A/N: So as it turns out, it was 3 more chapters. Not 4. So, I bring you the final three chapters of My Traveling Soldier. I plan to have a fluffy piece up sometime this week, probably after Tuesday's episode of Glee!(: -Tayma

"This is How an Angel Cries" from Sail by AWOLNATION.

Chapter 11: This Is How An Angel Cries

"Emma Roxanne Pillsbury!"

Emma strode proudly across the stage to greet the man who would be handing her a diploma. She was wearing a red cap and gown and smiling from ear-to-ear. She couldn't believe that she had finally made it through high school and the past two years without her best friend. They'd been brutal, but none of that would matter after the awards ceremony.

She hadn't heard from Will since his letter announcing he would be returning home, nor had she seen him anywhere around Lima. Emma hadn't heard from Clarissa, either, but she just figured if Will was home, he wanted to spend time with his grandmother before he saw Emma. That was something she could completely understand. He just said he'd be home for her graduation; that didn't mean he had to sit through the ceremony.

Still, Emma couldn't help but repeatedly glance hopefully at the crowd, hoping maybe Will and Clarissa would be arriving late. She wanted him to see her get a diploma. She worked so hard the past two years without him and she wanted him to be proud of her.

When she heard her name called, she walked across the stage proudly, accepting her diploma and accepting that Will wasn't in the crowd of people. It was okay. Christopher was there and that was just as good in her opinion. They were the two people who always supported her and made her feel confident. As she returned to her seat, she made a face at Shannon who made one back and laughed. The two girls were on top of the world in their opinions. Emma watched as all her other classmates received their diplomas, then as a group the whole class flipped their tassels from one side to the other and it was official. They were no longer high schoolers. At the ceremony's end, Emma found Shannon and they spoke excitedly for a few minutes before going to find their respective families. They planned on meeting up later that night so Emma could introduce her to Will before Shannon left for vacation tomorrow.

Upon finding her family, Emma was greeted with a loud whoop from her brother and a huge hug from her father.

"We're so proud of you, Emma," he said, kissing her cheek.

"Thank you, Daddy!" She beamed and looked at him, trying not to squirm from excitement that she would be going to see Will in a few minutes.

Rusty passed Emma off to Chris who hugged his sister and messed up her hair. Rose was the last and she smiled, running a hand over Emma's hair, "I'm proud of you, Emma."

Emma smiled at her mom and dad before finally letting out a sigh, "Okay I've been trying not to ask, but please can I go to Clarissa's and see Will?"

Her parents shared a look for a moment and Emma looked between them, confused. Had they changed their minds? Were they not going to let her go see him?

"Mom…I can go see Will, right?"

Chris rolled his eyes at his parents and looked at Emma, "Go before they stop you." He smiled widely and shooed her away. Emma kissed each of their cheeks and took off, running out of the gymnasium and out into the rain, her legs carrying her as fast as they could down the street from the school gymnasium, heading towards Clarissa and Will's house.

Reaching the front door of the Schuester residence, Emma knocked on the door excitedly, fixing her damp cap on her head. She had to rein her emotions in, feeling on the verge of exploding with excitement. When there was no answer, Emma knocked again, this time a bit louder, biting her lip. It took another minute or so before she heard the door unlocking then opening to reveal Clarissa standing before her. She looked like she'd been asleep all day and Emma worried that maybe she'd been ill and resting.

"Hi. I'm really sorry to just barge in over here because you look like you've been sleeping and I'm sorry if you were, but it's graduation and Will's letter said he would be back and I just really need to see him." Emma stared at Clarissa, a wide smile on her face, stepping through the door as Clarissa stepped aside for her.

The older woman closed the door behind them and cleared her throat, looking at Emma. Even wet from the rain, she was so beautiful in her cap and gown, and it was hard to believe the beautiful woman standing before her was the same shy little girl she'd met twelve years ago.

"Emma. Sweetie, I need to talk to you," Clarissa looked at her with an expression of sadness that Emma couldn't comprehend.

"Can I see Will first, please? Is he sleeping? I don't think he'll care if I wake him up."

Clarissa stepped forward towards Emma and placed her hands on either side of the girl's face. She looked into her eyes and shook her head, her eyes starting to tear up.

"Honey, Will's not home."

"What? But his letter said, Grandma. You saw it. He said that he'd be home on my graduation. We were going to go get married tomorrow." Her brow furrowed and she shook her head slightly, staring at Clarissa. She took in Clarissa's watery eyes and took a deep breath. "He'll be home later, right?"

Clarissa's head shook again. She looked at Emma with sorrow, knowing that she was about to shatter her world. As she spoke, her voice shook as she tried to hold back tears.

"Honey…Will's not coming home."

"N-now?"

"Not now."

Emma's breath caught in her throat as she processed the two words. Swallowing thickly, Emma whispered the three words she dreaded and answer to. "W-will he ever?"

All it took was a shake of Clarissa's head and a whispered, 'I'm sorry' for Emma to understand what Clarissa was saying. Emma's hand moved to cover her mouth and she shook her head, denying the truth. She stepped back away from Clarissa and cleared her throat, head still shaking determinedly.

