Will sat by the fountain, head in his hand. How could he have thought, for a moment, that getting back with Sonny would solve all his problems? In fact, it was creating more of them as opposed to the new start Chicago had offered him. There was a battle in his heart between emotional attachments (to Sonny, to his dad, to Marlena, to his siblings... God, so many people in his life who loved him unconditionally) and a wish for freedom.
He knew what the freedom meant of course, the hurt, the longing, but at least he knew what came with it. He had a job and a friend and an apartment. If he went back to college he would lose all that, even James. And Sonny refused to start afresh in the city, explaining that there was too much competition, new investors to find, plus Chad couldn't keep the shop on his own. Will had wanted to fight, to yell, but he had seen Sonny cry. Once again, everything was his fault.
He looked up at his job's building and decided to go talk to the boss, instead of James. Somebody objective to whom Will didn't feel obliged. Will took the college fliers with him and resolutely walked upstairs.
This time he did fight, focusing on finding arguments and solutions to whatever his boss threw at him. He was a good programmer and a good asset to the firm. He could work from home, part-time and get a degree that would make him more valuable. He didn't say that he wouldn't come back to Chicago after that. After all, anything could happen but that way, he would remain financially independent and maybe he could manage never to cross path with Sami... It was a nice dream but it kept him going.
He stopped to buy groceries and champagne (an expensive bottle, because he could and he wanted to treat Sonny) and got home. He was setting the table with a nice frozen dinner thawing in a pot when he heard his cell. It was Sonny.
He didn't want to tell him on the phone but he couldn't help grinning as he answered "Hello, honey! I've missed you, when are you coming home?" "Will..."
Will felt his gut punched and he had to sit. Sonny wasn't coming home. Not tonight, nor tomorrow. And Will's good news was wasted. It didn't change a thing. Sonny was giving up.
"But I love you Sonny... and remember, we tried breaking up and we were both miserable..." Sonny sighed, his voice like steel "What do you want me to say, Will? This is my decision. I care about you, so much, but I have to live my own life." "You can live it next to me, I'm coming back, I'll go to college, I'll go talk to your mom..." "Don't" Now, Sonny sounded harsh "You've done enough harm. Stay in Chicago. You can afford the rent on you own or you can live with James again. You can even date him, he'd be thrilled."
Will barely heard the rest through his tears. Sonny couldn't betray him like that, with no reason... Of course he had rejected him once, so it was possible. But he was hurt and lied to. What had happened? Had he stopped loving Will?
A horrible thought entered his mind. Sonny had met someone else. Someone better. The last drop of confidence he was clinging to slept through his hands. He went to bed, forgetting the dinner until it began smoking.
He broke the champagne bottle on the edge of the bed and watched the pool of bubbly liquid form with a dark satisfaction. Money wasted, that he didn't need. He wanted to run again, start over without the intense pain but he knew it wouldn't work.
He called work, explained he was visiting the college and actually did it. He rent a car (Sonny still had the one he had taken on Monday morning) and went straight to the admission. He was fed up with people throwing him out of their lives. He was allowed some room to breathe, to be. He called Abby, who had been the most loyal and together they went to the DiMera's mansion.
"So you're here?" Will looked down. EJ's gaze was filled with hatred. "I am. I want to see my mother." "Samantha isn't here. She took the children to the theater. But I don't think you should wait for her return." "Why not?" "You're a failure, Will, a coward who runs away and is too vulnerable. You're not a good role-model for your brother and your mother should forget you."
Will had to restraint Abby from clawing the man's eyes. He was angry too, wondering how he could have believed that himself before. He remembered the joyous look in his sister's eyes, every time she saw him. He could show EJ his contract, with the high paycheck, even for the part-time. But would it change anything?
They went to his great-grandmother's pub. There was a chance Sami would go there first, unless EJ called her.
Luckily he hadn't. Sam was flabbergasted and Will hesitated. Were they going to fight in front of the kids? Should he leave? Two seconds later, he was half-strangled and wet from his mother's tears falling on his shirt "My darling son, here you are, you look good, I missed you so much." Will didn't understand but didn't ask. His life was making a little more sense, even though there was still a gaping Sonny-shaped hole in it.
Soon, he had a child on each lap and kisses to last him a life-time. Sami was still sobbing and half-heartedly guilt-tripping him. Abby was laughing and tickling her little cousins. She turned her head when the door to the pub opened and her boyfriend, Cameron, came in "Hey, darling!" He stopped, spotting Will "Oh, hey, Will, nice seeing you here... I mean... I had no idea you were in Salem... Sonny said you wouldn't..." He stopped and pinched his lips. "He talked to you? I didn't know you were friends?" or was Sonny telling the whole town what a train-wreck their relationship had been? Cameron looked distant "I can't speak about Sonny, Will." "Why?" "Patient-doctor privilege." Will felt a lump in his throat as he finally understood. Sonny was sick.