A/N: In the Christmas spirit and just wanted to try my hand at some holiday fluff (and ok angst) with our favorite mother/daughter pair, so here's a one-shot for you guys.

Also I know canon Rachel is proudly Jewish and I'm not trying to diminish that or disregard that at all. In this AU, she and her parents celebrate both! Keep in mind this is AU and fiction. Thanks! Hope you all enjoy this!


Dear Santa,

This year I would like to ask you for only one thing. I don't want any toys. All I want for Christmas is a mommy. I have a dad and a daddy and they love me and take good care of me. They also like to sing and dance with me, which is my favorite thing to do. I love them so much but I would also like a mommy. Sometimes it feels like I have a missing piece in my heart and I was thinking that maybe having a mommy could help fill that. I was hoping that you could send me a mommy who is really nice, funny, and pretty. If it's not too much, I would like someone who will help me braid my hair, shop with me, sing me to sleep, and do other things mommies do. If you can't make this happen, then I understand, but I really hope that you do. I believe in you Santa. Please say hi to the elves and give the reindeers some carrots for me.

Love,

Rachel Barbra Berry

P.S. Ms. Pillsbury helped me write my letter. I hope that isn't cheating.

"Has she—"

"No, she hasn't talked to me about this," LeRoy answered, completing his husband's thoughts. They've been together for more than a dozen years now, married for ten, parents for eight. He knew Hiram better than he knew himself. And likewise.

"But—"

"I know. I was shocked too, my love."

"How—"

"Her teacher, Ms. Pillsbury, talked to me when I picked her up earlier. They did a class activity today and every kid had to write a letter to Santa. She said that she usually collects them and mails them to the parents, but she gave me Rachel's personally because she was concerned."

"What do we—"

"Do? I'm not entirely sure. I mean, to be honest, I haven't really thought about—"

"Shelby—"

"—in forever," LeRoy finished his sentence, his lips quirking into an amused smile. Even after all these years, the way they seemed to fit together, in heart and in mind, just right, never failed to amaze him.

"You know... she looks just like her," Hiram said, his voice soft, mixed with another emotion that LeRoy can't quite pinpoint yet.

Taking his thick-rimmed glasses off, he set them and the letter down on the bedside table then turned to face his partner.

"I know," LeRoy responded in a gentle timbre when he made eye contact with Hiram. "It's more noticeable as she gets older. She's even like her too. I mean, we're both tone deaf, so you know Rachel's talent is from her."

"That's true," Hiram laughed softly, grazing a hand across his scraggly beard as his mind wandered. "We liked Shelby… didn't we?"

"We loved her," LeRoy corrected, taking his husband's other free hand in his own, savoring in the familiar comfort.

As a man living in Lima, Ohio, married to another man, finding a way to have a family was difficult. They found that adoption agencies were less than willing to send a child home with gay parents. They tried for months, years even. Rejection wearing them down, they decided to take fate into their own hands. They placed an ad for a surrogate and one week later met Shelby Corcoran: a newly-minted college graduate with a one-track mind to New York and Broadway. And she was perfect.

Shelby was beautiful, intelligent, wildly talented, and more importantly, willing to walk away. They paid her a handsome amount of money to chase her dreams and in return she gave them their baby girl.

Eight-year-old Rachel Barbra Berry and her dramatic, strong-willed, and kind hearted personality is everything that LeRoy and Hiram could've ever dreamed of. She's their entire world.

"We did," Hiram shook his head in agreement. "But the contract?"

"Can be changed? I think we were all just scared and felt like we needed to protect ourselves, protect Rachel," LeRoy contemplated, squeezing Hiram's hand comfortingly. "But that was eight years ago and Shelby's kept her promise."

"You do remember how hard it was for her at the end, right?" Hiram's voice trailed off, currently being transported to the back-then.

The expectant fathers noticed that the further along that Shelby got into the pregnancy, the more she began to truly understand what she was giving up. They watched her fall deeply in love with the little girl growing inside of her. The young woman spent hours serenading the baby in her stomach and talked to her constantly about everything from Barbra to New York.

One day, when Hiram and LeRoy overheard Shelby call herself mom, they decided to bring up the contract. They were advised to encourage the surrogate mother to sign a contract stipulating that she would have no contact with the child until it reached legal age. It was to deter Shelby from changing her mind and deciding to keep the baby. It was also to protect them and the family they were trying to build. To their relief, Shelby signed it no questions asked. And eight years later, she's kept her word and her distance. The two men haven't seen or heard from the woman since the day that Rachel was born.

"I do," LeRoy recalled wistfully. "But Shelby was a baby then too. She wasn't ready to be a mom as much as she might have wanted Rachel."

"Were we wrong to keep them apart?" Hiram asked, fear and uncertainty laced in his voice. "I mean you read the letter, Rachel feels like something is missing? Are we enough?"

"Babe, ouch, you're gripping too hard," LeRoy hissed as he pried his hand away then stretched the tender limbs.

"Sorry," Hiram apologized, taking back his husband's hand and giving it a chaste kiss. "I'm sorry, my love. I'm just worried. I just want what's best for our baby."

LeRoy liquified at the affection and the words spoken.

"Of course and I do too," he agreed wholeheartedly. "I don't know. As much as it scares me, Rach is growing up, and sooner rather than later, she's going to be a teenager, and there are certain things that perhaps a mother can teach her. And I-I'm not afraid anymore to realize that. If this what Rachel really wants or maybe even needs, I think that there's room for all three of us in her life."

Hiram nodded his head scarcely and exhaled a breath as a long sigh. He glanced over at the letter and picked it up again, reading through certain lines again for the second time.

"Why couldn't Rach have asked for a doll like any other eight-year-old?" Hiram groaned deeply. "Or I'll even settle for a puppy at this point; you know, something easier."

"Have you met our daughter?" LeRoy laughed in amusement. "Since when have things ever been easy with our little princess?"

"Right," Hiram chuckled as he threw the covers off his side and got up off the bed.

