AN: I have to admit, I was crushed by the lack of Wemma in the finale of S2. And you'll see why when you read this little one shot I wrote as I imagined what their reunion would look like. It never occurred to me that Wemma's story would end up on the cutting room floor and I will never understand why the writers built it up only to deliver nothing. Of course, I would probably be more charitable if they delivered something GOOD in its place, but that's a different rant entirely. Enjoy!
Reunion
Emma stood in the doorway of the choir room, head resting against the door frame, staring wistfully at his handwriting on the whiteboard: Light up the World. She repressed the flash of selfishness that made her wish he could do it from Lima instead of New York's grander stage. Indeed, he lit up her world every time he arrived in her office doorway, and now he would do the same for countless strangers who saw him perform.
She had watched from the window as the kids disembarked from the bus. She thought she had prepared herself not to see him, but her reflection in the glass revealed the sliver of hope that remained. Emma's heart tumbled into her belly when the door finally closed and it occurred to her that she might never see Will Schuester again.
The mixture of pride and devastation had become such a familiar feeling that she could trace its movement through her body from the initial flutter of her heart to the dull ache that would settle behind her left eye-reminding her for the rest of the day of the treacherous emotional journey ahead. She folded her arms across her midsection, attempting to quell the unease that had taken up residence since April's charming visit to McKinley.
Emma stiffened when she felt the tap on her shoulder, and hesitated before turning around, hoping a suitable explanation for being in the choir room would appear miraculously on her lips as she scanned mental images of colleagues who might interrupt such a moment. Maybe it was the fact that she expected to see Sue or maybe it was her need to be rescued from sheer despair, but when she turned to discover Will, she launched herself into his arms with a fierce intensity that frightened her in its expanse.
"Hi Em," Will said with a chuckle as he squeezed his arms around her with joy that matched her fervor.
She released him abruptly and responded with a sheepish but giggly, "Hi!"
"What...what are you, um, doing here?" she said, trying to recover her composure, while processing the possibility that he wasn't really back.
"I work here, remember?" he smirked.
Emma rolled her eyes in exasperation, failing to appreciate his game of cat and mouse.
"But I thought you were going to stay in New York?" she asked.
"I considered it," he started, mesmerized by her eyes yet noting every nervous twitch in her body.
"The opportunity to perform in April's show would have been great, but..."
He trailed off leaving the sentence unfinished as he grabbed Emma's hand and led her to the stools parked against the piano.
"But what?" Emma asked anxiously while Will encouraged her to take a seat on a stool.
He stood facing her and clasped both of her hands in his. He gazed tenderly into her eyes.
"But not as great as the life I want to build here..."
"...with you."
Emma's eyes widened as she struggled to accept what she thought she knew versus what she was hearing.
"But what about...?"
Will pressed his finger to Emma's lips, stopping her mid-sentence.
"Emma, do you love me?"
It was such a simple question, yet she had become so practiced at denying it that the words stayed behind and she could only nod her head.
Will stepped closer and leaned down to her ear.
"I need to hear you say it, Em."
She shuddered, wondering how she had ever resisted the sweetness of his love.
Emma swallowed hard as tightness filled her throat and a tear pooled at the corner of her eye.
"Will, I love you more than you could possibly know," she whispered, her voice cracking in preparation for the silent deluge that began to wash down her cheeks.
She saw Will's beaming grin for a split second before she felt his warm lips on hers, just the beginning of exploring togetherness after so much time apart.
