For those of you that liked Amy, Rachel spends a lot of time with her in this chapter, so I hope you like it!
And just out of interest, I know this is an AU, but would you like to see Rachel realise that she wants to be on Broadway? Or would you rather see her decide she wants to do something else with her life? I already have something in mind for the 'something else' but I don't know which way to take the fic, Broadway or not Broadway?
Shelby had only been working at McKinley for two weeks when she found herself preparing for a field trip that would see her chaperoning a group of 30 freshmen students to a theatre production in Columbus.
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" she asked Rachel as she pulled into the parking lot on the morning of the trip.
Rachel nodded, "Aunt Amy's going to pick me up at lunch time" she told Shelby, "she'll either take me home or she'll take me back to her house if I don't want to be home alone, I'll text you and let you know if I need you to pick me up on your way home."
"I'm being overprotective aren't I?"
"A little" Rachel smiled, "but I'll be fine" she reassured her Mom.
"Okay" Shelby kissed Rachel's forehead, "I'll let you know when I'm on my way home okay? Have a good day."
"You too Mom" Rachel smiled, giving Shelby a final hug before heading into school.
Rachel had woken with a slight headache but she hadn't thought anything of it, it wasn't enough to make her want to ask for painkillers at breakfast, and she thought it would probably just go on its own.
She was wrong though, by the time second period rolled around her head was pounding and her stomach was churning so Rachel reluctantly made her way to the nurse, knowing she couldn't sit through another class.
"Your Mom's on the field trip today right?" the nurse asked once she'd examined Rachel.
Rachel nodded, "you don't need to call her right? I'll be okay?" she was hoping the nurse would tell her she was fine, to stop overreacting and get back to class, but there was no such luck.
"Unfortunately, I think the best place for you to be right now is at home tucked up in bed, I'll see if I can get ahold of your Mom."
Rachel sighed before having an idea, "you could call my Aunt instead? Mom will be busy and I don't want her to worry."
The nurse smiled, "I'll have to call your Mom and check she's okay with someone else taking you home, but I'll suggest we call your Aunt so she can stay on her field trip" the nurse promised.
Shelby recognised the number as she answered her phone, not sure why anyone from the school would be calling her. "Shelby Corcoran."
"Ms Corcoran, it's the school nurse at McKinley, I'm calling about Rachel."
Shelby began to panic, "what about Rachel, what's happened? Is she okay?"
"She's got a headache and a slight fever and she says she's feeling nauseous. I don't think it's anything too serious but I think she needs to be at home. I know you're out of town on the field trip today so Rachel suggested I called her Aunt to come and get her. I wanted to check that was okay with you."
Shelby let out a sigh of relief when she heard Rachel wasn't too seriously ill, "call my sister Amy" she nodded, "her number should be on Rachel's records, or if not, Rachel has it."
The nurse called Amy once she'd spoken to Shelby and left Rachel to rest after telling her that her aunt was on her way. She settled down on the small bed, curling herself up as tightly as she could but she couldn't get comfortable, she knew what her fathers had been like the last time she'd been ill and she could only imagine how angry Amy would be to have her day disturbed, maybe calling her had been a bad idea.
"Amy Cullen" Rachel wanted to sob when she heard Amy's voice, "I've come to get my niece Rachel Berry."
"She's just through here" Rachel heard the nurse, Rachel sniffled and wiped at her eyes as the curtain was pulled back. In the time it had taken for Amy to get to McKinley, Rachel's temperature had risen, her limbs had started to ache and the churning in her stomach had only worsened.
"Oh Darling" Amy pushed the oversized sunglasses she was holding onto her head before holding her arms out, helping Rachel sit up on the edge of the bed and pulling her into a hug. Rachel's head falling onto Amy's shoulder as she clung to her, the tank top Amy was wearing meaning that she could tell just how much her niece was burning up.
"I want my Mom" Rachel whispered into Amy's shoulder. She'd been more than happy to go home with Amy until she'd started to feel worse, but now all she wanted was the comfort only her mother could give.