"Where are you going?" LeRoy questioned, brows knitting as he watched his husband put his glasses back on then slip his robe around his body.

"To get our baby girl what she wants for Christmas," Hiram decided, extending his hand out to his partner. "And in order to do that, we have to find Shelby. We have less than a week. Are you with me?"

Smiling, LeRoy accepted his husband's hand and also rose to his feet.

"Always," he promised with a determined nod. "Let's get to work, Santa."


The day before Winter Break was always Rachel's favorite day of the school year. Not only did they get to have their class holiday party, which meant lots of snacks and candy; it was also early dismissal for their two-week-long break. It was exciting and always lots of fun, but the best part of it all for the third grader was the Winter Holiday Assembly.

As tradition, the Lima Elementary School symphonic band treated their peers with Christmas music and their principal read "The Night Before Christmas" while some of the popular teachers acted out the beloved story.

Rachel loved it all, but what she waited for patiently all year long was the chance to watch them: The Carmel High School Show Choir. Every year, Vocal Adrenaline would come and perform for the grade school kids. And the first time Rachel saw them, she almost couldn't believe her eyes.

She was in complete awe at the costumes, the singing, the dancing, the talent, the everything that is the glamor of high school show choir. Her then six-year-old mind was blown away and she's been obsessed ever since. For the Broadway dreamer, it was the closest thing she had to showbiz in Central Ohio.

And this year, the show choir team did not disappoint. In fact, it was the best that Rachel's ever seen them. To her wonder, they absolutely shattered all of her expectations.

"That was amazing!" Rachel exclaimed from her position on the bleachers. She clapped her hands excitedly as she watched the remaining Vocal Adrenaline members hustle off the makeshift stage in the gymnasium. As the last of the glitter and sequins disappeared, she finally peeled her eyes away and turned to face her best friend Kurt Hummel.

Rachel knows that she's not the most popular kid in her class; she's kind of loud and a little too honest, and she has different interests than most of her other peers. She loves singing and acting, musicals and Broadway, probably more than an eight-year-old should, but that didn't matter to her because she got to share all of that with her best friend Kurt. They met the first day of kindergarten when she chose Belle's costume and he picked the Beast costume from the dress-up chest at the same time, and they've been inseparable ever since.

"They were so good!" Kurt nodded delightedly in agreement. "Weren't they sooo much better than last year? I can't believe they did Frozen!"

"I know, can you even believe that girl who sang Let It Go?" Rachel squealed. She was on a high. In her mind, nothing compared to the magic of a live musical performance. "And did you see all the costumes, Kurt! It was all so, so, so fantastic."

"I can't wait until we can join show choir, I bet we'll be just as good."

"Oh definitely," Rachel shook her head with total conviction. "We'll be even better. The duet of Love is an Open Door was so awesome! Maybe we can practice that together over break?"

"We have to! I'll ask my mommy if you can come over. What are you and your daddies doing over the break?" Kurt asked as he got up to follow the rest of their classmates down the risers to go back to class.

"Hmm, I'm not sure yet. I think we're seeing the Nutcracker and then seeing my Nanna and Gramps in Columbus and then going ice skating," Rachel rattled off in one big breath. "But I'll definitely ask my dad and daddy if we can hang out."

"Hurry up, freaks," Noah Puckerman urged as he shoved his way through the pair, causing Rachel to miss the last step of the bleachers and trip over herself.

"Rachel!" Kurt gasped and grabbed her arm quickly before she fell on her face. Helping her stand on solid ground, he looked over his best friend with concern. "Oh my gosh, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," Rachel responded breathlessly, shaking herself off, then allowing fear to turn into anger a second later as she turned around and glared at the perpetrator. "Noah! You could've seriously hurt me!"

"It's Puck," Noah corrected. "And if you losers weren't too busy talking about lame musicals, then you wouldn't be holding up the line."

"Get a life, Noah," Rachel countered back, small hands making its way to her hips and an irate expression taking over her entire face. "And stop calling us freaks, we did nothing wrong."

"You're right. Kurt's just a loser, but you're the one who's a freak," Noah spat back. "You're the one with two dads and no mom because she probably didn't want you. No wonder you're so weird."

Rachel instantly recoiled and took half a step back as if she'd just been struck. Her heart pounding, she felt heat flush down her body from her head to her toes.

"Hey!" Kurt roared with a strong voice that defied his small size. "That's not cool, Noah. Rachie is not a freak."

Kurt took a defensive step forward and tried to get in between the two before Rachel grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

"It's okay, Kurtie," Rachel whispered and forced herself to give him a slight smile. Pushing down her anger like her dads have always taught her when faced with these situations, Rachel stood up straighter, squared her little shoulders, and narrowed her eyes at the boy. "I don't know why you're so angry, Noah, but there's nothing wrong with having two daddies. They're the best dads in the world, and I'm proud of them no matter what you say!"

Not interested in an answer, Rachel turned sharply on her heel and stormed away, weaving her way through the crowded gymnasium. Ignoring the calls after her, she pushed the doors open and walked down the hallway in a half-sprint. She knows that she shouldn't let what stupid Noah Puckerman thinks get to her, but she couldn't help but feel hurt anyway. She doesn't understand why it's even a big deal that she has two dads anyway. And she doesn't really care. It was the mom comment that got to her. It always did.

Not paying attention to her surroundings, Rachel rounded the corner in haste and immediately bumped into a tall back with such force that knocked her to the ground.

"Oh my God, I am so sorry," the woman turned around then instantly bent down to help her up. "Are you alright?"

"It's okay, sorry, I-I think I ran into you," Rachel accepted the woman's hand to help herself up then brushed down her skirt once she gained her footing. She sniffled loudly then wiped away tears she didn't even realize she started to cry.

While examining the girl, Shelby Corcoran doesn't know why her heart skipped a beat. The short and petite brunette had on a red headband around her long brown locks. She also wore a white sweater with a reindeer sewed on the center paired with a green corduroy skirt and completed the outfit with knee-high socks and mary jane shoes. She looked like she stepped right out of a Christmas catalogue. She was insanely adorable, but what took Shelby's breath away were the girl's expressive deep brown eyes. Something about them seemed so familiar.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" She asked worriedly, completely unsure why her heart was sagging at the distress marked all over the little girl's face.

