If anyone wants a visual, I'm imagining Amy being played by Jackie Burns, and for reference, Amy is about 9 years younger than Shelby (they also have two brothers born between them) and Max and Lily are 5 and 3.

They hadn't been downstairs for long when there was a knock at the door, Shelby smiling as Rachel offered to go get it, watching as Lily and Max both tackled her in bear hugs. "Hey" Amy laughed after a minute, "why don't you go terrorise Auntie Lelly so I can say hi to Rachel?" She rolled her eyes as both her kids nodded and raced into the house in search of Shelby, "I like this" Amy gently ran her fingers through Rachel's bangs, before holding out her arms to her niece and asking, "how are you doing Pretty Girl?"

Rachel smiled at the nickname her Aunt had used since the first time they met, "I'm doing good" she nodded as she accepted the hug, letting Amy hold her as she told her, "Mom and I spoke about a few things this morning. It felt good to get them off my chest."

"I'm glad to hear it" Amy smiled as they both pulled away from the hug, "you're looking really well" she frowned slightly, "although I'm sure your Mom once stole that shirt from me" she said as she saw what Rachel was wearing.

Rachel looked down at it and shrugged, "I like it" she pouted, "you wouldn't make me give it back now would you?" It was then that Rachel took a proper look at Amy, "you're wearing pyjamas!"

Amy laughed, "not from you kid, and of course I am, nobody gets dressed for breakfast at the weekend" she winked before hearing her children's giggles from elsewhere in the house. "Think we should go and save your Mom from Lily and Max?"

Rachel laughed, "probably" she smiled, leaning into Amy as she felt Amy's arm around her waist as they walked through to the kitchen together.

"Well" Amy smiled as she saw Lily and Max sat on the counter, helping Shelby make pancakes, "looks like Auntie Lelly's got everything under control here so we can just relax and let them look after us" she smirked cheekily as she sat down at the table, gently tugging Rachel to sit beside her.

"Good morning to you too little sister" Shelby rolled her eyes.

"Morning" Amy chuckled before turning back to Rachel, "so, how was your first week back at school?"

"It was okay" Rachel glanced over at Shelby, not sure if she should be helping her Mom, "it was tiring but it was good".

Amy saw Rachel glance over at Shelby, "you can go help if you want" she said softly.

Shelby heard Amy and turned to smile at her daughter, "it's up to you" she told her, "you can come help if you want but we can manage if you want to talk to Aunt Amy while we make breakfast."

Rachel relaxed slightly and let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding, "there erm, there was a substitute for one of my classes on Wednesday, she erm, I have a pass so I can leave class if I need to" she explained, "but she wouldn't let me leave, I panicked a little but my friend took me out of the classroom anyway, the teacher came to shout at us but the principal was walking by and she sorted things out."

"You mean your Mom didn't go all fierce Momma Bear on her?"

Rachel chuckled and shook her head, "it was already sorted by the time Mom got there."

"Well, that teacher sounds like she was a pain, I can't tell you what I really think with little ears around, but I'm glad it got sorted quickly for you, did the rest of the week go okay?"

Rachel nodded, "yeah, I had a meeting with my guidance counsellor and my friends are in most of my classes so I don't have to sit on my own anymore, and Mom was getting my work for me when I was off so I wasn't that far behind either."

"That's great" Amy seemed genuinely happy for her niece, "are you going to work back up to going back full time?"

"Yeah" Rachel nodded, "I think we're just going to work it up slowly though and maybe I won't go back full time til after the summer. Mom says we just have to see how things go."

"I don't say this often but I think she's right" Amy saw Shelby turn and smirk at her, "it's better to take it slowly and get used to things than throw yourself in at the deep end and get overwhelmed."

Amy and Rachel continued to talk until Lily came over, her hands full of cutlery, "Momma, Auntie Lelly say you do these" she said, handing over the knives and forks.

"Okay" Amy nodded, thanking Rachel as she helped her set the table, "are you done helping?" Amy asked as Lily clambered up to sit beside Rachel.

"Yup" Lily nodded, "cook now, hot!"

"Ah, okay" Amy looked to where Max was still stood by Shelby, "what are you doing Buddy?"

"I'm helping, look" he held out a plate and Shelby slid a pancake onto it, "I'm not gonna touch it Mom, promise."

"Okay" Amy nodded, "just be careful and listen to Auntie Lelly okay?" she asked before smiling when she saw Lily had climbed onto Rachel's lap and was making Rachel sing nursery rhymes with her, "I'll get us all drinks" Amy kissed Rachel and Lily on their heads, "what do you want to drink Rach?"

"Orange juice please, do you want a hand?"

