Please Stand So Close to Me

A Will/Rachel oneshot

written by Stessa.

It was a while since Will Schuester had done anything like this for himself. Even as he was getting older, he still focused (probably) way too much on his Spanish classes and his Glee kids. He was passionate about Spanish, about the language, and he was even more passionate about music. And those kids – it still amazed him how much he could change a quiet wall-flower and probably do this kid a solid favour for life. He helped bring joy into their lives, and they brought joy into his. He'd always remember the original Glee kids, that was for sure, but now – ten years later – he found himself loving each of the new Gleeks as much as he'd loved the first six.

And yes, he still focused way too much on songs and dance routines, at Sectionals, Regionals, Nationals, but it wasn't like it mattered that much anymore, anyway. He had no one to order him around, like back when he was married to Terri. He chose what he wanted to do with his life, with his time, and even though he hadn't ended in another marriage with three kids, he still felt pretty contend about what he'd accomplished out of his life.

Though it would have been nice to have been married, to get to go home everyday to a beautiful wife and loving children. He admitted that, that it would have been wonderful. But still – he would admit that the life that he had, it was pretty wonderful too. Because all those Glee kids at school? They felt pretty much like family to him.

He dated the occasional woman. In fact, he was one of the most wanted bachelors in Ohio. Women seemed to flock around him whenever he went out for a beer or two with his co-workers or his friends. He still had game; he was still good-looking, even after turning forty. He had one-night-stands and sometimes even shorter relationships. Though the last really meaningful relationship that he'd had, had been with Emma, before they'd thrown in the towel, claiming they really were too different. And maybe it was OK, maybe he wasn't really meant to find his perfect woman. Maybe Terri had ruined marriage for him, maybe he had never been meant for it in the first place.

And he loved his life, he really did. He had Glee Club and music to hold up his spirits, and when he'd run into one of the first Gleeks around town, he'd remember how much his life has changed, and how much he'd meant to all of them, how big of a part he'd played in how they'd turned out – all of them. They were all changed for the better in some way, and he was proud to say that it was his doing. As his father had once said, he was meant to teach, he inspired people with his passion. And he was proud to do so. And even when he met Finn and Puck on a bar on Saturday night, he knew that they'd turned out wonderfully, even if they hadn't actually gotten out of Lima.

He never got out of Lima either. His entire family was there, all the people he knew was there. He rarely took vacations, he couldn't afford it with the shitty salary a teacher earned these days. But he was going to do this for himself, this weekend. He would be leaving for New York Saturday morning, and he'd return Sunday evening. He was going to see RENT on Broadway, hoping that it'd inspire him, give him new ideas for the club and – hopefully – let him experience life and the true meaning of it.

Oh. And of course he had chosen that particular play because it starred the probably most talented student he'd ever had the pleasure of teaching. Rachel Berry had made it – she'd made it big. She'd been in New York for approximately ten years; she'd finished school, been in some off-off-off Broadway productions, but somehow managed to snatch the part of Mimi from more experienced actresses. He couldn't say he blamed them for casting her; with that voice, she was going to bring the house down every single night. Which she did, of course. He knew all of this, because she'd opened up to a full house and the reviews had been outstanding. Everyone was talking about how she'd managed to blow new life into an over-played character; they were going on and on about how she'd managed to make Mimi her own and not just be another clone of the character that Daphne Rubin-Vega introduced the world to. He was pretty sure that as soon as RENT was over, she'd be in a new show, this time as the first actress to portray a character. She deserved to be the first something. She had the talent to do it, and that way? Yes, that way she'd go down in Broadway history and everybody would refer to her whenever this imaginary play was mentioned. She deserved that honour, Will knew this, even if she had probably too much self-confidence in high school. But she'd earned it, she really had.

And he couldn't wait to see her perform again. She'd always blown him away with her talent, even if he'd had to shoot her down on numerous occasions in Glee Club. Because Glee Club hadn't been the Rachel Berry Club, it'd been about all of them; they all deserved solos and lime light. So he'd probably hurt her more than she deserved, and even so, he hadn't wanted to stroke her self-confidence even more. He knew she was going to make it, she knew she was going to make it, heck, the entire club knew she was going to make it. There was no use trying to deny it (not that he'd ever done so).

