A/N: Ok so this is a one-shot tied on to stokette's Running in Your Direction. If you haven't read it….. go read it! it is amazing and so so good. Anyway, I did do this with permission from Stokette so it is storily correct.

Please Read and review! Both stories!

"You what?" I asked my voice incredibly low and yet it felt as if it sounded across the room as I glared incredulously at the man across the kitchen island from me.

"I booked you a photo shoot at noon," I still couldn't believe it.

"Charlie! I told you I needed to be off this weekend! I said I couldn't do anything, my d-niece wasstaying with me while Kate is out of town!" Luckily he seemed so frazzled about making me mad that he missed my almost-slip up.

"I'm sorry, Shelby. I forgot. It was an honest mistake but we can't back out now." I turned away from him to hide the overwhelming sadness that was filling my chest. I hadn't gotten to spend quality time with Rachel in two months and it's been killing me. Finally, I get her all to myself for three whole days and this idiot goes and plans something! I was awakened from my despair when I heard little feet pad down the hallway. That is truly the most beautiful music to my ears. I looked up and saw a just awaking Rachel stumbling down the hallway from her room. She rubbed her eye with her left hand and the mouse I had given her years ago was clutched in the other.

"Aunt Bee Bee!" she screamed running into my arms as if she had only just remembered where she was.

"Hey baby," I whispered into her ear as I held her tight and lifted her to my hip. She may have been seven but the kid was small. She threw one arm over my shoulder and nuzzled her face into my neck. "Hey! You can't go back to sleep!" I stated, jostling her and reveling in her giggles.

"But I'm sleepy Aunt Bee bee, the only reason why I got up was to come get you to go back to bed with me," she wrapped both arms around my neck and leaned back looking me in the eye. She had yet to notice Charlie. "Please Aunt Bee Bee, we can go snuggle up in bed and tell stories? It'll be warm and comfy."

I smiled half-heartedly, wishing more than anything that we could just go and snuggle in my bed. I sighed and sat her on the counter. "Sweetie, I have a photo shoot today that I have to go to. I didn't know I had it until this morning." I sent a glare over the little girl's head, and she turned to see who I was looking at.

"Oh, hello," she smiled. "Who are you?"

"I'm Charlie Corcoran. I'm your aunt's manager."

"Oh. I'm Rachel," she stated extending her tiny hand to him. He shook it and I couldn't help but laugh at the way that his hand wrapped entirely around hers.

"Rachel?" I asked getting her attention back. "I'm so sorry that our day is ruined, baby."

"That's ok! Can I watch? This is going to be so cool! So can I watch?" she looked up at me with my conniving smile and I melted.

"You have to ask Mr. Charlie."

"Mr. Charlie?" she asked climbing across the counter until she was face to face with him.

"Yes?" he asked in his business voice trying to play with her. I smiled. He was so good with her and they barely knew each other.

"I haven't seen my Aunt Bee Bee in two months! That's a really long time. I missed her so bad. You see, I love her bunches and she loves me bunches but she's just been busy with a lot of stuff." He nodded his head understandingly. "So I was really excited to see her this weekend. Apparently, from the look she gave you earlier, you are the reason why she has this photo shoot. She also seems mad. So maybe you can make it up to her by letting me go." I had to laugh at her antics. Kate may be raising her, but that child is all mine.

He chuckled, "Well, Miss Rachel, I guess you're right. You can even be my assistant manager. Now, you had better go and get dressed, we have to leave in thirty minutes." He lifted her off the counter and to the ground. "Hurry!"

"Wait! Aunt Bee has to help me get the water started."

"Go ahead, sweetie. Get undressed and go potty I'll be right there." I bent down and kissed her cheek, and she ran to the bathroom. I walked around the island.

"Please don't kill me!" he begged as I grabbed his tie. I pulled him down and placed a kiss to his cheek. "Not that I mind getting kisses from a gorgeous woman, but what was that for?"

"For being so good with her. She's the most important thing in my life and to see you treat her with such respect," I stopped silently pushing the tears back down, "it just means a lot." He kissed my forehead.

"Well you had better go help her take her shower or we're going to be late."

I walked into the bathroom and turned on the water. "Come on, Baby. We have to hurry because I have to take a shower too," I stated ushering her into the bath.

"If we're ever in a hurry when I'm at home, mommy just takes a shower with me. You can do that if you want." She smiled up at me.

"Well that's because she's your mommy," it killed me to say that.

"I really don't mind. You're like a second mommy anyways," she beamed. "But if you don't want to that's ok."

"No, I will." I said turning on the water so she could start. I quickly undressed and jumped into the shower. I helped her finish washing her hair and she moved so I could get under the stream.

"Aunt Bee?"

"Mhmm?"

"Can I help you wash your hair?" I opened my eyes and looked down at her. "Mommy lets me." I smiled and sat on the bottom of the tub so she could reach my head. Her little fingers ran through my hair with quick determination to get every part clean. I stood up and rinsed my hair, "Did I do a good job?"

