Emma's fist clenched around the steering wheel as she partook the 8 and half minute drive from her place to work, slowing down in the parking lot with a frustrated sigh as she found 'her spot' already filled by a bright yellow Beatle. Reluctantly, she swung into an available space, a little miffed at the distance she was going to have to brave in the downpour of rain without an umbrella. Shielding herself with the top of her coat she hurried towards the entrance and down the corridor, bypassing the several students with a smile and a nod as they greeted her.

Ms. Pillsbury- Howell.

Taking a seat behind her desk, she adjusted the position of her pencils, neatly stacking them in height order before reaching for her appointment sheet. A light tap to the glass door stirred her from her methodical planning as she meet the eyes of one Finn Hudson, who, by the looks of things was already having a very bad morning.

'Ms P-H-'. The brief shortening of her name now brought her crashing down as she began to readjust the hem of her skirt. The title resurrected the pain she had felt over the weekend as she had begun to process the changes in her life. She had married on a whim, swept up in the fantasy of I love you's and whirl wind weddings mere months ago and now- her right hand grazed the bare finger her wedding ring had sat not 24 hours ago.

She would soon just be P again.

'It's Rachel'.

While Finn took his regular spot, Emma replayed her own problems. Returning home on Friday night she was greeted at the door by the expecting arms of her husband who gushed and devoted the words of his afternoon to her as she stood awkwardly, unable to make eye contact with the man she had exchanged vows of forever with. He began to notice the hesitance in her stance as his eyes fledged with concern.

She had stayed mute when he asked her if she was ok or if she was feeling ill but when he leaned down to kiss her she had held her hands to his chest and pushed him away.

And that's when she started crying.

He had struggled to understand her actions as he led her to the couch, waiting expectantly in silence until she was ready to talk. He took her hand in his as the other raised her chin closer, 'Hey'. He whispered. Her eyes dropped to where his and hers hands lay, both their wedding rings still in place. 'Come on Em, you can tell me anything right?' A full disclosure policy, remember?' She ducked her head as he attempted to meet her eyes, too ashamed to openly watch his heart break.

'Can I be honest with you Ms P-H?'

'Carl I need to tell you something'

'Of course Finn'

The agony in the young boys' eyes mirrored the very look her husband – if that's what she could call him now – had given her. He reeled off his concerns about his recently renewed relationship with Rachel as she struggled to remain composed given the past day's events.

'I'm scared she'll hurt me again'

'I never meant for this to happen Carl, the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you'

'After the whole baby thing and Quinn I'm...'

'Scared, this whole thing, the marriage, us, we rushed everything much too fast, we don't know half the stuff we should about each other'

'I mean I thought I knew her and then when I found out about her and Puck, I just wanted out'

'You're a wonderful man Carl but I can't do this anymore. I can't pretend things are fine when I know there not.'

'Ms P-H? You ok? You kinda just space out there for a moment' His awkward position and his jittered words snapped her back to the room; where was she? Glass, Finn, work, Rachel – right.

'Sorry Finn, you were talking about Rachel.' He drummed his hand to his thigh as she tapped her fingers to the desk.

'Wait, Ms – you're not...' He glanced to her bare left hand, meeting her eyes as she swallowed the lump in her throat, sliding her hand off the desk before nervously smiling at the young boy in front of her.

'Is there anything you need Finn?' Her voice cracked. He dropped his discovery and shook his head, thanking her before heading out of her office into the swarms of over excited teenagers that failed to notice her crumbling facade.

Four hours later she found herself slipping through the doors of the auditorium, a little more composed than before, catching the last notes of Rachel's sweet voice as Will clapped with praise for his students. She covered her heart with her hand, taking in the scene of joyful smiles and sweet exchanges between Artie and Brittany, Mike and Tina and an awkward, if not forced hug between Finn and Rachel.

She caught his attention as the kids descended backstage, all but Finn oblivious to her presence. 'How are you?' He placed the sparsely spread sheet music into the front pocket of his bag, lingering a hand on her hip a slight second too long to steady himself as he reached for the last remaining page that lurked on the seat behind her.

Her silence caused him to jerk upwards before noting the noticeably absent ring on her finger as her hand stayed stationary in the air, her eyes widening as they met his.

'Wow.' He mustered. 'How did Carl take it?'

The mention of his name caused her eyes to pool with tears.

...

'But we were in love Emma, or at least I know I was. Marriage – surely that was the next step'. He had begun to kneel in front of her, stroking the bare of her knee.

'I was or at least I thought I was'. Her hand covered a sob from her mouth.

'Then why did you marry me then Em?' He turned his head away as he brought the ends of his fingers to the corners of his eyes. She lifted her hand to touch his hair before deciding against it, scrunching up her fingers before dropping her arm to her side.

'Because you loved me.' She winced and shut her eyes, feeling the cool air hit her knee as he stood up and backed away.

'You didn't want to be alone.' He muttered, sliding his fingers across the framed photo he had of them on the mantel. Placing his head to his palm, 'Was this how it was with Ken? Not wanting to be alone?'

She shook her head. 'No Carl. I married you because I liked you'. She stepped up to place a less than comforting hand on his shoulder. 'Ken, I, I was marrying him to get over Will'.

'And do you really think you're over him now?'

...

'Hey, sorry, I know it's not easy. Trust me I know.' He sympathetically smiled at her. 'When you want to talk about it- if you do that is, I'll be here for you.' He ran a hand down her cheek to catch a fallen tear, 'it's good to cry'. She smiled weakly into his eyes as Carl's words echoed in her ear.

'And do you really think you're over him now?'

It took a failed marriage and one look into his eyes to realise she wasn't.

A/N: Thank you all for the fantastic reviews. I appreciate them all, good or constructive.