A/N: Thank you everyone for reading and sticking with this story. I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think! I'm going to try to have the next chapter up soon.

As soon as she hung up from her call with Will, Rachel felt slightly panicked. She wasn't sure why she said yes, except that she didn't want Will to think she didn't want to spend time with him because she did. She was hesitant though. Learning that he and Emma got divorced surprised her. She hadn't expected that. Part of her was still a little bitter about it. In the five years since she left, he fell in love with someone else, got married and divorced. It wasn't fair for her to think but maybe she never meant as much to him as he did her.

That, though, wasn't what caused her hesitance. It was that she would be spending the night out with Coach Beiste and her husband too. Yes, Rachel was an adult now – their colleague even – but she still kind of felt like a student who shouldn't be spending time outside of school with teachers. She didn't want anything to be more awkward than it would already be with Will.

Shaking her head, she decided to put aside any negative thoughts. She would forget the fact that her apartment was full of boxes for the night and have some fun. She texted Will her address and headed for the bathroom.

She quickly showered and got ready, throwing on a blue and white dress. Drying her hair, she curled the ends before putting on a light coat of makeup. She looked at herself in the mirror then for several moments. She was so much older than she used to be. It was weird to think that she was going out with Will, in public, and they probably wouldn't be that out of place. So much had changed in five years.

Jumping when she heard her phone buzz, Rachel paused and laughed lightly. When she saw it was Will, she reminded herself that this was normal; friend and co-workers spent time together often, and being new to Lima – in a way – she didn't want to pass up new friends and opportunities. Many of her friends from high school no longer lived here, and this would be a good start to feeling more at home.

She went back and forth between flats and heels for several moments before deciding on the latter and making her way outside to Will, a smile that betrayed all her nerves firmly on her face.

o0O0o

Will couldn't help but notice how much more beautiful Rachel had grown as she made her way out to his car. He was struck too but how much he didn't know her now. They had caught up a little and she even opened up to him the way she used to, but all of that was a fraction of the last five years. He wasn't sure how the night would end. The drive was mostly silent; Will hadn't been too sure what to say, and it seemed Rachel didn't either.

"Do you want a drink?" he asked once they arrived at the bar. Shannon was on her way and he thought it would give them a chance to get settled.

"Uh, sure," she said softly, looking around the room. "I'll have what you're having." She smiled at him.

"Oh, I'm not going to drink. I'm DD for the night." He laughed lightly. "I want to make sure that you- and I get home safely. But I want to get you something."

She bit her lip and nodded. "I'll have a vodka cranberry then?" she asked, following him up to the bar. He ordered her drink and a coke for him. He could probably have one or two beers and still be perfectly okay to drive but the truth is he didn't know how he'd act around her after a couple of drinks. He'd probably have a desire to reach out for her and pull her close. That would create too many questions.

"Do you want to sit over there?" she asked once they had their drinks. He nodded and let her lead them over to a booth closer to the stage.

Rachel laughed lightly as Will slid into the booth next to her, leaving him slightly confused but also amused.

"What?" he asked softly.

She smiled over at him for a moment. "I guess I'm just thinking about how much everything has changed," she said, looking back at her drink as she fiddled with the tiny straw.

"We were never able to be out together," she elaborated. "I mean- we were always at your apartment. Don't get me wrong, I loved it but I always thought about what it would be like to… go out to a bar with you or something like that."

She wasn't really saying anything and he didn't know why she was bringing it up, what she might say if he told her how many times he wished he could take her on a real date.

"I'm sorry about your divorce," she said softly, glancing at his left ring finger.

"It's okay, Rach," he said softly. "You know, it was never quite right. I tried to force it. She was never my first choice," he admitted, "and though I really loved her, I wasn't being fair to her. Eventually, it stopped working."

He looked Rachel in the eye and he could see some recognition. She smiled softly and he could have sworn she leaned in closer. She opened her mouth, about to say something, when another voice jumped in.

"Will, Rachel Berry! It's so good to see you again pumpkin, though I must admit it was a surprise when Will told me you were back in town," Shannon said as she slipped into the corner booth on the other side of Will. "Steve and Chris are just getting drinks but they'll be here soon."

"It's nice to see you again, Coach Beiste," Rachel said with a smile. Will wished he knew what Rachel was going to say but maybe that was a conversation for another time.

"Coach Beiste? No, Rachel, sweetheart, I'm not your teacher anymore. I'm a colleague and you should call me Shannon. You wouldn't call Will, Mr. Schuester would you?" she asked with a smile.

