Let me start by saying that I'm completely humbled by all the hits, reviews, story alerts, and favorites this story has received. I have most of the story planned out and I hope you guys stick with me until the end. I have to apologize for some of the grammatical errors that were present. I try to triple check everything before I post but sometimes a few get by me. To those that got a little emotional, I'm sorry if I caused you to tear up but that really was my intention because I want you to see it from each girls point of view, even though the majority of the story will be told through Shelby's and Santana's point of view. Here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy! Remember lots of reviews and comments.
Chapter Two: Shelby
Shelby pulled into the apartment complex driveway. Tiredly she found her usual spot and turned the car off. Rubbing her eyes she glanced over at Rachel who had fallen asleep on the way back to Lima. Shelby thought about all the times she had missed watching Rachel just sleep and she cursed the fact that the first time she got to experience this had to be during a tragedy. Despite everything that was going on, Rachel looked surprisingly peaceful.
Shelby took a long deep breath as she fought off her own tiredness. While driving, she was so caught up in her own thoughts that she missed the proper exit on the freeway and had to take the long way home, doubling their time. She noted that Quinn or Santana never fell asleep. Quinn allowed Beth to play with her hand the entire ride home, and Mercedes still had her head on Santana's shoulder and her body pressed against her. She could only guess the pure exhaustion is what forced the young diva to finally give into sleep.
Shelby got out of the car with the intention of getting Beth and the girls ready to go inside, but she noticed that Finn, Sam and Kurt were seated in the car next to hers. Shaking her head in disbelief, she then noticed that Burt and Carole were sitting in the front seat of the same car. Remembering that she gave Schuester her address to give to Carole, she could only assume they were there to drop of the items they purchased at the store.
Burt rolled his window down as Shelby bent down to talk, "Hey guys you beat us here" she said.
"Yeah we did, we stopped by to drop off the items for the girls" said Burt as Carole hopped out the car and headed towards the trunk.
"Sorry we're late. I spaced out when we were driving and I had to take the long way back home" said Shelby apologetically.
"It's no problem" said Burt, "we just wanted to make sure the girls had the basic stuff" he said getting out of the car and heading towards the back where his wife was. Shelby followed suit and was amazed by how many bags were in the trunk.
"Sorry we got a little carried away" said Carole noticing Shelby's face, "we divided all of the stuff in the bags for each girl and their names are already on the bags" she said showing Shelby a duffle bag that had stuff in it for Santana.
"The Pierces went with us, so Brittany helped a lot" said Burt when Shelby pulled out a stuffed toy duck and looked at them quizzically. Shelby shook her head in understanding and couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her face. She placed the duck back in the bag, "What's up with the other bags then?" she questioned.
"Oh we decided to buy some food as well. I mean I don't know if they'll eat, but I'm pretty sure you didn't have enough food for four additional teenage girls" said Carole.
"I helped pick out some vegan stuff out for Rachel" said Finn. Shelby hadn't noticed when he, Sam and Kurt had joined the party in the back.
"And I picked out some of Mercedes' favorite cereal" said Sam quietly. Kurt remained silent.
"Thank you guys so much" said Shelby gratefully. She hadn't even thought about getting food, her main concern was getting the girls back home and in bed. She looked over to her truck and noted that all of the girls…her girls were still inside.
"We're gonna help you carry this stuff up to your place" said Burt grabbing a few of the bags, "C'mon boys, get to lifting" he said.
"Thanks again. I promise I will write you a check once we are upstairs" said Shelby. She knew this stuff was well over hundreds of dollars.
"You will do no such thing" said Carole.
"That's right" added Burt, "we did this because we wanted to. You're already doing enough as is" he said.
Shelby nodded her head, she didn't want to get in a disagreement about whether she was doing enough or not. She needed rest and she could guarantee so did the occupants of her vehicle.
"I'll be right with you guys, its apartment B. I have to get the girls out" she said as she walked back to her truck. Opening the door that was right next to Beth, she began to unhook the car seat, "alright ladies, time to go" she said. She reached over the front seat and lightly rubbed Rachel's hair causing the girl to stir. She shot up in the seat and looked around her. Shelby watched as fear, uncertainty, and finally realization showed on the girls face all in matter of seconds.
"C'mon baby, we're going in the house" she said softly looking at Rachel. Rachel nodded her head and began to unbuckle her seat belt.
"Quinn honey, you ready" questioned Shelby as she holstered Beth's car seat out of the truck.
Quinn didn't give her a reply; she just unbuckled her car seat and opened the door to get out, leaving the door open for Mercedes and Santana.
"C'mon Squirt, time to wake up…we're here" said Santana soothingly to Mercedes, while gently shaking the girl awake. Mercedes had a similar response to Rachel being woken up. The brown beauty looked around in confusion before she remembered why she was there looking at Shelby.
"C'mon honey…we're here" said Shelby looking back at Mercedes with sincerity. Mercedes nodded her head in understanding and looked over at Santana for confirmation. Santana simply gave her a small smirk and placed a gentle kiss on the girl's forehead. Shelby's confusion registered on her face as Santana helped Mercedes get out of the car.
The new family made their way to the oversized apartment and Shelby managed to hold Beth and open the door at the same time while a group of people were waiting on her.
"You can set the bags in the kitchen she said to Burt and the other young men" she said to them as she walked in the home and placed Beth's car seat on the middle of the coffee table.
The men did as they were instructed as Carole, Rachel, Quinn, Santana, and Mercedes walked into the living room and started to look around inquisitively. Beth cried out and Shelby knew she was tired of being in that chair. She picked up the upset toddler and allowed her to walk around and stretch out her little legs. The girl was still whimpering and she knew that Beth was hungry. Walking into the kitchen she grabbed a pre-made bottle of formula out of the refrigerator. She watched as Carole had already begun putting the food away and separating some more items for the girls.
"Thanks a lot Carole" said Shelby meekly.
"Don't worry about a thing Shelby, go get the girls settled. I'll have the boys out of here in a little" she said quietly.
Shelby nodded her head and went back into the living room. Upon seeing Shelby with a bottle Beth made her way over to her mom, stumbling slightly along the way and held out her hands. Shelby obliged and gave the blond curly haired baby the bottle she so earnestly wanted. She picked Beth up and carried her over to the couch and placed her in the middle. Beth instinctively sat back and balanced her bottle between her two small hands and drank her formula earnestly. Shelby smiled down at her daughter in the only way a mother could and turned back around when she was satisfied that Beth was okay.
