Disclaimer: I do not own GLEE Ryan Murphy and Fox do.

Chapter Two: She Struggles

Rachel slowly backed out of her daughters room, the door closing softly as she turned to walk into the living room. She had realized today that she was a coward. She didn't have what Finn thought she had, she wasn't married, she didn't have a family other than her daughter and her fathers. Rachel was struggling to make ends meet in life, between doctors' appointments and job interviews, she hardly had time for anything. Every night it seemed she cried herself to sleep.

Moving back to Lima had been hard, but also leaving New York had been easy. It seemed in Lima, growing up would be easier for Melanie. Rachel sat up that night thinking about her daughter, what if her father had stayed around, would everything be different? Would Melanie be a normal five year old? The thing that upset Rachel the most was that she would never have the answers to these questions.

Rachel woke up the next morning realizing that she'd fallen asleep thinking about the past again. Melanie was still sleeping, Rachel had a job interview in two hours, and no babysitter, already her day was off to a great start. She picked up the phone and called her fathers' house getting the voicemail. Well it looked like Melanie was going with her. An hour later Melanie was dressed and Rachel was leading her out of the house, they were walking as Rachel didn't want to risk the car over hearting again. Half way there Melanie saw Hummel Auto Shop and recognized it as the place they stopped yesterday and released Rachel's hand to run to the open garage door. Rachel ran after her and stopped at the door looking around, doing a double take when she saw Puck.

"Rachel Berry? Wow. You're back in Lima?" He asked when he noticed her stood at the door looking around, he had to yell over the music that was playing. "Another question, why the hell are you here? Looking for Finn in this mess of a place we work?"

"No Puck, in fact I'm looking for my daughter." Rachel said, her patience wearing thin as it was. Puck shrugged and pointed towards the office door where Finn was walking out of the door with Melanie holding his hand.

"I think you're looking for someone?" Finn chuckled leading Melanie over to Rachel. "Morning Rachel."

"Morning Finn, I'm sorry we don't have time to stay and chat. Come on Melanie, we have to go Mommy's going to be late." Rachel sighed looking away from Finn's face, creased with confusion.

"What's the rush?" he asked, his brow furrowed, his hands twisting in a rag he held.

"I have a job interview, I'll be late if we don't go now." Rachel explained looking up into Finn's eyes, they were soft and a small smile graced his face.

"Well I could watch Melanie for a bit while you go to the interview and you can take my car. It's that blue one right across the street." Finn said pulling out a set of car keys and holding them out. Rachel looked at his hand and back at his face shaking her head slightly. "Think of it as a welcome back to town, sorta thing. I don't mind."

"Finn… I couldn't, you're working." Rachel shook her head again as Finn took her hand and wrapped the keys in them.

"I insist, go on, Melanie and I can find something to do here. Right Melanie?" Finn looked from Rachel to her daughter as the little girl nodded her head as she looked at Rachel.

"Finn… I owe you big time for this. Really I do." Rachel knelt down and whispered something in Melanie's ear before letting go of her hand and letting her walk over to Finn and grab his hand. Rachel looked at him once more before walking away slowly.

"And you owe me nothing!" he shouted after her he watched as Rachel drove away before he told Puck to get back to work. "Come on miss we'll grab my t-shirt so you don't get grease and oil all on your nice clothes." Finn said to Melanie leading her to his locker. He put his shirt over her head and it cascaded to the floor, he smiled when she laughed at him. "You don't speak but you laugh. Well, I'll ask Mommy sometime, how about you come help me fix some cars?"

Melanie nodded so Finn picked her up and led her to a car that was lifted up off the ground. He pointed to a red button and she pushed it down, the car slowly coming down until it touched the floor. She sat and moved the steering wheel while Finn checked over the engine as he sang along with his radio, the young girl laughed at him when he walked passed using his wrench as a microphone.

"You like my singing?" He asked her while she laughed and nodded, climbing out of the car gesturing for Finn to pick her up. He swung her up into his arm as he sang along to the radio, they were the only two there, Puck had to leave early to go with Beth to the dentist and Burt was home sick. "Singing is good, you should try sometime I bet mommy would like that." Melanie nodded and Finn smiled, she looked a lot like Rachel same face and hair, just her eyes were blue. "Does mommy still sing?" another nod told Finn yes, and he smiled as he went and grabbed his lunch before they went and sat on the bench outside. He gave Melanie his cookies and she smiled at him. "Is Daddy at work?" he asked taking a drink of coke as she shook her head. "No? Is he at home?" another shake of the head, Finn felt bad now, maybe she didn't have a dad around.

"Melanie!" Rachel's voice called out, the little girl looked up before running to her mother, Finn smiled slightly, his heart clenching in his chest, before Rachel ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I got the job!"

"Rachel that's great. Where at?" He asked his arms wrapping around her waist for a moment before they released each other. Melanie had her arms clamped around Finn's leg and she laughed as he waddled to the table to sit with Rachel.

"Just at the Olive Garden, but it'll pay the bills. I couldn't find another open job." Rachel said, embarrassed that this was her life, she was going to be a Broadway star once upon a time, she had just made it of Julliard when she fell pregnant.

"Well either way, so long as the bills are paid." Finn smiled, his hand resting on hers lightly his other held up as Melanie counted and played with his fingers while laughing at him.

"Exactly so my dad's will be keeping an eye on Melanie when they can." Rachel sighed moving her hair out of her eye, looking at Melanie laughing at Finn who was smiling at her.

"Well if they can't do it some days don't hesitate to bring her here, we had fun today. Didn't we Melanie?" Finn asked moving his fingers and grinning when she nodded.

"Thank you Finn, really I owe you big time."

"Rach, it's nothing, I liked having her around. She helped me fix a wheel, and we danced to my music, it was a blast." Finn smiled, looking at Rachel, she looked like her mother, just like Melanie looked like her. Rachel looked like she hadn't slept well in a long time, Finn just ruffled his hair, unsure of what to do.

"Well we better go, come on Melanie, let's let Finn finish his work." Rachel said holding her hand out for her daughter, their hands locked together and they stepped away from the table. Rachel placed Finn's keys on the table as they began walking away, Finn sat for a moment before jumping up.

"I guess I'll see you guys around?" he asked watching them walk away. Rachel turned around as Melanie nodded and waved, Rachel gave him a smile that made him melt.

"We'll see you around Finn." She said smiling as he waved to Melanie before flashing Rachel a crooked grin. Finn watched them walk around the corner and he realized then that Rachel Berry had a hard life, it was her and Melanie against the world. She struggles daily, making ends meet and looking after a beautiful child. Finn would help her out in any way he could, even if it did mean babysitting for a few hours a day.

A/N:

So what does everyone think so far? Let me know in your reviews! and remember I'm on facebook Shanny C Fan-Fiction and even Twitter Shanny1901