Rachel was grateful the lighting was low because maybe the blush spreading across her cheeks wouldn't be noticeable. She tucked some hair behind her ear and nodded. "You're right. Well, it's nice to see you again… Shannon. Congratulations on getting married!"

She smiled happily when the older woman introduced her to her husband and mentee. She shook both of their hands before scooting closer toward the center of the booth. She didn't realize Will had done the same until she bumped into him.

She gave him a soft apology before lifting the drink to her lips. She wasn't sure what to say and stayed quiet as Will, Shannon and her husband talked before they turned their attention to Chris, who was on the other side of Rachel. It was a little awkward at first but soon the introductions were out of the way, everyone relaxing considerably as the conversation started to flow.

Rachel was surprised at how quickly she seemed to transform from former student to colleague. She still had a hard time even believing that she was an adult. She felt as uncertain and young as the day she graduated high school. Did that feeling ever go away?

"Rach…" she heard coming from Will. She broke out of her thoughts and realized everyone was looking at her, waiting on an answer to a question she didn't know.

"Do you want the same thing?" Will asked helpfully and she nodded, realizing the waitress standing there. She reached for her purse but Shannon brushed her off. "It's on me, pumpkin."

Rachel smiled at the affectionate nickname. "Thank you."

"Are you okay?" Will asked softly as the other three went back to their conversation.

"Yeah, I'm sorry." She shrugged. "I got lost in my thoughts, I guess… This is all just a little surreal. Not only being out with you guys but being a teacher and being on my own… I probably sound silly," she said, shaking her head as she looked down at the table.

Will shook his head and placed his hand on top of hers. She tried to ignore the spark that traveled through her.

"It's not silly. I get it. You don't realize how fast everything is happening until it does. Your mind doesn't quite have a chance to catch up."

"Does it ever catch up?" she asked, relieved that someone understood.

"I don't know." He laughed, taking Rachel's drink from the waitress and setting it down in front of her. "But I've found that letting loose once in a while and not dwelling on it helps."

He gave her a pointed look and she nodded before lifting the drink to her lips and taking a sip. Now wasn't the time for her to overthink, especially when she wasn't sure how she ended up going down this path. She knew it probably had to do with Will but it was better left to analyze later.

Another drink in and Rachel was starting to feel more relaxed, taking part in the conversations, joking around and feeling more like herself.

"You know, I would love to hear you sing again," Shannon pushed gently. "The most talented singer McKinley has ever seen," she said, telling her husband and Chris.

Rachel blushed lightly. "It has been awhile," she admitted before agreeing to sing.

Chris moved out of the booth and Rachel made her way to the line for the stage; Will watched her wistfully. Sometimes he could hardly believe it was the same Rachel he knew years ago. She had changed a lot but she still had the spark that made her a star.

She was even more beautiful too. Will, of course, was still reeling from his divorce but enjoyed the butterflies he got around the young brunette. It had been a long time since he felt them. He knew that they were over but he couldn't help the wishful thinking that maybe they could find their way back to each other. He was sure, though, that she wouldn't feel the same. After all, he was older now – a few years from 40 – and she probably had many prospects her own age.

He turned back to Shannon at her prompting and he continued their conversation until an unmistakable voice filled the room. They ceased talking and watched as Rachel began her song. It was a song Will remembered well.

A Thousand Years… She sang it during her senior prom; she sang it just to him then. It was confusing. Why would she choose that song with him there? It had to hold the same importance to her, and what did that mean?

Rachel didn't know what she was doing when it came time to choose a song; she actually blanked. This was the only one she could think of but it was rather fitting. Everything with Will had been slightly awkward since she found herself in his life again. She didn't want that. She wanted him to know that she wanted friendship, not to hold onto the past or lose him again. As she looked over at him, she hoped he understood.

As she finished a couple of minutes later, she took in the applause – something she had greatly missed – and didn't move from the stage. She smiled and decided to take a chance.

"Before I go, I would like to sing one more song," she said into the mic, giggling at the cheers. "But I can't do it alone. There is a very special person in here tonight that has been a great… friend to me over the years. We recently reconnected and I would like to renew our friendship with a duet."

She sent a soft smile his way, raising her eyebrows in question. "So, Will Schuester, will you join me?" she asked.