"I know" Amy ran her fingers through Rachel's hair, "but I'm afraid you're stuck with me for a while, and Nana, she's in the car waiting for us."
"Nana?"
"Yeah" Amy tucked Rachel's hair behind her ear, "Grampa's working on my car so Nana brought me over to get you. So how about we go get something to bring your temperature down and get you tucked up in bed, you might feel better when you've slept for a while."
"Okay" Rachel whispered, wanting to ask if her aunt would lay with her but not wanting to put her out anymore than she already had.
"Come on then" Amy picked up Rachel's backpack and slung it over her shoulder before helping Rachel from the bed, "careful" Amy wrapped her arm around her niece when she stumbled slightly.
Rachel was somewhat comforted by the fact that Amy only removed her arm briefly when she signed Rachel out at the office, her arm quick to move back to its place around Rachel's waist.
The teen greeted her grandmother as she slipped into the back seat of the car, slightly relieved that Erin realised she wasn't well enough to hold a conversation and didn't push for more than a simple hello.
Rachel felt tears pricking at her eyes when Amy slipped into the back seat beside her, fastening her seatbelt and checking Rachel had done the same before holding her arms out, "get some rest" she kissed Rachel's hair as Rachel nuzzled into her, "you're okay."
Rachel laid her head on Amy's chest, feeling her aunt gently stroke her back as she held her close, Amy's chin resting on the top of Rachel's head, Rachel unable to stop her eyes from closing. She might not be able to cuddle up with her Mom like she wanted to, but her Aunt wasn't a bad stand in.
"You've got a choice" Amy told Rachel as she half carried the sleepy teen into the house, even though she already knew what Rachel's answer would be, "do you want to sleep in your Mom's old room or my old room?"
"Mom's" as Amy expected, Rachel answered quickly.
Amy nodded and led Rachel up the stairs and down the hall, pushing open a door and walking into her sister's old room, "here you go" Amy smiled.
Rachel took a moment to look around, the walls were painted a pale blue and she could already feel herself beginning to relax as Amy helped her sit in the bed, it was almost as if Shelby was there with her.
"I'll be back in a second" Amy promised as she left the room, returning a few moments later with a pair of pink and grey checked pyjama pants in her hand, "Lily spilt her juice on me the last time we stayed over and I forgot to grab them from the laundry before we left, I thought they might be more comfortable than your jeans."
Rachel nodded and thanked Amy as she took the pyjamas from her, not even waiting for her aunt to leave the room before she changed.
Amy folded Rachel's jeans and placed them on top of the chest of drawers before pulling back the covers so Rachel could crawl into the queen sized bed, the teen struggling to keep her eyes open as she laid down, "Do you want me to lay with you?"
Rachel let out a quiet sob as she nodded, wanting nothing more than for someone to hold her for a while. "Please" she whispered.
Amy laid behind Rachel, her front against the teen's back as she rubbed gentle circles on Rachel's stomach, "is she asleep?" Amy looked up when Erin quietly slipped into the room.
"No" Rachel whispered quietly, "not yet."
"I've got something that should help you feel a little better" Erin crouched down by the bed, "and some soda that should help settle your stomach, do you think you can sit up a minute to take it?" Rachel nodded, grateful that Amy sat up too, her weary body lolling back against her Aunt, trusting Amy to support her, "good girl" Erin gently stroked Rachel's cheek when she took the pills, "I'll leave you and Amy to get some rest, but just yell if you want anything okay?"
Rachel nodded, "thank you Nanna" she mumbled as she laid back down on the bed.
"You're welcome Darling" Erin kissed Rachel's forehead before squeezing Amy's arm and leaving the room.
