"My my, aren't you two getting cosy over here!" Alice observed as she placed Will and Emma's dinner on the table.
The duo snapped out of their love-fueled trance immediately, an intimate moment accidentally interrupted. Emma's eyes grew as big as saucers as she clamped her jaw shut and turned to face the salad she ordered. She wanted to sink underneath the table. Unwanted attention was not Emma's strong suit.
Yet, she was surprisingly relieved.
Will sighed. Talk about bad timing. Very bad timing. He felt like he was 16 again, getting caught by his parents as he and his girlfriend made out in the backseat of his car. The flashlight beaming its light on them through the glass. Panic coursing through their veins. All the shuffling, confusion and haste to pretend they weren't doing what everyone else thought they were doing. This time, he and Emma weren't doing anything remotely close to that. Nevertheless, that awkward feeling was creeping in.
"We were, ahem, just-just, uh, chatting," Emma replied uneasily. It wasn't entirely a lie. They were chatting. Just not small talk; instead it was sweet, flirtatious talk. So sweet and flirtatious, a body blush inundated her like hot, molten lava rushing down a volcano, seeping into the cracks and crevices of the terrain as it continued along its journey. She touched the now heated part of her neck Will had his fingers on only seconds ago. No, it was definitely not a platonic conversation.
"It didn't look like 'just chatting' to me," Alice said cheekily, playfully nudging Will's shoulder. He politely smiled, shrugging coyly at her.
"That's all it was. Chatting. That's it. Nothing else," Emma lied, speaking directly into her salad, growing even more self-conscious. Will, hearing the annoyance in her voice, took her hand under the table, squeezing it. He felt her grip tighten. Emma wriggled where she sat, uncomfortable discussing whether Will and her were just chatting or not. It was none of her business, right?
"Come on, I don't believe that at all. I know a couple in love when I see one."
In love? My word, yes. But for now, Emma wanted to keep her personal life out of the spotlight as much as possible. No interjections, no running commentary from onlookers, none of that. Just Emma and Will.
Please stop, she silently begged. Alice was being persistent. And a little nosy. And she couldn't stand it anymore. "Will…" Emma exasperatedly hushed.
"We're on a first date…of sorts…but we'll never find out unless we have some privacy," Will smoothed over the situation before Emma could say anything more. He concluded the only logical way to move on was to tell her what she wanted to hear.
"Oh, how sweet! I'll leave you two alone then. Enjoy your dinner…and the rest of your evening, if you know what I mean," she winked at the two of them and headed back to the kitchen.
Eight little letters. Three little words. Such small words that meant so much. Yet Emma could not muster up the courage to say them. The interruption was the reprieve she needed. And she was tinged with guilt because she felt that way. Emma knew Will loved her, had a permanent place in his heart for her. That's why it was so easy for him to say it. But did she have to say it to mean it?
Saying 'I love you' was going to leave Emma exposed.
Will had to already know how she felt about him, how she's always felt about him. Unspoken, maybe, but screamingly obvious. It was in every look, every touch and every sultry, earth-shattering kiss. It was going to be hard to discard the barrier that kept her safe for so long. The barrier that kept her from loving him while he was married to Terri, refusing to love him while married to Carl. And now, she could love him freely, but the barrier wouldn't budge. It was the Berlin Wall of barriers. She wanted to tear it down. She wanted to let Will in. The cracks were there; freedom wasn't far away. Piece by piece they would have to demolish it together.
Emma wondered what would have happened if the waitress didn't interrupt. Would she have said it? The only words coming to mind were 'thank you.' And how would that have looked? She didn't want to think of Will's face, broken and disappointed when she was unable to return the response he was waiting to hear.
"Em, what's the matter?" She kept a firm grip on his hand and then let go as if he gave her an electric shock.
So many things. She kissed his cheek. "Nothing's the matter, let's eat." Emma picked at her food. She had suddenly lost her appetite.
Will shifted from next to Emma and sat back at his seat, taking the knife and fork, cutting into his steak. The steak tasted delicious, cooked to perfection. It had been eons since he had a nice meal like this. His trusty microwave was the gourmet chef at home.
"I'm sorry we were interrupted."
"It's not your fault, Will." Emma swirled her fork around the salad, her mind elsewhere.
"You're not eating, just shifting the salad from one side to the other."
"I'm not that hungry anymore."
"You can tell me anything, you know that right?"
"I know."
"You're not ashamed of me, are you?" Will was fishing for something, anything to find out what was wrong. He couldn't explain her change in mood, aside from Alice's questioning, which seemed to rile her slightly.
"Why would you think that?"
"I don't know. I thought maybe…I don't know what I thought. What then?"
"I can't explain it. Not here."
"Back at your place then, while we cuddle?"
"You still want to cuddle me?"
"There's nothing better that I can think of than cuddling my best girl and helping her feel better. We'll have no interruptions at your place. Just you, just me, a couch and the ability to let our hearts make the decisions for us."
"You're amazing, Will." Best girl. Here's hoping he'll still feel the same way later.
"Now, eat. How's your therapy sessions going?"
Emma took a mouthful of salad, feeling a little better. "I finish up in a couple of weeks. After that, I'm on my own."
