Emma looked around her small office in the guidance wing of the school and smiled – it still looked as if she had never decided to leave. The motivational posters and college pennants hung on the walls, the array of books arranged neatly on the shelves behind her chair, the bright green plants sitting on the filing cabinets, and the small pot on her desk which contained a spray of white orchids. The only thing different about the room was the framed photograph by the phone of her and Will together on their first official date as a couple.

The last year of Emma Pillsbury's own life had been a rollercoaster of emotions and changes for her. Since Ken Tanaka dumped her at their wedding, she had been so heartbroken that she had initially resigned her position as a guidance counselor at McKinley High. But then something happened that made her change her mind – Will Schuester had kissed her. She recalled what had happened after she stared into his eyes and sighed with a smile on her face.

"I can't let you go," Will said, "not without letting you know how I feel."

"But, what about your wife?" Emma asked.

"I don't feel the same love for Terri that I once did," he explained. "She never supported anything I did or that made me happy. She thought that our marriage worked because I didn't feel good about myself, but she was wrong. You taught me that the only life worth living was the one I was truly passionate about, and what I'm passionate about is teaching, and glee club. And you."

"I don't know what to say," Emma said, choking back a tear. "You've been more than just a co-worker to me, you have been a true friend – someone who always stuck up for me."

"As for me, I'm going to hire a legal advisor in the next couple of months and start going over my options," Will said. "I'm going to go through with the divorce. I just can't be with Terri anymore." He looked at the wedding ring on his left hand and gently pulled it off his finger, putting it in the pocket of his jeans.

"But why now?" inquired Emma.

"Because you're the one I want to be with," Will replied. He picked up her box with one hand, then held out his free hand to hers, and she held on tight. "Let's go see Figgins about getting your job back."

Figgins had graciously given Emma her job back after she explained that she had made a mistake and did not want to leave. Will had supported her throughout the whole process, he had never seen her so happy. When they left the principal's office that day, he had asked her if she wanted to go out with him sometime, and she accepted.

That sometime had turned into an entire year. They had done a lot together – dinner, movies, watching glee rehearsals. But the times Emma loved more than anything were the times she went over to Will's new apartment and listened to him perform impromptu concerts while she sipped on a mug of hot chocolate. She loved the sound of his voice and admired the talent he had when he played the piano or the guitar.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the glass door to her office. Emma looked up from her paperwork and saw two heads peeking out of the doorway – Artie and Tina.

"Hi, Miss Pillsbury, can we come in?" asked Artie.

"Of course," Emma said with a smile, and she watched as Tina pushed Artie's wheelchair into the office. Artie was holding an envelope with a single pink carnation in his hands.

"It's so good to see you two," Emma said. "I heard about the fundraiser you and the glee club are putting on, a cabaret night is a great idea. How are the preparations going?"

"Terrific," replied Tina. "We've sold a lot of tickets around the school, and Rachel told us that her father said they've sold tons more at the club. Everyone's excited."

"We've gotten a lot of sponsors, people have donated some great things for the silent auction, and we even coerced Mr. Schu to perform," added Artie. "Oh, before I forget, this is for you." He handed the envelope and flower to Emma.

"You see, Miss P," explained Tina, "since we've been part of the glee club, we've been more than just a group – we've become a family. Mr. Schuester is like a father figure to us, and since you're practically our biggest fan and supporter, we consider you to be kind of like the mother of the Gleeks. You believed in us when nobody else did."

"Thank you both, that was very sweet of you to say," said Emma, putting her hands to her heart as Tina and Artie left, leaving her alone once more. She saw the envelope on her desk, picked it up and opened it. Inside was a note, with a ticket attached.

Dear Miss Pillsbury,

In appreciation of your constant support and love for the club, we would like to cordially invite you to our cabaret fundraiser as our special guest. Thank you for being our number-one fan!

From: New Directions