Disclaimer: I do not own any of the amazing Glee characters.
A/N: Just some background information. Set two years after graduation so all the original Glee club members have graduated but ignoring series three.
It was the start of the summer break and Will opened his eyes after a well earned lie in. The year had been stressful with Sue Sylvester trying yet again to destroy the glee club. However, as always, the glee club survived.
They'd won Nationals twice in a row. Once before Rachel, Finn, Quinn and Kurt had graduated and then again the year after when the rest of the team graduated. His chances of winning the trophy again looked slim as the new kids sounded amazing but they couldn't match the original sound of the New Directions.
He'd heard the kids had gone on to college but didn't really know where or what they were each doing.
Apart from one. Rachel Berry. In her last year at McKinley, Will couldn't help but notice how much she'd changed and grown since the beginning. Her goals and dreams had remained the same but she'd matured into this beautiful young woman.
Will had found himself attracted to her and it was probably his most stressful year. He had to force himself to look away from her when he stared at her for too long. He'd tried to ignore the way those short skirts of hers grew ever shorter and brushed her tanned thighs. Her sweaters had become tighter but still bared the animal emblems and bold patterns. It had been a struggle to keep his obscene thoughts to just that. She was his student and it was completely wrong. Plus, she was in a relationship with Finn Hudson, which he was totally jealous of, and she'd never look at him twice.
Rachel had now left for New York to pursue her dreams and he had no doubt she would achieve them and more. He still saw her dads at the grocery store and around town and he'd always stop to find out how she was doing. He was missing her a lot and thought of her every day.
Will pulled himself out of bed and went to the kitchen to make breakfast. As he went, he thought about his relationship with Emma. It had had it's ups and downs and fair share of complications. The result however, he'd been quite happy with. They'd decided to be just friends and he felt they were much happier this way.
Opening his cupboards, he noticed that he really needed to go shopping. He hadn't had time to go recently and he'd been putting it off. He hated buying for himself and he knew if Terri was still here, she'd be telling him he'd bought all the wrong things anyway if he did.
After a quick breakfast, he headed down to the grocery store.
He was standing in front of a shelf of peanut butter considering which brand to buy, when a hand reached over from behind him and grabbed one of the jars.
"Here, this one's less fattening and it's low price." A familiar voice told him.
Will spun around and smiled as he came face to face with Rachel. She looked absolutely stunning as usual. She was wearing a knee length pencil skirt with a navy blue vest top. She'd applied a thin layer of make-up and her hair hung in waves around her face. The young girl he'd taught was almost unrecognisable as he looked at the young woman in front of him.
Rachel grinned back as she pulled him into a hug.
"Rachel!" Will laughed. "It is so good to see you. Wow, you look great. How are you?"
"I'm doing very well thank you. I'm doing amazingly at college and on top of my course, I auditioned for the role of Maria in West Side Story and – I got the part – but as her understudy. While it's not my ideal situation, it is a step in the right direction and it gives me more time for my college work." Rachel told him.
"Wow, that's amazing Rachel." Will smiled.
"So how are you?" Rachel asked. "And more importantly, how is the glee club?"
"Well, I'm...surviving but I don't know how long for. As you can see, I'm...not so good at grocery shopping." He laughed, gesturing to the almost empty shopping cart. "And glee club, the kids are great but...they're not as amazing as you guys were."
"But you'll make them amazing." Rachel smiled. "You see the star inside people and you make that star shine bright. You can turn something 'good' into something 'amazing'. You did it with us and I know we're all grateful for that."
"Thanks Rachel." Will replied. There was a moment of silence as they stood smiling at each other. Someone brushed past Will, breaking him out of his thoughts. They both quickly looked away and Rachel blushed slightly, hoping he wouldn't see. "So, what are you doing here?"
"Oh, I'm visiting my dads over the holidays and since I'm staying there for the next couple of weeks before I go back, I offered to do the groceries. I'm glad I did." She answered. "You clearly need help with this."
"Yes I do." He chuckled. "I would be so grateful if you could help me."
"Well, let's start with these." She said and pulled one of the ready meals out of his cart. "Seriously? You expect to live off these? You really do need my help Mr Schue."
"Please, call me Will." He told her. "We're not in school any more."
"Ok...Will." She giggled and he smiled at the blush that crept across her face. "Let's get shopping."
When they left the store, Will was grateful she'd helped. He wouldn't have bought half the stuff they'd come out with and he'd have just come out with a couple of ready meals and a crate of beer. Instead, he'd bought fresh ingredients to make proper healthy meals for the rest of the month.
They took his groceries to his car and then he helped Rachel carry hers to her car.
"Thanks for the help, Rachel. I honestly don't know how I'm going to survive when you go back to New York and I have to do this on my own." He joked. "I don't suppose you'd mind if I called you up to give me some more of your amazing advice?"
"You can call me any time." She replied.
Rachel realised what she'd said and blushed furiously. She looked away in embarrassment and turned as she dug in her purse for her keys.
Will watched her thoughtfully as he considered her reaction.
"Rachel...would you...want to come to dinner with me this evening?" He asked. She looked up at him in shock and he suddenly wished he could take it back. She probably thought he was some sick pervert. "You don't have to – you probably have plans with Finn. I'm sorry, I just thought we could catch up but if you -"
"I'd love to." Rachel smiled. "And...Finn and I are no longer an item."
"I'm so sorry." He said as sympathetically as he could, though inside he was cheering. "What happened?"
"Well we agreed that we would continue our relationship until after graduation. With me moving to New York and Finn staying here, a long-term relationship would be too complicated. Plus, I didn't want any more possible dramas to take my focus away from my performance and ruin my career." She explained. "So anyway, what time this evening?"
"Oh, I could pick you up at eight?" He suggested.
"That would be perfect." She nodded. "I'll see you later...Will."
She smiled shyly and climbed into her car.
Will tried to hide his boyish grin as he waved her off. As soon as she was gone, he clapped his hands and cheered then quickly composed himself and walked back to his car.
Rachel watched him in her rear view mirror as she drove away, her lip between her teeth. She couldn't stop staring at those curls of his. What would it feel like to run her hands through them? All the way around the store, she couldn't help but stare at his chest and arms as his muscles strained through his shirt. She'd purposefully picked some items from the top shelf so she could take a good look without him seeing.
A car horn sounded, snapping her out of her thoughts, and she realised she'd swerved onto the other side of the road. She quickly moved back onto the right side and tried to focus. It was hard to concentrate as she heard Will asking her to dinner, over and over again in her mind. Will. He'd actually asked her to call him Will.
She danced around her bedroom that night after her shower, wondering what to wear. He'd said he'd wanted to catch up but the nervous way he'd looked at her made her wonder if he was asking her on a date. She put her pencil skirt back on and chose a white blouse to go with it.
Will pulled up outside her house at eight sharp. He took a deep, calming breath before he got out of his car.
When he rang the doorbell, Rachel answered it almost immediately. He felt warmth spread through him as she gave him her most dazzling smile.
"Hey, Rach. You ready to go?" He asked.
She sighed dreamily at the sound of her shortened name spilling so easily from his lips.
"I'm ready." She nodded and turned to call over her shoulder. "Bye dad. Bye daddy."
Rachel closed the door behind her as Will went over to open the car door for her. She giggled as she climbed in and he shut the door. When Will climbed into the drivers seat, he turned to her and gave her a warm smile.
"You look beautiful, by the way." He said gently.
"Thank you." She blushed. "And you look rather handsome."
He was wearing smart black trousers with a white shirt, the top few buttons undone, and a black jacket. Her eyes couldn't stop wandering to the top buttons on his shirt and she just wanted to tear open the rest to reveal that muscled chest.
