Ok, so I just wanted to take a few seconds to acknowledge the fact that I am a genius? When I watched the teaser for Rhodes Not Taken, I saw the camera pan over to Emma for a half a second while Mercedes was singing Somebody to Love, and I seriously envisioned this fic. I just watched the episode, and I was like spot on with the situation. I altered the ending a bit, but of course that's the best part!!!!! :D
Gleekfully yours, maDamSaysWhAt (formerly known as iggy's girlfriend)
Somebody to Love
I surveyed the filling auditorium, realizing that Will was right. Tons of people had come tonight. Sighing, I glanced around for an empty seat. And empty cluster of about four seemed the most promising. It was right in the middle, good for viewing.
I carefully sidestepped several people, trying not to think of the icky seat I would have to sit in. I pulled out a packet of WetOnes from my purse and scrubbed the plastic parts of the seat, squirting the cushion with a fabric disinfectant. Satisfied, I sat, folding my hands primly in my lap.
The lights dimmed and the glee club performed Last Name by Carrie Underwood. Rather good, even if it was painfully obvious the woman with the solo was heavily drunk. With the ending note I clapped with everyone else, glancing around casually. I hadn't seen Will since the beginning of the show; what was the use of wearing a red dress, just like the guy tips in Cosmo had said, if he wasn't around to see it? Men were naturally attracted to red, apparently…
The kids (and the drunken middle aged woman) skipped off the stage to the changing room. The audience began murmuring to one another. The seats around me had filled, except for the one directly on my left. For the best, really. Less contractible diseases to worry about.
The lights dimmed again, and I was aware of a man making his way down the aisle towards me. My heart leaped; it was Prince Charming himself. And he sat right next to me. I gazed at him, smiling. He grinned back, straightening his tie. I could barely believe my good fortune.
Finn suddenly let out a single note, cuing the rest of the kids to chime in and the music to start. The song was a classic, Somebody to Love. One of my favorites, actually. When Rachel pranced to the center of the stage, taking the solo instead of April (absent from the group), I snuck my eyes over to Will. He was smiling wildly. I longed to reach over and take his hand.
Suddenly, emotions overwhelmed me. These amazing kids, with incredible voices were singing this song that was basically describing how I felt all day every day. I felt tears stinging at the back of my throat. I tried to choke them back, but it was no use; I put a hand on my heart, sniffling pitifully. Sobbing was unacceptable, but I couldn't help but let a few tears trickle out.
By the end note I was seconds away from becoming a train wreck. While people were clapping and cheering, I stood, covering my mouth and scooting as fast as I could to the door.
I ran down to an adjacent hallway, stuffing my face in my hands and sobbing uncontrollably. That song was so beautiful… and it was played at the absolute worst time for me. How could he not see that I was madly in love with him??? I never stopped thinking about him. I'd never had a good relationship, ever. All my boyfriends had been brief flings, and the long lost ones I tried to reconnect with were creepy, ugly and/or perverted. I just wanted somebody to love. Somebody who cared; somebody like Will.
"Emma?" I jumped, peeking between my fingers. Speak of the devil… I hadn't even heard him come up.
"W-Will…" I sniffled, wiping my eyes on the back of my hand. It was useless trying to hide my tears. He probably heard me all the way down the hallway.
"Hey, hey, it's ok…" He opened his arms for me, and I fell into them, burying my face in his shoulder and continued crying a river. It was awful of him to do this. He had a wife and an unborn baby to go home to, yet here he was, comforting me for crying over him. I shivered as he rubbed my back gently. "What's wrong, Em? What happened? You can tell me." I choked, mumbling into his sleeve.
"It-it's just… that song… it w-was…" Another sob rippled up and I couldn't talk.
I don't know how long he stood there, patiently holding me as I cried myself out. I actually considered forcing out more tears, to lengthen the time I had in his arms, but that would be much too black. I took a deep breath as the last tears squeezed out. Because I couldn't help myself, and hoping he wouldn't notice, I placed my lips lightly on the fabric of his coat before I pulled back to look at his face.
"Oh, Will, thanks so much. I-I didn't know what came over me." I wiped my eyes sheepishly, smudges of brownish black makeup covering the back of my hand. Catching my reflection in the glass of a fire extinguisher case, I cringed. Raccoon circles were rubbed all around my eyes and grey watermarks trickling down my cheeks.
Will rummaged in his pocket and handed me a blue pack of Kleenex. For some reason I had no thought of millions of germs living in his pocket as I dried my eyes and blew my nose. I tossed it into a little waste basket and automatically Purelled.
"Emma, you okay?" I sighed. There was no way I could tell him the real reason why I had broken down. But I was a terrible liar…
"Oh, I don't know… it's just… I've been having some guy problems lately, and I guess… that song came at a wrong time for me." I gave a pathetic little smile. "It was so beautiful the way the kids sang it. You're a great Glee coach, Will." He smiled and looked at the ground, scratching the back of his neck. Was he blushing???
