Keeperofwords here:

I want to tell you I absolutely loved writing this chapter and listened to a ton of the songs in "Cats" to feed my

muse during Hayley's and my writing collaboration. We do not own "Cats" but love it and can both so imagine Kate Hudson as Cassie in the production. A lot of fluff and inspiration in this one. I do want to add a trigger warning for reference to rape and abuse at the very end of the chapter. Your support and reviews continue to mean a lot.

Happy 2016 and please go check out our special "Fragile Reunion One-Shot " as a belated Holiday Gift.

Hayley here:

I adore this chapter and can relate to Cassie on the performance anxiety level. We also wrote that one shot that Keeperofwords mentioned and we had a blast with it-it will be posted as a separate story, it won't be tacked on to this one, so if you want to read it, you'll have to go to my page to find it. It is the same universe as this story, it just doesn't really fit into what we're working with right now. But we were thinking that it could fit later on and just wanted to write it and have some fun with it now, so enjoy that as well once it's posted.

Thanks so much for your love and support with this story.

Chapter 54: Opening Night

"Jellicle cats come out tonight…."

"Macavity's a mystery cat, he's called the hidden paw…"

"Touch me, it's so easy to leave me, all alone with a memory..."

It was all so amazing to Rachel and the daughter of the Broadway stars tried to imagine herself up on that stage, singing and dancing to those incredible songs with the other students.

Rachel watched the cast filled with students and adults alike go through the show for what was to be the last time before opening night. Both of her mothers were performing, so instead of having the opportunity to sit with either Mommy or Mama, Rachel was largely on her own. Auntie April was here but she was performing also. Her great Aunt Dee was in Columbus doing some consulting work today, so she was also not here. Aunt Holly had taken Natalie to see her new therapist. Rachel figured Lena must be at work and probably Stefi was, too. That had left the nine year old with her Mothers on this the day of "Opening Night". Everyone was in costume and makeup and really did look like kitty cats. The nine year old was pretty familiar with the music by now, and found herself humming along while she watched the dress rehearsal unfold in front of her. It just all seemed pretty different with the singing, dancing, big stage, costumes and make-up, as opposed to just seeing it take place in the studio.

It's fabulous, Rachel thought to herself as she sat in one of the front rows with her school work in her lap and her backpack beside her. She was supposed to be working on homework, but it was hard to focus on with everything going on around her. School was really just hard for the nine year old in general, even if she was in the mansion in her special spot away from distractions. For Rachel, it was even harder to do ANYTHING at ALL in the auditorium with all the dancing and singing going on.

The young girl looked down and tried to work a bit more on her math worksheet. She knew that the show was almost over and at some point one of her mothers would ask to see her work. Rachel did want them to be disappointed in her. She wrote an answer down to the next math problem and moved on to the one after it, hearing the sound of double doors and whispers as she did so—parents were starting to come in to pick up the students from this final rehearsal. She tried to ignore them as now a trickle started to file in and sit in various seats in the audience. The cast had finished their final number and the auditorium was not void of noise except her mama's voice and whispers of those waiting to pick the various students to their dinner break before returning to do the show.

"Ok, it's three thirty, get changed and be back here no later than six fifteen," Cassandra July's voice projected through the entire theatre. Rachel did not look up as she heard her Mama talk. Instead, she frowned as she looked and what she had written as an answer and erased it. The girl knew that her mothers would not like that she had only got two lines done out of the five lines of math problems. It was just so hard and Rachel felt like she was just not smart enough to do it right. Lena told her she was catching on to school things, and Mommy and Mama called her smart. Wanting to continue to please them, Rachel kept trying…but she just felt plain dumb.

She sighed, trying to decide if she dared take Elphie out of her backpack. The nine year old was feeling out of sorts but did not want to be seen as a baby to the people in the room that might look her direction.

"Rachel, you doing okay down there sweetheart?" her mommy's voice caused Rachel to lift her head up to look towards the stage and nod. The girl lifted her head and nodded quietly.

"Ok, Mama and I have to speak to some people and get changed. Give me a few minutes and then you can go with me to the dressing rooms?" Shelby told her daughter.

The stage had cleared as the cast had for the most part dispersed to go back stage to change. Now that the rehearsal had ended, the level of noise coming from the seats rose from whispers to conversational.

"Isn't that the biological daughter of Ms. Corcoran?" Rachel heard the voice of a person say.

