Will still couldn't believe that Finn was gone.
When he first heard the news about his death, he and Emma had spent a good amount of time crying in each other's arms. Finn was more than just a student of his, he was like a son as well even despite some very rough patches over the years. He was going to be a teacher, to hopefully inspire others like Will himself had done, he still had a whole life ahead of him.
So why did he have to go so soon?
He had given the kids the task of celebrating and remembering Finn's life through music, and told them that they could come to him any time if they needed a shoulder to cry on because of the impact he had on all of them. Emma and Shannon were a little worried about him, they knew how close Finn was to Will and thought that he was spending a lot of time grieving with the kids when he should take some time out for himself to grieve alone.
"We both think you should take some time out for yourself right now," Emma told him during lunch in the staff lounge. "Yes, Finn did have a big impact on the kids as a leader, but he had a huge impact on you too, Will."
"Emma's right, punkin," added Shannon. "Remember everything that happened since Finn joined glee. You gained enough members to participate in competitions, you persevered despite multiple attempts by Sue to bring you down, and you defied all odds to get to where you are now. You won a national championship for heaven's sake! I agree with you that Finn was the heart of New Directions, but you Will, you are its soul."
"You really owe it to yourself to have some time alone to reflect on what Finn meant to you," said Emma. "Perhaps you could sing about it, I know you too well that a lot of the time, singing makes you feel better when you've had a rough day or when you're feeling down about something. You even sing to me when I feel sad and I start to cheer up when I hear your voice." Will knew that his wife was correct: he did often sing to cheer himself up when he was feeling down.
"Thanks Shannon, thanks Em," he said as he rose from his seat, "and you're right, I do need to take some time for myself. And I think I know the perfect song for the situation." He gave his wife and his friend each a long hug, then picked up his lunch bag and headed out of the lounge. Emma and Shannon smiled as they watched him leave.
Will walked onto the stage of the auditorium carrying his guitar in a case. The seats were empty, but he started to feel Finn's presence in the room as he approached a lone stool sitting at center stage. Setting the case down on the stage floor, he opened it, took the guitar out and sat down on the stool, the instrument settled in his lap. Feeling the emotion already starting to set in, he looked out at the empty seats and took a deep breath.
"This is for you, Finn," he said as he started to play the intro to the song, then started to sing as he began to remember the son he never had.
Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same
If I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong
And carry on,
'Cause I know I don't belong
Here in heaven
Would you hold my hand
If I saw you in heaven?
Would you help me stand
If I saw you in heaven?
I'll find my way
Through night and day,
'Cause I know I just can't stay
Here in heaven
He tried to hold back tears as he sang, but even he knew the emotion added on to the overall effect of what he was performing. So he continued on.
Time can bring you down,
Time can bend your knees.
Time can break your heart,
Have you begging please, begging please
Playing a short bridge, he remembered the time when he confessed what he did to get Finn into glee before he graduated. It had been something he hadn't been proud of when he did it, but somehow in the end it made perfect sense.
Beyond the door,
There's peace I'm sure,
And I know there'll be no more
Tears in heaven.
Will felt the emotion in his voice reach its peak as he neared the end of the song, a tear starting to fall from his eye. He sang out with everything he had left in him.
Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same
If I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong
And carry on,
'Cause I know I don't belong
Here in heaven.
The last notes of the song died on the air, and the auditorium fell quiet as Will wiped the tear away from his eye with a free hand. And then he heard Finn's voice in his mind, almost as if Finn's spirit had been in the auditorium with him and heard Will sing the whole time.
"Thanks. For believing in me."