Will's Point of View

After twelve glorious days of having Emma all to myself, it was difficult to wake up in my bed alone. I'd grown so accustomed to having her by my side; feeling her gentle touch upon my face as her lips would kiss my cheek. I'd grown accustomed to her petite frame next to mine, and I missed her warmth.

We'd been back from Holden for almost two weeks now, and although we'd seen each other every day since then, Emma and I had mutually agreed that we should sleep at our own apartments - just to keep things fresh and new. And so far, we had succeeded. I was growing to love everything about this woman - and as I was showing her all of the things about me that she didn't know, I came to find out that we shared several of the same interests.

Glancing over at my bedside clock, I noticed the time. I was to pick Emma up at 11:15, and then we were heading over to see Dr. Phelps. I was excited that she'd asked me to go with her - I wanted to personally thank the woman who had helped Emma work through so many of her phobias and fears.

After getting a quick shower, I shaved and got dressed, then grabbed my keys and wallet and headed down to my vehicle. She was waiting at her door when I arrived, and as she climbed into my car, she leaned over and gave me a sweet kiss.

"I really want to thank you for doing this," she'd told me as she gave me directions to the office. "I know Dr. Phelps is really excited to meet you."

I wasn't sure what to make of her statement, but I smiled at her as I squeezed her hand.

Our wait wasn't long as we were called back almost immediately after arriving. I took a seat beside Emma in a large mahogany arm chair, reaching over to take her hand.

Soon the door behind the desk opened, and a slender grey-haired woman stepped in. "Emma, how have you been? And -" She stepped over to where I sat and extended her hand. "You must be Will. I've heard so many good things about you."

"Likewise," I replied as she took a seat in a chair to our left.

"So, Emma - I wanted to ask you about your emotional state right now. How are you feeling after your father's death?"

Emma looked around and I could see that she was trying to formulate the words in her head. "There are good days and bad. I am doing all that I can to focus on the good memories, though - and having Will here to lean on has been a great help."

The older woman looked at me from over her glasses. "I'm still so sorry for your loss, but I am thankful that you have a stable support system at your side." She jotted something down on her tablet then looked back up at us. After asking a few more questions about her father's death, she turned her attentions back to me. "Will - I want to know what you think. How are some ways that you've seen Emma improve over the last several months?"

I wasn't exactly sure what I should say, so I kept it on general terms. "Emma has become more trusting of those who are outside of her inner circle. She's not sweating the small stuff anymore - I got her to walk on the beach with no shoes - and she went out into the ocean with me, something I know she never would have done before. She's amazing - and I have told her that on several occasions. I am so proud of her and her progress."

Dr. Phelps continued to write things on her tablet, then looked up at me. "Will, if it's alright, I would like to finish up the session with Emma in private."

I nodded my head, leaning over to kiss the top of her head as I left. I sat in the waiting room for the next half hour, flipping through an old Reader's Digest until both women emerged.

"…you just continue to work on the things we talked about, and I'll see you in two weeks."

Dr.. Phelps took Emma's hand into hers and patted it before turning her attention to me. "Will, it was a great pleasure to meet you."

I extended my hand to her. "You as well."

I placed my hand on the small of Emma's back as we left walked out of the office and toward our car. "Emma, do you care to run an errand with me before we head back to your place?"

She nodded her approval, and I headed my car toward our destination.

"The mall, Will?" she questioned, her eyes widening. "I never pictured you as much of a shopper."

I smiled as I took her hand into mine. "I promise we won't be here long. I just need to pick up one thing." I knew she was curious, but as I pulled her into the jewelry store, her eyes widened.

The salesperson approached us. "May I help you?", she asked.

"Yes, I need to pick up an order for Schuester."

She left us to go and retrieve the order, and Emma looked over at me. "What did you…?"

I diverted her attention by pointing to a diamond bumblebee broach in the case. "That looks like you, Emma."

She glanced down into the case, looking at the piece. "It's so beautiful."

I smiled as I led her over to another case - the various rings glittering up at us. "That one's pretty," I said, pointing to a platinum diamond solitaire.

She looked over at me, her eyes now wide. "Will, what are you doing?"

I smiled. "Waiting on my order."

"Mr. Schuester?" The saleswoman had returned from the back with the small velvet box in her hands. "Did you want to take a look and make sure it was what you had in mind?"

Taking Emma's hand, I walked over to the counter with her. "Why don't you see, Emma?"

"But, Will…I don't know what I'm…" Her eyes widened as she looked over at me, her hands trembling slightly. "I…"

She took the tiny box into her hands and opened the lid slowly. "Oh my - Will…" Looking up at me, her smile grew a mile wide. "How did you…I mean, I…"

I watched with amazement as she looked at the pendant her father gave her for her birthday, the new, longer chain attached. "I had Gladys make sure it got packed in my bag - and then call you after we'd left to let you know you'd 'forgotten' it."

Her eyes glistened as I took the box from her and removed the pendant, placing it around her neck. "There."

She leaned into me, hugging me tightly as I wrapped my arms around her waist. "It's perfect."

As we walked out of the store, Emma fingered the small butterfly that hung around her neck. "Are you surprised?"

She lay her head over on my shoulder. "Yeah." She chuckled slightly a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"Why the giggle?"

She turned to look at me as we exited the mall. "There for awhile, I thought you were…"

Emma paused, and I knew what she was thinking. "Thought I was what?"

She blushed as she spoke. "Well, we were looking at diamond rings - and…" She buried her head in her hands. "…I thought you were…"

She couldn't complete her sentence, and I pulled her to me as we approached the car. "Emma, sweetheart…" I kissed her gently. "That'll happen - someday. Just not right now." I placed her into the car, then came around to climb into the driver's side.