So there Will was, after all, getting ready to watch her on stage. He'd never actually seen the show on Broadway before, but he'd seen the film adaptation of it (he owned a copy, because well... he needed the inspiration for Glee Club. Schuss!). He could feel the expectations in his stomach, as he found his seat – the expectations he'd always had concerning her. He'd never doubted once in his life that she would let him down. When they won Nationals during her senior year of high school, she sang the number that won over the judges, simply because he knew he had to let her do it, if they wanted to blow everyone away and take home the trophy. Even Mercedes and Kurt had agreed to this without too much yammering and bickering; they'd known it was the real deal too, that if they wanted to win, she'd have to do this. But expectations aside, he also felt the nervousness there, like he'd felt during those stupid Sectionals, where everyone had performed their songs; he hadn't known what would happen, but he had somehow felt that it'd come down to her. And when he'd heard her voice through Emma's phone, singing Don't Rain on My Parade, he'd felt relief like no other time. He was pretty sure, that once she opened her mouth on this stage for the first time, he was going to feel the same sort of relief, because he hadn't actually heard her sing live for ten years.

People were buzzing with excitement all around them, whispering and murmuring, and Will sort of wished he'd had someone to share this with, but he knew that as soon as the play begun, he'd be lost in the story and the music, and he'd have eyes for only her; the girl he used to know so well. The girl he'd comforted when she cried about her insecurities, the girl who'd blame him, week after week, for shooting her down while trying to uplift someone else.

"I can't wait to see Rachel Berry as Mimi." the woman next to him said to her companion as they took their seats. "Everyone's saying that perhaps she's the best Mimi there's ever been. That her voice is mind blowing."

There was a murmured response, and Will almost wanted to inform this woman that yes, that was the case with Rachel Berry, but he didn't feel the need to get into a million things and stories with these strangers, so he clutched his seat instead and anticipated the moment where the show would begin.

And some show it was! Right from the start, he was blown away by the power of this new ensemble, and the almost frightening chemistry they had together on that stage. It was a powerful experience, sitting there in his seat, watching as the story unfolded itself in front of him through music and song. And he was not disappointed when she came on stage and sang Light My Candle – she harmonized absolutely perfectly with her male lead, and she was stunning, as she moved around the stage, barely thirty years old and with the apparent energy and passion she'd always had. He could tell that she loved it, that this was everything to her, and that she – truly – was in her right element. He couldn't help it, he held his breath as she was wiggling her butt on the floor and the audience laughed. And during the end of the song, when she reached the 'Mimi' note perfectly, he had chills on his arms and the hugest grin on his face.

It was so strange, seeing her up there. Though he'd never doubted that she'd make it, it was just surreal to think that she was actually doing this. Her name was everywhere, posters for the show hung all over the city, and he could read about her recent exploits whenever he went online. America was buzzing with their new Broadway star, and people were certain that all the good things had yet to come for her. Will was certain that they were right. If anyone deserved this, it was Rachel. High school hadn't been easy for her, he knew that. And this was everything she'd ever wanted, and he thought that – perhaps – it was only fair that things went her way for once.

After all, she'd spent most of her life in Lima being disappointed in everyone around her. Which he could sort of understand, thinking back at it. Everyone in that Glee Club (maybe perhaps except Finn) had treated her badly from day one. About her clothes, her voice, her pep, her schedules and her determination. He'd even done so himself back then, thought on numerous occasions that it'd be so much better if she just shut up, but truth be told – they would have never taken Nationals without her. She was the force that kept the club running, and even her team-mates had to give in and – once in a while – compliment her or thank her for the hard work she was doing for them. Here, on Broadway, no one ever brought her down. Everyone was completely amazed with her instead and they were all equals, they were all determined to do this, no one was there just because they maybe-kinda-sorta liked singing sometimes.

But she'd always been the star, and here she was, shining brighter than all of them. Everyone on stage was overshadowed by her presence, and he would have felt intimidated, being the male lead next to such a strong female. But it was evident that people in the audience were loving her. And Will did too, honestly. He had been scared, on the plane here, when he remembered that she'd have to perform the very uhm... suggestive song Out Tonight as a part of the play, and he'd almost squirmed in his seat, because he couldn't quite get the image of 16-year-old Rachel Berry to add up with such sexiness. It was just plain awkward for him to see her that way. But he wasn't frightened when the moment finally came. Because she was no longer that young girl in his classroom. She was a fully developed woman.

And what a woman!

Growing up really agreed with her, Will had to admit that. Those looks that had seemed so awkward and wrong when she was a teenager, they no longer seemed weird on her. She'd grown into her looks; her striking features and her eyes completely the same, but still much better. And she'd somehow gotten a fuller figure too, he could tell, as she was grinding against the railing as a part of the choreography, only dressed in tight almost non-existent clothes. She was still just a skinny as she'd always been, but she had curves, painfully so. Will couldn't keep his eyes off of her hips as they swayed to the beat.

He was reminded then of Shelby Corcoran and the very brief thing he'd had with her. If Rachel had looked like her mother back then, it was even more evident now. It was like looking at Shelby in some weird way. She had all the best qualities of her mother, but still – there was something even better about Rachel Berry. She simply shone more than Shelby Corcoran had ever done. And it definitely suited her.