Amy curled up with Rachel again but frowned when she heard her niece let out an uncomfortable sob, "Rachel" she said softly, "if you were laying with your Mom and not me, how would you be laying?" Rachel shook her head, "listen to me" Amy ran her fingers through Rachel's hair, "about 6 months before you came to live with your Mom, Lily and Max both got chicken pox at the same time. Jim wasn't even in the country, he'd gone to some conference in Tokyo with work. Your Mom dropped everything to come and help me. One day, Lily was inconsolable and Max wasn't much better. I don't even remember falling asleep with Max but I remember waking up and finding your Mom sat in a bath of cold water with Lily sleeping on her stomach, your Mom told me she didn't dare get out of the bath incase Lily woke, so if Auntie Lelly can sit in a cold bath to help my kids sleep when they're ill, I can definitely lay however you want me to to make you comfortable so you can get some rest."
"Sometimes I lay on her" Rachel whispered before sniffling quietly, "I don't want to hurt you."
"Oh Darling." Amy sighed, "well why don't we try it, if I'm not comfortable I'll tell you and we can try something else."
Rachel nodded, "o-okay" she whispered, trying to hold back her tears of frustration, she was exhausted but she felt like, for some reason, her body was fighting the sleep she was so desperate for.
"Do you want me to lay on my side or my back?" Amy asked as she kept running her fingers through Rachel's hair to keep her calm.
"O-on your back please."
"Okay" Amy let go of Rachel and slipped under the covers, moving the pillows slightly to get herself comfortable, "now you lay however you want to Pretty Girl."
Rachel groaned as she rolled over, her limbs feeling like they were made of lead, and she wanted to cry at how caring her Aunt was being, the last time she'd felt this ill… she shook her head, she didn't want to think about that, not now, so she concentrated on shuffling closer to her Aunt, settling her head on her chest, fidgeting until she could hear Amy's heartbeat before making herself comfortable, her arm draped across Amy's stomach, fingers instinctively beginning to play with the hem of Amy's tank top as she moved her leg to lay across Amy's.
"Comfy?" Amy asked once Rachel seemed settled. Rachel nodded against Amy's chest, "so am I" she said as she began to play with Rachel's hair again, "so you don't need to worry, you can just get some rest okay."
Rachel's breath shuddered in her chest as she tried to calm herself down, "thank you."
Amy stroked circles on Rachel's back, "take some deep breaths" she said softly, "in and out" Amy slowed her own breathing for Rachel to match, calmly repeating her mantra again and again until the teen's body became heavy and she fell asleep in her Aunt's arms.
Amy waited a while, wanting to be sure Rachel was completely asleep before taking a selfie with the teen sleeping against her and sending it to her sister, 'And there was me thinking that Lily is a cuddle monster when she's ill. She's got nothing on Rachel! xx'
Shelby's reply came quickly as she asked how Rachel was, grateful that her sister was there to give Rachel the same comfort she'd give her if she was with her. The pair texted back and forth for a while, Amy reassuring Shelby that it was fine, that she didn't mind looking after Rachel and that the teen would be fine until Shelby got home.
They laid together for almost an hour before Rachel grumbled in her sleep and rolled onto her back and Amy waited for a couple of minutes to be sure she wouldn't wake before kissing her forehead, pulling the covers up over her and heading downstairs.
"Your car's all done" Paul told Amy when he saw her walk into the kitchen, "so you can take that sick little darling home if you need to."
"Thanks Dad" Amy kissed his cheek, "she's still sleeping but I might offer to take her back to Shelly's when she wakes."
"You were up there a long time" Erin handed Amy a mug of coffee, "is she okay?"
"She couldn't get comfortable so I asked her how she'd be laid if Shel was with her and, well…" Amy found the picture she'd sent her sister and showed it to her parents, "I had to wait for her to roll over before I could get out."
"Oh bless her" Paul smiled.
Erin smiled too, "I want a copy of that" she told her daughter before kissing her cheek, "it's lovely to see her opening up a little, and allowing herself to let people comfort her. That poor love has been through so much."
"She has" Amy agreed as she sipped at her coffee before emailing the picture of herself and Rachel to her Mom, "but that's behind her now, and from now on, this is all she'll know, being loved and supported by everyone around her."
