14. First Dance Lessons
"Erm, Miss Pillsbury?" came a timid voice from Emma's office door.
Emma looked up from the notes she had taken from the session that had taken place earlier that morning.
"Finn." Emma knew her surprise was evident on her face.
"Yeah - do you have time now or do I have to come back later...?"
Emma shivered slightly at the way he asked. She always knew that Finn could be a younger version of her fiancé, but she never knew - until today - that they sounded almost the same when they were heartbroken. Well, Emma assumed that the tone was heartbreak, since it seemed almost identical to how Will sounded a lifetime ago - when it seemed like she would never hear his cheerful dialects.
Emma knew then that she even if she did have an appointment, she wouldn't send Finn away - it looked like he was going to use one of her 'emergency sessions'.
"I have time now," Emma smiled reassuringly, thinking of her schedule today feeling a little bit relieved when she remembered she didn't have a session for the rest of the day. "Why don't you sit down Finn?" She gestured to one of the chairs on the other side of her desk.
"Thanks," Finn whispered.
"What's wrong?"
Never had she seen Finn like this before - it looked like he was about to cry,
"I... I don't k-k-know what to do a-a-anymore, Miss P – I-I-I just..." Finn stuttered, his breath becoming erratic.
"Ok, Finn, breathe; count to ten before you tell me," Emma firmly yet gently. She relaxed when she saw Finn do as he was told to.
Finn looked down at his hands once his breathing had returned back to normal; Emma just waited for him to come back – she knew he would eventually tell her what was bothering him.
"Sorry," Finn timidly apologized as he lifted his head.
"Don't be," Emma reassured and gestured for him to tell her what was going on in his life.
"Have you heard about what happened between Santana and me?"Finn questioned hesitantly.
"I was there," Emma gently reminded him.
Finn's face looked confused for a second before recognition spread though. "Oh yeah, you went after Rachel once she stormed out."
Emma nodded. "I am the guidance counsellor," she reminded him.
He smiled sadly before whispering, "She won't talk to me."
"I can't force her too," Emma sadly responded.
"I know that," Finn defended. "I just hoped..."
"Hoped..." Emma prompted.
"I don't know anymore – I just can't stand the thought of her hating me," Finn stressed. "I know it doesn't really matter to her but it meant nothing."
Emma nodded while secretly thinking how many times women in general had heard that before - but then again, this was under different circumstances.
"Does she know that?"
"I told her - you were there."
"I know, I mean – have you tried to talk to her in private?" Emma asked.
"I keep trying, but it's like she always has something to do when I go to her," Finn answered miserably.
"Maybe you should just give her time." Emma gave her advice out as Finn's face looked stricken.
"I've given two months! And it's not like I did it when we were going out! It happened when she was going out with that loser Jesse – hell, she even told me that she was going to do with him the night, and Santana and I..." Finn looked so close to losing it.
"FINN!" Emma snapped causing him to look back at the counsellor. "Breathe; you getting yourself into a state or worry about this won't help. I mean..." She trailed off when she realized that Will was outside her window.
In her defence, she had told him countless times to stop distracting her when she was in a session - it just seemed like he thought it as a challenge.
Usually, Emma wouldn't mind - it was a good way for stress relief of having these troubled teens come in and out her office. She loved her job dearly, but sometimes, she felt if she heard one more story about how the math teacher kept ignoring their answers... that was when Will would usually come past and just smile at her, pull a face, and smirk as he went on his way – she would tell him off about it later, but she would always welcome the mood he put her in afterwards.
But this time the way he distracted her was different.
He did some sort of move with his arms which looked familiar, but she couldn't place in anywhere – it felt like de ja vu – but she didn't know why. It came back to her when he put his hand up, raising 4 fingers. He wanted to meet her at 4 – she assumed his classroom. Before she could even react, he smirked again and went on his way.
Emma smiled as she turned her attention back on Finn, who was staring at the place Will was standing just a couple of seconds ago.
Busted.
"Oh...gosh... Finn – I'm so sorry, that was really unprofessional of me – I do keep telling him to stop doing that."
"No!" Finn reassured. "It's nice - you have your own sort of language. Wish I had that...I mean, it took you and Mr Schue a long time to get together, but now look – he's happy, happier than I've ever seen him, and you two are going to get married in like 2 months time."
Emma did it on reflex; she looked down at her engagement ring, and it looked like it belonged there.
She sighed, looking back at her student, wishing she knew how to make this situation he found himself in better. She couldn't though - she wasn't God. She couldn't force Rachel to take him back. She knew if someone had tried to do that when her and Will were apart, she would have gone further the other way, just in protest, even though she wanted desperately to be with him again.
