This was removed from the site so I had to repost it.

Sometimes I think about you.
Wonder if you're out there somewhere thinkin' about me.
And would you even recognize,
The woman that your little girl has grown up to be.
Cuz I look in the mirror and all I see,
Are your brown eyes looking back at me.
They're the only thing you ever gave to me at all.

Rachel's softly sweet voice filled the bar, captivating the each and every person in the room. No one moved in inch, no one asked for another beer, no one made their way to the door. They watched as the sorrowful girl sang on about the one person missing in her life. The one person who walked out on her so many times in high school. The one person she needed tonight.

Rachel was doing it all, going to school full time, auditions in her down time and singing in bars each night to get extra money so she didn't have to rely on her dads so much. Kurt had come with her to NYADA but left 2 months later as he got the role of Fiyero in Wicked. Rachel had auditioned for Elphaba but was told she needed a little more work in the acting department. They loved her voice but she wasn't what they were looking for. It hurt Rachel to be told that but it was alright because she still had her dreams and wasn't going to give up on them. Broadway would be hers one day just not today.

Oh I hear the weather's nice in California. There's sunny skies as far as I can see.
If you ever come back home to Carolina.
I wonder what you'd say to me.

The 18 year old wasn't the only lonely heart in New York. Shelby wandered the dark and slick streets, looking for a place to bring her solace in this crazy world that she created. Why she kept walking out on Rachel, she had no idea. The girl was everything she wanted but Shelby couldn't let herself get close to Rachel. Sure she wasn't a baby anymore but she was still her daughter. As she continued her walk, Shelby was stopped by the distant singing. She knew who that voice belonged too.

"It couldn't be." Shelby whispered to she was right, it was Mother's Day after all and Shelby was drowning in self pity of not having Rachel or Beth with her to celebrate. She was sure it was just her brain playing tricks on her but she still had to find out.

Walking across the street, Shelby followed the voice until she came to a stop right in front of the small bar. Through the window, she saw her little girl. She sounded amazing but looked even better. Rachel seemed like she was doing well for herself and even looked back remembering the times she sang in bars during her college years to earn an extra buck. She watched the petite girl's fingers strum over the guitar and wondered if she should go in. Rachel probably hated her but Shelby was going to hate herself even more if she allowed this chance to slip between her fingers.

Pushing the door open, Shelby was instantly pulled into the trance Rachel had created. Sitting at the bar, she watched as Rachel performed.

I think about how it ain't fair.
That you weren't there to braid my hair like mothers do.
You weren't around to cheer me on.
Help me dress for my high school prom like mothers do.
Did you think I didn't need you here.
To hold my hand, to dry my tears.
Did you even miss me through the years at all?

"What can I get you?" The bartender whispered.

"Her." Shelby whispered back, nodding towards Rachel. "I want to talk to her."

"Who, Rachel?"

"Yes."

"Then go up to her after she's done. Her two hours is up in 5 minutes." The bartender said, finding this whole conversation odd. He also couldn't help but notice how much the two looked a like. When Shelby didn't ask for a drink, he went back to serve other customers.

Oh I hear the weather's nice in California. There's sunny skies as far as I can see.
If you ever come back home to Carolina.
I wonder what you'd say to me.

Forgiveness.
Such a simple word.
But its so hard to do.
When you've been hurt.

Oh I hear the weather's nice in California.
And just in case you're wondering about me.
From now on I won't be in Carolina
Your little girl is off...
Your little girl is off...
Your little girl is off to Tennessee

Both Rachel and Shelby had tears in the corners of their eyes as Rachel perfectly sang the last note. The crowd cheered and even a few stood up.

"Thank you." Rachel smiled into the microphone. She stood up and placed the guitar against the wall and walked back to take the microphone off the stand. "This next song, is one that is close to my heart and always reminds me that there will be light at the end of a dark and lonely road. That someday there is a time for all of us."

There's a place for us
Somewhere a place for us
Peace and quiet and open air
Wait for us
Somewhere

Rachel began to sing the next line but was stopped when she heard someone else joining in.

There's a time for us
Someday a time for us
Time together with time to spare
Time to learn, time to care
Someday!

Shelby mustered up all her courage and walked towards the makeshift stage, singing to her daughter. Rachel was stunned and almost forgot what she was singing.

Somewhere
We'll find a new way of living

We'll find a way of forgiving
Somewhere

Shelby reached Rachel and stood in front of her, reaching for her hand.

There's a place for us
A time and place for us
Hold my hand and we're halfway there
Hold my hand and I'll take you there
Somehow
Someday
Somewhere...

The impromptu duet was well received by the customers and some even shouted for an encore. Rachel dropped Shelby's hand and turned around to pack up her guitar. Grabbing her purse and school bag, Rachel turned back to Shelby, finally addressing her.

"What are you doing here?"

"I heard you singing from the street and wanted to come in and talk to you."

"About what?"

"I made a mistake."

"You made several." Rachel corrected as the walked to the bartender who paid Rachel her money and the girl continued for the door.

"I know and I am sorry." Shelby exclaimed as they got outside.

"Sorry can't fix things. You can't just walk out of my life, come back in, sing a fucking song with me and try to make it work with me." Rachel yelled, spinning on her heel to look at her mother. "You can't keep doing that to me. When you came back to Ohio to teach at McKinley, you said you wanted to reach out to me but all you did was worry about Beth and Quinn and sleeping with Puck."

"You told me during your private rehearsal that there wasn't a place for us."

"To be a family right away. That shouldn't have stopped you from trying."

"I didn't know what you wanted Rachel. I thought that you asking me to write you a reference letter to NYADA was your way of telling me that we can try but after that you acted as though I wasn't even around. You wouldn't even acknowledge that I was in the choir room."

"So now this is my fault because I made the woman who walked out on me feel as though she was invisible?" Rachel screamed. "That's how you made me feel. You didn't try to talk to me when you saw me in the halls or when you were monitoring my lunch hour. You didn't try to console me when I was banned from performing at Sectionals. You couldn't even tell me that you quit teaching."

"Because I didn't think you cared anymore." Shelby said, trying to keep her cool even though the teen was yelling at her.

"I have always cared." Rachel said, choking up at her own admission. She pursed her lips and looked down before looking back at Shelby. "I have always cared about you and wanted you to feel the same way towards me."

"Rachel, just because I did those things doesn't mean I didn't care." Shelby said, taking a step towards Rachel.

"You have a funny way of showing it." Rachel muttered. She wiped her eyes and glanced at her watch. "I have to go, I have school in the morning."

"Can we at least talk again?" Shelby asked before Rachel could walk away. Rachel gave a small hesitant nod and Shelby reached into her handbag, pulling out one of her Vocal Lesson business cards. "Here's my number, call me when you are ready to talk. I'll be waiting."

"Okay." Rachel said and slipped the card into her purse before she headed off to her apartment.

Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about my other stories. They will be updated before the end of the weekend.