it to be a surprise but we'll see."
"Right now it's our little sea monkey," Will added sharing a smile with his wife.
"Sea monkey," Rachel questioned with a laugh.
"He saw a daddy to be in a movie call the baby a sea monkey," Emma said, "and it sort of just stuck. It's odd I know, but it's cute when he says it."
"Well, you'll have to let me know when your baby shower is," Rachel said, "I'd like to come if I can get away from New York."
"I'd like that too," Emma said.
"You know," Will said shutting down his computer, "I've been in touch with several of the original New Directions. A lot of them will be home this summer!"
"Will," Emma said clearly picking up on the sadness on Rachel's face at her husband's comment.
"Oh good, it's been awhile since we've all been together," Rachel said with a weak smile.
Will and Emma knew that the original New Directions have gotten together multiple times during holidays and vacations. Some of them even came to Nationals this year to cheer on the Glee Club. Kurt comes home from New York every chance he gets. Rachel was the one that stayed there or kept to herself when she came home. They knew the way she left things with Finn kept her from coming around. The answer to the question they both silently wondered was about to be answered when Rachel began talking again.
"Do you ever see Finn," Rachel asked quietly, "Kurt talks to him all the time but he..."
"Um," Will answered looking at his wife silently begging for the guidance counselor in her to take over. Emma smiled to herself; she knew he'd need her at some point in this conversation.
"Quite a bit actually," Emma answered, "Principal Figgins let Coach Minkins hire him as the Assistant Football Coach. He's going to the community college. He wants to be a teacher."
"Kurt said something about that," Rachel said.
"Finn spends a lot of time at our house hanging out. He still looks to Will as a mentor," Emma said, "and friend."
"He covered me for in Glee in October when I had my tonsils taken out," Will said picking up where Emma left off, "he's done such a good job, and he's my assistant now too."
"Oh...do you know...has he," Rachel wondered.
"You know, sometimes, you make a mistake that takes you away from something you truly want. And sometimes, you're given an opportunity to make it right," Will said standing up and rubbing his wife's back.
"I've heard that somewhere before," Emma said leaning into him.
"And you said that the best thing to do is to spend the whole summer focused on making things right," he said kissing her gently, not caring that a former student was standing just five feet away from them.
"I miss him," Rachel whispered so softly they almost didn't hear her.
"He misses you too," Emma said quietly.
"He's in the auditorium with the Glee Club," Will said.
Rachel's eyes brightened a little. Will then looked to his smiling wife.
"Why don't you help him with the summer send off," Will said placing a protective hand on Emma's belly, "I've got to drop off these grades in the office and then I think I'm going to take these two home. We're on vacation now too!"
"Will," Emma said reminding him that they had something to do first.
"Right," he said, "I'm going to take these two home after we pick up the furball from the groomer."
"I still can't believe she let you get a dog," Rachel said with a laugh.
"It was a mutual decision," he replied as Rachel walked toward the door.
"Rachel," Emma said stepping out of her husband's embrace, "I'm so glad you stopped by. You really should drop by the house before you head back to the Big Apple. If you're not busy on the 4th, you'll have to be sure to come to our Fourth of July party too."
"Some of the other kids will be there too," Will said hoping that would entice her to come to their party and visit with everyone.
"I'd like that," she said briefly hugging her former guidance counselor. "Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Schue. I don't think I'm finished learning from you just yet."
"Welcome home," he said hugging his first gold star. "Now get out of here. Go show the new New Directions how to sing their way in to summer vacation."
Smiling Rachel turned and walked out of Will's office and toward the auditorium.
"Well, momma," Will said affectionately as he began to gather the tests he had been grading, "are you ready to say goodbye to another school year?"
"You bet," she said, "I am more than ready to get out of here. I just want to go get Doodlebug, go home, take a shower and relax…for the next week. After that we have about a million things to do."
Will started to ask a question as he gathered his belongings, taking one last look around to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. His lovely, pregnant wife answered without him even having to ask.
"The answer to your next question is yes, we can swing by the auditorium on our way out."
"Thank you," he said taking her into his arms and kissing her, "we won't stay long. I promise. I want to go home too."