"Why yes, I remember her being introduced by Ms. Corcoran and Ms. July back at the Winter Showcase…She sang with Shelby, she was really good…"

"Why is she not in the production I wonder?"

"They obviously think she is not good enough…"

Rachel felt her cheeks heat up as she listened.

Do my mothers think I am not good enough? Rachel asked herself, abruptly pushing her school things into her backpack. Am I not good enough to do what they do?

Rachel zipped her backpack and almost ran from her seat, nearly tripping as she jumped up. She didn't want to listen to those ladies talk anymore. Brown Eyes spotted her Mommy still in costume, talking to the conductor of the orchestra which had also dispersed by now. Rachel wasn't sure where to go but she wasn't sure she wanted to hug her Mommy right now, either. Not if Mommy didn't think she was good enough. The seed of self-doubt had been planted.

. . .

A sinking feeling dropped into the pit of Rachel's stomach at the stranger's words behind her. She kept hearing the lady's words over and over.

"She's not good enough"

"She's not good enough"

"She's not good enough"

Rachel could feel her heart thumping in her chest as she looked wildly for a place to hide. She could already feel the tears starting to collect on her brown eyelashes.

Run, hide, don't let them see, Rachel thought to herself as her brown eyes zeroed on the dark, now empty orchestra pit. Needing to get away from those people talking about her, Rachel grabbed her backpack and took off in a swift walk. She wiped the tears with her shirt sleeve and she descended the stairs, her tennis shoes squeaking as she moved down into the darkness. The nine year old plopped down in a dark corner and pulled her knees to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her legs and dropped her chin on top of her knees. Then and only then, did she allow herself to cry. Since coming to the mansion, Rachel had been told over and over she was loved and a very special girl. She did not feel special right now, though. She felt stupid and like she was not good enough to do anything. Now, instead of hearing the lady strangers sitting behind her in the auditorium, Rachel heard the Reverend's words, "You are a dirty, good for nothing little girl…"

Silently, the nine year old let herself cry. The words hurt but her self-doubt was even more painful.

. . .

Since becoming a mother, Shelby found herself having grown a sixth sense that came in regards to her baby girl. She found her senses also seeking an awareness of her daughter. Even if she was actively doing something else, Shelby always found herself seeking her out of the corner of her eye and listening for her. When Rachel had slipped away from her at the salon to sing for a Christmas tree, the brunette immediately actively engaged in the situation.

Out of the corner of her eye, Shelby caught a glimpse of Rachel standing up and moving quickly out of the seats. Even though she was conversing with a student now about the possibility of his grandmother coming backstage at intermission, Shelby was keenly aware of her daughter rushing down the aisle. The nine year old all but ran to the front of the stage and quickly descended down the stairs into the orchestra pit. Coach Corcoran frowned both at her student begging her to bend the rules as well as her daughter's odd behavior.

"No, Mr. Smith, I am glad you grandmother was able to come all the way from Detroit to see the production but if we allowed your family members backstage all the other students would expect to be able to do so also," Shelby told the boy curtly with a wave of dismissal. "She can come to the after party like all of the other families."

Seeing as her wife was nowhere to be found, Shelby decided she would be talking to their daughter solo. Still in costume, Shelby made her way off stage and towards the orchestra pit. It was dark except for a few lights that were turned on upon the orchestra stands. At first glance the pit appeared to be empty, but Shelby knew better. Knowing her daughter had a thing for corners, Shelby peered over into them as she descended the stairs. The brunette Broadway headliner's ears picked up on a slight shuffling of shoes on the floor. She quickly zeroed in on the location and smiled a sad smile at light up neon green Sketchers. Rachel had loved them because they lit up purple flowers when the nine year old took a step. Now, those shoes were a beacon calling the mother to her child.

"Rachel...sweetie..." Shelby kneeled down in front of Rachel and reached her hands out for her to take. "What's wrong? Come out and talk to me..."

Rachel sniffed, wiping another tear. "I'm not good enough to be in your show, Mommy. Nobody thinks so and they're right cuz lots of the time I don't know what you guys are even doing but all the other kids do. I'm not good enough, Mommy, the lady said so."

Shelby scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, wondering what had brought this on, and what lady was saying that her little girl wasn't good enough to be in this show? With training, Rachel could be absolutely phenomenal. It wasnt the nine year old's fault that she'd never been given that chance. Shelby was grateful, at least, that Rachel didn't beat around the bush this time. She was truly starting to trust her Mommy and tell her right away what was on her mind.

"Rachel, who told you that?"