"No ma'am," Rachel shook her head pitifully, but subconsciously couldn't help but pout. "I'm okay. I'm not hurt."

Shelby melted at the the girl's long face and suddenly felt a strange surge of protectiveness overcome her. She knows she can probably walk away now and it wouldn't be weird at all, but something inside of her was screaming at her to stay. Glancing at her watch, she realized she had a few more minutes before she had to meet her kids at the bus. She looked around the hallway and noticed that they were all alone. How was that even possible?

Sighing because she doesn't know what's possessing her to do this, she knelt down so she could be at eye-level with the girl and gave her a small smile once she met her gaze.

"Good, I'm glad you're not hurt, but you are still crying, so will you please tell me what's the matter?" She prodded gently before she could change her mind. This was so unlike her.

She watched the girl shift nervously on her feet while a range of emotions flit across her face.

Unsure of what to do, Rachel remained silent. She allowed herself to study the woman in front of her for the first time and decided that she was probably the prettiest lady she's ever seen. She liked how if she really looked really closely, they sorta kinda looked alike.

"What's your name?" Shelby prompted, recognizing that she probably needed to take the lead here. "I'm Shelby. Shelby Corcoran. I'm Vocal Adrenaline's head coach."

Rachel's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in shock.

"You are?" The girl inquired incredulously. "That's so cool! I love Vocal Adrenaline! You guys were so good. I first saw you when I was in first grade and you were good then, but you seem sooo much better this year. All the Frozen was ah-mazing. Me and my bestest friend Kurt love you guys. We both sing and dance and we want to be in show choir when we're older too!"

Shelby felt an intense form of whiplash from the complete 180 on emotions from the small child. All traces of sadness seemingly vanished, Shelby felt herself release a breath she didn't even know she was holding and relaxed. Smiling at the girl's contagious enthusiasm, she chuckled slightly in amusement.

"Oh sorry Coach Coroc-Corc—"

"Corcoran," Shelby grinned, helping the girl with the pronunciation.

"Coach Corcoran," Rachel flushed red. "I just love music and theater so much. I think show choir is super awesome and I can't wait to do it when I'm in high school. Vocal Adrenaline is the best. I don't think I'll be going to Carmel, but I so wish I was!"

Rachel gave her a toothy grin once she finished rambling and Shelby was certain right then and there that this was one of the most adorable kids she's ever met.

"I'm so glad to hear that you like Vocal Adrenaline," Shelby said honestly once she finally got a word in. "I actually just took over as the head coach. I recently moved back here from New York City."

"You did?" Rachel gaped. "I love New York too! I want to be on Broadway when I grow up! Why would you come back?! When I go to New York, I'm staying forever and ever and ever."

Shelby doesn't know why she was offering this random little girl so much personal information, but she decided it was worth it seeing the pure look of disbelief in her reaction. She forgot how candid children can be.

"I do love New York too, but I decided it was time for a change," she answered truthfully. "I'm sorry, I don't think I caught your name?"

"Oh sorry, I'm Rachel. Rachel Barbra Berry."

Rachel. Shelby's breath caught in her throat and she stood up to her full height then stepped back so she could look at the girl properly. Tears automatically formed in her green eyes as she looked into the brown ones that belonged to the baby that she held in her arms so long ago. Her heart pounding, a lump formed in her throat and Shelby mustered every bit of strength inside of her to not burst into sobs as recognition finally sunk in at the sight of her little girl.

"Coach Corcoran?" Rachel frowned at the reaction.

Fighting down the shock, Shelby drew in a deep, shaky breath, as if she had forgotten how to breathe for a minute. She gathered her thoughts as quickly as she could then knelt back down to face the young girl.

"R-Rachel? How old are you?" She asked cautiously, clearing her throat.

"I just turned eight three days ago," Rachel responded, furrowing her brows together at the random question. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No. No, I'm sorry," Shelby began damage control. She was close to losing it but she wouldn't fall apart now, not in front of meeting her for the first time. "So you are—you're eight?"

"Yes," Rachel replied in a 'duh I just told you' kind of tone. She was so confused at how this lady was acting all of a sudden.

"And you—you like to sing?" Shelby asked. Her mind was racing at a million miles per second and that was the first thing she could think to ask. She wanted to know everything about her baby, desperately.

"I do!" Rachel brushed off all the weirdness and answered enthusiastically. "I love to sing. My daddies think I can be a star and I sing anything, but I love Broadway the best and I love Barbra Streisand the most. Do you know her?"

"Yes, I know of her," Shelby laughed. Her little girl loves Broadway and Barbra. Just like her.

"Coach Corcoran, you're crying," Rachel stared at her, reaching over with her tiny thumb and gently wiping away her tears. "I'm sorry."

"What? Oh Rachel, you have nothing to be sorry for," Shelby leaned over and before she could think about it, pulled her baby in for a hug. Surprised at how Rachel immediately melted into her embrace, she breathed in slowly then held her tight. Everything faded away as she let the seconds slide away and the rightness of it all wash over them.

After a few more moments, Shelby grudgingly let go and instantly blushed beet red.

"I'm so sorry, Rachel," she apologized, realizing how odd it must be for a strange woman to be giving her a hug.

"It's okay," Rachel responded casually, not thinking too much of it. It was a nice hug. It was comforting. It was sort of like her daddies' hugs but different, a little warmer somehow. "Do you feel better? Hugs always make me feel good."

"I do. Thank you, Rachel," she chuckled softly, amused by the child's simple logic. "I—"

"Rachel! There you are!" Emma Pillsbury interrupted as she turned the corner and found her missing student. "I was so worried. What did I say about storming off like that, young lady?"

Shelby's heart sank noticing the girl's entire demeanor shift back to the state she found her in earlier.

