Will Schuester stands in the middle of the auditorium letting the remaining emotions of the previous year wash over him. A lot had happened last year with the dissolution of his marriage and the ownership of his feelings for Emma. Above all else was teaching his students how to appreciate music and dance in the full flowing forms of Glee.
His hands start to shake ever so slightly with the anticipation of the coming new school year. What lies waiting in the minds and voices of his returning students and the new experiences with a bunch of raw talent waiting to join the club. With the knowledge of last years ride to Regionals fueling their upcoming year, excitement starts to build within him. It's only a week until the new school year begins followed by Glee's first meetings and assignments. Will is anxious to see what has gone on with his kids lives in the last few months, and a little part of him hopes all his students will return for the new year. Will is working on a speech to get his kids ready for the upcoming season. He's always been impromptu with his speeches but putting his thoughts on paper gets the ideas flowing for his vocal interpretation. After the first week of assignments with his kids Will is going to start with auditions for new talent to round out the group even more. Hopefully with the good showing last year, and despite the third place finish there should be a strong influx of new talent. With any luck the new blood running through their group will instill them with a renewed excitement and dedication for a Regional bid.
Yet the only thing that continues to embed itself in his mind is that their journey can only move them up from a last place finish. Hopefully with any luck this years' judges won't be as biased as last years caste of celebrities were. Sue Sylvester being the president of that band of characters who wrote their third place finish with contrived words and ideas on what Glee meant to them.
"Will...Schuester!" Sues voice echoes strangely through the empty auditorium.
Will suddenly feels amazed by the coincidence of her arrival, and slowly turns to see Sue Sylvester standing on the stairway leading to the auditorium stage, walking toward him in one of her signature track jump suits. She struts down the steps with her overconfident gait and then stops three rows from the front of the stage where Will is sitting surrounded by sheet music and notes.
"Looks like your summer in the sun and sand hasn't put a dent in that impeccably quaffed headdress, you call a hairstyle." She says in a matter of fact demeanor.
Will was wondering recently when this war of words between them was going to renew itself. Kind of hoping that it wasn't going to be this soon. The last he had seen Sue was when Will accepted Sue's grand gesture after Regionals last year. Will hated accepting Sues help but he had to for sake of his kids and all their hard work they had given to the program. But deep down in the pit of his stomach he felt as if he had made a deal with the devil, hoping the payment for their new lease on life wouldn't be too steep. Will prays that it was a miraculous twinge of compassion and not just another one of her grand schemes to destroy him and everything he stands for. Although in the end you never really know when it comes down to Sue and her motives.
"Sue, I'm not going to let you intimidate me with your bullying tactics. Your decision for giving us an additional year is final! My kids are going to take out all the stops this year and bring home top honors at Regionals." Wills' endearing tone unfortunately falling on deaf ears.
Sue stands there studying a piece of paper with great intensity and a peculiar enjoyment when suddenly a swift smile spreads across her face. Will becomes very uneasy with her amusement, a smile on that stone-like exterior comes very rarely. Will also knows it's a sure sign Sue has some sort of leverage that will put herself in a position to drop a bomb of some manner with the possibility of decimating someone's hopes and dreams, namely that of Will and his students in Glee.
"What's on the paper, Sue?" He says disparagingly. "A new hit list of all the cheerios that will suffer random cuts and constant scrutiny, just for another whiff at a championship." Will tries desperately to hide his concern with a flood of sarcasm.
"Will, Will, Will... What you seem to not understand is you have to endure to succeed. My cheerios will walk through hell with a smile on their perfectly sculpted faces for the chance at another championship. Which in turn will end up having me put another ridiculously sized trophy in that display case you call a homeroom." Sue's words flow from her mouth like venom from a snake.
"With all pleasantries aside though, I thought you would like to know that I received this memo on my desk about the new ruling additions to Sectional and Regional qualifying this year. Quite an interesting little bit of literature but since I have disavowed myself from your disaster of a program, I'll wash my hands of this little tidbit and let you handle it yourself." With a swift motion Sue drops the piece of paper on the nearby seat, then turns and heads back up the staircase.
"I'll leave that little info bomb there for you, but I don't want to get to close to you. Failure has a tendency to be contagious, not to mention I just despise being near you." Slowly Sue struts up the staircase leading out of the auditorium, when she arrives at the top of the stairs she stops dead in her tracks.
"Will you better put some new tires on that broken down bus you call a Glee Club, because your highway to Regional Gold just became a lot longer." Sue doesn't even bother to turn around to hurl the insult. As the last word uttered echoes through the auditorium Sue quickly turns into the Foyer and is gone.
Slowly Will approaches the chair, realizing anything that can give Sue such enjoyment couldn't be good for him or his kids. Slowly he reaches down to pick up the impeccably written letter. Wills' eyes slowly and carefully read every word on the pressed page. Then gently he takes the page folds it neatly and puts it into his leather case. With the new information running through his mind he gives a heavy sigh then makes his way out of the auditorium.