"Ah, thanks, Emma. You're great at complimenting people." He gestured at my mascara-stained face. I gave a nervous laugh. "So it's not working out with Ken?" My face fell.
"Ken. I never liked Ken. I never will like Ken. The fact that he's head over heels for me doesn't change that at all. I only went out with him because…" I swallowed, "I thought he'd help distract me." Will cocked his head.
"Distract you? From what?" I tried to censor what I said, but I couldn't help blurting;
"From the fact that I like someone who I can't have." I snapped my mouth shut. Oh, shit shit shit. I had not meant to say that.
His eyebrows shot up, a grin sliding across his face. "Oh, really? Who's the guy, Em?" I gave a little cough, looking him in the eye and biting my lip. His face was too kind and I was too ashamed; my eyes strayed down, and I stared at my red stilettos. The silence was crippling. I heard his mouth drop open in realization.
"M-me?" His voice was soft, so annoyingly gentle. My head hung in deep shame. I gave a tiny nod.
"Will, I'm so so sorry. I never intended to tell you, not ever, and I promised myself I'd get over it. It's so inappropriate, you have a loving wife and a baby, and I have no place at all inserting myself in any way. You're a great friend to me and I don't want to jeopardize that that, but I understand completely if you hate me and don't want to speak with me anymore." I nibbled my lip, knowing that I would soon taste blood. There was no way he would ever want to talk to me again.
There were a few moments of absolute stillness. Then, I felt two fingers under my chin, lifting my face up to him. His other hand moved to cup my face.
"I don't hate you, Em." He was very quiet. I tried not to, but my eyes flicked down to his lips of their own accord.
Just before I wrenched myself away, apologizing and making my way to the car, he moved his face very close. I couldn't breathe; my eyes fluttered shut as his lips touched mine ever so lightly.
Shocked and thrilled, I was frozen. Somehow my arms made their way around his neck and hung there limply. He held me around my back, something I was grateful for; my knees were officially useless.
His kiss was exceedingly gentle, something I had never experienced. Most of the men I had kissed had shoved their tongues in much too early and then insisting on dragging me back to their unclean apartments. But his lips moved slowly, seeming to savor every second. I was much too dizzy; he was an amazing kisser.
I moved closer to him, holding tighter. He clutched me to him then, gradually intensifying. I tilted my head farther to the right, pressing my mouth harder against his. His response was fabulous, sliding his tongue lightly over my lips. The butterflies that had taken my tummy as their habitat ever since I had met Will Schuester were having a wild party.
Feeling brave, I opened my mouth. Good decision. He backed me up against the wall, our tongues rubbing deliciously. I pulled away for a second to breathe then dove right back in, our embrace becoming more and more passionate. He began planting sweet little pecks all over my lips and cheeks. The little jumps my lady parts were performing became wild leaps of desire when he settled back on my mouth; my brain realized this and scolded me. It nearly killed me, but I put my hands on his shoulders and pushed back. He opened his eyes, blinking rapidly at me.
"Will… what are we doing?" He sighed.
"Oh, Em… I don't know." He covered his eyes with his hand and rubbing down his face.
"We can't. I thank you for that, but we can't." My voice was like lead. I could barely stand to say it, but I felt like a horrible adulteress, seducing a husband. And a father. He sighed, pulling me into a hug. I stayed stiff.
"Emma, Terri's not pregnant." I pulled away slightly and stared at him, raising an eyebrow.
"What?" He nodded with a pained smile.
"I talked to her gynecologist. He told her she was having a hysterical pregnancy almost two months ago. She's been lying all this time. And," he hesitated, "I know for a fact that she's been cheating on me. With a guy at work." He ducked his head, making a noise that sounded curiously like a well-concealed sob. I rubbed his back and pulled him into a deeper hug. "I was going to bring up divorce tomorrow." I kissed his neck gently.
"I'm sorry, Will. You deserve better than her." He nodded into my shoulder. He turned his head and began sucking gently on my neck. I gasped, clutching the back of his jacket.
"Mmm, and would that be you?" My eyes rolled into the back of my head.
"Only if you'll have me," I managed breathily. He laughed.
"Of course, Em." I pulled him away from my steadily growing hickey and gave him a single wild kiss. Then he took my hand and lead me out to his car, driving me back to my tidy condo. He was very genteel about refusing to come in.
It wasn't until the next morning I realized I'd left my car in the McKinley parking lot. Every student gave me an odd look as I walked down the hallway {public buses are almost illegally unclean}.
It was more than worth it.
Ok, so who agrees with me that THIS should have been the ending to Rhodes not Taken, not a stupid fade to black and a teaser for next week's show???????? {Which looks enticingly Wilma, btw :DDDDDDDD}
Review. Please. I beg of you. Review my hard worked story.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~maDameSaysWhAt~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