Rachel had made her way over to a picture of herself performing onstage. It was one of Shelby's favorite pictures of Rachel that she had taken without the short brunette's knowledge. It captured the fact that Rachel looked at peace and at home when she was performing. A feeling Shelby was accustomed to having herself. She could tell she was questioning when and where Shelby had acquired the portrait. She noticed that Finn was directly behind her with a hand protectively on the small of Rachel's back, both of them starring at the same picture.
Sam had somehow managed to get Mercedes away from Santana and was clutching his girlfriend and placing small kisses on her cheek. Mercedes was quiet and she could tell by the look on her face that she just wanted to go to sleep.
Quinn had made her way over to Beth and sat next to her biological daughter. She didn't say anything but watched the younger form of herself greedily partake of her meal. Beth was looking into Quinn's eyes, and Shelby saw her smile around the nipple of the bottle.
That left Santana to herself. She had her hands inside of her jean pockets and she was staring off into space. Kurt was looking at her with a quirked eyebrow, and Burt was standing next to his son giving Santana the same look. She could only guess that they were wandering the same thing she was…what was going on in that mind of hers?
Shelby decided she could think of that situation at another time, "C'mon ladies it's time to get you settled in" she said breaking the odd calm that had developed over the room. "Burt would you mind looking after Beth?" she asked the elder form of Kurt.
"No problem" he said confidently as he strode over to sit on the opposite side of Beth. Beth looked up at him and quirked an eyebrow, Burt chuckled slightly at the action. He looked over at Quinn and was slightly freaked out about how much Beth looked like her biological mother, especially because Quinn was given him that same look.
"C'mon Quinn, Rachel, Mercedes, and Santana" said Shelby in a motherly fashion. Mercedes broke away from Sam, kissing him softly on the lips as she did. Santana immediately walked next to Mercedes and grabbed onto her hand.
Rachel turned to Finn and gave him a slight hug, but didn't kiss him like he expected to. She walked over to where Shelby was and reached for her mother's hand. Shelby immediately obliged. She reached out her hand for Quinn and looked at the hazel eyes. She saw as Quinn was having an internal struggle with herself on whether or not to take hold of Shelby's hand.
"Quinn grabs her hand so we can get going" said Santana irritably.
"Thank you Santana" said Shelby in a sickeningly sweet voice letting her know in her own way that she would handle things.
Santana scoffed as Quinn ignored Santana and placed her hand in Shelby's gingerly. Shelby led the quartet into the hall which was the gateway to the guest bedrooms.
"One of these rooms is Beth's but I'm going to change it around a little while you guys are here. I have an air mattress that I was going to put in here" said Shelby as she opened the door to Beth's nursery. "I'm gonna move her crib out and put it in my room. I was thinking that Quinn and Rachel could stay in here" said Shelby.
Kurt and Sam somehow managed their way into the hallway and offered to help take out Beth's crib and put it in Shelby's room. Shelby nodded her head yes and said her thanks to the two young men.
Santana and Mercedes stayed in the hallway as Quinn and Rachel walked in the nursery and looked around the room. There was a rocking chair in the corner and a crib right beside it. The walls were a calming shade of green, while Disney characters were decorated ever so carefully around the room. Kurt and Sam walked in without a word and begin the task of moving the crib.
"It's a lot bigger in here than I expected" said Rachel to no one in particular, "I think this will be adequate enough…as long as it's alright with Quinn" said Rachel.
Quinn shrugged her shoulders in agreement and continued to take in the decorum, glancing at pictures of Beth at various stages as she wandered around.
"Okay I'll bring in the air mattress and set it up after I get Mercedes and Santana settled" said Shelby walking back into the hall, "you two will be directly across the hall" she said as she nodded her head towards the door.
She opened the door for Santana and Mercedes. She watched as Santana pulled Mercedes arm slightly and they walked into the bedroom to do their own investigation. The walls were painted a delicate shade of lavender. Shelby always considered it to be a soothing color.
"The bed is a queen size" said Shelby, "it should be plenty of room for the both of you. I'm gonna bring you knew linen to put on the bed. There's a dresser over there and a small nook for you to place things in. You guys have your own bathroom here, I'm gonna bring you some towels as well. I'm pretty sure you might have to share the bathroom with Quinn and Rachel sometimes, but there's also a powder room in the hallway" she said.
Mercedes looked around and sat on the edge of the bed. She put her face in her hands and Shelby knew this as a clear sign of someone who was overwhelmed and exhausted. Santana sat down next to Mercedes and began to rub her back.
"The Hummel's and Pierce's have brought you girls some clothing and toiletries. I think you guys should shower in get into bed to get some rest" said Shelby.
"I'm not really sleepy" said Santana off handedly.
"None the less, you should clean up and get into bed" announced Shelby in a tone that both girls were very familiar with from their Trouble Tones days. "I'll be back in a few minutes to check on you" she said closing the door behind her.
Shelby walked back to her room which was the last door in the hallway. Kurt and Sam were almost finished putting the crib in her room. "Is this spot cool Ms. Corcoran" asked Sam. She nodded her head yes and went to her walk in closet and pulled out a queen sized air mattress and carried it back to the nursery, which Rachel and Quinn were still present in. Quinn was sitting in the rocker as Rachel stood in the corner patiently waiting.
"Here you are ladies" said Shelby entering the room. "The other girls have a bathroom next door but they are to share with you. There's also a powder room located in the hallway. I'm going to blow this up and I want you girls to get cleaned up and get into bed. There's also a bathroom in my bedroom and you can use it as well. I'll bring new towels and linen for you both" said Shelby as she knelt down to begin the process off blowing up the bed.
"Mom?" said Rachel quietly, "we don't have anything to change into".
"Don't worry honey, the Hummel's and Pierce's bought some things for all of you…you want to go first in my room to shower" she asked while watching the air mattress grow.
"Sure" Rachel replied quietly.
"Okay just give me a sec to finish this" said Shelby. She glanced over at Quinn and noticed that the blonde was unconsciously rocking herself to sleep in the rocking chair in the corner. She smirked slightly as she watched her head droop lower. It was uncanny how much looking at Quinn reminded her of Beth. She didn't have to guess what Beth would look like as a teenager; all she had to do was look at Quinn at any moment and see her daughter in about fourteen years.
