A/N: And I have for you a new story - this is just part one. There will be at least one more part, possibly more. It is inspired by Keith Urban's song Cop Car. R&R always greatly appreciated, and thanks to Tori for editing! -Tayma(:
Chapter 1: The Crime
"Come on! I promise it'll be fun," Emma said, smiling brightly.
They'd known each other for years, but most of it was Emma smiling at him across the cafeteria while Will nervously looked away. He admired her from afar, the way she clapped her hands together and threw her head back when she laughed, her bright eyes sparkling when someone gave her an unexpected gift. He loved the way her hair fell in her face when they were writing essays in English class, and how she'd brush it back ever so delicately behind her shoulder. Twice, he'd been caught staring by her, and both times, she'd whispered, "See something you like?" before shrugging gently and saying, "I don't blame you," then returning to her essay.
As she looked at him now, her wide, amber eyes pleadingly on his, he knew that he couldn't say no to an invitation to hang out with Emma Pillsbury. He never did. Despite what it looked like to everyone else, Emma was Will's best friend, and he was hers.
"Alright," he said, resignedly, moving around to the passenger's side of her truck, hopping in and looking over at her as he pulled the seatbelt across his lap. She was smiling at him brightly and he laughed. "Just drive, Pillsbury."
"You got it, Schue."
-X-X-X-
They'd been driving for almost an hour, and Will was getting ready to question Emma when she suddenly turned off the road, onto a long dirt driveway. He looked over at her curiously, but she just smiled at him in the setting sunshine, wind blowing through the opened truck windows, her hair blowing around her face. He got lost in the beauty emanating off of her and neglected to see the NO TRESSPASSING sign on the side of the road. Emma saw it, but he didn't care. It was an adventure.
She drove out into the empty field and parked her truck, turning on the radio so they could listen to it outside of the car. "Come on," she said, hopping out and walking around to the bed. She let down the gate and hopped into the bed of the truck, sitting with her legs swinging off of the door. Will hopped up next to her and looked at her.
"So what are we doing, crazy?"
"This!"
She pointed up at the sky, where a plane was taking off. It seemed so close, but so far. The lights blinking as it took off, the rumble of the engine, the roar of metal forcing itself up against air. It was wonderful to see, amazing to experience.
Emma laid back in the truck bed and sighed a little to herself, watching the sun setting and the planes taking off. She laid there for a few minutes before reaching forward and tugging the back of Will's shirt gently. "Hey, lay with me." She patted beside her as he looked back at her, and she smiled widely. After he laid next to her, Emma scooted a little closer, resting her head on Will's shoulder.
"I've missed this," she said quietly, glancing up at him with a laugh. "We never get any alone time anymore. I feel like we haven't since we were, like, ten."
"That would be a result of you getting to be Miss Popular."
Emma rolled her eyes, "Miss Popular. Please. I'm just being a little more social than you. Which I don't understand. I've invited you to come out with me many times, and you always turn me down. Kind of hurts a girl's feelings."
"Well…I don't really know any of them. None of them are my friends."
"None of them are my friends, either."
Will looked at her, puzzled, "What?"
Emma paused, looking at him for a moment, "Can I be honest?"
He nodded.
"Will, this is high school. None of it really matters beyond these four years. Most of those girls use me because they know my family has money, and I use them for various reasons. It's how it works; it's high school, Will. It doesn't matter if they're your friends; it just matters that you survive the next four years."
He looked at her, listening to her words of honesty, and though she spoke so nonchalantly about the whole ordeal, he could see a glimmer of pain in her eyes. She was trapped in this lie of a life that she created for herself three years ago, and there was no getting out. For the first time since they were kids, Will saw the real Emma, and he felt sorry for her.
"So…do you have no real friends, then?" Will asked, almost blankly.
"I do, yeah," Emma paused, only speaking when he stared at her cluelessly. "You, Will. You're my real friend."
"I am?"
She laughed, "Yes! Come on – you've known me for fifteen years. We've been through loads together, from losing our first teeth to starting school, to first boyfriend and girlfriend mishaps. You helped take care of me when I had chicken pox, and I helped you when you got your tonsils out." Emma smiled at him. "You're my best friend, Will. As lame as that may be."
"It's not lame," he said honestly, "You're mine, too."
Emma gave him a dazzling smile before turning back to watch the planes continue taking off. He settled back against the bed of the truck and scooted a little bit closer to her, smiling over at her softly. He watched as she would point to each plane, her eyes following it as it disappeared into the night sky.
When it was dark for some time, Will cleared his throat, "Em, I think we should head back soon."
"No, we've got forever ahead of us. The night is young, Schue."
The words had barely left her mouth when the sound of sirens filled the night air. Emma's eyes widened for a moment and she turned to see two cop cars barreling towards them, blue lights shining and growing closer.
God, Mister Pillsbury is going to kill me, Will thought to himself, watching the blue lights shining in Emma's eyes. It was in that moment that he saw the trapped Emma released from her shackles. Freedom lit up in her eyes and he saw a flicker of something on her face before she whispered, "Run!" and hopped off of the tailgate, taking off in a zigzag pattern.
It took Will a moment to register what was happening, and he got a late start. He took off after her, catching up, "Emma! Emma! Slow down!" But she didn't, and when he caught up and met pace with her, he looked at her, "What are you doing?"
He knew he should be worried about being arrested, going to jail. But he was too busy watching Emma go wild, release the inner person she'd stifled for three years.
"Just think of the great story this will make tomorrow on the cover of Lima Daily News," she was beaming at him, blue lights drawing closer and illuminating her features, "Running for it is going to make an amazing story."
"Emma! You're crazy as Hell!"
Her laugh rang in his ears, long after they stopped at a tree, both out of breath as they waited for the cops to finally park and come talk to them. Will looked at Emma, and she was beaming at him, liberation written all over her face. Love all over his.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Emma Pillsbury or Will Schuester - they are property of RIB and GLEE and FOX.
I do not own Keith Urban's Cop Car, either. I just used it for inspiration.
