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Chapter Text

Prologue

Shelby paces her living room, her baby girl in her arms. The little tyke woke up from the thunder and lightning outside and immediately cried out for her mommy. Shelby had lifted the three year old from her toddler bed and cuddled her close. Rachel clings to her now.

"It's okay, my little ray of sunshine. I know you don't like loud sounds. But they're just sounds."

She kisses her tear soaked cheek and Rachel lifts her head off her shoulder. "It's woud."

Grinning at the adorableness of her still struggling with L-words, the mother comforts her. "Yeah, it's loud. That's okay. They can't hurt you. Mommy won't let them."

"Mommy, you sing?"

"For you? Of course."

Shelby sings "You Are My Sunshine" to her three year old daughter while pacing their living room. By the end of the song, Rachel is calm and her eyelids are drooping. Shelby smiles softly. This isn't how she expected to spend her own birthday when she'd thought of it a few months ago, but she wouldn't have it any other way. She finally has her little girl in her life. Partying in New York City with her friends is no longer of interest to her. Nothing beats being a mother to her baby girl.

Chapter 1

The low rumble of the newscasters on the television drones on in the background. His attention isn't on it. His attention is inward. Leroy's weary mind races and his body is tense. He's coming very close to accepting something that he really doesn't want to accept. It terrifies him. A breath catches in his chest and he rubs his eyes. He leans forward, leaning his elbows on his legs and pressing his face into his hands. Three days of unshaven scruff scratches at his palms. No wonder Rachel cried so much when he held her earlier. Their baby girl isn't used to her daddies having beards. They're usually clean shaven. With these uncomfortable changes in their lives, the two year old is already unsettled and struggling to adapt. Adding on her dad's new beard is too much for the toddler. He needs to shave. He needs to go grocery shopping. Leroy sniffs his shirt. He needs to do laundry, too.

Hearing Rachel start crying, he sighs heavily and pushes himself off the couch. Clearly nap time, and his subsequent break, is over. He heads upstairs to the nursery, the cries getting louder. He's passing his and Hiram's room when he hears raspy coughing from within. He spins back and steps into the room. His husband is on his side, curled up, coughing roughly. Between coughs, he's gasping for air. Leroy hurries inside and pounds his back for him. When the coughing fit is done, he grabs the oxygen mask and places it on Hiram's face. He sits on the edge of the bed and rubs his husband's back, waiting for the man to get control of his breathing. Rachel is still crying out, waiting for someone to release her from her crib. She's probably hungry, too. His gut twists.

"Dada!"

"Le—" Hiram rasps out. "Get—Rach-el."

"I will. You needed me first."

"She's just—a baby." He says between breaths.

"I know. She can wait another minute, though. You couldn't."

"Dada peas!" Rachel cries.

Their baby girl struggles with speaking when she's upset or too tired. So when she first wakes up, she generally just cries. It's only after she's fully awake that she starts using her words. He watches Hiram wince with each new cry from their daughter. Once Hiram is able to take in normal breaths, Leroy kisses his cheek and hurries into the nursery. Rachel is holding onto the side of the crib, her hair a wild mess, her cheeks red and tear stained, her bottom lip trembling. The moment she sees him, she shoves her arms out to him, wanting to be held.

"Hi, sweetheart. Is that you making all that racket?" He coos.

He lifts her and she snuggles right into him. He has no idea what he'll do when he can no longer cuddle his baby like this. Just the thought of it breaks his heart. She's going to grow up and won't be his snuggle bug anymore. He carries her down the hall but pauses at his bedroom door.

"I'm gonna feed her, then I'll bring you something."

"Okay."

He glances at his daughter. Her big brown eyes are staring at her daddy, but she no longer calls for him. Only recently did she stop trying to go to him while he's in bed. She'll go to him when he's sitting in a chair or standing, but if he's in bed she avoids him. They understand why. The last time he was in bed and she was curled up with him, he had a coughing fit. It scared her and she cried hysterically for a while. After that, it's like she attributed Hiram laying down with the scary coughing. It broke Hiram's heart, but he understood. Leroy settles her in the high chair and starts making her food. She watches him quietly. That's new, too. She used to always make noises. As a baby, she was always testing out what sounds she could make (and how loudly) and would giggle after each one. It was adorable. Once she started learning words, she would use them nonstop. Now, the confusion and stress over the scary changes has quieted her. They both hate it, but there's nothing they can do about it. Hiram is sick. Until he goes into remission, things will remain as they are.

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It's been nine months since his husband's diagnosis. Hiram isn't getting any better. He can't work anymore. Rachel is quieter and yet fussier than ever. She cries more. She alternates between demanding attention or hiding. Leroy will never forget the terror he felt the first time he realized his two year old daughter was missing. Hiram tried to help look for her, but became short of breath and had to sit down. Heart and mind racing, Leroy alone searched the entire house top to bottom before finding her in a kitchen cabinet, hugging a stuffed bear and sucking her thumb. His heart broke at the sight of her tears.

"Hi, little one!" He'd cooed softly.

She didn't move; just watched him warily, silent tears streaming down her face. At the same moment that Leroy reached for her, Hiram started coughing from the other room. Rachel dropped her bear and slapped her hands over her ears. Leroy froze, heart falling. She's scared. The pieces connected and he understood. He'd sat cross legged and purposely made his face and posture as relaxed as possible. He waited, letting his daughter watch him.

"That was scary, wasn't it? Daddy coughed a lot."

"Woud." She said softly.

"Yeah. That was loud. And scary. But it's okay, pumpkin. Daddy will be okay. He's just not feeling well. Do you wanna snuggle and watch Aladdin?"

Slowly, Rachel nodded and started scooting out of the cabinet. Leroy grabbed her as soon as she was close enough and hugged her tight. "I'm so sorry you were scared, sweetheart. But Daddy's alright. It'll all be alright."

He started Aladdin for Rachel, checked that Hiram was okay, then went and cuddled with his daughter. He didn't watch the movie. He watched her. And thought. Hard. They don't have any family outside of them. Both of their immediate families disowned them when they got married. It's just the three of them. And now, it falls on Leroy to care for his seriously ill husband and his toddler daughter. His lips tremble and he presses a hand over them so Rachel won't see.

He doesn't know how much longer he can keep going like this.

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A couple more months go by. Leroy is beyond stressed. Hiram's health keeps going through phases; he'll feel okay for a while, then he'll be in bad shape for a while. The problem is that lately, the bad phases are lasting longer than the good ones.

His attention is split between working (from home as much as possible), taking care of a two year old, and taking care of his husband. His patience is worn thing. He's exhausted, stressed, scared, and frustrated. He's been snapping at his family and then feels guilty. It's not their faults. Either of them. He knows Rachel doesn't know any better; she's two. Still, when she argues, says no, throws a tantrum, or makes a mess, he yells. He didn't used to. These days, it's his go-to response. He hates himself and snuggles up with her afterwards as an apology. And he never lets Hiram see just how strained he's gotten. His husband doesn't need the added stress. He just needs to focus on getting better. Then they'll be able to go back to the happy family they were.

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"Nooo!" Rachel screams in a whine, running away from him.

Leroy breathes out through his nose hard, trying to remind himself to stay calm. "Rachel, sweetheart, you need to take a bath."

"No!"

"But you're a stinky little girl."

"M'not!"

"You are. You're a stinky baby. Do you want to be a stinky baby?"

"No baf!"

"Yes a bath, Rachel. Now."

Rachel stomps her little foot. "Not now. Pway now!"

"No, we're done playing."

"Pway!"

Rachel runs to her toy box and dumps out a plastic baby tea set that Leroy had just put away less than an hour ago. The items clatter on the ground, adding to the mess already on the floor. He's been so tired lately that he's only cleaning the bare minimum to be able to get around the house. So seeing the little progress he'd made be completely undone, combined with the shitty day he'd had, causes him to snap.

"Enough!" He roars.

He grabs her by her little arm, turns her around, and smacks her bottom. While this would have been a normal and appropriate response to the situation, there are two problems. First, since he'd been trying to give her a bath, she's currently naked. Her bottom took the blows bare, with no protection or padding. Second, his snapping and rush of anger caused him to hit harder than he ever has before. Rachel screams her head off in a way she never has before. Leroy pauses, hand in the air, and stares down at her very red bottom. His stomach rolls. What the fuck is wrong with him?

"Oh, God. Rachel. Sweetheart, I'm so sorry."

He cradles her against his chest and gently rubs her back as he paces her room, trying to soothe her tears. She sobs and sobs, her little face scrunched up in hurt and confusion. Leroy feels like absolute shit.

"Le?" Hiram calls from downstairs. "Everything okay?"

Rachel's cries are quieting down. He quickly wraps her in a towel and heads into the hall. Hiram doesn't need to know. It'd just upset him and stress him out.

"Yeah. Our little darling is against bath time. I had to give her a little spanking."

There's a moment of hesitation before Hiram responds. "Okay."

Rachel is quiet and cooperative, but not happy during her bath time. Seeing her complacent eases some of his guilt. It's clearly what she needed. A firm hand. Still, he promises himself it'll be the last time.

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It wasn't the last time. It was just the first. Her spankings started happening more and more frequently. Leroy doesn't let himself think about when spanking crosses the line into something more severe. It stops her fussing and gets her to do what she needs to do. And it helps keep her quiet so he can focus on taking care of Hiram. Once Hi is healthy again, he won't need to resort to this. He's positive of this.

Rachel turned three. They didn't really get to celebrate because Hiram was in the hospital. In fact, Leroy was so stressed that he completely forgot about it. Thankfully she's young enough to not know they celebrated more than two weeks after her actual birthday.

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The slap shocked them both. Rachel was too shocked to even cry out. The three year old fell over with the force of the blow, pushed herself up, and turned to face him. She stared up at him with wide eyes and a quivering bottom lip, her cheek already turning red. Leroy stared down at her, his palm stinging. He looked between her and his hand in shock. He hit her. Not spanked. Hit. Slapped. He blamed her, he realized. He can't be in the hospital comforting his husband because his three year old needed to be taken home.

The first sound slips out of his daughter. A soft, pathetic little whimper. And then another, louder. In moments she's sobbing. He reaches for her and she flinches back, her cries increasing. Leroy stumbles out of her room and into his own. He runs his hands through his hair and clutches his head. His breaths come in sharp bursts. A moan slips out of him. He drops to his knees, hands still on his head. The tears come suddenly. He's sobbing as hard as Rachel, his heart clenched so tightly he's not sure how he's still alive.

"Oh, God. Oh, God." He gasps between sobs. "I didn't—I-I didn't—"

It takes a lot of effort, but he manages to reign in his cries and settle himself down. He can't be here, feeling sorry for himself, while his innocent daughter is still sobbing down the hall. Quickly drying his face on his comforter, he hurries back to Rachel's room. The three year old has buried her face into her stuffed bunny. Her little body is clenched tight, her hands in fists and even her toes are curled up. Leroy settles on the floor next to her and does the only thing he can think to do. He hums "Baby Mine". Her cries soften and he can tell she's listening. Cautiously, he lays a hand on her back. She tenses more but doesn't squirm away. Still humming, he begins to softly rub her back. It takes a while, but her body slowly relaxes and her tears come to a stop. He lays beside her and looks into her eyes.

"Rachel, I'm very sorry. I'm not mad at you. I'm sad Daddy isn't home with us and I did a bad thing."

"Hit."

"Yeah. I hit you. That was bad, wasn't it?"

Slowly, Rachel nods. "No hit."

"Right. We don't hit. Dada was bad. But I'm very, very sorry. I promise I won't ever do it again. I love you so much, Rachel. Can you forgive me?"

Rachel slides closer and her fingers grasp his shirt. "I a'give you, Dada."

"Thank you, sweetheart." He kisses her forehead.

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Hiram's smile grows when Rachel toddles into the room and immediately puts her hands out towards him. He helps her climb up on the hospital bed and holds her close, kissing her all over while she giggles. Leroy waits, knowing what's about to happen. Sure enough, Hiram kisses her sore cheek and Rachel flinches back with a whine. Hiram freezes. Gently, he grabs her chin and turns her head so he can inspect her cheek. Leroy will never forget the look Hiram gives him in that moment. For a couple minutes, Hiram ignores him and focuses 100% of his attention on their daughter. Once Rachel's ramblings have run their course, Hiram calls for a nurse.

"Judy, honey, can you please watch Rachel for a moment so I can speak with Leroy?"

"Only for you. And only for a couple minutes. I do have other patients, Hiram." She says with a smile. Then she coaxes Rachel into taking her hand and following her to get a special treat.

"Why is her cheek red?"

Leroy's mouth is dry. "I hit her."

Rage and heartbreak battle for dominance on Hiram's face. "Why?"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I just…..I was overwhelmed and snapped. It won't happen again."

Hiram covers his mouth and closes his eyes. "Overwhelmed. Le…that's not an excuse. But don't think I haven't noticed the dark circles under your eyes and how tired you look. I know this is hard, baby, but you need to put Rachel first."

"I'm trying. But you're my husband. I need to be there for both of you, but that doesn't leave enough of me left to be me."

"Then stop focusing on me. I'm a grown man. I can handle this on my own. I can focus on taking care of myself and you focus on raising our daughter."

He started shaking his head before he even finished speaking. "No. You're my husband, my other half, the love of my life. You're going through something difficult and scary. I'm not walking away. I can take care of both of you."

Hiram looks at him intently. "Put me in a nursing home. Or an assisted living home or whatever."

"We can't afford it."

"Why not?"

"You're not getting paid anymore, Hir. Your disability payments aren't much. I didn't get a raise this year since I'm working less. And these medical bills are no joke."

"Le—" Hiram grabs his oxygen mask and holds it to his mouth and nose for a minute. When he can talk again, he goes on. "Things can't go on like this. None of us are doing well. I'm sick, you're falling apart, and Rachel…... We can at least save our daughter and give her better."

Leroy's eyes dart between his. "W-what are you talking about?"

"Shelby."

"No."

"Le, it's Shelby or I file for divorce and take Rachel."

He scoffs. "You're not well enough to take care of her on your own. They'd never grant you full custody while you're sick."

"So she'd end up with the state, who will just give her back to Shelby."

Leroy paces the room. Shelby always wanted Rachel. It wasn't until after signing the contract that the young woman seemed to realize what she'd just signed away and was too late to do anything about it. She tried, though. She asked, begged, pleaded, and even threatened them to try to get them to renegotiate the contract. He knows she'd be thrilled to take Rachel now. But he hates that. Once she has custody of Rachel, she can keep her and they'll have to fight to get their daughter back. It'd be messy.

"I can handle it."

"But you're not. I've watched you slowly lose control, Le. And now you hit our three year old daughter! That's my breaking point. I need both of you to be okay. We can't do anything about my health. We can and will make sure Rachel is well cared for. We need to."

"I know that! I want what's best for her and that's us!"

"You said it yourself. I'm in no shape to raise her. And you're falling apart. And…" He hesitates, then keeps going. "And Rachel isn't exactly thriving at the moment. None of us are handling this well. We need help. We need Shelby."

The tears start rolling down Leroy's cheeks. "What if…..what if she takes Rachel and runs? What if we can't get her back? What if we lose her forever? What if I lose both of you forever? I can't handle that, Hiram. I can't."

Hiram takes his husband's face in his hands. "She won't. We'll share custody. We'll have her sign another contract stating that once I'm healthy again, or after I've passed and you're ready, we, or you, will take her back. This will be temporary."

"I—I don't—"

"Le, Rachel deserves better. Isn't that how we convinced Shelby to stop threatening us and walk away? By pointing out that we could give Rachel a better life than she could? And right now, we can't. Rachel deserves better than we can give her right now. Temporarily. But we have to put Rachel's needs first."

Slowly, Leroy nods in defeat. "I'll make the call."

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Shelby Corcoran holds the final note until the music stops. Her cast mates applaud her and whistle. She grins. It's been a long, hard road but she finally made it. She's originating a role on Broadway and she couldn't be more thrilled or more proud. They've been rehearsing for two months and it's going well. Plus it's a lot of fun. Everyone is really excited about the project and she's met a lot of new people and made new friends. It's been the best experience of her life and possibly the best two months of her life. The icing on the cake is that it helps distract her from what she left behind. Leaving Ohio, leaving her daughter, was hard. Even though she had no legal claim to her child, it was hard. She managed it. She struggled through pathetic jobs and audition after audition. She did a few off-Broadway shows, but nothing that lasted long. This will be different. There's a feeling in the air of expectation and hope. She is hopeful for the first time in a long time and it's because of this show. It's her ticket to her dreams coming true.

Rehearsal ends and she goes out to dinner with a couple cast mates who are quickly becoming friends. When she finally makes it home, she is exhausted but happily so. It was a long day, but a good one. Which is why she isn't thrilled when her phone rings. She'd been hoping to shower and then go to bed early. All irritation is swept away when she sees the name on the caller ID. A mix of fear and excitement flows through her.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Shelby."

"Leroy. What's—what's going on? You said—"

"I know what I said, but…things changed."

Her heart is thudding wildly in her chest. "What changed?"

"Hiram is sick. Lung cancer."

"I'm very sorry to hear that." And she is. Despite her issues with the contract they made her sign, she knows they're good men. And Hiram is the kinder, gentler of the two. Leroy was always the quick tempered one. "How's he doing?"

"He…..he has his days. But he's currently hospitalized. That's why I'm calling. I need to take care of my sick husband and Rachel….." Her heart rate skyrockets. Rachel. That's her daughter's name. Just hearing it has tears piercing her eyes. Rachel. Leroy's breaths are coming more raggedly now. "She's three now. Three year olds need a lot of attention and care. So does Hiram. I can't take care of both of them. I just can't." She can hear the thick tears in his voice and her heart goes out to him. "I can't take care of both of them, Shelby. It's too much."

"You want me to help take care of….of Rachel?" Using her daughter's name for the first time sends a stab of both hurt and joy through her heart.

"Yes. Can you…..you're in New York, right?"

"I am."

"Would you be willing to move back to Ohio? Temporarily. This would all be temporary."

Her heart is screaming at her to say yes; anything to have the chance to at least see her daughter. However, the mess of the contract, her regret and hurt, and the years of hating herself for not fighting it harder rear their ugly head. "You want me to drop my life here, to go back to Ohio, to take care of Rachel temporarily, just to walk away and go back to New York when I'm not needed anymore?"

There's a long pause on the other line. Yes. That's exactly what Leroy was hoping for. "Not exactly." He finally hedges.

"I am more than happy to take care of Rachel, but we're doing it my way." She responds firmly, ignoring the way her hands are shaking. "I will take care of Rachel here, in New York, where I have a life. Once you're able to take care of her again, we'll split custody 50/50."

"No." His response is immediate and just as firm as hers.

"Leroy, you said yourself you can't take care of both of them. I will take Rachel."

"You're not taking her! You're helping out for a little while!" Leroy snaps.

Shelby forces herself to take a steadying breath and sit on her couch. The last thing she wants right now is to set him off to the point that he cuts her off and doesn't let her help raise Rachel. However, she also doesn't want anything temporary. Her fear of losing out on this opportunity altogether pushes her to compromise.

"I'm not talking about taking her away." She says softly, hoping to soothe the panicking father. "I'm talking about helping raise her now while you need help, then getting to be in her life from here on out. While I'd be thrilled with sharing custody of her, I'd be happy just to be in her life and not have to wait until she's eighteen." Fuck that. She wants full custody but she doesn't dare admit to it right now

"I—-you won't take her away?"

The terrified and shaky tone he used causes tears to spring to her eyes once more. "No. I have no intention of taking her away from you, Leroy. I just want to help you out right now and get to be in her life from now on."

She lets him think it over. He clearly needs assistance raising her while his husband is sick and she knows they don't have any other family to lean on. And she's thrilled to help out. However, the thought of getting to spend the next couple weeks or months raising Rachel, only to lose her for years tears at her heart. She couldn't handle that. But is it worth it to get any time with her at all? Before she can decide, Leroy speaks again.

"Okay. We can renegotiate the contract."

"Fuck the contract. Tear it up. We'll write a new one. Together. One that benefits all of us, but especially Rachel."

Leroy breathes out a long, hard breath. "Fine. But moving here for the duration of caring for her is nonnegotiable."

Shelby opens her mouth to agree when she catches sight of a picture she'd placed on her end table. It's a photo of her and her costars on the first day of rehearsal. They'd taken it to commemorate the special occasion. She finally made it on Broadway. Moving to Ohio now would mean giving up that dream. Abandoning it. Her gut twists and she feels like she could vomit. Through the entire phone call, she never once gave her career a single thought. Now, she's realizing what's at stake. Is she seriously going to walk away from her first Broadway show? To raise a child who she may not get to see again for fifteen years?

"Alright. I'll be there in three days."

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Shelby used the first day to sit down with her director and producers and explain the situation. She broke down in tears, telling them everything; she was hired as a surrogate for a gay couple, was forced to sign a contract stating she'd have no contact with her child for eighteen years, how badly it hurt to walk away from her child and how much she regretted signing that stupid contract, and that she is now needed to go be a mother to her child for a while. They were shocked and unhappy at the sudden loss of their star, but they were also understanding. Family comes first. Then she had to retell the story to her coworkers, who had mixed reactions. Overall, they were supportive and she appreciated it.

The next two days were spent packing and making arrangements. She and Leroy spoke at length before agreeing on a course of action. She's going to stay at a hotel for the first couple days she's in Ohio. She'll get to meet Rachel with both of her fathers present. They'll slowly introduce mother and daughter until the child is comfortable with her. Only then will the fathers start letting the mother "babysit". It'll stop being babysitting after all of them are comfortable with the situation. Then, she'll finally receive partial custody of her child.

And then, when all is said and done, she will fight them for more custody. Never again will she walk away from her baby.

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She thought she'd be excited and nervous to star in her first Broadway show, but what she's feeling now, when she's about to meet her daughter for the first time, is so much stronger. Hiram was released from the hospital and is home resting. Shelby settled into her hotel last night and is walking up to the Berry house now. Hiram answers the door and greets her. Shelby has to fight to keep herself from reacting. He's bald, pale, and so much skinnier than she's ever seen. He doesn't look good. And yet, his smile is genuine and his eyes are sparkling.

"Shelby."

Any other time they'd have come face to face, it'd be far more chilly. Since she's finally getting her baby girl and it's at their request, it's a lot warmer between them. She steps up to him and gives him a hug.

"Hi, Hiram."

They go inside and her attention is immediately drawn to everything that indicates that a young child lives here.

"She's upstairs. Leroy will bring her downstairs soon."

Shelby nods and sits on the couch with him. They talk about his condition and treatments, then about how much she enjoyed living in New York.

"I'm sorry you didn't land any big shows. You definitely have the talent."

Shelby looks down and fiddles with her fingers. "Well I sort of did. But raising Rachel matters more to me."

Hiram's face drops. "You gave up your dream to help us?"

"No offense, but I gave up my dream to be a part of my daughter's life. Helping you two is a happy bonus." Not entirely true. She'd been furious and heartbroken over the contract. She'd have no problem never seeing them again and not helping them out after they screwed her over. However, since she's getting what she wants out of helping them, she's willing to pretend otherwise.

Hiram's smile returns and his eyes lighten. "On the one hand, that's why we got so scared and insisted on you signing that contract. On the other hand, I'm thrilled and relieved to know you're a mother first and a performer second."

Mother. She kept focusing on it from her side; getting to be in her daughter's life, raising her. Now, for the first time, she puts the word mother into the situation. She's a mother. She didn't let herself think that through her pregnancy or after. Now, however, yes. She's a mother. A mom. Her daughter is going to grow up calling her Mommy and she couldn't be more thrilled. She blinks away tears.

"For what it's worth…..I'm sorry for how we hurt you. With the contract. We were focused on protecting ourselves and Rachel. We weren't thinking of how much it would hurt you."

Shelby sighs, deciding it'd be best to play peacemaker for now. "I understood it. I hated it and disagreed, but I understood why you felt the need for it."

They sit on the couch and talk for a couple minutes until they hear footsteps on the stairs. Shelby's heart skips a beat before lodging itself in her throat. Her eyes are locked on the little girl in her father's arms. Her big brown eyes stare into Shelby's green eyes with curiosity. Leroy nods to Shelby, then glances at his husband. They share a look before Hiram nods. Leroy turns so that Rachel is facing Shelby.

"Rachel, we want you to meet someone very special. This is your Mommy."

Rachel gives a cute little gasp. Her eyes go wide and her mouth forms an O. The adults wait patiently, curious how she'll respond to this new information. Rachel's eyes take in Shelby from head to toe, then back to her eyes.

"That my Mommy?"

Hearing her little voice melts Shelby's heart.

"Yes, it is. Your Mommy had you in her tummy and Daddy and I asked if we could take care of you. But she really, really wanted you, too. So now we're going to be one big, happy family."

Immediately, Rachel giggles. Her little legs kick out excitedly before swinging happily. Her hands grip her dad's neck and she smiles from ear to ear. "I get a mommy and a dada and a daddy?"

All three parents are thrilled with her response and smile back just as big.

"Yes, you do." Hiram tells her. "You get all three of us."

Unable to stay back any longer, Shelby steps forward. "Hi, Rachel. I'm your Mommy."

Leroy sets Rachel down on her feet. The little girl toddles over to Shelby and stares up at her. Shelby crouches down to be closer to her level. She's unable to stop the tears from springing to her eyes when she feels her daughter's little hands press against her cheeks.

"You pretty."

Shelby laughs. "You're even prettier."

Rachel laughs, her eyes squinting and nose crinkling from her big smile. The girl throws her arms around Shelby's neck. The mother pulls her daughter into her arms for the first time and lets the tears fall. She doesn't let go until Rachel does. Rachel's smile falls.

"You cryin?"

"I am." Shelby says with a smile. "I'm crying because I'm so happy to meet you."

"Mommy?"

Shelby's heart flips joyously. "Yes?"

The toddler leans forward and whispers into her ear. "I happy too."

Shelby laughs and hugs her again.

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The next day, Shelby is back. The family eats lunch together. Rachel takes a nap after lunch and the parents intend to work out a plan while she sleeps. Shelby watches Rachel eat carefully, watching how she eats and listening to the dads tell her what sorts of foods she does and does not like. At nap time, Rachel asks for her mommy to tuck her in. Shelby doesn't miss the slight flinch Leroy tries to hide. Wanting to be respectful of the fathers, she waits for them to give their approval before going with her daughter upstairs. The toddler takes her hand and leads her slowly up the stairs. Her little feet stomp on each step as though she thinks she needs great force to move from step to step. It amuses the mother. In her room, Shelby helps Rachel climb up into the crib with the railing lowered with a small frown. Her daughter is three. She shouldn't still be in a crib. She shoves that thought away for the moment and focuses on her little girl. She runs her fingers through Rachel's dark locks.

"Do you need anything before going to sleep?" Shelby asks softly. She's not sure of the protocol here and she wants to learn.

"Dada hums."

"Dada hums? Do you want me to hum?"

"You sing?"

"I can sing. How about if I sing a lullaby?"

Rachel smiles widely. "Yeah!"

Smiling, she realizes she doesn't even have to think about a song. Her mind instantly recalls the song she'd sing and hum over and over through her pregnancy. Shelby sings "You Are My Sunshine" in a soft voice. Still, her daughter is listening with wide eyes.

"Wow, Mommy."

"Wow?"

"It pretty!"

She chuckles. "I'll teach you to sing pretty, too."

The little girl responds with a quiet, tired hum. Shelby rubs her back gently.

"Go to sleep, baby girl."

She sings the song again and this time, it puts the little girl to sleep. Shelby watches her sleep for a minute, blown away by the peace the simple vision brings her. Eventually, she remembers that the Berrys are waiting for her downstairs and forces herself to join them. They grin at her the moment she walks in.

"She talked you into singing for her, didn't she?"

"Yeah, why?"

The men chuckle. "That is supposed to be reserved for bedtime, not nap time, and she knows it."

Shelby blinks. "I got conned by a three year old?"

"Yup."

The parents laugh as Shelby settles into a seat across from them. Once their chuckles fade, Shelby frowns, wondering how to phrase her question. She decides to just come out with it.

"Why is she still in a crib? She's three."

The men share a look. "We've been pretty distracted lately. We haven't had the time or thought to get her a toddler bed. But you're right. She needs it."

"I'm guessing things like this are part of what prompted you to call me."

Leroy looks down, his expression almost pained. Hiram rests his hand on top of his. "You're right. But let's discuss what'll happen next."

For the next two hours, they talk about what they all need, what Rachel needs, and how they think things should go. Sometimes it got heated, but none of the parents ever forgot to put Rachel first. In the end, all three were satisfied. For now, they will share custody. However, at least to start, Shelby won't have Rachel with her very often. Once Shelby has an apartment, she'll take Rachel to her place for part of the day, then bring her back. After they're all used to this and they're sure Rachel is comfortable, Shelby will take Rachel for two days, then the Berry men will have her for two days, and they'll continue trading off until something needs to change. Obviously, Shelby will take Rachel when Hiram has treatments. Or if Hiram ends up in the hospital again so that Leroy can be with him. But she'll also take Rachel to the hospital to visit her Daddy. And on top of all of this, the Berry men handed her a form from their lawyer for her to sign that undoes their initial contract. In case of emergencies, Shelby needs to legally be given partial custody. That wasn't possible with the contract in place. That contract is now officially voided.

Satisfied, Shelby goes apartment hunting.

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It didn't take long for things to fall into place and a new stage of life to begin for all of them. Shelby had an apartment by the end of the week. She had all furniture delivered within the following two weeks. Rachel warmed up to Shelby much faster than any of them anticipated. This made the Berry men equal parts pleased and uncomfortable. They didn't say anything; they didn't have to. Shelby could read it on their faces. This is the reason they pushed the contract on her. Shelby didn't mention anything about it and neither did they. However, to help assuage their fears, she made a point of telling them how many times Rachel asked for or about her dads. Beyond that, there was really nothing else she could do. Mother and daughter hit it off with an instant connection. The first time Shelby picked her up and the little girl curled into her, their bond was sealed. Rachel still loves her daddies and loves to be with them. That much is obvious and Shelby does her best to casually point that out to the stressed out fathers. But Rachel is just as excited to go with Shelby as she is to return to her fathers.

In a weird way, Shelby felt like she's always had Rachel in her life. Interacting with her daughter comes so naturally that it's like it's always been this way. It's easier than expected. Not being a mother; that's not easy. Especially in the situation she's currently in, splitting custody of her child with two men who raised her baby from infancy and one of whom is fighting a serious illness, with none of them knowing what the future will look like. That part is tough. Having to give her back every two days is hard. But being with Rachel, having her with her, that's easy. And so very thrilling.

There are times when she thinks about how she missed the first three years of her daughter's life. She missed bottle feedings and diaper changes and first words and first steps. It hurts to think about. However, having her now helps ease that ache. As close as they instantly felt, Shelby is still getting to know Rachel and vice versa. But it's so much fun and so wonderful learning all of her idiosyncrasies. To Shelby, nothing is better than cuddling with her three year old daughter and softly singing her a lullaby. It's so much better than what she thought Broadway would be. She's not gonna lie, she still wants Broadway. But she wouldn't trade her time with Rachel for anything. Who needs a stage and packed theater when you have your small child staring up at you with big, awed eyes and listening to your singing with rapt attention?