After the bed was blown up and she finished putting the new linen on, Shelby got off the ground and grabbed Rachel to her, pulling her into a tight hug, "I love you so much Rachel Berry" she whispered into her ear. She didn't wait for a response, instead pulling the tiny girl into her room and into the bathroom. She turned on the shower and fiddled with the knobs to get it to the appropriate temperature. She brought in some towels and washcloths for Rachel to use and extras for Quinn.
"Its body wash and shampoo in the shower. The blow dryer is under the sink. I'll bring in the clothes you can change into while you're in there" said Shelby quietly. Rachel nodded her head in understanding and turned around, signaling to Shelby she needed privacy.
Shelby closed the door behind her and took a deep breath. She decided to go check back in on Quinn. Quinn somehow managed to curl herself up in a ball and was still asleep in the rocking chair. Shelby saw the distinct look of tear stains on Quinn's face and wandered if the blonde beauty cried herself to sleep. She decided to leave it be for the moment and went next door to check on Mercedes and Santana.
Before walking in she could hear Carole talking to the young ladies and stood in the door watching as Carole was handing them their new belongings as the girls sat on the bed, "This duffle bag is for you Mercedes. It has a couple changes of clothing, some pajamas, toiletries, and a stuffed animal in it" she said. "Brittany and Sam went shopping with us" she added when she saw the confused look on Mercedes face. Mercedes pulled out a tiny bear with music notes all over it and couldn't help but to smirk at the thoughtfulness of the act. She clutched it close to her knowing that Sam had picked the stuffed animal out, because she often called him 'bear' as a term of endearment.
"Santana you have the same things in your duffle, except Brittany insisted that you have a duck as your stuffed animal" said Carole handing over the bag to Santana. Shelby watched as she pulled out the duck but didn't react in the same way as Mercedes. Santana sighed deeply and placed the animal back in the bag. Mercedes glanced over at her friend and grabbed her hand; Santana reciprocated the action and looked at Mercedes intently. Shelby knew that they were having their own private conversation, and felt weird intruding in on it. Carole must have sensed the same thing because she spoke up, "If you girls need anything Burt and I are just a phone call away" she said quietly.
"Thanks Mrs. Hummel" said Mercedes as she let go of Santana's hand. She got off of the bed and went to hug Kurt's adopted mom. "Call me Carole honey. We love you guys and we want you both to know we're here for you" said Carole returning the hug to Mercedes and looking down at Santana.
Santana rolled her eyes breaking contact with the woman and crossed her hands over her chest in annoyance. Shelby took this as her cue to walk in, "I see you girls are getting settled in" said Shelby walking in the room causing Mercedes to break away from Carole.
"Yes ma'am we are. Thank you so much Ms. Corcoran" said Mercedes kindly.
"You're welcome. How about you go ahead in get in the shower, I'm going to get you some towels and washcloths Mercedes. I really want you girls to try and get some rest" she said walking over to Mercedes and rubbing her back.
"Okay" was her only response. She grabbed her bag and headed for the bathroom that was located in the room.
"Thanks Carole for everything" said Shelby turning to the woman, "but I really need to get them settled".
"No problem Shelby…don't worry I'll get rid of the boys for ya. I put the bags for Rachel and Quinn in the hallway" she said walking into that very place. Shelby followed after her not before giving a glance back at Santana who decided to lie down on the bed.
"Alright guys it's time for us to go and give them some rest" said Carole as she walked into the living room. Shelby saw Beth look up at her and smile before clumsily making her way over to her mother and holding her hands out. Shelby obliged and picked the adorable girl up, placing small kisses everywhere.
"Shelby please call us if you need anything…hell call even if you don't need anything" said Burt in a strong voice.
"Will do" said Shelby smiling appreciatively.
"Can we say goodbye to them before we go?" asked Finn looking out of place.
"Sorry Finn, the girls are showering and getting ready to go to bed" said Shelby. "I will make sure they contact you after they wake up though" she said hoping that would appease them. Shelby looked at the clock and noticed it was a little after ten in the morning, but she knew those girls were exhausted.
Finn didn't look pleased with her answer but knew he had no choose in the matter. "C'mon guys, let's go and give them some space" said Burt walking towards the door. Carole walked up to Shelby and gave her a small hug, while placing a kiss on Beth's cheek, "she really is adorable" said Carole as she followed after her husband.
Kurt, Finn, and Sam began to make their exit and Shelby followed after them so she could lock up behind them. Sam suddenly turned around scaring Shelby slightly, "Ms. Corcoran…can you please let Mercedes know that I love her?" he asked almost pleadingly, mixed with a hint of sincerity.
"No problem Hun" she responded genuinely. He mumbled a 'thanks' as he made his way on the other side of the door. Shelby closed it and locked up. Walking back into the living room she sat down on the coffee table and placed Beth in her lap while a wave of uncertainty hit her. Having these girls here with her was going to be an overwhelming experience. In her mind she knew she had made the right decision but she was most definitely scared of the future consequences of said decision. She needed help but was afraid to admit that to the other adults because she had adamantly wanted the girls to stay with her.
"Mom" said Rachel quietly; causing Shelby to be broken out of her thoughts, "I was waiting for you to come back, but you never did" said Rachel sadly, wrapping the bath towel around her quietly, while her hair dripped around her shoulders.
The gravity of Rachel's words stunned Shelby into silence for a few seconds. She shook her head clear and stood up with Beth to grab Rachel's duffle bag out of the hallway, "I'm so sorry Rachel I was checking on the other girls and I had to walk the Hummel clan out. I didn't mean to have you thinking I would never return" said Shelby trying to mask the hurt she felt inside.
"Mom…I didn't mean it like that" rushed out Rachel, "I…I'm sorry…"
"It's okay baby" said Shelby adjusting Beth so she could pull Rachel into her, "It's alright…we're gonna work through this. I'm gonna fix all the mistakes I've made in the past, I promise" said Shelby planting a kiss on Rachel's forehead.
"I really didn't mean it the way it came out" said Rachel looking up at Shelby with the most sincere eyes she's ever seen, "Mom I'm so sorry" she said pulling away and looking down at her feet.
Shelby took her finger and placed it under Rachel's chin, pulling her face up to look at hers, "You don't ever have to apologize to me Rachel. I love you and I know it's hard for you to believe sometimes but I'm going to be here for you. It's going to be hard for you to keep me away. I love you now, forever, and for always" said Shelby quietly looking at her daughter.