Shannon and her husband cheered at the suggestion, moving so that he could get out of the booth. She couldn't really tell what he was thinking; it was hard to even see him with the lights shining on stage. He stopped at the DJ and picked up a mic before joining her. That's when she saw the glint in his eyes, the small smile on his lips.

"I have the perfect song," he said into the mic but his eyes never left Rachel's. "I don't know if it's the right song for a place like this but we sang this song together many years ago, and in the spirit of renewing our friendship, I think it's the perfect song."

He looked back to the DJ and nodded. Even before the music started, Rachel knew what it would be. It was the first song they ever sang together and one that was still very important to her even after everything.

He looked nervous as he started singing the familiar first verse of Endless Love. She didn't blame him. She had a lot of questions going through her mind. The song had a certain connotation but that they were even singing together made her smile. Maybe they really could be friends, maybe this was a start.

She joined in when it was her turn. The lyrics of the song more relevant than the first time they sang it. He was her first love. He meant everything to her and she knew that love for him would never go away completely, even if she had moved on, even if they both had.

More than anything, she loved singing with him again. His incredible voice filled her ears. She didn't stop looking at him as they sang. She almost forgot that they had an audience.

When the song came to a close, Will started to feel just the way he did so many years ago. The emotions all came flooding back and all the love he still held for her came to the surface. Her smile lit up her face. He was enthralled by her and part of him wondered if there still might be a chance for them. He desperately wanted there to be a chance.

She took his hand as she walked past, leading him off the stage to cheers and applause. They turned in their mics before she led him up to the bar for another drink.

"We still sound pretty great together, don't we?" she asked softly, as they waited.

"Even better than I remember," he told her honestly.

"I'm really glad you asked me to come out tonight... I've been so nervous about seeing you ever since I moved here," she confessed, pushing some hair behind her ear. Will had to try as hard as he could to not reach out and place his hand against her cheek.

"I was so worried you would hate me and I didn't know if I could handle it," she continued. "At the same time, I didn't know how I would handle seeing you with Emma."

Her words told him a lot, though maybe he was reading too much into it. But, with every word she spoke, he grew more and more certain that there was something between them still. Those feelings weren't gone completely. It wasn't just him, and for the first time in a long while, Will felt happy and optimistic about what might be around the corner.

"I could never hate you," he told her honestly. Truth be told, what happened five years ago should probably be discussed at some point but not tonight. "You mean too much to me," he admitted, giving her a soft smile.

"And I really missed your voice," he finished. He took the drinks from the bartender, handing Rachel hers, and led them back to the booth.

Shannon and her husband had moved to the center, so Will slid in next to them, letting Rachel sit on the outside.

"You guys sounded great together but that was an interesting song to choose," Shannon said as the others agreed, leading Rachel to launch into an animated tale about the week she had a school girl crush on hem.

Everyone was laughing at the story when Will noticed Rachel's phone lighting up. He reached over to grab it from in front of Shannon to hand to Rachel. He couldn't help but notice the message displayed.

I miss you and love you. Be sure to call later. You won't regret it. ;)

"Who's Jason?" Will asked, as he handed her the phone. The confusion was clear on his face.

He knew who it must be, what the message meant. He didn't even realize that he interrupted the story. Part of him just hoped it wouldn't be who he thought it was.

Rachel looked at him a moment before quickly snatching the phone from his hand. He watched her look down at the message and bit her lip.

"My boyfriend," she said softly, not looking up at him.

Will suddenly felt like it was five years ago. Within seconds, he felt very raw. The wound from their break up felt like it was ripped open. He didn't have any reason to be upset; after all, they weren't anything more than friends, maybe.

But he thought that maybe it was more, maybe he might leave here tonight with the girl he loved. Since he had picked her up, he hadn't thought much at all about Emma, he hadn't thought about what was missing from his life or the dull ache in his chest that never went away. He hadn't thought about any of it because she was there.

"Oh, you have a boyfriend?" Shannon asked, intrigued by the new information.

Rachel glanced at Will before nodding. "Yeah, we've been dating since sophomore year."

"Sophomore year?" Will couldn't compete with that. He and Rachel were together for less than six months. He had been stupid to think that what they had would be as important to her as it was to him. He was probably just a distant memory to her.

"Uh, yeah," she said with a soft smile crossing her face. "It's been a long time."

She wouldn't make eye contact and he looked away, inwardly cringing as he saw the look from Shannon. She had picked up on the tension that suddenly filled the booth. Great, he thought. He'd have to come up with some reason for his behavior, for his reaction to the fact that his former student had a boyfriend.