There are two things that are causing her stress and keeping her worried. The first is major; what will happen in the future? She wants full custody, but is realizing that is highly unlikely. Besides, it'd be mean to Rachel to suddenly cut her fathers out of her life. As disappointing as it is, Shelby stops focusing on getting full custody and starts thinking about the more realistic shared custody. She's just not sure how hard it'll be to get. If Hiram goes into remission and gets better, will she have to fight them for shared custody? If Hiram dies, will she have to fight Leroy for split custody? At the moment, the only assurance she has from the Berry men is their promise that they'll let her still be a part of Rachel's life. They won't block her or try to keep her away. While it's better than their initial contract, it's not enough for her. They haven't gone into any detail yet because none of them know what will happen in the future, how they'll feel, or how things will change. She wants full custody. With that being unlikely, she'll happily split custody 50/50. She will not accept anything less than that. But it's too soon into this arrangement for her to mention that to them yet.

The second thing still stressing her out is her parents. She had to call them and tell them that she gave up her Broadway debut. They were shocked and dismayed. Obviously, they wanted to know why. She said she'd tell them later, but promised it's for a good reason and that everything is fine. In the last three years, it was too painful to tell them about the child she gave away. They have no idea and she has no idea how they'll react. She's not sure how long she'll be able to push that off.

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The first time Shelby took Rachel to the playground at her apartment complex, Rachel fell and scraped her knee. It was the mother's first time dealing with her child having an injury. To be frank, she panicked. However, she didn't panic how she assumed she'd panic. The performer in her came out in the most ridiculous way possible, but it all worked out well and she managed to make the other parents at the playground laugh. She'd been holding the toddler's hand and helping her walk across the bouncy bridge as the girl went back and forth. After doing this a couple times, Rachel shook her off.

"I do it!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I do it!"

"Okay. Be careful."

Stepping back and letting Rachel walk along the bouncy bridge alone was surprisingly nerve wracking for her. And it made her grin slightly as she imagined how much she'll panic when she has to teach her daughter how to drive. And then let her drive. She shudders and shoves that thought away. She has over a decade before she has to deal with that. Shelby held her breath the first time Rachel walked along the bridge by herself, but she managed it. She released her breath and clapped her hands.

"Yay! You did so well!"

Rachel beamed at her and laughed the laugh she has for when she's just so pleased about something that she can't contain it. Shelby loves that laugh more than any other sound in the world.

"I do again!"

"Okay. Go ahead."

Each time Rachel went across the bridge, she went faster. On her fourth time crossing, Rachel broke out into a run. She tripped early on and slid down to the lowest point of the bridge. Shelby's entire body tensed, ready to run to her daughter. Before she could move, Rachel lifted her head to look at her. Her face was slowly morphing between shock and pain. Wanting to prevent hysterical tears, Shelby responded instinctively. She threw her hands up in the air.

"Ta da! Good job!" Shelby watched Rachel's face go back to confusion. Seeing that this could potentially work, the mother pushed on. "Stand up! Put your hands up and go 'ta da'! You did it like a big girl!"

Slowly, Rachel pushed herself up. Shelby let her hands hover near her child in case she lost her balance, but it wasn't necessary. Rachel stood up, put her hands in the air, and shouted "TA DA!" At the top of her lungs.

"Yaaay!" Shelby clapped. She gave a quick grin to the nearby parents who started laughing.

Rachel copied her, clapping her hands and smiling. Then she frowned and looked down at her knee. The skin was red and raw, little droplets of blood beginning to bead along the deepest parts. "Ouch."

"I see that ouch. Do you want to keep playing or go inside and get a bandaid?"

Rachel's little head tilts to the side as she thinks it over. It's one of the many trait of hers that Shelby finds adorable. "Pway."

"Okay. Keep playing."

She lifts Rachel off the bridge and guides her over to a play area that Shelby deems safer. While watching her play, another woman steps up beside her.

"That was very clever. The whole 'ta da' thing."

Shelby laughs. "I panicked. It was the first thing I could think of."

"Well it worked. I might just steal that idea from you."

"Go for it."

Ten minutes later, Shelby carried Rachel inside. She sets the girl down on the bathroom counter and pulls out the hydrogen peroxide to clean her scrape.

"Alright, baby girl. We need to clean this boo-boo."

"Why?"

"It's dirty. If we don't clean it, it's going to get infected and it'll hurt really, really bad."

"We cwean it?"

"Yup. We'll clean it." She hesitates, but then decides to warn her child. "Honey, listen to Mommy. It's going to sting. It'll hurt a little bit."

Rachel's lip trembles and she covers her scrape. "Nooo!"

"Only a little bit and only for a couple seconds."

"Noooo!"

Shelby kisses her head then lowers herself slightly so she's looking her daughter in the eye. "Rachel, I won't let it hurt bad or for long. I promise. Mommy will do it fast."

Rachel thinks that over. "Fas?"

"Fast. Like that." She snaps her fingers. When Rachel loosens her hold on her knee and her expression loses some of it's anxiety, she adds on the final piece. "And, if you handle it like a big girl, we can have ice cream after."

"Okay."

Shelby holds back a chuckle at the immediate agreement she got. Well, Hiram said she loves ice cream. Now Shelby is seeing how true that is. She gently turns Rachel and scoots her over so that her leg is over the sink. She pours the hydrogen peroxide over the scrape and watches it bubble up. Shelby expected Rachel to cry and squirm. She wasn't expecting what actually happened. Her three year old sucked in a breath and immediately scrambled away from her. She crammed herself into the corner of the counter and curled into a ball, wrapping her arms around her legs and burying her face. Shelby freezes. For reasons she can't explain, her heart started thudding wildly in her chest. She doesn't like that reaction. She's not sure why, but something about it sets her on edge. Shaking it off, she moves closer to her daughter. Since she's not touching her scrape, Shelby has access to it. She blows a gentle stream of cool air onto the stinging scrape. Rachel lifts her head and watches her. The wariness in her eyes adds to Shelby's disquiet. She does it again.

"You know what makes it feel better than cool air? Cool water." She points to the sink. "I had your leg over the sink so that after I poured the hydrogen peroxide, I could turn on the faucet and let cool water wash it off. It'll make it feel better faster." Rachel is still staring at her. "Does it still hurt?"

"No." The response is whispered.

"Good. Baby girl, Mommy is very sorry, but we have to do that one more time, okay? It's to make you better. So the scrape goes away faster and doesn't hurt you."

Rachel's lip trembles. "Peas?"

Shelby gently pulls Rachel out of the corner and into her arms. She rocks her and kisses her head. "Mommy doesn't want you to be in pain. But to make you better, we need to clean the scrape. Just one more time, then we'll be done and have ice cream. Okay?" Rachel rests her head on her shoulder. Shelby watches her little face in the mirror. She doesn't like how serious Rachel looks. "You let Mommy know when you're ready."

She stands in the bathroom cuddling her daughter for several minutes. She hums softly, waiting patiently. When Rachel tries putting her thumb in her mouth, Shelby gently tugs it out. Eventually, Rachel lifts her head.

"Are you ready?"

Getting a reluctant nod, she sets the toddler down on the counter again. She turns her so her leg is over the sink. Seeing Rachel tense up when she picks up the brown bottle, Shelby pauses.

"It'll be fast. And honey, it's okay to cry." Her original plan was to do this with minimal tears. However, her reaction the first time was so bizarre and disquieting that Shelby would rather her cry. It seems like a healthier response than whatever the hell that was.

"I cry?"

"Yeah. You can cry if you need to. It's okay."

Rachel's eyes are big and solemn. "Mommy? You hold me?"

Her heart melts. "I will hold you for as long as you want, baby. I promise." Rachel slowly nods, her lip trembling. "You're being very brave, Rachel. I'm very proud of you. I love you."

The mother wraps an arm around her daughter, pulling her against her chest. Rachel buries her face in her neck. Shelby pours the hydrogen peroxide onto the scrape, but quickly sets the bottle down so she can wrap both arms around her. Rachel starts crying and squirming. Even though it's necessary, hearing her child crying and knowing it's sort of her fault makes her stomach clench. She turns on the faucet and lets cool water wash off the peroxide. While that's happening, she gives Rachel plenty of hugs and kisses. She shuts off the water.

"All done. Good job, Rachel."

"Aw done?"

"Done. Do you want a Minnie Mouse bandaid or a Blue's Clues bandaid?"

"Minnie."

Shelby places the Minnie Mouse bandaid on her scrape, then gently kisses it. "All better. Ready for ice cream?"

Rachel nods happily. Despite this, Shelby can still see some uncertainty in her daughter's eyes. She picks the girl up and carries her to the kitchen. Considering how Rachel is clinging to her, she doesn't even try to set her in her toddler chair while gathering the ice cream. In fact, once she has the two bowls on the table, she sits with Rachel on her lap and they eat their ice cream together.

"Did you have fun on the playground?"

"It fun!"

"I'm glad."

As the minutes pass, Rachel relaxes and goes back to her usual cheerful self. Shelby tries to do the same.

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Immediately after greeting and hugging Shelby, her parent's heads swivel around eagerly. Shelby grins knowingly.

"She's napping."

Her mother's eyes water. "Our grand baby."

"Yeah. Look, I know this is all sudden and exciting, but she's a three year old who's already been through a lot of upheaval. Please be calm."

The conversation on the phone went better than expected. She told them about being a surrogate and they were shocked. They weren't happy at first. After telling them she is currently sharing custody of their granddaughter, they quickly softened and asked to meet her.

"I want you two to meet her, that's what I invited you over. But I have no idea how things will go in the future. No matter what, I will fight keep at least some custody of her."

"And we'll help you." Her father said with a determined tone.

"They can't know that yet. They're only just getting comfortable with me taking care of her."

They nod with understanding. The three sit and chat quietly until Rachel wakes up. They discuss Hiram's health and how things are going with Rachel. Shelby beams while sharing stories about Rachel's likes and dislikes, the things she says and does, and any little detail she can think of. Her parents listen with warm smiles. They also discuss Mitch, Shelby's older brother. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife and kids, so they don't get to see him as often as they'd like. Still, Shelby had called him and told him about his niece. He'd been shocked and thrilled. He'd also been far more understanding of her agreeing to be a surrogate than their parents had been. And he's just as supportive as them now, offering any assistance with making sure she gets to keep custody of Rachel after all is said and done.

"Mommy?" The soft call comes from down the hall.

Her parents perk up, their heads snapping in that direction. Shelby smiles. "Coming!"

As much as she loves tucking Rachel in before bed and watching her sleep, her favorite part is greeting her just after she wakes up. Rachel usually has messy bed hair and creases on one cheek, making her look absolutely adorable. Shelby loves picking her up off the bed and feeling her snuggle right in. No matter how energetic Rachel is upon waking, she always happily snuggles with her mommy for a minute before wanting to get down and run around. It intrigues the mother that Rachel is now in a toddler bed but still won't get out of bed without permission. She waits for Shelby to come get her. The Berrys said it's the same at their house. Rachel will sit on the bed and wait for someone to come get her instead of getting up and leaving the room herself. They're not sure why or how long it'll last, but they're all quite happy about it. Shelby sits in the gliding chair she bought for Rachel's room and cuddles her for an extra moment.

"Remember when I said you'd be meeting your grandparents today?" Rachel nods. Shelby knows she has no basis of understanding for the word 'grandparent' but that'll change after today. "My mom and dad are your grandma and grandpa. They're in the living room waiting to meet you. They're very excited and they love you already. But let's make a nice first impression, huh? Let's brush your hair and put you in clothes that aren't wrinkled, okay?"

"Okay."

It's a minor thing, but Shelby loves taking Rachel clothes shopping. Getting to pick out cute little clothes for her daughter is so much fun. While she was pregnant, she made a point of avoiding baby stores or baby sections of stores. Even for the first year or two after giving birth, she avoided them. It was too painful. A couple minutes later, after getting her dressed into fresh clothes, Shelby is carrying her daughter into the living room to meet her grandparents for the first time. She grins at how excited her parents are.

"Rachel, these are your grandparents. That's your grandma and that's your grandpa."

"Hi, Rachel." Her mother says.

"Hi, pumpkin." Her dad uses the same gentle tone.

"Say hi, Rach."

Rachel watches the other adults with wide eyes. "Hi."

Shelby sets Rachel down on the ground so that she can sit on the recliner. The three year old stands in the living room looking at the three adults and clutches the fabric of her own shirt. Within seconds she dashes towards Shelby and climbs up the chair to be with her. Shelby loves the feeling of being chosen and grasps her daughter under her arms, lifting her the rest of the way up onto her lap. They sit and talk, trying to pull Rachel into a conversation. Once her dad pulls out a little building block set they brought, Rachel agrees to slide off of the chair with Shelby and play on the floor with him. Shelby and her mom join in after a couple minutes. They play for a while before switching to a different game. The new grandparents stay for dinner, then stay to watch a Disney movie with their girls. They even stay while Shelby puts Rachel to bed and kiss her goodnight as well.

"You come back?" Rachel asks them from her toddler bed.

"We will. We'll be back one day soon. I promise." Shelby's mother leans over and kisses her again.

They leave her bedroom and settle into the living room. Shelby frowns at the weird looks her parents are giving her.

"What?"

"You're a natural mother."

"You're so good with her."

A sort of pride she's never felt before wells up in her. She already believed that to be true, but to hear her parents say it to her gives the feelings more credit. She's a good mother. It's so much better than any praise she got for being a good singer.

"What are you going to do for work? I know you don't have the money to just be a stay at home mom."

Shelby sighs. "I never thought I'd want to be a stay at home mom, but that'd be pretty awesome. You're right, though. I need a job. I need something that pays well but has flexible hours. Jobs like that are so rare and hard to come by."

Her parents share a look, then turn back to her with raised eyebrows.

"What? What's that look for?"

"We're just surprised you haven't come to the same conclusion we have yet."

"What conclusion?" Shelby asks in exasperation.

"Sweetheart, what are you good at?"

"Singing. But those wouldn't be flexible hours and I can't exactly make good money performing in a community theater."

"No, we never thought you could."

"What else could you do with your vocal skills?"

Shelby shakes her head. "I'm too tired to figure this out. Just tell me how me having good singing skills can help me make money."

Their lips twitch. "Have you considered being a voice teacher?"

For several long moments, Shelby stares at them blankly. Then she leans forward and presses her face into her hands. "I can't believe I didn't think of that."

"You've had a lot on your plate recently. And a lot of major changes in a very short time. It's understandable."

"We still reserve the right to tease you about it, though." Her dad says with a grin.

"Just don't tell Mitch." She grumbles. Her brother would never stop teasing her about it if he knew.

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It was a slow start, but she printed flyers to hang around town and put out advertisements in newspapers and online. She got a few at first. Then a few more. She was able to schedule the lessons on the days she didn't have Rachel. She was also able to reschedule on the days she had to go pick Rachel up unexpectedly. She decided her first ten clients would get the lower price for her expertise, but those who signed up after that would have to pay more.

Months went by. Hiram's health continued to go through phases of ups and downs. Rachel still spent time with all three of her parents, but it honestly became less structured. Instead of spending two days with her mother and then two days with her fathers, Rachel started living with Shelby most of the time and then staying with her fathers most weekends and the occasional longer stay when they were able to focus on her instead of Hiram's health. The little girl seemed happy enough with the arrangement. She went from parent to parent happily, never fussing over leaving or going.

Akron is a much nicer, richer, area than Lima. Shelby made an appointment with the director of Carmel High's show choir. First, she demonstrated her singing skills for the man, who was blown away. Then, she described how she could help his students improve their singing by coming to her for private lessons. He agreed to speak with his students and their parents. Which is how she became the private voice instructor for Vocal Adrenaline. The wealthy parents had no problem shelling out the cash to give their children a leg up on the competition. The money rolled in and Shelby found she truly enjoyed working with the kids and helping them improve their singing. She could even hold lessons while Rachel was home with her, since that was happening more and more often. Rachel would either watch a movie, play quietly on her own, or sit in on the lessons and just listen…..or try to join in, which the kids always found really cute. Of course Shelby found it cute as well, but she also listened with a critical ear. Perhaps she's being biased as the girl's mother, but she swears she's a good singer for a three year old. And the girl clearly loves singing.

Mother and daughter are very close. Shelby adores her daughter and it is very obvious to all that Rachel adores her mother. The duo love singing around the apartment together. The first time Rachel woke up during the night with a fever, Shelby had been watching Funny Girl. Shelby gave her daughter medicine, then snuggled on the couch with her while continuing the musical, assuming the sick girl would be back to sleep in no time. Instead, the girl watched the movie with rapt attention. The next day, she asked to see it again. Curious, Shelby showed her another non-Disney musical. Then another. The girl was riveted through each of them. She became obsessed with musicals. Shelby would hear her humming the tunes while playing with her toys.

December rolls around and the three parents celebrate Rachel's fourth birthday together. She asks the fathers for permission to take Rachel to New York to see a musical. She hates that she needs permission, but they do hold majority of custody. And if she takes the girl out of the state without discussing it with them, they could claim she's kidnapping her. So she swallows her pride and irritation and asks. They're reluctant. They don't want their child in a different state than them. After reminding them it'd only be for two nights (so they can do other fun sight seeing things together), they agreed. She takes Rachel to see The Lion King on Broadway. Through the entire show, Rachel always had one of two looks on her face; awe or joy. Shelby spent a good chunk of the show watching Rachel's reactions instead of the actual performance. Wandering around New York City with her daughter feels different than wandering around by herself. She misses it. She really wishes she could live here with her daughter. She could do it. She could be a single mother, raising her daughter, and performing on Broadway. She's sure of it. It'd be tough but doable. With some regret, their trip comes to an end and they return to Ohio and the life they've gotten used to.

The holidays are so much more fun with her child around. Buying her presents, watching her open those presents, singing holiday songs, bringing her to family gatherings…everything about the holidays is better as a mother. It's thrilling. Life in general is better now that she has her baby in her life. It's challenging at times, but still better. It's worth the tantrums, the messes, the whining, and the extra stress. Of course, it's less fun when she's alone in her apartment and scrubbing juice stains out of her carpet on a Friday night.

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Shelby rolls over in bed when she hears a sound. The soft patter of feet on carpeting. She blinks her eyes open and listens carefully. Sure enough, the sound comes again, coming closer. Turning her head, she finds her daughter peeking at her from her open bedroom door. The little girl is sucking her thumb, her free hand holding the door jam.

"Good morning, baby." Shelby says in surprise. This is the first time Rachel has gotten out of bed on her own. She's allowed to, but hasn't yet. This is the first. And it's early. Shelby hasn't even gotten up yet. The girl doesn't move. She watches Shelby curiously. "Wanna join me in bed?"

A little smile appears around her thumb. Rachel runs to the bed and holds up her hands. Shelby pulls her up and into a cuddle. The mother isn't sure what to say or ask. She wants to know what changed, but doesn't want to make her think she's in trouble. Rachel has a habit of assuming she's in trouble for little things. Leroy said he sees the same trait in her at his house but wouldn't share his opinion of why she does that. He'd just shrugged and said she'll grow out of it. Shelby tugs Rachel's hand away from her mouth.

"Don't suck your thumb, baby. It's gross."

Rachel pouts, making her chuckle. She kisses her forehead and sings "You Are My Sunshine" to her. That gets the girl smiling again.

"I'm so proud of you for getting out of bed on your own! You're getting to be such a big girl!"

"Ta da!" Rachel says with sparkling eyes, her hands going up. Shelby laughs and hugs her.

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The next morning, Shelby was up first. She waited to see what would happen. She's sipping coffee in the living room when little feet patter down the hall. She sets her coffee down. Rachel comes running into the living room and throws her hands straight up in the air.

"Ta da!"

Chuckling, Shelby copies her. "Ta da! Good job!"

Giggling, Rachel runs and jumps on the couch. Shelby sighs, finding it adorable but knowing she's going to miss picking her up out of bed in the mornings. At least Rachel still has bed head and creases on her face. She's still getting the adorable "just woke up" experience, just without lifting her out of bed.

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In the spring of that year, Hiram takes a turn for the worse. He's stage four and terminal. They give him weeks to live. He clung on for as long as he could but he just doesn't have the strength to keep fighting. Hiram asked to speak to Shelby privately. Leroy took Rachel to see a new kids movie that just came out. Shelby settles into a seat beside Hiram's bed. She's gotten used to this, as sad as it is. It's been about a year since she moved back to Ohio and while her primary focus and reason for being here was to raise Rachel, she also spent time with the Berry men. They're family. Watching a family member struggle has been hard. But she's used to seeing him sick. She's not used to seeing him look this weak, though. It hurts. Regardless of anything else, Hiram Berry is a good man and knowing he won't be around much longer is very sad. Knowing her daughter is about to lose one of her parents is also upsetting. This is going to be hard on all of them, but Leroy most of all. She keeps this in mind and focuses on being strong and positive. She takes his hand in hers.

"How're you feeling today?"

"Like death warmed over." He responds with a wry grin. His voice is raspy from near constant coughing. He's always on some sort of supplemental oxygen. At the moment, it's a nasal cannula.

She smiles back, though sadly. "Why'd you want to speak to me alone? And go so far as to ask Leroy to take Rachel out for a while?"

"I didn't…want either of them…..to overhear."

That sets Shelby on edge. She sits up straighter. "Why?"

He slowly shakes his head and ignores her question. He coughs and needs a minute to get his breath back so he can keep talking. "You're an amazing mother. Seeing you…with her…..we both see it. She adores you."

Shelby smiles. "And I adore her."

"Obviously." He chuckles. "Shel, once again, I need….to apologize. For the contract. We had our reasons. We didn't want…..to lose Rachel. But we should have….handled it differently. Without cutting you out entirely. I'm sorry."

"I forgive you."

"No you don't." He whispers hoarsely. He's smiling but his eyes are sad.

She clears her throat and swallows hard. Thinking it over, she decides honesty is the best policy. "Fine. I don't. Yet. But I will once I have signed papers giving me more custody of Rachel. I'm not walking away. I'm not giving her up. I'm not just going to visit or have her visit me once in a while. That's not enough. I'm not just her mother anymore. I'm her mom. Her mommy. And I'll never stop."

His smile grows even as tears form in his eyes. "Good. I'm…..I'm telling Le…..that I think he should…split custody with you. Either…..50/50 or 40/60, with you the primary caregiver."

Shelby rears back in shock. "Really? Why?"

Hiram closes his eyes and the muscles around his mouth tense. She fears for him for a moment before realizing he's not in physical pain. He's in emotional pain. She squeezes his hand and gives him all the time he needs to gather himself.

"Leroy loves her. So much."

"I know."

"He's a good dad."

"I know." Shelby promises. She's worried that Hiram is trying to convince her not to take full custody, which she's still toying with.

"But….he's been….so stressed." Hiram sighs. "I know…it's mostly because of…my health." He looks at her oddly then. "Have you…..noticed…..how she reacts….around Leroy…..when he gets loud or angry?"

She had. But she also saw how Rachel reacts when Hiram starts coughing loudly. She slaps her hands over her ears and tries to block it out. Lately, she's been running to Shelby anytime she's around when Hiram coughs. She still covers her own ears, but she buries her face in Shelby's neck and the mother does her best to calmly comfort her. When she'd get quiet, or tense up, or try to get out of sight when Leroy gets loud for any reason, she assumed it was related. Then again…..the memory of the first time Rachel skinned her knee with her comes to mind. The weird way she got quiet and tried to hide away, curling up in the corner to protect herself. Her stomach sinks. Hiram looks more serious than she has ever seen him look. Even more so than the day he handed her the contract to sign.

"He hit her."

Her stomach bottoms out and an uncomfortable feeling builds within her. Horror and fury. "What?"

"He was….stressed…..dealing with…..both of us…on his own." Hiram explains grimly. "It was…..no excuse. She was throwing a…a tantrum." Shelby has dealt with several tantrums from the toddler, but not as many as she thought she would. Still, she knows how frustrating they can be to deal with. "He smacked her." Shelby clenches her eyes shut and takes in a shuddering breath. "And that…..that is when…I demanded that Le…..call you."

She wipes away tears of anger. "Why are you telling me this now? I'm glad to know, but this means—"

"I know what…it means. You'll….fight…..for full custody."

"Then why tell me?"

Tears stream down his face. "I don't want you to….But at the same time…I do. He's my husband. He's a good man. He's a good father. But he's quick…..to anger. I…I truly…..believe….that it was….a one time….thing. Without…..the stress….of my health…..weighing on him….he'll be calmer. More put together. He'd never….intentionally….hurt her."

"But he did." Shelby says darkly.

"He did. But he told me…..immediately. He never….tired to hide or….or excuse it. Please….don't take her…from him. He's losing me. It will break him…I know this. But….once his grief…..settles…he can go back…to being a good….father. Please, Shel. Don't…..don't take her away….completely. Share custody. But…..just in case…..keep an eye out…..for the slim…possibility."

Shelby stands and looks out the window with her arms crossed over her chest. She sucks in ragged breath after ragged breath until she can breathe normally. Only then does she turn back to face him. "You told me he hit his toddler because he was stressed. That's what led to me being brought in to help raise her. Now you don't want me to take full custody?"

"I want what's…..best….for Rachel. Which is not….losing both of her fathers. But I also…..want what's….best….for Leroy. Leroy will….fall apart….losing me…..for a while, at least. But losing us both…will kill him."

"At the risk of Rachel's physical and emotional well being?" She snaps.

Hiram cringes and looks away. "I don't….know what to do."

"You give me full custody."

His face crumbles. "It'd destroy him."

"It'd protect your daughter." She responds fiercely.

They both take a moment to cool down and regain their composures. Hiram speaks first after the brief pause. "I'm protecting her…..by telling Leroy…..to share custody with you. I just…..need you…to share custody….and keep an eye out for….something that'll…probably never happen again."

Shelby clenches her hands together and presses them against her lips, thinking hard. This is bad. It's at the point that she wants to rush to the theater and check on Rachel right now. She closes her eyes and thinks back over everything Hiram revealed today and everything she knows about the Berry men and Rachel leading up to today. They were a small but loving and happy family of three. They doted on their baby girl. Shelby has been shown the proof in photos, videos, and stories. As much as it hurt, she knew the men had been raising her daughter well. And then Hiram got sick. Leroy suddenly had to care for a toddler and his sick husband while also working to provide for them. It's stressful on anyone. He became too stressed and overwhelmed and after his three year old threw a tantrum he smacked her. It was wrong. Very wrong. However, Hiram was correct. Leroy didn't try to hide it or deny it. And he agreed to calling in Shelby for support because it was what was best for Rachel and literally no other reason. That does ease some of her anger and fear. Not all, but enough that she no longer feels the need to track them down at the moment. As long as Leroy agrees to sharing custody equally or giving her more custody than him, she thinks it'll be okay. She knows now what to be on the lookout for. She'll speak with a psychologist to discuss how to talk to Rachel about it. She wants Rachel to learn early on what parents should and shouldn't do, as well as how to tell someone if she thinks something happened that's not okay. All of this together should be okay. She desperately hopes, at least.

"Okay. I'll agree to splitting custody. But I'm going to have a psychologist work with Rachel or with me so that we can teach Rachel to understand when she needs to tell me about what goes on with her dad. Or anyone else."

"I agree."

"And if I ever even suspect that he puts his hands on her in anger again, I will sue for full custody."

Hiram shakes his head. "That won't….be necessary."

"Did you ever think this conversation would be necessary?" She asks pointedly.

"Fair point. Fine. In that case….I'd be in full….support of you….taking full custody."

"Good. Will you please tell Leroy this?"

From the look on his face, she knows he'll do it even though he clearly doesn't want to. "I will. For Rachel."

With that out of the way, the two talk casually and more warmly until Leroy and Rachel return. Rachel runs into the room and immediately jumps into Shelby's arms. The mother catches her with a laugh and kisses her all over, hugging her tight. She surreptitiously looks her over for anything that could indicate force was used. There's none. She sets Rachel down on the bed and the girl carefully crawls over to her daddy. She gently kisses his cheek, turns her head so he can kiss hers, then snuggles into him. Shelby turns to Leroy. The man looks back at her with a smile. However, that smile falls when he sees the cold look she's giving him. He jerks his head towards the door. She follows him.

"He told you."

"He did."

"It was a one time—"

"I don't give a shit. You slapped her. You will never do that again." It takes great effort to bite off the rest of her words. Or you will never see her again, you fucking bastard. From her conversation with Hiram and his reaction to things in the past, she's positive it would set him on edge and risk him refusing to split custody out of fear of losing her entirely.

"It won't. I swear."

If nothing else, he sounds sincere and confident. His eyes hold a deep regret. Perhaps he's telling the truth. As much as she hates it, it's a risk she's going to have to take.

"Good."

She spins around and returns to the room. She says her goodbye to Hiram, taking his hand and gently kissing his cheek. Then she hugs Rachel tight and kisses her cheek.

"I'll see you on Monday, my little ray of sunshine. Mommy loves you."

"Wuv you, Mommy."

Shelby's mind is in overdrive the whole drive home. She finds a lawyer and schedules an appointment for the following week. She'll keep her promise to Hiram. But like hell is she going to sit back and not make sure she has a backup plan in place in case Leroy throws her a curveball. She will protect Rachel no matter what.

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Leroy spent the funeral holding Rachel on his lap. Shelby sat beside him, trying to comfort both of them. The grieving man had decided to defy his religion and have an open casket, wanting to gaze upon his husband one last time. He regretted that after his daughter's reaction. When it was time to go up to the casket and say their final goodbyes, Leroy carried her up there. Seeing her daddy in the casket caused Rachel to melt down. She started crying and squirming to get out of Leroy's hold, trying to get away from the upsetting sight in front of her. Startled and hurting, Leroy set her down. Rachel ran straight to Shelby and sobbed her little heart out. Shelby will never forget the look on Leroy's face while watching Rachel run to Shelby for comfort. She made a mental note to discuss with Leroy how of course Rachel went to her. It wasn't personal. Leroy was the one bringing her to see her dead daddy. If Shelby had been the one to first carry Rachel up there, she's sure the girl would have gone running to Leroy for comfort. She was just going to the parent who wasn't putting her in that scary and uncomfortable position. Shelby carried her out of the room and calmed her down. It took carefully wording things to get Rachel to understand that this is her last chance to say goodbye to her daddy. Not wanting to hurt Leroy more, she also insisted it'd be best if she went with her dada. Back in the room, she set Rachel down. The little girl walked over to Leroy and took his hand. Smiling sadly, Leroy led her slowly up to the casket once more. He picked her up so she could see into it, seeing her daddy one last time. She clung to Leroy, her little body curling into him for comfort. Slowly, Leroy leaned them over the open casket.

"Bye-bye, Daddy." Rachel whispered. "Wuv you."

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Leroy didn't want to be parted from Rachel that night. He didn't want to be alone. Shelby sympathized and understood. However, she refused to leave Rachel alone in his care that night. She used the fact that he's too emotional and deserves time to properly grieve. They compromised. Shelby stayed over at the house with them. She spent the night comforting both of them, but also gave them time alone. Rachel may not be old enough to grieve the same way as adults, but she was sad and quieter than usual, grieving in her own childish way. The next day, Shelby agreed to leave the two of them alone together for a while, but made it clear she'd be back that night. When she arrived, Rachel was asleep and Leroy was sipping whiskey. She frowned. He saw her look and glared.

"I think I'm entitled."

"You are. But not when you're the sole caregiver to a small child."

