Hello, I've had this story in my head for a while and thought I'd write it down to share. I don't own Glee or any of the characters.
Chapter 1
A light snow billowed over the small crowd slowly forming outside the stage door. Margaret Jones, a woman in her 40's, wanted tickets to see Shelby Corcoran's show but was unable to find tickets for that particular Friday evening. Margaret and her fourteen year old daughter opted to stage door in hopes of at least getting a glimpse of Shelby and a possible autograph. The growing crowd was evident to Margaret that she and her daughter were not the only tourists to come up with a similar plan. Her daughter's excitement was growing more after Margaret pointed out the show had about fifteen more minutes left and soon the stars would make their exit.
Everyone's focus was on the stage door or chatting amongst one another sharing in their excitement. But, Margaret couldn't help notice a small child walking aimlessly in a circle near the end of the line of fans. Margaret's interest in the girl first peaked when she noticed the small girl wearing a short skirt with knee-high socks and a sweater, which in the cold November weather was not ideal for anyone let alone a little girl. Upon closer inspection, Margaret began to notice the girl appeared alone and was clinging to a fluffy stuffed bear and wore a small, purple backpack.
"Mom, did you not hear what they just said?" Margaret's daughter questions.
"What honey?" She responds pulling herself out of her thoughts related to the littler girl and realizes the crowd had quickly become more hyped than before. "Is the show over?"
"Yea, and some guy came out from inside the theater and announced most of the cast, including Shelby, should be coming out in about thirty minutes! I'm so glad we got here early. The crowd is starting to get bigger."
Margaret realizes she will lose sight of the girl in a matter of minutes with the ever-growing crowd. Her motherly instincts take over and she finds herself walking towards the little girl. "I'll be right back," she quietly informs her daughter.
Margaret reaches the young, brunette girl and notices traces of dried tears down her cheeks and a shiver over her small body while the girl hugs her teddy bear. Margaret bends down close to the girl to try to get her attention. "Hello."
"Hi," the tiny girl quietly chirps out and buries her head into her bear.
"My name is Margaret. What's your name?" She questions and notices a small piece of paper pinned to the girl's purple, Dora The Explorer backpack.
The girl muffles out, "Rachel" with her head still buried in her bear with her big, brown eyes peeking out from the fur of her teddy.
Margaret caresses Rachel who is shaking both from cold and fear. "Hi Rachel. I'm here with my daughter, Nicole. Who are you here with?" She genuinely smiles at the girl hoping she will not scare her off before she can help her.
Shrugging her shoulders she mumbles, "it's just me."
"Just you, huh? Hmm well how old are you? You seem very young to be by yourself."
Rachel whimpers in her teddy bear, "I, I almost 5 and I don't want to be here."
Margaret grabs Rachel's hand wanting to comfort the disturbed child, "How did you get here, Rachel?"
"They left me here but I, I don't like being here. I cold." Rachel rapidly shakes her head clearly upset at her scenario.
"Who left you here, sweetheart?" Margaret's concern grows more as she contemplates where she could find a police officer to help the poor girl who was clearly abandoned or possibly kidnapped.
"The lady did and the man. I want my mommy. She said I'd find her here." Rachel buries her head further into her bear and sniffles while she cries. She was told to wait outside of the theater and her mother would get her. But, Rachel has been out in the cold for a long time and she is wet, cold, tired and hungry. She was getting more and more scared as several more people were crowding around the area she was scolded to stay.
Margaret decides it is best to read the attached paper and take the girl with her to see if she can calm her down. She had noticed a few security guards near the stage door whom can help figure out what to do with the young Rachel. Margaret detaches the pinned note and holds out her hand for Rachel to take. "Do you know what the note is for?"
Rachel shakes her head no and quickly grabs onto the kind woman's hand in hopes someone will get her out of the cold and to her mother. Rachel watches as Margaret skims over the note and notices the quick change of emotions.
"Oh my God. You're her daughter?" Margaret speaks out more to herself than to Rachel. Margaret tightens her grip on Rachel's hand and walks over to her daughter.
"Hey mom. Is she okay?"
"I'll be right back. Rachel here needs to get inside." Margaret says passing by her daughter and walks the shaking four-year old to the security guards at the stage door.
David, a security guard who's used to aggressive fans, quickly notices Margaret approaching and he steps down to her to prevent her from getting closer to the stage door. "Ma'am I'm sorry but you may not get this close to the door. They will be emerging in thirty minutes or so since the show ended about five minutes ago."
Margaret smiles at the man's proficiency in his work, "I know, sir. I'm actually here to speak with you. I found this lovely young child alone."
David looks over Rachel who appeared malnourished, dirty and cold. "Did she get separated from her parents?" David was hoping this would be as simple as making a phone call to two frantic parents who merely lost sight of their daughter, but the look on the older woman's face told him this was a more complicated scenario.
"No, she was left here by two people she referred to as 'The Lady' and 'The Man' who told her to wait for her mother. This note was also attached to her backpack, which is quite revealing." Margaret hands David the short note on lined paper.
David grabs the note and reads it over: This is Shelby Corcoran's daughter. Her name is Rachel Berry. We were told to deliver her to her mother. Please be sure she gets to her mother.
David's eyes bulge, "What the hell?" He once again eyes Rachel and notices the little girl eerily resembles Shelby.
Thank you for reading!