"Finn..." Emma bit her bottom lip as she tried to come up with some advice. "I know you might not like it, but give Rachel time. If you push her, she might just stay firm on not being with you – you know how she can overreact."
"How much time am I suppose to give her?" Finn asked.
"As much time as she needs."
"Great," Finn muttered. "I'll be 30 by the time she comes back to me!"
Emma laughed softly. Going against her better judgement she said, "Mr Schue gave me about 8 months."
Finn looked at her in shock.
"And I also knew he was waiting, but he gave me space to come terms with what happened. Maybe you need to, too."
Finn nodded and then smiled - Emma guessed his first genuine smile of the session. "Thank you."
"I wouldn't say it would harmful to use Glee in your favour, though."
"What do you mean?"
"It's the one place she would have to listen to you Finn, and I'm sure Mr Schue would be happy to help you."
"Thanks," Finn nodded. "I'm going to talk to him now – but seriously, thank you for all your help."
"Was my pleasure, Finn - I'm here for anything you need to talk to me about."
Emma watched as he walked out the door. She leant back in her chair as she thought over what just happened – she knew eventually everything would work out between Finn and Rachel; it did for herself and Will, so...
Speaking of Will, what the hell was his dance about? She cursed the fact that this term they had different lunch hours – it would mean she would actually have to wait until 4 to find out.
The familiar hallway to Will's Spanish classroom was deserted as Emma walked down it at 3:59.
She reached the classroom at exactly 4:00. She stood still as she watched her fiancée - his muscles working beneath the plain white t-shirt and plaid long sleeve top with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, which was hanging loosely on top of the t-shirt (with a jolt, Emma realized it was the shirt she claimed as her own after she used it the first time she stayed overnight at Will's apartment) - as he moved chairs and tables to the sides of his classroom.
Will looked up, catching her staring at him; this caused her to blush at being caught.
"Hey Em," Will huskily greeted.
"Hey," Emma replied in an embarrassed voice...until she realised 2 things:
1. He was her fiancé – she's allowed to look at him like that.
2. She should be pretending to be annoyed at him.
"I'm so glad you've come - I didn't know if you were going to be able to break the code!"
"Yes," Emma agreed, smiling in spite of herself – she would be meeting him anyway, since they lived together and car pooled to work on days their schedules didn't clash – just like today. Granted it would be at his office instead of his classroom, but still. "Because it's was such a difficult code to break!" Emma teased then turned serious "How many times have I told you to stop distracting me during sessions?"
"Em!" Will whined but at least he had enough sense to look slightly sheepish as he placed the last of the chairs in the middle of the room so he could look at his fiancée.
"Will!" Emma replied, in the same voice. "It's my job - we promised when we started to go out, we would keep it professional at school!"
"And we do, Em," Will smiled as he assured her, walking over to put a gentle hand on her upper arm and ushering her further into the classroom. "We kept this relationship between us secret for three months before we told the glee kids."
Emma rolled her eyes before walking over to one of the tables that had been pushed to one side; she lifted herself onto it, sitting down in the most ladylike fashion- a gesture she would never have done three years ago. A second later, Will joined her.
"That hardly counts, Will," Emma turned her head to look at him. "They already knew - I think the whole school did! They all knew our feelings for one another."
"So?" Will questioned. "Emma, it's not against the law for people to know how we feel about one another – this", Will bent down to kiss lightly her engagement ring, "proves it."
Emma smiled. "You're right, sorry."
"Don't be - you know I would never do something to make you uncomfortable, so if you want me to stop, I will. But it's just my way of making sure my fiancée is getting through her day. Em, half the time I walk past, you are so captivated by the students in there that you don't even notice me go by! It's only when you need to know there is some sanity in your life you will see me."
"You call yourself my sanity?" Emma laughed as Will pulled a face.
"Now that's mean!" Will laughed, making his words not have little impact on her.. "Em, we are professional at school... it's not like I will go storming into your sessions, breeching confidentiality, just to snog you -granted I have thought about it! - and I also never made love to you in your office either." Will looked at her pointedly smiling; they both knew what he was going on about since the married English teacher had been caught shagging the engaged music teacher by a student – it was the latest Lima scandal.
Emma laughed, shaking her head. "So is there any real reason why you've brought me here?"
"Yes!" Will smiled, and then leaped up of the table. "I have heard a shocking rumour."
"You have, have you?" Emma laughed. "And what is this so called rumour?"