"Well luckily, I'm not." He responds with attitude, sloppily gesturing to her.

She blinks and takes a step back, taking in the scene with a more critical eye. The bottle is nearly empty. Her stomach flips. "You're drunk."

"I'm grieving! I lost my husband! The love of my life!"

"Stop shouting. You'll wake Rachel."

This his credit, he does. "Sorry. You're right."

She shakes her head in disgust. Yes, he's grieving. But he's the only adult home with a small child. He should not be getting drunk.

"I'm taking her home with me."

He whips around, his eyes wide and desperate. "No. Please."

"Leroy, you're drunk. You need time to grieve, but this isn't healthy. And it's not safe for Rachel. I suggest you ease up on the liquor and go to grief counseling. In the meantime, I will take Rachel home. Of course I'll bring her back over…..for visits. When you're sober and calmer."

"She's sleeping. Come back in the morning." He pleads.

"I'll give you two choices. I can carry her out while she's sleeping and take her home and bring her back for you to visit with her tomorrow or I can wake her and you can say goodbye and tell her you'll see her tomorrow."

He holds a hand out towards her, as if to physically stop her. As if he'd be able to stop her from protecting her daughter. "Hold on, we can just—"

"Three choices." She cuts him off. Because he didn't instantly agree to one of those, she feels she's left with no choice but to make it clear how serious she is. "Choice three is I call the police to assist me with taking her out of this house."

He freezes. His hand falls. Then the tears do. He slumps down onto the couch. "Take her."

"Sober up, Leroy. Then go to bed."

She hurries upstairs and inspects her daughter. There's no mark on her and she's sleeping peacefully. She releases a shaky breath of relief. Carefully, she slips her hands under the four year old and lifts her. Thankfully it's warm out so she doesn't have to worry about putting a coat on her or wrapping her in a blanket. She sends a silent prayer heavenward, thanking Hiram for warning her of this possibility. She takes her baby girl home.

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Rachel, being four and still have two loving parents, bounces back quickly. She still sometimes asks about her daddy before being reminded that he's gone. Or she'll randomly say she misses him. Otherwise, she's a normal four year old and doing well. Leroy isn't. Shelby waited a month before bringing up custody arrangements. Rachel's grandparents watch her at Shelby's apartment while she heads to Leroy's house to work everything out.

"60/40. That's my final offer." Shelby says calmly, sliding the paper across the table to him.

"Your final offer? You don't get to—"

"But I do. The moment you chose to get drunk alone while your four year old slept upstairs, you gave me the right to take over. And since I know you hit her once, you're lucky I'm not pushing for sole custody. Sign the agreement I had my lawyer draft."

"You had this ready ahead of time." He accuses.

"No. I had a different one drawn up ahead of time. 50/50." Shelby lies. "After seeing how you have, or haven't, dealt with Hiram's death, I went back and asked him to change it to 60/40. If that's not good enough for you, get your own lawyer to draft a rebuttal. Mine has already drawn up a request for sole custody for me. You know I'd win. I won't have him file it as long as you agree to this one."

"This is what you wanted from the start." He mutters.

Anger flares in her chest. "From the start? I would have been satisfied with getting to visit once in a while. I would have been happy for my daughter to grow up knowing she lives with the daddies who love her year round, but her mommy loves her just as much and is happy to get to visit with her a couple times a year. I just wanted to know her and be involved in her life to some extent. Instead I was cut off. Hiram already apologized to me for it, admitting you two were wrong and should have handled it differently. Le, I'm not taking her away from you. I want her to get to live with you and grow up with her dad in her life, knowing how much he loves her. But also live with me and grow up knowing how much I love her. This is how we do that. This is how she gets both of us. This is what's best for Rachel."

"You get more."

"I'm her mother. I'm also not the one heavily grieving. I could have full custody. I'm offering you 40%."

He taps the pen on the table. "How will this work? What is your plan?"

"We can work that out together."

"I need to know how often I'm going to see my daughter before I sign this."

"I want to move back to New York. With Rachel."

"You said you weren't taking her away!"

"I'm not. Even if I stayed here, when it's my time with her she'd be with me. Whether that's here or New York doesn't change anything."

Realizing that's a relevant point, Leroy nods. "Alright. You move back to New York. When Rachel's with you, she's in New York with you. When it's her time with me, she'll be here in Ohio with me."

"We can alternate picking her up and dropping her off."

"Fine."

"Right now, she's four. No matter who she's with, she'll be in daycare for the next year. I suggest two months with me, one month with you."

Leroy does the math in his head. "That gives you 66% of her time. Not 60."

"I wasn't including holidays. I think, at least for the first year, holidays should be spent together, here in Ohio." Leroy looks surprised. "I want what's best for Rachel. Getting her used to these changes will take time but I think it'll be easier if we spend time together as well, and when better than holidays? Besides, this way you're not spending holidays alone the first year after losing Hiram. After the first year, we can discuss it again. We can either continue spending holidays together or alternate."

He swallows hard. "Thank you, Shelby."

She nods. He signs the paper and some of Shelby's tension slips away. Her daughter is hers and will remain with her majority of the time.

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Leaving Rachel in Ohio was hard. Saying goodbye to her was hard. Realizing Rachel couldn't say "goodbye" because she attributed that to never seeing someone again was heartbreaking. Instead, they said "see you later, alligator". Since Rachel still struggles with words with "L", it's adorable to hear her stumble over the word. The actual move was easy. Shelby made good money as a vocal coach in Ohio. If she weren't still dreaming of the stage, she'd be happy to stay in Ohio. Perhaps after she's done performing, she and Rachel can settle back in Ohio. If she's ever done with the stage. She returned to New York alone. It hurt, but knowing she'll see Rachel in a month helps ease that ache. Besides, she needs the time to get moved into her new apartment, find a daycare for Rachel, and find a job for herself. She reaches out to her old director and coworkers to see if any of them are aware of upcoming roles. There's one. She auditions. It's her best audition ever because for the first time, she can put her full heart into it. She gets the role. Leroy is kind. He calls her every couple days and has Rachel talk to her on the phone.

A month later, Leroy brings Rachel to New York. Rachel ran to Shelby crying "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy!" then promptly burst into tears. Shelby cried too, cuddling her little girl.

"I missed you so much!"

"I miss you, Mommy! Wike I miss Daddy!"

Shelby pulls back and looks her in the eye. "This is not like missing Daddy, honey. I know it's very sad that Daddy is gone. But I'm not gone, I promise. Mommy's right here, in New York. You spent time with Dada, right?" The little girl nods. Since she's calmer, Shelby dries her tears. "Now you'll spend time with me and Dada will go home. In a little while, I'll bring you back to Ohio and you'll spend time with Dada again."

The parents know this is going over her head. It's too hard for a four year old to grasp. But she understands enough to know she'll always be with one parent, then she'll go to the other. Neither will be gone like Daddy. Leroy spends the night in her apartment and teases her over how many pictures of Rachel she already has on her wall. Shelby shrugs.

"I missed her. Are you really going to sit there and tell me you're not going to stare at photos of her for the next two months?"

Leroy looks down. "It's going to be hard, isn't it?"

"One month was hard. I'm sure two months will be even harder."

"Any chance of renegotiating our agreement?"

"No." She says firmly, but kindly and with a smile. "But you can come visit if you need to."

"Thank you, Shel."

The next morning, Leroy says his goodbye to his daughter, making it clear that she can call him any time. He tells her how much he loves her and that he'll miss her, but that he'll see her again soon. She hugs him tight.

"See you w-ater awa-ga-ter." The fact that Rachel still struggles to say the word alligator makes the parents smile at its cuteness.

"I'll see you soon, my little snuggle bug."

He leaves and Shelby does her best to distract Rachel for the rest of the day. It works. She does the same thing for Leroy that he did for her; regular phone calls. It helps.

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The small family settles into a routine. Rachel, with the loving support of two parents, flourishes. Rachel is in daycare while Shelby (or Leroy while she's in Ohio) works. Shelby takes her to dance lessons. When she's in Ohio, Leroy takes her to gymnastics. They spend Rachel's birthday and holidays together. They're all happy.

Mostly.

As the months go by, the parents find that transporting Rachel between states is exhausting. Both parents find being without their daughter difficult. Rachel always misses the parent she's not with. However, it's not said aloud but understood that she misses Shelby more than she misses Leroy. It grates on him. But he never says a word. He puts Rachel first, just as he promised his dying husband he would.

It always amazes him to see his child's growth as time goes by. Of course, it's different now. Now, he goes months without seeing her. He swears every time he sees her she's a little bigger, a little older looking, and a little less baby-ish. She learns to pronounce words with L. She starts sometimes calling him "Dad" instead of "Dada". The first time she did that, he did a double take and swore his heart wrenched. He'd sighed, feeling a little morose that she's already losing the baby talk. He'll miss it.

Leroy continues to grieve for his husband. That ache in his heart will never go away. The first year is the worst. He hates to admit it, but if he had to take care of Rachel full time after losing Hiram, he'd be doing a terrible job. As much as he misses her while she's away, he needs the time without her. However, by the end of each two months, he's anxious to get his kid back. Two months is too long. His irritation grows, but he keeps it in check.

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Chapter Text

For the first year they diligently stick to the plan; two months with Shelby, one month with Leroy, and shared holidays. By the second year, they loosen up. When Leroy has business trips or something going on during his planned month with Rachel, Shelby keeps her longer. When Shelby's rehearsals are scheduled to take up too much time, or if she's scheduled to perform several shows in a row or other events and won't be home much, Leroy takes Rachel. Rachel grows annoyed with spending so much time traveling and not knowing for sure when she'll be with which parent. Shelby tried to convince him to move to New York, or at least somewhere closer than Ohio. Her career is location based meaning she can't move. He can work in any state. He refused to leave the house he lived in with his husband. She dropped the argument.

Once Rachel started school, they had to change their schedule. The parents argued over where she'd go to school; Ohio or New York. Shelby pointed out that she not only has more custody than him, but that she can enroll Rachel in a prestigious school in New York. She won. During the school year, Rachel stays with her mom. On breaks from school, she stays with her dad. They split summers. For holidays, they either spend them together like they did when Rachel was younger, or they alternate. Rachel hates not being with both parents for holidays.

No matter where Rachel is, she is enrolled in plenty of extracurricular activities; dance, singing, gymnastics, piano lessons, etc. She is kept busy. It helps her not be as bothered by all the travel in her life, meet new people, and make new friends. As time passes and she spends less time in Ohio, her participation in activities there dwindles. She loves seeing her mom on stage and dreams of being on stage one day herself. In fact, she dreams of performing on stage with her mom one day. When her mom wins a Tony award, Rachel and her dad are there to support her and celebrate. When Leroy earns an award at work, being recognized for outstanding performance, Shelby and Rachel celebrate with him. When Rachel has anything major at school, both parents are there to support her. At first. Her dad stops coming as much as she gets older. Eventually, Rachel stopped asking.

Rachel enjoys spending time in Ohio with her dad. She really does miss him when she's with her mom. But if she's honest with herself, she prefers her time with her mom. It's warmer and more comfortable. She made the mistake of whining about how she'd rather be with her mom once when she was six. Her dad slammed his hand down on the counter and took deep breaths. Shocked, Rachel backed away and went silent. She never made a comment like that again. She felt it, but never said it. She also never told her mother, because nothing actually happened. And she felt bad for upsetting her dad. He tries so hard. She knows he loves her just as much as she loves him.

But he's not her mom.

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For the first two years when Rachel would visit her dad in Ohio, she'd also visit her grandparents. Not for long. Leroy made sure of that, claiming that it was his time with his daughter, not theirs. Shelby and her parents reluctantly conceded that point. Two years after mother and daughter moved to New York, Shelby's parents moved to Pennsylvania. They were tired of not getting to see their son, grandkids, or daughter-in-law often. And with Shelby and Rachel in New York, Pennsylvania put them a little closer. Plus it made spending holidays together easier for everyone. Shelby and Rachel, when joining them instead of Leroy, would travel to Pennsylvania where everyone was getting together. And it's not hard for the grandparents to visit New York periodically, coming from north eastern Pennsylvania instead of Ohio. When Leroy stopped coming so often to school events for Rachel, her grandparents stepped up to fill his absence.

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Shelby holds her daughter's hand as they walk into the room. She doesn't often bring her to rehearsals, but she had no choice today. Rachel's daycare is closed for the day due to a lice outbreak. She keeps checking Rachel's head, but thankfully there's no signs of the little pests.

"Well, if it isn't the littlest diva, little Miss Rachel!" Her colleague Bryant says, gushing over the five year old.

Rachel grins and bounces on her feet. "Hi!"

"C'mon, girl. Let's play on the piano together."

Rachel looks up at her with wide eyes. No matter what, Rachel always checks with her before going off with anyone else. It's comforting. Shelby grins and nods, releasing her hand. The first time she brought her daughter to rehearsals, she'd been four. Everyone had gushed over how cute and well behaved she was. Now, at five, she's only been here a few times but always spends it with Bryant. She gets along well with Bryant. The man has a way with kids that puts them at ease. Plus he's just a big kid himself. It's a shame. In a different life, Shelby could have seen herself accepting his invitation to go on a date with him. But in this life, having a small child to focus on, she gently turned him down. Thankfully their work friendship has remained strong.

Rehearsal starts and Shelby focuses on work, but continually glances to wherever Rachel is. The girl mostly watches her, fascinated by the process even at a young age. Sometimes she sits at the piano with Bryant and watches his fingers move along the keys. Shelby makes a mental note to get her daughter piano lessons to see if it interests her. During a break, Shelby sits to drink some water. Rachel hurries over and plops on her lap, making her laugh. Shelby wraps an arm around her and kisses her cheek. The little girl beams. She's relived that even at five Rachel still loves cuddling with her. She hopes this is a sign that it won't be ending any time soon.

"Oh, I see how it is. I'm all good and fine to play with, but the moment Mommy is available, that's who you want. Suddenly I'm not good enough." Bryant teases.

Rachel nods. "Mommy's the best."

"I can see that." He winks at Shelby. "But now that the adults are taking a break, how about you sing us a song, Rachel?"

The little girl gasps and looks up at Shelby. "Can I, Mommy? Please?"

Shelby kisses her forehead. "Go wow them, my little sunshine."

Rachel scrambles off her lap and follows Bryant. The other adults who overheard the conversation watch curiously. Shelby smiles as she sips her water. Her coworker and tiny daughter hold a serious conversation before coming to some sort of agreement. Bryant lifts the girl up and sets her on top of the piano, making her squeal and giggle. He sits and makes sure she's ready before beginning to play. Every adult in the room watches and listens, enraptured by the tiny five year old girl on the piano as she sings "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" in a clear, sweet voice. Shelby blinks away tears while watching her daughter perform. When she finishes, she gets a standing ovation. Rachel smiles widely and tosses her hands up in the air.

"Ta da!"

The adults laugh at the pure adorableness. Shelby's director sidles up next to her.

"So. How soon before you let her audition for Broadway?"

Shelby chuckles even though she knows he's not entirely joking. "Her father and I agreed that she should have a normal childhood."

"If you say so. Let me know if you change your mind."

Rachel comes running up to her, bouncing excitedly. "Mommy! That was so much fun! Was I good?"

Shelby scoops her into her arms. "You were amazing! You did beautifully!"

"Like you?"

The mother smiles back. "Like me."

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Rachel peeks out of her bedroom door. She can hear her mommy humming as she makes breakfast for them and smiles happily. Her little body is thrumming with excitement. Carefully, she hides the surprise behind her back and tiptoes down the hall. Unfortunately, her giggles give her away.

"Is that Rachel Barbra I hear?" Her mom calls down the hall.

Her giggles get louder. "No."

"Oh, well in that case, who is it?"

"No one." Her smile is stretching from ear to ear and she can't help but laugh with every word she says.

Her mother chuckles. "Alright, then. I guess I'm just hearing things."

Still tiptoeing, Rachel finally makes it to the kitchen. Her mom turns to face her and plasters a look of surprise on her face. She even fake jumps. "Oh! You startled me! I didn't hear you coming!"

Rachel giggles harder than ever. "You heard me, Mommy."

"Maybe." Her mom comes closer, then pauses. "What's behind your back?"

"Nothing."

Her mom's smile falters. "Rachel, it's not another animal, is it?"

Last week she caught a bird that was on their balcony. It was colorful and sang pretty. Rachel had wanted to keep it. Her mother did not. The five year old only let the bird go because her mother told her how cruel it would be to cage an animal meant to fly free. Two weeks before that it was a chipmunk. Her mother has started calling her a Disney princess in training. Rachel doesn't understand why or why saying it made her grandparents laugh and nod, but she likes the idea of it. She'd love to be a princess. And if she's a Disney princess, that means she gets to be a singing princess, which is even better.

"No, Mommy."

"Good. So what is it?"

Moving carefully, Rachel brings it around in front of her. It's a wrapped box. "It's for you."

"For me?"

"Happy birthday, Mommy!"

Her mom gently takes the present and sets it on the table. Then she lifts Rachel into her arms and kisses her cheek. "Thank you, sunshine. But all I need is you. You're all the present I need."

Rachel tilts her head. "But you have me. You'll always have me."

She's not sure why her mom's eyes are shiny or why she breathes funny for a moment before hugging her. "And that makes me a very lucky mommy."

"Open your present!"

"How'd you even know it's my birthday today?"

"Grandma and Grandpa. They helped me make it." She gasps and slaps a hand over her mouth, afraid she just gave it away.

"Don't worry, honey. I still have no idea what it is. Well, it's polite to start with the card." Her mom sets her down on a seat and sits next to her, sliding the gift closer to herself. She opens the card first. It's just a piece of construction paper folded in half but Rachel worked really hard on it. Both the pictures and the spelling. She wanted it perfect for her mom because her mommy deserves the best. Her mom's green eyes take in the picture of the two stick figures on the page holding hands and the heart between them and she smiles. "That's a lovely picture. I can tell that that's me and that one is you."

Rachel bounces happily in her seat. Her mom opens the card and reads the message. Rachel wrote about how much she loves her mom. Her mom always calls her "sunshine". In this card, Rachel tells her that if Rachel is the sunshine then her mom is the sun because she makes everything warm and bright. Rachel gets worried when a tear slips down her mom's cheek.

"Mommy?"

Her mom quickly wipes it away and pulls Rachel onto her lap. "I'm sorry, honey. I'm not sad. I'm crying because I'm so happy. I love you so much."

Duh. "I know." She says simply, making her mom laugh. "Open your present!"

Before she does, her mom closes the card and carefully rests her hand on it. "I'm keeping this for forever."

Rachel beams. Her mom takes her time taking off the bow and ribbon, which Grandma took care of for her. Rachel's still struggling to tie her shoes. Then she tears off the wrapping paper. Inside the box is a simple bracelet, but it's one Rachel helped make. She chose the beads and colors and helped her Grandma slide them onto the string. The largest part of the bracelet is the flat charm with a heart on it. Grandma had her press her finger, wet with pink paint, onto the heart so that it'd show her fingerprint.

"See? It's my fingerprint on your heart!" Rachel says happily, kicking her legs. "I couldn't fit my whole hand. I wanted my whole handprint. Like the line from Wicked you sang. But Grandma said this was good, too."

"It's perfect. I love it." Her mom's voice sounds weird. Thick and wet. But she's smiling a huge smile and immediately puts the bracelet on. "I will cherish this. But not as much as I cherish you, my little ray of sunshine."

Rachel throws her arms around her mom and squeezes.

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"Dad!"

The six year old runs to her father, jumping into the air knowing he'll catch her. He does so with a laugh. He holds her tight and she smiles widely, relishing being held by her dad again. To her, this is the best part of her visits with him; their initial reunion. When he sets her down, she turns back to her mother who is watching with a smile of her own. Rachel watches her parents greet one another and chat briefly. When they're done, her mom crouches down and Rachel runs into her arms. Leaving her mom is getting harder and harder to do, even if it isn't for super long. She misses her. Her mom never ends these hugs. She waits for Rachel to be the one to pull away. Knowing she has to, her mom has to catch a flight home, after all, she does. Her mom kisses her temple.

"I love you, Rachel. Be good for your father."

Rachel rolls her eyes. "Aren't I always good?"

Both parents burst out laughing and turn to one another.

"Do you want to start or shall I?" Her mom asks. Her dad nods to her in deference. "Let's see, there was the epic tantrum of '98–"

"I was four."

"The broken vase." Her dad adds in.

"That was an accident!"

"The stolen Barbie doll." Her mom says without missing a beat.

"Unproven." Rachel sniffs. Emily had it coming. She didn't treat her Barbie right. And it's not Rachel's fault the girl left her doll unattended. She told her mom that Emily gave it to her. Emily denied it and Rachel got in trouble. To this day Rachel claims it was willingly handed over.

"The marker mural on your bedroom wall." Her dad is ticking her indiscretions off on his fingers.

"Art." She defends with a shrug.

"And that suspicious stain you made on my carpet last month."

"Allegedly." No one can prove it was her.

Her parents laugh again. She loves learning big words and using them correctly. It always either impresses adults or makes them laugh. Words sound cool. She likes using them. It annoys some of her classmates but that doesn't bother her.

"I think my point stands. Behave."

"Fine." Rachel grumbles. It's easier to hold off her other emotions when she's pretending to be annoyed.

Her mom lands one final kiss on her cheek and leaves. Her dad guides her to baggage claim before taking her home. She makes it to the car before the tears start. Her dad sees them and hands her a tissue.

"You'll see her soon." Something in his tone makes her uncomfortable, but she's not sure why.

"I know."

The next couple minutes are spent in awkward silence. Not one to let silence linger for long, Rachel breaks it up by telling her dad more about what's been going on in her life. He knows. They talk on the phone and so do her parents. He's kept abreast of the things going on in her life. However, he doesn't often get many details. She enjoys filling him in on their visits. That's how she sees it now. She lives with her mom. She visits her dad. When they get home, her dad carries her suitcase up to her room. She follows.

"Okay, I'm going to go make us dinner. You unpack your suitcase, then you can come downstairs."

"But I just got home!" Even though she sees this as a visit, she still refers to this house as home. One of her homes, anyway. "Can't I play or watch tv first?"

"No. Unpack first."

Rachel groans. "Daddy!"

He flinches, his face paling and becoming a snarl. The extreme reaction cuts off her complaint. "I am not Daddy." He grabs her arm and drags her out into the hallway. He points to a portrait of her Daddy that hangs on the wall for all to see. "That is your Daddy."

Rachel is breathing hard, her eyes wide and body tense. Her eyes jump between the portrait and her father. She doesn't remember him. She feels bad about it, but she's six years old and he died when she was four. She has only a vague memory of him. Mostly loud coughing and hospital visits. Seeing how upset her dad is and not knowing what she can do about it causes tears to spring to her eyes. She doesn't know what to do or say. She wants her mommy.

"I—I—"

Her dad finally seems to realize how upset she's getting because he lets go of her arm. He takes in a deep breath and runs a hand over his face.

"I'm sorry. I overreacted. I just…I thought you missed your daddy."

Now Rachel flinches. Not sure how to respond, she mutters an "I do" that she knows isn't very convincing and slinks back to her room to unpack.

The rest of their time together is better and yet tainted by it. Her dad only let Rachel call her mom a couple times on this trip. She's not sure if it's because of how upset she was over leaving her mom, her comment last visit over preferring her mom that upset him, the "Daddy" slip up, or some other reason. No matter the reason, she's upset that she didn't get to talk to her mom a lot but too scared and upset to say anything to her mom. She overheard her dad on the phone with her mom saying she's so busy and having so much fun that she doesn't feel the need to talk to her mom often. That's not true, but Rachel doesn't feel comfortable correcting him. She also doesn't bring up what happened. She's not sure how. And since nothing else happened, she let it go. Still, the relief she feels when she hugs her mom at the airport in NYC a few weeks later is strong enough to force a single hiccuping sob out of her.

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Leroy Berry is beyond frustrated. His beloved husband has been gone for three years. Not a day goes by that he doesn't miss him. The ache has faded but never left. He went to grief counseling for a couple months, then dropped it. He doesn't let on to Shelby (or Rachel) that he drinks heavily. Only when Rachel isn't with him. He doesn't touch alcohol while she's staying with him. But that's what's frustrating him so much. She's rarely with him these days. He understands that she's in the second grade now and she can't miss school to spend time with him. He also refuses to move out of the house he lived in with Hiram. He just can't do it. Not even for Rachel. He thought about renting a place in New York and living there part time during the school year so he gets to see her more, but everything there is so much more expensive. And he has a life here. Not much of one, but he does. No husband or kid (for most of the year), but he has friends and a job he enjoys. He only sees his daughter on breaks from school or the very rare times Shelby let him pull her from school to go on vacation with him. He always gave some excuse about flights being cheaper in off seasons, which is why he needs to go on these trips with Rachel during the school year instead of the summer when she's not in school and he has more time with her. He's pretty sure Shelby knows the truth but thankfully she never called him out on it. But even that has stopped now. Unless there's some major reason, he can't take Rachel out of school just to see him.

He's lonely. He misses his husband. He misses his daughter. He misses his snuggle bug. She doesn't snuggle with him the way she used to. She's getting older. She only ever calls him "Dad". Except for that one slip up that was never repeated when she was six. He hates that Rachel has very little memories of Hiram. Whenever he tries to bring him up, Rachel gets uncomfortable because she doesn't remember much and that upsets him. He blames Shelby. If Rachel grew up with him, he'd be talking about Hiram constantly and she'd be in the house Hiram lived in with them, and she'd certainly have more memories of her daddy. He's sure Shelby doesn't talk about Hiram with Rachel at all.

Lately when he tries to make other excuses to get more time with Rachel, Shelby shuts him down. Or Rachel does. That pisses him off, and hurts, the most. He'll suggest a trip to her and she'll claim that she has dance class or piano lessons or a recital or is in some summer play and doesn't want to miss it. There's always a reason. Again, he blames Shelby. Surely she's coaching or at least encouraging his daughter to turn him down. He's tired of having to ask for more time with his own child. He's tired of being told he can't. He hates that she won't renegotiate the custody arrangement. He hates that she always gets the final say. Most of all, he hates that he doesn't have any say in when he can see his own child. It's not right.

He just wants more time with his little girl.

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When Rachel was seven, her mom got sick. Cancer. She was scared, but her mom comforted her, promising that she'd be fine.

"But Daddy—" Rachel had said, her voice wobbling.

"This won't be like Daddy, baby girl." Her mom had soothed. "They caught it early. Your daddy had lung cancer. They couldn't take out his lungs. You can't live without lungs. My cancer is in my ovaries. They can take those out. It's a part of the body needed for women to make babies. But it's not needed to live. And I already had my baby. So they're just going to take them out and I'll be fine."

"You promise?" Her big eyes stared up at her beloved mommy.

Her mom had cuddled her tight. "I promise. You're going to stay with your dad while I have the surgery and recover."

"I can stay and help you!"

"That's very sweet of you, but no. You'll stay with your dad. Your grandparents are coming here to stay with me. They'll help me get better really quick so you can come home. Okay?"

"Quick?"

"Just a few weeks."

Rachel had cringed, not seeing that as quick. She wants to stay with her mom. But if her mom needs her to stay with her dad, she will. She won't complain and she won't tell her mom how she's been feeling about her dad lately. He gets a little scary at times. She was going to tell her mom before her next visit with her dad, but she thought she'd have more time. Now her mom is sick and she needs to get better. Rachel can't be here for that. Her mom needs to focus on getting better, not worrying about Rachel being sad in Ohio. So Rachel swallows it all down and puts on a brave face for her mom.

"Okay. I love you, Mommy."

"I love you too, Rachel. So much."

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While Leroy was truly saddened when Shelby told him she had cancer, and even scared for her, a larger part of him was…..excited. He squashed it down, but the ugly truth is he briefly imagined that she'd die and he'd get full custody of his daughter again. Realizing how horrible that thought was, he felt awful for it and stamped it down. Shelby asked if he'd take Rachel while she has surgery and recovers. He'd jumped at the opportunity, immediately agreeing. She needs several weeks to recuperate and can't take care of a child during that time. She admitted that she'd debated just sending Rachel to her uncle or even having her stay with her and have her parents split their attention between taking care of the two of them. Leroy shut that down fast, insisting this is one of the benefits to sharing custody; Rachel has another parent to go to.

So it was decided. Rachel will stay with her dad for a few weeks. Since it's during the school year, her teacher gave her work to do so she wouldn't fall too far behind. Shelby took Rachel to Ohio herself, wanting as much time with her daughter as she could get. Even Leroy got teary at the emotional goodbye between mother and daughter. This time, he didn't mind that Rachel was sobbing the whole car ride home. He understood. He cuddled her and comforted her and she melted into him. That made him very happy. This time, his reason for not letting Rachel call Shelby frequently was sincere; she's sick and needs her rest and to focus on getting better. For once, Rachel didn't argue. Probably because he implied that even talking on the phone might be too much strain on her mother and cause her pain. It's the last thing Rachel wants. The little girl is desperate for her mom to get better. She only talked to her mom on the phone when her mom called her. The first time she called after the surgery, to say it was a success and they got all the cancer, had both Rachel and Leroy in tears; just for different reasons. Rachel had been emotional but happy that night. She went to bed cheerful. Leroy sat down and poured himself a rum and coke. He doesn't normally drink when she's with him. But tonight he needs to. His husband didn't get better this fast. His cancer never went away. Shelby's is. It's not gone yet, he knows this. She will need radiation therapy and some pills for a while. But with all the cancer cells gone, she's definitely on track to be cancer free very soon. As happy as he is for her, and for his daughter, it pains him that this own husband wasn't so lucky. He had to go through painful chemotherapy. She doesn't. He suffered. Once she recovers from the surgery, she won't. He died. She'll be in remission soon. Hiram will never again see his daughter. Rachel will be home with Shelby in just a few weeks.

Leroy threw the glass at the wall.

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Shelby sits at her kitchen table helping her daughter with her homework. As they work, she runs her fingers through Rachel's hair. She can't help it. It brings them both comfort. Being told she had cancer was scary. Understanding she may die and leave her daughter motherless was gut wrenching. Having to tell her child that she was sick similarly to the father who had died was rough. It was the hardest conversation of her life. The whole plane ride to Ohio was spent with Rachel plastered to her side. The whole plane ride back to New York, alone, was spent crying and praying. Her parents came and took her to the hospital the next day for her surgery. Waking up in pain sucked. But being told they were confident they got it all was a huge relief. The next steps, other than daily pills for the next five years, was radiation therapy. Other than itchy skin and possibly some fatigue, she knew she'd be fine handling those. She'd wanted to call Rachel right away. She'd wanted her baby girl home. Her parents gently reminded her that she still needed time to recuperate. Thankfully her recuperation was shorter than expected and she was able to ask Leroy to bring Rachel home more than a week sooner than planned.

His halting speech and odd tone of voice had the little hairs on the back of her neck rising, making her uncomfortable. He tried to convince her to leave Rachel with him longer to really make sure she was both physically and emotionally ready. She balked at that. Then he tried saying she should take some time to enjoy being healthy and not having to worry about taking care of a child. She'd made it abundantly clear that having Rachel with her is what she enjoys most. He'd stopped arguing at that point, but not happily. She'd wanted to rush to Ohio to collect her daughter herself. Leroy managed to convince her to let him bring her to NYC so she'd have less traveling to do. She agreed, but wasn't happy when he claimed he couldn't get a flight for them for another two days. When Rachel finally came home, the girl had been scared to hug her, afraid of causing her pain. The look in her eyes made it obvious how badly she needed a hug and was doing this for Shelby's sake. Shelby had fixed that quickly by pulling her into a tight embrace and not letting go for several minutes. Rachel had burst into tears, sobbing into her shoulder. Shelby had managed to hide her own tears by the time they pulled apart. Rachel hadn't let go of her at home. Shelby was happy to let her cuddle and share a bed with her that night.

