It was five whole years of no communication with Emma. Broadway had been amazing, the first three years that is, then everything just went down slope. And I wasn't happy with the life I was living.

I needed Emma, and I can't believe it took me five years to realize just how miserable my life is without her.

So I go back to Lima. Where Emma is, well the last time I checked where she was.

It was strange, roaming around the city, the place I've called home for so long yet it feels strange to be driving around the city's streets. It was nearly summer.

I check into a hotel, I haven't finalized where I was supposed to stay. I just went here upon instinct. All for Emmma.

I didn't know how on earth I would find her. I decided to go to WMHS, if I'm lucky, she might be there, in the guidance office I've been to multiple times, to see her face and to seek for advice.

It was lunch time, I figured since the students were walking down the hallways. I approach one of the students who seemed friendly.

"Who's your guidance counselor? Ms. Pillsbury?" I ask. She looks at me.

"No, the guidance counselor is Mrs. Howell." wait what?

My eyes widen and I pray that it was just a coincidence. That Carl married some girl who eventually became the guidance counselor in Mckinley. I try to stay positive.

"Thank you." I whisper and she gives me a small smile and walks away.

I didn't want to go to the guidance office. The fear of Emma, my Emma being the "Mrs. Howell" the student was reffering to was too huge for me to handle. But curiosity got the best of me so I went.

I walked down the hallways, I remember when Emma and I used to talk about endless things. The glee club, everything. The hallway where I snuck kisses while students weren't around in our brief time of dating. Everything just came flooding back and I once again questioned myself. Why did it take me so long to realize that I couldn't live without Emma.

I am almost at the door of the office and I closed my eyes, praying, hoping, planning.

My heart sinks as I see Emma inside the office. She was fixing the pamphlets in the shelf next to her desk. I get a glimpse of the name plate and my heart just drops. "Emma Pillsbury-Howell" it had read. And I remember when I saw that sign almost seven years ago. And till now it still makes me as angry and sad at the same time.

I guess she sees me because there was a look of terror in her face. And that's when I realized how much I've missed her.

Seeing that I couldn't back out now I come nearer to the door and open it.

"Hi Emma." I say with a small wave. And I wanted to reach out to her and kiss her and tell her how much I love her but seeing the status she was in that was impossible.

"Will?" she almost whispers, questioning. It's like she didn't believe that I was there in front of her, or if she did she wasn't very excited to see me.

"You haven't changed." I tell her. And she really didn't, the years had done her well, she still looked as beautiful as I remember. She still wore those pencil skirts, she looked the same.

She clears her throat. "A lot has changed Will." her voice was stern and it felt like she didn't even know me. "It's been seven years, you've just been here for less than a minute, how are you supposed to know I haven't changed?" she was mad at me. Was she mad? Or Did she not want me here?

"I'm sorry Em." I say and I see her biting her lip. Silence.

"So you're a Howell now? I mean a Howell again?" I ask her. Giving a light chuckle to lighten the mood. Though it was obvious I hoped she would say no, it's all just a joke, a misunderstanding.

"Yes." you didn't think she would be that tight lipped.

"Oh. When? If you don't mind me asking."

"Three years ago." she answers taking a seat on the chair I've missed seeing her in. But gosh I wished the circumstances would change.

"Oh." Why did you marry him. It could have been me Emma. It could have been me.

I wanted to say more but that was all that came out of my mouth.

I sit down in front of her. I've been on that exact same chair before. But it was strange. I wanted to tell her I came back to Lima for her but I couldn't.

"How about you?" she asks.

"What about me?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"No Mrs Schuester?" she asks and I shook my head. "Girlfriend?" I shook my head once more. "Date?" I shook my head again.

"Wow, a lot has changed." she mutters but I just let it go. I didn't want to know the meaning behind that sentence.

"So, how's Carl?" I think she's confused that I had asked her that. I would never ever bring up a topic that includes Carl but there was nothing left to say.

"He's great. An amazing husband and he'll be an amazing father someday." she says. I get relieved, she doesn't have a child yet. I still have a chance. That is if she would still take me back.

"Great. You're a lot happier now then in your first marriage. I'm happy for you." I lie.

"You know Sometimes, I just want to forget Carl and I ever got an annulment. We could have worked it out before." I mentally cringe at what she had said. I keep quiet and I can see in her face that she grew concerned of me. Maybe she sensed that I got hurt on what she had said.

"I'm sorry, I guess you didn't want to revisit the past," she says. I didn't answer her. Silence, awkward silence.

"Why are you here Will?" you jump a little at the question.

You knew why you were back, but given the circumstances it would be best not to tell her.

"New York isn't the place for me." I answer her. It was the truth, new York isn't the place for me because she's here in Lima.

"What do you mean it's not the place for you? Your dream is in in New York, there is no Broadway in Lima." She says giving me a confused look

Your here Emma, and my dream now is for you to leave Carl and come back to me.

"I've been here all my life. I've been there for what, five years?"

"But five years is a long period of time."

"Things change Emma. Lima is where I belong. When I was up on that stage three times a week, all I could think of was the kids-" you " and all that we have have been through to get on the stage I was in. And I realized that helping those kids perform and have the time of their lives, like I did when I was in that stage was my dream." And you are part of that equation Emma. You're the main reason I came back.

She nods. Silence.

"Uhm I don't mean to sound rude but why are you here, in Mckinley?" all I could think was, did she not want to see me?

"To see you." it comes out without me thinking.

"Wow, I uhm- I didn't think you'd want to see me again after you left. I wasn't even sure if you remembered me two years after you left." she looks down. "You never contacted me anymore." her face falls and for a second you think she didn't want you to leave. For a second you think that maybe she loved you.

"Of course I would never forget you Emma. You're my best friend, and don't act like we didn't have a past. We went through so much together. I can't forget you that easily." She smiles.

"You want to have lunch? To catch up some more?"

"I-uhm I can't." my face falls and you figure she notices because she says:

"Dinner? You can come over."

I don't hesitate on her offer. This was going to be a great opportunity. "Yes! But I don't know where you live." I tell her.

She grabs a pen and a piece of paper and scribbles it down.

"So seven?" she asks handing me the paper.

"Seven." I agree,

I proceed to the door when I hear her say: "It was really nice catching up."

I turn around and smile at her. "Yeah Emma." just like the old days

Authors' note: Reviews are very much appreciated. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!