Sniffing once more, Rachel took Shelby's outstretched hands and let her Mommy pull her to her feet, though she really just wanted to stay in her corner. The little girl shook her head.

"She didnt say it to me, she said it to the other adults but-but it's still tr-true, isn't it? I'm not like your other kids. I'm not in your show and i'm not good enough."

Shelby was at a loss what to say and scrambled her brain to find something that would boost the young girl's ego once more. In truth, Rachel wasn't yet good enough to be in a professional production but that wasn't due to lack of potential, it was just because she hadn't been taught like everyone else had. Shelby knew she needed to probably talk to Cassie and see about starting to get Rachel in classes. In the meantime, what could she say to Rachel that would make her feel better?

Rachel noticed it was taking her mother an incredibly long time to answer. That length of time was answer enough to the nine year old. She tried to pull her hand away from her mother. She did not want to be here and be reminded she was not good enough to do it. Her mothers did not know all the times that she had sat in the library looking at the big books with people performing in shows.

It's all true, Rachel told herself, blinking back more tears.

"Not good enough for anything," Rachel said under her breath. Her mother's hand was firm and did not let go. Rachel was having a really hard time trying to decide if she wanted to be in her mother's arms or not. "Not school, not this, not anything."

"Rachel, stop it," Shelby sighed at herself, trying to get her thoughts together faster. It wasn't fair to Rachel that she couldn't find the right thing to say. "Honey...You ARE good enough, deep deep down. It just doesn't show on the surface yet, because Mama and I haven't been able to train you like we have the other kids, and that has nothing to do with anything you have or haven't done-it wasn't in your control before, nor was it in ours. That doesn't mean you can't be good enough. You have incredible potential when it comes to singing, sweetheart. We've never seen you dance formally because you haven't been taught, but I'm sure you have the potential to be amazing at that, too. But first you have to believe in yourself. Because if you don't believe in yourself, then you're right, you won't be able to do it. It's all in your head, honey, you have to keep your thoughts positive. If you get frustrated and give up, you'll never be good enough. BUT, if you put your mind to it as I know that you can, you will be better than good enough. Rachel, you'll be the BEST. Is what I'm saying making sense to you?" she searched Rachel's eyes for any sign of comprehension.

Rachel blinked away her tears.

"It's so hard," Rachel looked up her mother who was dressed up as Demeter in her costume, and answered honestly, wondering if she would look like a big baby if she asked her mother to hold her. "I want to believe but I always hear the voices."

"What voices, baby?" Shelby asked, putting an arm around Rachel sitting in one of the orchestra chairs and putting Rachel onto her lap.

Rachel swallowed. It was not easy talking about things like this but she and both of her mothers were trying to work on talking and sharing things.

"I hear the Reverend…" she started to tell her mother only to be stopped by Shelby's finger coming to her lips.

"What do I tell you every night when I tuck you in, Baby Girl?" Shelby quickly asked not wanting Rachel to dwell on the past.

"That I am precious, special, and loved more than there are stars in the sky and sand on the beach," Rachel said, deciding she wanted to snuggle into her mom even if she was in costume.

"That's right." Shelby kissed the bridge of her daughter's nose. "Believe in that, sweetie. Believe in yourself and everything else will fall into place. Okay?"

Rachel nodded, unsure if she really believed in that-how could she be good? Even with training she wouldn't have known it all her life like Mariana and some of the other students-but she tried to shrug that feeling away like her Mommy told her to.

Shelby could tell Rachel was questioning herself and in truth it was understandable. Shelby decided it was time that Coach Corcoran stepped in.

"Rachel Barbra Corcoran July, you have talent that's in your blood and you and only you can decide what you are going to do with that," Shelby told Rachel seriously. "You have had some terrible things happen to you. Are you going to let that keep you from happiness and achieving your dreams? It will be hard. You will have to work very very hard but everything in this world you have to work for. If it is handed to you, it won't mean that much to you." Shelby leaned down and gave Rachel three quick kisses on her forehead. "Believe in your dreams honey. Believe that you are worth those dreams and don't let anyone's criticism convince you to abandon them."

"I want to be like you, Mommy," Rachel said in a soft but clear voice. "I want to sing in big theaters and be Elphie just like you did. I want people to clap when I perform and dance like you and Mama do."

Shelby's heart grew two sizes bigger in that moment. She loved her daughter so much and it did something to her heart to hear her daughter say she wanted to be like her.