Now, nearly a month later, she is healthy and happy. Radiation therapy is over. The doctors are confident they got all the cancer cells. Now all she needs is to take pills every day for five years. That's it. She knows how lucky she is. Her parents have headed back to Pennsylvania. Other than the occasional worried glance or nightmare, Rachel is back to acting completely normal. Their lives are back to normal. Shelby returns to the stage tomorrow night. She has enjoyed being home every day and every night to be with Rachel, even helping her with homework like she is tonight. Normally when she has an evening performance, Rachel either stays backstage in her dressing room with a stage hand or at home with a babysitter. They'll be back to that tomorrow. She hopes the past couple weeks of time together has helped her child feel calmer and reassured her that Shelby really is okay. They finish the math page and Rachel slides it into her folder.

"What next?"

"I need to write a report."

"A book report?" She wracks her brain, trying to recall if Rachel mentioned any particular book lately.

"No." Acting oddly shy, Rachel looks down, fiddling with her pencil. It's bizarre. Rachel is not shy with her. Ever. Shelby lays a hand over hers, calming her. "I have to write a report on my hero."

"Oh? And do you know who you're going to write about?" Probably Barbara Streisand.

Rachel nods, her eyes jumping to hers before shyly dropping. "You. You're my hero, Mom."

Throat tight, Shelby pulls her into a hug.

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Eight year old Rachel laughs as she slides around on the ice with her cousins. She doesn't get to see them very often, and they're older than her so they don't usually spend a lot of time with her. Still, the rare times they do is usually fun. Like today. They're in Pennsylvania for the New Year and skating on a frozen lake. Ice skating has come as naturally to her as dancing. In fact, her mom said that it's probably because of her skill with dancing that she's a natural at ice skating. She was supposed to be spending this break from school with her dad. She managed to convince her mom to let her join her at Uncle Mitch's house instead. Her mom, though reluctant, called her dad to let him know. Even though her mom was in her bedroom with the door shut, Rachel could still hear enough of the conversation to know that it didn't go well. Her dad was angry that Rachel was backing out of time with him. Her mom didn't say angry when she told her about it. Her mom said "disappointed". But Rachel knows the truth. She felt guilty at first, but remembering how he doesn't always let her call her mom and tends to yell at her or make her feel uncomfortable, she was able to shake off her guilt pretty fast. And her mom is always happy to have longer with her anyway.

It's all working out.

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Rachel is in the fourth grade now. She has friends. She loves spending time with her mom. She loves bragging about her mom being a Broadway star. She loves visiting the theater and dreaming of performing on it one day. She loves her dad. She'll never say it, not to her mom and certainly not to her dad, but lately she's been a little uncomfortable staying with him for extended periods. She started coming up with excuses for why she can't stay with him. Sometimes her excuses work and her mom lets them slide. Sometimes she doesn't.

"Honey, he doesn't get to see you much and he misses you."

Guilt. And love. That's why she agrees to go nowadays. And she doesn't have it in her to speak up about why she doesn't want to. It's not that she doesn't love her dad. And she knows he loves her. It's just….awkward. He constantly talks about her daddy whom she doesn't really remember. He constantly tries to cuddle with her, but she's getting too big for that. It's like he still sees her as a toddler. She's not. She's nine. Yeah, she snuggles with her mom, but that's different. It feels more natural and comfortable. One of the things she hates about visiting her dad is that he doesn't see her for who she is. He sees the baby girl he thinks she still is. And he imagines she has memories stored away of a man who died when she was four. She feels bad not being able to remember her daddy, but she can't help that she doesn't. And she can't help that it upsets her dad.

But most of all, she hates that he won't let her call her mom as often as she wants to. If it were up to her, she'd call her mom every single day. Or at least every other day. He hasn't let her call whenever she wants in a while. She even overheard him lie to her mom about her not wanting to talk to her, but doesn't want to bring that up. When her mom was sick and she stayed with her dad, she'd understood. Her mom needed to rest to get better, not have her sleep interrupted by phone calls. Still, she'd been thrilled to talk to her mom whenever she called and her dad always let her. Other than that one visit, he doesn't often let her. It makes her uncomfortable.

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"No, Rachel."

"But, Mom—!"

"Don't 'but, Mom' me. I said no."

Rachel slumps at the kitchen table, shoving her bowl of soggy cereal away. Her mom sighs and retakes her seat across from her. Rachel loves that her mom always listens to her. She doesn't always get her way, but her mom at least listens and makes her feel heard. Her dad doesn't bother. He puts his foot down and that's it. No arguing and no discussing it.

"Why?" Rachel whines.

"You're nine. I take you everywhere you go. You don't need a cellphone." Her mom reiterates. "I don't even have a cellphone."

"Most of my friends—"

"I. Don't. Care. Rachel, I said no. Stop asking."

Unexpectedly, tears well in her eyes. Stop asking. She can hear her dad's voice snapping at her. Her mom pauses while sipping her coffee and puts the mug down. Rachel quickly swipes at her eyes. Her mom frowns and reaches for her hand, squeezing it gently.

"Fine." She mumbles, wanting to draw attention away from her crying.

"Honey, why is this upsetting you so much? It can't be from me saying no. I've said no to you plenty of times in your life."

That's true. Very true. Rachel could probably list twenty times off the top of her head that her mom has firmly said no and shut her down. A puppy being number one. Rachel shrugs awkwardly. Her mom eyes her speculatively.

"What's really going on, Rach?"

The nine year old looks down, distractedly tracing pictures on the tabletop with her finger. Her dad. He doesn't always let her call her mom as often as she wants to when she visits him. Less and less every visit, it seems. It makes her uncomfortable and upsets her. As uncomfortable as it is for her to admit even to herself, it makes her feel less safe. Mom is her safe space. Being denied that is hard for her. If she had her own cellphone, she could sneak and call her mom as often as she wants. Or even text her. But even at nine, she knows her mom would flip out if she found out her dad blocks her from calling her. She doesn't want her parents to be even more at odds than they already are. Or cause bigger problems. Which she thinks this would. Unable to think of an appropriate alternative, she shrugs again. Her mom sighs.

"I'm not getting you a phone right now. You don't need one. However, I have been considering getting you one for your tenth birthday."

Rachel perks up, then frowns. "That's still a lot of months away!"

"But it's the promise of one in the future." Her mom points out.

Rachel considers that. Her birthday is really far off. But at the same time, knowing she'll definitely be getting one in the future is comforting. Now she just needs to figure out a way to get through her summer visit with her dad. Hopefully he'll ease up and let her call her mom more often this year.

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It's finally summer. Rachel is preparing to go to the fifth grade. She's nine years old and very excited to turn ten in a couple months. Double digits. It's a big deal. Plus it means she'll finally be getting her own cellphone. Currently, she's in Ohio with her dad. She loves him, but she's not happy about being here. For starters, she really, really misses her mom when she's away. But also, all her friends are in New York and she wanted to spend time with them. Not be practically alone in Ohio, just her and her dad. There's still the fact that he gets annoyed when she asks to call her mom frequently. He's already said no twice and she's only been here a couple days.

It was nice of him to take her to the lake to swim since he knows how much she enjoys swimming. The problem is that she doesn't like lakes. They're gross. There's lots of stuff in them and she freaks out whenever they touch her. Something slides along her leg and she flinches back, cringing in disgust. Images of disgusting bugs or fish or other aquatic animals spring to her mind and she changes directions, heading for the shore. She swims as fast as she can, her wild imagination chasing her with images of gross stuff following close behind. She keeps an eye out for anything gross swimming or floating in her path. As soon as she's out of the water she shudders and wiggles her arms and legs, hoping to get off anything that might have been on her. She tromps to the blanket she and her dad set up. He sets his book down and looks at her with a frown.

"Done swimming already, sweetie?"

"Yeah." She mutters, plopping down on the blanket.

"What's with the attitude? You love swimming."

"In pools or the ocean!"

"What's wrong with the lake?"

"There's gross stuff in it!"

He gives her an incredulous look. "So there's nothing gross in the ocean?"

"That's different."

"How?"

"At the shore it's really just seaweed, which is easy enough to avoid and not a big deal if you can't. Or jellyfish. But mom checks the news to see if there's been a lot of jellyfish sightings and if there have been, we go to the pool instead." She says in a rush, trying not to sound annoyed. She knows he's trying. "The lake has lots of different plants and bugs and fish and turtles and stuff."

Her dad's jaw clenches and he looks away. After a moment, he turns back to her. "Well we don't have an ocean here in Ohio. And the closest pool club is members only. It's expensive. Best I can do is a lake. Take it or leave it."

He picks up his book and goes back to reading. She does the same, trying to finish her assigned summer reading. She doesn't mind reading, but it's not a preferred activity for her. Especially when it's not even a book she chose.

"You know," her dad says a few minutes later, "if you spent more time here with me in the summer, it'd be worth the price to get a membership to that pool club."

He looks at her expectantly. Rachel bites her lip and goes back to reading. A pool would be nice. Spending a day longer than necessary with her dad in Ohio would not. She hears him sigh and feels guilty. He loves her and just wants to spend more time with her. He's even doing the things she enjoys to make her happy. He's not a big fan of swimming. He'd be happy to skip it. They're only there now because he thought it'd make her happy. She should be grateful. But she's not.

She wants to go home.

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Leroy forces himself to unclench his teeth. Nothing about this summer is going well. First, Rachel insisted on delaying the start of her stay with him by two weeks because she begged to do some theater camp first. And Shelby let her. She didn't even have the courtesy to discuss it with him first, she just called and informed him of the delay. Then Shelby said they wouldn't extend Rachel's stay by two weeks to make up for it because she'd already made reservations for her own vacation with Rachel. They'd argued over that. Summer is his time with his daughter. His. And she's encroaching on that after promising not to. Shelby pointed out that summer is the only time when she can really take Rachel on vacation too. And that Rachel is old enough to choose and he just needed to deal with the fact that she chose a vacation with Shelby over a longer stay with him. Of course she did. What kid wouldn't want to go to Disney World instead of sitting around their dad's house? It's not fair.

None of it is fair and Shelby is no longer listening to him when he tries to point it out. It's pissing him off. All he wants is time with his own fucking kid. He has no one else. No one. He tried dating last year. It was a disaster. He can't move on from Hiram. He misses his husband every damn day. At the same time, he is so very lonely. In the past, his loneliness would be abated during holidays when Rachel and Shelby would be with him. That hasn't happened in a few years. Then he'd feel better when Rachel would stay with him. But for the past year or two, he's noticed a change in her. She's less excited to be with him. He'll admit to her being happy to see him. She's all smiles and big hugs when she first sees him at the airport. It's always a happy reunion. The first night and day are always great. Recently, it doesn't last much longer than that. She's not as interested in snuggling on the couch while watching a movie together. They still do, but not as often. He misses his little snuggle bug. She used to cling to his side when she'd stay with him, not wanting to be away from him. Now, she's happy to play by herself in her room, the basement, backyard, or living room. She doesn't want her old dad with her every moment of every day. So even when she's there, she's not always with him. And she always wants to talk to or about her mom. He thought that would stop over time. It hasn't.

They got back from the lake trip and while Rachel was showering, he grabbed a beer. He's irritated. He has been bending over backwards to do things she enjoys and make her stays fun for her. That was easy when she was little. It's not easy anymore. She's developing an attitude. If she lived with him, he'd have prevented that. It's Shelby's fault. He truly wishes that Hiram never made him call her. He could have managed on his own, he's sure of it. Rachel comes downstairs for dinner, still moping. He shuts the fridge with more force than necessary. She was silent the whole drive home. Now, at home, she's still got that attitude. It pisses him off. And she's only nine. He's dreading her teen years. But then he thinks about how little he'll get to see her. Will he get to teach her how to drive? Will Shelby take over that as well? Will he meet any boyfriends she has or will he just hear about them? He grabs another beer.

"Can I call my mom?" Rachel asks softly after dinner.

He almost says yes this time. Almost. But right now, the last thing he wants is for Shelby to steal another win. This is his time with his daughter and he doesn't get much of it. He doesn't want to lose even a minute to Rachel choosing to speak with her mother instead of the father she rarely sees.

"No."

Rachel looks down, her shoulders hunched. "I just wanna say goodnight to her."

"Say goodnight to me, Rachel. I'm right here and you've barely spoken to me today."

"I just—"

"You're staying with me right now. Not your mother. You don't need to talk to her! In fact," he goes on, gesturing with the hand holding his fourth beer, "she probably needs a break from you."

Rachel looks up uncertainly. "What?"

"You normally talk a lot. Not to me lately, but a lot. I'm sure you yammer your mom's ears off."

Rachel cringes, knowing she does talk a lot. Especially to her mom and her friends. "She likes talking to me."

"She does." Her dad agrees with an easy grin. "But she also needs a break from your whining."

She thinks about her mom snapping at her for whining a few weeks ago and figures her mom called and complained about her to her dad. She hangs her head.

"Maybe. But I haven't talked to her in a couple days." She's careful to keep the whine out of her voice. "I miss her. And maybe she's missing me by now."

"Do you miss me?" He tosses the empty bottle into the trash and grabs another. "When you're in New York with your mom, do you miss me?"

"Yes." Sometimes. Mostly she misses how things used to be between them.

"But not as much as you miss your mom?"

Rachel can't answer that. Or really, she knows she shouldn't answer that. She bites her lip instead. Her dad shakes his head.

"Go to bed, Rachel."

Trying to hold back tears, Rachel turns and begins walking out of the kitchen.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Her dad calls. "What's this?"

Rachel turns back around in confusion, her eyes looking around for what he's talking about. "What?"

"No goodnight? You wanted to call your mom to tell her goodnight, but you seriously can't even say it to my face when I'm right in front of you?"

"Goodnight, Dad." It's said quietly. Tensely.

He stands there staring at her for a long minute. Afraid to move, Rachel stares back. He slowly shakes his head and huffs. He walks past her without another word. A few tears slip down her cheeks and she eyes the phone on the kitchen counter.

If she had a cellphone…..

She should have told her mom. She's realizing that now. A heavy weight sitting in her stomach tells her she should have told her mom, regardless of the potential fallout between her parents.

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The next day isn't any better. Rachel talks to her dad more, but it's more perfunctory than casual. They both feel it. Leroy opens a bottle of scotch in the early afternoon. Rachel eyes it warily. Her mom doesn't drink much. The occasional glass of wine. That's about it. She's not used to seeing these other types of drinks. And she definitely doesn't like how it's making her dad act. Rachel needs to talk to her mom. The phone rang a lot today, she noticed. One time she heard her dad arguing with someone. She's pretty sure it was her mother. "I told you, she's sleeping! Do you really want me to wake her just to say hi?" She takes a chance and sits next to him.

"I wanna call my mom."

He stares at her and shakes his head. "Do you wanna watch a movie? Or play a game? It's been a few nights since you beat me at that card game you like. What's it called again?"

He smiles warmly and takes another sip of the amber liquid. Her mouth goes dry. "Dad, please. I haven't talked to her in days."

His smile becomes forced before falling into a grimace. He knocks back the rest of the contents in the glass. The smile comes back. "We could play something different, if you'd prefer."

Chin wobbling, she shakes her head. He's not letting her call. She sniffles and draws the back of her hand across her nose.

"Oh, stop sniffling. It's not a big deal." When more tears slip out, he groans. "You know what? Fine. I'll let you call her." Her heart lifts. "But you have gotta calm down. She's not gonna want to hear you crying. That's even worse than whining. So get yourself together, sound like your normal happy self, and tell her about all the fun things we've been doing. That'll make her happy. Alright?"

"Thank you."

Her dad leans over to grab the phone off the end table. He dials the number and waits for an answer. "Hi, Shel." Her dad says sounding far cheerier than he did moments ago. "Yeah, I told you she would…Yeah, of course!…Here she is."

With a weird smile, he hands her the phone. She takes it eagerly. "Mom?"

Her dad gets her attention. He points to the corners of his mouth and mouths the word "smile!". Something about it sits weird with her.

"Honey? I'm so glad to hear from you! I don't think I've ever gone this long without talking to you." Her mom sounds truly relieved and happy.

She swallows back her tears as best she can. "Yeah. I wanted to talk to you sooner."

Her dad gives her a look. She frowns harder. Usually he walks away when she talks to her mom, giving her privacy. This time he isn't. He's staring right at her.

"It's okay, sunshine. Your dad told me you've been having a lot of fun."

"Yeah." She actively makes her voice sound happier. "He took me to the lake."'

"That's neat!" In a conspiratorial whisper, her mom teasingly adds on "Not as good as the ocean, though, right?" And laughs.

Rachel laughs along, feeling awkward. She glances at her dad. He's still watching and pouring himself another drink. She chats as happily as she can about the things they've done before asking her mom what she's been up to. As usual, her mom gives the same teasing response. "Not much, you took all my sunshine with you." Usually, Rachel giggles at that. This time it causes her to swallow down tears. As the call winds down, Rachel struggles to keep herself together.

"Alright, well it's been really great talking to you, but it's getting late. I know you need to go to bed." Her mom says. Rachel can hear the regret in her voice. Her mom wants to keep talking to her.

"Yeah. I guess." Rachel wishes she could say more.

"Call me soon, okay?"

"I will." She hopes. "I love you, Mom." She can't help the quiver that finally slips into her voice.

"I love you, too." There's a beat of silence, and then "Honey, are you okay?"

Her dad raises his eyebrows at her. She quickly swallows back another wave of emotion. "Yeah. I'm just tired."

"Alright. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Shelby hangs up with a frown. She sits on her armchair and taps her lips with her finger, thinking hard. She hadn't heard from Rachel in a while. Not only does she miss her daughter, it's not like her to go so long without talking to her. So she called Leroy. The first time, he said she was in the shower. The second time he said she was asleep. The third time, he flat out said Rachel hasn't wanted to call her. That hurt to hear. Even if she's having a lot of fun with her dad, she still wants her daughter to call her and talk to her about it. Shelby told him to have Rachel call her whenever she gets a moment. Any time of day. She just wants to hear from her daughter. He'd easily agreed. Still, she threatened to go to Ohio to talk to her in person if he didn't.

Now she finally got to talk to her little girl and…..something is off. She gets up and paces her living room. It's already weird that Rachel wouldn't want to talk to her on the phone. She attributed that to having fun with her dad or still being upset with her over the cellphone thing. But hearing Rachel's voice get shaky worried her. And while she sounded like she's having a good time, it was too….stiff. Something is off. Worst of all, considering how phone calls with Leroy have gone lately, she doesn't think she can ask him about it and get a straight answer. However, as the night goes on and her worries build, she gives in and calls Leroy. She has to try.

"Hello?"

"What's going on with Rachel?"

"Shelby? What—what are you…talking about?"

Shelby frowns, listening carefully. Now he sounds off somehow. "Rachel sounded off. Is she upset? Sick? Bored?"

"No, nothing is off." Leroy responds slowly.

"What's off with you?"

"Pardon?"

"Now you sound off." This whole thing is giving her a bad feeling. "What's going on?"

"I think," Leroy says slowly, carefully enunciating each word mockingly, "that you need to consider the possibility that she may no longer be a mommy's girl."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Getting to talk to her mom was half a relief and half made it worse. She got to talk to her, but not really. Rachel wipes away new tears and rolls over in bed. She can't sleep. She's debating sneaking downstairs and calling her mom again. She doesn't care what her dad says; she's positive her mom wants to hear from her. Gathering her courage, she sits up. Her dad's bedroom door is open, but it always is when she stays over so he can hear her. It doesn't tell her if he's in there or not. The portrait of her daddy watches as she creeps down the stairs as quietly as she can. Peering over the railing, she sees an empty living room and breaths a sigh of relief. Rachel tiptoes through the room and picks up the house phone.

"What are you doing?"

Rachel spins around, her heart lodged in her throat. Her dad is standing there watching her, holding a glass of amber liquid. Again. He's leaning slightly, as though he can't stand up straight. He takes a step closer to her, his eyebrows narrowing.

"Rachel, I asked you a question." He's talking weird. It sounds weird, she just can't figure out how. Rachel's heart rate picks up. "What are you doing?"

"I—" She glances down at the phone in her hand. How is she supposed to talk her way out of this one?

His face becomes a grimace. "You're trying to call your mother. Shelby."

Knowing she can't deny it, she nods. Her heart is thudding in her chest and her right hand grips the edge of the end table. Her dad's face flushes red.

"You already—al—already—" He's talking so weird. "—tulked to her."

Tulked? Does he mean talked? She speaks before her brain can stop her. "I miss her."

He waves his hand, not noticing as the liquid sloshes over the edge. "I wan—-I wanna ask you som-somfin'—" He peers at her but can't seem to focus on her properly. "When you—-when you're with your mudder—how many times do you call me?"

Rachel swallows hard. She's beginning to shake. "I'm—I'm not sure."

Slowly, he points at her. "Not every day. I can—I can tell you tha' much. Once a month is the—the—" His brow furrows as tries to think of the right word. "—the usual. Is your mom—is she stoppin' you—from callin' me?"

Rachel shakes her head. "No! She wouldn't! She's the one who reminds—"

She snaps her mouth shut, realizing her error too late. Her dad's face falls, then settles into a look of disappointment. "She—she has to—-tell you to—call me?"

Tears well in her eyes. She hates upsetting people. "No. I just meant—"

"I know what you meant." He says in a low voice. "You meant that—-that you don't love me—like you love your mom."

"I love you!"

"So mush that your mom has ta—ta force you—ta call me? When—when you're standin' here—beggin' me—to call her?"

The tears overflow. She has no idea how to handle this. She wants her mom. Her mom would never make her this uncomfortable or scared. Scared. She's scared of her own father. Her eyes flick to the phone next to her. He sees it.

"Damnit, Rachel!" He shouts, making her jump. "I'm here! I—I love you! I done—don't get mush time wi—with you. And I'm tired of you sp—spendin it all wishin' you're with her!" He turns away from her and runs a hand over his face.

Feeling overwhelmed, scared, and beyond shaken, Rachel can't stop the words from tumbling out of her mouth. "I want my mom."

He doesn't seem to hear her. He turns back around. "And you both cut my time with you shhhhort. You with that, uh, theater camp. And her with the trip. Disney. We can go on a trip." He smiles at her, but it just makes her more uncomfortable. "You and me. In—in fact, we'll leave tomorrow. Go pack your bag."

He looks excited. She's scared and confused. "Where are we going?"

He shrugs, his hands going out and unknowingly tossing out the last of his drink onto the carpet. "Where—" He frowns, concentrating hard and speaking carefully "wherever we want."

"I wanna go home."

"You are home!" He roars, tossing the glass aside. She flinches when it hits the wall and shatters. He swings his arm out wide. "This—this is your home, too! This was your first home! I'm tired of you forgetting that!" The tears are coming faster. She takes a step backwards. "You're spend—spending too much time with your mom. I'm gonna—I'm gonna fis-fix that. Startin' with gettin' you away for a bit. Go pack a—a—bag."

"No."

It has been years since she said a flat out 'no' to either parent. It's disrespectful and harshly punished. It always resulted in a spanking, so she learned not to say it. But she means it with all her heart right now. At first he looks shocked. Then furious. He storms towards her. She scrambles away, but is impeded by furniture. He has a clear path to her. He grabs her arm and yanks her towards him. He drops himself on the couch and pulls her over his lap. He swats her bottom over and over while she cries and tries to get away. This isn't a normal spanking. This is lasting longer, the hits are harder, and her parents talk to her calmly before a spanking about why it's happening. Then she's cuddled after, so she can calm down and know she's loved and forgiven. When he finally stops his assault, he roughly stands her up.

"You don't say no to me! Maybe Shhhelby allows that, but—"

"She doesn't!"

"Then why s-say i' ta me?"

"Because I love her more!"

His fist collides with the side of her head. Rachel falls to the side, too stunned to try to catch herself. The opposite side of her head slams on the edge of the end table. White lights flash before her eyes. The pain is blinding. She sucks in shaky gasp after shaky gasp before finally managing a full breath. When her vision clears, she's lying on the floor. Her eyes find her father. He is staring at her looking just as stunned as she feels. He stumbles back several steps, his face pale. He's shaking his head in disbelief. Breathing harshly, he turns and walks away. She watches him stumble up the stairs, tripping twice, falling the second time. He slides down several stairs, then manages to get back up and continue upstairs. Moving slowly, Rachel pushes herself up to a sitting position on shaking arms.

Her head aches horribly. The side of her face feels wet. Carefully, she presses a hand to it and pulls it back. It's bloody. Her breathing picks up, her heart back to thudding wildly in her chest. Her tears come back and she cries, but that just makes her head hurt worse. With her bloody hand, she grabs the edge of the end table and uses it to pull herself up. Her legs are a little wobbly. She grabs the house phone. The numbers are blurry. She can't focus on them. In her fuzzy brain, she can't recall her mom's phone number. The more she thinks about it, the more afraid she gets. The numbers just won't come to her; they're jumbled in her mind. Maybe she shouldn't call anyway. Yes, she knows without a doubt that her mother would come running. But her dad said she spends too much time with her. He's going to "fix" it. And he said they're leaving tomorrow to go…..somewhere. What if her mom doesn't get here in time? What if she comes after they leave and she has no idea where they are? Rachel slumps to her knees and rests her head on the end table, her cries becoming sobs. She grips the phone with both hands, her heart in turmoil. What if "fixing" it means taking her away from her mom forever?

She needs to get to her mom before her dad can take her away. That's what she needs to do. She just needs to get to New York before he realizes it. But how? She can take a bus to the Columbus airport. She's traveled there and back often enough to know how to get there and knows her way around the airport. But how to get a ticket? Maybe she can just slip onto the plane unnoticed? How will she pay for the bus? She lifts her aching head and looks around. She can grab her dad's wallet. By the time he realizes it, she'll be long gone. Her mom can mail the wallet back to him.

With a plan in mind, she starts to calm down. Using the walls to stay upright and walk in a straight line, Rachel makes her way to the powder room. She uses toilet paper and the hand towel to mop up the blood. It's on her face, but it's coming from higher up. She can't find the cut, but it's either along her hairline or a little higher. That's where it hurts the most. Luckily, her dark hair is hiding the blood seeping down the side of her head. She grabs the counter when the room spins. She whimpers, wanting her mom more than ever. She drops before the toilet and empties the contents of her stomach. When she feels ready, she leaves the powder room and heads to the stairs. She is going to pack like her dad said, but she's not going with him. She's running to her mom. Rachel moves as carefully as she can. Her dad's door is shut. She can hear him throwing up from within and is relieved. He won't be coming out any time soon. In her room, she grabs her suitcase and starts stuffing her clothes and stuff in it as fast as she can. She leaves out one outfit to change into now. Dressed and packed, she makes her way downstairs with her suitcase as quietly as she can. Downstairs, she grabs some water bottles and snacks and stuffs them in her bag. She's too scared and nauseous to eat now, but she's sure she'll be hungry at some point before getting home. In the living room, she grabs a map of Ohio out of the end table drawer and puts it in her mini backpack. She'd been bored with it at the time, but now she's glad her dad took the time to teach her how to read a map. By the front door is a small table. There's a decorative bowl where her dad keeps his keys and wallet. She picks up the wallet, then hesitates. She's never actually stolen anything before; minus a questionable Barbie. Even from her parents. Other than snacks when they weren't looking, but that's different. She opens the wallet and takes out a credit card and all the cash. She drops the wallet back into the bowl and shoves the money into her mini backpack with the map.

Rachel unlocks the front door and pulls it open. She yanks her suitcase through the opening and shuts the door behind her. She's leaving her dad's house. And she's going to get back to her mom.

No matter what it takes.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It takes far longer than she expected to get to the train station. On the map, the distance looked a lot smaller. She didn't realize how far it actually is. She drags her suitcase behind her, thankful it has wheels, and stays on sidewalks. There isn't much traffic out this late in Lima, Ohio on a weeknight. That's good because even at nine, Rachel knows it's odd for a child to be walking alone on the street at night. When she hears cars coming, she steps out of the streetlights, further back into shadows, and crouches down so she's less visible. The last thing she wants it to be taken back to her dad. Her feet are aching. She's tired. Her head is pounding. But she doesn't stop. She needs to get back to her mom and this is the only way she can think to do that. She spends the walk trying to remember her mom's phone number. Her mom made her memorize it from the time she was five. Why now is she unable to think of the numbers? She wonders if hitting her head scrambled her brains. She fears she'll start forgetting other things, like where she and her mom live. She repeats all important information she can think of over and over in her mind like a mantra. Her mind feels fuzzy, making it hard to remember all details.

After an hour, she accepts that she needs a break. Her head really hurts. And she's tired and thirsty. She walks through a small park and finds a bench. Sitting, she sips her water and double checks her map. She's positive she's going in the right direction, but it's hard to tell. The map looks a little blurry and she swears the lines and letters keep moving around. It scares and frustrates her. Why can't she read normally? She almost gives up and goes back to the house. Her fears of being hurt more, or worse, of being taken away from her mother, keep her moving. It's about another hour of walking, and shoving down her fears, before she makes it to the bus station. It's a fairly large, with the counters, waiting area, bathrooms, a small convenience store, and two fast food places. It's bustling with activity. Swallowing hard, Rachel carefully takes a seat and peers around. It's late. Most people waiting for busses are tired. An old man is sitting with his head slumped, snoring away. A middle aged woman is rocking her fussy baby. No one seems to be paying attention to her, not even the bored looking security guard. She's debating what to do when she spots something odd.

There's another child here. Seemingly alone. Curious, Rachel watches him. He looks like he's near her age with brown hair and nice clothes. Weirdly nice for a boy his age. He's wearing a button up shirt and something tied around his neck, but not a tie. Almost like a silk scarf, but that's weird for a boy. It's also weird that a boy her age has hair that isn't all messed up. It's neatly coiffed. Still, as odd as his outfit is, he somehow makes it look good. He keeps looking around with wide eyes. He looks…..scared. Maybe he's lost. Feeling bad and wanting to help, she gets up and heads over to him. The moment he notices her, his eyes widen even more. He watches warily as she sits next to him.

"Hi."

"Hi." He replies awkwardly before looking away.

"I'm Rachel."

"Kurt."

"Not to be rude, Kurt, but you look lost."

He frowns and looks her over. "And you look tired. Did you walk through a forest to get here?"

"A park, yeah. It took a couple miles." His eyes widen. She goes on, lowering her voice. "Are you alone, Kurt?"

He tenses even more and looks around nervously. When he responds, it's in an even quieter whisper than she'd used. "Don't tell anyone, please!"

Shocked and selfishly pleased, Rachel smiles for what feels like the first time since her mom dropped her off. "As long as you don't tell anyone that I'm alone, too."

"What?"

Rachel makes sure no one near them appears to be listening before answering. "I'm running away. Sort of. I'm running from one parent to the other. What about you?"

"I'm…" Tears fill his eyes. "I'm running away, too."

