Emma sucked in a deep breath as she fastened the top button of a yellow cardigan, smoothing down her teal skirt before blinking sadly at her reflection in the mirror. Her mind was reeling for anyway that would make her appearance less pathetic with a cast bulging from her left arm, the significant amount of weight she'd lost from the surgery and new diet restrictions, along with the pale complexion that had yet to return to it's sunny, perky state.

With a slight smile, Emma delicately lifted the sweater clip Will had given her over the summer and attached it to her collar. As she prepared to slip on her shoes, her boyfriend emerged from the kitchen with his jacket on. "Ready to go, Em?"

"No," She cleared her throat and stepped into his arms, resting her forehead on his chest. Will pressed a firm kiss to the top of her neatly styled hair, rubbing her shoulders.

"You'll be fine, Emma. The kids don't know what happened. Hell, most of the faculty doesn't know what happened."

She breathed in his scent and bit her lip to keep tears at bay. She wasn't entirely sure why she wanted to cry so badly, she had been desperate to get back to work for weeks, but there were a million thoughts running through her traumatized mind that induced fear and panic.

"And if you can't make it all the way through the day, I'm sure Figgins will be understanding. We'll have lunch together in my office so you can avoid people you don't want to answer questions too, and you can hang out with us in the choir room at the end of the day instead of going to the staff meeting. Sound okay? Emma?"

"I'm scared," Emma breathed, "I don't...I don't want..."

"Don't want what, Em?" He continued to rub her back. "Talk to me."

"I don't want to be here alone," She mumbled into his tie, eyes scrunched shut to avoid his face and keep her makeup from running.

"What are you talking about?" He muttered into her ear, resting a hand at the nape of her neck. "Sweetheart, I don't know what you mean."

"I'm all better, right? I don't need...assistance to get around...or anything...you're going to leave...move back to your apartment, aren't you?"

"Em," Will sat at the edge of the bed and pulled her next to him, running a finger under her bottom lashes to catch a few droplets of tears. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay as long as you want me to. You're still recovering. Maybe not physically, but...I know how scary your situation was, still is. Being alone isn't going to do you any good. I will be here for you, always. I love living with you, coming home and curling up with you in bed...it's the most comforting feeling in the world. I know if I feel that way...you must, too. I wouldn't want to take that feeling away from you."

She choked and leaned up for a quick kiss before Will pulled away and rested a heavy hand in her lap. "I hate to cut this short, but we really do need to get going." Without prompting, Will knelt on the floor, taking the shoes Emma had laid out the night before and putting them on her feet, tugging the straps until they were snuggly secured around her ankle.

"Alright, Cinderella," He stood and took her hand, guiding her to follow him into the living room, where her red fall jacket was laid across the arm of the couch and bag rested on the coffee table, along with a lunch Will had packed for them to share the night previously.

The drive to school was filled with a playlist Will created to keep Emma's spirits up, including selections that had her singing along and dancing in her seat, making him laugh and almost run a red light until she squeaked and he braked.

"I was totally in control," He joked as they pulled into the faculty parking lot and slipped quietly into the building in hopes of not drawing too much attention to the fact that Emma was back, or that she and Will were walking to her office hand-in-hand.

She winced at the closed blinds across the windows, which she assumed had been shut since her leave of absence began, giving an erie sign that she was out of commission.

Ruffling through her purse for the office key, Emma didn't notice the crowed of teenagers that were behind her desk as she fumbled along the wall for the light.

"Will, could you—Oh!" She felt her face flush red as her coat when she took in the sight of New Directions and a banner that read, "Welcome Back," while they sang an obnoxious and off-key version of a Beatles song that had Emma leaning against Will in delight and beaming brightly while his arm curled around her hip.

"Thank you," She said quietly as they wrapped up, Finn stepping forward to pull her into a light hug that she accepted and returned.

"Welcome back, Miss P. Glad you're feeling better."

They excused themselves and Emma closed her door, keeping the blinds shut as she stretched her arms behind Will's neck and pulled his lips to hers before bidding him good-bye for the morning.

She wouldn't be having appointments over the course of her first week back as she attempted to catch up on what she'd missed, what the other guidance counselor had accomplished in her absence, and prioritizing who would need to be seen the most once she was ready to see students.

Shortly before lunch, the door swung open and Emma's face softened upon seeing Sue Sylvester enter her office. With a small smile, she gestured for the cheerleading coach to take a seat.

"Sue, I just...I can't even begin to thank you for all you've done for me in the past few weeks—"

"And you don't have to," The blonde woman cut her off, making Emma blink. "Emma, I just want to say a few things to you."

"Oh, okay..." The smaller of the two women straightened her back, eyes focused intently on the title-winning coach before her.

"You're lucky. Most women in your situation don't make it this far."

"What do you mean?" The redhead scrunched her nose up, confused.

