Will's Point of View

The mild days of September had given way to the cool, crisp days of early October. The school year was going well, and as we'd had several new students join Glee, I was busier than ever working on routines and music. We had our first public performance in a little over three weeks, and I'd been logging several late nights. I was thankful that Terri was working several nights a week, as well. I had thought that it might make us appreciate our time together more. However, it seemed to have pushed us further apart. Every thing I said; everything I did - it seemed that she found something wrong with it. It wasn't just the big things either - she'd given me a ten minute tongue lashing for not loading the washing machine correctly, then went into our bedroom and closed the door, where I could hear her crying.

"Do you think she's alright?"

I looked across the table in the faculty break room at Emma, the royal purple color of her cardigan a flattering color to her hair.

"I mean, you know - sometime hormones can make women do strange things - especially…Will, is she pregnant?"

My eyes bugged out of my head as her question registered in my head, and try as I might, I couldn't stifle my laughter. "Well, if she is, it isn't mine…we haven't…"

I realized I had said too much as I noticed Emma's face turning red. "Um, sorry, TMI, right?"

Emma gulped and reached for her sandwich, taking a bite to avoid answering my question immediately. "Um, no - Will…can you meet me this afternoon? There's really something I've been wanting to talk to you about."

Emma and I had become pretty close friends over the last month. It had all started when I'd posted a list for faculty chaperones for our annual trip over to Carmel High for their Fall Showcase. She'd volunteered almost immediately - and had been the only one to do so. Several of the kids had been happy to welcome her into our little group - she was already becoming a great asset to McKinley, and many of the girls had been in to talk to her about issues they were facing. Even Rachel Berry seemed to be a different person after talking to her.

I realized I'd sat silently and hadn't answered her question. "Um, yeah, sure - we have practice this afternoon until around four-thirty. Will you still be around then?"

Emma nodded as she placed the plastic lid back on her bottle of water. "Sure."

The bell rang, signaling the end of our allotted lunch period, so I bid her a farewell and headed back toward my classroom. Emma had walked out ahead of me, and as she walked, I couldn't help but think how things might have been if I had met her first. We had a lot in common; we liked the same bands and seemed to have similar political views…

STOP IT WILL! You're married and she's with Carl.

That last part still bothered me. Emma and Carl had been dating each other since that first week of school, and although she seemed genuinely happy, I was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. I had seen them together last Friday night when I'd gone out to support the football team in yet another brilliant loss. They were cuddled together under a blanket in the cool October evening. That night I'd dreamed that it was she and I under that red plaid blanket, and although the dream was brief, it had made me feel so comforted. Of course, I had awoke with a start to find that Terri wasn't still home. She'd had car trouble and was thankful for a kind trucker who had seen her have the blowout and had changed her tire for her at one o'clock in the morning. It had upset me that she didn't call, and when I asked her about it she'd only called me possessive and slammed the bedroom door in my face.

As I sat in my room during my planning period, I wondered if Emma might have been right. Was Terri pregnant? Mood swings did go along with it, but if she was? I did the math, and realized that it might be possible. It had been at least seven weeks but - that was enough to warrant some changes. I made a mental note to try and be a little more understanding toward her. But, if that was it, wouldn't she have told me by now?

Regardless, I realized that we had been spending a lot of time apart. Maybe I should plan a weekend away for just the two of us - I was sure if I called James, he'd let her have a weekend off since she'd taken the extra shifts for Howard.

Proud of my new ideas, I closed my grade book and shoved it into my messenger bag as I made my way down to the choir room.

Seventh period had spilled over into after school practice time, and as I worked on a couple of the verses with Artie and Mike, I heard the chatter start - mostly the girls.

"Miss P!" Mercedes' voice carried over the others. After the recent loss of her grandmother, she'd been logging a lot of time with Emma, and it seemed to have done a world of good. I heard Emma speaking to all of the girls and turned to see that she was surrounded by all seven of them - it almost looked like she was being mobbed.

"Hey," she said, waving at me. "If it's alright, I'll just sit over here." She pointed to a chair in the corner of the room.

"No, Miss P - sit up there. Let us show you what we've been working on - you'll be objective, since you've not seen it before." Noah Puckerman smiled and winked at the redhead, and she shook her head and rolled her eyes at him.

Quinn and Santana had already pulled a chair to the front of the piano and were pushing her toward it. Emma sat down and crossed her legs at the ankles. "OK, kids - show me what you've got."

I stood to her side and started the CD and watched as my group of (now) sixteen members breezed through the Jay-Z and Alicia Keys number, performing better than they had done it before. Emma's face lit up as she smiled and applauded the students for a job well done.

"Well, " I mentioned as I stopped the track. "Maybe I should have Miss Pillsbury attend practice more often - you all were great! And for that, everyone go on home - you deserve a short afternoon."

I watched as everyone gathered their belongings and waited until their chatter was far down the hall before I turned back to Emma. Her once happy demeanor had turned somewhat more serious.

"So, you wanted to talk to me?" I pulled the piano bench over to where I was facing her. "What's up?"

She picked at the button on the bottom of her cardigan for just a moment, then solemnly looked up at me. "Will, I'm just wondering - I mean, you know - about you and Terri."