When she looked up at him, he was still watching her and she just wanted to curl up in embarrassment. She quickly looked out of her window and noticed they hadn't moved.
"We should go. My dads will wonder what's going on if they don't hear the car pull away and they'll look out of the window." She mumbled.
"Didn't you tell them you were with me?" He asked.
"I...I didn't know if they'd approve of me going to dinner with my teacher alone." She admitted.
"You're not in school any more Rach, there's nothing wrong about this. You're a young woman, not a little girl." He told her as he started the car and pulled away. He'd had to repeat this so many times to himself before he came. He kept wondering if it was all wrong and if he should call and cancel. "And your dads don't have to worry, I'd never take advantage of you."
"I know that." She smiled and nodded. "But I'm not sure if my dads would be so understanding. They're very protective."
"I'm not surprised. I bet you have tons of guys fighting over you in New York." He laughed.
"I've had a couple of offers." She shrugged.
"Really? Have you – have you accepted any of these offers?" He asked, trying not to make his jealousy too obvious.
Rachel watched his hands grip the steering wheel tighter and hid a small smirk behind her hair.
"I accepted one offer to dinner." She answered. "Yours."
He couldn't hide the relieved and triumphant grin that crept across his face. He seemed to cheer up considerably and she couldn't help but giggle.
When they pulled up outside the restaurant, Will quickly ran around to her side and opened the door for her. She climbed out and he held out his arm for her to take. Rachel looped her arm through his and both looked at each other in shock as they found it felt so natural. Will cleared his throat and looked away as he led her inside. He held out her chair for her and she smiled shyly as she sat down.
"So have you kept in touch with anybody?" He asked once they'd ordered their meal.
"I see Kurt quite a lot in New York. We both live in the same neighbourhood but we go to separate colleges. Finn calls and emails every now and then and I have everyone's number so we talk from time to time. Quinn's visited a few times so I've been shopping with her." She told him. "Oh and...living in New York I...I see my mom too."
"Shelby? Do you talk or spend time together?" Will asked.
"I've been to her house a few times." Rachel nodded. "She's absolutely loving being a mom to Beth and I think because she's finally got a daughter she can raise herself, she's more comfortable with having a grown up daughter. Please don't tell Quinn I see her though."
"Why not?" He frowned.
"I feel guilty that I see Beth more than her." Rachel admitted. "I know Quinn wants to see her but she says she's not ready yet." Will nodded as he understood. "Anyway, what have you been up to?"
"Honestly, my daily routine hasn't changed. I get up, go to school, I come home and mark papers and go to bed." He told her. "This has been a welcome change to my schedule."
Throughout their meal they reminisced about glee club and laughed about all the dramas that had occurred, usually involving her.
Once they'd finished their meal, Will put his hand on the table at the same time Rachel did. His hand landed over hers and they both froze, looking at each other in shock as they felt a jolt of electricity between them. He expected her to snatch her hand back but she smiled and left it where it was.
"You know...I never really got over my crush on you." Rachel blushed.
"I'm glad you didn't." He smiled and squeezed her hand.
Her already pink face deepened to a darker shade of red.
At the end of the night, Will walked her up to her door to say goodnight.
"I really enjoyed tonight, Will. Thank you." She smiled.
"I had a really good time too." He nodded.
"Do you want to get some coffee tomorrow?" She asked.
"Sure, that would be great." Will answered.
"The mall at eleven?" She suggested.
"I'll see you there." He smiled.
"Well...goodnight...Will." She smiled.
She reached up on her tip-toes and kissed his cheek before hurrying inside.
Will slowly lifted his hand to brush the spot she'd kissed and closed his eyes. He quickly opened them again and went to walk away before she found him still standing there. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the drapes twitch and when he looked up, Rachel was waving at him and smiling. He waved back and walked away to get into his car.
Rachel sighed dreamily as she turned and skipped into the kitchen for a glass of water to take to bed.
"Hey, honey." Her daddy, Leroy, smiled. "Have fun?"
"I had a great time daddy." She beamed. "Oh daddy, I think I'm in love."
"Who is the lucky man? Anyone we know?" He asked.
"Oh...you know him." She nodded. "He's...a friend from school."
"Did you get back together with Finn? Oh, he was a nice boy, very polite and he worshipped you." Leroy said.
"No daddy, it's not Finn." Rachel answered.
"It's not Noah again? That boy is trouble and he's only after one thing." Leroy commented disapprovingly.
"It's not Noah." Rachel sighed. "And I told you, I was never in a real relationship with Noah. We were never really in love. Does it really matter who it is? I don't even know if he likes me back anyway."
"He's crazy if he doesn't." He told her. Rachel smiled as she grabbed a glass of water and left the room. Leroy stood in the kitchen doorway to call to her. "So can I at least have a clue?"
"Goodnight daddy." She giggled as she walked up the stairs to her room.
Rachel lay on her bed staring up at the ceiling, thinking about her evening with Will. She'd had so much fun and she'd felt this amazing connection between them. Hopefully, he'd felt it too because she wasn't lying when she told her daddy she was in love. She had been in love with Will ever since they sang that ballad together, she just didn't realise it back then, thinking it was just a crush.
She'd told her room mate, Lisa, in New York all about glee club and her friends and Mr Schuester. Lisa would always comment that she spent the most part talking about Mr Schue and she'd always tease Rachel about it, singing childish rhymes about the two of them and saying Rachel had a major crush on him. Rachel always denied these of course but she knew deep down it was true. If Lisa were here now, she'd be smiling smugly and saying 'I told you so'.
Rachel smiled as she thought of her new friend. She was so much like Rachel that they could have been twins. Both had huge dreams to become Broadway stars and had huge personalities. However, Lisa was a tall, blonde girl with a figure Rachel would kill for and her voice was better trained than hers. If she was still in high school, she would have seen Lisa as competition but now she'd gone off on her own to college, she'd grown up and actually saw her as a really good friend. The two would practice songs together and give each other advice on how to make their performances better.
She grabbed her cell and dialled Lisa's number, deciding to let her friend have the satisfaction of saying 'I told you so' just this once. That and she needed someone to talk to about how amazing her night had been.
"Hey, Rach." Lisa's bubbly voiced said over the phone. "What's up?"
"Lisa, you will never guess where I have just been." Rachel replied.
"Where?" Lisa asked.
"Tonight, I was asked out to a wonderful dinner by...Will Schuester." She giggled.
"Will Schuester? Your glee club director, Will Schuester?" Lisa asked excitedly. "Oh my gosh, I told you so. I knew you had a total crush on him. You have to tell me everything."
"Well, we bumped into each other at the grocery store and I helped out with his shopping." Rachel started. "Honestly, he really needed my help. It was like destiny that I -"
"Ok Rach, just skip to the good parts." Lisa interrupted.
"Ok, ok." Rachel laughed. "So after, he asked me out to dinner and I, of course, said yes. He picked me up and we just...we had so much fun and I just felt so...it was amazing. He practically held my hand. Well – he wasn't actually holding my hand, he put his on top of mine by accident – but he didn't move away."
"That's a very good sign." Lisa told her and Rachel could just picture the grin on her face. "Tell me more."
"I told him I hadn't gotten over my crush on him and he said he was glad I hadn't. Then, when he walked me to my door, I kissed his cheek and when I went inside, he just stood there. There was this really cute smile on his face and I swear he was touching his cheek." She told her friend. "And we're going out for coffee tomorrow."
"Oh my gosh, he is so into you." Lisa laughed.
"No, he just – really? Do you think?" She asked eagerly.
"Of course." Lisa replied.
"I hope so." Rachel sighed.
"He likes you too Rachel, I'm sure of it." Lisa said. "Rachel and Will, sitting in a tree..."
