A.N. - Okay, I'm really sorry you had to wait so long for this update. Real life has been kicking me in the ass and writing had to take a backseat. Beth's journey to find her mother takes some huge steps in this chapter. I hope you enjoy it!

The next morning, Beth got up very early and went over all the notes she took the previous night. It was a bit dizzying to hear the story all at once last night and she got swept up in it rather than honing in on the details that might give the identity of her mother away. After hearing about the three girls that her dad had dated, she still had no idea who her mother was.

Santana seemed like the kind of person that you could have a lot of fun with and who would be in your corner no matter what, but was she her mother? It's definitely possible. It sounded like she dated around a lot, but she also seemed like she and her dad definitely had moments where they weren't always careful and she knew that it only took one time.

Quinn seemed like she was the queen of their high school. She was gorgeous, popular and smart. It seemed like everyone either really liked her or wanted to be her. Who wouldn't want her as a mother?

Rachel was the one that really stuck out in Beth's mind. She could tell that Rachel had made an indelible impression on her dad. When he was telling her the story, she felt that he had definite ends with Santana and Quinn, but that there was unfinished business with Rachel. Was their unfinished business the baby that they gave away? Or maybe he had a definite end with Quinn and Santana because they gave their baby away and there was nothing else holding them together. The story had given her insight into her dad and showed her how much he's changed, but it did nothing to really help her find out who her mother was. She decided to use her big brain and work a different angle. She picked up her phone and called the only person that she knew could help.

Mike was just getting back from his morning workout when his phone rang. He thought it odd that Beth would be calling this early and immediately he thought that something may be wrong. "Good morning Beth. Is everything okay? You don't usually call me this early."

Beth looked at her clock and understood why he might think that something was wrong. "I'm sorry Uncle Mike. I didn't mean to alarm you. Everything's just fine. Dad's still sleeping. I think he's giving some lessons later today and all my homework is finished for the weekend, so I was wondering if you were free today and would want to hang out with me."

Mike could sense that something was up. He loved hanging out with Beth and they always had fun, but it was usually him that initiated their outings. Her eagerness in this matter had him intrigued so he went along with it. "Sure thing. You're my favorite sidekick. What do you say we go and get some brunch at our favorite place on the beach and then figure out what do from there?"

"Yay! I love Geoffrey's. It's been a long time since we've been there and I'm drooling over their Challah French Toast."

They talked for a few more minutes and Beth started to get ready. She told her dad what she was doing for the day and he was surprised, but loved that she and Mike got on so well. Plus, he liked that he didn't have to worry about her being in good hands. Mike was his best friend and practically his brother. He was also pretty much the only one who was there for him throughout Quinn's pregnancy and the aftermath of giving her away. He loved Beth as if she was his own and Noah knew that he would protect her with his life.

They got to the restaurant right when it opened and since Mike knew the chef, they had no problems getting a table and they didn't even have to put in an order. The waiters and cooks knew what they liked and how they liked it. As they sat at their favorite table outside on the beach, he could see Beth lost in her thoughts, staring out at the waves of the ocean. "Penny for your thoughts?"

"Uncle Mike, do you know who my mother is?"

He nearly spit his drink out. "What brought this on?"

"I don't know, I guess I've been wondering about it for a while now. My mom was always tight lipped about who my birth parents were. The only reason I met Dad was because she got sick. She always told me growing up that she knew my dad loved me, but gave me up to have a better life, but she would never mention my mother. I figured out that she must have been one of his high school girlfriends so I got him to tell me about them last night. The thing is, I thought that I would be able to figure out who she was from the story, but I just can't. I really want to know about her, but I know I won't get anywhere talking to Dad about it. I know you went to high school with them so you must know."

He felt so bad for her. He wanted so much to grant her request, but Noah had told him about Quinn's desire to remain anonymous. He did, however, believe that she had a right to know who her mother was. He had to be careful about how he proceeded from here on out. "Wow. I'm not going to lie to you. I know who she is, but I also know that it's not my place to tell you. It's not that I don't want to, it's just that I want to respect people's wishes in the matter. That being said…if you were to figure things out for yourself then it's not like I would be breaking any confidences. I will help you in any way I can, but I just can't come out and tell you who she is."

Beth was slightly disappointed. It would be so much easier if he would just tell her, but she admired his desire to not break his promises to his friends. "Well, I have it narrowed down to Santana, Quinn, or Rachel." She made a point to look at his facial expression as she said each name to see if he would give anything away, but his poker face was too good. "I have this notebook of all the details from the story dad told me yesterday." She reached into her bag and pulled it out and showed him everything.

He chuckled at her organized notes and charts that she had made. "Well, that pretty much sums your dad's high school dating experience. What can I do to help you out?"

"If only I knew what they looked like. Maybe I could figure it out from looking at their pictures…wait a minute! Do you have a yearbook I could look at?"