She wiped the few tears that had escaped from Rachel's eyes and kissed both her cheeks, "C'mon let's get you into some pajamas and in the bed…I can tell your exhausted" she said quietly. She placed Beth on the floor of the room and helped Rachel pull out the pajamas that was brought for her. Rachel pulled out a stuffed gold star with a smiley face on it and clutched it to her.
After Rachel returned from changing, Shelby picked up Beth and guided Rachel into her nursery and onto the air mattress. Quinn was still in the rocking chair curled up in a ball. Shelby placed Beth on the floor and helped tuck Rachel into the bed, pulling the covers up over her, "I love you my sweet angel" she whispered to Rachel and gave her another kiss, "Try and get some rest" she said quietly.
She watched as Rachel nodded her head and closed her eyes. Looking over to make sure Beth was staying out of trouble, she noticed she had made her way over to Quinn and was effectively hitting the older Blonde causing her to wake up. Shelby chuckled slightly at the actions and walked over to Beth.
"We don't hit people to wake them up baby" she said picking up the toddler.
"Sleep" she said pointing to Quinn.
"Yeah she's sleep, but we're going to gently wake her up, not hit her" said Shelby smiling. Shelby began to rub Quinn's shoulder.
"Don't worry I'm awake" said Quinn sitting up tiredly, "I felt small hands pelting my leg" she said with a smirk, looking up at her biological daughter. She glanced over and saw Rachel already lying down on the air mattress, "I guess it's my turn to get in the shower".
"Yeah, it's a duffle outside waiting for you and you can use my bathroom to get cleaned up" said Shelby moving out the way so Quinn could get up unhindered, "It should be extra towels in there and don't be surprised if you find some type of stuffed animal in your bag".
"Brittany went shopping with the Hummel's" said Shelby when she gave her a questioning look.
"Figures" said Quinn quietly.
"Just make that left honey and you'll be right in my room. I'm going to check on Mercedes and Santana" she said placing Beth on the ground but holding on to her hand.
Quinn nodded in understanding and made her way into Shelby's room closing the door behind her. Shelby walked over and knocked before entering, "everything okay in here?" she questioned.
She saw Mercedes was already lying down on the bed with her own bear clutched to her. She had silent tears falling down her face, and only nodded in response to Shelby's question. Shelby heard the shower going and assumed that Santana was in there. She helped Beth walk over to the bed and sat the toddler in the middle. Shelby bent over and began to wipe the tears off of Mercedes face.
"I know you don't see it now, but everything will get better" said Shelby quietly. She felt her heart hurting as she looked into the pain of dark brown eyes. "I promised I would be here and I want you to know that I am and you can talk whenever you feel the need to. Scream, yell, and cry. Don't feel like you have to hold back. I don't want you holding everything in like Santana…it's not healthy" she said seriously.
"I know" said Mercedes hoarsely, "I'm just so tired of crying at this point, but I can't stop".
"Don't try to make it stop okay…just let it happen" said Shelby quietly, pushing hair out of Mercedes face. Mercedes took a deep breath and sighed with a groan, while looking into Shelby's eyes.
"Thanks again Ms. Corcoran" she said quietly, you really didn't have to do this for no one but Rachel. I know Santana and Quinn can be a little much at times but I know they are grateful as well" said Mercedes.
"You don't have to keep thanking me; it's my pleasure to do this for all of you" said Shelby. Somehow Beth had managed to take Mercedes bear from her during their conversation and was playing with it. Mercedes put a genuine smile on her face looking at the little girl. Shelby heard the shower go off and knew Santana was done. She wanted to give her some privacy as she changed her clothing.
"I want you to try and get some rest honey" said Shelby to Mercedes as she placed a kiss on her forehead and stood up.
"I'll try" said Mercedes quietly. Beth discarded the bear and held her hands up for her mother. Shelby picked up her daughter. "I love you now, forever, and always" said Shelby repeating the same thing she said to Rachel.
"I love you too Ms. Corcoran" said Mercedes grabbing the bear and placing it next to her.
"It's Shelby" she said smiling, while closing the door behind her. Shelby made her way back to the living room and put Beth in the corner of the room that had her boxed in with her toys. She went to the kitchen and pulled out another bottle for Beth and handed it to her. She sat down on the couch and her mind began to wander again. She felt completely overwhelmed as tears started to fall down her own face. 'I need help' she thought to herself.
Without thinking she grabbed her phone out of her purse and began to dial.
"Hello" she heard the familiar cheery voice on the other end.
"Mom" she said with her voice breaking.
"Baby what's wrong" said the older Corcoran.
"Everything" sighed Shelby heavily. She began to recount everything that happened in the last twenty four hours. Once she started she couldn't stop. Tears were a constant as she was trying to keep herself as calm as possible as to not upset Beth.
"Shelby…I want you to go and get some rest right now" said her mother in a tone she knew all too well.
"I can't right now, I have to watch Beth" she said quietly.
"Shelby how do you expect to be there for those girls when you're exhausted yourself. You haven't slept properly in some time" said her mother seriously.
"I know mom. Why do you think I'm calling you? I need help and I'm not afraid to ask for it…finally" said Shelby quietly.
"I'm on my way" said her mother hanging up the phone.
"Thanks mom" said Shelby to the dial tone. She placed her phone back on the dining room table and went to check on Beth, before sitting on the couch. Her mother was right…she was totally exhausted. Looking at the clock she noted it was close to twelve in the afternoon. She turned on the television and headed right for the local news. She was surprised, even though she shouldn't have been, to see that the top story was the accident. The reporters already had the names of all the fatalities and she watched as the pictures of the dead were flashing by. Her mind went instantly to the hospital. The dead bodies off all the family members of the girls trying to sleep next door; Shelby choked back a sob, and turned the television to another channel. She decided she would check to see if the girls had finally gotten in the bed and was trying to rest.
She stopped at Rachel and Quinn's room first. Opening the door she saw both of the girls fitting comfortably on the air mattress. Rachel's stuffed gold star had fallen on the floor. Shelby picked it up and placed it back next to the slumbering girl. She kissed Rachel again on the forehead and silently thanked God for keeping her safe and the rest of the girls safe. She looked over at Quinn who had her arms wrapped around a stuffed baby lamb. Shelby also placed a kiss on Quinn's forehead and tucked the blanket around both the girls a little more soundly.