"I'm sorry Ms. Pillsbury," Rachel apologized earnestly. "It's just that Noah's been—"

"Noah's picking on you again?" Emma lowered her voice and softened her entire stance. "I'm sorry Rachel, and we will talk more about this later, but you also know better than to just run away from the class."

Noah? Shelby felt her protective instincts kick in. Who was Noah and why was he picking on her kid?

"I know," Rachel whispered and dropped her head. "I am sorry. I was going to go right back but—"

"Oh, hello!" Emma snapped her attention to the other woman. "I didn't see you there, who are you? I'm Emma Pillsbury, I teach third grade."

"I'm Shelby Corcoran," she offered her hand but still kept her eyes on Rachel. "I'm the show choir coach at Carmel."

"Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you," Emma accepted the handshake. "Your team put on a truly wonderful performance earlier."

"Thank you," Shelby said appreciatively, turning to meet her gaze. She liked this woman, she seemed genuinely kind. She snuck another peek at Rachel who seemed to grow more nervous by the second and decided to help the kid out. "I'm afraid it's my fault that my—uh—Rachel's been gone so long. We sort of bumped into each other and then got to talking. Rachel was just telling me she likes to sing."

"Oh, I see," Emma nodded her head in understanding. "Yes, our Rachel is a fantastic singer. She's a real star on our choir."

Shelby doesn't know who was beaming more at the praise: her or her kid, but on the inside she was turning into a huge pile of mush at the fact that her baby girl inherited at least one thing from her.

"That's lovely," Shelby grinned widely and turned back to the young singer. "I hope you keep up the good job and work hard, Rachel. Maybe one day I'll see you at a show choir competition."

"Oh you will Coach Corcoran, I promise, I really will!" Rachel pledged, severe enough to sound like an unbreakable vow.

"Well Rach, tell Ms. Corcoran thank you for taking the time to talk to you," Emma cut into the conversation. "We should get back to class and get our party started, huh kiddo?"

"Yeah," Rachel deflated a bit. She doesn't know why, but she doesn't want to say goodbye yet to this woman.

She looked at Shelby first then back to Emma and then unexpectedly slammed herself into Shelby and wrapped her arms around her waist. Shelby didn't waste a second returning the hug and squeezed the girl gently, taking advantage of the opportunity to try to pour all of her love into her.

After a few seconds, Shelby swallowed thickly finally grasping the significance of seeing Rachel. Until this moment, her daughter had just been a figment of her imagination, the subject of her dreams, the face that she searched for in crowds. But holding her little girl right now, Shelby realized that Rachel was better than what she ever came up with in her head, and her heart was breaking into a million pieces knowing that she had to let go. After all, she wasn't really hers.

"Thank you, Coach Corcoran," Rachel mumbled against her shirt then pulled away reluctantly.

"You're very welcome, Rachel," Shelby said softly, already missing the physical contact between them. "It was really nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Rachel beamed. She couldn't believe that the coach of the Vocal Adrenaline seems to like her. She couldn't wait to tell Kurt.

Shelby couldn't help but reach out again and very carefully tucked a strand of hair behind her daughter's delicate ear.

"I—I hope you have a Merry Christmas, Rachel," Shelby said, her hand lingering for a moment as she cupped her face tenderly, trying to ingrain this moment and her daughter's beautiful face into her memory.

"You too!" Rachel leaned into the affection. "I hope Santa brings you what you want this year."

"Come along, Rachel," Emma chuckled, shooting Shelby a knowing look and smile. "Let's get you back to Mr. Hummel, who's just a little more than worried about you."

Rachel took Emma's hand and began to follow her lead. Before the turned the corner, she looked back and gave Shelby her best megawatt smile and small wave.

Shelby felt her knees buckle slightly and she forced herself to wave back. Yeah. So much better than she could've ever imagined.


Rachel spent the rest of the school day thinking about Shelby Corcoran. She couldn't get her out of head and talked Kurt's ear off about her. There was something about her that just made her feel comfortable. It was something in the way that she looked at her, talked to her, and even hugged her that made her feel really nice inside. She thought about her so much that she decided if she could rewrite her letter to Santa, she'd ask for a mommy exactly like Shelby Corcoran.

Rachel was deep in thought while she waited for her daddy LeRoy to pick her up from school. She was leaned all the way back against the bench by the front office, kicking the air absentmindedly since her feet couldn't reach the floor. She was one of the last ones to get picked up and she really couldn't wait to get back home and start her winter break. Her first order of business was making her daddies watch the Blu-Ray DVD of The Polar Express that Kurt just gifted her with.

Gasping dramatically because she just realized she forgot it in her cubby, she jumped up off her seat and scurried down the hallway back to their classrom.

She was almost there when she stopped dead in her tracks suddenly hearing a loud, startling clang against metal and a woman's voice raised in anger down the hallway. Uncertain of what to do, she stayed rooted in her spot hesitant to make another move in fear of drawing any attention to herself.

"Noah! Don't kick that!" The woman scolded, holding the boy back from taking another powerful kick against the defenseless locker. "You're going to hurt yourself! What is going on with you, Noah?"

"I told you! It's Puck!" Noah yelled back at his mom, clenching his jaw and balling his fists up.

Denise Puckerman winced at the amount of venom in her son's voice. She's trying. She's trying so hard to keep it together, but she doesn't even recognize the little boy standing in front of her anymore. He's been so distant and angry ever since—ever since he left.

Sighing, she grabbed Noah's shoulders firmly and crouched down following his gaze until they made eye contact.

"Noah, look at me," she demanded then continued once he complied. "You are not Puck, you are Noah. And all of this, the disrespecting your teachers, the bullying, and the stealing, Noah, ends now. This is not like you at all. I know I've taught you better. I mean what were you thinking trying to steal someone else's toys? You know better than that!"

"I took it for Becca!" Noah confessed, forcibly pulling his shoulders away from his mother's grip. "I just—I wanted to get her something cause we didn't—you couldn't get us toys this year for Hanukkah and I just wanted to get her something she can play with. You said I gotta take care of her now, right?"