"I knew it would be a mistake calling you." Rachel smiled. "Well, I'd love to sit and listen to more of your little rhymes but I need my beauty sleep."
"Yes, you don't want to fall asleep on your next date." Lisa teased.
"It's not a date, it's just coffee." She replied.
"Whatever Rach." Lisa giggled. "Goodnight, enjoy your date tomorrow."
Rachel smiled and rolled her eyes as she ended the call. She put her cell on the side and curled up into a ball, smiling as she thought of tomorrow.
Will walked around his apartment in a daze, his cheek still burning from where Rachel's lips had brushed his skin. They were so soft and warm and he wondered what they'd feel like on his own. He stood in the middle of his room and closed his eyes at the thought. When she'd leant towards him, he could smell her strawberry shampoo and flowery perfume. Her hand had been so soft and he wondered if the rest of her skin felt the same.
He was looking forward to seeing her again. They'd had a wonderful evening together and he wanted to share more moments like that with her. Will laughed and shook his head. He hadn't felt like this since high school when he met Terri. No, he hadn't even felt like this with Terri. This was love, real love. Will Schuester was in love with Rachel Berry and he prayed she felt the same.
Rachel waited anxiously outside the mall the next morning. She wasn't sure what to say to Will after last night, especially after the rather vivid dream she'd had about him. Did he feel that her gesture of affection was inappropriate? Was she misreading his reactions?
She didn't have much time to think as Will came walking around the corner towards her. His face split into that adorable smile of his when he spotted her and she couldn't help but smile back.
All worries were forgotten as he hugged her tight. Just as they were about to pull away, he quickly kissed her cheek causing her to blush and giggle.
"Good morning Will." She said shyly.
"Morning Rach." He replied. Silence fell between them as they smiled at each other. Will looked away quickly and gestured inside. "So...let's go get some coffee."
"Yeah." She nodded and walked ahead quickly.
She kept her head down to hide her embarrassment and he had to jog to keep up with her.
"Rach, is everything ok?" He asked as they stood in line to get their coffee.
She'd been quiet and had hardly been able to look at him since.
"I'm fine." She nodded. "It was just...unexpected – a good unexpected. I liked it. It was nice – cute – you're cute – I..." She let her voice trail off as Will broke into a grin. "I'm...going to...stop talking now..."
They both laughed and stepped up to order their drinks.
"Oh, Rachel...I think you're cute too." He told her.
Her smile grew and there was an extra bounce in her step for the rest of the day.
Over the next couple of weeks, Will and Rachel met up almost every day and some evenings they went for dinner.
One night, Rachel's dads went out to see a movie and for a meal after leaving Rachel alone in the house. She started to do some of the college work she'd brought with her but she just couldn't concentrate. Her thoughts kept turning to Will and replaying all the fun they'd had together over the past couple of weeks.
Before she realised it, she'd picked up her cell and dialled his number.
"Hey, Rach. I was just thinking about calling you." Will said.
"Hey Will, I was wondering if you wanted to come over. My dads are out for the evening and I'm kind of lonely." She told him.
"I'd love to." He replied. "I'll be right over."
"Ok, see you soon." She smiled and ended the call. Only a few moments later, she heard someone knock on the door and answered it. "Will! How did you get here so fast?"
"I was just around the corner. I was hoping to see you tonight. I missed you today." He admitted.
Rachel had promised her dads she'd stay home to study so she didn't fall behind, so they hadn't seen each other since yesterday.
He laughed nervously and shifted from foot to foot, staring down at the floor. She smiled at his sudden attack of nerves and how cute it looked. She let him in and told him to make himself comfortable while she made him a drink.
When she came back in, she spotted her work scattered on the floor where she'd been stretched out.
"I'm not usually this messy." She giggled as she knelt down to gather her papers.
"Don't worry about it, it's fine." He told her. "Trust me, this is tidy compared to my apartment when I'm marking papers." When she stood up, the papers slipped out of her arms and she groaned. "Here, let me help."
He knelt down beside her and started to gather some of the papers.
"Thanks." She sighed. "These took me hours to organise and now I have to do it all over again. I -" She broke off as they went to grab the same piece of paper and ended up grabbing each other's hand. She looked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. He was so close to her, she could feel his warm breath on her face. One last word escaped her lips in a whisper. "Oh..."
The papers tumbled out of their hands as their lips met in a fiery kiss. Will pulled her into a tight embrace against his chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her hands fisted in his hair and her lips parted as his tongue trailed over her lip. The pace changed and the kiss became tender and sweet. They broke away and rested their foreheads together, their eyes closed as they listened to the other breathing.
"Wow." Will breathed, his lips tingling with electricity.
"Yeah." Rachel nodded. "That was...wow...I..."
"Rachel Berry speechless, that's a first." Will chuckled.
"I know." She giggled. "I'm so glad Lisa isn't here, she'd be saying 'I told you so' with the smuggest smile on her face."
"Who's Lisa?" Will asked.
Rachel told him about her room mate and everything she'd told her about him and Lisa's conclusions.
"But I don't want to talk about her." Rachel whispered. "I want to do more of this."
She brought her lips back down to Will's and sighed as he responded. He broke away and looked into her eyes.
"Rachel, will you be my girlfriend?" He asked.
"Will, I...yes." She smiled and hugged him tight.
They lost track of time as they moved to the couch and lost themselves in the feel of each other's lips.
It wasn't until Rachel heard a familiar car pull up outside that she pulled away. Will saw the panic in her eyes and frowned.
"What is it Rach?" He asked.
"It's my dads, they're back." She answered and pushed him away. "Quick, you have to go."
Just as they stood up to leave for the back door, Rachel's dads walked through the front door.
"Hey honey." Her dad, Hiram, smiled. His smile turned into a look of surprise as he spotted Will standing beside her. "Mr Schuester, what are you doing here?"
"He...he came over to...to...ask my advice on glee assignments for the new semester." Rachel lied.
"Yeah, I was just leaving." Will told them.
"Oh, right. Well, it was good to see you." Hiram replied.
"I'll walk you to your car Mr Schue." Rachel said and quickly led him out of the house.
Leroy looked at his husband as the two of them left.
"There's something else going on here." He told Hiram.
"Rach, why didn't you tell them the truth?" Will asked as they stood by his car.
"I will. I just...need to tell them on my own." She answered. "I'm worried how they'll react when they find out and I really don't want them to hurt that handsome face of yours."
"Ok, but promise me you'll tell them soon." Will said. "I love you Rach."
"I love you too." She grinned.
He leant in to kiss her when Hiram walked out of the house. Rachel jumped away quickly and turned to face her dad.
"Mr Schuester, Leroy and I are having an anniversary party next weekend and we'd like to invite you." He called.
"I'd love to come." Will smiled. "Thanks. I'll see you then. Goodbye Mr Berry, goodbye Rachel."
"Goodbye Mr Schue." Rachel nodded.
He shot her a quick wink as he climbed into his car causing her to blush. She quickly glanced at her dad to see if he'd noticed but he'd already started heading into the house. Rachel looked back over her shoulder at Will and blew him a kiss before waving and following her dad inside.
"Rachel, why is your college work all over the floor?" Leroy asked.
"I was doing it before Wi – Mr Schue came over and I didn't have time to clear it up." She lied.
"But it's scattered all over the floor. You're usually much more organised than that." Leroy frowned.
"I know, I'm sorry. I'll clear it up daddy." She promised and started to scoop up her papers.
There were a few minutes of silence as Rachel's dads glanced at each other then turned to watch Rachel.
"Rachel, if Mr Schuester wanted advice on glee assignments, why didn't he wait until tomorrow? It's almost midnight." Leroy said.
