"Sing something, Will!"

"Yeah, aren't you the coach of the defending national show choir champions?"

"And I heard you were a glee club kid back in the day too. Come on, give us a song!"

It was the last day of the blue ribbon arts education panel in Washington, and everyone had gathered at a local hall they had rented for a final-night party before those who had come in from elsewhere returned home the next day – there was lots of food and even a live band performing some good cover versions of classic pop and rock songs. Over the three months they had been together, the members of the panel thought they had come up with some excellent ideas on how to improve arts education, and they couldn't wait to see those ideas put into action.

For Will Schuester, the high school history teacher and glee club coach from small-town Ohio, it had been a rewarding experience.

He might have been one of the "young guns" of the panel and at first he thought he didn't belong there, but he had grown in confidence over time and talked passionately about his time coaching New Directions and how it had changed his students' lives despite all the obstacles that had been thrown their way over the last three years. Two of his graduates were now at the New York Academy of Dramatic Arts (one of them having recently been given the top honor at their winter showcase), another was in Chicago on a dance scholarship, yet another was in Los Angeles as a session singer while still keeping up classes at UCLA and the rest were forging their own paths in the world. In a way, if it weren't for glee club, Will wouldn't be in Washington helping to make a difference for arts education on a national level. He couldn't wait to return home and continue helping out with the glee club alongside Finn even though their competition season had come to an abrupt end, and he still had a wedding to plan with Emma – after much talk, they had decided to marry on Valentine's Day and invitations to the event had already been sent out. Emma had already told Shannon and the kids, and they were thrilled.

After much persuasion, applause and good-natured teasing, Will agreed to perform for the rest of his colleagues. He went over to the stage where the band had just finished a song and talked to them about a song he had in mind, the drummer nodding his head that they indeed know the one he wanted to sing. He then picked up a guitar that had been sitting on a stand in front of the drum set, slung the strap over his shoulder and played a few quick chords to warm up before saying a few words.

"I just wanted to say that it's been an honor and a privilege to work with you over these last few months," he said into the microphone, "and I hope that what we've done will help improve things because we all know that the arts is important. I'm looking forward to returning home to Ohio tomorrow to continue what I love to do, and the song I'm about to sing for you echoes those feelings. I'm sure those of you who came from out of state will feel the same way too." Giving a little nod to the band, the drummer counted off the beat before launching into the short opening riff, and the rest of the band joined in. Will had chosen it from an old CD he had in his collection, he had listened to it one night in his hotel room and thought the song was perfect to express how he felt about going home to Lima, especially to Emma. Doing a couple of vocal riffs to start, he then began to sing.

Sitting at the gate, I didn't have a reservation
Couldn't turn away, hoping for a cancellation
Take me to the sky, take me to my inspiration
Only one more day

I'm diving through the sky, thinking 'bout the situation
I thought that I would die, laughing at the complication
I couldn't sleep a wink, wondering what I would say to you
In one more day...and I'll be on my way
And with the love I long to hold
Oh there's nothing like the feeling of coming home
I'm coming home

He was really getting into the song, of course thinking about Emma as he performed. He could also see that his colleagues were getting into it, some nodding their heads in time to the music, others dancing and clapping along – he was reaching them!

I'm at the carousel, I see you from across the station
Something in my eye, or is it my imagination?
It's been a long time, we got a lot of catching up to do
Only one more day-I'll be here to stay
And with the love I long to hold
No there's nothing like the feeling of coming home
'Cause I'm coming home…Coming home
Oh baby I'm coming home

Coming home-I'm coming home
I'm coming home to you

What a holiday, we're gonna have a celebration
Everybody sing, everybody's jubilating
Have another drink, I didn't mean to keep you waiting
Only one more day, and I'll be on my way
But you'll never be alone, if you save the love you're feeling till I get home
'Cause I'm coming home
Coming home
Whoa baby I'm coming home to you now!

Throwing in a few more vocal riffs for good measure, the band played one last section and ended on a sustained fade-out note from the lead guitarist. A few seconds of silence from the rest of the panel followed, then wild applause.

"For a guy from small-town Ohio," said one of the older members of the panel, "you certainly know how to rock!" The rest of the panel members agreed.

And all Will could do was stand on that stage behind the microphone and smile.

Back in the room of his hotel after the party, Will lifted the photo of him and Emma off the nightstand by his bed and placed it gently in his suitcase. It had been taken after the ceremony at McKinley a couple of days after New Directions won nationals when he had won the Teacher of the Year award, the entire year was one he would never forget. As he continued to pack, all his thoughts kept drifting back to home and how in a few short weeks from now, he would be marrying the one true love of his life with the kids he loved so much celebrating with them.

All things definitely worth coming home for.