All Shelby had ever wanted was for Rachel to have her as a mother, and one that she could be proud of. Was her little one really so proud of her, even after all of the terrible things that'd happened to her because Shelby couldn't be stronger than her parents?

Shelby kissed her daughter's forehead once more for good measure.

"I think you should be like you, sweetheart." Shelby insisted. "You just have to take the time to find out who that is, and you have to have patience with it. Good things come to those who wait, and all that jazz."

Rachel laughed lightly, forgetting why she was upset in the first place. Her mother had inspired her to do just what she had been told and she decided then and there that she was going to ask Mama for dance lessons as soon as the musical was over. It was time to stop gawking at the life that was sitting right in front of her and time for her to start actually living that dream life that she'd always wanted.

Or else, she feared, if she took it for granted, it would all be taken away just as quickly as it had been given to her.

"I will be with you every step of the way, Baby Girl. If you decide to perform like Mama and me or if you decide you want to do something else like be a doctor like Auntie April. Just don't be afraid to have dreams or let other people keep you from going after them," Shelby told her daughter seriously again. "We are keepers, you, me and Mama and we don't let people's WORDS keep us from loving and living life."

"Yes we are," Cassandra July's voice spoke loud and clear as she too descended into the orchestra pit.

"Your mommy is a very wise woman, little star," Cassandra said, walking over to the older and younger brunettes sitting together in the orchestra chairs. "I heard part of what you were talking about and I want to share something with you about your Mommy." She turned her attention to Shelby. "Shelbs, Can I tell Rachel about Madame T?" she asked for permission.

"Ahh, Madame T," Shelby got a wistful look on her face, "I still say that woman hated my guts and had it out for me."

"That's cause she loooooooooovvvved you," Cass remembered. "She saw something in you that you didn't until she put your a…" Cass caught herself before she cursed in front of her daughter.

"Go on with the story, Mama," Rachel prompted, loving to hear things about her mothers lives, particularly before she was born.

"Well, your mommy and I were still in school studying voice, dance and the things we needed to know to perform like we both wanted to," Cass started telling the nine year old who was looking at her with avid attention. "Your mommy was very very, very good singer," Cass explained. "Your mommy already had the respect of her instructors and she had such a stage presence when acting out scenes…it was her senior year and she got this particular instructor who had such a reputation of being demanding and putting you down that students put the class off until their senior year."

"Which I did," Shelby admitted straight up. "I needed to pass her class to graduate. The professor terrified me. People left her class crying because of the way they were talked to."

"Sounds like Mama and how she teaches," Rachel commented, making the connection.

"Very good, little star," Cass reached out her hand and squeezed Rachel's hand. "She was my mentor of sorts and I helped Madame T some my senior year. The instructor promised to talk to some of her colleagues in the business if I helped her out with a few classes. She also said I could use her for a referral."

"Any way…" Shelby continued on. "I had to take this class and she was the only instructor who was teaching it. I found out later that was on purpose: The school wanted an instructor that put their students' feet to the fire so to speak."

"Little Star, let me tell you something honest about your Mommy," Cass said, her voice growing serious and with a matter-of-fact tone. "Your mother has a god given talent to sing. Her range to sing high and low notes is incredible. Her ability to project is excellent. However, her talent did not extend into dancing."

"But mommy danced real good in rehearsal and she is a great Demeter," Rachel gave her opinion. "If she was not good, YOU would not let her be in the show."

"That's true, little star," Cassie told the young brunette. "I would not. I have high expectations of those who are in shows that I am in charge of. Her being my wife does not change that. If she was not a good singer and dancer she would not be in this show."

"Madame T was very hard on me, Rachel," Shelby explained. "I left class every day for the first month either angry or upset at the things she was saying to me as she criticized my dancing. She told me things that could have made quit if I chose to BELIEVE them and not BELIEVE in myself and my dreams to perform."

"But you didn't listen to her, did you mommy?" Rachel guessed, loving this story very much.

"Oh, she listened alright," Cass chuckled, remembering even then how beautiful Shelby's legs had been. She'd spent many a night working with Shelby on her flexibility and dancing skills…Not that she was going to tell her daughter exactly how that happened. "She asked me out for coffee and asked me to work with her. She then offered to help me with this professor whose personality I clashed with. The man and I did not see eye to eye on things and I, like your mommy, had to take his class to pass…"

"Then you fell in love and got married," Rachel blurted out, smiling.