"I don't know daddy." She shrugged. "I didn't really think to ask. I'm going up to my room now. Goodnight dad. Night daddy."
She kissed each one on the cheek and ran up to her room.
"You're right, Leroy. Something's going on." Hiram nodded.
"It is and I don't like where this is heading." Leroy replied.
Rachel and Will met up for coffee the next morning. They sat across the table from each other, just smiling and gazing into each other's eyes over their steaming cups. Will couldn't hold it in any longer so he leant across the table and captured her lips in a gentle kiss. She sighed dreamily as she responded and reached across for his hand. When they pulled away, she kept hold of his hand and squeezed it.
"Did you tell your dads?" Will asked.
"Not yet." She sighed. "I couldn't. They didn't seem too happy at you being there that late as a friend. Imagine how they would have reacted if they knew the truth. Even Finn didn't come over that late."
"You need to tell them Rach. I don't want to sneak around behind your dads backs and make the situation ten times worse when they find out." He told her.
"I know, I know. Can we please wait until after their anniversary party? I can't ruin it for them. Please, let's just wait until after the party." She begged.
"Ok." Will nodded with a sigh. "But no longer."
She leant across and kissed him.
"I promise I'll tell them on the Monday morning after the party." She told him.
"Good." He smiled and kissed her again.
"Hey, until then we can have some fun sneaking around. It'll be like we're back in high school." She smirked.
"Yeah, but I won't get arrested for my actions." He laughed.
For the rest of the week, the two would grab any opportunity they could to see each other. Each time ended in a steamy embrace back at Will's apartment. They were careful not to take things too far as they wanted to wait until things were out in the open before they went down that road. That way Rachel wouldn't have to feel terrible about lying to her dads if they asked her if they'd already slept together.
It was Saturday night and the party was just starting. Rachel had chosen to wear a strapless, knee length, black dress with black heels. She was walking down the stairs when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it." Rachel called to her dads. They didn't seem to hear her over the music and laughter of the other guests. She smiled and rolled her eyes as she answered it. Will stood in the doorway wearing a smart suit and carrying a bottle of wine. "Will, hey."
"Hi." He smiled. "Wow, you look...amazing." He glanced around to make sure no one could see or hear and stepped up to stand in front of her. "I'm finding it very hard to keep my hands off you."
He reached towards her but she hit his hands away.
"Will!" She hissed. "Not here, not now. Look, come on in, my dads are through here." He followed her through to where her dads were talking to some of their other friends. "Mr Schue is here."
"Hi Mr Schuester." Hiram smiled. "We're glad you could make it."
"Thanks for inviting me Mr Berry." Will replied. "I got you a little something."
He handed the bottle of wine to Hiram.
"Mr Schuester, you didn't have to." Leroy told him.
"It was nothing." Will shrugged.
Rachel left them talking and went to talk to other family members.
Throughout the party, Will and Rachel kept casting longing glances at each other. Every time Will saw Rachel talking to any of the boys her age, he couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.
She was in the kitchen, sorting out more refreshments, when Will walked in. There were a few other people in there but they didn't seem to be paying attention to him or Rachel. He walked over to her and stood behind her to whisper in her ear.
"Meet me out back in five." He breathed.
Rachel felt shivers down her spine as she felt his breath on the back of her neck. Her breath caught as his hands skimmed her hips and her eyes slid shut. All of a sudden, he was gone and when she looked around, she couldn't see him anywhere.
She quickly delivered drinks to people and stepped outside. Light spilled from the French doors lighting up a square patch in the dark garden, yet she still couldn't see Will.
"Will? Will, are you out here?" Rachel whispered.
She was grabbed from the side and pulled into the shadows. Rachel could just see the light shining in his eyes as he pressed her up against the wall. She fisted her hands into his hair and pulled his lips down to hers. Will moaned as she forced her tongue past his lips and tangled it with his. He responded with equal force as his fingers dug into her hips. He moved his lips to her neck and grazed his teeth along her skin. Rachel tugged at his tie and unfastened his top buttons to slip her hand inside. For once, he wasn't wearing a shirt underneath and she could feel his smooth skin beneath her fingertips. Will's hands moved from her hips to cup her backside and she gasped as he squeezed.
"What the hell is going on here?" A voice demanded.
"Daddy!" Rachel squealed as Will quickly pulled away from her. Leroy stood glaring at them, his hands fisted at his sides. "Daddy, I can explain."
"What do you think you're doing to my daughter?" Leroy shouted.
"Daddy, he's my boyfriend." Rachel shouted back. Leroy looked at them in shock. "Will and I have been dating for over a week now. I love him daddy."
"Hiram, get out here." Leroy called into the house.
Hiram appeared seconds later and frowned as he looked between them all.
"What's going on?" He asked.
"The party's over. Rachel, go to your room we'll talk to you later. Will, we're going to talk now." Leroy ordered.
The guests left and Will stood nervously in the living room, straightening out his tie and shirt buttons. Rachel reluctantly went upstairs after glancing worriedly at him. Leroy had filled Hiram in on what he'd seen as he'd gone to take out the trash.
"Mr Berry, I just want you to know, I would never take advantage of Rachel." Will told them.
"That's funny, because that's exactly what it sounds like you were doing." Hiram argued.
"No. I would never do that and I'll never hurt her. I love your daughter. I love Rachel more than I've loved anyone before. She means a lot to me." Will said sincerely.
"You mean that?" Rachel's voice asked.
Will turned as she came down the stairs and walked towards him.
"I do, Rach." He nodded.
"Rachel, I told you to wait upstairs." Leroy sighed.
"Daddy, I'm not a little girl any more. I'm in my second year of college and living in New York on my own. I think I'm old enough to make my own decisions." Rachel argued.
"We just don't want to see you get hurt honey." Hiram told her.
"I know you're worried, I understand that. But I also know that Will isn't going to hurt me. He has been nothing but a gentleman since we met up at the beginning of the holidays." Rachel replied. She turned and smiled at Will. "I love him too."
"But Rachel, wouldn't you be happier with a man your own age?" Hiram asked.
"I love Will, dad and nothing's going to change that." She answered. She put her arm around Will's waist and looked at her dads. "I'm sorry but I've made my choice. I want to be with him and nothing you can say is going to stop me."
"Do you really love him that much?" Her dad asked.
"I do." She nodded.
Hiram turned to Will and fixed him with a stern glare.
"And do you promise to love her and care for her and not hurt her?" He said.
"I promise." Will replied.
"Wait, you can't be serious?" Leroy cut in. He looked in disbelief at his partner. "You're really going to let this happen? He's her teacher for goodness sake."
"Ex-teacher, daddy." Rachel corrected.
"Look, I'm not saying I approve of any of this." Hiram said. "But I want our little girl to be happy and if she thinks Will is the one to make her happy, then I can't say no. She's right, she's old enough to make her own decisions now. We can't call the shots all her life."
Leroy saw he was defeated and sighed. He pointed a finger at Will and took a step closer.
"Alright, you can date her but I don't want any of..." He gestured towards the backyard. "That, under my roof."
"It was just kissing daddy." Rachel sighed.
"We should respect your parents wishes Rach." Will told her. "Mr Berry, Mr Berry, we promise to be on our best behaviour. I think it's time I left now, goodnight."
Rachel followed him out to his car and kissed him goodnight.
"I knew they wouldn't take it well." She sighed.
"They probably would have taken it better if we hadn't been caught making out at their party." He replied. "They'll get used to it in time. As long as we stick to their rules, it'll be fine."
"Yeah. It's going to be hard not being able to kiss you when you come over." She said sadly. Suddenly, a thought hit her and she smirked up at him, her lip between her teeth. "Although...they only said we couldn't do it here, they never said anything about your place."
