Emma stood nervously waiting for the elevator to descend to the ground floor as she tapped her Mary Janes to the floor, urging it to arrive sooner. Her stomach began to twist uncomfortably in knots as the doors slid open, allowing her to enter into the small confined space. Never one for lifts she shakily placed her finger to the silver button, watching as the orange light circled 3 before the doors shut completely. She held her gloved hand to the silver railing as her legs began to tremble slightly underneath her, causing her on more than one occasion to lose her footing. Thankfully, without any stops she made it to the third floor where she hastily stepped out of the elevator and onto the carpeted hallways.

So preoccupied with her thoughts she almost stumbled into the small pillar that rested to the end of the corridor, narrowly avoiding a collision with the precariously sitting plant pot. Turning the corner for a third time, now a little more aware of her surroundings, she arrived at the door that she had sought in the first place and without hesitation she brought her fist to the door, knocking brashly three times before she heard the muffled sounds of I'm coming from behind the door.

The door swung open to reveal a half awakened Will, his expression slightly confused as she stood there, the fear gripping her feet to a halt.

'Emma what are you doing here, its-' She watched him glance behind himself for a second before turning his attention back to her '-9 o'clock'.

'Can I come in?'

Stepping to the side he encouraged her to enter, taking the coat off her shoulders and hanging it in the small closet room she could see to the right of the kitchen.

'Would you like a drink?' He fidgeted with the cuff of his sleeve 'I've not got much but there's tea, I'm sure I've got some coffee lying around here somewhere or-'

'Do you have beer?'

'Beer? Yes, here, hang on a sec-' She watched him open the fridge door, the carton of soya milk not going unnoticed as he twisted the bottle lid off the top, handing it to her with a disheartened smile,

'I didn't have you down as a beer drinking type of girl.' Avoiding eye contact he turned back towards the fridge and shut the door, his gaze slightly lingering on some unmarked gas bill.

She lifted up the beer in appreciation before taking a sip.

'Thanks. And no, I'm not really. Sometimes Carl keeps a few in the house. I've only had a couple, you know, only when he does though.'

His silence acknowledged her words as he took another swig out of, from what she could see, his third bottle.

'So, why are you here?'

The tone of his words scolded as she met his eyes for the first time since entering and before she knew it she was struggling to choke back the tears. Within seconds she felt the small comforting support of his arms around her waist as she buried her face well within his chest so that the blue flannel of his shirt was no doubt ably stained with run down mascara.

Her name slipped effortlessly off the tip of his tongue as he waited for her sobs to subside, merely running his slightly callous fingers through the stands of her hair in a bid to somewhat comfort her.

'I can't stand this Will'. She shook, her shoulders convulsing as her hysteria began to transcend into hiccups.

His face expression changed from concern to confusion as he pulled back from the embrace, engaging her words. 'Stand what Emma?'

The frustration she had been bottling up for the past few weeks finally exploded. 'This Will.' Her hands began to violently gesture between the two of them as the gap became increasingly larger. 'I can't stand it. I practically have to come to your house to just get two words out of you'.

Will ran a hand across his brow, 'What. What is there to say Emma?'

Anger took over from frustration as she leapt forward. 'Everything! There's everything to say Will! You haven't said more than a hello or a goodbye to me since the New Year started!'

He turned away from her and placed the palms of his hands to the table with an exhausted sigh, 'I'd rather say nothing than pretend.' He turned to her with heavy eyes. 'Do you know how hard it is to see you happy? To laugh and talk with you as if nothing's happened; that you didn't run off to Vega's and get married?' She felt the grasp of his hand on hers as he ran a finger over the diamond ring that lay on her finger, 'to pretend that I don't notice this every day, that every time I do I wish it wasn't there?' He pulled away again, consuming the remaining swigs of alcohol that remained in his bottle. His voice trembled. 'I'm trying to respect your marriage but God Emma, it's absolutely killing me.'

'And how do you think it affects me Will?' she spat. 'To know that the only friend I have in the world can't stand to be in the same room as me!'

'You don't think I want to? You don't think I desperately want to see you? I'm only doing what you asked of me Emma!' The anger rising in his voice, 'You wanted me to back off so I did!'

'That's not what I wanted! I never wanted that at all!' She wiped the tears away. 'You have no idea how I've felt the past few weeks Will, you have absolutely no idea!'

'What? That you're happy with Carl? How wonderful he is and how much he loves you. How much you love him? He spat. 'I don't need that Ems; I don't need you rubbing your happiness in my fac-'

Before he finished he felt the sharp slap of her palm across his face.

'What the hell was that for?'

'Is that what you think of me? That I'm that malicious?'

The mark across his face began to sting as he fumbled in the freezer for a pack of ice to place on his throbbing cheek.

'Look I'm sorry'. He cupped the bag to his face again, wincing slightly. 'That was out of order'.

She crossed the room to the window sill, staring vacantly out into the night,

'I'm not.'

'You're not what?' He walked towards her as she visibly stiffened.

'Happy.' She turned to him briefly, her face ghostly white as the mascara clung to her cheeks. 'I thought maybe it was just nerves- cold feet.' She sighed, leaning her elbow on the sill as her chin fell to her palm. 'I thought the feeling would go away, that after it actually happened it would be amazing, this whole new, wonderful chapter of your life that you could write with someone else.' She gulped. 'But I just feel- empty'.

'Emma'.

'Did you feel like this?' She turned to him. 'When you married Terri, did you feel like this?'

'Honestly?' Placing the bag of ice onto the table he stepped closer, taking her hand and leading her to the couch. 'No. No I didn't'.

'Then why do I?' She nestled her chin within the fabric of her skirt. 'Why do I feel so trapped?'

He watched as her tears began to fall again and he passed her a handful of tissues as she mobbed them up with thorough dabs.

'I'm sorry'. Her muffled voice brought his eyes crashing back to her breaking ones. '-For this. And for slapping you.' He turned his reddened cheek towards her. 'Is it sore?'

'Forget it.' With a weakened smile he passed her back her beer, 'here, it might help'.

Thanking him she steadily gulped the last drops of beer, returning the now emptied bottle to the coaster.

'Do you think I made a mistake?'

'Do you?'

Placing a hand across her heart she finally allowed herself to be truthfully honest, 'I think maybe I did'.

A/N: I'm hoping in the back half we will see more of Emma/Will/Carl and Emma's doubts about her marriage cause frankly the first half has been a bit of a disappointment. However I'm still optimistic that Will and Emma will get together eventually so this is just my response to Special Education and what could (potentially) follow.