"Not quite that fast," Cass chuckled. "But we did become friends pretty quickly. But that's not the message of the story. What I am wanting to tell you was dancing was not something that came easily to mommy. She had to work hard and believe in herself, even though her professor was very mean to her."

"Yes Rachel, because I had a dream. Ever since I had been a little girl your age I wanted to perform and do that for my job," Shelby told Rachel.

"Your mommy could have listened to what Madame T said when she told her how bad her dancing was and that she was stiff and uncoordinated," Cassie kept on telling Rachel honestly. "But she didn't."

"How, mommy? If she was telling you that you were not good and she was mean like mama is when she yells and stomps her cane?" Rachel asked looking first at her mother than over to her mama. "Not that that is a bad thing mama. I know now you just want your kids to be good. I am not as afraid of the yelling part as before. You make your dancers better."

Cass smiled to herself, grateful her little girl was starting to understand that. It was for all intensive purpose, her teaching style, and if she was going to teach her daughter dancing, she was not going to change the way she went about it.

"Rachel, Baby Girl," Shelby got her daughters attention because what she was going to say was important. "I made a choice when Madame T told me things. I could have believed her and let her influence me to never be a good dancer. My other choice was to let it motivate me to try harder and when I got angry at what she said to channel that to dance harder."

"Which she did," Cass told Rachel. "And your mommy has performed, sung, danced, and acted in many shows and done so well now that she has a Tony which is the highest honor for a performer."

Rachel sat and thought about that quietly for a minute. For her whole life people had called her names, told her she was bad and stupid. But she did not want those people in the seats and the Reverend to convince her she wasn't good enough.

"Do you understand what I am trying to tell you little star?" the blonde performer, still in her Bombalurina costume, asked her daughter.

"You and mommy are trying to say what people say to you that aren't nice should not cause you to not believe in your dreams. Let it make you work harder," Rachel told both her mothers.

"And just because something is hard does not mean you can't learn to do it. You may need to work harder. People might say things about what you are trying to do that is critical. But let it help you to make you better," Cassandra finished. "And keep your dreams, Rachel Barbra Corcoran July."

"And believe in yourself," Shelby finished Cassandra's sentence.

Mothers and daughter shared a long loving hug down in the orchestra stand. It was a talk the three had that Rachel was sure she would remember the rest of her life.

. . .

Cassandra July was stressing hardcore. She had never had to direct the musical on her own before. Yes, Shelby was helping her so very much but there was only so much Shelby could co-direct after she had healed from her accident. By then, Cass had basically had to pull the musical off on her own and what if it didn't turn out as well because of it?

She had just given Rachel that talk but she couldn't shake the nerves off of herself and she was absolutely dreading the performance tonight.

They performed in two hours, and that just didn't seem like enough time at all.

In one room she had one of her choreographer friends helping out the kitten group with one of their numbers, in another room Shelby was going over music with the older cats.

To Cassie it all seemed wrong. She was a perfectionist when it came to her work. The dance moves weren't together, the harmonies weren't right, the steps weren't right, the lines didn't flow…

Her heart was racing. She knew they had a sold out crowd and this show was on her.

But dammit, she had trained to be a performer, not a director!

She ran a hand through her hair, feeling quite frazzled.

"What the hell did I get myself into?" she asked herself, leaning against the green room door and sliding down it, putting her head into her hands. "With any of this, I'm just one person…UGHHHH," she growled, stomping her feet on the ground.

"Well, well, well," Holly carried a bouquet of white roses in her hands as she took a step towards Cassie. "Look who isn't even in costume yet…" she slid down the door like Cass had and squeezed her best friend's knee, passing her the bouquet. Kindly, Holly turned her head to the side and kissed Cassie's cheek. "You sound upset. Perk up, this is your opening night. The musical you directed…"

"Yeah, I directed it and it's terrible!" Cass complained. "Nobody is together, I didn't give us enough time, and they aren't giving their all and maybe it's because I didn't give MY all, dammit, Hol, I've been so distracted with everything that's been going on in the family and the hearing and…"

"Woah, woah," Holly stopped her, insisting she take the bouquet in one hand and then clasping her hand tightly and warmly with the other. "Don't be so quick to blame yourself. Many people, Cassandra, myself included, are so completely in awe at what you've accomplished in your life and this just adds another to that SUPER long list. This musical is great, your students are having fun and they will do fine during the show, they always produce what you want last minute, you know that…"

Cass nodded and bit her lip. "I know, I know…I just…" she let out a breath. "Do you think Rachel is proud to have me as a mother?"