He was absolutely floored by her logic and thought process. She was brilliant like Quinn and resourceful just like Puck. It was a very formidable combination and he was glad that he was on her side. "Unfortunately, I left all that stuff behind with my parents in Ohio. I think that your dad did too. High school was a rough time for him. When he left, he wanted a clean start."

"Hmm…I was hoping you were going to make this easier on me. Do you know what happened to each of them?"

"Santana ended up going to college out here too and majored in public relations. She actually works here in California and has quite a few Hollywood clients. Quinn went off to college too, but ended up moving back to Ohio to be with Finn. They got married and have three or four kids now and she's a stay at home mom. Rachel was always destined for Broadway and that's where she is now. She moved to New York right after graduation and has been headlining shows there ever since."

"Are you still in touch with all of them?"

"I talk to Santana pretty regularly and we still get together for lunch or dinner once a month. I haven't talked to Quinn since her wedding to Finn seven years ago and I make it a point to text Rachel every once in a while just to see how she's doing. I know she's very busy and famous now, but she always makes a point of answering my texts so at least I know she hasn't forgotten where she came from."

"There was something about the way my dad talked about Rachel. What did you think about their relationship when they were in high school?"

"Rachel and Puck are two of the most talented, passionate, and misunderstood people you'll ever meet in your life. They've had tough childhoods and have had to endure so many things that most people wouldn't even dream of dealing with. They're both very careful about who they let get close to them and tend to use their big personalities to keep people at arm's length. He used to bully her and she used to annoy him. Everything about them on paper said that they were incompatible, but when they were together they brought out the best in each other. There was one time when the football team was forced to join the glee club for a week in order to build team unity with the football players that were already in glee and Puck and Rachel sang a duet to show the football players what it was all about. Let me tell you that it was magic when they sang together. For the three and a half minutes that they sang for us, all felt right in the world. The school even had a nickname for the two of them…Puckleberry. It's such a shame that bad timing always seemed to be the enemy of that relationship. They ended up being such great friends though."

More than ever she wanted Rachel to be her mother. She had to be sure about it though. "Would you be willing to arrange for me to meet Santana? I think that I'll know when I meet her if she's my mother or not."

"I don't know about that Beth. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable doing this behind your dad's back."

"Well, why don't we all get together then? It'll be like a reunion for the three of you and I'll get the confirmation I need on whether or not she's my mom." She could see that he was still unsure about the idea. "Please Uncle Mike? Just pitch the idea to Dad."

She was looking at him with those puppy dog eyes that she had perfected over the years. "You are so lucky that I love you like you were my own daughter. I'll see what I can do to convince your dad."

The very next weekend, Beth was preparing to meet Santana. It didn't take much for Mike to convince Puck to have Santana over. Puck had no idea that Beth was trying to figure out who her mother was, and it had been years since they had all gotten together, so he agreed pretty quickly. It was springtime and the weather in Southern California was beautiful, so they decided to have a cookout at Mike's house on the beach. It was a nice way to unwind on a Sunday before going back to work and school.

Mike and Puck were outside getting the grill ready and having some beers when the doorbell rang. Beth was inside so she was the one who answered. She opened the door and saw a stunning woman standing in front of her. She was very well dressed and had on a very big pair of sunglasses that seemed to be popular with women and she was barking orders into her Bluetooth. As soon as she realized that Beth had opened the door, she quickly ended her call.

"Bill, I'm going to have deal with this later. I'll be out of touch for the rest of the day."

Santana couldn't believe her eyes. She was brought back to high school and the time when all the drama surrounding Quinn's pregnancy wreaked havoc on the glee club. Ever since Quinn got pregnant by Puck, her relationship with him was never the same. He had lost a part of his heart when he was forced to give her up, and here she was, looking so much like him. She admired him for stepping up and doing right by her and showing the world that he was finally a man and a father. Mike had caught her up on the whole situation and it was precisely why she agreed to come and meet Beth. She agreed with Mike that she had a right to know who her mother was, and she also didn't want to be the one to spill the secret. She had talked to Quinn a couple of times in the last few years and it was pretty evident that she had no interest at all in looking back.

Mike and Puck came in from outside and they all exchanged hugs and Santana and Beth were formally introduced. They spent the rest of the afternoon and evening catching up. Santana hadn't changed much from high school. She was still loud and outspoken, and loved ribbing the boys and embarrassing them with stories about their awkward days in high school, although she did keep it under control with a few warning looks from Puck reminding her that there was a young one among them.

Their party was coming to a close and Mike and Beth were clearing the table and doing the dishes. Noah couldn't believe that he was the father of a teenager. He thought it would be easier as she got older, but he found himself worrying more. He watched as Mike and Beth were discussing their picks for March Madness, which was starting in a couple of weeks and he was thankful that she wasn't a boy crazy teenager just yet.

Santana didn't follow sports and felt bad that Beth didn't have a female role model in her life. "I hear that it's a certain teenage girl's birthday coming up soon. What do you say I take you on a girl's day out? You need more female influence in your life because while this 'My Two Dads' routine that you've got going on right now is adorable, you need more of a balance."