Seeing his tears makes her think of her own emotional turmoil that she's been ignoring and her own tears start up again. She takes his hand and squeezes it. "I'm running to New York. What about you?"

He looks at her in shock. "That's where I'm going! I want to go to New York City!"

"That's where I live with my mom. I'm going home." Her real home. The home that feels like a home.

"So you were living with your dad?" Now that he's sure his secret won't be outed and realizing he might have a new friend, he's calming down.

"Yeah." More like visiting, but she doesn't feel like correcting him right now.

"Why did you run away?"

Tears fill her eyes and she looks away. "I just want my mom."

He looks at her sadly. "I want my mom, too. But she died last year. Cancer."

She throws her arms around him. "I'm so sorry! My mom had cancer but she got better."

He gingerly pries her off of him, but pats her arm. "Thanks. Glad your mom's okay."

"So do you have your bus ticket yet?"

He looks down, dejected. "No. I've been trying to figure out how to get one."

Rachel grins and bumps her shoulder into his. "I grabbed my dad's credit card. I can get us tickets to the airport."

"Airport?" Kurt asks in confusion.

"Aren't you going to the airport?"

"No. I was gonna take the bus the whole way."

"Why?"

"Uh, plane tickets are too much money. And they ask too many questions when you buy one. We can't buy one as kids."

Rachel's face falls and her stomach flips. "I didn't think of that."

"We can take a bus together."

"Okay." Not having to travel alone makes her feel a lot better.

She stands but he pulls her back down. "Wait, how are you going to get a ticket?"

"The credit card, remember?"

"No, I mean, when they ask why a kid is buying it."

Rachel's tired mind races and she looks around, trying to come up with an answer. And then she finds one. "Grab your stuff and follow me."

Kurt grabs his suitcase and follows her out of the waiting area and to one of the fast food areas. She leads him to a dirty table, where she promptly sits. Kurt doesn't. He makes a disgusted face. "We can't sit here! It's so gross!"

"That's the point!"

"What are you talking about?" He's looking at her like she's crazy.

"We're brother and sister. Our dad bought us food," She indicates the food wrappers with a wave of her hand. "And then he went to the bathroom."

Kurt is shifting from foot to foot uncertainly. "Real food would be more convincing. And I'm hungry."

"So go get food. I'm assuming you brought money."

"You'll stay right here?"

"I'm not moving." She's too tired to move.

He leaves his stuff with her and jumps in line to get food. Rachel spends the time looking at a map on the wall that indicates bus routes. It takes a while for her to be able to read it because the words and numbers look jumbled and blurry. It makes it hard to read and makes her head ache more. They do have a bus that goes to New York City. Reading the information next to the map makes her sag in her seat. A plane ride would be faster, but Kurt was right. They'd ask too many questions at an airport.

"Want some of my fries?" Kurt asks upon returning. He cringes at the mess on the table, swatting some off and onto the floor. Rachel frowns at him.

"First of all, that was rude. That's littering. Second, they have a bus trip to New York, but it'll take like fourteen hours."

Kurt shrugs awkwardly. "I'm not in a rush." Then he takes a bite of his burger.

"Well I am. I want my mom." Right now.

Kurt wipes his mouth. "Why? Why are you running from your dad?"

She looks away. "I'll tell you later. You stay here, I'll go get us our tickets."

"But who's our dad?" Kurt asks. "You said you'd tell them we're with our dad. Other than some trash, there's no sign of a dad with us."

Rachel ponders this. "How do we convince people there's a grown man with us without having a grown man with us?"

Kurt's brow furrows as he thinks on it too. He takes another bite of his burger and Rachel steals some of his fries. His eyes light up. "I have an idea. It just needs to look like there's an adult with us, right?"

Rachel watches curiously as he gets up and walks over to another table where a man is sitting alone. Even from here, Rachel can see his hand trembling with nerves as he grabs the man's jack and hat off the seat next to him. He hurries back and sets the hat on their table and lays the jacket over a vacant chair.

"There. Go before this guy realizes I just moved his stuff."

Rachel stands and hurries up to the ticket counter. It's a short line, thankfully, but she gets odd looks from the adults around her. She bites her lip and hopes she can be convincing. She also hopes her hair is still hiding the bits of blood she couldn't wash out. She pulls her dad's credit card out of her bag. Once at the front, she grabs the counter and goes up on tip toe to be seen.

"Hello!"

The woman on the other side leans over to see her. "Well, hello there. What can I do for you?"

"I need two tickets to New York, please." She slides the credit card towards the lady.

The woman frowns and looks her over, then all around. "Where are your parents?"

Rachel puts on a bright smile. "My dad and brother are over there."

She points to the table where Kurt is sitting. The woman looks that way and sees Kurt sitting there eating, a man's jacket on the chair next to him, and hat on the table.

"Where's your dad?"

"In the bathroom. His stomach is bothering him so he'll be in there a while. He told us to get food and tickets."

"Why only two tickets if there are three of you?"

Her heart starts thudding wildly. How hadn't she thought of that? "Um, because dad already has his ticket. Now my brother and I are joining him when we weren't going to before. So we need tickets just for the two of us. You see," Her panicky mind keeps pushing words out, "he's going to visit our grandparents. Our grandmother is sick. My brother and I want to see her, but we didn't want to be on a bus for hours and hours through the night and we didn't want to be stuck in her stuffy house for days and days of our summer break, but our mom convinced us to go anyway. She has to stay and work."

The woman snorts and sits back. "Alright, alright."

She clicks away on her computer while Rachel's heart slowly returns to normal, amazed that actually worked. Covertly, she gives Kurt a thumbs up. He grins and returns it. When the woman tells her how much money it'll cost, she quavers. Her dad is going to murder her. Hopefully her mom will be willing to pay him back. Maybe she can do some chores to make up the money she's spending. She doesn't care. She just needs to get home to her mom. Nothing else matters. She accepts the credit card back and takes the tickets. She puts it all in her mini backpack and returns to Kurt.

"Done."

"Wow." Kurt is wide eyed. "It really worked."

"Shhh!" She looks around nervously.

Kurt's face falls. "We're really doing this? We're going to New York?"

"I'm definitely going. And it's nice to not have to make the trip alone."

Kurt nods slowly, looking relieved. He sips his soda.

"Why are you going to New York?" She can't help but ask.

"I want to see a Broadway show." He admits quietly.

Rachel lights up. "Really? I love Broadway, too!"

Kurt looks thrilled. "Really? I've never actually met anyone else who loves it. Have you ever been?"

"Yes! I've seen a bunch of shows. My mom is Shelby Corcoran." She states proudly but quietly, mindful of where they are.

His jaw drops and his eyes go wide. "The Shelby Corcoran? Queen of Broadway?"

Rachel giggles. "Yup. That's my mom. I've seen every show she's been in and she takes me to other shows."

"You're so lucky!"

Her smile dims. She's lucky to have such an amazing mother. Now she needs her luck to hold out and get her back to her mother. Kurt is looking at her curiously.

"So why are you in Ohio?"

"My dad lives here. I stay with him for part of the summer. But I—I can't stay any longer. I need to get back to my mom. I need to."

He must see her eyes watering and hear her quivering voice because he takes her hand. "Okay. That's where we're going, right?"

She swipes under her eyes. "Right. So why are you running away to Broadway? You know, alone. Do you know anyone in New York?"

"No." Kurt now sounds glum and nervous. He's looking down at the table top. Rachel squeezes his hand. "I don't. But I really love Broadway and musicals. My mom and dad said they'd take me to see a show for my tenth birthday."

"That's great!"

He gives her such a sad look that the rest of her words freeze in her throat. He slowly shakes his head. "My mom died last year, remember? She swore we'd go. But then she died and we've been…it was hard. It's still hard." He admits quietly. Rachel's heart goes out to him. Unable to think of any words to say but wanting to comfort him, she squeezes his hand again. He goes on. "Then I turned ten and dad said we couldn't go. I was upset so he promised we'd go this summer. But he owns his own tire shop and is really busy and said we can't go this summer either. We got in a fight about it. I kind of….." he sniffles "…..I kind of yelled at him that he was ignoring one of mom's dying wishes, which was for us to go to see a Broadway show together. And I said that mom would have taken me if their roles were reversed. And that…..that maybe I'd wished that their roles were reversed. He got so upset." Tears pour down his cheeks. He uses his free hand to dry them. "He looked so hurt and then I think he started to cry and walked away from me. I'm so sorry! I feel so bad! But I had to leave then!"

"Why?"

"I hurt him so bad! I couldn't stay there in the house knowing my dad was that sad because of me and my mean words. I didn't mean it! I didn't! I wish my mom was still here but I don't wish he wasn't. I couldn't face him. So I packed a bag and ran. It wasn't until I was already on the run that I realized I had no plan and nowhere to go. So I decided to go to Broadway myself. I figured I'd go on my own and then go home and apologize when I'm ready to face him again."

Rachel smiles kindly at him. "You love your dad."

He nods fiercely. "I really do. A lot. He's the best. He's the only thing that got me through losing my mom."

She shrugs. "I'm sure he'll forgive you."

He slinks down in his seat, his eyes downcast. "Do you really think so?" He asks meekly.

"Yes. I do."

He sits back up and looks at her softly. "Thanks, Rachel."

"You're welcome." She smiles back.

"So why are you—"

"Hi, kids." Their heads snap to the security guard standing at their table. "How's it going?"

"Good." They respond nervously.

He nods. "So, where are your parents? You're not here alone, are you?"

Kurt's face pales but Rachel's mouth moves before she even thinks about it. "Of course not. We're just kids! You really think we'd be here, at night, alone?" She even gives the security guard an incredulous look for good measure.

Kurt manages to nod and chime in. "Dad got us food then went to the bathroom." He indicates the jacket and hat.

Rachel lowers her voice and pretends to be embarrassed. "He had cheese quesadillas even though he can't eat cheese. Now he's paying for it. He'll be in the bathroom for a while."

The guard laughs heartily. "Alright. Just making sure."

He ambles off and Rachel breathes a sigh of relief. Kurt, however, is panicking. He's breathing fast and his eyes are wide. "I just lied to a cop. I can't believe I just lied to a cop! I've never lied to a cop before!" His words come out faster and at a higher pitch in his panic. "I'm a criminal!"

Rachel snags his arm and pulls him off his seat. "Shut up!" She hisses in his ear. "We'll get caught!" She can't get caught. They'll just send her back to her dad. "And it wasn't a cop, it was a security guard. Now, grab your stuff and let's go."

Nodding frantically, Kurt follows her instructions. They head back to the waiting area and grab seats. They sit quietly, still nervous from their narrow escape. Rachel's heart settles back down and her head throbs with pain. She winces and leans slightly against Kurt. He gives her a soft look and lets her. Her head feels heavy and she really wants to sleep. She wants a hug. She wants her mom. She fights back a wave of tears. She feels better knowing she's not alone. She has a new friend traveling with her. The call for the bus to New York comes over the intercom and the kids stand. They gather their belongings, make sure they have everything, then follow the others out the door. They're stopped before making it out. A hand falls on each of their shoulders. The same security guard from before is frowning down at them.

"Where's your dad? You said he was in the bathroom."

As one, the kids turn to look at the table they vacated. Standing next to it is the guy Kurt stole the jacket and hat from. He's looking down in confusion, but picking up his belongings.

"That's him." Kurt says, though he sounds more like he's asking than telling.

Rachel hits his arm. "Seriously? You're letting dad clean up your mess? Go help him!"

Kurt gives her a weird look. She gives him a look to indicate he should just go along with it. He nods. "Right. Sorry."

He jogs over to the table. Rachel and the security guard watch as Kurt grabs the trash and chats with the man at the table. Kurt points to the door and the man nods with a smile. Rachel looks up.

"See? They're coming. Thanks for looking out for us." But please stop.

He nods and leaves. Rachel starts walking out the door at a slow pace, constantly looking back at Kurt. The boy finishes cleaning off the table, makes sure the security guard isn't watching, then runs back over to her and grabs his suitcase from her. Together, the kids jog past the line of adults and add their luggage to the rest being added to the bottom of the bus. They're holding their tickets but realizing they might be questioned by the driver if they don't have a parent with them. While waiting in line for their turn to hand their tickets to the driver, they start a fake argument. They argue over whether their dad wants them to save a seat for him in the front or the back of the bus. By the time they're handing over their tickets, they're pretending to ignore the bus driver and have "decided" that their dad would rather sit in the back, so that's where they'll go. They also pretend to spot him at the back of the line. Rachel points to the back of the bus.

"We'll grab a seat in the back, Dad!"

A few people turn and look, but most ignore her or shrug it off. Fearing they went overboard, Rachel stops talking and, once given the all clear, hurries onto the bus. The kids scurry to the back and take two seats together. They don't relax until the bus rolls out of the depot. The emotional toll of the day gets to her and Rachel feels her eyes well up with tears. Her head is aching. She lets it rest on the seat and wipes at her eyes.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"No." She admits in a wobbly voice.

Kurt looks at her closely. "You never told me why you're running from your dad. Just that you want to go back to your mom. Why? Does it have anything to do with the bruise on the side of your head?"

Rachel tentatively touches that side of her head. It's tender. "It's bruised?"

"Yeah."

She touches the other side of her head. "At least the cut stopped bleeding." Still, she presses her fingers into her hair before looking at her hand. There's a little blood on her fingers. "Oh."

Kurt gasps. "What happened?"

"My dad." More tears fill her eyes. "He….he was drinking. He got mad. He punched me in the head. Knocked me down." The tears overflow, but she's doing her best to stay quiet so they're not overheard. She doesn't want to draw attention to them. "I fell and hit the other side of my head on the table."

Kurt's eyes are wide with shock. "My dad and I fought, but he'd never put his hands on me."When she starts crying harder, his face softens and he pulls her into a gentle hug. "I'm sorry, Rachel."

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Burt Hummel sat with his head in his hands. He's been trying to calm himself and figure out how to work this out with Kurt. He knows his son didn't mean what he said, he was just upset. He's ten and upset, of course he'd lash out. It hurt, he won't lie about that. It hurt like hell to hear, but mostly it makes him worry about his son. And their relationship. He wonders if his parents were right and he should take Kurt to counseling. After Kurt screamed those hurtful words to him, he'd staggered out of the living room and gone up to his own room. He needed space and he figured Kurt did, too. He's not ashamed to admit he cried for a while, but he doesn't want his son to know. His gentle boy will feel even more guilty if he knows he made his dad cry. But boy did Burt cry. He misses his wife. He worries he's not doing right by their son. He wishes she were still here for many, many reasons, but mostly so that Kurt has a mom. It's been so hard without her and even harder raising Kurt alone. But he does his best. He loves his boy.

After he heard Kurt head to bed, he'd gone downstairs to try to distract himself with a movie. It didn't work. He gave up halfway through and decided to call it an early night. He stood outside his son's room and debated going in. He raised his hand to knock, but hesitated. If Kurt is still upset with him, pushing things now will just make it worse. And Kurt knows he can come to him for comfort at any time. And he hasn't yet. Meaning he's not ready. That's okay. With a heavy sigh, the father lowered his hand and walked off to his own room. He took his time brushing his teeth and getting into pajamas. He turned on the tv in his room so Kurt would know he's still up and can come to him if he needs to. Burt spent a while thinking about how to keep his promise to his son about taking him to a Broadway show. He also thought about how to explain to his son why it's been too hard for him to do yet. Yes, part of it is because he's busy running his own business. Part of it is money. But mostly, every time he thinks about following through on the promise his wife made Kurt, his heart pangs. It's too painful. Is his son ready to hear that? Or is he too young? He dozed off for a while, the emotional toll of their argument tiring him out. He awoke in the middle of the night to find his tv still on and himself still alone in bed. He's not surprised, but he is disappointed.

Wanting to check on his son, Burt gets out of bed. He quietly pads down the hall, but again finds himself hesitating outside Kurt's room. He doesn't want to disturb him, but he does want to check on him. Quietly, he opens his bedroom door. It's dark, of course. He pauses for a moment to let his eyes adjust to the dimness of the room, but still can't make out Kurt on the bed. Frowning, he walks further into the room. The bed looks empty. Burt moves faster, no longer worried about staying quiet. The bed is empty. He walks around it and even looks into Kurt's closet. Nothing. His son isn't in his room. Frowning and worried, Burt checks the bathroom. The door is open, it's dark, and it's empty. Moving faster, he heads downstairs, figuring he'll find Kurt watching some musical to make himself feel better or sleeping on the couch. The living room is dark and silent. Burt's heart is beating fast. His breathing is coming faster. He walks around the entire living room just to be sure, but it is definitely empty. At a jog, Burt checks the rest of the house and even outside, wondering if Kurt was mad enough to sleep in a tent out back. Nope. His son isn't in or outside his house. Burt stands in the main hall with his heart in his throat.

"Kurt?"

He runs upstairs and double checks every room and closet.

"Kurt?!"

He double checks the main floor, basement, garage, and backyard.

"KURT!"

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Police have put out a BOLO for ten year old Kurt Hummel. The ten year old boy went missing from his home in Lima, Ohio on the night of July 17. Hummel has brown hair, hazel eyes, and fair skin. He is a runaway and is traveling alone.

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Rachel slept with her head on Kurt's shoulder for the first couple hours of the bus ride. Kurt didn't move a muscle, afraid to disturb her. He knows her head is hurting her. After she fell asleep, he grabbed his own backpack and pulled out a pack of tissues. He used a wadded up tissue wet with water from her water bottle to try to clean up some of the drying blood in her hair. Even in her sleep she flinched and whimpered. He stopped, feeling bad for failing and even worse for hurting her more. Most is hidden by her dark hair, but he did manage to clean up the little bit that was on her skin along her hairline, including around her ear. He hopes she's okay. She's nice. And clever for being able to get them onto the bus without being caught. And it's fun to have someone his age to talk to about musicals. They talked for half an hour before she fell asleep. It turns out they have a lot in common and conversation between them came easily. The first thing they discussed was how to not be caught and sent back to their respective fathers. Kurt isn't ready to face his dad, even though he really wants a hug from the man at the same time. It's confusing him. He's still angry and still hurt, but he also feels guilty and misses him already. Still, he's not sure he's ready to go back to him yet. He still really wants to get to Broadway to see a show. More important than that is making sure Rachel isn't sent back to her dad. He hurt her. Bad. She can't go back to him. Kurt won't allow it. So he'll make sure they don't get caught.

They learned that he's older than her by seven months. And while he's small, he's a good bit bigger than her. She's small and looks younger than nine. So in their little adventure story, he's the big brother. He likes that. He always wanted to be a big brother and now he has a little sister to watch over and protect. They decided they should have fake names on this adventure. Kurt decided to be Peter, after one of his favorite shows, Peter Pan. All the names Rachel came up with as her fake name were too obviously fake, which Kurt pointed out to her. She was annoyed to be shut down, but finally decided to go with Marie, her mother's middle name. They came up with a backstory. They are Peter and Marie Smith. They are brother and sister. They were staying with their dad in Ohio but are now heading back to New York to be with their mother. Their story is believable because it's based on truth. And it also makes it easier to remember, which Kurt appreciates. When he panics, sometimes his mind goes blank and sometimes he can think of something on the fly. This story is so simple and easy to remember, it shouldn't be an issue if they're questioned. Kurt had asked Rachel what they'll do when they get to New York and no "mother" is there to pick them up. Rachel had given him a bemused look.

"Once we're in New York, I can get us to my home, where my mom is. If they don't let us leave without an adult, then I can call her to come pick us up. If I can remember the number."

Realizing she's right, he'd relaxed. The hardest part is behind them; getting out of Lima. Now they just need to get to New York without anyone figuring out that they're actually runaways. If they do, they'll be sent back and that can't happen. At least not for Rachel. Kurt rests his head on hers and lets himself doze off.

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The call came in the morning.

Shelby didn't have to be at the theater until later in the day, so she took a relaxing shower. She was trying to shake off her unease over what's going on with her daughter. The shower helped relax her body but not her mind. She got ready for work, but then lounged around her apartment. Sometimes it's nice to have a little peace and quiet in her own home. Then again, that only lasts for two or three days. She misses her little girl when she's not home. And since she hasn't been calling often lately when with her father, she's left missing her even more and feeling off kilter. Seeing Leroy Berry's name pop up on her caller ID made her feel better; maybe she'll get to talk to Rachel again or at least get some answers to her concerns. She took a sip of her coffee as she answered the call.

"Leroy?"

"Rachel is missing. She ran away."

The mug slipped from her hand and shattered on the kitchen floor.

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Chapter Text

Chapter 3

Police have put a BOLO out for nine year old Rachel Berry. The nine year old girl was reported missing on July 18 by her father. She has long brown hair and brown eyes. She is a suspected runaway and assumed to be traveling alone.

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Shelby Corcoran is bent over her kitchen counter, taking deep breaths in an attempt to not vomit again. Her heart is racing. Her chest aches. Her fingers are clenched on the edge of the counter, turning her knuckles white. A low moan escapes her lips.

"Ms. Corcoran? I'm sorry, but we have a few more questions."

The young mother stands and faces the detective, not bothering to dry her tears. "Go ahead."

Nothing in her life has prepared her for this amount of terror and heartache. Not even her cancer scare. That was about herself being in danger. This is about her daughter. The cancer scare was her fearing she'd leave her daughter behind. Never before did she imagine her daughter being gone and Shelby having to go on without her. She's in a nightmare. This whole thing is a nightmare and she's desperately trying to wake herself up from it. Her entire body has been trembling since Leroy called her. He'd admitted to getting so drunk that he blacked out. He'd admitted to the vague memory of maybe, possibly, hitting Rachel. Shelby had gone ballistic, screaming all sorts of obscenities at him and cursing his name, swearing up and down that he'll never see Rachel again. And then he'd admitted to waking up later in the morning than he usually does (thanks to the bad hangover) and finding the house empty. Rachel had packed up her stuff and left and he has no idea where she went or even when she left. They have no idea where their nine year old daughter is. They have no idea how long she's been missing for. She could have left during the night. She could have left that morning. She could have been missing for anywhere from 2 to 18 hours, considering what time Leroy admitted to starting his drinking and what time he woke up.

That's when Shelby fell apart. She'd fallen to her knees unable to breathe. Her hands gripped the phone so tight that the plastic casing creaked. Tears choking her, she'd asked him if he'd called the police yet. He had. They were on their way to question him. She'd hung up on him and called the New York police. Shelby had stayed sitting on the kitchen floor, rocking back and forth and trying to breathe through her sobs before the police arrived at her door. They'd come quickly and are working cooperatively with the Lima police to find Rachel. She'd called her parents and told them. Her dad jumped in the car and drove to Lima to help look for her there. Her mother hopped on the train and is headed to New York to support Shelby. Mitch is staying in Pennsylvania, not that they think that's where Rachel will go. But they don't know for sure, so he's staying put. She wanted to go to Lima herself. She wanted to rush there and look for her daughter. The police insisted it'd be better if she stayed put. They don't know where she is or where she's going. If she's heading back to New York, or if she calls Shelby, she needs to be here. Shelby doesn't understand why Rachel hasn't called her yet. She's had their home phone number memorized since she was five years old.

"Has Leroy ever put his hands on Rachel in the past?"

"No." And then she wilts, the memory rushing to the surface. "I mean yes, once. When she was three. He slapped her. That's when he called me to share custody of her, realizing he wasn't doing a good job taking care of her and his sick husband."

"And that's when you came into her life? You've been in her life since then?"

"Yes. We've shared custody ever since."

"But she's mostly with you."

"Yes."

"How is their relationship?"

Shelby blinks, trying to clear her mind to answer fully. She's still in panic mode, making it hard to think. Her trembling hands are clenched in her lap. "It….it's not as strong as it used to be. She loves him and he loves her. But she doesn't like spending long visits with him. And he's been demanding more time with her and getting aggravated when he doesn't get it."

"Have you been purposely keeping her from him?"

"No. Though Rachel hasn't wanted to spend as much time with him lately and I haven't pushed her to go quite as much as I used to."

"Do you know why?"

"I've tried asking, but all she'd do is mumble about it being boring there and missing me. But she's always so happy to see him when they reunite."

"So she doesn't hesitate to hug him or go with him?"

"No. Why?"

The two detectives share a look. "Ma'am, the Lima police found dried blood on Leroy's phone, end table, and the carpet in front of it. They have confirmed that it is Rachel's blood."

There's a ringing in her ears. Her stomach bottoms out and for a moment her vision goes white.

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The kids woke up about halfway through the trip. They slept through the first stop, so the other passengers let them be. Or maybe the didn't notice the two little kids sleeping in the back of the bus. They were both startled and confused to find themselves on a bus without a parent before their memories returned to them. Kurt's heart is urging him to go back to his dad and hug the man as tight as he can and swear he'll never run away again. Rachel's heart is yearning for her mother even more than ever. "Peter" and "Marie" are very convincing siblings. However, there's one lady on the bus who keeps asking them questions and looking over at them.

"And your father actually put you on a bus alone, at night?"

"We're heading to our mother." Rachel repeats firmly.

"It's just that it's such a long ride for kids to be unsupervised for." She says suspiciously. "You really should have a parent or relative with you."

"It's a long ways from Ohio to New York." Kurt shrugs. "Dad couldn't drive us so we're taking the bus. It's fine. Our mom will be waiting for us when we get there."

"But why put you on the bus at night? Why not let you sleep in your own beds and put you on in the morning?"

"He had to work." Rachel responds. "He wouldn't have time to drop us off and get to work on time."

"Hmm." The woman's lips are pursed, her brow still furrowed. But at least she finally turned away.

The kids breathe a sigh of relief. They talk quietly until the next scheduled bus stop. Then, they eagerly climb off to stretch their legs and get food. They're at another bus depot and are told they have 40 minutes before the bus departs. They hurry to the bathroom (neither had wanted to use the little one on the bus) before meeting up in the food court area for food. It's still morning, though not for much longer, so they opt for breakfast food. They sit together and eat happily, chatting away like they've known each other their entire lives.

Looking around, they see signs stating that they're in Baltimore, MD. Rachel frowns. While she knows Ohio fairly well thanks to her dad's map lessons, and she knows NYC even better (at least the area she lives in), she doesn't really know other states. She knows her grandparents, uncle, and his family all live in Pennsylvania and that it's closer to NYC than Ohio is. But she's not sure about Maryland. She doesn't think she's ever been to Maryland before. Thinking of her grandparents, she realizes she doesn't know their phone number. In fact, she realizes she can't currently remember any phone numbers. She thought she just forgot her mom's number in the panic of last night. But now, it's been hours and she has rested, and yet she still can't remember. In fact, she remembers even less than she did last night. And her head is still aching. It feels like it's stuffed with cotton. Tears pierce her eyes and she sucks in a breath.

"Marie?" They're being careful to use their fake names in public. "Are you okay?"

"My head hurts." She mutters. "And I can't remember anyone's phone numbers. I can't call my mom."

He squeezes her hand. "It's okay. You'll remember soon. Do you at least remember where you live in New York?"

"Yes." She sniffles.

"Okay, then. It'll be fine. Even if you don't remember her number, we can get to your house."

"Apartment, but that doesn't matter. You're right."

They finish eating and decide to walk around until getting back on the bus. They pause at a television hanging from the ceiling. The news is playing, but what caught their attention is a picture of Kurt. Kurt freezes at seeing himself on the news.

"—ten year old Kurt Hummel hasn't been seen since leaving his home alone last night, when—"

"Peter?" Rachel tugs on his hand. "We should go. Now."

"—if you have any information regarding the missing child, please contact police—"

"Peter!" She hisses in his ear.

She shoves him to get him moving, then drags him out of sight of the television.

"I'm on the news." He says, stunned. "My dad called the police to look for me."

"Duh. You said he loves you." It also explains why her name and picture aren't on the news. Just his. But maybe that's a good thing. Maybe if he's not looking for her, she can get to her mom before he finds her.

Tears drip down his face. "Ra—uh, Marie, I need to go home. My dad misses me and is looking for me!"

Rachel's heart sinks. She doesn't want to lose her travel buddy. She doesn't want to lose her new friend. With her head feeling worse, she's not even sure she can keep traveling alone. On the other hand, she understands the desperate need to get back to a parent who loves you unconditionally. So she won't stop him. Still, she can't hide her dejected demeanor.

"I get it. Go ahead. I'm sure if you go up to any adult, they'll help you get in touch with the police and get you home to your dad."

He stares at her, clearly torn and thinking hard. Finally, he sighs. "I'm not letting you go to New York alone. I'm the big brother, right?"

She gives him a shaky smile. "Right. But….are you sure?"

He takes a deep breath. "I want to go home. But I do still want to go to New York. If my dad called the police and is looking for me, then I'm sure I can call him from New York and he'll come get me. Or have police take me home or something. He loves me. He'll forgive me. I can wait a few more hours. I'm not letting you go back to your dad." He straightens his shirt and squares his shoulders, jutting his chin out resolutely. "I'm going to help you get back to your mom in New York, I'm going to meet one of my favorite Broadway performers, then I'll call my dad and ask him to bring me home. Okay?"

Tears slip down her cheeks and she hugs him. "Thank you."

"There's just one problem."

"What?"

"My face is on the news. How will we get the rest of the way to New York without getting caught?"

Rachel pulls back and looks at him speculatively. "They're looking for a ten year old boy traveling alone."

"Yeah, and?"

She grins and drags him back to where their bus is waiting for them. The storage hold under the bus is open, allowing people to access their luggage. Rachel grabs hers and yanks it out. The motion causes her head to spike with pain and her vision to swim. Kurt grabs her arm worriedly, then grabs the suitcase from her. When she can walk again, they turn away from the bus.

"Them! Those kids! They're traveling alone and there's something off about their story."

The woman who kept interrogating them on the bus is pointing them out to the bus driver. The man is frowning hard, looking them over. The kids freeze.

"New plan. Grab your stuff, this is our stop."

"It is?"

"It is now, let's go!"

Kurt grabs his suitcase and the two kids hurry back into the station. "What is your master plan?"

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Shelby sits in a chair at her kitchen table, her hands clutching her phone. Her mother is standing behind her, resting her hands on her shoulders. Shelby feels like she's drifting through a fog. This isn't real. None of this is real. This can't be happening. It's been hours. There's been no sign of Rachel. For hours, no one has laid eyes on her daughter.

"They've checked every hospital, police station, and every location she has frequented with her father when she stays with him. There's no sign of her. I'm sorry."

Shelby stares at him blankly before slowly lowering her gaze. She stares at her phone, praying for it to ring and her little girl be on the other line.

"She's nine! How hard can it possibly be to find her?!" Her mother snaps.

"Ma'am, we're doing everything we can to—"

"It's not enough! She's a scared nine year old girl who ran away from home!"

Shelby looks up when she hears a chair being pulled back from the table. Detective Dunfrey sits beside her, his expression grim. "Ma'am—Shelby. I'm sorry, but there's another possibility that the Lima police have begun exploring."

His tone has the little hairs on the back of Shelby's neck rising on alert. "What?" She croaks out.

The other detective comes closer looking tense. There's an edge to his voice that carries a warning. "Dunfrey."

Detective Dunfrey glares at his partner. "She deserves to know." He shifts awkwardly in the seat to face her once more. "Considering the nature of her disappearance, and the timing, and everything her father has already admitted to….we need to consider the possibility that this isn't a simple case of a runaway child. It is possible that—that he is the one who packed up her belongings. And then he hid them to cover his tracks and better sell his story of her running away."

