"Bricks":

CHAPTER VII:

"You should just kiss me already." Rachel's words ignited every cell in Will's body. The urgency in her voice, added to her hands bringing him closer and the notorious dilation of her pupils, was absolutely inviting. Even if he wanted to, he would never be able to resist this amount of temptation. So he didn't.

Will leaned down and their warm lips met. The simplest touch making their bodies vibrate with a strength unknown to them. The kiss started sweet and slow but quickly became rough and passionate as they both gave in to their feelings with reckless abandon. It was wild, uncensored, passionate and it didn't feel PG 13 at all. The doubts, the angst, the anxiety and the internal conflicts both had experienced in the past days faded. Everything they had previously feared was gone with just one kiss. Tension was turning into intoxicating longing rather fast.

So there they were, kissing like there was no tomorrow, giving the audience a second show that was the perfect synthesis of their separate performances. Rachel couldn't wait to leave but she was completely against that kiss ever ending. She was thankful both were putting to good use their breath control proficiency. Unable to let go of her, Will blindly took his wallet from his back pocket, and threw enough money to cover the bill, he was determined not to let anything break this moment that was theirs and theirs only. Thankfully, he was skilled enough to prevent that from happening. Sadly, they had to get some air at some point, even if kissing until they were blue sounded like the brightest of all ideas at the moment.

The kiss ended; Rachel tightened her arms around Will's neck and rested her head on his chest while they were catching their breath. She was shaking a little at the clear amount of endorphins released. He was rubbing her back, reassuring her with his touch. They stood for a few minutes, hugging in silence as the people around them continued staring. Will and Rachel were in complete oblivion as to how many eyeballs were focusing on them; their minds and bodies were overwhelmed and solely focused on the other.

Rachel looked up and saw the question in his eyes, yet she couldn't speak. Will had rendered Rachel Berry speechless! She nodded at him, there was no reason to let dialogue cheapen the moment. They reluctantly let go of one another and left the karaoke bar holding hands, knowing they wouldn't be forgotten. Once they made it outside and air was helping them recover from kissing each other senseless, Rachel's spontaneity broke the ice.

"We kissed, Will!" She blurted out in sheer excitement, as he smiled at the way her eyes had widened.

"We did?" He laughed turning to face her. "I don't remember, maybe you can help me recall?" His hands trailed down from her shoulders to her forearms.

"Well, since you are asking so politely..." Rachel replied before standing on the tip of her toes and kissing him gently. "Is it coming to you now?" She asked, her lips still mere inches away from his.

"I think so." Will joked taking both of her hands in his. "But I'm still light-headed."

"You fool, you let a waitress neutralize you." She shook her head grinning, Rachel wasn't really complaining, though.

"And exactly for how long are you planning on hanging that over my head?" Will couldn't stop laughing at how ridiculously adorable she was.

"I'm afraid I'll have to think about it." She bit her lower lip and raised her eyebrows. "Luckily for you I have only five blocks to think." Rachel giggled. The way she had masked her intentions was masterful.

"In that case, we are taking a taxi." Will couldn't reply fast enough. Their back and forth couldn't be funnier or cuter but the eagerness to take Rachel to his apartment was taking over him.

"Oh, no, Mister, this is New York, a beautiful city to walk at night." She said pulling his hand and starting to walk. "We are walking."

"Ok." He laughed. "But, Rach?"

"Yes?"

"You'll have to pinch me at some point, I wanna make sure this isn't a dream." The sweetness in his voice made her eyes "aw".

"Don't be corny." They both shared a laugh, as she started swinging their linked hands.

The walk to Will's apartment took considerably longer than they thought. During the course of those five blocks they were forced to make several stops to kiss. After all, they needed to make up for every previous opportunity not taken. The wait had ended and they were making the most out of it. Will was incredibly happy and thankful he had accidentally left his phone behind the previous night. On the other hand, Rachel still couldn't believe how events had unfolded, nor could she wait for what was about to happen.