And after her performance of Out Tonight Will found his eyes lingering on her body throughout the rest of the show. Yes, she most definitely wasn't that young girl anymore, and Will had to admit, he was oddly (freakishly!) attracted to her right now. But then again, so was probably every male in the room – even the gay ones. And though he tried to tell himself that it was wrong for him to feel that way, something kept telling him that it certainly wasn't. Because he hadn't been her teacher for many years, and there was no trace left of the young girl he'd once known. She was like a new person to him.

So Will made his decision as the show neared its end. There was all the drama with Maureen and Joanne, and the sad death of Angel, but as the entire cast took the stage for their applause, he'd made up his mind. He was going to talk to her. If he couldn't sneak his way past security and into her dressing room or charm them with his ways, he'd just have to wait for her. It was the last performance of the night, and he felt that maybe it would be appropriate for him to see her. The Rachel from high school definitely wouldn't have had it any other way, had she known he'd been right there in the audience and just left without a word. He was fairly certain that perhaps that was one of the traits that she'd carried into her adult life.

At first he decided that maybe he should just wait around for her to finish up, but who knew how long that would take her? Maybe she had after show rituals or something. Maybe she wanted to take her time. But if she knew that he was there, waiting, she'd definitely hurry along. He didn't know what he wanted from her, to be honest, but he just felt like he had to tell her that he was proud of her for making it, for being there today. There was no harm in that, was there?

That's why he found himself – ten minutes later – desperately trying to ensure this buff security guard that he actually knew Rachel Berry, that he wasn't just some crazy-ass stalker who wanted to get into her dressing room. Will heard himself go on and on about high school, Glee Club, Nationals and things this guard didn't care shit about, but Will must have said something right (or probably said too much), because the security guard told him to follow him quietly and he'd just go ask Ms. Berry himself.

Will had never been backstage at any huge production like this before, but he didn't even drink it in. He wasn't nervous to see Rachel, per say, because he was actually fairly certain that it'd be just as awkward to be alone with her, as it'd been when he was her teacher.

"Wait here." the guard told him in a firm voice, before he took a step forward and gently knocked on a door that had a gold star on it (Will couldn't hide his smile). The guard pushed the door open and said in an apologetic voice, "Ms. Berry, sorry to interrupt, but there's this guy out here. He says he knows you."

Rachel laughed. "Don't feel scared to come and talk to me, Chad!" (Will almost leapt forward in joy at hearing this voice coming from somewhere that was not on the stage in front of him). "And though plenty of people try to pursue you into believing that they do, in fact, know me personally, you never really bring them this far. So may I ask? Who is it?"

Chad scratched his head. "Well, he said things like uhm – Geek Club and stuff, so yeah, I don't know..."

"Glee Club?"

Will could hear the hope in Rachel's voice. It was right there in front of him, and she sounded like the hopeful girl in Glee Club who just wanted to have friends who supported her and didn't bring her down.

"Yeah." Chad was slow to agree.

There was a long pause, before Rachel spoke again, this time hesitantly. "Well... what's his name then?"

Chad turned to look at him, so Will spoke up, with a giant grin on his face. "Just call me Mr. Schue."

The poor, confused Chad turned back around to face Rachel through her doorway. "He says something about a shoe."

Rachel laughed then; it was the same laugh she'd had in high school. It wasn't a laugh he'd heard often from her, because she rarely ever really laughed, not with true joy. There were those times where she'd force it with her team-mates, but mostly when they laughed during rehearsal, it was always on her expense, so she'd been shooting daggers instead. She laughed sometimes though. During her romance with Finn, there had definitely been more happy days for her, and this laugh reminded Will of that. "Just send him in. Thank you, Chad."

Chad gestured for Will to proceed forward, and Will mumbled a quick thank-you as he passed him. He stopped in the doorway then, pausing briefly to take in the sight in front of him. Rachel was sitting with her back towards him, but he could still see the giant smile on her face, because she was facing a huge mirror. Several items of make-up and other products were spread around on the table in front of her, and she had her hair twisted into a towel, and a pink robe around her. She was clutching a piece of cotton in one hand, and it was evident that she was removing the traces of make-up that her shower hadn't washed off.

"Mr. Schue!" she smiled, whipping around on her chair. Her smile got even bigger, and her eyes glistened beautifully in the bright light from the ceiling.

Will entered the room hesitantly, "Hi Rachel, I uhm-"

She cut him off. "Please do come in. If you don't mind, could you close the door behind you," Will did so, "since I prefer to get dressed in private. Take a seat on the couch, please!" she motioned for a blue couch in the corner of the room, and Will quickly obeyed, "This was most certainly a huge surprise, Mr. Schuester! What are you doing all the way in New York? Did you like the show?"