I bent down and kissed her cheek. "You did an amazing job." When we had finished I got us both a towel. I ran the towel through my hair drying it. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her watching and mimicking my every move. Wrapping the towel securely around me, I bent to do the same for her. Looking at the clock I saw that we only had 15 minutes. It really didn't matter for me because they were going to do my hair and makeup there but I still had to get Rachel ready. "Come on sweetheart, we have to hurry." I scooped her up and carried her to my room.

"Can we wear our matching yoga pants?" she asked pleadingly.

"Sure honey." Ten minutes later we walked out of my room hand in hand in matching yoga pants, white tanks, purple flip-flops, and purple zip-up hoodies.

"You guys look so adorable," Charlie smiled at us.

"Rachel might but I don't." I laughed, "I don't have any make-up on and my hair I soaking wet. Jean-Paul is going to kill me for not drying it."

He walked to me and bent down, whispering in my ear, "You're right, Rachel is adorable. You just look damn sexy." I smiled bashfully, as Rachel pulled on his pants leg.

"I want to know the secret."

He bent down to eye level with her. "I just told her that if we hurry we'll stop at Starbucks."

"Yay!" she squealed running and grabbing both of our sunglasses and purses. She ran and grabbed my hand pulling me to the door. "Can I get hot chocolate?"

"Of course sweetheart, but only if the make it with water instead of milk."

As we walked from the car to Starbucks, held on to Rachel's hand. I mused that passersby probably thought that Rachel was mine and Charlie's, that dream pained my heart.

"Oh my God! It's Shelby Lawson!" I heard someone whisper as we walked into the coffee shop. The woman walked up to me. "I just love your music! I saw Rent like ten times! Can I have your autograph?"

I smiled and asked the woman her name and signed her paper. When the woman walked away Rachel turned to me. "Aunt Bee? Why did that woman want you to write your name on that paper?"

"Well when you are in movies or on Broadway people want you to do that, because it shows that you took enough time out of your life to do something for them."

"Oh." She pondered this for a moment. "When I'm on Broadway, will people want my autograph?"

I nodded and she smiled. While we were waiting for our drinks, Charlie grabbed a cup holder and asked the barista for a Sharpie. "Miss Rachel Berry?" he asked and she looked up at him. "May I have your autograph?" she smiled and stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth as she focused on writing her name really pretty.

I mouthed a quick "thank you".

"Here you go sir," she said handing it back to him. "Mr. Charlie? Why did you want my au…. otter…. auo…name? Why did you want me to do that?"

"Because you are a very important person in your aunt's life, and to me, that's better than being in movies or on Broadway."

"That's sweet." She turned to me. "That deserves a kiss, Aunt Bee." I giggled.

"Don't you think kisses are gross?"

"No, I think they're sweet and romantical. So go on, kiss him."

"Rachel, baby, we aren't together."

"But that doesn't mean you can't kiss him! Go on Aunt Bee! Or are you scared?"

I scoffed and turned to Charlie quickly pulling his mouth in for a quick kiss. When we pulled away, both of us just stared in shock of what had just happened.

"Charlie. Shelby. Rachel." The barista called, pulling us out of our reverie. We got our drinks and were on our way.

I was right Jean-Paul was angry. He fussed the entire time he did my hair and makeup. Rachel and I exchanged funny faces before she started mocking him from behind his back. Soon I was under the lights and they were taking pictures. I saw Rachel and Charlie talking intently as she watched my every move. I walked over to her during my break. "Hey sweetpea," I smiled lifting her, taking her seat, and settling her on my lap.

"Aunt Bee, you're so pretty," she said brushing her little hand over my cheek.

"Thanks, Baby. You're beautiful." She smiled and buried her face in my neck, playing with my necklace. "Are you tiered, babe?"

"No, you just smell good too," she took an over exaggerated breath as if to prove a point. Charlie mouthed that he would be back and moved away giving us some privacy. "I missed you, Aunt Bee."

"I missed you too baby." I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her forehead.

"I'm having so much fun with you. This is way better than snuggling in bed… ok maybe not better but pretty close. Can I sleep in your room tonight Aunt Bee Bee?"

"Of course baby. You can always sleep with me, no matter what."

"Shelby, break's over." The photographer called and I reluctantly got up placing her back into her seat.

"Hey, Shelby, do you mind if I showed Rach around?" Charlie asked coming up to me before I stepped on the tarp.

I smiled, "That's fine." The photo shoot continued and was finally over. The photographer hadn't even put his camera down when Charlie called out that he needed more pictures.

"Charlie!" I growled in frustration.

"But I don't need them of just Miss Lawson, I need them of Miss Lawson and Miss Berry." I gave him a confused look. He went back to the dressing room and came out, hand in hand, with Rachel who was all dressed up. "We got her hair done and got her a dress but we didn't do makeup because I don't know what her mom would think."