"You're right." Will nodded and raised an eyebrow. "But I still think it would be better if we didn't just yet."
"You can't kiss me like that and leave me hanging, Will." She breathed, taking a step closer. "I can tell them I'm staying at a friend's. They'll never have to know."
She reached up and brushed her lips against his as she ran her hand through the hair at the base of his neck.
"How can I say no?" Will whispered.
"Good. Then I'll arrange everything for tomorrow night." She told him.
"T-t-tomorrow night?" He asked, finding it hard to concentrate as she placed light kisses along his jaw.
"Tomorrow night." She nodded. Will swallowed and closed his eyes as she brought her lips back over his. He waited for the feel of her soft, full lips on his but he felt nothing. The night air suddenly hit him as she moved away and he opened his eyes. "Goodnight, Will."
Where had she learnt to smile in that seductive way? The Rachel Berry he knew was an innocent girl who never felt comfortable about the topic of sex. However, Will had to remember, she was a young woman now and times had changed. She'd grown in more ways than one since high school.
Will realised he was staring at her with an open mouth and quickly closed it. She grinned at him, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Goodnight, Rach." He said and climbed into his car.
"Wait." Rachel called as he closed the door. Will wound the window down as she sauntered towards him. She leant in through the window and grabbed his tie. She loosened it off again and unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt. Pulling it open to reveal part of his chest, she gave him a satisfied smile. "I prefer it like that."
Will watched her walk slowly back into the house, hypnotised by the sway of her hips. It took a few seconds for him to recover before he could drive off.
It was all arranged the night after. Rachel had told her dads she'd met up with Quinn a few days ago and had forgotten that she'd been asked to stay over that night. She'd also taken the precaution of calling Quinn to make sure that, if Rachel's dads called her, she could cover for Rachel. It took a little persuading as Quinn wasn't happy about being Rachel's cover so she could make out with her boyfriend, but after a while she agreed.
Rachel pulled up outside Will's apartment and took a deep breath. Now she was actually here and it was actually happening, the nerves had set in. She grabbed her bag and walked slowly up to his apartment.
Will had been listening out for her car and had heard her pull up. He turned out the lights and looked around to check the room was ready before opening the door to let her in.
She gasped as she walked in and saw the room lit by the soft glow of dozens of candles scattered around the place.
"Will, it's beautiful." She whispered.
"I wanted it to be perfect." He replied, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"It is." She nodded and kissed him gently. When they broke apart, she breathed in and a delicious smell wafted over her. "Something smells good."
"I made us a romantic meal. I think it's about done." He told her. "Make yourself comfortable at the dining table and your meal shall be with you shortly."
Her nerves seemed to wash away as she sat down at the candle lit table. Will was putting in so much effort to make this special and to make her feel comfortable.
He came back in with their meal and placed Rachel's in front of her. They smiled lovingly at each other as he sat across from her.
"This looks amazing." She told him. "Everything. It's all so beautiful and romantic. I...I love you."
"I love you too." He smiled.
They ate their meal in comfortable silence, gazing into each other's eyes.
Once they'd finished, Will cleared the table and they moved into the lounge. They sat facing each other on the couch and they slowly leant towards each other, pressing their lips together. Will pulled her closer and ran his hands through her hair. She sighed as he gently lowered her down and covered her body with his. Her arms snaked around his neck and pulled him closer.
When the kiss deepened and they knew where it was heading, Will pulled away and sat up. He kept hold of her hands as she sat up with him.
"Nervous?" He asked, his own heart pounding against his chest. Rachel nodded and looked away shyly. "Me too."
She bit her lip and looked up at him.
"Will, I have to tell you something." She mumbled. "This...this isn't my...first time."
"You've done this before?" He asked, that familiar feeling of jealousy coursing through him.
"Once." She admitted. "With Finn. I knew our relationship was coming to an end and...I couldn't say no. I just...felt so guilty. I haven't told my dads because...well, you saw how they reacted about our kiss."
"Oh." Will replied.
"But with Finn it wasn't...romantic and...it didn't mean anything to me. But with you...it's special and I love you so much. I just wanted to be honest with you." She told him. "Will...say something."
"Thank you for being honest, Rach." He said after a few moments of silence. "You're an adult, you can make your own choices. It changes nothing between us. I love you Rachel." She clamped her lips onto his and he responded eagerly. He pulled her up off the couch and led her into his room without breaking the kiss. "You know, I can't stop thinking about Finn touching you and that's just not acceptable."
"Show me I'm yours Will." She whispered.
"I will, believe me I will." He growled. "But I still want tonight to be special. Rachel Berry, I'm going to make love to you."
Gentle gasps and sighs escaped her lips as he did as he promised.
As they lay in the after glow, Rachel's eyes were closed and she was whispering softly.
"I love you. Will, I love you." She chanted.
He leant up on his side to watch her and gently tucked a hair behind her ear. She looked up at him and gave him her most dazzling smile. He captured her lips in a loving kiss as she wrapped her arms around him.
"I hope tonight was romantic enough for you." He smiled.
"It was perfect." She told him.
He rolled onto his back and pulled her so she lay across his chest. She placed kisses there as he enveloped her in his arms.
"You know, I think you sleeping with Finn turned out to be a good thing." Will said.
"Why?" Rachel asked and lifted herself up slightly to look at him.
"Because if your dads find out about this, they can't be mad at me because I didn't deflower their daughter." He replied.
"You're not going to tell them are you?" She panicked. "We may not be together any more but Finn's still my friend. I don't want him to get into trouble."
"Don't worry, I won't tell them." He promised.
"Thank you." She smiled. She lay herself back down and yawned. "I'm tired."
He gently ran his fingers through her hair and listened as her breaths became slow and steady. Will smiled as he ran a finger down her spine and let his hand rest on her hip. Just as he'd thought, her skin was soft and smooth all over. His hand gripped her tighter and a gasp escaped her lips. He quickly loosened his grip in case he'd woken her. Rachel shifted slightly but didn't wake. Kissing the top of her head, he closed his eyes and drifted off.
Rachel's eyes fluttered open the next morning and she frowned slightly as she looked around the unfamiliar room. Memories slowly came back to her and she smiled as she looked down at the arm draped across her stomach. Her eyes travelled up the arm to the face of it's owner. Will's eyes were still closed and his breathing deep. She rolled onto her side and shifted to press herself against him. She pressed her lips against the pulse point in his neck and trailed kisses to his lips. She felt Will's grip on her tighten as his lips slowly responded to hers. She pulled away and he smiled sleepily at her.
"Morning." He said.
"Good morning." She smiled. She kissed him again and sighed as she pulled away. "I have to go."
"Do you have to?" Will pouted.
"Sadly, yes." She answered. "I don't want my dads getting suspicious."
"Your dads think you're at Quinn's, right?" He frowned.
"Yeah, why?" She asked.
"Well, if you get back late, you could just say you went to the mall with Quinn." He shrugged.
"Good idea." She giggled. A devilish smile appeared on her face as her eyes wandered over him. "You know, Finn was very good with his hands." Will's fingers curled a little into her hips and her smile grew. "It was only his second time but he could have fooled me. The way his hands -"
Will pushed her to lie on her back and pressed his body over hers. He pinned her hands either side of her head as she looked up at him innocently.
"Enough about Finn." He growled. "You are mine, Rachel Berry. Do you understand that?"
"Show me." She breathed. "Make me understand, Will. Make me yours."