"Oh Noah," Denise shook her head in shock, feeling a mixture of disappointment at the action and pride at the intention. "I never said you have to take care of your little sister. I just said you had to help, and that absolutely does not mean stealing to get her presents, little man. Listen. I know things have been difficult since your dad left, and I know that I've been working a ton too, but the acting out, the getting in trouble isn't helping. Do you hear me, Noah? It stops now."

Refusing to answer, he kept his eyes down and scuffed the tiled floor with his Captain America sneakers. Noah himself was very confused with his own behavior. He was so angry at his dad for leaving them without warning. It did make him feel bad when he hurt his mom's feelings, but he couldn't seem to help himself. He knew he wasn't helping his mom every single time he acted out, but he couldn't seem to control the way his anger and resentment bubbled over into his actions.

He looked up warily but his gaze fell immediately fell from his mother's eyes, unable to take the disappointment in them. He turned his head to right instead and unexpectedly caught Rachel standing frozen in place a few feet away.

"Rachel Barbra! There you are!" LeRoy called after his daughter, startling everyone. All three jerked their attention to the sight of the tall and handsome curly-haired man walking down the hallway with a purposeful stride.

In the same moment, Emma opened the door out of her classroom, a little bewildered by the scene she just walked into.

"Rachel, honey, why weren't you up at the front waiting for me?" LeRoy questioned his daughter once he closed the distance between them.

"Sorry daddy, I was just—" she ignored all of the adults staring at her and set her eyes on Noah instead, who for once didn't have a smug expression on his face, but instead looked somewhat embarrassed, if Rachel had to guess.

"I forgot something in my cubby and I wanted to go back and get it," Rachel explained in a half-whisper, grabbing her daddy's hand for comfort. She didn't mean to snoop but she was starting to feel bad about the conversation she just overheard. It didn't settle right in her stomach.

"Oh, why didn't you say so, princess?" LeRoy said, easily allowing the little hand to slip into his. "Come on, let's go and get it."

He walked them towards the classroom and smiled politely at the company at the end of the hall as they approached.

"Hi, I'm LeRoy Berry," he extended his free hand out to the woman he didn't recognize. "I'm one of Rachel's dads."

"Oh, hello," she accepted. "I'm Denise Puckerman. I'm Noah's mom."

"Nice to meet you,Denise, and those are some pretty cool shoes, Noah," he said kindly to the young boy who looked squirmy under his gaze. "Ms. Pillsbury, Rach said she left something in her cubby. Is it alright if she can run in and grab it?"

"Of course," Emma nodded in affirmation. "Go ahead Rachel, it should be unlocked."

Rachel hesitated for a moment before following orders. She stole another glance at Noah before she entered the classroom. Her tummy was tumbling thinking about what she just learned. She had no idea that Noah's dad left. Her own two daddies are so great, so she can't even imagine a world where either one of them would ever willingly walk out on her.

She darted over to her cubby and grabbed the object of her search. She really, really wanted to go home now. However as soon as she approached the door, it flung open, and in walked Noah.

Stopping in her tracks, the two third graders stared at one another silently for a couple seconds.

"Hey—"

"I won't say anything to anyone," the girl blurted out. "I promise."

"Oh—uh, thanks," Noah said sheepishly, starting to regret all the admittedly mean things he's said to her recently.

"Sure," Rachel shrugged it off. She's not going to be best friends with Noah Puckerman anytime soon, but at least now she sorta understands him. "I have to get back to my daddy, but have a good break.. Puck."

"It's Noah," he mumbled, surprising himself and Rachel. He wanted to say more, to apologize maybe. Thinking of his mom outside, he swallowed hard. "Also I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I didn't—uh—your dad seems cool."

"They both are," Rachel responded, holding her head high. The apology doesn't really take away the hurt she's felt over this, but it was a start for the little girl. "I don't have a mommy, but yours seems pretty cool too."

"She is," Noah confirmed. Scratching the back of his head, he gave her a half-smirk. "Sorry again."

"See ya later, Noah," she corrected, returning his smile before moving around him.

As Rachel walked away, the most brilliant idea popped into her head. She just needed her daddies' help. Smiling as she turned the doorknob, she walked back out with a fierce determination. Now she was ready to start her winter break.


It's been forty-eight hours since Shelby's chance encounter with Rachel and she's processed a million and one emotions since then, confusion rising to the top. Once the shock of it all wore off, reality soon followed. The first thought that came to mind after her little girl walked away was the contract. Had she broken it?

Technically, Rachel had bumped into her. She didn't seek her out. There were four elementary schools in Lima, what were the odds that she would take her team to perform to the one her daughter attended? What were the chances that she'd randomly run into her out of all the kids that were there that day? Was it all just a coincidence? Was it fate?

Either way, she decided that she wouldn't allow herself to entertain those thoughts any more than she already has. She couldn't. She's spent the last eight years forcing herself not to indulge in those thoughts. She signed an agreement. She made a promise. She walked away.

Even if she didn't want to. Even when it was the hardest thing she's ever had to do.

But regardless of all her heartbreak over the situation, Shelby can't allow herself to say that she regrets it. Not really. Especially not after seeing Rachel for the first time. Her little girl had grown up to be so smart, kind and confident. She genuinely seemed happy and carefree, and that's all that Shelby's ever wanted for her. It's also what she wanted for the Berry men, whom she truly liked. She really did want to help them build their family.

She also had the assurance that she would be able to forge a relationship with her daughter when she was older to hold on to. She figured that she could explain everything to Rachel when it was time for them to meet and they would go from there.

That was the plan. And the plan absolutely did not include unexpectedly running into the eight-year-old.

But she needed to snap out of it. There was nothing she can do, even if Rachel had mentioned their meeting to the Berry men. She didn't even know how to find them or if they even wanted anything to do with her. She hasn't seen or heard from them since December 18, eight years and five days ago now. Obsessing over it now wasn't going to do anything for her. She simply had to keep going, just as she has been this entire time.