The conversation became stilted after that. Shannon and her husband tried to keep it flowing, even getting up to sing karaoke as well. Will watched Rachel as she watched Steve and Shannon singing. She looked upset and uncomfortable. He hated that he ruined what was turning out to be a wonderful night.

It didn't take the group too long to decide to end the night. Rachel said her goodbyes to everyone before following Will silently out to his car.

Once inside, he looked over at her. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I don't know why I reacted that way. It wasn't my place."

He was grateful with Rachel finally looked at him, shaking her head slightly.

"I meant what I said tonight," she started quietly, no anger in her voice. "I really would like for us to be friend. I had a lot of fun with you on that stage tonight and I've missed you."

Will sighed, feeling a little better. It hadn't been anything he was hoping for but he really couldn't imagine his life without her anymore. He had dealt with that the last five years and now that he had her back, he wasn't going to lose her.

"I did too," he told her. It was the first night he had felt so happy since everything with Emma.

"Do you think we could do that?" she continued, "Be friends, spend time together the way friends do?" she asked. "Even if I do have a boyfriend."

"We can do that," Will said confidently. "I just want you to be happy, Rach… Does he make you happy?"

She smiled over at him and nodded. "He makes me happy," she confirmed.

When he pulled in front of her apartment building, he watched Rachel pause with her hand on the door handle, and looked back at him.

"In the spirit of being friends, could we do something on Saturday?" he asked before she could speak, hoping to see her again.

Rachel bit her lip and shrugged lightly. "I don't know… I mean, I can't really go out again until I get my apartment in order. It's been too long and it's starting to drive me crazy." She laughed. She did want to see him again but she couldn't put unpacking off anymore. "But… maybe you could come over? We can put on a movie and you can watch me finish unpacking?" she suggested. "I know it sounds super boring."

"No, no," he stopped her. He just wanted to see her; he would take anything. "That actually sounds great. It will give us a chance to get to know each other again."

He was glad to see her smile wide at that.

"Great! I'll see you around 7:00? We can order a pizza," she said before leaning over and wrapping her arms around him in a hug. "I'll see you then," she said, pulling back and quickly getting out of the car.

He watched her walk into the building and just sat there for several moments. He had been through a whole range of emotions that night. Maybe, though, it was better this way. He really wasn't ready for a relationship but having Rachel as a friend would mean so much to him; it may be exactly what he needed.

o0O0o

A few days later, Will was sitting on Rachel's couch as she sat on the floor surrounded by boxes. She ate a slice of her pizza and looked over at him doing the same. RENT was playing on the TV screen but neither of them had really been paying attention.

"Thanks for inviting me over," Will said, a smile on his face.

Rachel just laughed. "Please, I'm sure you have much better offers on a Saturday night. You're still young, and now you're single. I'm surprised you're not out living it up," she teased.

Will laughed at her characterization, and Rachel felt proud; she could tell that he had been down all night and she was glad to see a smile on his face.

"Nah, you know that's never been my scene… but seriously, I'm glad I'm here."

"But I'm just unpacking," she said amused. "Not exactly fun and games."

"I wish you'd let me help," he pointed out for the fifth time that night.

"No, I told you I just wanted the company. This is my own mess and I've been putting it off for too long," she told him, finishing up her pizza. She placed the plate down on the coffee table and wiped off her hands on the napkin in her lap.

"Is everything okay, Will?" she asked, needing to know what was bothering him. "Don't get me wrong; you've been excellent company but you seem down."

Will sighed sadly, leading Rachel to frown. "I'll be okay," he started. "It's just, even if it was the right thing, I'm still having a hard time with the divorce. It's hard to go from sharing your life with someone to not at all. It's hard to go back to being along… Emma and I had a few really great years together and you can't just stop loving someone," he paused, looking over at her, "I'm sorry, you probably don't want to hear all that."

"Of course I do," Rachel protested, shaking her head. "Will, the last five years I have hoped, every day, that you were happy. I'm sorry that this marriage didn't work out for you. You deserve to be happy."

"I'm happy spending time with you now," he admitted. Part of him realized just having this made him happier than he had been in years.

He gave her a smile and she returned it. "So, tell me about Jason," he asked.

"Are you sure?" She seemed weary and Will hated that she was worried about hurting him by just sharing her life.

"I'm very sure. We're friends and I want to know about your life. After all, I just told you about mine."

It would be hard to hear but something he was going to have to get used to, especially if he wanted to be part of her life. And he wanted that desperately. He felt so much better around her.