After checking on Beth to make sure she was still occupied with her toys, she made her way to Mercedes and Santana's room. She opened the door silently and saw that the two girls were knocked out in the bed. Mercedes was on the right side of the bed closest to the wall. She was lying on her stomach while her right arm was around her bear. Santana was lying on the left side and was holding onto Mercedes' free hand…more like clutching it. Shelby noticed that Santana didn't have her stuffed toy duck near her at all.
Shelby looked around for her duffle bag and saw the duck sitting inside. She pulled it out and sat it near the sleeping Santana. She placed a light kiss on both of the girl's forehead before exiting back to the living room. Sitting down on the couch she decided to try and watch some television.
She didn't even realize she was asleep until the door bell ringing woke her out of her deep slumber. There was a body attached to her that she didn't remember before and she jumped slightly out of surprise. Opening her eyes a little more she noticed that Rachel was lying on top of her body asleep and Shelby had her own arms clutched around her daughter. She looked over at the clock and noticed it was already five thirty in the afternoon.
"I can't believe I slept this long…oh my gosh…Beth!" she exclaimed loudly, trying to move from under Rachel.
"It's okay Ms. Corcoran…we have her" said Mercedes.
Shelby looked over at the couch and Quinn and Mercedes were attending to the toddler in question. Shelby shook her head, "why didn't you wake me?" she asked as Mercedes got up to go answer the door. Shelby noticed how at home the girl already seemed and was internally happy about that.
"Well Rachel and I heard Beth whining, and we came out here to check on her but you were totally asleep, not hearing much of anything because the tv was blaring. I changed her diaper and turned the tv down. You looked so peaceful sleeping and Rachel kinda had a nightmare, so she climbed onto you and you just grabbed her and both of you have been like that ever since" said Quinn in one breath.
"I came out a little later because I couldn't sleep anymore" said Mercedes walking back into the room, with Shelby's mom right behind her, "this lady says she's your mother. I couldn't argue with her because you look just like her" said Mercedes with a small smile.
"Hey mom" said Shelby from the couch with an apologetic look on her face.
"Hey honey…looks like you got some rest huh?" she said smiling at her grown daughter.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that". "Where's Santana?" questioned Shelby as she adjusted herself slightly so that she could be a little more comfortable with the full weight of Rachel on her.
"She woke up with me but she went back to sleep a little bit after that. She's not too happy about the duck being by her when she woke up" said Mercedes quietly sitting back down on the couch with Beth and Quinn. Shelby unintentionally rolled her eyes at that comment and realized that Santana would probably be the one giving her the most problems.
Beth let out a squeal once she realized her grandmother was there, "Nana…nana" she yelled out.
"Hey baby girl" said the woman going to pick up Beth.
"Oh forgive me for my manner's mom. Ladies the beautiful woman holding Beth is my mom Allison Corcoran, but she insists that everyone that's not me call her Nana" said Shelby winking at her mom. "The beautiful teenage blonde is Quinn" she continued. Quinn nodded her head in acknowledgement. "And the beautiful chocolate brown young lady with the big voice is Mercedes" said Shelby winking at the girl.
"Hello Ms. Corcoran" said Mercedes holding her hand out for Shelby's mom to grab.
"Ah ah…it's Nana" said Allison correcting her and grabbing the diva's hand to shake. "I'm sorry…it's nice to meet you Nana" said Mercedes. "So well mannered, it's very nice to meet you love" said Allison. Mercedes face made the blushing motion at the compliment.
"And this young brunette that's lying on top of me is Rachel mom" said Shelby quietly, kissing the girl's head.
Allison walked over and looked down at the sleeping Rachel, "My gosh Shelby…she looks just like you. Did you just spit her out?" she said jokingly.
"You would think it wouldn't you" said Shelby with a hint of pride in her voice. Allison silently agreed, as Beth did her best to get the attention from her grandmother back on her.
Allison breathed deeply, "Aren't we missing someone?" she asked.
"Oh she's still sleep in the bedroom" said Mercedes.
"This is starting to hurt" said Shelby to no one in particular. She began to silently wake Rachel up. Rachel began to whimper like a baby but Shelby hushed her and gave her soothing back rubs while telling the small sized diva she had to wake up. Eventually Rachel opened her eyes and looked around; she looked up at Shelby and blushed before scrambling of her mother.
"I'm sorry mom, I just had a bad dream and I was still sleepy. And you were there so I decided to take the opportunity to be close to my mom, I hope you aren't mad at me" said Rachel rambling.
"Rachel honey, it's okay. I'm not mad at all…a little surprised but definitely not mad" said Shelby pulling Rachel into a hug. "I love you so much Rachel Berry" she said to her daughter. Shelby decided before dozing off that she would remind all of them on a regular basis how deeply she cared for them.
"I have someone for you to meet" said Shelby pulling away, "Rachel this is my mother Allison" she said looking up at the woman. Rachel looked up at the woman she knew was her grandmother for the first time in life and felt tears in the corner of her eyes. "Everyone is to call her Nana…except for me of course" whispered Shelby in Rachel's ear.
"Hi Nana" whispered Rachel as she felt tears escape from her eyes.
"Hi Rachel" said Nana pulling on Rachel's arm to embrace her in the tightest hug Shelby had ever witnessed from her mom, "It's nice to finally meet you love" she said still holding Beth. Shelby saw as tears were coming out of her own mother's eyes and she realized that even though Rachel had lost one family tragically, she sure had gained another one instantly; including the two girls on the couch and the one still sleep in the bedroom.
Shelby glanced over at Quinn and Mercedes noticing their expressions. Quinn again was avoiding looking at the family reunion, and Mercedes was noticeably trying to hold back tears in her eyes. Shelby walked over to both girls and sat between them. She pulled Mercedes into a side hug, and Mercedes instantly placed her head on Shelby's shoulder. Somehow Shelby knew that Quinn wouldn't allow this type of gesture, but she grabbed the blonde's hand and began to rub circles around the back of it with her thumb. "Girls we're going to get through this together" she said loud enough for those two to hear.