While walking down the hallway back to his choir room Will begins to analyze and process the information that has sullied his previously optimistic day. Suddenly he is feeling unsure of when to break the news to the kids or if he should at all until Sectionals. Everything seems to be enveloped in a cloudy haze and a little less than an hour ago Will was bursting with confidence, clarity, and genuine excitement for their upcoming year.
As Will continues to walk he stares down the long rows of lockers and gets a quick glance toward Emma's office. While his eyes scan for any sign of Emma he notices some movement coming from the rooms interior. Will's heart becomes still at the chance she could be there, they've only said a few words since their last encounter. Which was his foolish overconfidence rendered in a kiss, but the feelings behind his gesture were genuine. The moment felt extremely real, just like every other kiss with Emma. Each one bearing a powerful sensation that feels like it's there first; substantial and all consuming.
When he got closer to Emma's office he sees her trademark dainty and precise movements, which make her so adorable. Every minor little motion has it's own agenda, her OCD might be a little over the top at times. Yet Will realizes it's one of those little things that makes her extremely special.
While standing at the door holding his hand at the ready to knock for permission to enter, he suddenly gets lost in the moment. Watching her slowly and methodically wipe down every crevasse and corner of the cabinetry behind her desk makes him adore her even more. In that very instant Will knows that every fiber of his being has missed her immensely in these last few months.
Then without warning almost as if he called her name she turns her head towards him, and their eyes meet for the first time in weeks. Both of them are suddenly motionless, locked onto each other gaze like two deer caught in headlights waiting for a crash of feelings. Will notices Emma's face begins to get flush with color, and the bottle of sanitizer she was carrying around begins to shake slightly. Then suddenly the bottle hits the floor with a crack, the top flies off like a cork from a champagne bottle. Slowly the sanitizer starts spreading across the laminated floor tiles in waves.
Will quickly jumps to Emma's aid pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket to try to contain the spill on the floor.
"Emma I'm sorry...I didn't mean to startle you, I just noticed you while walking by and wanted to say hello." His words came out as a loud whisper at most.
Emma quickly grabbed a second towel from the desk to place on the floor so she wouldn't get her knees dirty and then fell to the floor in order to help with the clean up. Will nervously starts spreading the spill everywhere, then he feels the gentle touch of Emma's hand firmly stop his in it's tracks. Will reacts to her touch and looks up to find Emma's nose nearly touching his, and her beautiful blue eyes lock on his. Will falls slowly into this moment with her, where he feels like he's caught in a dream and the air around them is charged: every breathe is labored and heavy in his chest. Like every time before Will suddenly has that familiar urge to kiss her again, her lips are right there in front of him like a prize to be won. Will fights the urge to engage though, when last he kissed Emma she sprang on him the news of a summer sabbatical with a few Guidance Councilor Conventions thrown into the mix. Which in turn led to a good amount of heart sickness on Will's part for a next few weeks, but given all they have been through she deserved the time to herself. He just hopes with everything that has transpired between them hasn't pushed her out his door completely.
"Will, I broke up with the dentist." Emma blurted out the glorious news.
And a sudden smile breaks upon Emma's lips, Will feels very comfortable with the news and feelings that are coming forth.
"I'm sorry It didn't work out, Emma." Will tries hard to contain his excitement with false apologies and remorse.
"Oh It's not your all your fault...mostly, but not all. I just realized that you were right, It doesn't matter how things have progressed between the two of us. We're not over and there's no reason for me to lie to myself or you. But a part of me feels like we never really began either. I think we got lost in the ideas of each other, yet we never take the time to get to know more." Emma's words flowed like she had been rehearsing them for weeks, but with one look in her eyes Will knew that wasn't the case.
"Will, what do you say to a nice cup of coffee?" Emma's words quietly touched something deep inside Will and his hopes for them being together are renewed.
"Now? What about this mess we've made." Will asks pleasantly surprised.
"Well I might have fibbed a little about the conferences and such, I found out there is an OCD support center in San Francisco and they had some techniques I hadn't tried. I wanted to see for myself if they could change my perceptions on the little things that fuel my condition. It isn't a hundred percent effective but it is a start." Emma smiles as she points two fingers to the towel under her knees.
"There is a little bistro that serves a great cup of Joe just down the block." Will answers back suddenly, attacking this opportunity not wanting to let this wonderful situation pass him bye.
Emma looks deep into his eyes, then gently nods her head in acceptance of his offer.
Slowly they both get up off of the floor and Will gently grabs Emma's hand and they begin to walk out of her office door. Neither of them caring about anything but coffee, especially not the spill on the floor. Because the spill like everything else that has happened between them previously is in the past and right now the only thing Will wants to focus on is their future together and a cup of coffee.