"That you are going to marry the dashing, loving, brilliant and kinda sexy Spanish teacher and glee adviser of McKinley High," Will smirked.
"You missed one," Emma pointed out, standing up at the same time.
"Have I?"
"Of course - it's his extremely modest ego."
"I bet."
"I am sorry, though," Emma smiled.
"Why?" Will looked generally confused for a second.
"It was my fiancée's job to tell everyone we were getting married," Emma teased
"Was it? He seemed to have forgotten your dance instructor." Will laughed and walked towards her.
Emma laughed as she realized why Will had brought her here.
"Maybe he just thought I didn't need a dance instructor anymore." Emma was so close to him she could press her lips against his.
"See, that's where you're wrong. Everyone needs some dance lessons before their wedding," Will whispered and he was about to kiss her when she pulled away and walked away, echoing a gesture he did so long ago.
"O.K then, teach me." Emma smirked at Will's breathless expression.
"That's not fair!" Will breathed out, turning on the spot.
"Why isn't it?"
"I was going to kiss you then!"
"Oh," Emma smirked. "I don't think my fiancée would have approved of that... plus, it wouldn't be that professional."
"Good thing I'm you fiancée, and forget professionalism! It's after school hours – it doesn't count," Will answered, making up the difference in a couple of strides. He pulled her to him by the waist and covered his lips with hers, causing her to gasp and jump slightly - but then her natural instincts kicked in, and she kissed him back, throwing her arms around his neck and pressing one of her hands against the back of his head, her fingers sinking into his hair as a reflex.
Emma pulled away first, in need of oxygen. She opened her eyes (she couldn't even remember when she closed them) and gazed in the loving ones of her fiancée. An identical smile formed on both of their faces.
"I love you," Will whispered into her ear, so no words could get lost from the moment it left his lips to the moment the sound waves hit her ear.
"I know," Emma whispered back. "I love you too, even though I think you are short changing me."
Will's pearl of laughter filled the usually silent Spanish classroom. "What do you mean?"
"You promised dance lessons! And so far, I haven't had any!"
"It's not my fault you look so beautiful - I keep getting distracted!"
"Flattery won't get you anywhere."
"Charming," Will smiled and stepped out of her embrace, picking up the forgotten chairs and putting them to the side, leaving the middle of the room clear.
"Fine, since you are so desperate for them, I shall teach you how to dance for your up and coming wedding," he smirked, causing Emma to laugh.
"So kind of you," she teased. "I have a problem."
"What?"
"There's no music."
"Ah!" Will pretended to think for a minute or so. "But there is"
"Is there?" Emma smiled.
"I took the liberty of making a mixed CD for the dance lessons – thought you would want to be involved in the music choices for the wedding."
"Yeah," Emma smirked. "Like you and the rest of New Directions haven't got that down to a 'T'"
"That might be true," Will agreed. "Doesn't mean you can't add to it, though!"
"You're so kind," Emma laughed
"I try to be."
"So what is the song selection for this dance lesson?"
"Ah, wait and see – I've chosen songs that I think apply to us, so, obviously, our song..." Emma smiled as Will continued, "And some others that have popped up along the way. For example..."
Will pressed play on the CD player that was on his desk, and the first few notes of, "I Could Have Danced All Night," floated through the room. He stopped the music before the first verse started.
"I was getting in to that," Emma complained.
"But I know you can dance to that song - it's this song I need to know if you can dance to." Will skipped forward a couple of songs and paused at one.
"You ready? It would have been easier if we could do this with your wedding dress on, so you know we know you can dance in it."
"Will," Emma warned, laughing slightly and remembering the memory of Will going slightly juvenile because he couldn't go wedding dress shopping with her. "Its bad luck for the groom to see the wedding dress before the big day."
"So?"
"Will, you can't see it," Emma laughed, shaking her head.
"You cannot honestly say that you are having as much fun shopping for a wedding dress without me."
"It was different last time, Will," Emma protested lightly. "I assure you, I am still having a fun time shopping for my wedding dress with my mum and sister."
He knew she wasn't kidding; he felt slightly proud of the fact that her family was involved in this wedding, helping. He was proud that they knew he existed at all.
"Fine, but you can't blame me if I trip on your train while dancing our first dance as a married couple!" Will lightly joked.
"Don't worry." Emma replied deciding to give him a clue on the wedding dress. "It hasn't got a train."
"Let's get this show on the road then, shall we?" Will pressed play and rushed over to her side, doing a mock bow. Emma laughed and returned with a mock curtsey as the sound of a guitar strumming, later backed up with a piano, filled the room.
