A/N: Obviously Glee doesn't belong to me. Also, I'm a little rusty as I haven't written proper fanfics for a few years now, but any comments-- constructive, preferably-- would be great! :) Have an enjoyable read. There is definitely more to come, this is just the beginning...if it's well received, that is.

Long Time, No See.

Knock knock knock.

A brunette woman looked up from her chopping board and wiped the side of her right eye to prevent the tears from smudging her makeup. Onions do that to you.

"Coming!" She said loudly before putting down the knife and wiping her hands on a nearby dishtowel.

Meanwhile, the man who stood outside with a bottle of wine wiped the bottom of his shoes on the doormat. He ran his left hand through his curly hair, hoping that he had gotten the right number. His internet was acting up on him; he was never really good at keeping up with those electricity bills since…well.

"Mr. Schuester!" The woman with brown waves that cascaded down her back smiled hugely. She quickly ushered the man inside.

"Hi, Rachel…call me Will, please." Will smiled back before hugging her and handing over the bottle.

"Ooh…what's this? Merlot?" She inspected the bottle with great interest before gesturing him into her small kitchen. The smell of Italian food hit Will like a tsunami wave. "Rachel…what in heaven's name are you making? Really, you shouldn't have…" The man walked around to take a look at the pan sitting on the stove.

"Nuh uh! You don't get to see what I'm making. Make yourself at home; I'll pour a glass for you."

Rachel walked to the cupboard near the fridge to retrieve the nice wine glasses while Will appraised her with his eyes. She really was the starlet everyone knew she was going to be back in Glee club. He sighed contentedly before sitting at the bar just beyond the sink.

"Tell me what you've been up to, Rach. It's definitely been awhile." Her former teacher asked as he inspected her nicely renovated apartment. The rest of the building was pretty shabby, but her apartment space was probably the biggest and the nicest one in there. He was initially pretty scared about stepping foot in the neighborhood she lived in.

His question definitely got her talking; that part of the old Rachel Berry hadn't gone anywhere since she landed smack dab into Broadway fame.

"It's definitely been something, Mr. Schu—I mean, Will. I'm sorry, old habits die hard you know?" She grinned at him before continuing, "But yes…Broadway. Of course, I had just got off of Fame, which I starred in for a good couple years before deciding I wanted to do something else--"

"You didn't want a break?" Will asked, cutting in before taking a sip of the wine Rachel had placed before him while she was talking.

"Oh, I thought about that. I feel like it would have been worth taking a break if…well, you know, if I had someone to spend it with. I don't know if you heard, but father passed away a year ago, and my dad didn't take it too well. He's kind of in a rehabilitation center."

"Oh, Rachel…I'm sorry, I had no clue." Will said somberly. She turned around to get the olive oil when their eyes met. She knew he felt sorry.

"Wh…what about you?" She said quickly, picking up the awkward silence. Will sat back in his chair and waited for her to let the butter sizzle in the pan with the olive oil.

"Well, since your year left, Glee has been just as successful as cheerleading. Ken Tanaka has ceased to coach the football team, so we now have a pretty good football team now. McKinley's also inducted a new principal, so we have a few new rules. Anyway…that's what I've been hearing."

He eyed her scooping out pasta onto plates. Underneath foil wrappings was chicken parmesan.

"I guess Broadway hasn't stopped your brilliant cooking," Will joked lightly.

"Of course not. I need to be eating healthy, with the small amount of sleep I had gotten while working on Broadway," she said importantly. When she placed the plates on the table, she went back to retrieve two glasses of water, "But Mr. Sc--, Will, you said that's what you've been hearing. Are you still working as a teacher at McKinley?"

"Not exactly."

"So what are you doing for a living now?"

Will went on to explain how Sue Sylvester had wormed her way back into the high school's system, and practically threw their old principal, Figgins, in jail for something he shouldn't have been accused of.

"Besides, after Terri and I split, things didn't feel right in Ohio anymore. I hadn't ventured out of that state ever…I literally graduated from that high school and the state college, Rach. The Glee kids that filtered through were never quite the same as you guys, too.

"I'm actually head of Lamberts' Preparatory School of the Arts drama department now."

Rachel put her fork down and dabbed her mouth with a napkin before asking, "Where is this school?"

"It's actually just in upstate New York…"

"That would be why I haven't heard of it, then." Rachel chuckled before sipping out of her wine glass.

"The food's amazing, Rachel. I'm not sure if Little Italy is even this good."

"Thanks." Rachel beamed at him. Another awkward silence as they continued to swallow their food.

"I'm really glad we're having this dinner, it's been a long while since I've caught up with someone after graduation."

Will glanced up at Rachel, and gave her a small smile before swallowing the chewed chicken parmesan. "Actually…I saw you perform."

"When? Which night?" Rachel automatically became defensive, obviously afraid he had seen her on a not-so-good night. Her wide brown eyes almost made him laugh.

"It was back in March, I think. Sometime before you closed."

"Hm…" Rachel mused aloud, trying to remember how she felt before the musical closed. "You did fine," Will reassured her, "…as far as I can remember, anyway."

"Hey." She said before laughing, pretending to be thoroughly upset by his teasing.

"It's ok, Rach. You know I'll always be your biggest fan."

Sometimes your only fan…

Rachel tilted her head to the side as she held up her glass and sipped from it. "Here's a toast…to…well, I suppose the future. I'm pretty sure neither of us would've seen ourselves here at this present moment—well, I knew I would somehow get to Broadway but—here's to now."

They clinked glasses.

It was an interesting way of meeting back up again; somehow Will had gotten a hold of her through someone else, and they both thought it was a fantastic idea to get back together and have a chat to catch up. Rachel had matured since her high school self; though still arrogant and confident in her know-it-all way, Will found that she was no longer the schoolgirl that had a crush on him anymore. In fact, he had almost forgotten they were practically fifteen years apart in age. She still was in perfect shape—thanks to the hard work of Broadway, but her face was not as young anymore. There were creases in her forehead where she probably had frowned many a times going over scripts and songs. He could see small evidence of crows' feet. Probably from all the smiling while singing.

They had moved from the table to the couch nearby that was just in front of her small television set. Still finishing up the wine bottle, she crossed her legs, letting her skirt ride up a bit and showing off her olive skin.

Will's eyes directly went towards the newly revealed skin; while the teacher Will from years ago would have dismissed it as illegal, the new Will felt a little excited.

It's probably the alcohol…

As they continued to talk, he watched her throw her head back in laughter. Happy. Beautiful. Like he always knew she was going to turn out to be. There was something so contagious about her smile and laughter. It was a like a happy little world she lived in that you wanted to take a part of. How was he going to be a part of her life again? He was only her teacher from many years ago.

"I'm pretty sure you still have the moves, Mr. Schue."

Will didn't tell her to call him by his first name anymore; in a way, it really was old habits die hard.

"Ah, I don't know. I'm nearing forty, Rach." He looked down at himself. He was lying, a little—he did cycle to work almost everyday, and him working as the head of the drama department did not stop him from dancing or teaching it.

"Come on. I want to see my old teacher dance." Rachel kidded as she finished up her wine. Will suddenly wondered how much alcohol she could take without getting drunk.

Rachel sashayed over to her sound system and found a good song with a pulsing bass in the background. She flipped her hair behind her shoulder and looked at him with her dark brown eyes.

"C'mon. What are you waiting for?"