"We're family now and we will work through this like family" said Shelby. She felt her shirt began to soak on her shoulder from where Mercedes was, and she noticed that Quinn's body was making the motion of crying without hearing anything come from her. Instinctively she pulled Quinn into her and thankfully Quinn didn't even put up a fight. Quinn buried her face into Shelby's other shoulder just as Mercedes had and continued to cry silently. Mercedes reached out for Quinn with her spare hand, and Quinn grabbed it and the two girls along with Shelby continued to mourn. Shelby knew these girls were thinking about their loved ones they lost. Heck, it hadn't even been two full days yet, but Shelby thanked God once again for her mom being there to help her through this.
After a while of crying, everyone besides Beth, who wasn't upset at all but looking around curiously, began to calm down, "How about I get dinner started" said Allison to everyone, "That way by the time it's done, the one still asleep will be awake by then".
Santana
Santana lay in the foreign bed staring up at the ceiling. She had fallen asleep briefly after Mercedes left the room, but every time she closed her eyes her mind wouldn't allow her to get any rest. Things were going through her mind a mile a minute: her parents, Mercedes, Marcellus, Brittany, the Cheerios, school, glee, Shelby…just everything.
The more that she thought about the accident, the angrier she became. She was always one who had a lot of rage inside. Being with Brittany helped to calm a lot of it down but it never really went anywhere. It was always inside of her, almost like right under her skin…boiling and waiting for its chance to escape.
The death of both her parents had totally registered with her, she recognized that she would never see them again, but somehow it affected her differently than it did the others. 'Maybe because to you they were already dead' she thought. Huffing loudly she sat up on the bed and placed her back against the headboard. She pulled her legs up close to her body and wrapped her arms around her legs.
She was surprised that her parents even showed up to one of her performances, let alone regionals. They had never shown an interest in her singing before, or her cheerleading to be perfectly honest. Her father always saw it as a waste of time, and he let her know that regularly.
'What type of job are you going to get with singing Santana? What type of future is that?' she could hear her father say just as clearly.
Santana shook her head at the memory. She knew exactly why her parents showed up at regionals and they let her know immediately after the glee club had won against the two other groups they were competing against. Her parents hadn't really talked to her since she came out to them and told them about Brittany being more than just a best friend. To say they were disappointed was an understatement. They didn't yell at the news, they just simply stopped talking. Everyday those commercials played in her house, and every day for weeks she had to deal with the fact that she was 'out'. Not only was she 'out' but she was forced out by that giant oaf Finn and she had to relive it every time that commercial played throughout Ohio.
Even when they were onstage at the competition and she had her solo, she knew people in the audience recognized her. It was evident by the disgust on some of their faces. But she dealt with it…she dealt with it for Brittany. Brittany was the silver lining in all of this and now she didn't know if that was the case anymore.
Tired of thinking about everything, Santana made her way into the living room. She could hear people talking and she could smell something amazing and knew it was coming from the kitchen. Her stomach growled loudly only confirmed that she needed to get out of the room. She opened the door and headed into the living room. She walked in on Rachel and Mercedes sitting on the couch, while they were watching Quinn play with Beth on the floor.
Santana thought it surprising that the little girl hadn't been feeding off the negative energy of everyone and she just assumed it was because the toddler was getting extra attention from everybody.
"Hey San" she heard Mercedes say, breaking her out of her own thoughts.
"Hey Squirt" she replied, walking over to the couch and sitting next to Mercedes, "how you feeling?" she questioned while leaning over and giving Mercedes a quick peck on the cheek.
"As good as can be expected" replied Mercedes quietly. "You get any rest?" she asked.
"Hell no" said Santana, "I didn't think I would…but I tried like Ms. Corcoran asked".
"I thought I heard your voice" said Shelby, forcing Santana to break her concentration off Mercedes and look at her. "Come here honey, I have someone for you to meet".
Santana raised an eyebrow at the woman but got up anyway. They walked into the kitchen and Santana saw a woman, who looked like what Rachel would look like in about forty years.
"Santana this is my mom Allison, but she wants everyone to call her Nana" said Shelby introducing the two.
"So you're Santana. Such a beautiful name to match an obviously beautiful girl" said Allison.
Santana felt herself blush in spite of, and looked down at her feet. "Nice to meet you" said Santana quietly.
"My mom's gonna be staying here for a little while to help us with the transition of everything" said Shelby. Santana shook her head in agreement, "It's was nice to meet you again ma'am" said Santana at a lost for what to say.
"Ah ah…it's Nana" said Allison. She unexpectedly pulled Santana to her and gave her a hug. Santana's body instantly tensed something that didn't go unnoticed by Shelby. Allison pulled away and cupped Santana face in her hand, forcing brown eyes to look at hers.
"You don't have to keep everything in Santana. You don't have to build up walls either; my daughter and I are here to help you. You don't have to be afraid of us…we care and love you" she said quietly. Santana tried not to but her eyes began to water.
"How can you love me and you don't even know me?" asked Santana looking at the older version of Shelby.
"It's so easy and simple" replied Allison quietly.
Santana pulled her face, "trust me ma'am, once you get to know me…that sentiment will change. If you'll excuse me I have to check up on Mercedes" she said walking out of the kitchen. Santana missed the look between mother and daughter, and hurried back in the living room to sit next to Mercedes, effectively grabbing onto her hand.
Santana found herself sitting around the dining room table partaking of a lovely meal provided by Ms. Corcoran's mom…Nana. It was a very awkward dinner at first to say the least. The only person who looked like they wanted to be there was Beth, and she was too busy soaking up the attention from her mother and grandmother. Santana watched as Nana was getting more acquainted with Rachel, 'her long lost granddaughter'. She watched as Nana not only coddled Beth but she was doing the same to Rachel, and Rachel being the attention seeking diva she has always been was soaking it up. Santana tried not to feel jealous at the exchanges but it was hard when her own grandmother didn't want a thing to do with her.
She looked over at Mercedes who was picking at her food, which didn't go unnoticed by Shelby or Santana.
"Do you not like the food Mercedes?" questioned Shelby, "I can find something else for you honey" she said kindly.
"Oh no, it's not like that Ms. Corcoran…" said Mercedes, "I mean Shelby" once she received a look from the woman. "Everything is delicious; I'm just not really hungry".
Santana looked at Mercedes, and raised her eyebrow in questioning. "What?" asked Mercedes.
"Squirt I think you should at least try to eat half of it" said Santana.
"Peanut…I will be alright" said Mercedes looking at Santana, getting her back for using her nickname so much. Santana's cheeks flushed a color red that no one at the table had seen before.