Will chuckled; yup, some things never change. Rachel Berry had always been a talker, and she probably always would be. "Please don't call me Mr. Schuester, Rachel, I think Will will suffice." he replied, casually leaning back in her couch.

Hiding her face in her hands briefly, Rachel giggled. "You're absolutely right. I guess there's no need with all the formalities anymore, since I'm no longer your student." she dropped her hands to her lap and looked at him again. She sighed. "Really, I can't believe you're actually here."

Will shrugged his shoulders. "Don't stop doing your thing on my account," he motioned for the huge mirror behind her, "I will wait until you're done."

Rachel practically beamed at him. "You're not in a hurry?"

"I was sort of hoping we might be able to... catch up?" Will slowly suggested. He really didn't know what she felt was appropriate, but then again, Rachel had never been appropriate in any way or form, so she might not care about that. "You know, if you want to – are you hungry? We could grab a bite to eat, when you're done?"

"I'd like that." Rachel quickly assured him, before turning around to look at herself in the mirror again. She wiped her face off a few times, before she pushed her chair back and stood up. "Please excuse me, I just need to change." she pointed towards a door which clearly led into the bathroom.

Will shrugged his shoulders in lack of a better response, and she smiled again, grabbed a stack of clothes from the counter and went into the bathroom. But she didn't close the door, for she chose to speak to him. "So why are you in New York?" she wanted to know.

Will could imagine her, as she was dropping her robe to get into her own clothes. She was shielded from his view (appropriately so), but it was sort of hard to just sit there, knowing she was changing right next to him, after the show he'd just seen outside. He cleared his throat. "I'm actually just here for the show. I'm going home tomorrow, I just really wanted to see you perform."

Rachel poked her head out at him, her damp hair falling around her face. "Really? You travelled all the way to New York for this?"

"I always knew you were going to be here one day, Rachel," Will sincerely told her, looking her straight in the eye, "so I wanted to see it with my own eyes. And I don't think it'll be the last time I'm going to see you in a Broadway show. More to come, right?"

She returned to the bathroom briefly, before she entered the room again, now dressed in a classic black dress skirt and white dress shirt. She looked stylish, beautiful. As she plugged in her blow drier, she turned to him, "I still can't get over the fact that someone's actually here to see me. Someone from home."

As she turned on the drier and bent forward to blow-dry her hair completely, he pondered that for a little while. No one from home had come to see her? She made it sound like nobody cared. He was certain that her fathers would be supportive, heck, he knew they went to New York as often as they could afford, but maybe when she said 'home', she didn't really mean them... maybe she meant the people she'd spent three years with, singing and having fun? Will hated the fact that it was a huge possibility that none of them had actually seen her since high school.

Rachel stood back up straight and turned off the blow drier, before she returned to her seat and quickly, almost mechanically, started to do a light make-up. "I'm almost done." she told him through the mirror, but Will just shrugged. He really didn't mind. It was sort of funny to see her do this, what she probably did after every show. This was her life, six days of the week. He felt – for a second – that maybe he was intruding, but really, she didn't seem to mind, so why should he?

She pulled her hair into a high ponytail and slipped on a pair of black heels, before she stood up to face him.

"You look good." he mumbled, sticking his hands into his pockets. He wasn't quite sure if it was okay for him to say something like that, so he'd decided to tone it down. All he'd really wanted to say was 'beautiful' and 'hot' even, but that would be pushing boundaries a bit too far.

She blushed at the comment. No really, she did. "Thank you." she said, truly modest. She'd always been insecure about her looks, Will knew this, but come on! She had to know how gorgeous she was! "Did you have somewhere in mind for a late dinner? I usually just grab take-out after a show." she said, snatching her purse from the table and her jacket from the backside of a chair.

Will didn't really care either way. But he felt that maybe take-out would be a bit too personal – he'd have to go with her back to her place to eat it. And it would be such a shame not to go out when she had dressed herself up like that. "Do you know any good places to eat at this hour?"

Rachel let him through the doorway and down a tiny hallway; the opposite direction from where he'd entered, but of course they'd be using the performers' entrance. Her high heels were clicking and her ponytail bouncing as they went, "Well, there's actually this tiny, but good, Italian place on the way to my apartment, which is only a few blocks down. It's quite neat actually, we could just walk there. It's always packed at this hour, but they always manage to squeeze us in when we go there after a show. Their house red wine is quite exquisite, if I must say. And you know I must." she finished with a tiny laugh.