Pulling into her driveway, Shelby let out a long, drawn out sigh as she cut the engine and looked up at her new house. She moved back to Lima after Thanksgiving and she feels like all she's done since then is unpack.

She had gone to New York as planned and although she managed to land a few off-Broadway roles, she hadn't made it like she wanted to. She went to countless of auditions, but she never got the big role. Several casting directors told her that she was missing something, and she knew what it was. She was missing her daughter. Somewhere along the way, she lost her focus and her drive. She didn't want Broadway anymore, she wanted her baby.

Eventually, she decided to shift gears and went back to school to be a teacher, finding that while it wasn't her dream, it did give her purpose again. So when her old high show choir director called her up a month ago to let her know that he was retiring and asked if his star student wanted the job, she found herself accepting. There was nothing left for her in New York anymore. She figured that even if she couldn't be in Rachel's life, she could at least be physically close to her. She just didn't realize that it would literally happen so soon.

Running her hand through her hair, she inhaled deeply again at the thought of everything she had to sort out tonight. It was two days until Christmas and she still had to put up her tree, wrap the remainder of her presents, and bake the cookies she had to bring for the Vocal Adrenaline booth at the Winter Carnival tomorrow. At least she'd be preoccupied so she couldn't fixate on Rachel anymore.

Gathering all of her things, she pulled down her wool hat to brace herself for the bitter Midwestern cold, even if it was a short walk to the front door. Irrationally pressing the car key button multiple times to lock her brand new Range Rover, she kept her eyes trained on the icy walkway. She really needed to salt it tomorrow, and also needed to remember to keep her porch light on so she didn't have to struggle to open the door anymore. There was so much she needed to learn about owning a home.

"Hey there, Shelby!"

Dropping all of her things, she screamed in shock at the unexpected greeting. Her heart racing, she automatically raised her fists up and got into position to fight. She learned how to box her first year in the city.

"Woah, Shelby! I'm sorry, it's me, Hiram," he said with his hands up as he stepped into view. "Hiram Berry."

"Holy crap!" Shelby gasped, dropping her fists and placing her hand on chest as if to physically trap her heart from bursting out. "You came from out of nowhere."

"Oh, sorry!" He apologized, giving her a nervous smile. "Your lights were off but I was standing over there, I thought you saw me on your walk up. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"No, I-I didn't, I, what are you, I'm—" she stammered. Shock and adrenaline still coursing through her body, she paused and tried to catch her breath.

Hiram bit back a smirk at the woman's reaction. In the year that he spent with her, he had not once ever saw Shelby Corcoran as anything but the picture of perfect control, even during childbirth.

"I'm sorry," she tried again while she picked up her keys and purse back up and faced the father of child. "I'm okay. Would you like to come in?"

"I'd love to," the man answered quickly. "If that's okay with you."

Shelby nodded and mustered all the strength she could gather deep inside of her. She didn't even want to think about why Hiram was there right now, she just wanted to get inside of her house and out of the cold. Unlocking the door with a shaky hand, she beckoned Hiram in before crossing the threshold into her home.

"Sorry, it's kind of a mess," Shelby warned as she flipped the lights on. "I'm still unpacking and sort of still pathetically attempting to decorate for the holidays."

"That's alright," Hiram assured, taking off his hat and scanning the room, which seemed more like a controlled and organized mess than anything. "Moving is a terror, but you have a lovely home."

"Thank you," Shelby responded, shedding all of her winter gear then ran her palms down the front her jeans apprehensively. She turned back around and finally allowed herself to examine Hiram for the first time. She doesn't know whether or not take comfort in the fact that he looks just as anxious as she felt. "Do you want to take a seat?"

"Oh sure," Hiram said following her gaze to the couch a few feet away. "Thanks."

"Sure," Shelby said, following him through the room and taking the seat in the armchair directly across from him, awkwardness settling in heavily between them.

"I came because I wanted to—"

"So I take it that Rachel told you—"

They blurted out at the same time, stared at each other, then broke out into laughter in response, effectively lifting some of the tension in the room.

"Sorry, you go first," Shelby chuckled, feeling a little more at ease.

"This is weird, huh?" Hiram shared his observation. "God, I mean, I haven't seen you in so long. You look great, by the way. Beautiful as ever."

"Eight years," Shelby specified. "And thank you. You do as well."

"Right," Hiram nodded. "It's been—hang on, did you just say something about Rachel?"

"Yeah," Shelby answered, confusion spreading across her face. "Isn't that why you're here? To talk about us running into each other the other day because listen Hiram, it was a complete accident, and I didn't tell her who I was-I didn't—"

"Wait, what?" The man questioned, shaking his head in astonishment. "You're the Vocal Adrenaline Coach that Rach met the other day?"

"Yes. Isn't that why you're here?"

"No, Rach keeps talking about it but she never mentioned your name. We just assumed it was some random lady but wow—so you saw her the other day? How was that?"

"Incredible," Shelby answered, seriously and honestly. "She's incredible."

"She is," Hiram grinned in agreement. "Did you notice that she looks just like you?"

Shelby offered a small smile in response and shifted nervously in her seat. She wasn't ready for that comparison yet.

"So why did you—how did you know where to find me?" The thought just occurred to her. "I just moved here."

"Oh, I'm the Manager at City Hall. I had to pull a few strings," Hiram explained, blushing at the admission. "We've actually been looking for you for a few days now, I just got your address today."

"Why?" Shelby asked, a little more than afraid of the answer. "What's going on? Is Rachel okay?"

"Here, I think you should read this," Hiram pulled out the letter from his jacket pocket and stood up to hand it to the woman.

Accepting the envelope, Shelby eyed it curiously.

"What is this? It's addressed to Santa?"

"Just please, I think you should really read it, Shelby."

Following orders, she slid hesitant fingers carefully under the tucked flap then pulled out the letter carefully and began reading its contents.

"She-she wants a mom?" Green watery eyes looking up once they got to the end.