"Peanut?" said Quinn with her eyebrow quirked and an amused look on her face.
Santana growled lowly under her breath letting Quinn know to drop it, but it only seemed to fuel the blonde.
"C'mon Santana that's a cute nickname…peanut" she said again in a faux sweet voice.
"Only one person was allowed to call me that ever and that person is not you Quinn" said Santana forcefully to Quinn, but keeping eye contact with Mercedes.
"Well only one person was allowed to call me Squirt…but he's not here anymore" said Mercedes as her voice broke. Her eyes instantly watered, and it made Santana feel like shit, "If I allowed you to call me Squirt without any complaints than I should be able to call you Peanut".
You could cut the tension with a knife. Practically everyone had stop eating and watched as Mercedes and Santana were in the midst of a stare down.
"Peanut!" yelled out Beth, "Peanut, Peanut, Peanut" she continued while laughing aloud. Everyone turned to look at the toddler who had broken the tension with her adorableness. Rachel let out one of her big laughs, and Mercedes joined in causing everyone at the table to laugh and giggle in some way.
Santana felt a smile creep onto her face even though she didn't want to, 'leave it to Quinn's spawn to make me give in' she thought to herself. Once the laughing had subsided, Santana felt the need to just get Mercedes to eat something, she made a promise and she was going to keep that promise even if it pissed Mercedes off.
"Squirt" started Santana looking Mercedes directly in the eye, "can you just eat a little bit more…please" said Santana as she felt her own voice break slightly.
"Yeah San…I can" said Mercedes as she picked her fork back up and began to work on her vegetables.
The dinner dishes were removed by Allison and Shelby and a lovely desert was served with milk for the girls and coffee for the adults. Even though she would deny it with every fiber in her being, Santana actually was enjoying herself. She couldn't remember the last time she had an enjoyable meal at the dining room table. She usually just ate with Brittany at Breadsticks or she would eat in complete silence at her table at home with her parents. Even though Quinn irked her nerves at any given moment they were having a small conversation with Mercedes and she found that she was enjoying it.
The ringing of the door bell brought them all out of their private conversations, and Shelby wandered aloud who would be at the door during dinner hour as she made her way to the door. Santana took another bite of her chocolate cake and noted that Mercedes had barely touched hers when a familiar voice forced her to turn around.
Mr. Schuester was making his way through the kitchen and into the dining room, apologizing profusely for interrupting their meal. She noticed Sue Sylvester right on his heels. She didn't say anything but nodded a greeting to Santana and the girls.
"So what brings you by here" asked Rachel curiously.
"Just some business with…with what happened" said Will quietly.
Another awkward silence came over the room as everyone was beginning to realize again why the teenage girls were there to begin with.
"Um mom, do you mind taking Beth in the back and getting her ready for bed" asked Shelby.
"Of course not love" said Allison. She grabbed Beth out of her high chair and made her way to Shelby's room located in the back. Santana got up and moved closer to Mercedes grabbing her hand once she was settled next to her, she had a feeling she wasn't going to like any of the news Mr. Schue was coming to bring.
"Sue, Will please have a seat" offered Shelby.
"Thanks" replied Will, as Sue gave a grunt in appreciation.
"So what's going on guys?" asked Shelby.
"Well we came to give you an update of everything…I guess we should start with you Shelby" said Will.
"Do you have a lawyer Ms. Corcoran?" asked Sue cutting straight to the point.
"Yes, his name is Elliot Greenberg…why do I need him?" inquired Shelby.
"Keeping it in the tribes I see" said Sue nonchalantly, "You're going to need him Rachel number one because we're assuming you want custody of the Corcoran part two over there" said Sue. Rachel quirked her eyebrows at the ridiculousness of that statement.
"What Sue is trying to say in her own way is that we were able to get in contact with Hiram and Leroy's lawyer. He faxed me a copy of their Will and Testament, and they both had things in there that stated that if something happened to either one of them, than the other husband would get full custody of Rachel. They never put in anything stating what would happen if something happened to the both of them" said Will.
Santana noticed as Rachel held her head down, and scooted closer to Shelby.
"So we can only assume that you want custody of her, since she is biologically yours" said Sue.
"Most definitely…without question" said Shelby pulling Rachel to her and kissing her head.
"Then contact your lawyer ASAP" said Sue.
"Now Quinn, we still can't get in contact with your father" said Mr. Schue apologetically, "did you have any contact with him…or did your mom have any contact with him that you know about?"
"I haven't seen my father since the night he put me out when I told him I was pregnant" said Quinn sitting up with her back straighter than a board. Santana always assumed she got that posture from when she trained as a ballerina when she was younger, now she noticed Quinn only used it as a defensive mechanism or when she was nervous, "and frankly I don't care if you ever get in contact with him. He didn't give a shit about me and the feeling is mutually returned" said Quinn with a cold expression and voice.
Santana noticed that look before and it was definitely her HBIC look. She looked around and noticed that Sue had a smirk on her face looking at Quinn, while Mr. Schue held his mouth slightly ajar. Rachel held her body close to Shelby and it was clear to Santana that Shelby had seen that face before. Mercedes squeezed Santana's hand and Santana began to rub soft circles on it.
"Uh, Shelby do you mind Quinn staying with you?" asked Mr. Schue clearing his throat.
"You know I don't Will" said Shelby certainly.
"Well you might want to tell your lawyer you're fighting for the custody of Ms. Fabray as well" said Sue.
"Duly noted" said Shelby, "anything else?"
"Um yeah…Mercedes we got in contact with your aunt and uncle from out of town" said Mr. Schue.
Santana felt Mercedes tense next to her, "Its okay Squirt" she said quietly in her ear.
"There on their way to Lima and they have no problems taking responsibility for you. They want to help with the funeral preparations and…then they want to take you with them back to Columbus" said Mr. Schue quietly.
Rachel's head snapped up at that, and so did everyone else's at the table, except for Sue's.
"She can't go to Columbus!" exclaimed Rachel standing up, "her home is here…in Lima!" Shelby pulled Rachel back down in her seat and shushed her.
"That's easier said than done" said Mr. Schue.
"I can't…I don't want to go with them to Columbus. My parents loved Lima" she said as tears suddenly fell down her face. Santana instantly engulfed her in a hug. "I know I talk all the time about leaving but I can't leave like this. I want to leave on my terms…not because my family…not because I have to" she stuttered out. "My boyfriend's here, my friends, my school…I'm not ready to say goodbye to all that…not yet".
