Will woke up with a start. Something wasn't right, what was that loud noise? Still in his sleepy haze, Will rose from the bed and walked towards the living room.
BANG, BANG, BANG. It was coming from his front door. Confused, Will cautiously stepped closer until he heard something that made his heart stop on the other side of the door, "Will please be there, please let me in." Her voice was unmistakeable, and it was filled with terror, he could hear her hyperventilating in a blind panic on the other side of the door. She banged on the door again, seemingly frantic. Will sped up and called to her through the door.
"Hang on Em I'm coming." The banging stopped as suddenly as it had began and he could tell she'd relaxed ever so slightly. He fell over his fingers trying to get the latches off so that he could get to her quicker. Whatever the problem was, it was big and she was petrified. No sooner as the door opened, the whirlwind that was Emma Pilsbury threw herself into his arms and sobbed. His arms encircled her automatically and it only took a minute for him to get his bearings before he shut the door and gently lifted Emma up and placed her on the couch gently before planting himself next to her so that she didn't have to relinquish her hold on his neck.
"It's ok, it's ok baby I've got you." Will tried to soothe her.
The T-shirt he'd been wearing was now soaking wet with her tears. 'What happened?' he thought to himself. He'd never seen her this upset.
"Emma, what happened?" His voice was soothing and her crying subsided but she couldn't answer him as she still hadn't loosened her death grip on his neck. Will made hypnotic circles on her back as he tried to calm her enough to get her to look at him.
"Em, please. Please talk to me." He was pleading now, deadly worried. He remembered she had a date tonight with Steve the Magnificent but judging from how happy she'd been at school, it couldn't have been that...could it? Will's grip subconsciously tightened on Emma as he thought about all the ways he could attack this Steve guy. By God if he'd hurt her...
"I..." Emma's meak voice broke his train of thought and Will pushed Emma away from him so that he could look at her. It worked, but what he saw in her face was no better than her crumpled frame sobbing in his arms and his heart broke all over again at the state she was in. Her mascara had run down her face and her doe eyes were like a wild animal's, filled with fear and something that Will though looked like shame. Her clothes were all rumpled and she was barefoot.
"It's ok Em, you can tell me." He encouraged. She looked up at him with a sad smile and nodded.
"We went back to my apartment after dinner." Will's grip instinctively tightened round her waist. 'So it was to do with him' Will thought to himself aggressively.
"We were sitting on the couch and we started..." Emma stopped mid-flow when she realised what she was about to say and who she was about to tell.
"What Em? Whatever it is, I'm here." Will knew what she was going to say but insisted he hear it from her rather than let his imagination run wild.
"We started making out." She paused for a moment, waiting for Will to lose his temper but he didn't. He just looked at her with a sad expression on his face and encouraged her to continue with a slight nod.
"Then things got a little...heated and he started to touch me...in placed I wasn't entirely comfortable." Emma was struggling to get the words out now. She could feel the anger radiating off of Will as his breathing became heavier and his face contorted into a frown.
"Did you tell him you weren't comfortable?" Will asked earnestly.
"Yes of course I did!" Emma said incredulously. Then her expression softened as she took another deep breath and her eyes filled with more tears, "But he said that he didn't understand why I was comfortable with kissing but not with...other stuff. I tried to explain but he cut me off and accused me of being a tease." Emma's fresh tears spilled over then, "And he was right. I am a tease. I came round here and told you I was ready to 'do the nasty' with you and then I just ran away. Oh God I deserve this don't I?" Emma was hysterical now and Will had to increase his grip on her to stop her from getting up to walk out. Will grabbed both sides of her face gently and forced Emma to look into his eyes.
"You are most definitely not a tease. You had a traumatic experience as a child that meant you couldn't stand germs. I knew that and he knew that. If he can't be a gentleman about it then he's not worth it." Will spoke forcefully but sincerely and it touched Emma's heart to know that Will felt she hadn't brought this on herself. She wouldn't have blamed him if he'd told her it was all her own fault after how she treated him.
"But Will I invited him in..."
"Yeah to come inside after dinner. That doesn't mean you're obligated to...to..." Will couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence. It made him feel sick as he attempted to spit it out. Emma calmed him by placing her hand on his cheek.
"Thank you Will. Not just for tonight and understanding but for everything. Especially after how I've treat..."
"Shh, don't even think on it, that's what friends are for." He smiled warmly at her before adding, "And if there's anyone who should be sorry it's me...after how I treated you." Emma tried to speak then but Will got there first, "I...was so stupid for hurting you and I would spend my whole life making it up to you if you'd let me, even if it meant all we could share was friendship. I lo..." Emma's eyebrows shot up and Will stopped himself suddenly before he blurted out his earlier confession yet again. Now wasn't the time. Emma was emotionally drained and didn't need him trying to wriggle his way into her affections while she was still so vulnerable. Yes he wanted Emma, but he wanted her on equal terms, where she wanted him too.
"Come on let's get you to bed." Emma looked at Will confused, "Bed? I can't stay here." Emma looked horrified.
"Em, it's no trouble, I will sleep on the couch. It's late and you've had a traumatic experience. You need to rest."
"Will I'm fine honestly." Emma stood up and headed towards the door before Will caught her arm.
"Em...please...stay." His eyes were begging her now and Emma was so tried that she didn't have the energy to fight him.
"OK. But I'll sleep on the couch."
"No you won't. The sheets are fresh on my bed. Would you like a shower? I have clean towels." Will smiled at her then and it was infectious as Emma couldn't help but smile back at his thoughtfulness. When they were together like this she remembered why she fell in love with him. Instead of answering him she nodded silently.
"OK." Will smiled softly and brought her into a brief hug and then pulled away to kiss her forehead tenderly before going off in search of a clean towel.
Emma stared after him with a smile on her face for the second time that night before she realised that she'd fallen in love with him all over again.
Well there you are. I hope you enjoyed your fluffy chapter. Do you think I should still continue with this or should I leave it there? The choice is yours, just let me know via the little review button.