"Why would he—" When realization hits, her blood runs cold.

He nods slowly. "He was extremely drunk. He admitted to punching her. Considering the blood that was found, we're positive she hit her head again on the edge of the end table. It's possible that, in his drunken stupor, he may have…..panicked. It's possible that the two blows to the head were enough to ki—"

Shelby is out of her chair and leaning over the trash can before he can finish the word. She has nothing left to vomit, but bile still comes up. Her mother wraps her arms around her, holding her up. When she stops dry heaving, she slumps to the floor sobbing. Her heart is bleeding out on the floor next to her.

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"This is ridiculous. I'm not doing it."

"Just come out so I can see." Rachel says tiredly.

They're in the family restroom at the bus station. Thankfully there's one large stall and an area for changing a baby's diaper. Kurt is in the stall changing his clothes while Rachel is sitting on the floor, gingerly resting her aching head on the wall. Kurt huffs, then exits the stall. Rachel's lips twitch. Before she can stop it, a giggle slips out. Kurt glowers at her.

"You look so pretty!" She gushes teasingly.

Kurt stomps closer. "I feel ridiculous."

He's wearing one of her dresses. He's bigger than her, so he couldn't fit in most of her clothes. Her dress is much shorter on him than it is on her. On her, it goes to her mid shin. On him, it falls just above his knees.

"Put on the scarf you were wearing around your neck. Just wear it over your head instead."

"It's not a scarf! It's an ascot!" He says, flushing.

"So wear your ascot on your head to cover your boy haircut."

Grumbling under his breath, Kurt yanks his scarf out of his bag and wraps it around his head. It's not great, but he can pass as a young girl.

"I can't call you Peter anymore and I obviously can't call you Kurt. What should I call my big sister?"

He glares, but then sighs. "My middle name is Elizabeth."

Her eyebrows shoot up. "Really? Okay. Elizabeth. I'll call my big sis Liz."

"Fine. Let's get going."

He offers her a hand, which she accepts. Unfortunately, she still finds herself struggling to get up. Frowning, Kurt steps closer and offers both of his hands. He half lifts her off the floor and she winces.

"Rachel?" He asks softly. "Are you okay?"

"My head hurts. My mom will give me medicine when I get to her."

He watches her warily before reluctantly nodding.

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"What'd you do with your daughter's body? Did you bury her? Did you just toss the body in a trash heap?"

"I would never!" Leroy is practically foaming at the mouth. "I wouldn't kill my own child!"

"But you'd hit her." The detective says impassively. "You punched your nine year old daughter in the head."

Leroy presses his hands to his face. "I was drunk. I didn't mean to hit her. But I'd never murder her!"

"I didn't say murder. I'm guessing you got drunk, punched her, then she fell. She hit her head right there." He points to the end table with the blood on it. "Maybe she laid there unmoving. It's possible the two blows to the head were enough to kill her."

Leroy moans, tears dripping down his face. "No!"

"And you, being black out drunk, weren't thinking straight. You tried to cover it up."

"No. I didn't." He pinches the bridge of his nose before clenching his hands into fists.

"But you said you were 'black out drunk'. Meaning you don't remember. Which is it? You don't remember and this is a possibility? Or you do remember and you're hiding the truth?"

"I want her found safe!" He roars.

"But part of you knows she won't be. What'd you do with the body?"

Leroy breaks down sobbing. "I didn't kill her. She's not dead."

"That you know of. Look, you're already facing jail time. And loss of custody if she's miraculously found alive. No matter what, you're never seeing your daughter again. So why don't you help us out? Walk us through the events of that whole day. Tell us every little thing you can remember."

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David Corcoran drives around Lima, Ohio slowly, ignoring the honks behind him and people flipping him off as they speed past. He doesn't care. All he cares about is finding his granddaughter and bringing her home, safe and sound, to her mother. He'd swung by Leroy's house to check in but hadn't stayed long. The police requested he leave after his immediate reaction was to try to punch Leroy. It took two of them to hold him back. The police understood and sympathized, but said they couldn't let him. So after giving the man the most vicious glare he's ever given anyone in his life, he left. He's been driving around for hours looking for Rachel. He won't stop until she's found.

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They missed their bus to New York. It may have been intentional to avoid suspicion on that bus, but knowing it'll now take longer to get to New York was upsetting and they feel like they're missing out. Seeing that the next bus wouldn't leave for six hours, they decide sitting around the bus station would just draw suspicion, even with Kurt disguised as a girl. They leave. Neither of them have ever been to Baltimore before. There seems to be plenty to do, but they don't know where to go. Unfortunately, Rachel's head is really hurting. She ignores it as best she can, but Kurt can tell. The "sisters" walk slowly along the streets, doing their best to go unnoticed by people passing by. Thankfully, no one here seems to pay them any mind. They talk as they walk, getting to know one another better. Eventually they find the harbor and realize there are a lot of shops, restaurants, and exhibits here. However, while there, they find a greater police presence. The police appear to be looking closely at all children, but maybe that's just them being paranoid. Still, the kids hold their breath as they pass near two officers. The officers' gazes slide right over them and they can breathe again. It worked. No one is looking for two young girls.

Using their combined cash, they decide to explore the aquarium to kill time. They manage to pull the same "dad is with us but in the bathroom, he sent us to get tickets" line and it worked again. They decide that adults are just as gullible as kids. A security guard watches them closely at first, then shrugs and turns away. Since her head is hurting and words get blurry sometimes, Kurt reads off the information on the different fish for her. After the aquarium, they sit by the harbor and eat a late lunch from a food cart. There's a ship that looks like a pirate ship. Grinning, they watch it sail by and talk about how much fun it would be to pretend to be pirates on a ship like that.

Rachel dozes off leaning against him in the warm summer sun. Kurt frowns down at her. He could have gone home. He still could. One phone call and his dad would come running. It makes him feel good to know his dad still loves him that much after what he said. He also loves that Rachel was willing to let him go home while continuing her own journey home alone. He wants to go home. But he doesn't want to leave Rachel alone. To be honest, if she hadn't come along, he'd have been truly lost. He doubts he'd have been able to get a bus ticket and make it this far alone. He's positive he would have been caught. She's clever and brave and willing to help him. He wants to help her, but he's not sure of the best way to do that. Do what she says and keep heading to New York together? Or call his dad and ask him for help. He bites his lip and looks at the payphone nearby. The problem is they're so far away now. They can make it to New York before his dad would be able to make it to them. He wants his Dad to at least know he's okay. But that would ruin Rachel's plan to get home. Maybe there's a middle ground. Thinking on it, he realizes he could do both, in a way. Gently, he eases Rachel down until she's lying on the bench. Thankfully the payphone is just a few yards away. He positions himself so he can keep an eye on her while making his call. He pulls coins out of his wallet and stuffs them into the slot then dials his house number. His dad answers on the very first ring.

"Kurt?"

Hearing his dad's desperate voice causes tears to spring to his eyes and his throat to clog. "Dad."

"Kurt, oh God, are you okay? Where are you?"

He takes a breath to compose himself. "I'm okay. I'm sorry I ran."

"I forgive you. Just come home, okay buddy?" His dad's voice is shaking.

"I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too, Kurt. Where are you?"

"I have something I have to do first."

"What?"

"I need to help someone."

"Who?"

"She really needs my help, Dad."

"Who?"

Looking over at the girl in question, he smiles softly. "My best friend. I met her yesterday. She needs help getting home."

"Kurt, tell me where you are and I will help you both, okay?"

"I can't. I promised her. I just wanted to tell you I'm okay and I'm sorry and I love you and I'll be home when I can."

"Kurt—"

"Actually…..when I'm ready, will you come pick me up? Wherever I am at the time?"

"Of course! I'll come to you now if you just tell me where you are!"

Kurt wavers, wanting that more than ever. But his promise to Rachel is forefront in his mind. "Not now. I'll call when I can later. I promise."

Hanging up on his dad felt nearly as cruel as what he shouted at him yesterday. Was it really only yesterday?

It's been a long day.

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Shelby is sitting in her arm chair with her legs curled up under her. Her arms are wrapped around Rachel's favorite blanket and she's breathing in her daughter's scent. Tears are silently cascading down the mother's cheeks. She feels hollow. There's a chance her daughter is dead. Killed by her own father. There's a chance she's safe somewhere unknown and will be found soon. There's a chance she was kidnapped or killed while trying to run away from her father. Her heart feels like it has been wrapped in barbed wire. Every beat causes a sharp pain.

In her bedroom, she can hear her mother on the phone talking to her father. "We should never have moved. We should have stayed in Ohio. Then Rachel would have had family nearby to run to!"

Shelby's face becomes pinched. She hadn't considered that. If her parents had stayed in Ohio, they'd have been nearby. Rachel could have called them or run to them. Her thoughts head in a different direction. If she had given her daughter the cellphone she asked for, she'd have been able to call her directly. She wouldn't even have to worry about memorizing her phone number because it'd be programmed into the damn phone. She should have gotten her the phone when she asked for it. Then….then…..she moans in pain, clutching the blanket against her chest.

Twenty-four hours. At this point, no one has laid eyes on Rachel in twenty-four hours. They're estimating; they're basing that time frame on the last time Leroy was sober and could account for Rachel's whereabouts with 100% certainty. Once he got drunk, his reliability is questioned. He swears it was nighttime when he blacked out. That's possible, but it's also possible it was sooner. He was drunk. He doesn't know for sure. She's well aware that the first forty-eight hours are crucial. Just twenty-four more to go. But she won't give up hope. She will never give up believing in her daughter. Her daughter is smart, brave, strong, kind, and so wonderful. She can do anything. Even find her way home from another state alone, at the age of nine. She is alive and she will be home soon. She believes that. She has to believe that.

Detective Phillips walks slowly into the room and takes a seat on the end of the couch closest to her. He waits patiently for her to move her heavy eyes to him. He looks grim. A cold chill shivers through her.

"The Lima detective got Leroy to walk them through every little thing that happened between them yesterday as well as everything that was said. We have new information that I know you need to hear, but is going to be hard."

Hard. She's already been told that her nine year old child is missing. Then she was told Rachel may have been killed by her own father. Other than being told that they've found….her body…..or that they're giving up the search, nothing will hurt more. "Just say it."

"You said Rachel has been unhappy about spending time with her dad lately, but hasn't refused to go." At Shelby's nod, he keeps going. "We think we know why. He admitted that on every visit with him, Rachel would ask to talk to you every single day. And he'd refuse. He wouldn't let her."

She was wrong. It hurts. She squeezes her eyes shut, forcing more tears to leak out. "He wasn't letting her call me?"

"No. He wasn't. He felt that if she was with him, she should focus on him, not you. He was….jealous. Of your bond with her."

She thought she couldn't feel any more sick than she already does. But she does. It explains so much; Rachel's reluctance to call her dad, her stronger reluctance to spend any extended time with him, the excuses, the dwindling phone calls home over the last few years, the weirdness of the phone call last night, and even…..the real reason why Rachel wanted a cellphone so desperately. Shelby's stomach twists and her heart wrenches. Looking back, the answer was always staring her in the face; she just missed it. How could she have missed something this crucial? Wracked with guilt, her shoulders shake with sobs and she buries her face in Rachel's blanket.

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Leroy, though his every move is being closely watched by the police, wanders his house trying to find any clue of where Rachel went. He needs to prove the asshole detective wrong. Rachel is alive, she just ran away. The whole time he was searching his house, he avoided looking at any picture of Hiram. Looking at him makes him feel sick for his failure as a father. Hiram would never forgive him for this. He didn't just let his daughter down, he let his husband down.

He already looked through the obvious places and found nothing. Now he's searching the less obvious places. By his front door, he listlessly picks up his wallet, wondering if she left a note in it or something. When she was younger she'd fold up a picture or little note and leave it in his wallet to find after she was back with her mother. It always made him smile. He opens it, then blinks. His heart starts thudding.

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"Shelby?" Detective Dunfrey cautiously enters the living room. He's kept his distance from her since sharing his suspicions earlier, which resulted in her complete breakdown. His coworker had pulled him aside and berated him for that. "There's been a development."

Slowly, she lifts her head to him. "Did they find her?"

"No. But something else is missing. Leroy's credit card and all of his cash. It's looking like she really did run away of her own volition. Leroy is on the phone with his credit card company now, trying to get information on every transaction on that card in the last twenty-four hours."

A sob builds its way up her throat but she swallows it back down. "Thank you."

The other detective, Detective Phillips, jogs into the room. "We got it. Leroy's credit card was used to purchase two bus tickets from Ohio to New York."

Shelby sits up straight. "Really?"

"Really. She made it to the bus station, purchased two tickets, and as far as we can tell, got on the bus. It looks like she's on her way home."

Shelby's mother comes running out of the bedroom and joins them. "She's coming home?"

"She's certainly heading this way."

Now, she can't stop the sob that bursts out of her. Her mom wraps her arms around her and rocks her.

"Lima police are tracking down the whereabout of that bus now. Once they do, we'll get state police to stop the bus and check on her. They'll pull her off the bus and bring her home to you."

Shelby and her mother cling to one another and cry tears of hope.

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"Why two tickets? She's traveling alone."

Shelby has been thinking about that. "She's clever. She probably realized that it'd be suspicious for a young child to purchase a bus ticket by themselves, for themselves. It'd be a big red flag."

"You think she fast talked her way past the bus station employees?"

"I think she is a very bright girl with an incredible vocabulary and she thinks fast on her feet. It's very likely." Shelby confirms, brimming with hope.

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They argued about Kurt calling his dad. While she didn't mind that he called, she was upset that he brought up her involvement, even if he didn't name her. She needs to get to her mom as fast as possible, not be dragged back to her dad or even forced to answer questions by the police and miss their next bus.

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The detectives sit down with her. "There's good news and bad news."

Shelby clutches her mother's hand.

"The good news is they found the bus Rachel was on and we were able to confirm that not only was she on it, but she wasn't alone."

"Not alone? Who is she with?"

"She bought that second ticket for another child. A boy around her age. She paid for his ticket and they were traveling together."

"She doesn't have any friends in Ohio. She doesn't know anyone. It's one of the things she complains about when visiting her dad. That it's just the two of them, no friends or kids her age to play with. Not in years."

"Well, Rachel and a boy her age were seen traveling together. That's the good news. The bad news is they're no longer on that bus."

"What do you mean?"

"They got off in Baltimore and never got back on. We don't know why and we don't know where they are."

Shelby sinks into her seat, not sure how she feels about this development. She feels sick that her daughter still hasn't been found safe. But she is very relieved to know that Rachel is alive and seemingly well. And not completely alone.

None of it matters until her child is home and in her arms.

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After leaving the more populated harbor area, Kurt managed to convince Rachel to let him change back into his normal clothes. He didn't think he needed his disguise now that they're away from crowds and all those police officers. He wore it for hours and will put it back on before they get on the bus. Back in his normal clothes, they walked along the street and peered into little shops. The plan is to go back to the bus station and Kurt will head into the bathroom to change back into his Elizabeth disguise, then they'll get on the bus and be in New York City in just a few hours. They'll go to Rachel's home. And then he can call his dad and ask him to come get him. They'll both be with their loving parents, they'll both soon be home, and they'll stay friends forever. It'll all work out.

Except.

Rachel is slowing down; her feet drag beneath her. She's paler than ever, making the bruise on her temple stand out more than ever. He admires her for powering on through the pain and dizziness and fear. She's very determined to get to her mom. Nothing will stop her…..except her own body. They get back to the bus station and Kurt leads her to the waiting area. Something tells him to have her sit and stay seated while he goes and changes into his disguise. She practically falls into a seat. He hopes it's just because they've been walking a lot and they're tired. It's late. It'll be another nighttime bus ride.

"Alright. You stay here and watch our stuff. I'll change back into my Liz disguise and be back fast."

"Where is it?" Rachel frowns.

He blinks. It had been her idea for him to keep the dress and ascot in his backpack so it'd always be with him if he needed a quick change. His stomach twists uncomfortably. "In my backpack, remember?"

She blinks slowly at him. "Oh. Okay."

"I'll be back in—"

Someone walks past them with a large umbrella. When the man makes a sudden turn, the umbrella handle whacks the side of Rachel's head. Kurt watches in shock as her eyes roll before she slumps bonelessly to the side. Her limp body now lays across two seats. Kurt's heart lodges itself in his throat. The man with the umbrella wanders off, unaware of the damage he just caused. He didn't even notice. To be fair, it didn't seem like a hard hit. But to Rachel's already injured head, it may as well have been another punch. Finding his feet working once more, he steps closer and gently shakes her shoulder.

"Rach?" Nothing. He shakes her a little harder. "Rachel?"

Heart thudding in his chest, he looks around. Everyone is busy doing their own thing. No one is paying any attention to them. He looks back down at his friend and pushes her hair off her face so he can see her better. His fingers are wet. He stares at the thin layer of red on his skin and his breaths start coming faster. He wraps an arm around her and lifts her as gently as he can. He sits, letting her body slump against him. With his arms wrapped around her and her head against his chest, his frantic mind debates what to do. His first instinct is to call his dad. But they're pretty far from Lima, Ohio. He won't get here fast. Rachel needs help fast.

"Help."

It comes out a choked whisper. No one even glances in his direction. Breathing harder, he swallows and tries again.

"Help."

Again, there's no reaction. Tears fill his eyes. Rachel needs help and is relying on him to get it for her.

"HELP!" This time everyone turns to look at the sudden shout. "Please!"

The first person to get to them is an older, heavyset woman. The wrinkles around her eyes crinkle gently as she frowns, crouching in front of him.

"What's wrong, sugar?"

"H-her head."

The woman does the same thing Kurt did, brushing her fingers through Rachel's hair to push it back some. She freezes. Looking down, Kurt sees why. Blood is slowly trickling down Rachel's neck. The woman pulls her hand back with a gasp. As she's standing to her full height, a security guard pushes through the small crowd that is gathering.

"What's going on?"

"You need to call an ambulance. Now." The woman informs him.

Employees make everyone else move away. They try to take Rachel from his arms, but he holds on tighter and cries.

"No! I promised her!"

"It's okay, baby." The woman says soothingly. "They're gonna help her."

"I'll hold her." He insists. "Until help comes."

"Where are your parents?"

"We ran away." Kurt admits.

The adults share a dark look. "Why?"

"Her dad hit her. She wants to get back to her mom in New York. I'm helping her."

One employee starts talking to the security guard. "We need to call—"

"No!" Kurt shouts, becoming hysterical. "No!" He wraps his entire body around Rachel as though that alone will protect her. "You can't call her dad! You can't take her back there! You can't! I promised her! I promised I'd get her back to her mom!"

The adults are staring at him with wide eyes. The woman who first helped him rubs his back. "It's alright, sugar. It's alright. No one is going to force this little girl to go back to her dad if he's the one who hit her."

"He is! He punched her in the head 'cause he was angry she wanted to go back to her mom instead of staying with him! Then she fell and hit her head on the table. And her heads been hurting all day and then someone accidentally hit her in the head with their umbrella and she—she—"

"She passed out." The woman finishes softly.

"Yeah."

The adults look nearly as sad as he feels. "And how do you fit into all this?"

"I was running away from my dad, too. I was mad I didn't…..I didn't get what I wanted so I ran away." The reality of his choice hits him. When he compares his reason for running to Rachel's, he feels like a selfish, childish moron. How stupid is he? He shakes these thoughts away. "I met her at the bus station in Ohio. We realized we were both running away and both heading to New York. So we decided to travel together. I was going to go home when we saw my picture on the news, but I realized I can't let her go alone. She's only nine and she's scared and she's hurt. I need to make sure she gets to her mom. Then I'll go home to my dad."

"Alright." The security guard says, taking a seat next to him and resting a hand on his arm. "Here's what's going to happen. We called an ambulance. They and the police will arrive very soon. They'll take you both to the hospital and get your friend the help she needs. The police will track down her mother, not her father, and help you get back to your dad. Does that sound good?"

It does, so he nods. The ambulance arrives. They bring a gurney right up to them and convince him to let go. He watches as they place her on the gurney and start checking her over. He doesn't understand what they're saying or what any of it means. He just hopes she's okay. One of the paramedics wrap an arm around him and guide him behind the gurney. Part of him is excited to ride in an ambulance for the first time, but most of him is scared and shaken. They let him hold her hand even though she's not awake.

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Kurt's feet swing above the floor. Feeling more alone than ever, he sits with slumped shoulders. Nurses whisked Rachel away and he wasn't allowed to follow. They insisted on looking him over, then brought him to a special waiting room where he had to answer a lot of questions. He cried a lot. He wants his dad. He told them everything, but only after they promised they would get Rachel to her mom and not her dad. They brought him food and a drink, then left him alone. There's a nurse's station nearby where someone is always keeping an eye on him, but no one is with him. He wants his dad. He wants to be with Rachel. Footsteps approach and he looks up at the two police officers and a lady with a clipboard. They're smiling gently at him. They refuse to tell him anything about Rachel other than "She'll be okay". He repeats his story for them. And then, finally, they hand him a cellphone and tell him he can call his dad. He doesn't hesitate.

"Hello?" His dad's anxious voice pushes his emotions to breaking point.

"Dad!" Kurt cries.

"Kurt! Are you okay?"

"No. I mean yes. I'm fine. Just sad and scared and I want a hug." He admits in a way he hasn't in a long time.

"Tell me where you are." Firm and demanding, but still loving. That's his dad.

"A hospital in Maryland. But I'm fine, I'm not here for me!" He's quick to assure his father.

"What's going on? Is this about that girl you mentioned?"

"Yeah. She passed out. They had to call an ambulance. I have police sitting with me now. They want to talk to you."

He hands the phone over to the officer next to him. The man smiles kindly and takes it. Kurt listens with half an ear as the officer assures his dad he really is okay, just shaken. He gives his dad more information about where they are and how to get there before hanging up.

"He'll be here in a couple hours, okay?"

"Can I sit with Rachel until then? I won't bother her, I swear."

"We'll ask her doctor."

A few minutes later, a nurse leads him to Rachel's room. He frowns at her still form.

"She's still asleep?"

"She's unconscious. She has a concussion."

"What's that?"

"It means her brain has a boo-boo."

Kurt gives her a death glare. "I'm not two, you don't have to talk to me like I'm stupid. Her brain is injured?"

The nurse grins slightly. "Sorry. I'm used to working with babies and toddlers. It's a force of habit to use baby language. Yes. Her brain is bruised. You told us how she was acting and feeling today and that, along with the tests we ran, told us she has a concussion. You were very helpful in diagnosing and caring for her."

"Really?"

"Really. You can hold her hand, but that's it until she wakes up and says she's feeling up to more."

"Okay."

She helps him scoot the chair closer to the bed before leaving him with her. He still has to lean forward, but that's okay. He holds her hand.

"I know it was just a ruse so we wouldn't get caught, but I still kind of feel like your big brother." He whispers to her.

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Burt Hummel was in his car seconds after ending the phone call. He drives as fast as he dares. He thinks about what the officers told him. Kurt ran. He was alone and scared. He met a nine year old girl also running away. They decided to travel together. He realized she was injured and decided not to go home when he wanted to, but to help her first. Burt's heart swells thinking of his son being so selfless. He feels bad for what the kids have been through. He hates the idea of his son sitting in a hospital room with an unconscious friend for hours with no comfort.

He presses down on the gas pedal harder.

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Shelby picks up her empty water glass and stands. Her mother is asleep on the couch next to her. The detectives, and her mother, tried to get her to get some sleep. She refused. She can't. Until she knows for sure that her daughter has been found and is safe, she won't sleep. She's glad the detectives offered to stay in her apartment. They vowed to stay for 48 hours or until she is found; whichever comes first. If she hasn't been found in 48 hours….

She wanders into her kitchen to refill her glass, but changes course for her dining area when she hears Detective Dunfrey on the phone with someone. He is just hanging up and turning to his partner when she walks in.

"Shit." He says lowly, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Shelby freezes. Noticing her standing there, so does he. "What—what happened? What's going on?"

"Shelby…..they found her."

His expression and tone are so grim that her legs turn to jelly. She grabs the back of a chair to stay upright. Detective Phillips grabs her arm and takes the glass from her, as it was slipping from her grasp.

"Is—is she—" She doesn't want to know, but at the same time she needs to know. Still, she can't bring herself to say the word.

"She's alive."

Shelby did not start her day imagining that she'd be waiting all day for confirmation that her child is alive.

"Oh, thank God!" The sob bursts out of her. He nods, but slowly. Realizing he's holding back has her tensing. "What is it?"

"She was found because she collapsed. She was rushed to a hospital in Baltimore not long ago."

Detective Phillips tightens his hold on her. "We can drive you there and get you there faster than if you drove. Your mother can follow in her own car to drive you both home once Rachel is released from the hospital."

"Thank you."

The rest is a blur. Waking her mother and telling her the news. Her mother promising to call the rest of the family to let them know, then follow behind. Grabbing her purse and following the detectives out of her apartment. Getting in their car. The drive. Her heart thuds in her chest, her mind racing, her hands clenched together. She prays. She has no idea what she'll do if she gets to the hospital only to find that Rachel is—-No. Not happening. She's fine. She's glad they're driving fast, but it's still not fast enough for the anxious mother. She has no idea how her daughter is and it's killing her. Detective Phillips is driving. He turned his lights and sirens on in the city and got them out of heavy traffic quickly. It was only after they left the more heavily populated areas that he shut off his sirens, but left his lights on so he can still speed. What should have been a 3 hour and 45 minute drive only took a little over 2 hours. It was still too long.

Shaking, she follows behind the detectives as they head into the hospital. Detective Phillips is on his phone asking the local officer who had called him what room number Rachel is in. With a hand on her back, he leads her. The elevator is too slow. Shelby is trembling with emotion and mentally screaming at the elevator to fucking move faster. It doesn't. The moment the doors open on the correct floor, she is sprinting. She skids to a halt when a police officer stands before the door and holds up his hands, barring her entry. Before she can say a word (a very scathing word), Detective Dunfrey comes to the rescue.

"That's her mother! Let her in!"

Shelby doesn't wait for the man to move; she side steps him and walks in. The moment her eyes land on the bed, they fill with tears and her heart wrenches painfully in her chest. Her daughter looks so small in the large bed. There's a bandage on her head. But she's alive and she's awake and she's just a few feet away from her. She's curled up with a little boy, the two kids talking quietly. Rachel's eyes flick towards the newest person walking in and her eyes widen. She shoves herself up into a sitting position as fast as she can, nearly knocking the boy over.

"Mommy!"

As Rachel is trying to get off the bed to get to her, Shelby is flying forwards. She catches her daughter before she can actually get off the bed. No words come to her. Just tears. She cradles her baby girl against her chest and sobs into her hair, rocking her. It takes a moment, but she manages to sit on the edge of the bed. Rachel is crying just as hard and holding on just as tight. Shelby becomes aware of movement when the boy on the bed, looking both sad and happy at the same time, starts sliding off. Rachel notices too.

"Kurt!" She calls quietly, holding an arm out to him.

The boy, clearly Kurt, pauses uncertainly. Shelby solves that. She refuses to let go of her child, but she won't deny her child what she wants. She snakes an arm around his shoulders and pulls him into their embrace. Rachel does the same. Kurt falls into them, his own tears sliding down his cheeks. Shelby sits on the hospital bed, rocking the two children in her arms, and finally feels like she can breathe.

Over the kids' heads, she sees the detectives smiling at them. She smiles back; her first smile of the day. Or….looking at the clock and seeing that it's past midnight, her first smile in two days. They step back into the hall and strike up conversation with the police officers there. Shelby ignores them to focus on the children she's hugging.

"Kurt!"

All eyes swing to the doorway. A man with wild eyes that Shelby immediately recognizes as matching her own churning emotions walks in. This has to be Kurt's father. Shelby and Rachel release the boy, who goes careening into his father, sobbing and hugging him tight. The man lifts his son and carries him to the closest chair. He sits, pulling his son into his lap. Shelby knows the look on his face intimately. Finally feeling calmer, she looks down at her daughter. The girl is watching Kurt and his dad with a smile. Shelby frowns. She has never seen Rachel look this pale before. Her eyelids are beginning to droop. A glance at Kurt reveals his own exhaustion. After the tears have run their course, the parents look at one another with understanding. Shelby helps Rachel get comfortable on the bed, but refuses to let go of her. They settle back so that Shelby is resting on the bed and Rachel is curled into her. Shelby kisses her cheek.

"I love you, Rachel. We'll talk later. Get some sleep."

"I love you, Mom."

"You should get some sleep too, Kurt. We'll leave later. I need to talk to the police first anyway."

"Okay."

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The Lima detective hangs up and nods to the other officers there. He stands before Leroy Berry and takes in the man's hangdog expression. He has no sympathy for him.

"Leroy Berry. You are under arrest for the assault and neglect of a minor in your care." He reads off the man's rights as he cuffs him.

Leroy offers no resistance, but does question him. "She's been found? Is she okay? Where is she?"

"Rachel was found in Baltimore, Maryland, after collapsing. It turns out she has a concussion."

"Gee, I wonder how she got that?" One of the officers asks sarcastically.

Leroy hangs his head and cries as he's led out to a patrol car.

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It's the last thing she wants to do, but Shelby manages to put her daughter down and let Kurt join Rachel on the bed instead. The kids wrap around one another as though they grew up together. The parents, strangers before this moment but somehow intimately tied now, stand beside the bed and stroke their children's cheeks until they're asleep. It doesn't take long. Seeing the kids asleep, the detectives enter the room.

"Can we talk now?"

"Only if I don't have to leave the room. I can't step away from her." Shelby admits at a whisper.

The man beside her nods, his hand still resting on his son's head. The detectives share a look.

"Well…..we don't want to wake the kids but we do need to talk. How about we drag some chairs to right outside the room? That way you can see in, they can't get out without you knowing, and we can talk without waking them?"

Realizing he'd voiced one of her fears, Shelby shudders. Her daughter isn't going anywhere without her for a long while. She agrees. Once they're all seated, Kurt's dad offers his hand to her.

"I'm Burt Hummel. Kurt's dad."

"I'm Shelby Corcoran. Rachel's mom."

Burt blinks. Then he laughs quietly. "I see." At everyone else's confused looks, Burt shrugs. "Kurt loves musicals and Broadway. You are one of his idols. The queen of Broadway, right? He owns the soundtracks to at least two of your shows."

Shelby is surprised. "Really? I guess that explains why he and Rachel hit it off so fast. She grew up with me being on stage. She loves musicals."

The detectives let the parents chat before politely clearing their throats. "Mr. Hummel, what do you know about your son's…adventure?"

The man shrugs, his mood shifting to something darker. Heavier. "Not much. We got in an argument. About Broadway, ironically enough. His mother died of cancer last year. She swore to him that we'd all go together to see a musical on Broadway. Then she died. I told him I'd take him for his tenth birthday. But I didn't. Then I said I'd take him this summer. But the other day I told him that it wasn't happening. I'm too busy at work. We…..fought. He screamed at me that it was his mother's dying wish and that she'd follow through if our roles were reversed. And that he wished our roles were reversed. I know he didn't mean it, but it hurt to hear. I was upset so I walked away to get some space. I just went up to my room to calm down. I heard him go to bed. I swear I heard him go to bed. But when I check on him in the middle of the night, he was gone. Bed empty. I searched the whole house several times before calling the police."