"That's great, Em," Will encouraged.
"I'm not completely…uh, as you saw, but it's becoming manageable. Just taking one step at a time. Maybe I should continue for a bit longer."
"You've come so far. There's always going to be bumps in the road. I'm so proud of you, for what you've achieved. And I want to be a part of the journey. Whatever you need, whatever you decide, I'm here."
"Thanks Will. That means a lot."
"And if you feel you need to have a few extra sessions, there's no harm in that. You'll know when you're ready." Will finished up his steak, wiping his mouth with his napkin. "That was a great steak. I enjoyed that."
"So, what are your plans for summer?" Emma asked.
"Gee, actually, I haven't really thought about it. I was supposed to be in New York City for CrossRhodes. Well, New Directions will need to work extra hard in the new school year. If we're going to win Nationals, I'll have to start working on set lists, additional training sessions, come up with a plan to get them in the best possible shape vocally."
"Tell me something. Why did you decide to stay in Lima? Your dream was Broadway. You had it. You were living it. You were there."
"Broadway can wait for the moment. There'll always be another show."
"Hmm." Emma studied his face. "Sound like you were at your own crossroads."
"Em, I can't leave the Glee kids, not now. And…"
"And what?"
"I came back to be with you. You're more important to me than New York City or Broadway. My life is nothing without you."
Hearing those words, Emma burst into tears. She loved Will so much. She didn't think it was possible to fall for him this hard. Hard enough it frightened her. Because…what if it didn't work out? She was afraid of losing him, not only as a boyfriend – at least that was the direction they were heading – but also as a friend. Her best friend. He was so good to her. And he was putting his dreams on hold for her and Glee Club, those small things that other people would forget if something bigger came along.
"Don't cry Emma."
There was something niggling in the back of her mind, something that Emma needed to ask him.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice. "But…will I be enough for you?"
"Enough for me? Em, I dream of you every night. I wake up with my arms still curled around a pillow because I thought you were in bed with me, cuddling underneath the covers. I get these…problems… that only a cold shower can fix."
With a sharp intake of breath, Emma's cheeks turned a delightful, embarrassed crimson. She covered her nose and mouth with her hands, letting out a small, nervous laugh, not realising she could have such an effect on Will Schuester, let alone any man.
He continued. "In all honesty, you're the one my heart beats for at night."
She wiped the tears away with her hands, drying them on her napkin. "Will…I…"
"Baby, I love you. And when – if – Broadway calls my name again, you're coming with me." He held her hand and kissed it. "I wouldn't want it any other way."
"You'll be the best there is, I can tell."
He took hold of her right hand, encasing it in his own. "With you by my side, I'm already at my best."
Dabbing her eyes one more time, she looked at Will and smiled. The sincerity of his words and the deep, romantic haze in his eyes etched monograms of love around her heart. The wall was beginning to crumble.
"Hey look, your salad's all gone." He pointed to her empty plate.
"I'm still hungry though."
"Ha, now you're hungry! Did you want dessert?" Will lifted his arm to signal for service.
"No." Emma pulled his arm down. "Just you." She scrunched her face. "That was too forward, wasn't it?"
Holy. "Coming from you…yes. But you said it so eloquently. How can I resist?"
"The dress made me do it."
"You should wear it more often." The sweetheart neckline of her halter was unbelievably sexy. He wanted to trace his fingers along that neckline to feel her cool skin sizzle against his own.
Emma had to clarify something. "You know, what I said, I can't, um…not yet anyway. I'm not ready to do that yet."
"Like I said before, you'll know when you're ready. It goes for that too."
They took the final sips of their drinks. Emma got out of her seat and joined Will on his side, immediately planting her lips on his. It was sweet and intense, ferocity enveloping their bodies, validating that these two life forces were destined to be together.
With their noses touching, Emma kissed him again quickly on the lips, whispering, "That was for being you. Don't ever change."
"Never."
Will asked for the bill and he and Emma walked to the cash register to pay, leaving a generous tip. He opened the door, gesturing for Emma to go first. He followed, slipping his arm around her shoulder. The night air was pleasingly cool.
"Hey, can you hear that?"
"No, what?"
"Music… let's dance." Will pulled her close, their bodies swaying in the moonlight. Emma laid her head on his shoulder, listening to Will hum a '50s standard. "They're playing our song." He twirled her under his arm, dipping, spinning, and then slow dancing, feeling the contours of her back and waist. Her hands hung around his neck, her eyes adoringly gazing into his. Such beautiful eyes, it felt so good to know his eyes were only for her. Emma snuggled back into him as he began to sing softly.
Put your head on my shoulder,
Whisper in my ear, baby,
Words I want to hear, tell me,
Tell me that you love me too…
Oh, what that man's voice could stir within Emma. She was amazed she was still holding on to Will's body, certain she'd end up as a puddle on the sidewalk. I love you Will. I just need to push through whatever's keeping me from saying it out loud. And then I'm going to tell you just how much. But not here.
"Will?"
"Mmm?" He kissed her neck.
"Might I suggest we continue this in a more…intimate, private setting. I have a whole stack of these songs at home. They could all be our song."
"Emma Pillsbury, you put the music in my heart. Let's go to your place."