"That... sounds like a plan." Will mumbled, as they walked onto the busy street outside. New York was buzzing with life this time of night, and they continued down the pavement in complete silence. But it wasn't really awkward; Will just didn't know what to say to her. There were so many things that they could talk about it. He wanted to ask her about her life since she left Lima, but he knew that there would be plenty of time for that during dinner. It didn't seem like she was in a rush to get home or anything, and he was pleased, because after he said goodbye to her, he'd be returning to a tiny hotel room for the night. It was much more pleasant to be out with her, right?

She glanced at his hand with a thoughtful look in her eyes. "No ring?" she lightly questioned.

Glancing at his hand as they walked, Will shook his head. "No. No ring."

Rachel huffed. "I figured you'd end up getting married pretty quickly. I thought for sure that you and Ms. Pillsbury would end up together. You were still together when I left Lima. What happened?" she paused, before shaking her head to herself, "Sorry, if I'm overstepping boundaries. I still tend to do that."

"It's okay." Will assured her with a crooked smile. "We're both adults here. We're just having a conversation."

Rachel laughed.

And Will continued. "I never really met another woman I could see myself marrying. I guess it's a shame. I really wanted to have kids, you know? But it wasn't in the cards for me."

"It's different for everybody." Rachel said to him as they turned the corner. "I'm not sure I'll ever be fortunate enough to have kids either. It's a difficult path I've chosen, I'm aware of that. And though plenty of Broadway performers before me managed to have a satisfying family life along with their career, I just don't do things halfway. So the fact is, I'll probably end up being married to the stage. As if I wasn't already. But, I've always told myself, it's lonely at the top."

Will really didn't know what to say to that. "You're probably right." he mused.

"So how is it?" Rachel asked him, as they stopped to wait for the green light so they could cross the busy street. "At home I mean? How is it?"

Will wasn't really sure what she was asking him precisely. She'd know what Lima was like, for sure, because her fathers still lived there. But he had a feeling that it wasn't as much about Lima as it was about her old so-called friends. "I still run Glee Club," he smiled, "and I see some of your old team-mates from time to time. But you probably know Kurt is in California, right?"

Rachel nodded her head stiffly. "I haven't really... talked to any of them. Since I left." she mumbled, and he could tell that this was awkward for her, because Rachel never used the mumble. "I guess they didn't really want to. And even though I'm pretty sure the rumours of my success have reached the far-off land that is Lima, Ohio, I've heard nothing from any of them. Not one email with the word 'congratulations' in it. Not a phone call or a Facebook message. I guess I shouldn't have hoped for it. None of them ever really cared what became of me."

Had she still been his student, Will would have used this opportunity to lie and tell her differently. But he wasn't going to do so this time, because she wasn't his student anymore (thank God! That meant it was OK for him to ogle the way her legs looked in those heels... right?), so he wasn't going to pretend that they all cared. "I guess they really didn't."

Rachel's fingers tightened around her purse. "You're the first one from home to come see me – other than my fathers, of course. I really appreciate it, Will."

He loved the tiny smile that came onto her lips then; it was more real than any of those he'd seen on stage tonight, and it warmed his heart, because he knew he was the cause of it. "I wanted to see you." he lamely replied. "I wanted to see your Mimi. It was fantastic by the way. You really blew the crowd away."

Rachel laughed again. "People have been quite positive about my adaptation of her. It's right here," she smiled at him and hooked her arm through his, "this place!"

It did seem like it was a busy night for this restaurant, but Rachel led him forward and talked to the waiter inside, who quickly managed to find a spare table for two in the back of the room. There was a light atmosphere inside and at every table they passed, the food smelled delicious. Their table for two was barely a table for one, but Rachel looked comfortable as she discarded her jacket and took a seat. He followed her example and he reached for his menu. Rachel was musing to herself about what to order, and apparently she knew this place quite well, because she recommended a few of the dishes for him, and he ended up getting the same as her.

So while the waiter took their orders and poured them red wine, Rachel was interested to know more about his life and how he was doing, so he told her everything she didn't know. About the new Gleeks and competitions and the women he dated occasionally. She would just nod and listen carefully, as she sipped wine from her glass. And he couldn't keep his eyes off of her red lips, as she licked them slowly, her brown eyes studying him as they spoke.

Their food came then, and Will felt like he'd told her everything he possibly could, so they dug into their similar dishes, and the noise that erupted from Rachel's throat as she tasted it was quite possibly one of the most sensual things he'd ever heard.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, closing her eyes as she swallowed her bite, "I just always seem to forget just how delicious the food is here. I swear, I've never had better Italian."

