A/N: Hello everyone. So I'll get this awkward introduction out of the way quickly. This is my first Glee fanfiction, although it isn't my first story published on this website. I've been lacking some serious inspiration and the time to do much writing. That said, I don't know how long this story's going to be and I have no clue where it's going either. So, I do appreciate any ideas thrown my way. I'll try to incorporate them as best I can into the story. This is an idea that popped into my head while watching Glee's S1 E20: Theatricality. I just couldn't get Shelby's face out of my head when Rachel calls her mom. Good critiques are awesome, flames will be used to grill Ryan Murphy (but let's face it, we don't need flames to want to do that). Get it? Got it? Good.
Disclaimer: These characters are property of Ryan Murphy and FOX. In no way am I affiliated with them nor do I make any monetary profit from them. No copyright infringement intended.
Enjoy!
"You are really, really good." Were the last words Shelby Corcoran spoke to her daughter before affectionately touching her face and then her shoulder. The clicking of her six-inch heels echoed through the auditorium as she walked on the stage's boards away from Rachel. The older woman didn't look back. She couldn't bring herself to do so. Her heart was breaking because once again she was giving up her daughter. Except this time no one was forcing her. Not like the first time around and even then, she'd still been given the chance to change her mind. So this time around there was no real need to make the same mistake.
She'd been lead to believe that what she was doing was the right thing based on the conversation she'd previously had with Mr. Schuester. While it was true that she knew Rachel didn't exactly needed her, a part of her wanted to scream at William that she, herself, wanted and needed the sixteen year old girl in her life. That she loved her even if she didn't know her. She wanted to tell him that she hadn't needed much to realize that Rachel was her daughter when she spied the teenager belting out her solo during Sectionals. Shelby knew that Will was looking out for Rachel, and for that she was grateful. She was glad her daughter had people to fight her corner. But this wasn't confusing and scary just for Rachel. It was scaring her shitless as well. Shelby was the older one. She was the adult. So surely she was the one with answers. Oh, how wrong everyone was. The day Shelby gave up Rachel, was the day that she stopped having answers to anything. All she knew was that a few days prior to the conversation with Will, when Rachel had gone to 'visit' her at Carmel High during one of her Vocal Adrenaline's rehearsals, that's when she knew she'd fight for her.
Rachel had called her mom and her heart imploded in a billion pieces. A good implosion though. It was the first time she'd been called that and it had a nice ring to it. Shelby's poker face was kept intact until Rachel showed her the disastrous dress she had on for her Lady Gaga assignment. When the teen said she needed a mother right then, it was game over for Shelby. Hooked, line, sinker. Rachel Berry had her mother wrapped around her little finger.
And then there was Will, basically telling her to let Rachel go. That if she really loved the girl, she'd let her down gently. What the hell did he know? He hadn't been through half the things she'd had to endure. Rachel was fragile, vulnerable, impressionable and dramatic. She was exactly just like Shelby. Except the older woman had years of practicing that hardcore, self-assured, badass exterior to protect herself. Inside though, inside she was feeling the same whirlwind of overwhelmed emotions that Rachel was feeling. But rather than going with her instincts and following through with her silent vow to fight for her, Shelby had let herself be played by the words of the New Directions' glee club coach. While she believed there was no ill intent behind them, she still let herself fall for a sentiment, that while right, it wasn't entirely true.
Rachel did turn around at the retrieving footsteps. A tear ran down her cheek. "Mom?" She called in a hushed tone. Shelby froze in her spot but didn't turn around. 'Just keep walking, Corcoran. She's been fine without you for sixteen years, she'll survive once more.' Shelby thought to herself. "Mommy?" Rachel called in the same hushed tone but this time Shelby heard her voice crack. She turned to face the girl and the expression on her face broke the older woman's heart. True that Rachel was a young woman, but in her eyes, what Shelby saw was a frightened little girl. Instinctively she opened her arms and they both had that slow motion, running into each other's arms moment that Shelby had always envisioned in her head.
Shelby's arms wrapped tightly around her daughter as did Rachel's around her mother. "Please don't go. I'll be grateful from afar, but please don't go." Rachel cried against her mother's chest while Shelby just peppered kisses all over her daughter's head. Once Rachel had calmed down enough, Shelby pulled her away, just a bit, to be able to look into her eyes. She wiped away the tears and with a few tears of her own adorning her face, she smiled. "We need to talk." She said softly and Rachel nodded. "But not tonight. It's been a long day and we're both very emotional." Shelby said as she noted the brokenhearted expression on the girl's face. She tucked a strand of brown hair, much like her own, behind Rachel's ear before leaning in and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'll take you out, Friday night at 8? I hear Breadsticks is the cool place to hang out?" Shelby proposed and Rachel nodded. Though she didn't want to go to Breadsticks. Especially not on a Friday night. That's where ALL her friends hung out and she didn't want or need this moment with her mother to be ruined by constant interruptions from everyone. "Friday at eight sounds good. But... can we go somewhere else? If it's alright with you, of course. McKinley, Carmel and Dalton Academy kids... they all hang out there and I just don't want people interrupting our time together." Rachel explained herself. "Sure. Pick out any place you'd like to go and we can either meet there or I can pick you up." Shelby said before giving her daughter a hug. "Text me the details?" She asked and Rachel nodded. "Good. I have to go now. Gotta work on some amazing Vocal Adrenaline routines." She said and smirked. "Bring it." Rachel said with a grin as she watched her mother's retrieving form.
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