"No, this – this isn't funny. He said he would be home. He promised me." Emma's lower lip began to tremble and her throat became tight as she fought back tears in her eyes.

"I know he did, Emma, and he promised me, too. B-but these sort of things…they aren't planned."

Clarissa watched as Emma's face crumpled and she started crying, standing in the middle of the foyer, her world being ripped away from her. Clarissa found out the information a few days prior and talked with Emma's parents, the three of them deciding it was in Emma's best interest to be left in the dark about this until after her graduation. There was no need to spoil her last week with Shannon as a kid with heartbreaking information. Clarissa had days to process this information, and while it was hard, she'd been able to come to terms with it. She would miss her grandson every single day for the rest of her life, but he died fighting. There was no nobler way to die in her opinion, and she was damn proud of him.

Stepping forward, Clarissa moved to hug Emma gently, but Emma stepped back, shaking her head.

"No. He's – he's not…" Emma turned and opened the front door, stepping outside. He wasn't at Clarissa's because he was at the pier. He had to be. He promised her that he would be there for her graduation, and maybe he wasn't at Clarissa's because he wanted to see her for the first time again in the same place he saw her for the last time. She took off towards the lake as fast as she could, not caring that it was pouring rain and ruining her cap and gown. None of that mattered when she needed to find Will.

The rain in Lima was relentless, coming harder the closer she got to the pier. She reached the pier quickly, slowing when she arrived and he wasn't there. Her lip trembled and new tears started falling, mixing in with the rain on her face. Walking to the edge of it, Emma stood dejectedly facing the lake. Each new rain drop fell into the lake water, creating a small depression and a constant plopping noise that seemed to match the swift rhythm of her rapidly beating heart. A combination of tears and rain ran down her face, her mascara following the trails down to her chin. Emma's robe was soaked through from water, her mortar board cap now limp from the unwelcome moisture. Her tassel hung dripping by her face and she let out a sob, gasping when the noise painfully ripped open a hole in her heart. She heard footsteps on the wooden platform behind her. Her first thought was Maybe it's Will, but hope was lost as she whipped around, soaking wet ribbons of hair flying and sticking to her face. Her eyes fell upon her older brother who was standing a few feet away from her, his own ginger hair wet and matted to his forehead, his clothes soaked through from running after her.

"Emma…" He looked at her pityingly, his forehead wrinkled as he took in the appearance of his baby sister. After Emma took off from the gymnasium, Rose and Rusty told Chris the news they were told nights earlier. He yelled at his parents for keeping something like that from Emma, especially when they knew what was supposed to happen after her graduation was over. He didn't understand how they could know for days that their daughter's fiancé was dead and keep that information from her.

Emma let out a sob and shook her head, her face crumpling as she looked up at the sky, staring at the clouds that she felt would now follow her always.

"I stood right here." Her voice was weak and broken as new tears formed in her eyes, her finger pointing at her very spot. "Right here, Chris."

Her brother shook his head. "What do you mean, Emma?"

Another sob broke through the wall she was trying to put up in an attempt to hold them all in her chest. Each sob just hurt more.

"I stood…r-right…here. He told m-me, he'd be back for my graduation. He p-promised."

"Emma," Chris took a step forward. "Emma, he had no idea. He had no clue what he was getting into; no clue that this would happen."

"No. No! I stood right here! I stood here and looked Will in the eye and he promised me! He's supposed to take care of me, Christopher! He's – and I – I stood right here." Finally, the flood broke through and Emma started sobbing uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face as her knees threatened to buckle beneath her. Her hands came to rest over the center of her chest and she gripped onto her graduation gown, needing something to hold onto.

Christopher walked over to his sister, his arms wrapping around her as his heart began to break for her. "Shh, Emma. Shh, you're going to be okay." He reached up and pulled the limp cap from her head, pulling her closer to him and holding her tightly. His eyes closed and his head came to rest on hers, his lips finding the side of her wet hair momentarily.

Emma didn't fight Chris's arms around her, instead welcoming them as support and she fell against her brother, repeating the same four words over and over. I stood right here. I stood right here. I stood right here. In that moment, they were the four most important words that existed. They were the four words that were holding her together and tearing her apart at the same time. Will had never broken a promise to her in their entire lives together. Twelve years and not one promise broken; why did his life have to be the promise to ruin that streak? What did she do that meant her boyfriend – no, forget boyfriend, fiancé, whatever they planned to be when he got home. Her best friend who took care of her and who she depended on so greatly; what did she do that meant he had to be taken from her?

After some time, Chris looked down at his sister. She'd calmed down considerably and her determined 'I stood right here' had suddenly become faint mumbles, more reassuring herself than clarifying to the outside world. The rain wasn't letting up any, but evening was drawing nearer and the temperature was dropping further.

"Emma? We need to get home."

She shook her head, her eyes locking on the top button of his shirt.

"Yes, it's cold. You'll catch cold."

Again, Emma shook her head. Christopher's arms dropped from around her and he sighed, shaking his head gently. "Don't do this, Emma. Don't stand out here in the cold, hoping it will make you feel numb. It won't stop you from feeling."