Will had to agree that the food was rather tasty, and he'd never experienced Rachel being quiet for as long as she was while she ate (except for the noises she kept making – but he wasn't exactly complaining about them). He couldn't help but watch the way her lips closed around the fork or the glass. Or the way she'd slowly eat a bread stick. She seemed completely lost in her own little universe of heavenly food. And it terrified him a little bit to watch her like this, right there in front of him. Because once more, it struck him, that she wasn't that young girl anymore, she was a woman, a woman he felt very attracted to on top of that. And he couldn't help but be reminded of that 16-year-old girl who'd had an obsessive crush on him for a week's time and completely embarrassed herself.

Even the subtle hint he'd made with his mash-up of Don't Stand so Close to Me and Young Girl hadn't opened her eyes. She'd been completely enthralled with him. And while it had completely freaked him out when she was 16, he realised that he actually wouldn't mind if she gave him that sort of attention right now. Though he doubted that this complete sexy woman across from him would ever behave like that. She had too much poise, too much grace. And she wasn't that person anymore.

They continued to talk as they finished their dinner. She told him all about her life; her experience at Julliard, the smaller roles she'd had before she landed her part in RENT; her former boyfriends and her new friends, and how everything had really been coming together for her these past few years. He was glad to hear so, honestly. She deserved to know people who loved her for who she was, who didn't take every opportunity available to shoot her down, who didn't talk behind her back once she left the room. And she really did seem happy. She seemed contend in her life, with the way things had worked out. She didn't regret going for it; she didn't even regret how she'd acted in high school. It was all a part of who she was today.

"Though Glee Club did make my high school years a bit better." Rachel confined in him, after they'd finished their dinner, and was now down to their last glasses of wine. She was munching on bread sticks still, as she spoke to him. "I have you to thank for that, Will. My freshman year was horrible. The remaining three years were somewhat better. Even if I never truly became friends with anyone from Glee, it still made my day more bearable, because I knew I'd get to be with them and feel a part of something, even if they didn't really like me that much."

Will took a sip of his wine and leaned back in his chair, watching her. "Well, I'm glad that I helped you with that Rachel." he couldn't help but chuckle. "I do owe you an apology though. I realise that I was probably a bit too hard on you. I let you down, time after time, to pick the others up. That doesn't seem fair."

"Hardly." Rachel replied, glancing at him through heavy eyelids as she raised her glass to her lips. "But don't apologise, Will, you did me a favour."

"I did?"

She placed her glass to the table and ran a hand down the front of her dress. "Yes. I realise that even though I found it completely unfair when I was 16, you really did do me a favour. You taught me so many important things. That I wouldn't always get to be the star, that I couldn't always get what I wanted. I don't think I would have made it this far if you hadn't taught me that. Because even if I sit here tonight, the lead in RENT, I've still had to face rejections and funks," she winked at him, "which you certainly prepared me for."

Though maybe that was true, Will didn't feel comfortable taking all the credit for it. He was sure she would have realised that sooner or later. It wasn't as much his doing, as it was simply a part of growing up. He shrugged his shoulders. "Thank you. I don't really think I had much to do with it, but thank you."

Rachel checked her wrist watch and opted to finishing the last of her drink, "What do you say we get out of here? If you're not in a hurry, I have another bottle at home."

Will wasn't exactly drunk, but his mind was suitably fogged. Any doubts he'd had earlier in the evening regarding being alone with Rachel in her apartment had left him as they'd finished their bottle of wine. The evening hadn't been awkward at all; conversation had flowed easily between them, and he wouldn't mind continuing it with her. He wasn't in a hurry to get back to his room. He only had a change of clothes and some personal items there, and he could sleep on the ride back to Lima, if it turned out they stayed up talking all night. Plus, the red wine had given him a nice buzz and he found her even more delicious than he'd done earlier.

He pushed his chair back, and as the true gentleman he was, he helped her into her coat. "I'd enjoy that, Rachel."

The smile on her face took his breath away, and she hooked his arm through his, as they left the restaurant for the walk towards her apartment. "I must say, Will, you're looking exceptionally dashing tonight. Ten years almost left no traces on your physique."

Will savoured the compliment, even if he knew that it was true. The women at home assured him of that. But it was somehow nice to get it from Rachel, because she'd known him when he was younger, and she wasn't the same age as the women he usually hung out with. That she'd find him attractive despite their obvious age difference, really pleased him. "Well thank you." he smiled, clutching her tighter to him as they manoeuvred through the throng of people on the pavement. "Adulthood suits you too, Rachel."

She looked up at him through her long lashes. "Oh I know I've outgrown my awkward teenage looks. It quite pleases me so. I remember looking at Shelby when I was 16, thinking that if I grew up, looking like that, then all my horrible school years would be worth it."

