I feel like I've been neglecting my fics recently, but as some of you may know, November is Nanowrimo, it's something I've thought about several times but just never found the time. I figured that if I was ever going to have the time to write 50,000 words in a month it was going to be 2020, so I gave it a go and everything else sort of got pushed to the side. But I'm done with that now and hoping to get back on top of my fics again. This one is a bit of a filler chapter but I'm pretty sure the next chapter will be the start of a big storyline I've been planning for a while!


Rachel didn't seem too nervous about returning to school, and that surprised Shelby, she'd expected her to be at least a little bit worried, but she didn't bring it up, she trusted Rachel to come to her if she needed to, and she didn't want to be the reason that Rachel started worrying.

They'd spoken about her returning to school, Rachel deciding that she wanted to return full time. Shelby and Sue had both assured her that, if it was too much for her, if she struggled, then she could go back to part time and work her way up. Amy had also told Rachel that if she needed to leave school early, she'd pick her up, no questions asked.

"Mom" Rachel came down from her bedroom on Sunday afternoon, "Noah asked if he could pick me up in the morning…" she wasn't sure if her Mom would allow her to ride to school with him but she said she'd ask.

"Okay" Shelby thought for a minute, "do you want to ride to school with Noah?"

Rachel nodded, "but I can meet him at school, it's not an issue."

"I could do with being at school a little early tomorrow" Shelby told Rachel, "but, if Noah comes to pick you up, he'd have to drive twenty minutes out of his way, so, how about I drop you off at his house on my way to school? Then he can bring you to school and you won't have to sit around waiting for everyone to show up and he won't have to waste gas driving out here when I'm heading that way anyway."

"Are you sure?" Rachel's face lit up.

"I'm sure, if you want to ride to school with Noah I'll drop you off at his house on my way to school."

Rachel still seemed relaxed the next morning too, she and Shelby had spent the previous evening watching a movie and eating takeout, both wanting to make the most of the last night of summer vacation. Rachel had slept in her own bed and made her way downstairs just five minutes after Shelby, a smile on her face as she greeted her Mom before taking Jasper's food from the cupboard and filling his bowl.

Shelby had made Rachel check that Noah's Mom was okay with Rachel going over so early and she'd had a reply almost instantly from the woman herself, telling her that she was welcome at their house any time she wanted to go over, so, after double checking they both had everything they needed, mother and daughter both headed out to the car.

"I know you want to stay at school all day" Shelby told Rachel as she drove, "but if it's too much, if you get tired, if you get anxious…"

"I can find you, or Principal Sylvester, or Miss Pilsbury and they'll ring Aunt Amy and she'll come get me, I know Mom, and I appreciate having that option, but I think I'm ready to go back."

"And you know I support your choice, I just don't want you to feel like you have to push yourself too far too fast."

"I won't" Rachel promised, I'm going to go and see Miss Pilsbury before first period, she's going to give me a pass so I can leave class if I need to take a break, and I promise I'll use it if I need to."

"Thank you." There was silence for a moment before Shelby spoke again, "I don't want to be overbearing and I don't want you to feel like I'm trying to wrap you in bubble wrap" Shelby tried to explain, "but you've been through so much Rach, and I, I just want to see you happy."

"I am happy, happier than I've been in a long, long time" Rachel told her, "and I understand, you're not overbearing, you just care about me and you want to protect me, you're a fierce Momma bear and I wouldn't have you any other way."

"You've been spending too much time with your Aunt" Shelby laughed, knowing Amy often referred to her as a 'fierce Momma bear' or a 'fierce Auntie bear.'

Rachel laughed, a sound Shelby would never get sick of hearing, "of course I have, who else is going to tell me all your most embarrassing stories?"

Their conversation turned to lighter subjects and the journey to Noah's passed quickly, "have a great day Baby" Shelby leaned over the centre console to hug Rachel.

"You too Mom" Rachel smiled as she felt Shelby kiss her temple, "thank you."

"You've got nothing to thank me for. I'll see you tonight, meet me in my classroom after the final bell yeah?"

"Yeah, and I promise I'll come find you if I need anything. I love you Mom."

"I love you too Baby."

Rachel let Shelby hold her for a moment longer before pulling herself together and getting out of the car, Shelby waiting until she saw Noah open the door before she left. "Hey" Noah kissed her softly, "are you okay?"

Rachel nodded and smiled, "yeah, yeah I am."

Noah didn't get a chance to reply before he heard his Mom calling through the house, "is that Rachel? Why is she knocking?" she stepped into the hall, completely ignoring her son as she told Rachel, "you know you don't need to knock, just like you don't need to ask before you come over. You open the door, walk in and make yourself at home, no matter what happens, no matter where you are or who you're living with, that door will always be open for you, you are always welcome here. Now, come here, it's been far too long". Rachel didn't get time to respond to Sarah's words, barely had time to process them before she found herself pulled into a tight hug, unable to do anything but hug the woman back.