Listening to Christopher's words, Emma nodded and started walking away from the edge of the dock, heading back towards the road. Each step she took made her feel farther and farther away from Will. He wasn't coming home. He was never coming home. She was never going to see him again, and she hadn't told him everything yet. She was never going to hug him again or hear him laugh and the realization of those facts made her start to cry harder as she walked home with her brother at her side.

Entering the Pillsbury house soaking wet, Emma marched straight up to her room, closing the door behind herself. She pulled off her cap, letting it fall to the floor, and then removed her gown and did the same, allowing it to fall to the floor. She looked down at her outfit underneath the gown. It, too, was soaking wet, but it was an army green dress that she purchased specifically for the first time she would see Will again. He'd never get to see her dress.

There was a knock on her door and she turned to see her brother stepping through. He held out a towel to her and smiled a little. "Em, I told Mom and Dad to just leave you be for a while. If you need anything, I'm across the hall."

Emma nodded and took the towel, watching Chris leave the room. She let the towel fall to the floor and moved to her bed, pulling out her shoebox and taking out Will's most recent letter. There it was, plain as day. Emma, I'm finally coming home, and I'll be in time for your graduation. Emma read the sentence over and over again, vocalizing it a few times, her heart breaking further with each syllable.

That night, Emma lay in bed, staring out of the dark window. Her arms were crossed over herself and she'd just finished crying for what felt like the millionth time that day. She'd eventually called and talked to Clarissa, apologizing for running out on her and asking if she was doing alright. She said that she was and she understood Emma's running away earlier. It wasn't a long phone conversation, but they'd agreed to go out on a walk at the park later that week. Not that it would matter. Will wouldn't be there.

As Emma stared out of the window, her mind went to the last time she and Will saw each other. She hadn't told Will exactly how much she loved him.

Will let out a sigh and spoke the words they'd been dreading since they arrived at the pier. "Emma, I have to go." He spoke the words gently and regretfully, stroking her hair. She just nodded and stood, extending her hand to him, her mind racing frantically to figure out what to say to him before he left.

He stood and held her face again, looking her in the eyes. "Emma, please stay safe and take care of yourself. You have two years left of high school. Keep doing what you're doing, okay? I want to come home to your graduation ceremony." He let out a small laugh and a smile. "I will write to you every day that I can." He leaned forward and kissed her again, lips lingering longer than necessary. She returned the kiss, swallowing when he pulled away. New tears were on her cheeks and she took a deep breath, willing herself to listen to him. "I promise, I will."

Her arms wrapped around him tightly and she buried her face in his neck. Will's arms wrapped around her waist and he held her close, memorizing the feel of her tiny frame against him and in his arms. Finally, he broke away and held her at arm's length.

"I have to go."

With that, he bent over and picked up his duffel, slinging it over his shoulder. He began to walk away and Emma watched him, her world turning slightly colder as her best friend – boyfriend – got further from her. Was your heart supposed to break like this at only sixteen? When he was almost to the road, Emma took a few steps forward.

"Will?"

He turned and looked at her and she bit her lip, finally deciding on what she'd say to him.

"Yeah?"

"I…" She hesitated. "I love you."

He cracked a smile. "I love you, too, Emma."

"No," she said, shaking her head. "Iloveyou."

All of this time since he left, she'd been so focused on telling him in person that she never told him the full extent of her love for him. Why did she have to hold back? Why couldn't she just lay her heart completely on the line and tell him absolutely everything? She should have told him when she fell in love with him, and she should have told him why she loved him. 'I love you' that's all that she could muster? He may not have known, and the idea that he could die wondering how much Emma loved him made her sick to her stomach.

Sleep never came to Emma that night and when morning rolled around, she probably looked as awful as she felt. Sometime in the night she'd finally changed out of her stupid dress and into some pajamas. The dress now lay in a pile on the floor. She got up the moment she heard movement downstairs, changing into an outfit for the day quickly, and then heading down to make some breakfast. Rose was in the kitchen, already starting some eggs and bacon when Emma walked in, marching straight across to their coffee pot and starting the water.

"Emma, honey you look awful." Rose glanced at her daughter before going back to whisking up some eggs in a bowl.

"Well I feel awful. My best friend and fiancé were all wrapped up into one and he died, so I think that's how I'm supposed to look and feel."

"Well I told you that you shouldn't take what he said seriously."

Emma whipped around and looked at her mother, her jaw dropping in surprise.

"Are we really about to play the 'I told you so' game, Mother?"

"Yes, we are. I said you would get hurt, Emma. I said it over and over again and none of you would listen to me. So we will play the 'I told you so' game." Rose's head bobbed in one, final nod and she poured the eggs into the hot pan to start scrambling them up, "Do you want one egg or two, Emma?"

"I don't want anything. I hope you're happy that you're right because my heart is broken. I'm going to see Shannon, then Clarissa."

Emma turned on her heel and went to her room, throwing on a pair of sandals and grabbing her purse. She headed back downstairs and walked out of the front door into the bright morning, but she didn't see any colors. She only saw one big, wide world that she was now alone in.