Her question shocked me. "And you mean?"

Once again she fumbled nervously at her button. "I just - I mean, you've been talking about your relationship a lot lately, and well - it seems that you're always feeling like you…"

Realization set in, and I looked up at her, an embarrassed smirk on my face. "Emma, God - I'm sorry. I never meant to throw so much of my personal drama over on you. I just - you're a good friend and I…"

Her mouth fell open. "No, Will - it's not that, I don't mind at all. Isn't that what friends do?"

I nodded. "Yeah, but I…"

Emma cut me off. "Friends also should be honest with one another, and I…"

We were both interrupted by a booming voice behind us. "I thought I heard your voice."

Carl now stood by her side, pulling at her hands until she was standing in front of him. He leaned down to kiss her, and I could tell she was uncomfortable. He pulled away from her and looked over to me. "Will, I hope I wasn't interrupting anything - I just wanted to see if my girl here wanted to go out to dinner tonight."

Carl looked down at Emma, and she smiled up at him. "I have my Yoga class tonight, but how about something quick afterward?"

I walked away as they carried on their conversation, although I could see Emma looking over his shoulder at me. It almost seemed that she was looking at me with - was it pity? Certainly not, I thought.

As they carried on their conversation, I grabbed my things and quietly departed the room.

The rest of the week passed by quickly, and I was thankful. I was tired, and really needed some down time at home. My biggest ambition for the weekend was happening tonight, and as I entered Sheets-N-Things, I hoped that Terri had not already had dinner. I'd gone by her favorite Mexican restaurant and picked up her favorite - Chicken Fajita Nachos. I wanted to do something to surprise her - maybe show her that I appreciated all she was doing taking the extra shifts.

After walking around for a few minutes, I didn't see her. Walking up to the registers, I noticed Howard Bamboo standing behind the counter.

"Howard," I said, holding out my hand to shake his. "How's your sister? I assume she's better?"

He looked at me like I had three eyes. "Um, I don't have a sister."

Maybe I had misheard Terri, but I was sure that she'd told me it was Howard that was taking the time off to visit his sister.

"Where's Terri?"

He looked at me - again with a puzzled look in his eye. "I don't know."

I glanced around, looking down at my watch. I had promised my Dad that I'd come over for dinner with he and my Mother tonight. "Well, when you see her, would you tell her I came by and brought her this?"

Howard took the bag from my hands and mumbled. "Yeah, sure."

I said my goodbyes and walked out to the parking lot, leaving a note on Terri's windshield before I left.

Emma's Point of View

I wondered how pathetic the other people in the queue thought I was, standing here all alone in the line at the theater. I mean, here I was on a Friday night standing in line to see that new mind thriller that all the kids at school had talked about - I'd even seen Artie and Tina a few people ahead of me. Carl had abruptly canceled our plans at the last minute - his old friend had tickets to the Ohio State game tomorrow, and he'd offered him one. Knowing that was his college team of choice, I'd encouraged him to go on. They'd have to stay overnight - they had plans to be up front and center for College GameDay the next morning.

Taking a seat at the back of the theater, I munched my popcorn and tried not to look too pitiful here all by myself. As the lights went down, I thought I caught a glimpse of Will's wife Terri sitting in one of the two-seated "date rows" along the side of the theatre walls. Great, I thought to myself, just what I need - someone else to see me at the movies all alone.

I did all that I could to keep my head down every time someone would come down the aisle. The lights dimmed further, and as they did, I noticed a man taking the seat beside Terri. As I looked closer, I noticed that the silhouettes didn't match up. This man was much too tall to be Will. His hair didn't have the same waves. This was the man I'd seen in the car with her - the man I'd wanted to talk to Will about earlier in the week. My stomach churned as I watched them acting like two horny teenagers as they made out in the dimly lit room while everyone else around them was watching the film.

I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to call Will - tell him what was going on. Sure, it might kill our friendship - maybe even make him hate me, but I felt he needed to know. I stood up from my seat and made my way out to my car. Climbing inside, I reached into my purse and retrieved my phone, turning it back on.

It was when I looked back up and saw the couple walking out of the theater hand in hand and draped over each other that I dropped my phone, quickly cranked the engine, and sped back home never looking back. I didn't want them to see me, and quite frankly, I was now at a loss for words.

Author's Note:

And this, my friends, is what they call the proverbial sh*t hitting the fan. Emma's got sure proof now, and doesn't exactly know what to do. But rest assured, Terri's cheating ways aren't going to last much longer. Emma's protective of Will - after all - she feels she still 'owes' him for his act of bravery.

I'm sorry for the delay in posting. My Mom's health issues continue, as she has been re-admitted to the hospital for more fluid in her lungs and now some new heart issues. She is in the best place for her right now (under the doctor's care) and we are now discussing long term plans for her future care.

I have also gone back to work for the 2010 - 2011 school year, so updates will be further apart now. Being in student records, this is my busiest time of the year, so I know I will be slammed at work.

Again, if it weren't for you, my readers, I wouldn't have the encouragement and love needed to continue on this journey. Your comments and replies make my day.

Until next time, ~Jilly