This was a complete 180 in the conversation and in truth it caught Holly off guard. She stuttered a bit before answering, "Of—Of course she's proud to have you as a mother…?" her expression was quizzical. "Why the hell wouldn't she—"

"Because I'm sort of in way over my head with this whole mothering thing. I know we've been over this but hear me out, mothering was always what Shelby wanted to do and she's so damn good at it. And Shelby somehow manages to pull EVERYTHING off whether it be last minute or not. She's so much more….maternal. Knows what to say and not say, how to get Rachel to do what she's told and eat all of her dinner and go to bed on time...and then there's me, you know? I'm that mom that's like "Mommy said not to do this? How about we do something similar just to have a little fun and then don't tell her…" so yeah, I'm what, the crazy fun Aunt? That's your and April's jobs…I'm supposed to be a mother. But you know, that's just who I am so I was starting to accept that as truth. Shelby will be the more maternal one and I'll be the more energetic and outgoing one, for lack of better terms. I was okay with that, because I thought that maybe if I could awe Rachel with the glitz and glamour of show business…." A tear glistened in her eye. "Because you know Shelby is good at mothering and I'm good at performing, it's just the only thing I do best and I thought that maybe if Rachel could see that I would be equal to Shelby in her eyes but Shelby is Rachel's tummy mother and I'm mommy's dancer wife…" more tears started to fall and Cassie sniffed, wiping the tears with the sleeve of her black sweatshirt. She still had to change but was screwing up her makeup and she wouldn't have time to redo it, dammit.

"Hey, hey…." Holly stopped her, pulling her closer. "That's enough of that, what are you talking about…" she waited for Cassie's tears to stop falling and then made sure Cass was looking her best friend deep in her eyes. "Rachel. Fucking. ADORES you. Don't you see that? Can't you see it in her eyes, in her smile? You're her Cassie the Brave! You're her protector! And you know, she's never had one of those, so you're a freaking queen in the world of Rachel. Her whole life, Cassie, all she's ever wanted was to be protected and loved and now she has two mothers who do such a good job of that even on top of every other responsibility they have…"

There was a pause in the conversation and Cassie sniffed again, looking back up at Holly. "How do you feel? With Natalie? I mean…you didn't always think you were going to be a mother, either. You used to HATE commitment and now suddenly you're thrown into a situation where you're living with April in this committed relationship and fostering this teenage girl…how the hell are you holding yourself together?"

Holly actually scoffed at her best friend. "Oh, please. You think I'm holding it together?" she let out a sigh. "The other day April and I got into such a huge argument that I slammed the bathroom door behind me and locked it for three hours…Natalie was doing homework with music on, thank god she didn't notice…Cassie, April and I aren't holding things together any more than you and Shelby are. Nor any more, I can imagine, than Stef and Lena do. But we're families. And we make do with what we have…" she paused for a minute to take a deep breath and think. "And you know this musical is going to be freaking incredible, because hello, look at who is directing it?" she shot Cassie a killer smile and Cassie giggled modestly, taking another breath to calm herself.

"Say that it isn't though?" Cassie was having a little bit more than pre-show jitters, and that was an understatement.

Holly shrugged. "I guess we'll just have to shame you and burn your Tony Award then," she supplied.

Cass rolled her eyes and Holly laughed. "Girlfriend, even if your students fumble every other line and one of them falls off stage, heaven forbid, Rachel will always look up to you and absolutely adore you for everything that you do. You being a kick ass director and performer is just icing on the cake. You're her Mama first, and a dancer second. And deep down, I think you know that."

Nodding slowly, Cassandra gave her best friend the biggest hug in the world. "I don't know what I would ever do without you," she admitted. "You're my rock."

"And you are mine," Holly nodded, rubbing Cassie's back. "Now, get your ass into your dressing room and change, you are on borrowed time and the show must go on."

Rachel took her colored pencil and colored the final touches on her drawing. She had to hurry. Rachel knew that her mama would be here any moment to change into costume. The nine year old had watched the flower truck come in earlier with big vases for both her Mama and her Mommy. They were so beautiful. Auntie Dee Dee had explained it was from people that her mothers had worked with over the years wishing them well on "Opening Night". That had gotten Rachel to thinking about what she could do to wish her mommies the same. Lena had been telling her more and more she was getting to be a better drawer. So, with that sentiment in mind, she had pulled out a piece of paper and colored pencils out of her backpack of school work her mothers had insisted she carry to work on when they all arrived to the theater this afternoon. Rachel had originally just planned on writing a note to say good luck like the cards on the flower vases. But that just didn't seem good enough once Rachel picked up the pencil. The next thing Rachel knew she was drawing a picture of her mama in her cat costume. Rachel at the last minute had decided to add Barbra to sit next to mama in her mama's director chair so Rachel was hurriedly finishing. Rachel could hear Cass coming up the hall towards the dressing room now.

