AN: This is a sequel to "Be There For You" so I highly recommend you read it first. I wanted to thank everyone who encouraged me to write this, I really appreciate it and I hope you like it.
"That was great guys. That's it for today. Remember that we have to be at the airport at 8 so please arrive on time, I wouldn't want to leave anyone behind. Also, I wanted to make an announcement. You know how I always take someone to help me while we're there? Well, this year I'm taking Rachel so I want you all to be on your best behavior." Most of the kids didn't look like they cared or maybe they were too tired to care but she saw some of the older kids stare at her in disbelief.
"But she's in New Directions. They're our competition." Shelby glared at the girl who said it and she swallowed. Then she addressed the whole group.
"She's not our immediate competition right now, we already beat them and they're not going to nationals. She's going there to help me and I will appreciate it if you treat her with respect and get over your juvenile competitive attitude." She looked back to the girl. "You could learn a thing or two from her; she's a better singer that you are." She started to gather her things.
"I trust we won't have any problems with this." She heard a chorus of "Yes Ms. Corcoran" and she turned to leave.
"Ms. Corcoran?" She turned back and found Jesse staring at her.
"Yes Jesse, what can I do for you?" Jesse fidgeted nervously.
"Is Rachel really coming?" Didn't I just say that?
"Yes, and if you have a problem with that, I really don't have time to discuss it right now."
"Does she ever talk about me?" Shelby was stunned. She never actually thought he would have the nerve of coming and asking her this after what she did to her before regionals. She liked Jesse and she knew that at his age the kind of pressure he got from the other kids was hard to resist. But he had hurt Rachel and disappointed her. She really hated hurting him but she had to stop him from hurting her more.
"I'm sorry Jesse, but Rachel is with Finn now. She has never asked about you and you are certainly not the reason she agreed to come. So if you don't have any more questions, I have to go. And I would appreciate if during the trip you wouldn't bother Rachel." She walked away leaving Jesse with a sad look on his face.
Rachel was watching a movie at Finn's house when her phone rang. "Hi mom!"
"Hi baby. Ready for tomorrow?" Rachel reached for the remote and paused the movie.
"Yeah, I'm almost done packing. You're picking me up at 7, right?"
"Yes, Will is taking us to the airport. He's coming over for dinner and stuff." Rachel wrinkled her nose. She still didn't like knowing about her mom and her teacher doing "stuff".
"I didn't need to know the stuff part of your evening but thanks for that." Shelby laughed.
"Oh come on, don't be such a prude. He's actually really good." Rachel cringed. She really didn't need to know that.
"I'm hanging up now. See you tomorrow." She put the phone down and started the movie again. They watched it in silence for a few minutes until Finn suddenly spoke.
"I can't believe you're going with those idiots." Rachel looked at him. They had talked about it already. He wasn't happy but he said he understood.
"I'm going with my mom and it's a great opportunity to learn something that can help us for next year. We already had this conversation Finn." Finn took the remote and paused the movie again.
"I know, but I don't see why you have to go spend a week with your ex without other supervision than your mom who probably loves the guy." So that's what this was about, Jesse being there.
"Do you think I need supervision? Don't you trust me?"
"I don't trust him!" That was the same thing as not trusting her. I can handle Jesse, what's his problem?
"Finn, you're my boyfriend not my boss. You don't get to tell me where I can go and with whom."
Finn got off the couch. "Then maybe I'm not your boyfriend anymore."
"Then maybe you're not." She stood up and walked away.
Shelby looked through her peep hole and saw Will standing on the other side. She opened the door and he pinned her to the wall as soon as she closed it.
After a while they had to part for air. "Dinner's ready, I bought Chinese."
He chuckled and continued his attack. "Are you hungry?" She cocked an eyebrow. "Not really"
He wrapped her legs around his waist and carried her towards the bedroom. "Good, we'll reheat."
"That was amazing" They lay on her bed with the sheets all tangled around them. They were on their backs panting heavily.
"I'm really going to miss you." She tuned to him and laid her head on her chest listening to his heartbeat. He ran his fingers through her hair and rested his hand on her back.
She'd never actually had anyone in her life for a long enough time to miss. But even though they had only been going out for a little more than a month, she was going to miss him too. "I'm really going to miss you too, especially after this."