Despite Rachel saying that she'd already eaten, Sarah made her eat some toast, and insisted she took fruit and granola bars with her, just in case she got hungry later. Noah didn't say anything, he knew his Mom loved Rachel, that she already thought of her as a daughter and he was happy to watch with an amused smirk as Rachel tried to get used to his Mom's fussing. Eventually though he decided to 'rescue' Rachel and cleared his throat, "we need to leave soon if we don't want to be late."

Rachel found herself being pulled into another suffocating hug as Sarah said goodbye, reminding Rachel again that she could visit whenever she wanted. She smiled softly as she felt Noah's hand slip into hers after he'd insisted on carrying her bag, along with his own, put to the truck, "that was…"

"Like you've never been away?" Noah suggested.

Rachel laughed slightly and nodded, "yeah."

"It's good to have you back" Noah winked as he opened the truck and threw their bags into the back.

"Yeah" Rachel smiled as she climbed into the passenger side of the truck, "it's good to be back.

Shelby was grading short essays she'd asked her first year students to write so she could get an idea of their abilities, when there was a gentle knock on her classroom door a few minutes after the lunch bell.

"Hi" she smiled softly when she saw Liv standing in the doorway, "You've survived your first morning at McKinley?"

"I have" Liv nodded, pushing her free hand into the pocket of her jeans, "are you eating lunch?" she gestured to the plastic box she held in her other hand.

"I was going to eat in here" Shelby said honestly, "I want to try and get through these if I can so I don't have to take them home." Shelby did want to get through her papers, but at the same time, she wanted Rachel to be able to find her easily if she needed to. Shelby saw Liv's face drop a little, they'd had coffee together the week before and Shelby had introduced Liv to several other members of staff, including Will, Emma and a couple of other math teachers but Liv still felt like the only person she 'knew' was Shelby. "You're welcome to join me though if you want?"

"Are you sure? I don't want to disturb you."

"You won't be" Shelby smiled, "pull up a chair."

"Thanks" Liv smiled, doing as Shelby suggested, "it's always kinda weird being the new one in the staffroom."

"Have you moved a lot then?" Shelby asked as she reached down to take her own lunch from her bag.

"I subbed for a while after leaving my last job" Liv shrugged, "eventually I seemed to end up going back to the same schools over and over so it wasn't too bad, but I was still glad to get this job. What about you? Have you worked here long?"

Shelby was telling Liv about working at Cartmel when there was a second knock on her classroom door, and she couldn't help but smile when she saw Rachel, "hey you, everything okay?"

"Hi" Rachel smiled. "everything's fine, in fact I just came to tell you that I'm doing okay, so you can stop worrying about me."

Shelby laughed, "I'm glad to hear that, but just because I can stop worrying about you, doesn't mean I will."

"Yeah" Rachel teased, "I didn't think you would, it was worth a shot though right?"

"Absolutely" Shelby winked before asking, "do something for me?" Rachel nodded, waiting for Shelby to continue, "send your Aunt a message, let her know you're doing okay, you know she'll be worried and she's ready to come and get you if you need her to."

"I will" Rachel promised, "but can you do something for me too?"

"Anything" Shelby nodded.

"I forgot to pick my lunch money up this morning" she confessed. Shelby had left some money on the kitchen side for Rachel so she wouldn't have to ask for any, but in her rush to leave the house that morning. Rachel had forgotten to pick it up.

"What am I going to do with you hey?" Shelby teased as she handed Rachel some money and kissed her forehead, "see you later. Remember to text your Aunt. I love you"

"I love you too, and I'll text her now" Rachel promised as she left the classroom, "see you later."

Liv raised an eyebrow as Shelby sat back down, "either you've got a very inappropriate relationship with that student or…"

"Shit, no, Rachel's my daughter" she said as she sat back at her desk, "I should have introduced you, sorry."

"It's not a problem" Liv shook her head, "I'm sure I'll meet her some other time."

"I won't go into details because the story isn't mine to tell, but Rachel hasn't done a full day at school in almost a year, so we were both a little nervous about today, me probably more so than her." She shook her head, "sorry, you don't want to hear me going on about my life."

"Hey no" Liv reached out, gently placing her hand over Shelby's, "if you don't mind listening to me complaining about the kid in second period who confidently told me four times nine was fifty seven, I don't mind you offloading about whatever it is you need to offload. It's what friends are for right?"

Shelby smiled as she felt Liv gently squeeze her hand," yeah" she nodded, "I guess it is."