"I mean, most women who've been in a place of domestic violence either let it consume them before seeking help, or can't assimilate back to normal life after. You're lucky."

Emma let her eyes wander to her spotless desk. "I wouldn't have gotten help if you and Will hadn't—"

"Stop," Sue commanded gently, "Don't go back there. Accept what happened and be thankful for it. Don't play if."

She nodded, a small smile creeping on her face. "I tell my students that all the time. Guess I should listen to my own advice."

Sue seemed to ignore the comment as she continued. "The fact that you're here right now is really a testimony to your strength. It's been a month, but you're ready to live your life again."

Emma sighed and rubbed a finger over the edge of her cast. "I'm not strong. Will is the only reason I'm here...because he took care of me and comforts me every five minutes—"

"But you let him. I don't think you realize how huge that is."

She shrugged. "I love him. It's easy to let him take care of me and—"

Sue smirked. "I think you're missing the point. What I'm saying in all of this, Emma," She leaned forward, covering Emma's hands with her own as she did at the trial, "Is that I'm proud of you. For not letting this situation ruin your life. For moving forward. And, for sticking up for yourself and not letting that bastard get away with it."

Emma swallowed a lump in her throat and nodded vigorously, "Thank you, Sue." The older woman stood to leave after having said what she wanted to, but Emma made an attempt to stop her. "Sue? How...how do you know? What, um...what happened to you?"

"Eliza," She curled a hand around the door handle, turning her face forward. "Some skeletons are better left in the closet."

With that, she left the small office, leaving Emma in a strange sense of peace that came with accepting her situation.

"Knock, knock," Will opened the door moments later, a wide smile on his face as Emma eyed the time, surprised to see that it had gone by so quickly. "What was Sue doing here?"

She stood and wrapped an arm around his middle. "Just...being Sue." She grinned widely, "How about lunch?"

They walked through the hallway, hands clasped together, not caring that there were students around to see or that Figgins was walking towards them with a curious gait.

"Miss Pillsbury," His smile was welcoming as he paused in front of them, "So glad to see you again. Schue, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to steal her away for just a moment."

Will glanced at Emma who nodded up at him, assuring him that she'd be okay with the principal. With a quick kiss to her cheek, the Spanish teacher left for his classroom.

"Emma, I just want to say a few things," Figgins started while they walked alone in the hallway. "First of all, I'm so happy you've recovered. There are only a few members of staff who actually know what happened, and we were all deeply concerned for you."

She spoke, "Thank you for giving Will so much time off to help me. He's honestly the reason I got better so quickly."

"I know that Will took very good care of you, and had a big part in helping you heal; not just physically. I want you to know that I'm very understanding of your situation. If you're having a day when you just don't know if you'll be able to stay here, please feel free to go. If you need Will to take a few minutes from his classes to talk to you, do so. I want you to know, you're not trapped here. Healing is a long process, and I imagine you've still got a way to go. I want to be as supportive as I can be during all this."

Feeling her eyes misting up, Emma nodded and thanked her boss quietly while he walked her to Will's room. When they arrived, she worked up the nerve to quickly give the Indian man a thankful hug, which he returned gently, cautious that she was likely still sensitive.

With a silent wave, Figgins left, making Will stare at his girlfriend in silence.

"I love you," She choked out when he crossed the tile to wrap his arms around her. "I love you so much." Emma nestled her face into his neck, letting a few happy yet stress-induced tears out.

"Oh, Em," He sighed her name, kissing the top of her head, "What's this about, hm? Was it Sue? Figgins?"

"No, no..." She breathed deeply, pulling away with a smile. "I'm just a little overwhelmed. There's more support than I thought there would be...But I'm alright. I just needed to see you, I think."

Guiding her to sit in his comfortable desk chair, Will pulled up a plastic one next to her and spread out their lunch, enjoying her company in his classroom for the first time in months.

"You stay here," Will directed Emma to her bedroom Friday afternoon when they returned home from McKinley after a stellar performance by New Directions that would become their opening number for Sectionals in the next month.

She pouted while sitting on the edge of the bed. "Why?"

Will pecked her lips and sighed into a smile. "It's a surprise. No peaking."

Emma crossed her arms and wrinkled her nose while Will fetched her laptop to keep her entertained. "You know I don't like surprises," She whined, entering her password and leaning back against the pillows with a playful glare in his direction as he laughed, closing the door behind her.

An hour and a half later, Will poked his head back in the room, a happy expression washing over him as his lips pressed into a smile while he took in the sight of Emma sprawled across the bed, hands tucked beneath her head while she napped, her computer abandoned near what had become his pillow.

With a soft kiss to her temple, Will gently shook her shoulder, earning a moan while the guidance counselor stretched and blinked her eyes open to meet his with a warm grin. "Hey," She yawned, her hand moving to cup his cheek, which was rough with stubble, "What were you doing for so long?" Suddenly receiving a whiff of something that smelled particularly delicious, Emma also asked, "What smells so good?"