The doors of the elevator closed giving them the chance to have a Grey's Anatomy's moment that they chose to take. As Will's body was pressing against hers and they kissed, Rachel wondered if they were heading to the ninth floor or to cloud nine. She actually couldn't care less; wherever they were, they were pretty much together. However, Will did care where they were in more ways than one. First of all, he wished the elevator was faster. He needed to be alone with Rachel where they wouldn't be bothered, he wanted to make her feel as safe and wanted as possible, and he needed that yesterday. As for the other implication, he wasn't sure what to think. Regardless, this wasn't the time to define anything.

Once the door of his apartment closed behind them, Rachel started to slowly walk in the dark room. Will hadn't turn on the lights, and they could both agree it was better that way since it felt more intimate to be in the half-light. Will watched as she walked, still astonished that she was there with him to begin with. He was also giving Rachel some time to back down. Little did he know how much she was berating him in her mind for not making any move.

"Do I get to have the Shue residence tour?" Rachel asked turning to him from where she was, just a few feet away, though that felt like a lot more given the close proximity of their bodies she had gotten used to and loved in the past hour.

"Sure." Will walked towards Rachel and hugged her from behind, causing her to automatically smile and place her hands over his on her stomach. "Well, this is the living room area," he kissed the top of her head. "And right there on the left is the kitchen," he said as they walked past it. "On the right is the bathroom," he pressed his body closer to hers causing Rachel to gasp in response. "And this door we are facing leads to my bedroom..." he placed a kiss on her shoulder and waited for Rachel to say something. Will knew once that door opened he wouldn't be able to hold back.

"Even though I obviously couldn't see a thing and you were distracting me, trust me when I tell you this was the best tour ever." Still enveloped by his body, she turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck before kissing him on the lips as slowly as she could. Rachel sensed Will was holding back and needed to remind him there was no other place she would rather be.

Will easily lifted Rachel off the floor while she kept kissing him thoroughly. Both smiled into their kiss when she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, passion burning through them with every action. He turned them and pushed the door open with his own back. As if they had choreographed their movements, Rachel's foot kicked the door closed. It was amazing how synchronized they were.

"Team work." She whispered in his ear as they were nearing the bed.

"Of the best kind." Will replied carefully laying Rachel on his bed and placing himself on top of her, cautious not to crash her body with his weight. They remained that way for a few seconds, eyes locked, bodies touching, words unspoken and feelings multiplying. This was the moment they would later refer to as "the death of a platonic love." There wasn't anything remotely close to platonic in the way their bodies were touching and there was no subtlety in the fire in their eyes. There was no going back now.

Rachel ran her fingers along his jawline, making Will close his eyes and break eye contact with her for a spare second. They were both taking it all in. The not so distant past when he was her teacher and she was his student, the previous precious days together, this particular crazy evening turning into tangible adoration ... their hearts were beating so rapidly they both needed a moment in silence before doing anything else. Then the moment was gone.

Will opened his eyes and met hers smiling at him, encouraging him to take the next step. He tangled his hand in her hair and leaned down to kiss Rachel for the hundredth time. Each kiss had been different from the previous one, he noted. Every single one of them was asking for more, for everything they were willing to give. He let his hands wander, enjoying every inch of Rachel's body. The slow and snail like pace of his actions was killing her, but at the same time, Will not rushing towards the "main event" made Rachel realize how much he wanted her and how committed he was. Behind every subtle touch of his hands there were a thousand feelings and a growing promise. He wasn't a teenager eager to get lucky or nervous about how to go through the motions, he was an experienced man purposely deciding on this particular rhythm for them. They were giving their bodies time and opportunity to get acquainted to the other. Exploration was instinctive, sweet and a bit tortuous. It was like composing the most delicious of songs together.

Rachel practically mimicked his actions, and without realizing it, she was once again challenging Will. Soon enough they were competing about who could commit the other's body to memory first. Their senses were so heightened by the simplicity of their touches, by the pure romance of every moment, that their bodies started to resent how many clothes they were still wearing. Rachel kicked her shoes off trying to hint Will should do the same. When he seemed more focused on kissing her neck and fondling her breasts than on getting rid of his footwear, she knew she had to had to take a more proactive approach.