"No interviews," Cass waved away the local reporter from the paper who was trying to be the first to interview the Broadway Tony award winner before the show. Cass fought the urge to answer in a less than polite fashion. The dancer-turned-Lima School of the Arts co-founder learned early on her climb to fame to be polite and show a degree of availability to the press or they would descend on your life like vultures infringing upon her privacy.

"After the show, like always David, you know the drill," Cass added, sighing as she put her hand on the door handle to enter her dressing room. The blonde had already signaled costume and make-up to join her and help her prep. She was running fashionably late.

Get your shit together July, Cass thought to herself, It's show time.

To say Cassandra July was surprised was an understatement. The director/dancer expected to see Shelby, possibly. She thought somebody from make-up may be waiting impatiently. She thought April may be there to run lines with her as the doctor liked to do to calm nerves. Cass thought multiple people may be here vying for her attention. Instead there was a single person-Her beautiful daughter with a gorgeous, sparkling silver dress on and an expectant smile on her face. She held a single piece of paper in her small hands.

"What a surprise," Cass curiously wondered for a moment if anybody knew that Rachel had wandered away from Dee. "Where is Aunt Dee? I thought you were helping your aunt take pictures of everything before the show?"

"She had to go sew something," Rachel said absently. "One of those BOYS who liked to watch mommy's bottom on "Rent" ripped his costume. I asked if I could come in here because Mommy is helping the make-up people."

"I see," Cass replied, wondering about several things at once. She wondered how long Rachel had been in here. She wondered where the hell her costume was, which was supposed to be hanging in her dressing room. Cass wondered why Shelby was doing make-up and if she was going to do her own. But for the moment, primarily, Cassie wondered what her daughter was holding in her outstretched hand. "For me?" Cassandra asked.

"It's for you, Mama," Rachel told Cassie, thrusting the paper into the blonde's hands. "Aunt Dee says people give things to people doing a show on opening night. I know it's not flowers in a pretty vase, like Mommy and Aunt Holly gives you…"

"No, little star, this is...so…" Cass was moved as she looked at the piece of paper. In childlike scribble read the words:

"I love you, Mama."

Below it, Rachel had drawn what appeared to be her in full costume from "Cats" except she also was sporting her long blonde hair. Beside her was her director's chair that she had been sitting on. It was marked "Mama". There was something sitting on the chair.

"Oh Rachel, this is more beautiful than a whole room full of flowers," Cass told her daughter with tears of emotion in her eyes. She briefly thought back to all of the pictures she had gotten over the years from children. She had been flattered but had never been very good at interacting with her youngest fans. The letters and pictures were given to someone in the show whose job was to thank and respond to fans. She could not turn back time to thank and give her attention to those children who had reached out to her during her career. She certainly could do so now and from now on in the future.

Cass moved to sit in her make-up chair and pulled Rachel onto her lap.

"Tell me about your picture, little star," Cass asked Rachel, looking at the entire scene. "What is that?" Cass asked, pointing to the thing in the chair.

"That's Barbra," Rachel told her Mama, leaning into her much like they sat when they read stories in their special chair in her bedroom. "She wants to say she loves you and good luck too."

"Awe," Cass tried her best not to tear up on the spot. All of the fears she had just spewed to Holly were being cast away with this gorgeous picture that her daughter had given to her. Maybe she did have more of an impact on her little star than she thought she did. Maybe she was a better mother than she gave herself credit for.

Cassie grinned from ear to ear, holding her little daughter close. "Thank you, my little star." she whispered back.

. . .

Having a director who was a hard ass who expected nothing less than perfection, the show was destined to be nothing less than the highest of quality. Cassandra July won a Tony doing "Cats". Those around her knew it was best to step it up, and step up they did. Shelby Corcoran may not be the dancer that the blonde was, but her stage presence and passion always enraptured the audience and tonight was no different. Cassandra and Shelby had taught their students-turned-cast members well. They knew the material and the Broadway headliners mentoring made opening night go off without a hitch, much to Cassie's relief.