I smiled at him and then pulled Rachel on the tarp with me. We took many pictures and by the time we were back in our own clothes and in the car she was crashed. I turned and watched her sleep. A few tears slipped down my cheeks. I wiped them quickly away to hide them from Charlie but he had already seen them. Charlie reached over and grabbed my hand, caressing it softly in a friendly and comforting manner as he began to speak, "She'll come back over, and I promise I won't book you so full anymore so you can see her more often. I didn't realize she was so special to you. She really looks up to you, you know? Speaking of looks, she looks exactly like you. Are you sure she isn't your daughter?" he joked but I burst into tears. "Oh, God, Shelby I'm sorry. What did I say? Whatever it is I take it back."

"She's mine," I choked between sobs, "She's my baby." I sobbed into my hands and he ran his hand up and down my back trying to be comforting but I knew that he had a million questions. We pulled up to my building and I jumped out and around to her seat.

"Here, let me carry her up," I looked up frightfully up at him. "I won't ask any questions. I'm sure you'll tell me when you're ready. Just let me help." I nodded and stepped back. He carried her up the stairs and into my room.

"Will you wait outside while I change her?" he nodded, bent down kissed her forehead, kissed mine, then walked out of my room shutting the door. I pulled her clothes off and put her in her pajama shorts and shirt. Tucking her in, I kissed her head. "I love you so much, baby. I love you so much." With another kiss to her head I pulled away and got ready for bed myself, needing time to collect my thoughts before talking to Charlie. I walked out of my room and found him in the living room staring at the ceiling. When he saw me coming, he stood up. At my tears he pulled me to his chest and I wrapped my arms around his waist. "Will you just hold me for a minute because once I tell you, you're going to hate me."

"I won't hate you, but I'll hold you for as long as you need. That's what friends do." I reveled in the comfort in his arms for a while before I finally got up the courage to speak.

"I was young," I began. "Her father was some pianist and he was a deadbeat. I'll tell you about him later. When I got pregnant, he wanted me to get and abortion! An abortion! I left him. Maybe he was right, maybe I wasn't ready to be a parent but I sure as hell wasn't going to kill her." He nodded and I buried my face further into his chest. "Kate helped me the whole time that I was pregnant. Then after I had her I continued to audition and hang out with my friends. Don't get me wrong, I loved Rachel, but Kate always seemed to do the mothering part. Then I got the job on Rent. I worked my butt off. I still cared for her but only when I wasn't doing something else. Then we went away for a two-week intensive workshop. I missed seeing her face. I missed bathing her. I missed nursing her. I missed her. I realized how awful of a mother I had been so I told Jonathan that I didn't want to do it anymore, my baby came first. B-but when I got home," I sobbed for a couple minutes. "I ran up the stairs like five at a time trying to get to my baby, I walked into the house and scooped her into my arms. 'Hey baby, mama's home.' And she cooed 'Bee Bee'. I pulled away and asked her what she said. She pointed to me and said 'Bee Bee'" I broke down again completely soaking his shirt through. "I said 'No baby, I'm mama' she pointed to Kate and said 'mama'. I broke down and cried. Kate tried to console me but I pushed her away grabbed my stuff and my baby and went away. For two weeks I tried to get Rachel to call me mama. For two weeks she cried and cried and cried, and so did I. So I went back to Kate and Rachel jumped into her arms squealing 'mama'. A few months later I signed the papers and Kate was Rachel's legal mother. I just gave up on her! I've tried to get her back but every time I try everyone tells me how wrong it would be. I've lost her. I'm terrified every day that Kate will take her away completely because Rachel and I are so close. I just want my baby. I want to be able to hold her when she cries. Be there when she's sick. Kiss her boo-boos," I sobbed. "I just want my baby." I cried into his arms for three hours.

"Aunt Bee Bee! Where are you?" Rachel called sleepily slightly panicked, apparently scared at waking up alone.

"I'm in here baby, saying goodnight to Mr. Charlie, I'll be there in a second."

"OK!" she called back.

"I guess I had better go," he whispered into my hair, "Are you going to be ok?"

"For now, I have her tonight," I smiled a smile that didn't reach my eyes as I walked him to the door. He stopped me before I opened the door.

He kissed my forehead, "I don't hate you. You're doing the best you can, and if you need me to hold you when she leaves I will spend the night. No talking required. No strings attached. Just a friend being a friend." I sighed and hugged him tightly, kissing him once again on the cheek.

"Thank you," I whispered before letting him out. I locked the door and turned out all the lights. I walked into my bedroom and crawled into bed. Thinking she was still asleep, I let out a small sniffle.

"Why are you crying, Aunt Bee Bee?" she whispered as she crawled over to where I was and sat up by my chest so she could see my face.

"It's nothing sweetheart, I'm just tiered and over emotional," I lied. Her little hand brushed away my tears and I grabbed it, kissing it softly.

"I love you, Aunt Bee Bee. Does that make you feel better?" I wrapped her in my arms.

"Yes baby. That makes it so much better."

"Good," she stated as she laid her head on my chest, drawing little lines on my stomach with her fingers.

"I love you baby."

"I love you all the way to the moon and back, Aunt Bee." I smiled and held her closer, letting a few tears fall down my face as her hand stilled and her breathing evened out.

A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Please Review and let me know what you think!

Lizzy

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