A/N: Don't worry. I'm still definitely continuing Homecoming, but in the immortal words of April Rhodes, some people might like "a little sump-in' sump-in' on the side."

Glancing hurriedly at her watch, Emma realized in horror that she had only seconds to reach the front doors of McKinley High before the morning bell would ring. She could not be late, she adamantly refused to; being late was something which never crossed her mind. Emma had pathos and logos in check; ethos was still required, however, and despite the fact that she always looked the part of the competent guidance counsellor she was, she needed to be punctual.

She watched the stragglers drift in through the main doors, and her heart dropped as she heard the bell. She picked up a jog as she got closer to the school.

If only her apple hadn't rolled off the counter while she made her lunch that morning. She had spent ten minutes scrubbing it clean; she could not stand the thought of food she was planning to consume having come into contact with the floor. Naturally, this would lead to her being late.

Suddenly, she felt her toe slam into a crack in the pavement of the parking lot, and her world spun around her. She put her hands out to soften her landing but it did not soften it by much; she cried out as her knees crashed against the rough surface.

Her morning could not possibly get any worse.

As she stood up, the stinging in her hands and knees caused tears to spring to her eyes and indignantly, she tried to brush the gravel off of her skirt.

"Oh my God, Emma, are you alright?" called a voice from somewhere behind her. She turned around to see Will running up to where she stood, his eyes wide with concern.

"I'm fine," she replied, her voice sounding shaky.

He dropped his book bag when he reached her, grabbing her hands in his and accessing the damage. She tried to hide the fact that she was painfully close to tears, but he noticed. She couldn't fully explain the mixture of emotions she saw in his face, but his genuine sympathy made her heart break.

He was such a great guy. He deserved someone so much better than his atrocious wife. As these thoughts went through her mind, she glanced down at her hands, which were still being held gently by his. The sight of the gravel and dirt that was now trapped in the scrapes made her gasp in shock, and that was her breaking point. She started crying uncontrollably.

"Aw, Em…" he said, his voice soft, pulling her towards him and wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, letting her bury her face in his shoulder. He was all too aware of how amazing it felt to hold her to him; a rush of pride went through him, knowing that he was needed. She smelled amazing, a mix of perfume and flowery shampoo, and it made him light-headed in the best possible way.

Will's hug was the most amazing hug she had ever felt; of course, she had a limited experience in this department because of her dislike of being touched.

She couldn't help but notice the huge amount of heat his body emanated; she let her hand graze across his back, feeling his muscles tense under her touch.

"Thanks, Will," she said, her voice close to a whisper.

He smiled, "Do you think you're going to make it?"

His voice had come out lower and huskier than he had originally intended, and he felt her body stiffen. He pulled away slightly, keeping her at arm's length, and her eyes were wider than he had ever seen them. For Emma, that was quite an accomplishment.

"I think I'm fine," she said. "I'll just grab some rubbing alcohol and Band-Aids and Polysporin and disinfectant spray and I think I'll be okay."

His eyes lit up. "Want me to help you out? I have first period prep, and if Terri can be a nurse, I think I might have the same hidden talent."

Emma grinned, "I'd like that."

***

Emma sat on the couch in the teacher's lounge, both of her hands bandaged meticulously. She had her leg extended as her makeshift murse pressed a wad of wet paper towels against the scrape.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked gently.

Emma shook her head vigorously.

"Alright," he said with a smile, putting down the paper towel and unwrapping a Band-Aid.

"Wait," she interjected, grabbing his hand, "I'll put some alcohol on it first. I want it to be clean."

Emma's obsession with cleanliness definitely had its moments of eccentricity, but this was one of those times where Will had to admit that she had a good reason for wanting things clean. He couldn't argue with wanting to prevent infection.

Emma was about to stand up, but Will rested his hands just above her knees, stilling her motions.

"I'll do it," he said, grabbing the bottle of rubbing alcohol and bringing it over. He poured some on a cotton swab and gingerly placed it against her knee.

She cried out, and he glanced up, pulling his hand away.

"I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright, Will. You … don't have to stop."

He took a deep breath and reached towards her again, terrified of causing her more pain. He paused, unable to bring himself to do it, and Emma laughed.

"It doesn't hurt that much!" she said, "Look."

She covered his hand with her own, guiding it towards her knee and applying slight pressure. She felt a wave of heat run through her body at the contact, and she raised her eyes to meet his.

She tried to label what she saw in his eyes; they were full of longing, and she felt her face flush, unsure of what to do.

Tentatively, he raised himself up onto his knees, looking her directly in the eyes as he brought his face closer to hers. Her heart began to beat uncontrollably and her face flushed further; they were in such close proximity, she could see the flecks of green in his soft brown eyes; he smelled amazing.

And when he kissed her, her head spun.

He kissed her more gently than she had ever expected. He placed one warm hand on either side of her face, his lips tugging gently at her own. Suddenly, she forgot the fact that she disliked being touched: she didn't want him to ever stop touching her. He pulled away reluctantly, amazed with his own courage, hardly believing that he had actually kissed her.

Emma was beaming at him, her cheeks rosy, her eyes showing that she was still in disbelief as well.

"I'm sorry Emma, I shouldn't have done that."

"Why are you sorry?" she laughed. "That's all you've been saying this morning, that you're sorry. You have nothing to be sorry about."

He grinned, "Really?"

She nodded, and he rose up to sit on the couch beside her. Taking a deep breath, she decided to prove that fact to him. She had to just take the plunge and do it.

She threw her arms around his neck, surprising them both as her lips crashed against his. She angled her head, deepening the kiss, and he gave a subtle moan, making her head spin even further. It was completely and entirely surreal.

"Emma," he said, pulling away, breathing heavily, "You're amazing. I can't believe I waited this long to tell you that."

She laughed, "Maybe you're a better nurse than you thought?"

He gave her a questioning look. She smiled as she replied,

"I feel a hundred percent better."