Shelby feels for him. It was different for her. She got a call stating her child was missing; had run from her father. She didn't have the terror of expecting to find her child in bed, only for them to be missing. She grabs his shaking hand and squeezes. He gives her a slight smile and squeezes back.

"The police helped search but we couldn't find him. Then, yesterday afternoon, I got a call from him. He wouldn't tell me where he was, just that he was fine and would come home when he could. He apologized for running and told me he loved me but wouldn't come home until he helped his new friend." He looks to Shelby. "He didn't tell me her name or age or anything about her. Just that he had promised his new best friend that he'd help her get home. Then he promised to call me when he was ready to go home and hung up on me. I sat at home by the phone, waiting for hours. Finally I got a call from him saying he was fine but…..here. So here I am."

"Shelby?"

Knowing this is both for Burt's sake and for formal documentation (the detectives are recording this), she nods. "Rachel was staying with her father in Ohio, as she does every summer for at least a few weeks. She wasn't calling me and her father always gave me an excuse about why she couldn't or wouldn't talk to me when I called her. It turns out they were all lies. Rachel begged him for permission to call me every day and he kept saying no. He finally called me and let me talk to Rachel the other night. He made it sound like Rachel finally agreed to it. We talked for a while, but something was off. She sounded too stiff and uncertain. It wasn't like her. I was worried. I called back later to talk to her father, Leroy, and ask him what's going on. He denied anything being wrong. But he sounded off. I couldn't place how because….." she swallows hard "…because I didn't imagine he'd actually let himself get drunk while she stays with him. He hasn't done that since she was four and it was the day after his husband died."

Burt blinks. "I'm sorry, what? I'm confused."

Shelby quickly fills him in on her surrogacy, the battle, Hiram's health, then getting custody of Rachel and bringing her to New York, but splitting custody with Leroy.

"Anyway, he denied anything being wrong and hung up on me. I knew something was wrong but I couldn't figure out what or what to do about it. I was debating heading to Ohio to talk to Rachel in person and get to the bottom of it when Leroy called me and said she was missing. That she'd run away. I've been sitting at home by the phone," She nods to Burt and he nods grimly back. This is an experience they both share and both hate that they share. "Waiting to hear if she'd been found. They found blood. Leroy admitted to getting drunk. He admitted to punching her. He said he was blackout drunk and doesn't know what exactly happened, but that he woke up in the morning and she was gone so he called the police."

The detectives nod before taking over the story.

"We've gotten the rest of the story from Leroy, Kurt, the police here, and then Rachel after she woke up and answered some of their questions. It's like you said, Leroy wasn't letting Rachel call you when she wanted to. She kept begging every day. He started drinking every day. Things hit their boiling point when Rachel told him she loves you more and he snapped and hit her, punching her in the temple. She fell and hit her head on the end table. Leroy went upstairs and spent a while throwing up before passing out. Rachel got up, grabbed the phone, and wanted to call you. But her head was throbbing and she couldn't remember the number. She just knew she needed to get away from her dad. Kurt says Rachel told him that her dad told her he was going to 'fix' the issue of her spending so much time with you and take her away. He told her to pack a bag and that they'd be leaving the next day. That was before he punched her. It scared her and she ran. She packed up her stuff, stole a map of Ohio, stole his credit card and cash, and left. She walked for hours until she made it to the nearest bus station. Kurt was already there, after the argument with his dad." He looks to Burt. "Kurt says he ran away partially because he was angry he wasn't getting to see a Broadway show, but mostly because he felt guilty for hurting you with his mean words. The kids talked and realized they were both running away and both running to New York, so they decided to travel together."

"That's why neither of them were found sooner." Detective Phillips interjects. "Police were looking for a boy traveling alone and a girl traveling alone. Not two kids together. They were overlooked."

Shelby closes her eyes, taking deep breaths. On the one hand, if Rachel hadn't met this kid Kurt, she'd have been found sooner. On the other hand, if Kurt hadn't been there, she'd have been going through this scary situation alone. She's torn. Burt seems to feel similarly torn.

"Right. They got on a bus, slept through the first stop, but got off at the second stop in Baltimore. Another passenger made a fuss about them traveling alone and they panicked and ran. That's why they didn't get back on the same bus."

"So if that person hadn't said anything….." Shelby trails off.

"Then the kids would have been in NYC hours ago. Or really, we'd have found them when officers stopped the bus and they would have brought her to you hours ago. Yeah." He gives her a moment to digest this irritating news before going on. "Anyway, the kids wandered around Baltimore while waiting for the next available bus. When they got back to the station, they had just sat down when someone walking past accidentally hit Rachel in the head with an umbrella. It seems that the third hit to her head in twenty four hours was too much. It knocked her out. Kurt panicked and started yelling for help. Employees at the station called an ambulance and…..here we all are."

The parents digest this information and let it sink in. They're both weary; bodies, minds, and hearts. Shelby feels like a blanket that's been dragged through mud, tossed into a river, thrown around by a rough current, yanked out of the water, slammed repeatedly against rocks to get some of the water out, twisted and wrung out, then hung to dry.

"Thank you, detectives. For your help."

Burt nods his agreement. They all trade contact information in case anything comes up in the future (like in Shelby's case, there's going to be a custody battle very soon). Shelby asks a nurse to send Rachel's doctor to her.

"I can take Kurt so you and Rachel can be." Burt offers.

"No. I need to talk to the doctor, but I don't….I can't…."

He smiles gently and pats her arm. "I'll stay in the room with the kids. They won't leave the bed. I swear."

She wilts, tears filing her eyes. "Thank you. God, I thought I was done crying."

Burt heads into the room and sits with the kids. Shelby waits for the doctor.

"Your daughter has a serious concussion. The first blow to the head was probably enough to give her a minor concussion. The second hit was harder and made it worse. The final hit was her brain's breaking point. Kurt was able to help us by describing her behaviors, actions, and speech patterns while she was with him. It helped us identify how bad the concussion is."

"What does she need?"

"Rest, mostly. No major physical activity. No sports. No playgrounds, and that means running, swings, slides, monkey bars or anything at all that could cause her head to be bumped or anything that could possibly overstimulate her. No amusement park rides. No plane rides. No swimming underwater more than a foot or two. She needs to be very cautious of her head. I'd also limit how much tv she watches for about a week. And considering how bad her head has been hurting her, I'd suggest trying to minimize loud noises and dimming lights. Her eyes and ears are sensitive, her head is hurting, and she will be susceptible to headaches for a while."

"How long will she be susceptible to headaches?"

"Considering the severity of her concussion? Possibly a few months."

Shelby's stomach twists. Fury at Leroy fills her gut. She wants to smash his brains in and see how he likes it. "And how long do I need to minimize her physical activity?"

"At least two weeks. I'd say keep her calm and as quiet and still as possible for two weeks. By that point, she should have a check up with her primary physician who can work out a plan for beyond that."

"When can I take her home?"

"We're keeping her for the night, obviously. To be honest, it'd be best if she left when it's dark and as quiet as possible. She'll have to be driven home, no plane. That means traffic, with headlights and horns and motors. If you leave after rush hour, when it's quieter and the sun is starting to set, it should be an easier trip for her. If you need to leave sooner, I can give pain medication and a sedative to help her rest for the long drive home."

"Thank you. I'll let you know."

They spend a little longer discussing Rachel's care before the doctor leaves and Shelby renters the hospital room. Burt looks up at her.

"I hope you don't mind, but I could hear everything in here. I'm sorry."

Shelby takes the available seat and gently grasps Rachel's hand, needing to touch her. "Thanks. We have reservations and tickets for Disney World in a couple weeks. I guess we'll be delaying that. I'm furious with Leroy. I'm devastated over what happened. I hate that she's so injured. But I'm so very relieved that she is alive and with me again that nothing else truly matters."

"I get it."

Shelby smiles at him. "I know you do."

For the next hour, Burt and Shelby talk and get to know one another. Having gone through this terrifying experience together in a way, they find they have no problem sharing everything. They don't hold back. They both cry. They both curse. But they support one another. Shelby stays awake until her parents arrive (her dad had come straight from Lima as soon as he got the call, showing up minutes after his wife). Shelby fills them in. Her parents go get a hotel room nearby. Shelby and Burt, understandably, refuse to leave their children. Nurses bring in a cot. Burt gently extricates his son from Rachel and carries him to the cot where they curl up and sleep. Shelby slides onto the hospital bed with her daughter and cradles her against her. And finally falls asleep.

With her child in her arms, Shelby's heart loses the barbed wire and fills with peace once more.

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Chapter Text

The next morning, the kids sit with their parents and tell them every detail of their adventure together. The parents, though still fragile, are content to sit and listen to their kids talk all day. At one point, Kurt opens his backpack to grab a snack he has in there but pulls out Rachel's dress. Shelby's eyebrows raise in curiosity and she smirks at Burt's bewildered (and slightly alarmed) expression.

"Whose is that?" Burt asks.

"It's Liz's." Rachel says with a grin.

"Liz?" Burt frowns.

"My sister looked so pretty wearing that." Rachel teases.

"Dad, she's being a brat. Are all little sisters brats?"

The parents share a startled look. Sure, their kids said they pretended to be brother and sister, but to call one another siblings now?

"I'm lost." Burt admits.

Kurt groans. "After we saw my picture on the news, we realized people were looking for me; a boy traveling alone. So she convinced me to wear one of her dresses and pretend to be her big sister."

Burt's eyes lighten. "Oh. Liz. Elizabeth." He looks to Shelby. "Elizabeth is his middle name. Family tradition."

"So I pretended to be a girl. No one was looking for two girls together." Kurt shrugged, stuffing the dress into Rachel's suitcase.

The parents share a look at that. "Listen, kids, we're very happy you found one another and helped one another. But….if you hadn't hidden, you'd have been found sooner."

"That's what we were avoiding." Kurt says in confusion. "There's no way I was letting Rachel go back to her dad."

Rachel looks down, twisting the hem of the blanket on her lap. "I was afraid they'd send me back to him. He was going to take me a way from my mom. He said so."

Shelby kisses the back of her hand, drawing her attention. "Sunshine, that wouldn't have happened. First of all, if you had told any adult at any time about what happened, they would have gotten you to a hospital sooner. They would have contacted me and I'd have found you sooner. They would not have sent you back to him after you told them what he did to you."

The kids are wide eyed. "They wouldn't have?"

"No!" Burt insists. "No adult would knowingly send a child to someone who would hurt them."

The kids look overwhelmed. "So….if we had just….said something at the bus station in Ohio….."

"You'd both be safe with us sooner."

Burt leans closer. "Think about it. If you had called me, Kurt, and told me everything, I would have told you to stay there and I would have been there in minutes. I would have taken you both to the hospital to be looked over. I would have called the police and they'd have helped contact Rachel's mom. Or you could have told me this when you called me the first time, Kurt. I'd have told you to call 911 for Rachel and I'd have been on my way here hours earlier."

"Oh. We didn't know."

"We know. Which is why we're telling you."

"You could have gone to the police in Lima, Rachel."

Rachel's eyes are filled with tears. "I wasn't thinking straight!"

"I know. You were hurting and scared and sad and you already had a concussion at that point. Concussions make it hard to think and remember things. I understand."

The four talk a little longer before wrapping up the conversation. Burt reluctantly tugs Kurt up. "We should go, buddy."

Kurt looks alarmed. "What? But….Rachel and I…..we're friends now! Best friends! More like brother and sister!"

"We are!" Rachel chimes in.

The parents share a look. "We'll trade phone numbers and addresses. You'll stay in touch." Burt promises.

Shelby makes her own promise. "And Kurt, if you and your dad ever want to see a show, you can stay with us. We have a guest room. You and Rachel can hang out and I can get you tickets to whatever show you want."

It seems like that's what makes him remember who he's talking to. Kurt's eyes slowly widen and his mouth drops open. "That's right. You're…..you're Shelby Corcoran. The Shelby Corcoran."

"More important than that, I am Rachel's mom. You have my invitation to visit whenever and call whenever. Okay? Rachel will soon have her own cellphone and she'll share that number with you."

"I will? Oh, right. When I turn ten."

Shelby can't help the wince of guilt. "No. I'm getting you a phone within the next week. And so will I."

"Really?"

"Really. I want you to be able to call or text me whenever you want or need to."

The look between mother and daughter promises a deeper discussion on this topic at a later time. The kids accept this information and hug goodbye. They get teary, which makes the parents emotional.

"Do we have to wait long before getting together?" Rachel asks.

Shelby looks to Burt. He shakes his head with a soft smile. "No. You don't have to wait long."

Burt nods. "How about we each take you home and you two can talk on the phone later today if Rachel feels up to it. Then, we'll schedule a trip for us to go to New York to visit Rachel and see a show, okay?"

The kids are pleased with this. The Hummel's leave. Shelby's parents return. Rachel is discharged. Not wanting to sit around a hospital but not wanting to cause Rachel any more pain, they go with the pain meds and sedative route. Shelby spends the long drive home sitting in the back of her parent's car holding her sleeping daughter.

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While Rachel sleeps in her bed at home, with her grandparents sitting with her, Shelby calls her lawyer. They are taking away Leroy's custody. Her lawyer promises it won't take long. He does ask her to think about pressing charges. She promises to think about it. She'd love to throw him in jail for life. But she'll discuss it with Rachel first. As promised, when Rachel wakes up, she calls Kurt. The kids talk on the phone for a while. Shelby sleeps with Rachel in her arms again that night.

The next day, Shelby and her parents simply enjoy a day relaxing at home with Rachel. While Rachel was missing, Shelby hadn't thought about work until her director called her. He'd been concerned because it's not like her to be really late, let alone without advance notice. She'd been so panicked by the phone ringing that it'd slipped through her frantic fingers and she'd cursed when she'd dropped it. She'd answered and been disappointed to hear Mike's voice instead of Rachel's. She'd very briefly told him what was going on while making it clear that calls were to be limited and brief to keep the phone line open for Rachel to call her. He'd understood. He'd put her understudy on, made a vague announcement that Shelby would not be performing for a few days, and then he'd even contacted her agent for her. Her agent had drafted an announcement about Shelby Corcoran's daughter being missing, but held off putting it in the news until Shelby gave the go ahead. It never came because Rachel was technically found the same day (from Shelby's perspective, anyway). Her director, full of compassion, told her to let him know when she's ready to return to the stage.

Not any time soon, that's for damn sure.

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Shelby gave Rachel three days of resting and peaceful happiness before addressing the elephant in the room. This was partially so that mother and daughter could reconnect and feel close and strong again emotionally. But mostly the hospital doctor insisted that Rachel should have a calm, peaceful environment for a few days. If she got too upset or worked up, it could be detrimental to her recovery. So Shelby waited. Even though Rachel's coloring is better and she's in less pain, she does still get headaches or dizziness if she moves too fast. So when Shelby felt it was time for the hard talk, she gave Rachel half a pain pill.

"Why? I'm fine." Her bewildered daughter asked.

"I know, sunshine. I just want to make sure it stays that way. We need to have a talk."

Rachel frowns. "About what? Am I in trouble?"

Shelby gently frames Rachel's face with her hands. "No. I promise you will not be in trouble for anything said in this conversation. But this is a very serious talk where I need honest answers, no matter what. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Good." She kisses Rachel's head, then both of her cheeks before pulling back. "Honey, I need to know how long your father was blocking you from calling me on your visits."

Instantly, Rachel looks down and starts twisting her fingers. Shelby wraps her hands around hers, stilling her fidgeting. The mother waits.

"Since I was six." She eventually whispers.

Shelby closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before opening them again. Rachel is watching her nervously. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Rachel nods. "I know! I really do! I always have!" But then her eyes drop. "Unless it was about Dad."

Her heart clenches. "Those are the things I needed to know the most. Do you remember the sessions you had with a therapist about how to tell me if something feels bad or off with your dad or any adults?"

"Yes."

"And the talks we had about always being honest with me?"

"Yes." Tears are filing her eyes.

"Then I don't understand. Why didn't you tell me what was going on at your dad's house and why you didn't want to spend a long time with him anymore?"

"I'm sorry, Mom! At first I didn't say anything because it was new and weird but I wasn't being hurt. I got uncomfortable sometimes, or sad, but that's it. Since nothing actually happened, there was nothing to tell."

"But then it kept happening. He wouldn't let you call me." She hesitates, then forces the words out. "Is that the real reason you wanted a cellphone?"

"Yes. I thought I'd be able to hide it and I could call or text you whenever I wanted, even if Dad said no."

Heart breaking, Shelby pulls Rachel onto her lap. "Baby girl, that's exactly what you should have told me when I first asked! First of all, I absolutely would have gotten you a cellphone right away."

Rachel's eyes widen. "You would have?"

"Yes. I need you to be able to reach me at all times. If I had known that you already couldn't at times, I would have corrected that."

"Oh."

"Second of all, I would have spoken to your father and made it clear that you were to call me every single day that you were with him."

"But—"

"But what?"

"You two were already starting to argue a lot. You both seemed annoyed with one another a lot. And Dad…he kept making comments. I didn't want to make things worse."

"That's not your place, Rachel. It's ours as your parents. It's my job to protect you. I can't protect you if I don't know all the dangers." But she should have. And that fact keeps her up at night. She gently slides Rachel off her lap but takes her hands. "Tell me everything. Now, please."

Slowly, haltingly, she does. Rachel tells her everything that ever happened with her dad that made her sad, angry, scared, or uncomfortable. She also shared everything she could remember about things that were said that upset her. There was a lot. It took a while. It broke the mother's heart. Things had been bad for a while and slowly getting worse and she had no idea. That's not true. She suspected. She felt that something was off, but neither Rachel nor Leroy told her or gave her clues. And she didn't push. She'll always blame herself for not pushing Rachel to talk more about what happened with her dad. After the long, painful talk, they sat silently leaning against one another.

"What now? Like, what happens next summer when I see him again?"

Shelby braces herself. "Honey…you won't."

"What do you mean, Mom?"

"I mean you're not going back to him next summer." She watches her daughter's face as she considers this. Various emotions cross her face but nothing settles. "He hit you and I'm not okay with that at all." To put it lightly. "He got drunk several times while he was supposed to be watching you. He threatened you. He threatened my custody of you. He made you uncomfortable. He did not provide a safe environment for you. He forced you to feel like you had to run away. I'm not okay with any of that. And neither is the law. Your dad broke the law several times with you. He was arrested."

"Dad was arrested?!"

"Yes." Shelby dries her daughter's tears. "He brought it on himself with his own actions. They were his choices."

"But I upset him by—"

"No. None of this falls on you. Rachel, you are nine years old. None of this was your doing. It was his."

"How long will he be in jail?"

"I'm not sure. We'll find out in a few weeks." After his court case, but she's not going to bring that up. She doesn't want to stress the girl out.

"And after he's out?"

Rachel has such a large heart and capacity for forgiveness. Part of Shelby hopes she never loses that. Part of her hopes it stops soon so Rachel doesn't get hurt. Shelby gives her hand a squeeze.

"After he's out of jail, if you want to visit him, that'll be entirely your choice. But I'll be with you the whole time."

"You will?"

"I will. Until you are an adult, you will never be alone with your father again."

Rachel's eyes search hers for some sort of answer to some unspoken question. She apparently finds it because her eyes stop flicking around. "He doesn't share custody of me anymore."

"No. He doesn't. I have full custody of you now and until you are an adult."

Rachel sits quietly, thinking it over. A few quiet tears slip down her cheeks but she's not hysterical. Shelby waits. Rachel doesn't respond. She merely rests her head on Shelby's arm and plays with her fingers. Shelby's best guess is that a large part of Rachel is relieved by this, but she feels guilty over her relief so she'd rather not say anything at all. As long as she's not blaming herself for anything, that's fine with the mother. This is what she always wanted. Full custody of her daughter. It took nine years and a lot of stress and strife. Looking at her daughter's still healing bruise and cut, her pale complexion, and sad eyes….it wasn't worth it. Shelby would much rather Leroy be a wonderful father and share custody with him than have experienced this.

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Time passes. Shelby goes back to work, but keeps Rachel close. Rachel was not pleased to discover that their Disney trip had to be postponed. She was pleased, however, when Shelby took her to get her first cellphone. Mother and daughter got matching cellphones. Shelby made it abundantly clear that the phone is to stay on her at all times. It's not a toy. It's not to be shown off or played with or shared. It is a tool to contact her with (or the other Shelby-approved people in her contact list). It is to stay safely hidden away in a bag or pocket at all times except in use and charged regularly so that it can always be used. Rachel was fine with that. Burt Hummel bought himself and his son phones as well. The four shared their new numbers between them and Rachel and Kurt started talking so much that the parents had to, reluctantly, start putting limits on them.

Before the summer ended, Burt and Shelby made plans for the kids. Shelby invited them to their apartment and the kids were over the moon to be back together. Shelby was pleased that she and Burt get along so well. Apparently having your kids run away together really bonds you. Shelby took them all to see a show. They loved it. The next day, she had them come see her show. Rachel was proud to show off what her mom can do. Having seen the show several times, Rachel spent most of it watching Kurt and Burt's reaction. Both were impressed but Kurt looked like he was either going to start crying or pass out. He spent the rest of the night rambling on to Shelby about everything he loved about her show and her performances. Rachel spent it grinning and listening proudly, occasionally interjecting her own opinion.

Just before the school year started, Burt invited them to their home in Lima. They waited until Rachel had the all clear from her doctor to take a short plane ride. They spent that trip relaxing and playing board games. And singing. Not Burt, but he was happy to sit back and listen. The kids continued talking constantly, staying close and visiting whenever they could.

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When Rachel turned ten, her big birthday present was supposed to be a cellphone. But that was before the whole running away and concussion making her forget phone numbers thing. They both got cellphones immediately after that. So her mom sat her down and asked her what she wants as a birthday present instead. Her response startled her mother.

"Your name."

Her mom blinked. "What?"

Awkwardly shrugging, Rachel admitted to what she'd been thinking about for a while. "I want to be Rachel Corcoran. I kept Berry as my last name because it's my name. And it'd break my dad's heart to change it to Corcoran. But he's not in my life anymore." Which is painful for the ten year old, but she's learning to adjust to it with help from her loved ones and a therapist. "If I'm Rachel Corcoran, everyone knows you're my mom."

With tears in her eyes, her mother had pulled her into a cuddle. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

And it was done. Rachel became Rachel Barbra Corcoran that winter.

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Shelby holds back both her own discomfort and a laugh at the look on her daughter's face. The ten year old clearly regrets asking. Shelby stays quiet, giving her time.

"Do you have any questions?"

Blushing furiously, Rachel shakes her head. "Nope. Nu-uh."

"You listened and understood, though, right?"

"Sure, yup. Burned into my brain, thanks."

Shelby pats her leg sympathetically. "You needed to know."

"I didn't know before but I know now that I really didn't need to know! I should not have asked. Babies really come from….ugh, I'm done. Totally done. Are we done?"

"For now." When Rachel looks at her in askance, she chuckles. "That was the cliff notes. Simplistic facts of life about the birds and the bees. When you're older, we'll have this talk again, but we'll focus on the emotional side and choices and consequences."

"Uh huh. Can I go play?"

"Absolutely." Shelby grins.

"Thanks. I'm gonna go play with my Barbies." As she's leaving the room, Shelby just makes out her quietly mutter "And never grow up."

Laughing, the mother heads to the kitchen to make dinner.

If only.

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The following summer, where Rachel was ten and Kurt was eleven, her mom found a summer theater program for kids. They'd learn all sorts of theater stuff and end it with a big show. She immediately signed Rachel up, then told Burt about it. After lots and lots of begging from both kids, Burt reluctantly agreed to send his son to stay with the Corcoran's. He visited when he could and came to see the show at the end. The kids were thrilled to get to spend an entire month living together. To be honest, their parents were well aware that they were more excited about that than the theater camp. But they did have fun at the camp.

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When Rachel was eleven, her mom finally allowed her to audition for a show. She landed the role of Young Collette in Les Miserables. Despite being several years older than the character, the fact that she looks younger than she is made it work. Kurt was so excited for her and jealous at the same time. He saw her show five times. She left Les Mis to try other shows, proving that she has the same talent, work ethic, and drive as her mother. Their favorite show was the one where they got to play mother and daughter as mother and daughter. Burt and Kurt came to all their shows. They returned the sentiment by heading to Ohio to see any sort of show Kurt was in, even if it was just a piano recital. When she was fourteen Rachel got to originate a role. Shelby was very very hesitant to let her daughter perform in such a risqué show at such a young age but loathe to make her pass up the opportunity. Burt was appalled. Kurt was amused. Shelby reluctantly allowed her to play Wendla in the new show Spring Awakening. Kurt and Rachel loved the show. Burt saw it once to support Rachel then refused, lovingly, to ever see it again. Since by now Rachel has been calling him Uncle Burt (and Kurt calling her mom Aunt Shelby) for a few years, she was very understanding and merely kissed his cheek in acceptance.

It took a solid year for Shelby to be comfortable letting Rachel visit anyone in another state. Even family. Even a couple years later, she still found herself nervous and constantly texting her daughter when she's away from her for long. Especially when Rachel is in Lima, Ohio visiting the Hummel's, who have become family. It's still hard for the mother. Rachel, being completely understanding of her mother's worry, never once complained or ignored a message. She did, however, frequently remind her mother that she never once ever considered running away from her mom; running away is always running to her mom. And that'll never change.

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It wasn't until Rachel was fifteen that she visited Kurt's high school. Kurt has talked about her nonstop to his friends and teammates in the glee club, but she's never actually been there. She'd been to all of his middle school performances of all kinds. She'd seen his community theater shows. She'd seen piano recitals and the like. But by the time they were in high school, she was so busy with her own shows and school that she didn't get to visit Lima for a while. That changed when she was fifteen. She had a break from Spring Awakening and wanted to use part of it to spend time with Kurt. A fact that absolutely thrilled him.

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Kurt Hummel keeps his arm wrapped around Rachel's as he leads her down the hallway to the choir room. He's told his glee friends about Rachel and they've all just nodded politely and let him ramble on about his best friend/cousin/sister. He's not sure how many of them actually believe him when he tells them she's done on and off Broadway shows. Sometimes they give him looks like he's exaggerating or pulling their legs. He can't wait to prove that he's not. He was going to just show them videos of Rachel performing, but decided it'd be best to have her perform in person. Grinning, he steps into the room.

"Good afternoon my fellow Gleeks!" He calls with a wide smile.

The other kids turn to look at them. All eyes end up snapping to Rachel. Kurt is used to it. She's pretty. And since she lives in NYC and her mother is a Broadway star who goes to many parties and events, Rachel is well aware of popular clothing styles and trends. And since she now has some access to her own income, Rachel is able to buy the clothes she likes. She manages to stay in popular styles while still putting her own personal spin on it. Kurt likes helping in that area, giving his own two cents on her wardrobe. No matter what she chooses to wear, she looks good. Kurt likes to think that he helped in that area. So did Aunt Shelby, he knows. The two of them worked together through middle school to convince Rachel to limit her animal sweater fixation. Thank God she dropped that before she went to high school.

"Wait, is that—" Mercedes starts, pointing.

"Yes, it is. Everyone, allow me to introduce Rachel Corcoran." He turns to look at her. Realizing her eyes are on Finn, he rolls his own eyes and tugs her arm to get her attention. She blinks and only because he knows her so well does he pick up on the slightest blush on her cheeks. Interesting.

"Hi." Rachel smiles. "It's a pleasure to meet you all." She looks at each of them in turn. Again, Kurt can't help but notice that her eyes linger on Finn the longest. "Kurt has told me about all of you."

"Welcome." Mr. Schuester says with a warm smile and holds out his hand. "Kurt has told us a lot about you as well."

Rachel politely shakes his hand. "Only good things, I hope."

"Is it true you've been performing on and off Broadway since you were 11?"

"Yes."

"How many shows have you done?"

"Four. Usually one a year, but I'm still doing Spring Awakening, which I started last year."

"The show she originated a role in." Kurt brags. "She's taking a short break from it right now so that she can go on vacation and work on some school stuff. But she'll be back to it full time in about two months."

While he's still jealous of her, he has largely gotten over that. Mostly because she never rubs it in his face or anything. She just talks about it like it's a fact, not bragging. The only times she brags is when she excitedly tells him when she lands a new role. And he fully understands her excitement in those times. Besides, once he graduates high school he'll be moving to New York with her. Aunt Shelby told them about NYADA so that's where they aspire to go for college. They're both going to get in, they'll live together, and they'll have fabulous lives together. He just knows it.

"Would you be willing to sing something for us?" Tina asks.

Rachel shrugs as though Kurt didn't specifically ask her to come and sing for them. "Sure."

Some look eager but, as usual, the popular kids look bored and uninterested. He watches them the closest as Rachel sings. Between years of formal voice lessons, her entire life of singing with and getting mini lessons from her mom, theater camps, school choirs, and of course her own experience on stage for the past several years, Rachel is a phenomenal singer. Kurt always enjoys listening to her sing. Right now, he is thoroughly enjoying watching the awed or shocked looks on his team's faces. Especially they dopey, star struck look on Finn's face. Quinn notices too and hits his chest in irritation. Finn snaps his mouth shut and tries to school his expression, but isn't completely successful. Kurt smirks. When Rachel finishes the song, she receives a standing ovation from them.

"Wow! I mean I know you and Kurt have said you're a Broadway singer, but that was…..that was really incredible." Mr. Schue gushes.

"Thank y—"

"Whatever," Santana interrupts. "She can sing. We expected that. We can all sing. I want to know where you got those boots; they're hot as hell."

"A boutique around the corner from my apartment. And no, they're not a chain."

Santana mutters a curse under her breath, her eyes still on the boots. The others bring the conversation back to singing and Broadway. They get Rachel to sing one song from each of her shows, which Kurt found very entertaining. After, they performed a number while Rachel sat back and watched. She praised them but, being who she is, Kurt was not surprised when she had blunt notes. The others did not take kindly to that.

"Just because you were lucky enough to grow up on Broadway doesn't mean you can tell us how to sing." Mercedes snaps.

"I'm sorry," Rachel responds, raising an unimpressed eyebrow, "I was under the impression that you wanted to win. I figured you'd appreciate tips from a professional on how to improve. But if you'd rather keep singing flat, throwing in runs that are far too long, use mediocre choreography, and sing with a complete lack of passion, far be it from me to stop you."

Kurt wants to bang his head on a wall. Yes, Rachel is right. Yes, he has complained about the very same things to her on more than one occasion. Yes, he was hoping she'd be able to help them out. But he should have realized that her personality would clash with certain other personalities in the group and cause a problem. Many are scowling at her now.

"Your friend is kind of a bitch, Kurt." Quinn snaps.

"She's my family. And she's blunt but she's not wrong." He says quietly. "I thought she could help us get ready for our next competition. We got lucky with our last win."

Rachel nods. Kurt had showed her the video of it, as well as their competitors. She'd agreed. They got damn lucky.

"I'm not trying to be a bitch." Rachel says. "I can sit back and stay quiet and let you do your thing and praise your mediocre effort or I can give you tips and help you blow your competition out of the water." She shrugs carelessly. "I'm doing this for Kurt. I've already started my career starring on Broadway, I don't care about this. I care about him."

The others turn to one another and begin arguing over what to do. After a couple minutes, Rachel rolls her eyes and turns to Kurt expectantly. He sighs.

"Rachel and I will leave and hang out. You guys decide. I'll go with whatever you choose."