"You're more stunning than Shelby Corcoran." Will was sure to inform her.

A small blush rose to her cheeks. "Thank you."

They continued in silence, and Will took in everything around him. The night life in New York was entertaining, and there were bars and restaurants everywhere, and people were in a happy mood; singing and enjoying themselves. He saw couples making out and walking hand-in-hand, and he clutched Rachel a little tighter still, because even though she wasn't with him, he felt the need to assure everybody that she was. He didn't know why, and had he not shared that wine with her while they ate, he surely wouldn't have been so bold. But he was attracted to her, and she was quite possibly one of the most stunning women he'd ever had the pleasure of walking next to. Would it be too horrible if the night ended with a little more than just talk? He didn't even see the 16-year-old girl in her anymore, and he was certain that it wouldn't be awkward at all, just plain hot.

As they passed a bar, he couldn't help but chuckle lowly. How oddly fitting. The music coming through the open doors was slightly familiar to him – to both of them.

"-temptation, frustration, so bad it makes him cry, wet bus stop, she's waiting, his car is warm and dry. Don't stand, don't stand so, don't stand so close to me-"

The door smacked close again and Rachel chuckled next to him. "Brings back memories, huh." she continued to hum the chorus lightly.

Will admired the way her face looked in the light from the street. "Sure does."

"I don't know why I didn't get it." she said, looking up at him again, "I mean, the message you were trying to tell me was pretty clear, yet I still continued to pine over you – I cleaned your house!" she couldn't help but giggle, and he joined her, because the thought of that? It was pretty damn funny right now. "Still, I should have gotten the message with that mash-up, but all I got out of it was that you thought I was very young and it was hard for you to stand close to me."

Will paused in his steps and pulled her towards him, their bodies flush against each other, their noses almost touching. "It's still hard for me to stand close to you." he murmured, his fingers clutching her tightly. He had no idea what he was doing, but in a brief moment of desperation, he'd done it, and now there was no backing out.

She blinked up at him. "But I'm not a young girl anymore."

He couldn't help the way his body reacted to those words, and the way his eyes seem to lock even harder with hers. "You most certainly aren't."

She sang another part of the song for him, lowly, "Book marking – she's so close now, this girl is half his age. Don't stand, don't stand so, don't stand so close to me..." she finished in a whisper, her eyelashes fluttering as she looked at him, and he thought he saw expectations, perhaps even determination in there.

He swallowed loudly and let his hand wander from her hip to her backside as he pulled her even closer. "Please stand so close to me."

And even though it could quite possibly turn very awkward with future reunions or get-togethers, he really didn't argue when she placed her lips on his and pulled his face to her level. Maybe it was her racy performance tonight or maybe it was the wine. Or maybe it was simply because she was so ridiculously gorgeous, and Will couldn't help himself. He didn't want to think about what would happen in the future if they did have to see each other again someday, all he cared about was this moment, the moment they were sharing together on the pavement, because it felt good and it made sense to him, even if it wouldn't make sense to anyone else.

Rachel moaned softly and pulled away from him, one hand lingering on his cheek, the other falling to his chest. Her lip gloss was smudged across her face, and he suspected that he had traces of it left on his own lips, but it didn't matter, at least not to him. She wiped his face off with her hand and stood on her toes, her lips gracing his ear. "Did you wanna get out of here?"

Will kissed her once more, before he pulled her close and she lead him down the street, towards her apartment. He was quite certain that this night was going to be spectacular – even if it was only for tonight.

x

They barely made it into the apartment before Will felt small hands tucking at his belt. They'd spent the entire trip home, their lips meeting occasionally, and she'd practically ravished him during the ride in the elevator to her floor. He had no idea where her bedroom was, or where to go, but he shed her jacket off of her shoulders, and she lost a few inches of her height when she kicked off her heels. She had a firm grip on his tie as she walked backwards through a gigantic living room and right into her bedroom, pulling him with her.

They fell to the bed and in a mess of hands and kisses and hair (mostly Rachel's), and it was rushed and quick, just like Will had a feeling they both needed it to be. It didn't ruin his over-all performance though, because after, Rachel was lying flat on her back, her arms spread to each side, with a satisfied look on her face. And he couldn't help but think, as he watched how her chest rose and fell as she breathed, that it was so weird to be seeing her like this. He couldn't quite comprehend that this was – in fact – that little girl in the sweaters and knee socks he'd taught Spanish for four years. It just seemed so odd.

And when he thought of that fact, this just seemed so wrong, so instead of musing more about it, he covered her chest with his and kissed her again, their tongues battling in a playful game of dominance, until he pulled back. "I gotta use your bathroom." he whispered, before hopping off the bed, not bothering to grab any clothes. It was two o'clock in the morning, and he was tired, but not tired enough to sleep.