"Clothes, Will." Her brain betrayed her. Apparently, she couldn't form a more eloquent sentence. She giggled at that as he sighed happily before taking her shirt off.

"Your wish is my command." He stated staring at the amount of skin displayed in front of him. Will was about to kiss Rachel when she started lifting his shirt, but given the position she was in, he had to help her by taking it over his head and pulling it off.

They kissed with a more vigorous hunger when skin met skin. Desire was consuming them from within and was possessing their bodies. Will finally kicked off his shoes as Rachel undid his belt. His pants joined the rest of the discarded items on the floor in a matter of seconds. So did Rachel's skirt. Underwear was the only thing preventing them from being as together as they could be, and they couldn't really wait. This wasn't the time to be shy or patient.

Rachel unclasped her bra and Will kissed her chest while sliding it down her arms. It was another team effort that was pleasuring the both of them. The no longer PG 13 collaboration was just starting and they were already completely out of breath but willing to surrender their bodies and souls to each other. With steady hands, Rachel started to take her panties off, when Will stopped her.

"Let me do the honors, Rach," he said in a breathy voice. He had never sounded this sexy and Rachel was enjoying the notion of being able to fully know the man that was above her trailing kissed down her abdomen, making her shiver and giggle. The breathy voice was another piece in the puzzle that Will was. Rachel could only nod because if she had replied verbally, she would have sounded as breathy as he had. He got rid off her panties and kissed her inner thighs, causing Rachel to automatically squeeze her eyes shut. She could sense what was coming, his breath closing in on her center. She shivered in anticipation. She was completely exposed to him now and at his mercy.

Thoughts and sensations started to collide as he parted her legs further and his tongue explored her. Rachel wasn't a virgin but she wasn't experienced. Everything was a long story short when it came to her and Finn. Sex hasn't been entirely gratifying with him, at least not for her. In addition, her ex had never tried this particular move with her. Whatever Rachel had previously thought to be an orgasm paled in comparison to what Will was making her feel.

Rachel was shaking when Will crawled up her body and claimed her lips. She deepened the kiss with a passion so rough she thought she could actually break him in half. Her legs wrapped around his waist and with her feet, she pushed his boxers down knowing he would get the memo. Chuckling, he took them off and then kissed her again.

"God, you are gorgeous," He whispered in her ear while positioning himself.

"You are one to talk," Rachel laughed before planting a kiss on his chest, right above his heart.

Will brushed a strand of hair away from Rachel's face and kissed her soundly on the lips. After that, the room was filled with touches, kisses and occasional humming followed by moaning, friction and shared body heat. Goosebumps and butterflies arose as speed and rhythm changed and positions shifted while their bodies were giving in, letting emotions pour through their pores and souls. Confessions and promises translated into caresses in the dark and frantic delight. First it was it was slow and sensual, then fast, rougher, and then slow again ... they lost track of the number of times they screamed the other's name. In this case, they both wanted too much, and they couldn't have enough.

They were cuddling in the dark while their hearts were readjusting their rhythm. Will and Rachel both had a lot they wanted to say but words weren't coming to their heads. Everything made so much sense in the world in that particular moment, yet speech was a challenging art to master.

"Will?" Rachel was the first to end the silence.

"How do you feel?" He thought he had to ask, he was feeling amazing and thought she might too but he had to make sure.

"We made love!" She practically screamed, making him laugh. "Don't laugh!" She playfully slapped his chest. "We actually ... oh my Jewish God!"

"Rach," he took the hand she had slapped him with and kissed it. He proceeded talking when he saw her relax a little in his arms. "You are perfect; we are perfect; tonight was ... I'm at a loss of words. Help me out here."

"I think 'hot' is the word you are looking for, Will. 'Impossibly sweet' would also apply." She said before peppering his neck with kisses.

"I've never felt this alive, Rach." He said staring into her eyes.

"Ok, that's enough. I decide you are my boyfriend now. You can't say something like that after, well, something like that and not expect me to..." Rachel was cut off when Will suddenly took her mouth in a scorching kiss.