The drive back to her condo was relatively silent. I noticed out of the corner of her eye that she kept reaching up to hold onto her pendant, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Will," she spoke. I had pulled into a spot in front of her building. "I can't thank you enough." She leaned over to kiss me. "You're so sweet, and kind…and I love you so much."

As she pulled away from me, I took her hands into mine. "I love you, too."

"Do you want to come in?" she said, nodding toward her condo. "I'd really like to show you my appreciation." She bit her bottom lip.

"I'd love to," I said, reaching up to cradle her face in my hand, "…but I can't. I have to be somewhere at three."

She frowned. "But, you'll come over tonight - around seven-ish? I'll cook and then -" She leaned in to kiss me. "Then I'll be able to properly thank you."

I groaned against her lips. "That sounds perfect."

Kissing her one last time, I watched as she got out of the car and walked into her condo. Insuring that she was out of sight, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my cell phone.

She answered on the second ring. "Hey."

"Will - sweetheart. What a surprise."

As I pulled out into the road, I spoke. "Hey Mom, do you care if I come over? I need to ask you something."

Emma's Point of View

I loved being a girl. Gorgeous clothes, cute shoes, earrings and brooches. Getting to have a man like Will Schuester in your life to kiss and hug you, among other things.

But right now - well, I was cursing Mother Nature under my breath.

My cycle had always been irregular, but today - why did it have to come today of all days? Will had been so sweet earlier. He'd had my pendant fixed and I wanted to properly thank him. I'd even pulled out the short purple nightgown I had purposely bought for our trip to North Carolina. I'd planned on wearing it to the door - dinner could have waited a few hours. But now, that plan was shot all to hell by the appearance of a visitor I loathed.

The worst part was that he was expecting it after what I'd said earlier in the car.

I went over the conversation - one I didn't particularly want to have - in my head several times before he arrived. Opening the door, he took my breath away. In one hand was a bag from Blockbuster, in the other a bottle of wine. Between his teeth was a single red rose. "Ewwo," he mouthed around the flower.

I grabbed the items from his hands and motioned for him to come inside. "This is for you," he said, snaking his hands around me from behind, bringing the rose up to touch my cheek.

"Thank you," I said, pushing up on my tiptoes to kiss him. "It's beautiful."

He pulled me in close to him, the smell of soap and his detergent and him invading my senses. "I got a couple of movies - not sure which one you'll want to watch - if any…"

His nose now nuzzled in my neck and I instinctively pulled away. "A movie would be nice."

Looking at him, I could see he was confused, but he didn't say anything. After dinner, he helped me clean up and we retired to the living room.

"So, we've got your choice - Dirty Dancing? Or The Notebook?"

Both were favorites of mine, and he knew it. "I guess - I haven't seen Dirty Dancing in awhile - let's watch that one."

I took my seat on the sofa, the ibuprofen I had taken earlier in the day to ward off my cramps starting to wear off. Will came to sit beside me, pulling my head over onto his shoulder.

As we watched the movie I could hear him singing along softly with most of the songs. We were now at the scene where Baby and Johnny were in his room, the soft strains of 'Cry to Me' setting the mood for their first truly romantic encounter, and I could feel Will's hand starting to trace gentle circles around my waist, his lips burying in my hair.

"Emma," he whispered, and I tried to pretend I didn't hear him. His hand reached up to my face, turning my chin to look at him as his lips gently grazed mine as I heard the movie pause in the background. "Why don't we…?"

I froze and sat straight up. "Will, I'm watching the movie." I began to wring my hands together, the nervousness starting to well in the pit of my stomach.

"We can come back to it,' he breathed in my ear as he pulled my hair up, his lips gently kissing at my hairline. "I'll make it worth the wait."

I pulled away from him and turned to face him head on. "Will, we - we can't."

His face dropped. "Why not, Emma? I don't care if you're sheets haven't been changed or if you haven't brushed…"

"NO!" I said it a little louder than I had wanted, and he stopped speaking. Lowering my voice, I continued. "It's not that…it's that - I can't…"

Realization set in on his face as his lips curled into a sweet smile. I felt the heat welling in my cheeks as I lowered my head. "Emma," he whispered, coaxing me to look at him through the hair that now surrounded my face. "Sweetheart."

He pulled me into his lap, his hands gently cupping my face, forcing me to look at him. "I'm sorry, Will - I…"

He placed his finger to my lips. "Shhhh, it's alright. I…"

"But I promised I'd…"

This time his lips silenced me. "Emma, darling - I promise, it's ok." He settled me back at his side, his strong arms holding me in a gentle embrace.

I looked back at him, thankful he hadn't needed more of an explanation. As he started the movie back up, his hands danced delicately over my arms and down to my stomach, where he paused momentarily before beginning to gently knead the skin there, until I fell asleep in his arms.

Author's Note

Sorry for the fake out in Will's POV! Don't hate me too much for that. This had originally set out to be two chapters, but Emma's POV was too short to stand alone.

I feel that I should let you all know that this story probably only has a few chapters left. The arc is almost complete, and - well - I don't want to continue on and jump the proverbial shark just by dragging it on and on and on and…you get the picture. I have at least 4 - maybe 5 more chapters in this story, though. Just wanted to prepare you all.

Thanks once again for the reviews and comments. I have truly enjoyed taking this adventure, and hope that I'll be able to wrap it up in a way that everyone can enjoy and live with.

Until next time! ~Jilly XOXOXO