Thanks for all your nice reviews everyone! I just wanted to clarify that since this is AU, Puck and Shelby never had an affair, but Quinn still went through her crazy phase. This was my favorite chapter of this story so far. I hope you enjoy it! Please review and tell me what you think! Hope everyone's excited for the Valentine's episode tomorrow!

Chapter 7: Mother to Daughter Advice

The next Friday afternoon Rachel was sitting in Shelby's apartment. She'd gone home with Shelby after school. She'd only brought a suitcase worth of clothes over from Finn's house. Most of her things were still there.

"Where do you want me to sleep, Shelby?" Rachel asked.

"Your room's next to mine," Shelby said. "It has wallpaper with gold stars."

"I love gold stars," Rachel said.

"So do I," Shelby said. "When I coached Glee clubs, I gave the kids Gold Star awards when they did well."

"I used to put gold star stickers next to my name when I signed it," Rachel laughed.

"You really are like me," Shelby said.

They heard a cry coming from the other room. "Sounds like Beth's getting up," Shelby said. "I'll be right back."

Rachel nodded. "Okay." As Shelby left to get Beth, Rachel looked around the living room. It wasn't a shrine to Beth, like her dads had made their living room a shrine to her. There were a few pictures, but Rachel stopped herself from feeling bad. They hadn't spoken from Regionals Rachel's sophomore year to when Shelby returned to McKinley.

Shelby came back in the room with Beth. Rachel was surprised by how much Beth looked like Quinn and Puck. Beth had blond curly hair and hazel eyes. "She's beautiful," Rachel smiled.

"Would you like to hold her?" Shelby asked. "It's what sisters do."

Rachel smiled and nodded. She took Beth into her arms. Beth looked up at Rachel and smiled.

"She likes you," Shelby said.

"Finn said she really likes Noah, too," Rachel said.

"Oh, he's great with her," Shelby said. "Sometime you can have Finn over to see her."

"At one point Finn thought she was his," Rachel said.

"Yeah, Noah told me that story," Shelby said.

They sat quietly for a little while before Shelby spoke. "Did Finn take good care of you?"

"Yes, he did," Rachel said. "But I did feel guilty. He was really sweet, so was Kurt and so were their parents, but I'm not family. I felt like I was burdening them."

"Well, you are family for me," Shelby said, hugging Rachel. Rachel forced a smile. Shelby wanted her to be family now, but could it be just because she felt obligated to?

"So, you got into NYADA?" Shelby asked.

Rachel nodded. "I did. So did Kurt."

"You should go then, Rachel," Shelby said. "You'll have Kurt with you."

"I'm so upset that it's hard for me to just get through school," Rachel said. "I don't know if I can handle living in another city."

Shelby gave Rachel a hug. "You'll be okay."

Rachel sighed. "I hope so. I don't have to give NYADA a final answer yet."

"Just say yes," Shelby said. "If you still don't feel ready, lots of schools have rolling admission."

Rachel heard a knock on the door. Shelby handed Beth to Rachel. "I'll get it."

Rachel rocked Beth as Shelby went to the door. Beth grabbed Rachel's finger and smiled at her. Rachel smiled back at Beth.

"You have a visitor, Rach," Shelby said. Rachel looked up and saw Finn. She smiled wide. "Finn!"

"I already miss having you at my house," Finn said, sitting on the couch next to Rachel.

"I miss you too, Finny," Rachel said.

"Since Finn's here, I'm going to start dinner," Shelby said. "Finn, would you like to stay for dinner?"

Finn smiled. "I'd love to. Thanks, Ms. Corcoran."
Rachel smiled at Finn. "Finn, thank you for taking such good care of me over the past few weeks."

Finn smiled back. "It's my job." He looked at Beth. "Is this Beth?"

"Yes it is," Rachel said. "Would you like to hold her?"

Finn nodded as Rachel handed Beth to him. "It's weird to think that this is who I thought was my baby."

"I know, right?" Rachel said.

"She looks like Puck and Quinn, doesn't she?" Rachel asked.

"She does!" Finn agreed. "No wonder Puck loved seeing her."

"Now that Quinn's calmed down, I really hope Shelby lets Quinn see Beth," Rachel said. "I don't wait Quinn and Beth to not have each other in their lives."

"So, there's something I think you should know," Finn said.

"And what is that?" Rachel asked.

"I don't want to be separated from you," Finn said. "I talked to Kurt a couple months ago to help me find some schools in New York that are easier to get into. My dancing pretty much disqualifies me from NYADA, but since it's such a big city, there's a lot of schools there. We did find a few, and I applied to them."

Rachel felt happy. "Did you hear back from any of them yet?"

"I got into several of them," Finn said happily. "I actually got a partial scholarship to one of them."
"Really?" Rachel asked. "Which one?"

"Marymount Manhattan," Finn said. "It's a couple blocks from NYADA so I could live in an apartment with you and Kurt if you end up going there. I think part of the reason why I got a scholarship is they need guys." He laughed.

Rachel laughed. "It's still a scholarship! Finn, that's great!"

Finn took Rachel's hands. "So I think I'm going to New York. And I really hope you come with me."

"I really do want to go with you and Kurt, I just don't know if I'm ready," Rachel admitted.

"You'll have me with you, and you'll have Kurt," Finn said.

"I love you so much," Rachel whispered.

"I love you, too," Finn said. He gave Rachel a kiss.

"Finn, Rachel, dinner's ready!" Shelby called.