"Not expect you to what?" He whispered to her hair as his hand was sliding down her arm.

"Get my hopes up." She sighed starting to get lost in his touch again.

"Hey," he scanned her eyes with his, "you don't have to hope. I'm yours Rachel Berry." Will smiled at her sweetly.

"My corny boyfriend..." Rachel giggled and pulled Will closer to kiss him again.

They fell asleep after another round of kisses and jokes knowing this was the start of something exiting. True, their lives weren't what they wanted yet, but being this close ... it didn't matter if everything hadn't happened according to planned. In fact, their goals seemed easier to reach now they had someone to celebrate with every step of the way.

Rachel woke up when she felt Will tighten his arms around her but chose not to open her eyes. It was his turn to wake her up.

"Rach, are you awake?" Will said softly as he trailed his fingers down her spine.

"No..." She said in a playful tone, with her eyes still closed. Will couldn't help smiling.

"Aw." He kissed her shoulder. "Then you wouldn't be interested in having breakfast in bed?" Rachel opened her eyes immediately, causing him to smile. "I thought so." Will let go of her and sat up quickly.

"That was rather evil." Rachel narrowed her eyes at him and sat up as well, covering herself with the sheets while he was putting on the fresh pair of boxers he took from a drawer in his dresser.

"I'll be right back." He kissed the top of her head and left the room. Rachel sighed watching him leave. That man that, who she had decided was now her boyfriend, was her former teacher and about to make breakfast for her after a night of passion. She had to blink twice in order to make sure she was in fact awake.

Hearing him singing, she thought she should join him even though she never wanted to leave that bed. Rachel stirred and stood up looking for his shirt to put on. Once she was covered, she went to the bathroom to freshen up. She had feared she would look like a train-wreck considering the amount of exercise they had done probably equated to running a marathon. Yet she found she had a glow to her; she felt pretty because of him. Because of the way he had treated her and the reactions she had caused in him. Rachel started to hum as she neared the kitchen, where he was placing their breakfast on a tray.

"Good morning, boyfriend." She said smiling wide, testing the word on her lips and waiting to read his reaction.

"From stalker to boyfriend, huh? That's an upgrade." He joked kissing her cheek. "Good morning, beautiful." Right at that second Rachel was positive she was going to have some major troubles leaving that apartment.

"If you were able to charm your way from stalker to boyfriend you should be proud of yourself." She smiled. "What can I help you with?"

"It's all set, all we have to do is go back to bed and have breakfast." Will took the tray and started walking towards the bedroom, Rachel following him closely behind. He stopped walking and turned to her before going inside the room. "Ladies first." He smiled.

"You are such a gentleman." She entered his bedroom. "But I know you are staring at my behind. Which as my boyfriend, you are entitled to do by the way." Rachel said matter-of-factly as both laughed.

"Good to know." Will said as both sat. "What else comes with the territory?" He handed her a cup of coffee.

"Well, there is a long list of rights and responsibilities for you to memorize actually..." She said in a sassy voice.

"Let me guess, you and Santana wrote it." Will inquired while taking a cereal bar.

"You are good!" Rachel was surprised how accurate he was. "Speaking of San, I HAVE to call her right now!" She put the cup on the tray and jumped up. Before he could say anything, Rachel was back with her cellphone in hand.

"Right now?" Will laughed.

"Absolutely! This will be fun." Rachel kissed him quickly and speed-dialed the Latina. She put the phone on speaker as he watched her curiously.

"Berry, this better be good. I'm driving and it's way early for your soap operas." Santana greeted her the Lopez way.

"In that case I should call you later, I don't want you to crash..." Rachel played the mystery card.

"What makes you think you and "The Schuester" making puppy eyes with one another would make me crash?" Santana laughed.

"Hello, Santana, it's The Schuester here." Will said amused by the nickname he had been given; Rachel was so proud of him!