Amy shook her head and squeezed Rachel's shoulder, "I've got it, you two just have fun" she smiled.

Conversation flowed easily around the breakfast table, Shelby loving that Rachel was so comfortable with Amy and her children, and she hoped that, in time, Rachel would be just as comfortable around the rest of her extended family.

"Do you want me to load the dishwasher?" Rachel asked once everyone had finished eating.

"It's okay Baby" Shelby put her arm around Rachel's shoulder and kissed her temple, "I think your cousins might like to spend a little time with you if that's okay?"

Rachel nodded, "I'd like that."

"Well why don't you take them into the living room?" she suggested, "put some cartoons or something on, Lily and Max know where their toys are. Me and Aunt Amy will sort out in here."

"Are you sure?"

"She said you could go and watch TV" Amy smiled, "run quickly before she changes her mind."

"I'm positive" Shelby nodded, "we'll tidy up and then come through too."

"Come on" Max grinned as he slipped from his chair and took Rachel's hand, "spongebob might be on."

"No" Lily frowned, taking Rachel's other hand, "I want Doc 'stuffins."

"Choose something you both want to watch" Amy told them, "if I hear any arguing then I'll be in to choose something for you. Okay?"

There was a chorus of "Okay Mommy" from Lily and Max as they led Rachel through into the living room, "they love getting to spend time with Rachel" Amy told Shelby as she picked up the plates to stack in the dishwasher.

Shelby smiled, "I think Rachel's a little nervous because she's never been around younger children before, but I'm sure she loves them just as much as they love her."

"Rachel said the two of you had a chat earlier, she said she's doing okay…"Amy said as she lifted herself up to sit on the counter once they'd tidied up, watching Shelby flick on the coffee machine.

"She actually is" Shelby nodded, "she's finally starting to realise that the way her fathers treated her wasn't right. She had me tearing up a bit with the things she was saying, but happy tears, it seems to be sinking in that this is her life now and I'm not going to take any of this away."

"That's great Shelby, you can see the change in her since she's started living here, her confidence alone is through the roof."

"She's doing really well, I'm so proud of her." Shelby passed Amy a mug of coffee before walking over to stand beside her sister, leaning back against the worktop with her own drink.

"And so you should be Shel" Amy smiled, "she's been good for you too. You seem happier."

"I've got my baby back" Shelby smiled, "I've never been happier..."

"I sense a but coming" Amy raised an eyebrow and sipped at her coffee.

Shelby sighed, taking a drink from her own mug and closing her eyes as she leant back, letting her head rest against Amy's chest, feeling her sister's fingers run through her hair, "she's so happy, she's doing so well, but I feel like I'm constantly waiting for something, for the thing that's going to scare her back into her shell. She's such a strong girl, she's been through so much and I guess I just don't want anything to set her back. She deserves this, she deserves to be happy, she deserves to know she's loved. And I feel like I'm constantly on the lookout for the thing that's going to knock her confidence again."

Amy smiled and bent slightly to kiss Shelby's hair from where she sat on the counter, before beginning to play with her messy curls again, "welcome to motherhood Shel" she chuckled, "I'll tell you what Mom told me when Max was tiny, if you're worrying then you're doing it right. I'm 24, I'm married with two kids. You're thirty…"

"Alright" Shelby interrupted, "you don't need to remind me."

"You're in your thirties" Amy continued, "and Mom and Dad still worry about us and our brothers, it's just how it is. You just need to concentrate on the here and now. And if things do change, if Rachel does lose her confidence then we'll deal with it when it happens, and we will deal with it, as a family."

"When did my baby sister get so wise?" Shelby smiled as she turned slightly to face her sister.

"Always had it" Amy teased as she winked playfully, "you're a great Mom Shelby, that girl out there is proof of that so please, don't you ever doubt yourself, you've been by my side for so much since my kids have been born, now it's my turn" she began to play with Shelby's hair again, "I know that you have absolutely got this, but if you need help, then it's okay. It's okay to admit that it's tough sometimes."

"Thank you

"Any time" Amy smiled, still playing with Shelby's hair, " now, can I share my good news?"

"If this is you telling me you're pregnant again then I'm going to need to sit down first."

Amy laughed, "no, I'm not, but it means we'll probably be trying for a baby in the not too distant future." Shelby raised an eyebrow, silently telling her sister to continue. "There's a reason Jim couldn't come home last night."

"Yeah?"

Amy nodded, "his boss called him into his office just as he was leaving. He told him the company's opening a new office and offered him a promotion and a transfer. He said he accepted straight away and I was furious Shel. I was furious that he'd accepted a transfer without even mentioning it to me. Chicago's bad enough, but I was waiting for him to tell me he was moving to Florida or Nevada or something, but the new office is in Cincinnati!"