Beth's eyes lit up and she was unbelievably excited to have a chance to spend time with Santana. They hadn't gotten a minute alone together and she still couldn't say whether or not Santana was her mother. "Can I go, Dad?"

Noah was a bit hesitant to let Beth spend time with Santana. He looked over at Santana. "Only if you promise to be on your best behavior and not corrupt my daughter."

Santana scoffed. "I'm just going to take her out for lunch and shopping and probably a mani-pedi. Most importantly, we can have some girl talk, none of this February Foolishness or whatever male sports ritual you were just talking about."

The following Saturday was their date, otherwise known as Estrogen Day, which was what Noah had dubbed it throughout the week. Santana picked Beth up nice and early and joked to Puck that he shouldn't wait up. As much as he was nervous about them spending time together, he was glad that she now had someone she could talk to about female stuff with. She was getting to be that age where girls could really benefit from having an older female to talk to.

They got the manicures and pedicures out of the way and stopped off for lunch at the Grove. Beth knew that she may never get time alone with her again so she decided to bite the bullet and ask her the question she was dying to get an answer to. "Santana, are you my mother?"

Santana had known this question was coming. "You are an amazing kid and I would love it if you were my daughter, but I'm sorry sweetie I'm not your mother."

Beth couldn't decide if she was relieved or sad. She liked Santana and they probably would have a lot of fun if they were mother and daughter, and her journey would have come to an end if Santana was her mother. She was relieved as well because if she was being honest, she really wanted Rachel to be her mother. "I kind of had a feeling that you weren't, but I wouldn't have minded if you were. You live here in town and you get along well with Dad and Uncle Mike. Plus, you're a lot of fun and I like hanging out with you."

Santana's heart melted. Quinn had no idea that she was missing out on such a wonderful child. "I like hanging out with you too. Seriously, you take my cell number and if you need anything, even if it's just that you're tired of hanging out with the testosterone twins and want a break, you call me."

"Okay. I'll remember that, thank you. So I'm guessing by your lack of surprise by my question that Uncle Mike told you about my mission. I'm also guessing that you also know who my mother is, but you're not going to tell me."

"He told me you were smart and direct. Yes, I do know who your mother is and yes, I would love to tell you, but I agree with Mike that it's not my place to tell you. Now that you know it's not me, what's your next step?"

"This is where I'm going to need yours and Uncle Mike's help. I need to go to New York and talk to Rachel. Either way, I'll know who my mother is by the end of that trip."

"Are you sure this is such a good idea? I mean, there is a reason why you haven't found out who your mother is yet."

"I just want to know who she is. I feel like I'll never feel whole unless I know who she is. I've sort of realized that if she really wanted to be a part of my life she could have been. Dad kept in touch with my mom all those years and sent money even though he didn't have to. I'm almost positive that my mom extended the same courtesy of keeping my birth mother in the loop, but she refused. I decided that I want to meet with Rachel because I feel such a connection with her from the story that Dad told me. I can tell that she's special to him and I really want to know why things didn't work out between them."

"Well, it sounds like you've thought a lot about this. It would probably kill me too if I didn't know who my mother was. I understand your desire for answers, but I'm also worried that you might not be ready for the emotional fallout that may come with knowing."

"I get that you are all trying to protect me and I love you all for it. I also know that this is something that I need to do. I used to be afraid to deal with emotions because I didn't want to be a burden to anyone, but Dad has taught me to feel those emotions because it's better than keeping them bottled up. If there's one thing that I know it's that whatever life throws at me I'll be able to get through it because I have Dad…and Uncle Mike…and now you. I'll always feel like I'm missing something if I don't do this."

Santana was not known for being a crier, but her eyes were misting. "You really are something else. This is something you need and I'm not going to stand in your way. Actually, I may be able to help you get to New York. A lot of schools out there have two week performing arts workshops during the summer that you can attend. It'll give you a reason to be out there without your dad getting too suspicious. I'll even fly out there for a couple of days and help you get in touch with Rachel."

"You'd do that for me?"

"Of course, sweetie. I'm not going to throw you overboard without a lifesaver."

They finished up their lunch and then got involved in some serious shopping. It seemed as though Beth came home with a whole new wardrobe, which Noah would normally object to, but she was so happy that he couldn't bear to rain on her parade. Santana stayed for a bit to talk to Puck and decided to head out when Beth came down in her pajamas and announced that she was going to bed. "Thank you for today. I had a great time Aunt Santana." She gave her a big hug and raced upstairs to get ready for bed.

Noah looked at her, a quizzical look on his face. "Aunt Santana, huh? I'm impressed. You really made an impression on her and won her over."

"Don't look so surprised, Puckerman. The kid's got great taste."

"I'm going to have to keep an eye on you two. I have a feeling you're going to make life very interesting around here now that you're buds."

"You don't know the half of it." She said as she winked and let herself out.

A.N. - Please don't throw tomatoes at me! This is the last Rachel-less chapter. I swear!