He laughed and the movement shook her head. "Well, I wanted you to have something to remember me by. You're going away for three weeks." He pulled her closer to him. "Can't you just send the kids without you?"
"They need me there. If they didn't, they wouldn't pay me what they pay me." She kissed his chest, got up and put on his shirt. "I'm hungry now and thanks to you I have to reheat dinner."
He got off the bed and took some sweats out of a drawer. He had convinced her to give up some closet space since he spent a lot of nights on her place. She also took some of her stuff to his place since they rarely spent a night apart except for the times Rachel stayed with her or when she got off really late from rehearsal.
He walked to the kitchen and leaned on the doorframe. He loved how she looked with his shirt on. She caught him staring at her with a goofy grin. "What?"
"Nothing, I was just thinking that you look really hot in my shirt." She rolled her eyes and took the food out of the microwave. He took some of the containers and some napkins and she took the rest of the food with her to the living room couch.
Will picked up a box and frowned. "There's only one dumpling left."
"You can have it, I had the last spring roll." He looked from the box to Shelby trying to decide if he should eat it or give it to her.
"Are you sure? They're really good." Shelby smiled and took the box from him. "I know they're good, I already ate some." She took the dumpling with her sticks and fed it to him. "This one is yours."
Will smiled. Even though he would do anything she asked at the snap of her finger, he knew she would do anything for him too. He pulled her to him and she straddled him. He rested his back on the couch and pulled a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Thank you."
"It was just a dumpling, Will." She didn't get it. It wasn't just the dumpling. It was the dumpling and the closet space and the times she helped him with something without him asking. It was the times she let him have the shower first even when she had somewhere to be and the times she called him to ask about his day even when she was exhausted from her Vocal Adrenaline rehearsals. Terri never did that. With Terri he gave and she took. With Shelby everything was easier, he had fun and he could be himself. He was truly happier than ever.
Will looked at her and ran his hands along her thighs. She had one of her trademark amused smiles. She's so beautiful and talented and amazing and… "I love you." Oh my god did I just say that out loud?
Her smile disappeared, now she just looked shocked. He loves me? Where did that come from? I just gave him a freaking dumpling! She stood up and started gathering the empty food containers. "I should throw this out before I forget and leave this just rotting away for three weeks." She went into the kitchen, threw the cartons away and rested her back against the fridge. She needed to think. This is not the end of the world. He loves me and I… I don't know how I feel and I just left him there. What kind of horrible person leaves after someone says I love you? What kind of person loves someone like that? But what did he expect? He just blurted it out! What was I supposed to do? I can't say it back, I don't know if I love him. I have feelings for him, strong feelings but love?
Will rested his elbows on his knees and his head on his hands. How could he be so stupid? She was probably hyperventilating right now if she didn't already flee through the kitchen window. It was too soon, he knew that, but he did love her and it just came out. He gave her a few minutes and then walked to the kitchen. She saw her leaning on the fridge looking at the ceiling.
"I'm sorry." She turned at the sound of his voice with a confused look.
"For what?" Why is he apologizing? I am the one who left him there. He walked to her.
"It just came out. I put you in an uncomfortable position and I didn't mean to, I shouldn't have said that." She looked even more confused now and hurt. He shouldn't have said that? He didn't mean to? She felt like something pressing down on her chest and suddenly she felt like she was going to cry. What the hell is wrong with me? Calm down!
"So you don't love me?" Now Will was the one who was confused. She practically ran when he said it the first time and now she wanted him to say it again.
"That's not the point! I saw how scared you got when I said it! You couldn't get out of the room faster!" he didn't really know why, but he was talking a little too loud so he took a deep breath and ran a hand across his face.
"I needed to think Will, and frankly being on top of you didn't help with that." She turned away from him and leaned on the counter. She started to feel like she couldn't breathe. She needed to know if he meant what he said. She took a deep breath and turned back to him. "But that's not what I asked. Do you love me?"
Is she for real? "Yes! I love you! I already said it! God, do you need me to…" He didn't get to finish what he was saying because Shelby's lips crashed onto his. She pushed him out of the kitchen and into the bedroom without separating their lips. They fell on the bed.
"Does this mean that you?" She pushed him on his back. "Shut up and kiss me." He lifted his head and pulled her down to do just that. This time the kiss was slower and even if she didn't say it, he got his answer.
AN: I don't think I can do daily updates on this one too but I will try to update regularly. Let me know what you think.