Rachel seemed to study him a moment before nodding.

"Well, he's really great," she started. "We met in one of our acting classes sophomore year. We were partnered up for our first scene and we just really hit it off. He's nice and talented and funny… He reminded me of you in a lot of ways," she said with a soft smile. "And he was the first guy since you and I broke up that really made me happy. There were a couple of guys here and there but I just couldn't be myself around them, not the way I can be with you and not the way I am with Jason."

Will gave her a genuine smile; it hurt him a little to hear that someone had replaced him but at the same time, he was glad that she found someone who made her happy. As long as she had that, he could get over any of the hurt or sadness. After all, he moved on too.

"As long as he makes you smile, I'm happy for you Rachel," he said softly. "That's all I ever wanted for you."

He needed to say more, tell her how broken he was when she broke up with him and how he didn't understand why it ended the way it did but he didn't want to bring them down tonight. He was enjoying the way they could just talk to each other.

"Thank you, Will. It means a lot to have you say that." Her voice was soft and he could only smile in return.

He picked up his beer, watching Rachel a moment. His eyes returned to the TV as she got up to grab another box.

As the movie came to an end, Will let off a soft sigh, knowing it wouldn't make sense for him to hang around much longer. He wasn't looking forward to going home to his empty apartment and the quiet that would lead to more dwelling.

He watched Rachel a moment as she pulled out some clothes from a box, re-folding them carefully and laying them in piles.

"I should go," she said softly. He looked at her before standing from the couch. He grabbed his wallet and keys from the coffee table.

Rachel smiled from her place on the floor but moved to stand.

"No, don't get up. It's okay," Will told her.

She nodded. "Thanks for coming over. I bet you had a lot of fun watching me unpack," she joked.

Will shook his head. "It was good," he assured. "I've missed this."

Rachel gave him a confused look and he elaborated. "Hanging out with you, talking." Quieter: "Our friendship."

She nodded, sighing softly. "I've missed it too," she told him with a small shrug.

They shared a smile as Will moved closer. He leaned down, intending to kiss her on top of the head as a goodbye but as he did, Rachel looked up at him and their lips connected instead.

He felt Rachel's soft gasp but before Will could pull back, her lips moved against his. They soon fell into a deeper kiss and Will knelt on the floor, his hand moving to Rachel's waist.

He didn't realize just how much he missed this connection with her. This moment proved to him that he had never gotten over the small brunette in his arms and he didn't want to.

With gentle pressure, Will pushed Rachel to lie back on the floor. Things grew heated between them quickly, and he felt Rachel's hand on the back of his neck as he pressed his body to hers.

"Will," she eventually whispered between kisses, though Will didn't hear the subtext at first. His focus was only on this long-awaited reunion.

"Will, stop," she repeated, turning her face away. Her eyes closed and he immediately did as she asked, looking down at her. He tried to make eye contact, meeting to know he wasn't the only one feeling everything that was between them.

"I have a boyfriend," she whispered, her voice wavering as her eyes opened.

Will sat back on his knees. "I know," he said softly, watching as she still lay there. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

She shook her head and slowly sat up. "I'm sorry too," she said, looking down at her lap for several moments. The silence was deafening. "Do you think we're going to be able to do this?" she asked finally.

"Do what?" he responded, though he already knew what her question was going to be.

"You know… the whole 'just friends' thing?"

He thought about it for a moment, sighing softly. He reached out and brushed some hair out of her eyes before placing his hand against her cheek, gently forcing her to look at him. He didn't like the sadness in her eyes and he had been putting it there a lot lately.

"I hope so," he said finally, meaning it more than anything. "Because I could really use my best friend right now."

She smiled at that and he returned it. "Me too," she said, leaning in and kissing him on the cheek. "Goodnight, Will."

They shared a look before he dropped his hand. "Goodnight, Rach," he returned before standing. "I'll talk to you soon."

She nodded and he made his way out of her apartment, forcing himself not to look back. He leaned against the door once it shut. He didn't know how he was going to do this. It was clear to him that he was just as in love with her as he was many years ago. Nothing with Emma had changed that but he knew it wasn't going to happen. Rachel was happy with this Jason; he wouldn't get in the way of that again. He had to make this work with Rachel so that he could keep her in his life.

As he walked away from her apartment, down to his car, Will started to think of a plan to make sure he wouldn't lose Rachel again. He needed her, even if just as a friend.

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