Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or any of its characters. Obviously it would have went into an alternate version then.

Prologue

The day Shelby Corcoran decided Vocal Adrenaline needed a new male lead she knew her daughter wouldn't be much pleased with it. Outraged maybe. Definitely for sure.

Not that her current male lead couldn't sing but there was something that missed when he sung. Shelby didn't know if it was the passion she once used to have as a show choir lead. She didn't know what he could do to improve his skills. She didn't know if it was just that she didn't think that he could keep up with Vocal Adrenaline's female lead. And she for sure didn't know if she just disliked him a little for dating her female lead, her daughter Rachel.

Rachel Berry had always known that she was going to be a star someday. And Shelby wanted to support her because she knew that this was going to happen.

And maybe, just maybe, Shelby wanted to support her in other ways than what Rachel could have wanted.

Shelby knew the day she decided Vocal Adrenaline needed a new male lead was the day she could dissociate herself from Rachel. Even if it was unwanted. Even if she just wanted to make her daughters dreams come true.

But that didn't stop her. Rachel didn't need her mother in her life as long as she could become a star, could make her dreams come true.

And in order to do so she wanted the best male lead available. The best male lead, a boy who could keep up with Rachel, who wouldn't need Rachel to lower her power of voice in order to harmonize somewhat nicely.

And Rachel did have a voice. She knew how to play with it. She could do everything with it even at fifteen. And Shelby was proud of it. This one thing Rachel got because of her mother. The thing that definitely told people they were related, besides the obvious looks of course. Singing was the one thing that united mother and daughter. That made them an invincible team. Two nationals titles had proved.

Even if it meant to get a new male lead and kick her daughters boyfriend out of that position.

Shelby Corcoran knew her daughter wouldn't be pleased with it but she did it anyway.

Even if it meant trouble.

Even if her new male lead would become the biggest rival of her daughter.

Even if Jesse St. James would be able to become Shelby's one great regret.

March 28, 2014