"I'll carry Beth," Rachel told Finn as she took Beth and carried her into the dining room. Finn followed. Rachel put Beth in her high chair.

"Rachel, I can already tell you're a great big sister," Shelby said.

"Thanks Shelby!" Rachel said.

"What's for dinner?" Finn asked.

"Pasta, is that okay?" Shelby asked.

Finn nodded. "Yeah, it sounds good."

"Thanks for coming over, Finn," Shelby said. "I think it might make Rachel's first night here a little easier."

Finn smiled. "I always love spending time with Rachel. How long do you think she'll be here?"

"I'm not sure Finn, it all depends," Rachel said. "I might stay here or I might go back to your house."

"The house already feels weird without you!" Finn laughed.

"Finn really loves you, I can tell," Shelby whispered to Rachel.

Rachel smiled. "I love him too."

"So, Finn, have you decided yet where you're going to school next year?" Shelby asked.

"I got into Marymount Manhattan and got a scholarship," Finn said proudly. "I'd really like to go there so I can live in New York with Kurt and Rachel."

"I still don't know what I'll do," Rachel said.

Shelby took Rachel's hand. "We'll all support you in whatever you decide to do, Rachel. Anyway, are you two getting excited for Nationals?"

"I think this year we'll win," Finn declared. "Ms. Corcoran, Vocal Adrenaline didn't even qualify, they got beat by us AND the Warblers at Regionals."

"They've been all downhill ever since I left," Shelby said.

"So now you can cheer for your biological daughter's team at Nationals, Shelby," Rachel said. "Don't worry, Finn and I will save our kissing for after the performance this year."

"I heard about that," Shelby said. "At least you two love each other."

"Jesse gave me up for Nationals, Finn gave up Nationals for me," Rachel said proudly.

Finn kissed Rachel on the forehead. "Nationals are in the Outer Banks in North Carolina this year. The beaches there are supposed to be really nice."

"They are nice," Shelby said.

"Kurt was checking it out online," Finn said. "He thinks Mr. Schue should have us rent one of those beach houses instead of staying in a regular hotel."

"Yeah, Shelby, last year we could only afford two hotel rooms, plus Mr. Schue's room, so four girls squeezed into each of the beds," Rachel said, rolling her eyes at the memory.

"Sounds awful," Shelby laughed.

"It was!" Rachel groaned.

"Hey, our situation wasn't much better!" Finn laughed. "The guys made me take the couch because I kick in my sleep."

"Your kicks feel good!" Rachel giggled.

Shelby gave them a look. "Sorry," Rachel mumbled.

"It's okay," Shelby sighed. "You two are almost done with high school, I guess it's not a surprise you sleep together."

Finn put his arm around Rachel. "We're careful, don't worry."

"You two are a sweet couple," Shelby said.

Finn and Rachel smiled at each other. Finn stayed for dessert and for a little after dinner before he went home.

When Finn left, it was time to get Beth ready for bed. Rachel helped Shelby bathe Beth and read Beth a bedtime story. When Beth fell asleep, Rachel and Shelby went to the living room to sit down.

"It's so nice to have someone else around after Beth goes to bed," Shelby told Rachel.

"I bet it is," Rachel said with a smile.

"I'm so sorry, Rachel," Shelby said.

Rachel gave her a confused look. "What do you mean?"

Shelby sighed. "I'm sorry that I didn't try to talk to your dads about letting us see each other when we signed that contract. I'm sorry I let you go so easily when you found me your sophomore year. I'm sorry it appeared that I replaced you and I didn't tell you about my plans with Beth. I'm sorry I spent most of my time this fall with Noah and Quinn. I'm sorry about your dads."

"You have me now," Rachel said.

Shelby gave Rachel a hug. "I'm never going to lose you again. I want you to go to New York with Finn and Kurt. Do it for your dads."

"I'll do what you suggested," Rachel said. "I'll say yes to NYADA and if I end up deciding it's too much for me, I'll just go somewhere else."

"That way you won't lose the option," Shelby said. "Rachel, you're an amazing young woman. You're so beautiful, so talented, so kind. You deserve everything that you're going to get in New York."

"You think so?" Rachel asked.

"I know," Shelby said.

"That means a lot to me," Rachel said. She looked at the ground. "Shelby, I appreciate everything you and Finn and all my friends from Glee have done for me, but I really miss my dads." She felt tears coming to her eyes.

Shelby pulled Rachel on to her lap. "I'm sure you do. I'm 40 and both my parents are still alive. I can't imagine losing both of them at your age."

Rachel began crying on to Shelby's shoulder. "I'm so sorry, sometimes all I want to do is cry."

Shelby rubbed Rachel's back. "Cry if you need to, sweetheart."

Rachel stopped crying a few minutes later. "Can we maybe watch TV or something before bed?"

"Of course," Shelby said. "I'm guessing you'd like to see a musical."

Rachel smiled. "That would be great."

Shelby began sorting through the DVDs. "I have a pretty big collection. Oh, I think I know! You played Maria in West Side Story this year, would you like to see a DVD of the time I played Maria in a community theatre production of West Side Story?"

Rachel smiled wide. "That sounds great!"

Shelby put the DVD in the DVD player and they watched the tape. Rachel was surprised by how much her mother had been like her at her age. After they watched the play, Rachel went to bed. Maybe at this time next year, she'd be going to bed in New York. Maybe, just maybe, she'd be able to find the strength to do it.

Chapter 8 preview: Rachel, Finn and Kurt go to New York during their spring break to visit their perspective schools.