Will let go of her hands and grabbed her thighs. He wrapped one of her legs around his waist and ran his hands up her sides. Rachel moaned as his lips came crashing down onto hers and she wrapped her arms around him. Her nails dug into his back as his hands roamed her body. His lips left hers causing a whimper to escape her lips as he bit and licked his way down her neck. She needed more and she tried to move her hips against his but the way he had her pinned made movement impossible. Will pulled back and saw the pleading look in her eyes. It gave her enough space to hook her other leg around him and grind her hips against his. He lifted her slightly off the bed and slammed his hips against hers in one fluid movement. He swallowed her cry as he covered her mouth with his.
An hour later, Rachel lay on her back with a huge grin on her face. Will was lying on top of her, his head resting on her chest and unwilling to move. She wrapped her arms around him and ran her fingers through his hair. He chuckled as her stomach growled loudly beneath his ear.
"I think it's time for breakfast." He sighed.
He kissed her stomach and went to pull himself up.
"No." She pouted, tightening her grip on him. "Can't we stay here a little longer? I'm not hungry."
Her stomach growled again and he shook his head.
"Come on honey." He smiled and pulled her up. She reluctantly let him and sighed as he gave her his robe to wear. "Breakfast and then how about a shower?"
"That sounds much more appealing." She grinned.
It was a week before Rachel had to leave for New York and two weeks before the start of the next semester. They were snuggled up on the couch in his apartment watching 'Rocky Horror' and singing along, when Rachel's cell began to ring. Will paused the film so she could answer it.
"It's the director of West Side Story." She told him before she answered. "Hey...what...you're serious...wow, that's great – I mean not for her, I really should call and send her flowers – but this is great...thank you so much. I can't wait."
Rachel ended the call and turned to Will. There was an excited grin on her face and she was bouncing in her seat.
"What is it?" He asked.
"The girl playing Maria was in an accident and broke her leg and can't go on. That means I, as the understudy, get my chance to step out on stage and claim the role for myself. My first show is the evening after tomorrow." She told him. "Oh my goodness, I have to pack. I have to leave for New York tomorrow. Will, I'm so excited. My first performance on the big stage in an actual Broadway show."
"I'm so excited for you, Rach." He smiled. "I kind of wish you didn't have to leave so soon though."
Rachel looked thoughtful for a moment and then she took both his hands in hers.
"Come with me Will." She said.
"To see you perform? I'd love to." He nodded.
"No. I mean...come with me, to New York." She replied. Will caught on to what she meant and looked away. "You could audition – Will, you could live your dream too."
"I can't, Rach." He sighed.
"Why not?" She asked.
"I can't leave McKinley and I can't leave the glee club. These kids are so excited about getting their time to shine at Sectionals and I can't give up on them now. I didn't give up on you and I'm not doing it to them." He explained. "I'm sorry, Rach. I can't go."
"Then I'm going to miss you." She whispered, tears forming in her eyes.
She let go of Will's hands and stood up to leave.
"What are you talking about? I'll still visit, you can still come down in the holidays." He said as he stood up.
She turned and looked into his eyes.
"Will, I can't be in a long-distance relationship. There's just too many complications and I'd miss you all the time and...I can't let that affect my performance and ruin my career. It's one of the reasons I broke up with Finn." She told him. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she cupped his face in her hands. "I had a great time with you, Will."
"Rachel, please don't do this." He begged. "I love you. We can make it work, I know we can."
"I'm sorry, I...I can't do this." She sobbed and quickly left his apartment.
Will called her a hundred times that night but she wouldn't answer her cell. He left her messages, begging and pleading with her to rethink this, but she didn't call him back. He went to bed, his eyes bloodshot and his hair sticking up in places from where he'd ran his hands through it.
He was sat in his office at the beginning of term with his head in his hands. He'd tried talking to her dads but they were no help. They told him that if he really wanted what was best for Rachel, he'd stay away. Will wasn't ready to give up just yet but he didn't know what to do.
"Will?" A voice asked. He looked up and saw Emma standing in the doorway. "Will, you look awful. Have you not been sleeping?"
"Honestly, no." He answered. "Emma, I asked to see you because I need your help."
"You know I'll help you with anything Will." She told him as she sat down opposite him.
"I'm in love with Rachel Berry." He said. Emma's eyes widened in shock and she didn't know what to say. "We started dating over the holidays and everything was so...perfect and...I've honestly never loved anybody as much as I do her."
"So – so what's the problem?" Emma asked.
"She had to go back to New York. She asked me to go and live with her and I wanted to say yes so badly but..." He sighed.
"But?" She encouraged.
"I can't leave the glee kids, Emma. They are so excited and I just can't let them down like that. I explained that to her but...she said...she said..." Will swallowed back his tears and Emma reached across and squeezed his hand. "I understand that she doesn't want anything distracting her while she's doing so amazingly and a long-distance relationship isn't the best thing but..." He sighed and let his shoulders droop. "I love her so much and I don't want to lose her. I just...don't know what to do."
"You really love her don't you?" Emma smiled.
"Of course I do." He answered. "I worship her."
"Then you should move to New York." Emma told him.
"What? Emma, I can't." He protested. "The glee kids, they -"
"They'll be fine. I'll take over glee club. I know I don't have much knowledge on show choirs but I'm always willing to learn." She said. "Go to New York Will. We both know deep down that's what you want."
"Are you sure? You'd do that?" He asked hopefully.
"Yes." She nodded.
"Emma, you are amazing." He smiled. "I don't know how to thank you, I...thank you so much."
"Just do one thing for me." She replied. "Be happy."
"I will." He told her. "I'm going to talk to Figgins and hand in my notice. Then tonight, I'm going up to New York and I'm going to tell Rachel that I love her and that I want to be with her."
"Go get her Will." Emma smiled.
Will stood up and pulled her out of her chair and into a hug.
As soon as the school bell rang signalling the end of school, Will ran out of the building and sped to Rachel's parents in his car. He rang the doorbell and waited impatiently for someone to answer. It was Hiram who answered the door to him. Will knew he had a better chance talking to Hiram as he seemed to like him more than Leroy did.
"Mr Berry, could I please talk to you alone?" Will asked.
Hiram looked uncertainly over his shoulder before sighing and closing the door behind him.
"Ok, what is it?" He sighed.
"Mr Berry, I love your daughter so much and I am willing to do anything to be with her." Will told him. "Do you know she asked me to move to New York with her?"
"I do." Hiram nodded. "You said no and broke her heart."
"I know and it kills me." Will replied. "I made a mistake, Mr Berry. I should have said yes – I want to say yes and I will. But I need your help. I need Rachel's address."
"I...I don't know." Hiram said. "I promised I wouldn't interfere."
"Please, Mr Berry." Will begged.
"I promised I wouldn't but...I saw how happy Rachel has been these past couple of weeks. I talked to her on the phone last night and I know...she's not happy any more." Hiram looked back at the house and sighed as he turned back to Will. "I hope Leroy understands. I want my little princess to be happy and I know he does too. You made Rachel happy Will and honestly...you're probably the best thing that's happened to her."
"So will you help me?" He asked hopefully.
"Well...alright." Hiram nodded reluctantly.
He gave Will Rachel's New York address and Will grabbed hold of his hand and shook it.
"Thank you so much, Mr Berry." He smiled. "You won't regret this I promise. I swear I'll look after her and I am never going to hurt her again."
"I hope not." Hiram smiled.
Will shook his hand again and climbed back into his car. He had a few house calls to make before he took a flight to New York. He just hoped there were tickets left on the earliest flight if not, he would drive the whole way there.
It was eight o'clock that evening and Rachel was just about to leave the apartment she was sharing with Lisa, for her next performance.
"Break a leg, Rach." Lisa smiled.