"Your dinner," He smirked, placing an arm behind her back to sit her up. "Come on, don't want it getting cold."

Opening her mouth, Emma found no words would come out as she took his hand and followed him to the kitchen, where the lights were low and two long, yellow candles sat on her table, which had been adorned with a tablecloth she didn't remember owning, and a meal prepared to her standards.

"Oh, Will," She whispered, covering her mouth as a few tears prickled at the edges of her eyes, "This is...perfect. Thank you."

Ever the gentleman, Will pulled out her chair before seating himself and pouring them both a non-alcoholic, sparkling wine, as Emma's new dietary restrictions prevented the consumption of the liquid. Motioning for her to raise her glass, Will did the same. "To the beginning of our new relationship. To you healing...to your win in court last week...to overcoming all the obstacles we may face...I love you, Emma."

She gently clinked her glass against his, whispering a tearful, "I love you, too, Will." After a quick sip, she stood to kiss him sweetly before digging into dinner.

Once they'd finished, the couple cleared the dishes together, ever playful as Emma tossed some soap bubbles at Will, giggling when he splashed her back, and laughing hysterically when she smacked his rear with a dishtowel. Surprised at her bluntness, Will gasped and reached his wet hands around her middle, pulling her light frame to him as she squealed and tried to squirm away while he tickled her sides.

After a small, epic battle, Emma threw her arms around Will's neck, kissing his lips while he pulled her up into a movie-inspired hug. "Maybe we should get you into some dry clothes, hm?"

Glancing at her peach-hued cardigan which had wet handprints all over it, Emma laughed into an attempted joking slap to his chest, which Will caught and kissed each one of her fingers. "Come on...there's still one more part of our evening," He tugged her towards her bedroom, where he'd somehow laid out a flowing, baby pink, short nightgown which she'd worn to bed a few nights previous and Will had fallen in love with.

"When did you get this washed and out without me knowing?" Emma raised a brow, breathing in the clean fabric.

He traced a line from her jaw to the edge of her ear which she leaned into, her eyes closing. Taking advantage of the moment, Will kissed each of her lids, then moved to the bathroom to change himself and respect the privacy of his girlfriend.

"All done," She said with a little knock on the wooden frame, where Will exited in a pair of baggy black sweatpants and a tight, white v-neck which had his muscles rippling beneath. "So now what's the plan?" She questioned, one hand on her hip as his eyes trailed her adorable frame.

Licking his lips, Will answered, "I'm going to serenade you and we'll fall asleep watching a movie."

"Aw," Emma cooed and reached for the seemingly hundredth warm embrace of the day before Will directed them to the living room. "What are we watching? And hey, how do you know I'm going to fall asleep?"

He gave a little chuckle as he guided her to sit on the sofa, picking up his guitar and resting a hand on it while sitting on the edge of the coffee table. "When was the last time you managed to stay awake while we watched a movie?" Will teased with a raised eyebrow.

Emma thought and shrugged, "Probably that time we watched Armageddon for the third night in a row."

"Right," He strummed softly, "Okay, I know you think they're overplayed and all, but I want to do a few Nickelback songs for you, if that's alright? I think they have a lot of lyrics that really speak for us."

Emma flashed a smile, "I'd love to hear it, Will."

Their eyes met and Will continued the opening chords to Gotta Be Somebody, which Emma sang along to the chorus with, swaying in her seat. As the first song ended, Will's voice flowed into the second song, which had Emma sniffling again while he struggled to keep his own cool through the second verse of Far Away. By the time he hit the third and final song, the redhead's tears were flowing freely and when he sang for the last time, "You're never gonna be alone, from this moment on...If you ever feel like letting go, I won't let you fall...When all hope is gone, I know that you can carry on. You're never gonna be alone, I'll hold you till the hurt is gone," Emma replaced his guitar with her body while he hummed the song to a close.

"I love you, so much," She cried into his neck and he tangled his hand in her hair, whispering promises that he felt the same way.

"And Emma, I mean it...you're never going to be alone. Not for as long as I love you. I'm always going to be here."

With a few kisses and strokes, Will popped in a movie and wedged himself behind Emma on the couch, pulling a blanket over them both, grinning as the woman he loved fell asleep before the film was five minutes into the opening credits.

Two days after their evening together, Emma received a call from her lawyer saying Carl had been given a sentence for up to fifteen years in prison, and that she would have an order of protection for him to remain away from her once he was released.

Two weeks after returning to work, Emma had her cast removed, starting physical therapy three days a week to regain strength and movement in her arm.