"Holly hell!" Santana parked her car abruptly. "Sherry is alive! I want to know everything. Are you both able to walk this morning? If you can't, that's my girl! B, I'm so proud of you right now!" Rachel started to blush as Will whispered how adorable she looked with her cheeks pinking up.

"San!" Rachel protested, "What if he hadn't known!" Rachel turned to him. "Will, I apologize for whatever you are about to hear coming from her." Rachel looked into his eyes biting her lower lip.

"Oh, please! You chased him around a piano once, Berry! And I didn't hear a no so start talking! The both of you! Don't spare any details."

"Not in front of him, San! I am not stroking his ego! All I can say is we had a magical time." Rachel blew Will a kiss.

"You are perfect." He blurted out forgetting there was a third party in the conversation.

"Well, thank you, boyfriend." She kissed him.

"Get a room!" Santana screamed bringing "Sherry" back to reality. "But before you do that, I have two things to say. One, don't you ever say the word 'stroke' followed by 'his' if you don't want a dirty joke, B. And two, give me something else. What was THE move, Rach?"

"I will pretend I didn't hear what you said first, San." Rachel said in a serious tone, while Will was sipping some orange juice pretending to be distracted.

"Fine. But tell me about the move!" Santana said laughing.

"That, I can tell you. He sang 'You are beautiful' by James Blunt to me. San, isn't that super romantic?"

"You used a James Blunt song to get laid, Mr. Shue? What the hell? I'm disappointed now. And you, Berry, you can't settle for anything less than Coldplay and you know it." Santana was actually starting to sound a bit like Rachel herself, Will noted.

"I didn't have much to choose from; we were at a karaoke bar." Will tried to explain. Santana had clearly cheapened his intentions.

"It was a breathtaking performance, San! I was deeply moved by it. Will, don't listen to her." Rachel said taking a piece of his cereal bar and resting her free hand on his knee. Will was staring at her, hypnotized. She wasn't just defending Will, Rachel was also very comfortable around him, almost as if they had had breakfast in bed before. He couldn't shake the feeling that they fit. Things had fallen into place somehow.

"I love you." Escaped his lips in a whisper that both young women could hear. Rachel's jaw dropped while her heart was doing the most incredible somersaults.

"Sweet Jesus!" Santana screamed. "Jump him right now, Berry! Bye you crazy lovebirds!" The Latina hung up smiling. Her best friend sounded happy and for the sound of it, there was some massive puppy love going on between her and "The Schuester". Santana couldn't wait to tell Finn about the "Sherry adventures."

Rachel was collecting her thoughts while Will was staring right into her eyes. He hadn't meant to let that slip but he wasn't anywhere close to take it back. For a man that was afraid of taking chances, he had made an epic breakthrough, two in a row actually, and he couldn't be happier. There was something soothing about Rachel; something that didn't make him afraid of the world.

"You meant that." It wasn't a question, Rachel heard how heartfelt that "I love you" was. He nodded. "You DO realize that this is borderline insane, right? We ... everything happened so fast ... but that is beside the point, ugh, I am rambling, Will! See what you made me do?" Rachel was freaking out and he found that cute.

"You made me sing a cheesy song ,and I just told you I love you while your best friend was listening. I think we are even, Rach." Will held her hand.

"How did this happen?" She laughed shaking her head as if she was trying to wake up from some dream.

"How did what happen?" He was buying time; he knew he couldn't really answer that particular query. Love had taken him by surprise as well.

"This! Us! Love! How...?" Rachel was blinking like crazy while Will took the tray and placed it on the floor. He was afraid she would jump in bed and make a mess.

"Did you just admit you love me too, girlfriend?" Will raised an eyebrow.

"Of course I love you, you fool!" Rachel said exactly two seconds before throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him like there actually WAS a tomorrow, even if they wouldn't leave that bedroom to live it with the rest of the mortals.

Santana was right, "Sherry" was alive...

A.N.: I hope this makes up for the cruel cliffhanger from the previous chapter. I am actually nervous about this particular piece because the pace has taken a turn, so I hope you like it. Thanks again to the wonderful BuffyAnne for editing! And to everyone who has favorited and reviewed the story!