Rachel gave her a small, sad smile and nodded before leaving. Lisa sighed as she listened to her friend's footsteps disappear down the hallway. She'd filled Lisa in on all the events that had happened in Lima and Lisa had held her as her friend broke down in tears. Ever since, Rachel had been a ghost of her usual self. Lisa was starting to get concerned as she'd never seen Rachel so upset.
An hour after Rachel had left, a knock sounded on the apartment door. Lisa opened it and saw a man standing there.
"You must be Lisa." He said. "I'm Will."
"Will? Will Schuester? Rachel's Will Schuester?" Lisa gasped.
"Hopefully I'm going to be Rachel's Will Schuester." He smiled.
"You mean you've changed your mind?" She asked excitedly. "You're coming to live in New York?" Will chuckled and she squealed and threw her arms around him. "She's going to be so happy. Ever since she got back from Lima, she's been like a zombie, not her usual self at all. The director even told her to pick up her act or she'll be out of the show."
"Oh my goodness, what did I do? Where is she?" He asked.
"She's at the theatre, she's performing later tonight." Lisa told him.
"Great. I hoped she would be. Do you know if there's a few extra tickets going spare?" He enquired.
"There's a few left. I work at the ticket office so I'll be heading down there too. I'm late as it is." She answered.
"Could I get some?" He asked.
"Sure." She nodded. "Come with me. We need to hurry, the show starts in a half hour."
Will sat in the audience, smiling in adoration as he watched Rachel performing. She was amazing. She was so natural and she looked as if she owned the stage. Will looked left and right and smiled at the people sitting around him. They smiled back at him before turning back to watch the show.
Rachel took her bow and smiled at the audience as the curtains closed. As soon as the barrier between her and them was in place, her smile fell and she walked slowly back to her dressing room.
"You were great tonight Rachel." One of her fellow performers called.
She nodded thanks and carried on walking.
Sitting down at her dressing table, she started to remove her make-up as she gazed sadly at herself in the mirror. Someone knocked on the door and she called to tell them to come in.
"Miss Berry, there's someone here to see you." One of the backstage crew told her.
"Who is it?" She asked.
"They wouldn't tell me their name, just that they had to see you urgently." He replied. "Should I call security?"
"No, no, it's ok. Send them in." Rachel said. He disappeared outside again and she sighed. As she heard footsteps approaching a few seconds later, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She put on her best attempt at a smile as the door opened and stood up to greet them. "Will." She gasped. Will smiled at her from the doorway and she felt herself falling to pieces all over again. It was hard thinking about him all the time but it felt so much worse to see him in the flesh. "What are you doing here?"
He brought his arm out from behind him and held out a bouquet of flowers.
"I came to see you perform." He told her. "You were amazing, Rach."
"Thank you." She replied and took the flowers from him. "They're beautiful."
She put them in a vase on her dressing table and breathed in their sweet scent.
"Just like you." He whispered and moved to stand in front of her.
"Will, please don't. It's been hard enough without you coming here today." She said. "I think...I think you should go. It'll be easier for the both of us if you leave now. I don't know what will happen if I kiss you but I know it'll just hurt more to try and get over you."
"Just hear me out." He said as he held her face in his hands. "Rachel, I made a stupid, stupid mistake and I'm here to correct it. So Rach, if you still want me, would it be ok if I moved in with you?"
"You...you want to move in with me?" She asked. "But...what about the glee club? I thought you couldn't leave them."
"Rach, you're more important to me than glee club. The thought of losing you...I hated it. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat. All I kept thinking about was you and never being able to look into your beautiful eyes, or kiss your lips, or not being able to hold you in my arms." He whispered. "I love you Rachel Berry."
"I love you too, Will Schuester." She smiled a watery smile.
He breathed a sigh of relief and pulled her lips up to his. Rachel kissed him back hungrily and clung onto him for dear life. His arms held her tight against his chest and she could barely breath but she didn't care. When he pulled away, he couldn't stop smiling. He glanced towards the door and his smile grew.
"Oh, erm...some guys followed me in." He told her as he walked over towards the door. "I don't know if you know them but..."
He opened the door and Rachel gasped as her former glee clubbers filed into the room. They crowded around her and hugged her tight, all of them laughing as Rachel looked around at them wearing a huge smile and tears streaming down her face.
"What are you all doing here?" She asked.
"We came to see you." Mercedes told her.
"Yeah." Quinn nodded. "Mr Sch – Will." She smiled at the older man. "Arranged for us all to come. We're so proud of you Rachel."
"You were awesome up there." Finn smiled.
"Yeah, you were...really good." Santana nodded. Everyone looked at her in surprise and she folded her arms over her chest defensively. "What? I think you're a great performer, I always have. You were the best in our glee club – apart from me. Don't for one second think that means I like you though."
"Thanks Santana." Rachel smiled, knowing it was the closest thing to a compliment she was going to get from the Latina.
"Rachel, I'm so sorry about your boyfriend." Brittany told her. Rachel looked at Will in confusion and he shrugged. "I can't believe they killed him. But now you have Mr Schue so it's all ok."
"Brittany, you do realise that was just a performance? It didn't actually happen." Rachel replied.
"But it looked so real. I'm so confused." Brittany said.
Santana put her arm around her friend and gave her a sympathetic smile.
"Anyway, how about we all go for dinner?" Will suggested.
"Alright, but can you wait outside while I get changed?" Rachel asked. They all started to leave, Will bringing up the rear. "Will, could you stay? I need to talk to you."
"Sure." He nodded.
"They're going to make out." Brittany giggled.
"I always knew there was a reason why Rachel got all the solos." Mercedes said to Kurt.
Will rolled his eyes as he shut the door behind the others.
"Will, I need to know if this is what you really want." She told him. "I'd hate myself if I knew I was making you do something you don't want to do."
"I want this more than anything." He reassured her and stepped up to wrap his arms around her waist.
"Are you sure? You have to be completely honest with me here. This is a huge step in our relationship." She said.
"It is a huge step." He agreed. "But it's one I can't wait to make with you. I want this..." He caught her lips in a gentle kiss. "More than anything."
She smiled as she kissed him back with as much love as she could. They were both reluctant to pull away but they remembered the others waiting outside for them.
"I have to get changed now." She told him.
"Go ahead." He smirked.
"Can you keep yourself under control?" She asked.
"I think so." He nodded. As she started to get changed. Will felt the room around him getting hotter and he swallowed hard. He clenched his fists at his sides and forced himself to look away. "Actually, I think I'll wait outside."
Rachel giggled and shook her head at him as he left the room.
When Will joined the others, Brittany was crying into Santana's shoulder. He pointed and looked at Kurt questioningly.
"Britt just saw the guy playing Tony walk out of his dressing room. She freaked thinking it was his ghost." Kurt explained.
Will smiled in amusement, some things never changed.
Once Rachel was ready, they headed off to the nearest restaurant. Will linked his hand with hers and she leant into him, a contented smile on her face.
They had an amazing night laughing and joking and catching up with all their friends. Rachel realised that even though she kept in touch with them, it wasn't often enough. She started to think about all the things she missed from home. Her dads and her friends were top of the list and to be honest, she kind of missed being in high school. It was fun talking about her dreams and goals back then, but now she was here in the real world and it was time to make them happen, it was scary. The one thing she didn't miss were the slushie facials. She lost count of how many of her favourite sweaters got ruined from the stains and the gloop was a nightmare to get out of her hair. For the first week at college, she'd flinched every time someone walked past her with a slushie in their hands before she remembered she was in college now and no one knew her here.
After the meal, her friends all caught a cab to the hotel they were staying in for the night before they flew home tomorrow. Will and Rachel walked back to her apartment, hand in hand and in silence. Neither wanted to ruin the romantic feel of the night as they walked beneath the stars.
"Well, goodnight Rach." Will said as they stood outside her door.