"I understand Mercedes" started out Mr. Schue.
"No you don't understand! I'm being forced to say goodbye to my dad, my mom, and my brother! I have to come up with funeral arrangements for my entire family! You don't understand! Now my aunt and uncle who I barely know, wants to take me away! Hell no!" she screamed at him.
"Squirt calm down" said Santana as she tried to wipe tears off Mercedes face, "Beth is still in the back". Mercedes was breathing heavy as she tried to calm down. Shelby made her way over to them, but Santana made it known that she had a handle on the situation.
"I'm just saying Mr. Schue, I have a closer relationship to you and Shelby more than I've ever had with them. I know they're trying to help, but I'm not leaving" said Mercedes emphatically.
"We hear you Mercedes" said Sue, actually using the diva's name, "but honestly it's going to be a hard fight for everyone involved to try and keep you here…they are your next to kin".
"So we're not going to fight" said Santana getting angry.
"That's not what I'm saying Santana…I just want everyone to be prepared for that fact that we might lose this fight because none of us are her blood family" replied Sue.
"Ms. Corcoran, are you willing to fight for Mercedes as well?" said Santana angrily as she squared her eyes at Sue.
"You know I am" said Shelby assuredly.
"Then we fight" said Santana, "and if we lose Squirt…you know I'm right there with you" she turned to look at Mercedes.
"I know" said Mercedes quietly. Santana pulled her into another hug, "I love you so much" she whispered in Mercedes ear.
"Ditto" whispered Mercedes back.
The tension was palpable in the room again and Mr. Schue continued even though Santana could tell he didn't want to. "Now regarding you Santana…we were able to get in contact with your grandmother" he said. Santana turned to look at Mr. Schuester.
"We let her know about your parents, and she was clearly devastated about the loss of her son and his wife…but…but she informed us that she didn't want to have any responsibility for you or anything to do with the preparation of services" said Mr. Schue barely audibly.
"What!" yelled Shelby, "Why the hell would she say that? Not that I don't like having you around Santana…but why" she said looking at Mr. Schue fiercely.
"It's because I'm gay Ms. Corcoran" said Santana cutting off Mr. Schue before he could speak. "I like having sex with woman, and I'm dating Brittany, and my grandmother hasn't talked to me since I came out to her. Nothing is going to change her opinion about me…not even the death of my parents" said Santana emotionless.
Santana could see that Shelby looked aghast from her peripherals, and the rest of her peers were just shaking their heads in disgust.
"Honestly I didn't expect for her to change her mind Mr. Schue, but thanks for trying. Whatever happens, I know I will be with Mercedes because I made a promise, but if it's okay with you Ms. Corcoran I would like to be put on that list of people you're fighting for custody of" said Santana.
"Only under one condition Santana" said Shelby finally getting her composure back, "You stop calling me Ms. Corcoran and call me Shelby" she said with a small smile.
"I'll try but I can't make any guarantees" said Santana not returning the smile.
"I think we're done here for right now William" announced Sue.
"I think you're right Sue. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it would be wise to call your lawyer first thing in the morning Shelby" said Mr. Schue.
"Most definitely…let me walk you guys out" said Shelby getting up. Sue and Mr. Schue followed behind her and Santana heard them say their goodbye.
Santana felt her blood boiling. The rage she was trying to control was begging for release. She didn't understand why but a small part of her was hoping that her grandmother would come to her aid once learning about the death of her parents. She should have known it was a false hope and totally unrealistic. She set herself up for failure. Without realizing it she was up pacing around in the living room.
Quinn, Rachel, and Mercedes just watched on with concern. Shelby came back into the dining room and noticed the pacing that was going on in the other room.
"Santana are you okay honey, do you need to talk?" asked Shelby.
Santana shook her head no and continued to pace, much to the chagrin of Shelby, "Tell me what you need Santana" said Shelby quietly walking into the living room.
"I need to take a walk please" said Santana quietly.
"Honey it's so late" started Shelby.
"Ms. Corcoran I feel like I'm about to blow, I just need some fresh air so I can get my thoughts together" she said quickly cutting Shelby off.
"Okay…how about I walk with you…I won't say anything, I'll just walk".
"Fine" said Santana closed mouth as she turned suddenly to go grab her shoes out of the bedroom. Santana heard Shelby tell the other girls to prepare themselves for bed and she would be back in a little while. Once Santana had her shoes on she went to the door where Shelby was already waiting for her. Together they walked outside and the freshness of the cool night air hit her and she was forever grateful for it. Shelby kept her promise of not saying a word as they walked through the apartment complex and over to a park near Shelby's building.
Santana begin to walk ahead of Shelby and Shelby let her go ahead. Santana could hear her in the distance following behind her. Santana was trying so hard to control the aching pain that was now engulfing her entire body. Why was it that she was never anyone's first choice? Always second best, or just out right rejected. Her own family didn't want anything to do with her because of who she knew she loved in her heart and who she was attracted to.
Why did her life have to be so hard? She knew she could be there for Mercedes, she promised to always be, but who was gonna to be there for her? Who was gonna help her plan the burials for her parents?
'Brittany' was her instant thought. But somehow she inherently knew that wasn't enough, Brittany had been one of those people who rejected her before. She couldn't go through that type of pain again…she couldn't allow herself to feel that type of pain again. Mercedes needed her, 'but when will someone actually need me' she thought to herself.
Santana found herself in the middle of a playground, not exactly sure how she got there. She felt her shoes crunching over some brown mulch and she looked around and noticed the swing set, monkey bars, and slide that were strategically placed all around. She looked behind her and saw that Shelby was right there like she said she would be, not saying a word. Without prompting Santana let out a loud piercing scream and suddenly fell to her knees. Sobs escaped her body uncontrollably as she screamed out 'why'? Santana felt a pair of strong arms engulf her in a tight embrace from behind. She knew at once that it was Shelby, and she heard her saying to let it all out.
"Why doesn't she want me?" cried out Santana, "Why didn't they want me? What did I do that was so wrong?" she cried as she turned to face Shelby and bury her head into the woman who was taller than her.
Santana stayed in Shelby's arms, sobbing her eyes out, as Shelby continued to say how much she wanted her and how much she loved her. The only problem was that Santana couldn't believe it was true.