"And listen," Rachel says, "I was blunt for a reason. You said it yourself, I grew up on the stage. But I have been doing this professionally, for a paying audience, as a job where I get paid, for several years now. Do you think when we mess up our director goes easy on us? You think he lets it go or sugarcoats it? No. He bluntly tells what we did wrong, helps us correct it, and expects us to not mess up again. He treats us like professionals, not little kids. I was extending you the same respect. But I forgot that this isn't professional. It's a school club meant for fun." Kurt knows she's not saying that as an insult or a dig at any of them. It's a fact. Some still look disgruntled by it, though. "It that's how you want it, I can back off and go easy on you. Or, if you want to take it more seriously, I can do that. Just let me know."

The two walk down the hall, less chipper than they were on the way there. Rachel keeps glancing at him sideways while he stays quiet.

"I'm sorry. I should have been gentler." She says quietly.

"Nah." He shrugs. "They needed to hear it. And I know you. I should have known how you'd handle that. I just wanted….I just wanted everyone to love you and get along and they'd accept your tips and we'd get better and we'd wow the crowd and win."

"I know. I'm sorry. But if you really want to wow the crowd, you could always wear a dress."

She said in a deadpan tone and didn't even glance at him. But he knows her. Her jaw is locked in the way she does when she's acting and trying not to laugh or smile. He rolls his eyes and lightly shoves her.

"Brat. Are you ever going to stop teasing me for that?"

"Nope."

"It was your idea!"

"And it worked."

"I was doing it for you! To help you!"

"And I love you all the more for it, Liz."

Seeing the look on his face makes her mask crack and she giggles. He can't ever not laugh when she does, so the two laugh together as they exit the school.

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Uncle Burt asked them to pick up a few ingredients needed for dinner, so they two stop at the grocery store on the way home. They're joking around when something catches her eye, stilling her laughter and suddenly chilling her good mood. She stops walking and stares in shock.

"Rach? You okay?" Kurt steps up beside her, then glances in the direction she's staring. He frowns. "Why are you—"

"That's my dad. My father. He's out of jail early."

Kurt gasps and spins to face the man she's staring at. "We should go. Now."

"Yeah." She mutters.

But her feet don't move. She hasn't seen him in years. Her mother took her to Ohio to visit him in prison once. Only once. It was deemed necessary for closure for Rachel by her therapist. Her father apologized and explained his side of things, even admitting that he was very, very wrong. He insisted he never stopped loving her and never would. She'd forgiven him and said part of her would always love him, too. But that she never wanted to see him again. That was hard to admit. She's not sure how he's out of jail so early. It was a ten year sentence. It has only been six years. A tug on the arm distracts her. Kurt is watching her worriedly.

"C'mon."

Finally able to move her feet, she follows him and doesn't look back at her father. They continue their shopping, but their good humor is gone. They focus on grabbing what they need so they can leave. Rachel's mind is half on her mother. She wants to call her right now, but figures it'll be an emotional call. She should wait until she's back at Kurt's house.

"What kind of ice cream do you want? We finished off the Moose Tracks. Or really, you finished off the Moose Tracks." Kurt looks at her pointedly.

Rachel shrugs carelessly. "I can't be judged for the amount of ice cream that I consume during this particular time of month."

"Ew. Thanks for that."

"Get what you want this time. Or we could both get one we want."

"Your love of ice cream is large enough that we should probably—"

"Rachel?"

The teens spin around to face the man standing just a couple feet behind them. Up close, Rachel sees how old her father looks now. She wonders if he'd always look this old by now or if it's from his years in prison. Mouth dry, she doesn't say anything. Kurt solves that for her.

"You should leave." He tells the man quietly.

Her father's eyes jump between the two of them. "I just want—I need—"

"How are you out of jail already?" Rachel interrupts, needing to know.

"I got out early for good behavior. I was just released a few weeks ago. I'm not allowed to leave Ohio for another couple years, however."

"That's good to know." He can't follow her to New York.

"What are you doing here?"

"Visiting family."

His brow furrows. "Your grandparents moved back here?"

"No." She refuses to elaborate. "Does mom know you're out?"

His face pinches before he manages to smooth it out. But she caught it and it made her stomach flip. "I don't know. I didn't call her."

"You still live in Lima?"

"Yes. Do you visit Lima often?"

The eagerness of his question has her feeling nervous. She's not sure how to answer. She takes a breath and realizes she's gripping her cellphone. Going with her gut (and her heart) she pulls it out.

"Rachel? What are you—"

She ignores him and presses 1 on speed dial. Her mom answers quickly. She always answers quickly. If she won't be able to answer fast, she lets Rachel know ahead of time, like before she goes on stage.

"Honey?"

"My father is out of jail. Did you know?" She can't imagine her mother wouldn't tell her if she'd known. She's in freaking Lima, after all. They're in the same town. Thinking on it more, she realizes that if her mother had known she probably wouldn't have even let her come.

"What?! No, I had no idea. How do you know?"

"He's standing right in front of me."

There's a very telling silence on the other end. When she speaks again, her voice is cold. "Hand the phone to him."

She does. Her father takes it like it's a live grenade about to go off. "Shelby."

Rachel can't hear the words but her mother's voice, filled with vitriol, still manages to carry. Her father is clearly working hard to keep his expression neutral. Realizing he's failing, he turns so his back is to Rachel.

"I didn't—I had no idea…of course not, Shelby….stop acting like I'm some monster who's going to snatch her away in the night! I'm just—….yes, I know…..of course not…..that's not my fucking problem. I wasn't responsible for telling you…..I won't."

A hand lands on Rachel's shoulder and she jumps. Quickly looking up, she sags in relief when she realizes Uncle Burt is standing beside her. He keeps his eyes on her father but a hand on her shoulder in comfort. Kurt comes up on her other side.

"I called him." Kurt whispers.

She squeezes his hand in silent thanks. Uncle Burt must have been speeding like crazy to get here so fast. As her father's conversation with her mom comes to an end, he turns back to her. He's clearly startled to see another man standing with her. Uncle Burt takes the phone from him.

"Don't worry, Shel. I'm here. I'll follow the kids home and stay with them."

He hands the phone to Rachel. "Mom?"

"I want you to text me as soon as you're at Kurt's house, okay? We need to talk but I need to call my lawyer first. I'll call later tonight."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you, too. Stay with Uncle Burt. And if you want to come home, that's fine but call me first. Got it?"

She grins slightly. "I'm not going to disappear on you, Mom. If I do it's not willingly."

"Rachel." Her mother practically growls.

"Sorry. I'll text you when I get there, I'll stay with Uncle Burt, and I'll wait for you to call."

They hang up and Rachel watches Uncle Burt square up to her father. "Leave. And don't approach her again."

His voice is low and threatening. Rachel has never heard it sound like this before. A glance at Kurt tells her he's never heard his dad talk like that before either. Her father looks warily between them before sighing and nodding in a dejected manner. Her heart twists. He looks like he's been through hell. Kurt gently guides her out of the store while Uncle Burt follows behind. Rachel stops suddenly.

"Wait. We forgot to purchase—"

Uncle Burt shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. We'll order pizza. Just get home."

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That night, her mom calls her and they talk for a long time. Her mother had no idea her father got out early for good behavior and was pissed off that she wasn't informed. And scared. She didn't say it, but Rachel could hear it in her voice. He's not supposed to approach her until she turns eighteen. Her mom admitted to being pleased when she'd sent him the paperwork that matched the original contract they'd had her sign. But this time it's him on the out until Rachel is an adult. Being in jail and having a judge order him to sign the papers or spend life in prison, he'd signed it. He can't approach her for three more years. Her mother gave her a list of rules for the remainder of her time in Lima, all designed to keep her safe and away from her father. Rachel easily agreed to all of it. Not because she felt all of the rules were necessary, but because she hated the fear in her mom's voice and wanted to put her at ease. Her mom then spoke to Uncle Burt so he'd know the rules, too.

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While Kurt goes to school, Rachel goes with him but completes her own assignments. Her private school for the arts is very supportive of her starting her career so young. But she needs a high school diploma and she wants a college degree. So she attends classes when she can. When she can't, she completes assignments independently. She has a tutor, a teacher assigned by the school, who gives her video lessons when she's not in New York and meets with her in person when she is. This way Rachel doesn't fall behind and can graduate on time. She'd talked a lot with her mom and while she regrets that she won't be getting a normal high school experience in some respects, she feels its worth it to get to perform on stage already. Doing her work in a classroom in a normal public school, sitting beside Kurt, is a weirdly nice change of pace. It makes her feel more normal. So even if she's ignoring the teacher and doing different work than the other kids, she feels like she's getting to experience a normal school experience. Even when she actually attends her own school in person, she has to wear a uniform and has kids following her around because of her mild fame. It's nice but not normal. This is normal. And if one of Kurt's classes is shared with Finn Hudson and she gets to spend it eyeing the handsome boy, then all the better.

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The glee club voted to let her give tips and advice and share her honest opinion of how they do. They just asked that she do it a little more politely. She said she won't sugarcoat anything but will try to phrase things nicer. Mr. Schuester was a little more hesitant, but reluctantly agreed that getting ideas from someone who has more experience performing on a professional stage is worth a little pride. So he set his pride aside and allowed a teen to point out flaws and give him little lessons on how to help his club improve. So when Kurt goes to glee, Rachel goes with him and watches. She helps them run through scales and works with them on breath control and pitch and harmonizing. She gives tips on choreography but admits it's not her strongest area. Still, her ideas are valid and help them improve.

She won't be around much longer. She'll be heading back to New York the following week. Then she and her mom are heading to London because her mom is showcasing her current role on the West End stage. Rachel was already planning on going with her. Now that her father is back in the picture, her mom is relieved they'll be out of the country for a while. So is Rachel. She's staying to spend time with the Hummel's and to help the New Directions prepare for regionals. The longer she spends with the New Directions, the more she gets to know them, the more fun she has. They're fun. Some are nice. Some are funny. She enjoys spending time with them. She thinks that if she stayed longer, or was attending McKinley as well, they'd be friends. She was born in Lima, after all. If things had been different, she'd be attending McKinley with Kurt. She likes to think they'd have all been friends. Then again, she thinks of some of their egos and personalities as well as her own, and acknowledges they'd probably constantly butt heads and have battle after battle. Still. She thinks friendship would win out. And that's a nice thought. It also makes her miss her friends back home. Only one friend from school stayed a normal friend. Ashley. Others either started ignoring her out of jealousy or treating her like a celebrity and changed how they treat her. Both made her uncomfortable. It's why she doesn't mind not attending school on a regular basis. Thank God for Kurt and her friends in her show. Whatever show she's in she makes friends with the other kids. But in her current show, Spring Awakening, she has made very close friendships with all of them. Especially Jesse St. James. He's arrogant, but handsome, talented, and really funny. He's from Ohio, just not Lima. His parents moved to NYC when they saw his talent and passion for the stage. So she has friends, but this glee club feels different. In a way, she's jealous of Kurt. Not that she'd change her life. She has an incredible life with her mom and her early stage career. Even though she went through a lot with her dad, if that hadn't happened, she'd have never met Kurt or Uncle Burt. Being honest, her favorite fallout from the big adventure she had (what she and Kurt still refer to as an adventure their parents still refer to as a nightmare) is that she never again had to spend time away from her mother unless she wanted to. And any time she is away from her mom, like now, not only is she allowed to talk to her mom whenever she wants, but it is highly encouraged. Even years later. She doesn't care if other teens think it's dorky or ridiculous that she talks to her mom so much. It just makes her sad that they're clearly not as close to their parents.

Regionals is on Saturday. Rachel will leave the following Monday. It was going to be Sunday, but the gleeks asked her to stay longer. They want to party Saturday night, win or lose, and want her with them. Touched, she agreed and moved her flight to Monday after getting her mom's permission. On Friday after rehearsal, they end up sitting around talking for a while. It's fun for all of them and Rachel almost regrets that she has to leave in a few days. And she won't be back for months. She and Kurt always get together over the summer for at least a few days, so she hopes to see the others then. Her eyes jump to Finn. He's laughing with his girlfriend. Though, from what Kurt says, they've been on the rocks for a while. Finn and Quinn have had that "on again off again" relationship through all of high school. Rachel bites her lip, hoping that it's in the "off" stage when she visits next. Then she feels guilty for thinking that and focuses on her conversation with Tina. People start heading home, making Rachel realize how late it's getting. She was enjoying herself so much she hadn't noticed time slipping away and she's supposed to be back at Uncle Burt's house by dinner time every night. One of the new rules the parents set down. She and Kurt walk out with Finn, Quinn, Puck, Mercedes, and Tina. They're chatting and don't notice a man getting out of his car in the parking lot.

"Rachel? Can we talk?"

Kurt and Rachel whip around. The others stop talking and moving. Seeing how stiff and nervous the two are, the others frown.

"Who are you?" Puck asks the man.

"I'm Rachel's father."

The others look between them uncertainly. They haven't known each other long, but Rachel has only ever mentioned her mother. She never once mentioned her father. Kurt glares.

"You're not allowed to approach her. My dad told me to call the police if you try to talk to her again."

Now all of the other teens are on high alert. Her father ignores him.

"Rachel. Can we talk? Please. Just for a minute. We haven't talked in years."

"You've been in jail for years. For child abuse. Remember?" She snaps.

At that revelation, Finn and Puck move a step closer to her and watch Leroy far more intently. Her father flinches.

"That was a gross overreaction by the court. I was wrong for what happened that night, but I didn't deserve ten years in jail for it."

Whether she agrees or not is not the question. No matter what the courts did or said, she doesn't want to talk to him. "I'll talk to you when I'm eighteen."

"Rachel, it's been six years. I just want—"

"It doesn't matter what you want." Kurt snaps. "For once in your life, put your daughter first!"

"I did put her first!" Her father yells before taking a breath to calm himself. "Sorry. I just get upset over that. Rachel, I love you. I always have. I wasn't always the best father—"

Kurt scoffs, then laughs sarcastically. "You can say that again."

"Please. Rachel. Just a minute of your time." He says softly, ignoring Kurt and the others.

Rachel is frozen in place. She doesn't really want to talk to him, and frankly isn't even allowed to, but she is debated giving him his one minute to get him to walk away calmly. She doesn't want to see him thrown back in jail because he couldn't stay away from her. When Rachel doesn't respond for a minute, her father comes closer. Kurt steps beside her. Finn and Puck step in front of her.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Puck tells the man. Finn just glares, looking like a tightly coiled spring about to pounce.

Her father stops and looks at them desperately. "I don't want to cause trouble. I'm not going to hurt her. I just want to talk to my daughter for a minute!"

Kurt lifts his phone to his ear. "Yes. McKinley High, in the parking lot."

Realizing what he's done, Leroy snaps. "Damnit! I don't want to go back to jail! I just want to talk to Rachel!"

Becoming overwhelmed and feeling her breathing getting too fast, Rachel tries to take a step away from the group surrounding her. While she appreciates their support, she needs a little space and a little air. And to talk to her mom. As usual when her father is around, all she wants is her mom. Seeing Rachel stepping away, her father turns to her with a hopeful look.

"I'm not talking to you." She tells him in her usual blunt manner. She pulls out her phone and decides to be completely honest. "I want my mom. I always want my mom when you're around. Something about you makes me want to run to her."

It was a mistake. She pushed it too far. She saw it in the look in his eyes. She broke something in him. Before she could open her mouth to apologize, his expression became a snarl and he lunged for her. He never made contact. Finn Hudson met the grown man midair in an impressive tackle. As soon as he hit the pavement, Leroy began coughing and groaning, holding himself. Finn got to his knees and punched him once before standing over him threateningly.

"You don't go near her! Do you understand me?"

Rachel's heart is thudding; half from her father trying to grab her and half because she was saved by the boy she's been developing a crush on.

"Finn!" Quinn yells, watching her boyfriend with wide eyes.

Puck goes closer and snarls at the man. "Stay down. Police are almost here."

Her thudding heart had drowned out everything but her pulse and the conversation around her. Until now. Now, she realizes Puck is right. There are sirens and they're getting closer. Kurt, still on the phone with 911 services, wraps an arm around her. Feeling shaky, she leans into him. She wants to call her mom but knows that the police will be questioning her in a moment. Better to wait. The police come. Each teenager gives their statement over what happened. It only takes a quick search in their computer to confirm that Leroy Berry only just got out of jail a month ago. He's quickly arrested and put in the back of a police car.

"Are you okay? Do any of you need to be checked over?" A kindly officer asks.

"No. I mean, yes, I'm fine." Rachel stutters out.

The others repeat the sentiment. The officer gives each of them his card in case their parents have questions, then leaves. It's cold and they've been outside for a long time now. Rachel is shivering, though at least some of it may be adrenaline or nerves. Kurt leads her to his car. The others wait until they drive away before heading home as well. On the way, Rachel calls her mom.

"My father was waiting outside the high school for me. I don't know how he knew I'd be there, but he was waiting. As soon as I walked outside with the others he got out of his car and approached me."

"Are you okay?"

Tears slip down her cheeks. "He didn't touch me. He tired, but Finn tackled him to the ground and Kurt called the police. He's been arrested again."

"Oh, honey. I'm so sorry you had to deal with that. What do you need?"

"A hug." Rachel cries, not able to hold back her emotions anymore.

"Come home, sunshine. Uncle Burt can take you to the airport tonight and I'll be at the New York airport waiting when you get here." Her mom promises.

As much as that promise comforts her, Rachel hesitates. "Regionals is tomorrow."

"I don't care about that. I care about you."

She bites her lip and thinks it over. "Can….can you come here? And stay with me until I leave on Monday?"

"Yeah, I can do that." Her mom's response is instant and reassuring. "I'll be there in a couple hours, okay?"

Reality sinks in. "But wait….your show—"

"I told you, I don't care. You matter more than any show, Rachel. If you need me or even just want me there, I'm there."

"I love you, Mom." She says in a wobbly voice, hating that she can't hug the woman right now.

"I love you, too. I'm gonna pack and let David know I won't be performing this weekend, but you can call or text me at any time. I'll let you know when my plane takes off."

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Uncle Burt was furious with her father but happy with how the kids handled it. He hugged them both. He was going to drive them to the Columbus airport to pick up her mom, but her mom called him and said not to. She's going to use the drive to talk to her lawyer on the phone. And she wants the kids home, safe, and relaxing. When her mom showed up at the Hummel house, Rachel threw herself into her arms in a way she hasn't since she was little. As soon as her mom had her wrapped in a hug, Rachel started crying again.

"I'm sorry."

"There's nothing for you to apologize for. Just like last time, this is your father's fault. Not yours. Again, you are just the victim in this." She turns to Kurt. "And again, you were there to watch out for her and help her. Thank you, Kurt."

The Corcoran women pulled Kurt into a hug. Later, when mother and daughter were talking alone. Rachel gave her more detail about what happened.

"I told him that I didn't want to talk to him, that I wanted to talk to you. That I always want you when he's around. I said that something about him makes me want to run to you. That's when he got angry and lunged at me. If I had just kept my mouth shut—"

Her mom shook her head. "No. I don't care what you said to him. He is the adult. The parent. It was his responsibility to stay calm and rational. He didn't. You're a teenager with attitude and drama; saying things that upset adults is part of it." She teases gently.

Having gotten in trouble on more than one occasion for sass and attitude, Rachel grins slightly.

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Rachel fell asleep while cuddling with her during their talk. Shelby looks down at her sleeping daughter and sighs. It took all of her strength to stay calm on the phone with her earlier. Hearing Leroy had approached Rachel a second time and had to be tackled to stop him from grabbing her had Shelby furious and scared. Six years later and Leroy is still causing problems. Hopefully he'll be locked up for several more years. She told her lawyer everything and told him he'd better make sure that Leroy at the very least has to serve the rest of his ten year sentence. Then he won't be out of jail until Rachel is nineteen. The longer she can keep them separated, the better for all of them it will be. Because if he gets out of jail sooner than that and puts his hands on her daughter, she will be the one in jail because she will not hold back. She will kill him. Happily.

She daydreams about hiring a hitman to take Leroy out the day he gets out of jail.

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Before regionals began, Rachel pulls Finn aside. The soft look he gives her makes her stomach swoop.

"Hey. You okay?" He asks gently.

"Yeah. I just wanted to thank you. For protecting me last night."

"You're welcome. I wasn't gonna let him put his hands on you." He looks around awkwardly. "He, uh…..abused you?"

"Yeah. But I'd rather not get into it."

"Sure. I get it. He's back in jail, right?"

"Yeah. He is. And I'll be back in New York soon. I just wanted to make sure I thanked you before leaving."

"You're still staying for the party tonight, right?" He asks, sounding nervous at the prospect of her not being there.

"I will. Whether to celebrate or commiserate. But I'm sure we'll be celebrating. You guys are doing awesome."

"Thanks to you." He gives her a crooked grin and her heart skips a beat.

"Well, you guys—"

"Finn. It's time to go." Quinn is standing a few feet away giving them an indiscernible look. "We're on in five."

Rachel bids farewell to the couple and sits in the audience with her mother and Uncle Burt. They watch the New Directions and give them a standing ovation. They're not surprised when they win. Rachel joins the New Directions for their celebration party that night. If she dances with all the boys and it just so happens that the song she danced with Finn was the longest, that couldn't be helped. If his arm kept brushing against hers while they sat next to one another and talked, it was just because of everyone squished together. Quinn's eyes boring into Rachel didn't help her relax, but she still managed to have fun.

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Rachel and her mom went to London together. Shelby performed her role on the West End. Rachel watched or did school work. She and her mom had fun exploring England in their free time. When they returned home, Rachel picked up Spring Awakening again. She was happy to get back to it and surprised that a bunch of the New Directions showed up that summer to watch her show. A group that included Finn Hudson, much to her pleasure. They praised her show and talked about how awesome it was. She's glad they all kept in touch. She convinced her mom that they should both go to Leroy's hearing. He was indeed sentenced to return to prison and finish out the remaining four years of his original sentence plus two more years for approaching Rachel against the contract. Shelby and Rachel both breathed a sigh of relief at that.

Rachel and Kurt continued to talk daily and travel to see one another regularly. When she'd travel to him, she'd hang out with some of the New Directions as well. When Kurt's bullying at school got too bad, it was Rachel who pushed him to talk to his dad in more detail about it and admit how bad it got. She (with permission from her mother) dropped everything, jumped on a plane and flew to Ohio, took a taxi to Lima, and sat with him, holding his hand while he told his dad about the death threat from David Karofsky. When he started at Dalton and fell for Blaine Anderson, it was Rachel he gushed to about it. Both stayed friends with the New Directions, who struggled to find enough members to compete that year. It was Finn's leadership that brought in enough new members to keep the club alive. Finn's leadership, but Rachel's expertise. He'd call or video chat with her about it and she'd give advice, helping him out. When he officially broke up with Quinn, he told Rachel himself. She struggled to be comforting without sounding pleased, but thinks she pulled it off. The New Directions hated not having Kurt with them and, by extension, not having Rachel help out occasionally. They started an anti-bullying program, got Karofsky to switch schools, and begged Kurt to come back. He came. Rachel went with him to celebrate. Blaine followed not long after and the two started dating. Rachel and Finn kissed a few times, but decided that a long distance relationship was too hard for people so young and who didn't really know each other all that well beforehand. At least they get to enjoy flirting and casually hooking up whenever they're together.

That changed in the spring of senior year.

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"Mom?"

"Yes?"

Rachel shifts on her feet nervously. "I need a prom dress."

Shelby sets down the script for a new show she's reviewing and looks her daughter over. She wanted Rachel to go to her senior prom. Rachel refused. "I thought you said you weren't going to prom. You said you only have one real friend there, so there'd be no point in going. You swore it wouldn't be fun."

"It wouldn't."

"You used last years junior prom as an example why." Rachel had come home halfway through prom. She was either ignored or fought over. She hated it, it made her uncomfortable, so she left. "You didn't want a repeat of last year."

"I don't. And I won't. There."

Aaah. It all falls into place. Shelby grins. "I see. And when is McKinley's senior prom?"

Rachel blushes slightly. "In three weeks. That gives me enough time to find a dress and request a couple nights off of the show."

"And get your school work done ahead of time." Shelby says pointedly.

"Right. Of course. That was a given."

She's not buying the innocent smile, but decides not to argue it. She eyes her daughter and picks up on her little tells. She fights down a smile and keeps her voice neutral. "Finn asked you to prom, didn't he?"

One of the brightest blushes to ever grace her daughter's cheeks flares up, making Shelby smirk. She was right. Rachel clears her throat. "Yes. He did. Kurt and the others had already wanted me to go and hang out with them and I'd been thinking about it when Finn asked me to be his date. And I said yes, but I also know I need to ask you."

Like she'd do anything to get in the way of her daughter's happiness. Especially since Leroy is back in prison. "Alright. You have my permission."

Rachel squeals and hugs her tight. Shelby laughs and hugs her back. "Can we go prom dress shopping soon?"

"I guess we'll have to." Shelby says with a smile. Honestly, she's thrilled.

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Her mom ended up coming with her to Ohio for prom. She wanted the normal prom experience other parents get. So she and Burt sat in the living room waiting for Finn to come collect Rachel. He showed up with Blaine. The two boys came early and chatted with the adults while waiting for their dates. Kurt came down first in a handsome suit and Blaine blushed and stammered over how handsome he looked. Shelby will never forget the look of awe on Finn's face as he watched Rachel descend the stairs in a gorgeous dress. Or the way he struggled to get her corsage on her since his hands were shaking. Burt and Shelby took tons of photos of the kids before letting them go. Then, the two close friends spent the evening enjoying a nice dinner and drink together. The kids have plans to go hang out all night after prom ends, so they don't expect them home until late morning. Shelby, despite knowing Rachel is safe, still demanded her daughter check in via text once in a while, which she agreed to. Rachel always agrees to open communication between them. Shelby wonders about the parents who don't talk as frequently with their kids. Mostly she wonders if it bothers them. Or if they never had to deal with anything along the lines of what Shelby and Burt did when their kids were young.

The kids return to the house late the next morning, their outfits wrinkled, faces tired, but huge smiles and sparkling eyes. They hang out in Lima for another day to rest (and so Rachel could spend more time with her friends and Shelby with Burt). Then they return to NYC.

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Burt and Kurt fly to NYC to watch Rachel graduate high school. Even though she wasn't frequently in the physical classroom, she is still a student at that school and was permitted to graduate alongside the other seniors. About a week later, Rachel and Shelby flew to Ohio and watched Kurt (and the rest of their senior friends) graduate. They celebrated and partied together.

Rachel and Kurt both got into NYADA. Rachel was disappointed that Finn stayed in Ohio for college, but understood. Their relationship is long distance and casual because of it. They're not even an official couple. But they do hook up whenever they can. Rachel planned to stop performing on Broadway for the duration of her college years so that she could focus on her classes and graduating. That was the plan. However, Funny Girl opened up and Rachel auditioned. She had to. It's her and her mother's favorite musical. She still remembers watching the movie with her mom at four years old. Between her fabulous audition, famous mother, NYADA student status, and her own successful stage career, she was offered the role quickly. With her mother's help, she convinced NYADA to work with her, helping her both keep going with classes as a student and perform a leading role on Broadway. Shelby also talked to Rachel about getting her own agent at this time. Shelby has had an agent for years, of course. But Rachel never did. Her mom acted as her agent whenever necessary, but if often wasn't because there are protections in place for underaged performers. But now Rachel is an adult and needs her own agent. Shelby had her agent find a good coworker to be her daughter's agent.

Rachel and Kurt moved into an apartment together. They were surprised by Santana Lopez barging in and living with them, but they ended up not minding. She's a good friend even if she's a bit sharp at times. The three friends became very close. It was hard for Shelby to not have her daughter living with her full time anymore. She knows it's a part of growing up, but it's bittersweet. She comforts herself by visiting periodically. She's relieved that the kids don't mind when she drops by. She's been good about asking permission to drop by and not surprising them, but they always happily let her. Burt visits when he can, missing his son (and niece). Sometimes he brings Finn. And Blaine, when he's able to get away from school.

With all of their support, Rachel managed to do both school and the show. It was exhausting and challenging and for four years she never got a real break. But it was worth it. She graduated NYADA while still holding her leading lady role in Funny Girl. Not long after graduating, when she was able to focus 100% of her attention on her show, she was nominated for a Tony award. So was her mother. She wasn't upset to lose to her mom. Her mom even teased her about it during her acceptance speech, which made everyone laugh. At home, her mom insisted that that award was shared between them. Rachel had hugged her tight and lovingly turned her down. "I'll have my own one day, so there's no point borrowing yours." Her mom had laughed but agreed.

Rachel is now an established young Broadway star. She did indeed win her own Tony, where the main person she thanked in her acceptance speech was her mother. Blaine is an up and coming Broadway star. Kurt does some stage performing and some fashion. He is successful at both. And happy with both, even if it wasn't his original plan. Finn is a teacher in Ohio. For years, Rachel and Finn would travel between states and visit as often as possible. Neither ever dated anyone else.

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Shelby Corcoran sits at her daughter's wedding with happy tears streaming down her face. Watching Rachel and Finn get married, with Kurt as Rachel's Man of Honor, after Burt walked her down the aisle, is one of the happiest days of her own life. Her mind drifts during the ceremony to memories of the past. She remembers the moment she agreed to be a surrogate for a sweet gay couple. She remembers the hurt, fear, and anger she felt signing that contract. The pain of walking away from her newborn child. Three years of struggling to land a role on Broadway while simultaneously trying to find a loophole in the contract. She remembers the call from Leroy asking her to come help with three year old Rachel. She remembers meeting her daughter for the first time, the tiny three year old immediately falling into her arms and hugging her. She remembers raising little Rachel in Lima, Ohio. She remembers the "ta da" habit she accidentally taught Rachel that lasted for years (which she rehashed in her first Tony acceptance speech "So, mom…ta da!" And held up her award). She remembers finding out that Leroy hit her and the rage that filled her. She remembers Hiram dying and his funeral and Leroy getting drunk. She remembers convincing him to give her 60% of custody of Rachel.

She remembers sharing custody of Rachel with Leroy and traveling frequently between New York and Ohio because of it. She remembers missing her baby girl when she wasn't with her. She remembers the heart stopping phone call that nine year old Rachel was missing. She'll never forget the terrifying day she spent not knowing if her child was dead or alive or where the fuck she was. The race to Baltimore, MD to collect her daughter from the hospital. The feeling of having her child alive and safe in her arms once more. Meeting Kurt and Burt. The instant connection between the four of them. The relationship that only grew stronger over the years, between all of them.

Mostly, she remembers the joy of getting to raise Rachel from the age of three. Watching her daughter smile brightly at her new husband as they walk down the aisle together as newlyweds brings it all into sharp focus. It was all worth it. Shelby's life became so much more full and wonderful after getting Rachel in her life. Everything good and wonderful in her life is because of her amazing daughter and the life they've lived together. Their bond is just as strong now as it was when Rachel was little and she loves that.

Regardless of anything else she has done in her life, she knows she is a good mother and always has been. And that's all that matters to her. Being Rachel's mom makes her prouder than any Tony award or standing ovation she could ever get. And it always has. Once the universe brought mother and daughter together, there was no keeping them apart. Even if Rachel focuses more on her own family now, as she should, Shelby will be there supporting her and loving her through it all. It's the least she could do for the child who made her life so incredible.

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The end