"You're not leaving are you?" She asked.
"I have to. I promised Figgins I'd work until the end of next week. That way he has time to organize a substitute to take my place before he can hire a full time teacher. Plus, I need to give Emma a few pointers on running the glee club. She said she'd take over for me. I'll be back next Saturday though, with all of my stuff in tow." He smiled.
"But can't you stay just for tonight? I'm sure one day off won't hurt. Please Will." She begged.
Will couldn't resist as she looked up at him through her eyelashes and made her chocolate eyes look big and sad.
"Alright." He sighed. "I'll stay."
"Yay." She grinned and let them in.
"Your room mate seems cool. She got me the tickets to your show." Will told her.
"Yeah, Lisa's cool. She's a year ahead of me and she's been my tour guide, tutor and shoulder to cry on from day one." She picked up a note off the coffee table and turned to smile at him, her bottom lip between her teeth. "And she's staying at her boyfriend's tonight. We're all alone."
"Really? So...what should we do now that we have the place to ourselves?" He asked.
She sauntered over to him and ran her finger over the buttons on his shirt.
"We could...watch a movie." She suggested. "Or...talk some more. Or we could go to my room and...have an early night."
"I like the third option." He answered quickly.
Rachel grinned and took his hand as she led him to her room.
The next morning, Will and Rachel were kissing as they left her room. It was time for him to leave as his flight took off in an hour. Dressed in her robe, Rachel led him towards the apartment door, their lips still locked. Lisa walked in and rolled her eyes as she saw them.
"Get a room." She sighed.
Rachel ignored her friend as her and Will finally reached the door.
"Bye honey. I'll see you very soon." Will smiled.
"See you next Saturday." She giggled. "I love you."
"I love you too." Will whispered and pulled her into another kiss.
Rachel sighed dreamily as she watched him disappear down the hallway before closing the door and skipping into the kitchen where Lisa was grabbing breakfast.
"I see everything is ok between you two now." Lisa smiled. Rachel nodded as she danced around and poured herself a glass of water. "But hey, keep all that gross stuff in the bedroom."
"Uh-uh. Will's going to be living here soon so you'd better get used to it. Besides, it's payback for all the times I've walked in on you and Sean making out on the couch." Rachel argued. "Oh, and the loud sex at one o'clock in the morning...you're not getting away with that either." Lisa groaned as Rachel walked past and flicked water at her. "I'm going in the shower."
"Rach, for my birthday could you buy me some earplugs?" Lisa called.
"Ditto." Rachel answered.
While Rachel was in the shower, her cell began to ring. Lisa picked it up and answered it for her.
"Hello, this is Lisa. Rachel's a little busy at the moment, could I take a message?" She asked.
"Hello Lisa dear, it's Leroy, Rachel's daddy. Could you please tell her I need to talk to her now? It's urgent." Leroy said.
Rachel came out of the bathroom at that moment and Lisa held her cell out to her.
"It's your daddy. He says it's urgent. Sounds kind of mad if you ask me." Lisa whispered.
"Oh no, he must have found out about Will coming here last night." Rachel groaned as she reluctantly took the cell from Lisa. She hesitantly put the phone to her ear. "Hey daddy, how are you?"
"Rachel, your dad told me what he did last night and I do not approve one bit. That man broke your heart and he'll do it again. That's what happens when you date older men. They don't care about young girls feelings, he'll just cast you aside when the next one comes along." Leroy ranted.
"Daddy, Will would never do that to me. He loves me. He's the sweetest, kindest, most loving man I've ever met. He came to see me last night and he told me that he wants to move in with me." Rachel told him.
"Is he still there? Did he stay overnight? He better not have taken advantage of you. I want to talk to him. Put him on, right now." Leroy demanded.
"He already left." She answered. "Daddy, I love Will and we are moving in together. I'm sorry but nothing you say or do is going to stop that. Oh, and just for your information, yes he did stay the night, yes we have slept together before but I lost my virginity a long time before Will came along."
Rachel wished she could take back what she'd just said. Lisa gave her a sympathetic look as she heard Rachel's father shouting from across the room.
"I'll just...give you some privacy." She said and quickly disappeared into her room.
"Daddy, calm down." Rachel snapped. "Look, don't you want me to be happy?"
"Well...of course I do honey." He answered.
"Will makes me happy. I love him so much, I couldn't bare to lose him. I don't understand, you'd never be this angry if it was Finn." She sighed.
"I...would be...a little angry..." He lied.
"What is it that bothers you? The fact that I'm growing up and making my own choices? Or that he's my ex-teacher?" She asked. "I'm not a little girl any more daddy. I don't care about the age difference. I care about what's inside. I trust Will and I know he'll look after me better than anybody else would and deep down you know that too."
"I guess...being a mature man...he would look after you better than the young men of today." Leroy admitted.
"Exactly." Rachel agreed, sensing a breakthrough.
"Ok, we'll see how this first month goes. If it goes well, I'll admit I was wrong and I'll be more accepting about this relationship." He told her.
"Thank you, daddy." She smiled. "I love you."
"I love you too honey." He replied.
"Send dad my love and I'll see you soon." She said.
"Ok sweetie." He said. "Before I go, who was it that defiled my little girl?"
"Erm...got to go daddy, rehearsals. See you soon." She said quickly and ended the call. Rachel blew a sigh of relief before calling to her friend. "It's ok, you can come out now."
Lisa's door opened slowly and she stepped out.
"How did it go?" Lisa asked.
"It went ok in the end." She answered.
"Man, your daddy can shout." Lisa said.
"I know." Rachel giggled. "It probably wasn't a good move to tell him that."
"It wasn't one of your best ideas." Lisa joked.
"No. Oh, I can't wait for next weekend." She said excitedly. "I can't believe I have to wait over a week to see him again though. That sucks."
The week couldn't have gone any slower. Rachel impatiently counted down the days.
When Saturday arrived, she even started counting down the minutes until he got there. He had to drive down because he couldn't carry all his things to the airport and get on a plane with them.
Lisa rolled her eyes as she watched Rachel bouncing on the spot while she looked out the window.
"He's here! He's here!" She cheered excitedly. A few moments later, he knocked on the door and she bounded over to answer it. Will grinned as she opened it and she flung her arms around his neck, crushing her lips onto his. "Hey roomy."
"Hey. I've missed you." He told her.
"Me too." She grinned. "Will, this is Sean, Lisa's boyfriend." A tall, skinny guy with shoulder length hair, sat on the couch. He waved towards Will without taking his eyes off the TV set. "I honestly don't know what she sees in him."
"Hey." Lisa pouted, offended.
"Sorry." Rachel replied and turned back to Will. "We roped him in to help you up with your stuff. Sean, can you go help Will now?"
"Yeah, sure." He nodded but didn't move. Lisa walked around the back of the couch and hit him on the back of the head. "Ouch. Alright, I'm going."
He unwillingly got up off the couch and walked out of the apartment. Will raised his eyebrows at Rachel before following him to his car.
"I wonder if I could call one of my old teachers and see if they want to hook up." Lisa sighed from behind her. "Then again, they were all over fifty when I was at school so maybe not. It'd be like dating my grandfather."
Rachel giggled at her friend as she cringed and went to make drinks.
Will's things were brought up to the apartment and placed in Rachel's room.
"I've never shared a room with a guy before." She giggled.
"Oh you're in for a lot of fun. You'll be yelling at me to pick up my socks in no time." He smiled.
"No I won't." She grinned back. "I've seen your room and there wasn't a thing out of place."
"I generally try and keep it tidy at the beginning of a relationship, that way it doesn't scare you off." He joked. "Now we're living together, you'll see a whole different side of me."
"I can't wait." She grinned.