In a small town like Lima, one would expect only parents, grandparents and friends to attend such a show. That might be the case with the small little community theatre in town. That was not the case for a production put on by July and Corcoran.

Colleagues from New York and across the pond came into town. It was not unusual to see people from NYADA, NYU and other reputable schools to seek for new talent.

The students wanted to shine on their personal roads to performing for a living and they did. The show ended with a standing ovation. There were no small parts so every person came to curtain. Smiles were beaming. Cameras were flashing and Shelby and Cassandra held hands and smiled the widest. This was what they did. This what they wanted to do and had made a good living doing so. Now they were passing the torch to this new generation that were under their tutelage. Some would move on after this semester. Their place would be taken by younger, new talent. Some of that next class of students were probably watching in the audience. Prospective parents and voice and dance teachers tended to bring young people to inspire and make connections to gain auditions after the spring semester ended.

When invited, Rachel took off like a shot from her seat in the front row where she sat beside Natalie on one side and Dee on the other side. In the same row was Holly, Stef, Lena, and the rest of their extended family. She ran up to her mothers and gave each a warm, congratulatory hug. Now they had one less thing to stress about, as much as they loved performing. After this show was over, they could focus on other things besides school with a bunch of other students—at least until the next semester started.

. . .

"Now back to our lead story on the top of the hour," the redhead newscaster out of Columbus had a voice that projected through the television in the common room. "Lima was descended upon by the West End's finest as Broadway Legends Shelby Corcoran and Cassandra July put on their annual spring show. We have our own Cameron Curtis standing by in front of the theater…."

"Yes, this is Cameron Curtis and I am here in front of the Lima Auditorium which was the scene earlier of a sold out showing of "Cats", put on by the Lima School of Performing Arts. This year's show was directed by none other than Lima's own Cassandra July who won a Tony for her role in "Cats" on Broadway. We spoke to Shelby Corcoran, who performs in the show on top of co-teaching and running the school with Cassandra. She told us that this year the show will run not just the one night as in the past, but tomorrow night as well and will wrap up with a Sunday matinee."

"The show brings stars from Broadway and the West End—from New York to London," the redheaded newscaster spoke live to the male reporter. "It's always sold out. I can see that a three show run would do well. But did Ms. Corcoran tell you why the change this year?"

"She did, actually," the newscaster in front of the auditorium replied as people passed behind him, exiting the show. "Tomorrow night's performance will have a portion of the proceeds go to the Lima Arts Council and the Lima's City School System to support the choral, symphony and band. They have done that in years past with proceeds coming out of the single night's show but Ms. Corcoran explained the school system wanted to start offering band and strings in third through fifth grades and need money for musical instruments. So that will be the cause part of the proceeds go to tomorrow night. The Sunday matinee will be raising money for the start of a scholarship program Ms. Corcoran and Ms. July are starting to give a local talented student from age nine to fourteen the chance to study in the school who normally would not be able to financially attend. This is in honor of Ms. Corcoran's biological daughter who she was recently reunited with and she has gotten custody of."

"No doubt all three nights will sell out, thankyou Cameron," the redhead newscaster said, speaking into the camera as the newscaster disappeared from the monitor behind her. "So if you heard Cameron, this year you have two more opportunities to see this great show and support these two great causes…"

The sheriff deputy of the county jail turned off the television in the jail's common room and looked at the current inmates waiting to stand trial.

"Alright, lights out in twenty," the female deputy barked out as her two male partners ushered the men to line up and head back to their cells.

Stephen Andrew's eyes glittered with anger as he lined up with the others. He had seen her. He had seen that bastard child who dared run away from him. He was sure she was the reason that he was in this god forsaken place being denied bail. He fought to control his anger by clenching and unclenching his fists. He imagined hitting her small body until she fell to the floor, unable to move. He imagined impaling her and emptying himself as she laid helpless before him.

As his cell door locked for the night and he lay in his bunk, Andrews made plans. He needed to talk to his lawyer. He would ask to see him as soon as possible. Rachel Berry was the key. He needed his lawyer to spy on her and these Lesbian Whores who were now calling themselves this girl's mother. He needed dirt on them. He thought maybe he could find a way to scare his former foster kid into not testifying. Andrews also felt Rachel would be the key to finding where the hell his daughter Natalie was. Mind made up, Andrews fell asleep after fondling himself to climax. Rachel Berry would pay for ruining his life and making him lose everything.