She gasped as realized where he had gotten this song from. He smiled softly as he took her in his arms and whispered, "I'm going to sing along so I can remember my steps."
Emma rested her head on his shoulder as he started to sing. She realized she was experiencing the weird sensation of being in the present and the past at the same time as she remembered the memory that came along with this song...
Emma had her back to her office door. She was singing softly along to her favourite song, which was playing from her computer, the volume being as loud as it could be – school had been out for the day for about a couple of hours now, and she was just putting the finishing touches to the paperwork she had accumulated today. She found that doing this always relaxed her more then she would have thought.
She might not have been as relaxed if she realized that Will was leaning against her doorway. He had been her boyfriend again for three weeks now, and yet he had never heard her sing so freely before, like this - it was a beautiful song choice, as well. He knew if they hadn't already come up with a song from their (second) first date, this would be it.
She turned around and physically jumped when she saw Will watching her; she blushed when she realized that she had been caught.
"Sorry..."
"Whatever for?"
"Was the music too loud?"
"Oh, Em," Will smiled, walking into the office and pulling her to started to sway together in time with the music.
"Music can never be too loud."
Emma came fully back into the present when Will's velvety voice reached her ears.
Uh ohh
Now I stared at you
From across the room
Until both my eyes were faded
I was in a rush
I was out of luck
Now I'm so glad that I waited
Well you were almost there
Almost mine...yeah
They say love ain't fair
But I'm doing fine...
Cause I swear it's you
I swear it's you
I swear it's you that I've waited for
I swear it's you
I swear it's you
I swear it's you that my heart beats for
And it isn't gonna stop
No it just won't stop
Uh oh oh
Yeah
They had just been swaying in time with the music up until this point of the song - when Will had started to put some steps into the dance. But she already knew them by heart - they were already used when they danced in the bridal shop, but they were in a different order, in a different place – changed slightly to show how times had changed since the last time they danced them.
No longer was it long wishfull glances...Sexual tension never over heated the room like it used to (well not that intensely – some of the time anyway) because they could act on their feelings now, and they have many, many many times...but the one thing that could never change was how they danced together.
It was how they were the only two people in existence, how they only had eyes of one another - it made it so much easier for Will to see Emma's slight blush as he sang the next part directly to her, and both knew where the other's thoughts were.
Now you were fine by night
But when the morning light comes
Comfortable as rain on Sunday
And I'm a lucky soul
That holds your hand so tight
Hope you hear this one day
Don't fool yourself
This is my truth
I swear it's you
I swear it's you
I swear it's you that I waited for
I swear it's you
I swear it's you
I swear it's you that my heart beats for
And it ain't gonna stop
It just won't stop
Will stopped their movement as he sang the next part to her, holding one of her hands over his heart so she could feel the strength of his heart beat, knowing that it only belonged to her, would only ever belong to her. His thumb was softly rubbing against the hand he had captured against his heart; he felt the metal of the ring he had place on her finger, signalling that not only was he hers, that she was his as well.
You take this hand
You take this heart
Steal my bones
From 1000 miles apart
Feels so cold
Felt just like its ten shades of winter
And I need the sun
Ohh yeahh
Oh oh no no yeah yeah
They started to move together again - both going in circles and their eyes for only one another, just letting what the song meant to them sink into them. The circles increased in speed as the song started to come to its close.
And I swear it's you
I swear you
I swear it's you that it waited for
I swear it's you
I swear its
I swear it's you that my heart beats for
I swear it's you
I swear it's you
I swear it's you that I've waited for
I swear it's you
I swear it's you
I swear it's you that my heart beats for
And it ain't gonna stop
It just won't stop
Heyy yeahh
It just won't stop
No no no no woahh yeah
I swear it's you
I swear it's you
Ohh yeah
The song came to its natural close, as did the dance Will and Emma were performing. Their finishing position, with their foreheads resting against one another's, had them both breathing heavier than usual. Will stole a kiss from her - one Emma which she returned joyfully, but pulled away too quick for his liking.
"What?"
"Let's go home before we get caught with doing something really unprofessional."
PLEASE REVIEW! (NO FLAMES!) I'M BACK! Had a brilliant time in London! And now I'm back with more ideas! =D
A HUGE thank you to QueenOfTheButterflies for just being your amazing self! The song used is Won't Stop by the AMAZING OneRepublic LINK: http : / www . youtube . com / watch?v=mosSqCmPGfc (Without Spaces)
Now next time (unless I change my mind which knowing I probably will) will be: First Pain