Shelby's face lit up," that's great Amy, I'm so happy for you, for both of you, it's about time too!"

"I know, and they said that they'll need him there for the first couple of months while they're getting everything set up,but after that he'll be able to work from home two or three days a week, so there are going to be days where Jim's 9-5 job keeps him away from us just between 9 and 5."

"Thats great, when's he moving?"

"They didn't give an exact date so we haven't mentioned it to the kids, but they said sometime at the start of summer."

"The kids are going to love that."Shelby smiled, "and its going to be great for you too, for both of you."

"Thanks" Amy smiled, before looking at her sister.

"Can I help you?" Shelby raised an eyebrow when she realised Amy was looking at her.

Amy took a sip from her coffee, "what about you?"

"What about me?"

"You've been single for a long time Shel."

Shelby rolled her eyes, "and…?"

"Aren't you interested in changing that?"

"If I was then I wouldn't still be single" Shelby rolled her eyes.

"But…"

"I've got Rachel" Shelby turned to face Amy, "she's the most important thing in my life, and I wouldn't want her to feel in any way pushed out by someone I started a relationship with. And after her fathers, I don't think she'd be comfortable around a man she didn't know."

"Doesn't have to be a man" Amy smirked.

Shelby was sure her eyes would fall out if she rolled them any harder, "Amy!" there was a warning tone to her voice but as always, Amy ignored it.

"Come on Shel, "I might have been young when you were at college but I remember, what was her name," Sophie, Samantha?"

"Sarah" Shelby blushed.

"That's it" Amy grinned, "nobody believed that she was just your friend Shel. Mum walked in on you making out once."

"What! When?"

"Just kidding" Amy smirked, "but you just confirmed that you were actually making out."

"Alright, alright" Shelby held her free hand up in surrender, "we were together for a while, but I don't need anyone, I don't want anyone." Shelby said firmly, "so please don't try and set me up with anyone Amy, I'm not interested."

"Fine, I mean you've already got the one cat" she teased, "just get seventeen more and become a crazy cat lady."

"You always were a brat weren't you?" Shelby glared at her.

"Yeah" Amy chuckled, "but now I'm a brat with another surprise for you."

"If it's a blind date…"

"No" Amy said quickly, not wanting to find the wrath of angry Shelby, "this is strictly family."

Shelby wasn't convinced but she nodded anyway, "go on" she said as she drank her coffee.

"Jimmy's going to be earning more because of his promotion, and we won't be paying for him to rent a studio in Chicago either, so we've booked a vacation home in Mexico for two weeks over the summer, and we were hoping you and Rachel would join us."

Shelby almost choked on her drink, "you… "

"I know it will be Rachel's first vacation with you, maybe her first vacation ever, I don't know, so if you'd rather that just be something that the two of you do on your own then that's fine, but the place we've rented has four bedrooms. Rachel can share with you if she wants or we'll stick Max and Lily in together if she wants her own space. Whatever. The offer's there."

"That's…" Shelby smiled and nodded, "I'll run it past Rachel but I'm sure we'd love to join you"

"Good" Amy smirked behind her coffee mug, "because we've already booked the flights."

"You've what? Amy!" Shelby put her mug down and pulled her phone from her pocket, "how much do I owe you? I'll transfer you the money over now!"

Amy plucked Shelby's phone from her hand and placed it out of her reach, "you don't owe us anything. This is our treat, you've done so much for us as a family whilst Jimmy's been in Chicago, and anyway, he had a lot of air miles saved up from traveling with work, the flights didn't actually cost that much."

"Thank you" Shelby said sincerely, "you really didn't have to, you could have had a nice family holiday."

"You're my sister, and Rachel is my niece, we'll still have a nice family holiday. And anyway, who says we don't want you there so you can babysit while we try for that baby?" Amy smirked.

"No. Absolutely not. If you and Jimmy are wanting a dirty weekend then you bring the kids here and you go and do whatever. You don't go at it while we're all in the same house. That's not something I want to hear and it's not something either of our kids need to be hearing."

"Relax Shel, we'll keep it PG."

"You'd better" Shelby warned, "because if there are any strange noises or any awkward questions, from your kids or mine, I will be sending them to you for answers!"

"I don't doubt you will" Amy chuckled, "but I promise we'll behave."

"Yeah. Alright. Remember who you're talking to here."

"Oh yeah" Amy laughed, not even embarrassed that Shelby had walked in on her and Jimmy on more than one occasion, "well, we'll try."