Her eyes travelled up his body, before they locked with his. "Down the hall and to your left." she whispered.

Will winked at her before he scurried to the bathroom, eager to get back in there, to show her that he had stamina too. He splashed some water in his face and looked at himself in her bathroom mirror. At moments like these, he could definitely see that he was getting older. But it didn't seem to bother Rachel that he was fifteen years older than her. In fact, she seemed to enjoy it very much. And damn, she was so gorgeous, and she definitely knew what she was doing too. It wasn't like it was going to happen again or anything, but still, he couldn't quite believe that he'd actually slept with someone who used to be his student and was now a famous Broadway actress. It just seemed surreal.

He returned to her bedroom, thinking he'd find her exactly as he left her, but there she was, sitting against the pillows and her headboard, a glass of red wine in each hand.

She licked her lips suggestively. "I didn't think you were opposed to a bit of this fantastic red wine from France."

Will climbed into bed next to her, but honestly, they barely managed to sip their glasses, before they were on the floor next to the bed, and Rachel was beneath him once more.

x

She escorted him to the station the next day. They'd slept a couple of hours, then she'd made them breakfast and after they'd both had a quick shower, they stopped by his hotel room (he felt stupid for spending that much money on a room which had only been used to hold a change of clothes and his toothbrush). After that they'd taken a cab to the station, and she was waiting with him for his train to arrive.

"Don't be a stranger here, Will," she smiled at him, purse thrown lazily across her folded arm. She had a certain glow around her, as she stood there, all casual in jeans and a light jacket, "step by my apartment any time you're in the city."

Will felt himself nod. "I'll remember that. Thanks, Rach."

She chuckled at him. "Things are gonna be awkward for us now, aren't they?" she shook her head at him. "Dang, I knew I shouldn't have slept with you. It was hot, but if you're going to be all shy about it-"

He cut her off with a hand to her mouth. "If you're ever back in Lima to visit your parents," he begun, looking straight into her wide eyes (she seemed completely shocked that he'd even think of putting his hand across her mouth), "please call me. If you're interested, I think my students would be thrilled to meet you. It'd boost their confidence about Glee Club." he let his hand drop, now that he'd said everything he wanted to say.

"First," she begun, holding up a finger for him, "don't ever do that again. And second," she couldn't help but smile, "I'd love to! I remember how insecure I felt, I'd be honoured to help someone else feel better."

"There's this one guy," Will told her, "he sort of reminds me of Kurt, except he's straight, and he's such a huge fan of yours. You'd make his day, no doubt about it."

Rachel beamed at him. "Well. I do plan on visiting my parents sometime when I get a few days off, so I'll definitely make sure to call you."

Just then, the train rolled into the platform and Will grabbed his bag tighter. He didn't quite know how it'd be appropriate to say goodbye to her. Last night was a one time thing, only meant for them, and he was quite certain that now that they'd left her place, it was better to not talk about it. And though it was a shame to never revisit that place she took him to last night, Will opted for sanity and reached out his hand to hers. "It was really nice seeing you again, Rachel. I'm very proud of you. All your dreams came true."

Rachel seemed to get what he was trying to say, so she shook his hand firmly with a crooked smile on her lips. "Thank you. It was nice seeing you again... Mr. Schue."

He dropped her hand again and turned around to step into the train. And as he turned one last time to catch a brief glance of her, before the doors closed behind him, he saw a young girl, no more than 16, step up to Rachel and politely ask her, if she wasn't Rachel Berry.

Chuckling to himself, Will turned to find his seat, while Rachel's sweet chatter with the girl blended in with the rest of the noise on the giant station. He walked through the train as it started moving away from New York – away from Rachel and her fabulous life – and he tried to find a vacant seat. He took one next to a young man, who was listening to music, streaming from his huge headphones.

Will couldn't help but smile, as he caught the familiar tune of the song.

Don't Stand so Close to Me.

Thank you, everyone, for tuning in. This actually turned out quite longer than I had expected, but there was just so many things I wanted to address, I guess I got carried away. I hope you liked it though! I'm usually not that much of a Will/Rachel shipper, but this idea just wouldn't leave me alone. And though I do realise that the idea of Will not getting remarried is completely ridiculous, it was how it had to be for the purpose of this story.

Every time I watch the Ballad episode, I just burst out laughing when Rachel informs Will that she's very young and it's hard for him to stand close to her. Seriously. Best moment ever.

Please leave me your thoughts! :)

Disclaimer; I do not own Glee, nor do I own the musical RENT (or any of the music in it). Neither do I own 'Don't Stand so Close to Me', which is, of course, originally by Sting and The Police.