Two months later, she began talk therapy for post-traumatic stress issues, which were beginning to take a toll on her daily life at school, home, and her relationship with Will, and resulted not only from her recent trauma with Carl, but mental roadblocks that still lingered from an event twenty-two years previous. Even within the first few sessions, dramatic progress was made, and Emma wondered why she hadn't seen someone sooner in her life.

Two seasons post-Carl, she was recommended to a behavioral therapist to learn more manageable strategies to cope with OCD and continue her all-around improvement of her life and mental well-being.

Two hours into summer vacation, Emma jumped into Will's arms, with Carl and germs being the furthest thoughts from her mind while a ring glistened on her fourth finger of her left hand and she smiled endlessly while ideas flooded her mind of what their first dance would be.

Two nights before August, Will made a toast that would make her forget about all the events of the past summer, and focus solely on the man before her, and the promises they'd exchanged earlier in the day. The look he gave her as he finished brought her to tears and as they kissed warmly, an entire reception hall burst into thunderous applause.

Two years after the ordeal had taken place, Emma rocked a fussing infant to sleep, her mind reeling with the stress of being a first-time parent, but her heart flooding with the joy of the experience as well. When Will stepped into the nursery to assist her, Emma sought the comfort that his presence always brought, especially when the baby spewed on her shoulder.

Two minutes before the anniversary of her first child's exact moment of birth seven years later, Emma's phone rang with the number of the local police, informing her that Carl Howell had been released from prison early for good behavior, but that he was not supposed to be within two miles of her living residence at all times.

Two seconds after she ended the call, Emma found herself melting down on the floor of the kitchen while her oldest ran down the hall to find her husband, who scooped her into his arms and comforted her for the remainder of the evening, leaving a birthday cake forgotten and a freshly-turned seven-year-old pouting.

Two afternoons after recovering from a mild relapse, the mother confronted her child and told the G-rated version of what had happened nine years previous, which was met with a long hug, a tearful apology of dismissing her second grader's highlight of the year, a promise from her baby that she was forgiven, and the statement that Emma was the greatest mom a kid could have.

Two weekends after Carl's release, Emma physically ran into his grocery cart with hers as she turned down an aisle while neither of them were paying attention. Before she had the opportunity to seize into a panic attack, Will steered her away, leaving their food items forgotten, but not before sending a shooting glare in her former abuser's direction. After a pep talk in the pasta isle and a deep, reassuring hug, they continued through the store, and Emma was surprisingly nightmare-free that night.

When Will pulled his wife into his arms the night before the tenth year post-Carl, she shook a little, startling him. "Sweetheart?"

"I'm fine," She mumbled, tugging at the collar of his shirt. "I just can't believe...ten years..."

"You're doing so well, Em," He complimented with a kiss to her temple. "I admire every ounce of your strength. I love you endlessly."

She smiled into his lips and moaned when his hips met hers unexpectedly. "Mm, not tonight, Will...too many things that are not helping me get in the mood."

Sighing, as Carl occasionally still got in the way of their intimacy, just as he said he would, Will scratched her back soothingly while Emma reminded him, "You know that I love you, too...I just...need my thoughts to settle down. I'm not reliving it, just...thinking about it."

Will pressed his forehead to hers. "Anything I can do to change the direction of your thoughts?"

"You know there's always one thing that usually distracts me," She responded, kissing his neck while a soft melody reverberated from his vocal chords, clearly having the desired effect she'd wanted while her lips moved down his chest and back up, slowly as he sang a current pop song that she was fond of.

"Works every time," Emma whispered when he ended and she tugged his shirt off and worked at the drawstring of his pants, now eager to spend time with Will and keep her mind off Carl. "I still don't know how you do it, but you always manage to keep me sane."

Will's hands moved up her nightgown as he traced a pattern above her bellybutton. He wasn't entirely sure how he still possessed the ability to be the only one who could comfort and love her in every way she needed him to.

But neither of them complained as their skin met in a passionate heat that ten years previous, Emma would have never imagined she'd be experiencing. Through Will's unconditional love for her, his patience and understanding, that he'd always had — even if it took a few rough patches to see it — she found herself tangled up in the unexplainable ties of their crazy, beautiful relationship.

Maybe that's what happens when a tornado meets a volcano.

Whatever it was, Emma didn't care. As Will whispered "I love you," over and over while he rocked against her, Emma knew that it didn't matter. Their feelings were mutual and never wavering. Emma loved Will, and Will loved Emma. And dentist or no, their relationship was never truly over.

Fin.

I'm so lame. But I like the ending.

There is a companion piece to this called "What it Feels Like," which is an M-rated version of a sort-of epilogue. It was also posted tonight, be sure to read it if you're up for some smut.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, and a thousand times, thank you all so much for reading this. I've never had so much response with a story before and this has been wonderful.

I have appreciated every reader, review and PM telling me over and over how much you love this story. I love you all, thank you so much for sticking with me as I finished this. Your feedback has been truly amazing! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!