"So much so that she wrote Santa a letter asking him for a mommy," Hiram answered, his voice thick with emotion. "Shelby. We're sorry. Me and LeRoy have been discussing this for days now and reflecting over the past. We know how much you grew to love our baby, and we shouldn't have pushed you away. Or we should've kept it open for you to be a part of Rachel's life somehow. Clearly, we were wrong to think that she didn't need a mother. So that's why I'm here, in sincerely good faith, to offer you the chance now."

"The chance? The chance to what?" The woman needed clarification, all of her emotions, eight years in the making, were automatically going into overdrive.

"To be Rachel's mom, if that is still what you want," Hiram responded, quite literally sitting at the edge of his seat now.

"What?" Shelby whispered. She tried to swallow and her throat suddenly felt so dry. She was also attempting to organize her thoughts; however, she just couldn't believe what she was hearing. This is a scenario that she's not even once allowed herself to think about or dream about. She didn't think it would ever be possible. Not in the slightest.

"Have you talked to Rachel about this? It's just a letter," her voice caught in her throat, instant tears spilling from her eyes. "How do you know? How do you know that she really needs me?"

"We did, we talked to her the other day, not about the letter, but she brought the subject up herself because of something that happened at school and we answered some of the questions she asked," Hiram affirmed, picking up on the woman's growing panic. He needed to regain control of the conversation. His husband was counting on him. Rachel was counting on him. "She's said that she's felt this way for a while now, but didn't know how to talk to us about it. She needs you, Shelby. Me and LeRoy see that now. We can work it out. We can go slowly. Adjust if we need to, but I promise that there is a place for you in Rachel's life."

"No, I-I don't know," Shelby heard herself say, emotions and insecurity raw in her voice. They weren't the words she wanted to say. They weren't the feelings in heart. She wants Rachel. She always has, but she would be lying if she didn't admit that she was absolutely terrified as well. She couldn't pretend that she didn't have doubts, fears, or insecurities or that she felt like she was currently drowning in them at the moment above everything else. "I don't think I can. I don't know if I should. I don't—no, I can't."

"Shelby, I think you should breathe for a second and we can take this one step at a time," he suggested for more his sake than hers. He wasn't prepared for this reaction. They needed to regroup.

Shelby stood up abruptly. "I'm sorry. I don't know. I'm so sorry. I think you should go, Hiram."

"Shelby—"

"No!" Shelby cut him off, raising her voice. She was losing control hard and fast. "I'm sorry, Hiram. Please just go."

Hearing the severity in the request, Hiram rose to his feet and simply nodded his agreement.

"Shelby, I'm sorry," he added swiftly. "I didn't mean to come here and overwhelm you. Maybe we handled this in the wrong way. We thought you wanted Rachel. We just assumed—I'm sorry."

Refusing to make eye contact, she crossed the room in haste then opened the front door.

"241 Birch Hill Road, that's our address," Hiram divulged, pausing right in front of Shelby. "If you change your mind, we live at 241 Birch Hill Road, it's a couple blocks away from McKinley."

Shelby nodded her head noncommittally and handed the letter back to the man.

"You know, me and LeRoy found out that this all started because a kid at Rachel's school has been bullying her for having two dads and having no mom," Hiram took the letter back in his hand and drew in a deep breath. There was one last thing he wanted, needed to share.

"He's been saying some pretty cruel things to her, but then she found out that this kid is going through some really tough stuff right now because apparently his father walked out on him and his family. I don't think she really understands it, but I think the boy is angry and confused about his father that he's taking it out on the girl with the two dads. Anyway, you know what we did yesterday? Yesterday, Rachel convinced us to sort through all of her toys and clothes and then even made us wrap them all up so that we could give them to the kid's little sister cause she found out that the mom is struggling to make ends meet. Then, she made us deliver the presents anonymously and secretly, of course, in what I thought was purely Rach fashion because of her affinity for drama; but it turns out that she just didn't want him to know who they were from because she was worried he wouldn't accept them, even though she knew they needed them. She even spent her life savings' to buy the kid, the one who's been calling a freak for not having a mom, a toy he could play with too. She even insisted on making us deliver it in the middle of the night. That's who Rachel is. That's who you'd be agreeing to be a mom to. That's our daughter. And I hope you think about that before you make a decision one way or the other… it was nice seeing you again, Shelby. I hope you have a Merry Christmas."


The following evening, Shelby meandered her way through Lima's annual Winter Carnival. She was charged with spending her Christmas Eve at the town event due to Vocal Adrenaline duties. Her kids just finished crooning Christmas carols to the attendees and her final obligation was to man the informational booth her boss had made them get. She just needed to get through one more hour before she could go back home and crawl into bed.

She wasn't exactly in the right headspace to bask in any Christmas spirit at the moment. Still reeling from Hiram's visit less than 24 hours ago, she's done what she does best when it comes to difficult situations she doesn't want to deal with: buried it deep and pretended like it never happened. She would deal with it eventually, but not now.

"Hey Coach, it's been kind of slow, so totally fine with me if you want to walk around and check out the other booths," her assistant coach Dustin suggested when she approached.

"But what do you mean?" Shelby asked wryly. "Are you telling me that nobody wants to hear about how to join the Carmel High School Vocal Adrenaline Booster Club on Christmas Eve? Shocking!"

"I know, it truly blows my mind too," Dustin laughed.

"I did try to tell Principal Mattis that this booth would likely be a waste of time," Shelby said while straightening up some of the pamphlets and free pens to give away on the table.

"Well, that's why I'm saying that you should go check out the rest of the fair," Dustin urged. "So then at least he's not wasting both of our time. I hear there's a snowman-making contest and there's even ice skating."

Shelby briefly scanned the town square and took in the sights and the sounds and the dozens of people milling about. It did seem festive. The last time she came to this carnival was when she was in high school probably. It would be interesting to see how it's changed since she's been away.

"Alright, if you're sure that you'll be okay here?"

"Yes boss, I think I can handle crowd control."

"Okay, thanks Dustin," she said appreciatively. "I'm just going to do a lap, but I'll be right back."

