This is not the dream I dreamed - Rachel faces up to the fact that her Broadway career could be over before it had chance to begin.

Rating - T

Character -Rachel (Also features her fathers, Finn, Will, Shelby, Beth and others)

A/N - Reviews/concrit are loved, and if there's anything you'd like to see happen the let me know and I'll try my best to work it in somehow.I'm from the UK, so if anything American is not quite right, please let me know and I'll fix it.

So, I suck at updating. I'll try not to leave it so long next time!

Rachel woke with a jump. It took her a moment to remember where she was, and after glancing at the clock she quickly jumped out of bed to check on Lyla, it had gone 9, and the latest the infant had ever slept was closer to 6.30. She ran down the stairs when she found the Moses basket empty, heaving a sigh of relief when she found Lyla in the living room with Shelby."What are you looking at smiler?" Shelby cooed over Lyla as she held the infant in a sitting position on her knee, Lyla giving Shelby a gummy grin as she enjoyed the attention she was getting. "Look who it is." Lyla's grin grew and her arms and legs began to flail wildly as Shelby lifted her so she could see Rachel. "Is everything okay?" Shelby asked as Rachel sat beside her, taking Lyla into her own arms, hugging her tightly.

"I erm, she wasn't in the Moses basket, I guess I panicked."

"I'm sorry" Shelby apologised as Rachel laid Lyla on the rug beneath a playbar, smiling as she spent a moment trying to grab at the brightly coloured toys before trying to suck on her own feet, "I didn't mean to worry you, but she woke early, I thought you might like to sleep a little longer, especially after last night."

"Thank you. Didn't she need feeding though?"

"Yeah, but she only had one bottle last night, I gave her the other one at about 7" I hope that's okay? Shelby was concerned she'd overstepped a line.

"No, no it's fine, she'll be getting ready for another feed soon." Shelby nodded, "would you be okay to watch her while I get dressed?"

"Of course, there are clean towels in the bathroom if you'd like to shower."

"Thanks" Rachel smiled gratefully before kissing Lyla and leaving the room.

Rachel returned from her shower and was surprised to find Lyla sat in a small swing, her head lolling to the side slightly as she drifted between sleeping and wakefulness. "Where did that come from?" Rachel asked, sitting beside Shelby, watching Lyla's eyes flicker as she desperately tried to fight sleep.

"I had it for Beth" Shelby explained, "some days it was the only place she'd sleep."

Rachel smiled, watching as Lyla's bottom lip began to quiver, wondering if she'd settle herself. I was only when she began to whimper that Rachel lifted her from the swing, and settled her at her chest, "are you hungry eh?" she whispered quietly, hoping not to wake the half sleeping child.

"You said she's nearly 16 weeks?" Shelby asked as she watched Lyla feed.

"Yeah" Rachel nodded, "She'll be 16 weeks on Wednesday, it's a bit strange to think she should only be7 weeks old."

"Have you thought about starting her on solids? I mean I know they tell you to try and wait as long as possible, but I started Beth on baby rice when she was 16 weeks, nothing else would fill her. It might help Lyla gain some weight."…

Rachel looked thoughtful, "I have thought about it, but I wanted to wait, you know, because she was early, I was going to talk to her paediatrician the next time I saw him"

"Okay" Shelby nodded

She was about to speak again when the front door opened and Beth ran in, "I'm home Ma-Rachel" she shrieked dropping her pink backpack on the floor before throwing herself on the sofa beside her sister.

"Beth" Shelby scolded, "be careful, Lyla's sleeping"

"Oh" Beth knelt up slowly, running her fingers over the sleeping baby's clenched fist, "Sowwy Mama, Sowwy Rachel" she bent down and kissed Lyla's forehead gently before whispering "sowwy Lyla"

"It's okay" Rachel smiled, have you had a good weekend?"

"Yep" Beth grinned, "Daddy took me to see Nani and Papi, There was cake and balloons and we singed happy birthday to Papi."

"Wow" Rachel grinned, "that sounds like fun"

"Yeah." Beth paused for a minute "Will you play with me?"

"Hey" Shelby interrupted as Rachel laid Lyla in the swing, "don't I get a hello? And where's Daddy?"

"Here" Will smiled walking into the house a large holdall in his hands, "Hey Rach, how are you?"

"I'm good thanks" she smiled

Meanwhile Beth had climbed onto Shelbys lap, wrapping her arms tightly around her mother's neck, "I missed you Mama"

"I missed you too baby, but I'm glad you and Daddy had a good time."

Shelby kissed Beth's head and Beth smiled, "Can I play with Rachel now?"

Shelby nodded, "If Rachel wants to play then you can go play."

"Do you?" Beth asked

Rachel looked to Shelby, "Am I okay to leave Lyla down here? I can take her with me if you and Will want some time alone, I mean I could take Beth to the park or something?"

"No, it's fine" Shelby smiled, "And anyway, I think someone wants a cuddle" she let her gaze wonder to Lyla sleeping in the swing, Will stood beside her watching her sleep.

"You can hold her if you like" Rachel smiled, watching Will's face light up as he lifted Lyla into his arms. "Come on Beth" she held out her hand, "let's go and play"