Sorry for the slow update. I just started school so I won't be able to update as frequently, but there are only two chapters left so It's not a huge deal.

"I can't do this" Rachel said, snapping the phone shut and handing it to Finn.

"Yes you can, she already agreed to help you" Finn replied, handing the phone back to her.

"What if she changed her mind? Who could blame her after the things I said?"

"You were upset, she'll understand. You can do this babe" he said, stroking her back.

"Okay" she said, exhaling sharply. She flipped open her cell phone and began to dial.

"It's ringing, what do I do?" she said frantically.

"I think you should know how a phone call works by now Rachel" He teased.

"Hello?" Shelby said answering the call.

"Uh h-hi" Rachel" stammered "It's—

"Rachel?" Shelby said.

"Yeah, it's... it's me."

"Are you okay?" Shelby said.

Rachel opened her mouth to say something but no words came out. Finn squeezed her shoulder supportively, giving her a "you can do this" look.

"I'm fine, I'm okay I just needed to… to talk to you about…"

"The transplant?" Shelby finished.

"Look I know I said some harsh words before but I really am eternally grateful for what you did for me. You saved my life Shelby, and now I'm asking if you would find it in your heart to forgive me…" she looked at Finn who gave her a warm smile. "…and I'm asking if you would…"

"Rachel" Shelby interrupted. "Why don't you come over? We need to talk."


Finn grasped Rachel's clammy hand as he led her up the path to Shelby's front door.

She raised her hand to knock on the door, but couldn't bring herself to do it. Finn rang the doorbell instead.

"Thank you" she said squeezing his hand.

"Why hello, you must be the Famous Rachel Berry" Bryan said, answering the door.

"Yes, we met once actually. I was one of Mr. Schuester's students."

"Yeah we both were, don't you remember?" Finn said.

"Hmm" Bryan said furrowing his brow. "Yeah, not even a little bit, but hey, second chances right? Come on in, Shelbs should be right out, she's sanitizing for your visit. The little one's got the flu."

"I swear that girl has coughed up substances that haven't been invented yet." Shelby said, entering the room. "Hi Rachel"

"Hi" Rachel said timidly.

"We should sit down" Finn said. The four of them took their seats in silence.

"Look Rachel I know you think I'm this awful woman who abandoned you, and yes agreeing to the transplant was partially a decision made out of guilt but…"

"I don't care" Rachel said. "I don't care why you helped me, the point is that you did, and yes, if I'm going to have a chance then I am going to need your help again."

"I know, and I would be honored."

Rachel and Finn smiled at each other.

"But first there's something I wanted you to see." Shelby got up and disappeared down the hallway. Bryan, Finn and Rachel sat in silence until she returned with a thin, glossy book that she handed to Rachel.

"It's my playbill from Sweeney Todd" Rachel said taking it. "You were there?"

"Opening night" Shelby said. "Look, I've always been so proud of how talented you are Rachel, and so ashamed that I never got a chance to have any part of it. That's the other reason I wanted to help, the main reason. I just felt like the world would be a little better if you stuck around and if I had a chance to make that happen then I had no choice but to take it."

"I don't know what to say" Rachel cried.

"Look, I'm sorry about leaving you that day, I just felt like you had all of these people in your corner, your husband, your parents. And we decided before that me keeping my distance emotionally was always the best thing."

"I know, but I guess I… never really meant it" Rachel said.

"You never said anything."

"I can be surprisingly good at keeping quiet" Rachel said. "But like I said, none of that matters now. What matters is that I have this operation."

"You're right" Shelby said. "I helped bring you here the least I can do is help keep you here."

"We really appreciate this Shelby" Finn said.

"Mommy!" yelled the voice of a small child from the other room.

"I'll go, you guys should really talk more" Bryan said, getting up.

"No it's okay, we should really be going" Rachel said. "Burt and Carole are making me a special vegan dinner and I should really be there to supervise." She and Finn got up to leave, but before Rachel could start out the door she turned around and walked up to Shelby.

"I just wanted to…" Rachel didn't finish the sentence, instead she tentatively hugged Shelby, who smiled and hugged her back. "I'll see you later."

"Of course" Shelby replied.

Bryan showed Finn and Rachel out and shut the door behind them.

"See that wasn't so bad was it?" Finn said as they walked towards the car. Just then Rachel began to cry and buried her head in Finn's chest.

"Rachel, what's the matter?" he said, rubbing her back.

"I'm okay" she said, pulling herself together. "It's just been a really emotional day."


"What exactly is tahini?" Is it some sort of sandwich?" Finn said, confusedly glancing at the recipe his mom had printed out.

"It's sesame paste Wolfgang Puck" Rachel teased, chopping a carrot.

"But could it go in a sandwich?" he asked hopefully.

"Finn If you're asking me if I'll make you a sandwich then yes but you'll have to be patient" Carole said, pouring some olive oil into a pan.

"Burt you're going to want to add a half a teaspoon of cumin" Rachel continued, grabbing the recipe from Finn and reading it.

"I don't get it, when do I put the eggs in?" Burt said, scratching his head.

"Do you not understand what vegan means?" Rachel said.

"Yeah, no meat right?" Burt said, "There's no meat in eggs."

"We're not using eggs Burt" Rachel said.

"What did you talk me into?" Burt said.

Rachel smiled and continued to cut the carrot.

"I'm glad we're doing this, just like old times" Finn said getting up to raid the fridge for a beer.

"If it were just like old times I'd be cooking a steak right now" Burt laughed.

"So Rachel, do I put the onions in first or…" Carole turned towards Rachel only to find her facedown in the pile of sliced carrots. "Rachel, honey?" Carole said running up to her and trying to stir her awake.

"Oh, no. Rachel!" Finn said, dropping his beer on the floor. She had passed out before, but never while she was sitting down and relaxed. It could only mean that she was getting worse. "Call an ambulance!"