Shelby spent the next twenty minutes strolling through the outdoor holiday celebration. She found that it was a welcome distraction from everything. After checking out the entries for the snowman-making contest, deeming them all uninspired and entirely convinced that she could do better, she decided to go by the skating rink. She always enjoyed watching skaters glide either gracefully or awkwardly around the ice.

She plopped down on the bench rink-side and brought up the the hot chocolate she just acquired up to her lips.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" A woman standing to her left inquired, eyeing the spot next to her.

"No, not at all," Shelby insisted, scooting over to make more room then rested the warm beverage back down on her lap.

"Thanks," the older woman replied gratefully. "That looks good. Hot chocolate?"

"Mhmm, I am on my holiday diet, so I thought I'd indulge," Shelby joked, trying to be polite. She forgot that she was back to small town life now, where it's perfectly normal for strangers to strike up a conversation.

"I hear ya," she chuckled. "It's even worse when you have kids. You end up eating all of their treats too all season. I'm Denise."

"Hi, I'm Shelby," she smiled in response. "Are you here with your kids?"

"Yeah," Denise pointed to two little blurs at the other end of the rink. "I'm here with my son and my daughter. Do you have kids?"

"I'm here for work," Shelby dodged the question, straightening up her back and continuing to stare straight ahead of her.

"Oh okay. I was supposed to work tonight too, but I called off. Decided it was a much better idea to take the kids here, let them have some fun."

"That sounds nice," Shelby responded. "I—"

"Hey mom, check us out!" A young boy with a mohawk and a wide grin called over to Denise. He was holding his little sister's hand and waving the free one excitedly. "Becca's getting so good. She might try by herself soon!"

"I see you, little man, and I'm so proud of you, Bec. Have fun you two but be careful!" Denise yelled back at her children, already off on their second lap.

"They seem really happy," Shelby observed aloud then turned to face Denise. "You're a good mom."

"Thank you," Denise said, taken aback by the conviction in the praise. She studied the beautiful young woman, noticing the worry in her features, and something about the vulnerability in her eyes made her want to open up. "But can I be completely honest with you?"

"Sure," Shelby gave her a small nod.

"I don't feel like a good mom," Denise confessed, ignoring Shelby's half-confused glance and kept her eyes glued on her children making their way through the circuit. "At all. In fact, it's been a really difficult year for all three of us and it seriously feels like I'm barely coming out of it alive. It's been an honest-to-God struggle. I think I've cried more than my babies have, so I don't really know if that necessarily makes me a good mom. But I'm trying I guess. Even though I'm constantly scared and worried and just unsure about absolutely everything when it comes to my kids, I'm still trying. And that has to count for something, right? I don't know, but you know what else? I wouldn't trade any of it. Not for anything in the entire universe. I'll choose the climb every time if it meant having those kids in my life. You know what I mean?"

"I-I think now I do," Shelby said in renewed understanding, slowly beginning to grasp what motherhood, despite her fears and insecurities, was truly about.


On Christmas morning, Rachel stuck her head out of her room and looked first to the left then to the right trying to listen for any movement inside the old house.

Hearing nothing, she immediately dashed across the hall then barreled into her daddies' room, diving straight into their bed in one swift motion.

"Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" She shouted with glee. "Dad, daddy wake up! It's Christmas morning!"

"Already?" LeRoy moaned playfully. "But it's still dark out."

"No it's not, silly," Rachel giggled joyfully as she yanked the pillow her daddy held over his head. "The Sun's awake, so you have to be awake! It's Christmas!"

"You too, dad! Wake up!" She turned her attention to the other man, determined to spread her Christmas cheer. She maneuvered to sit on his stomach and reached over to grab his glasses from the bedside table and slipped it on his face.

"Did someone say that it's Halloween?" Hiram questioned, breaking out into a jaw-cracking yawn as he opened his eyes to the sight of his adorable little girl.

"Noooo dad," Rachel snickered and cupped his face with her hands, looking at him very seriously. "It's Christmas! That means Santa came last night. We have to go see what he brought! I hope he got my letter!"

"Well alright then, my Christmas bug," Hiram acquiesced, moving his little girl off him in one smooth move as he got out of the bed. "If you insist, I guess we have to go and see what he brought you."

"Yes please! I insist!" Rachel jumped excitedly "Come on daddy, you have to come too!"

"Okay, okay, I'm coming," LeRoy chuckled as he rolled out of bed then picked his daughter up mid-jump and placed her on the floor. "Lead the way, princess."

Definitely not needing to be told twice, Rachel bolted out of the room and down the stairs to find a large pile of presents underneath the tree, an empty glass of milk, and a half-eaten plate of cookies.

Ignoring the mountain of gifts, Rachel inspected the rest of the living room, hoping to find the one thing she had asked for.

"What are you looking for, bug?" Hiram feigned curiosity.

"Oh, nothing," the little girl slumped her shoulders. "I think Santa couldn't get me one of my presents."

"Are you sure about that?" LeRoy questioned, unable to stop the smile on his face from forming. "Maybe it was too big to fit underneath the tree? Maybe he left it for you in the kitchen?"

"Wanna go take a look, Rach?" Hiram added encouragingly while taking his husband's hand in his own.

Not even waiting to verbalize response, she darted past the two men and ran into the kitchen. Little feet skid to an immediate stop once she saw her.

"Coach Corcoran? Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Hi Rachel," Shelby felt her heart soar at the sight of her baby girl. "Santa told me that you were looking for me."

Rachel looked back at her daddies who both had tears in their eyes and simultaneously nodded their heads in confirmation.

"You—you're my Mommy?"

"Yes, Rachel. I'm your mommy," Shelby readily and wholeheartedly accepted the label, crouching down to open her arms out to her daughter.

Without a single hesitation, Rachel flew into her mommy's warm embrace and held on tight. This is better than she could have ever imagined.

"Santa got my letter. He brought you to me!"

"And he brought you to me," Shelby placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead then pulled away slightly to give her a loving smile. "Merry Christmas, baby."


A/N: That's it for this story, but would love to hear what you guys think! Happy Holidays!