Amy sat talking to her parents for a while before Erin excused herself to use the bathroom, "I think Rachel might be awake" she said when she came back downstairs, "I didn't go in though, if she is awake, I thought she might be more comfortable with you going in to her."
"Thanks" Amy stood from the sofa and quickly made her way upstairs, appreciating that her parents weren't trying to force a relationship with Rachel, that they were happy to take things at Rachel's pace. She frowned sightly as she reached her sister's room, hearing the quiet sniffling coming from inside. "Hey" Amy pushed the door open and quickly went to sit on the edge of the bed, running her fingers through Rachel's hair, frowning at how hot Rachel felt even though she was shivering and clutching the blanket tightly around her body, "what are these tears for?"
"I, I don't feel well" Rachel's breath hitched in her throat, "I feel sick and my head hurts, I want my Mom" she all but sobbed.
"I know you do Darling, Amy continued to play with Rachel's hair, "but your Mom's away on a field trip isn't she? So how about I speak to Nana and ask her if she'll pick Lily and Max up later, and then I take you home, your Mom won't be there but you can get changed and you can lay down in your own bed, and we'll be there when your Mom gets home, would you like that?"
Rachel nodded, "yeah, please."
"Okay Darling, let me go and talk to my Mom and then I'll get you home."
Of course Erin and Paul didn't mind picking Lily and Max up, and Amy made a quick call to their school to let them know their grandparents would be picking them up before going back upstairs, pushing Rachel's jeans into the teen's backpack and helping her down the stairs.
"Thank you for letting me come over" Rachel said quietly when she saw her grandparents, leaning into Amy as her Aunt held her close.
"You are welcome here any time you like" Erin said as she walked over to Amy and Rachel, "can I give you a hug?" Rachel nodded and Erin wrapped her arms around her oldest grandchild, "I hope you're feeling better soon" she told her.
"I hope you feel better soon too" Paul said as he reached out to gently rub Rachel's back, "and Nana's right, you can come here whenever you like."
"Thank you."
"No need to thank us" Erin brushed Rachel's hair back from her clammy face, "now, you get off home and get some rest and we'll speak to your Mom about you both coming over for dinner soon so we can see you when you're feeling better" she smiled.
Rachel didn't remember falling asleep on the drive home, she remembered nothing after waving goodbye to her grandparents as Amy pulled off the driveway until her Aunt was gently kissing her forehead and whispering her name. Rachel eventually managed to force her eyes open to find Amy was stood beside her, the car parked on the driveway at home, "wha…".
"Come on" Amy leaned over to unfasten Rachel's seatbelt and almost lifted her from the car, the girl too exhausted to support her own body weight, "let's get you to bed."
Amy got Rachel a glass of water once they were in the house, not wanting her to get dehydrated, and then she helped her up to bed, grabbing a tshirt of Shelby's and sending her into the ensuite to use the bathroom and change, knowing without asking that Rachel would want to sleep in Shelby's bed.
She smiled as Rachel came out of the ensuite, now wearing Shelby's tshirt with the pyjama pants Amy knew she wouldn't be getting back from her niece, "come on" Amy pulled back the covers, Rachel's blanket and bear both where she'd left them that morning. She pulled the covers over Rachel once she was settled and watched her fidget for a minute, "what's wrong?" she asked, hearing the girl let out a frustrated sob.
"I can't get it how I like it" she began to cry, only crying harder about the fact she was crying over something so stupid in the first place.
"Okay" Amy ran her fingers through Rachel's hair, frowning at how warm the girl felt, "how do you like it?"
Rachel took a shaky breath as she tried to calm herself, "I have one corner under my face and one down by my feet, and the rest sort of scrunched up. Momma does it" she whimpered.
"Well how about I give it a go, see if we can find something that will work for you until your Mom gets home?"
Rachel nodded, "please."
Amy nodded, doing as Rachel described, "how's that?" she asked, watching as Rachel nuzzled her face against the fabric of the quilt and tucked Edward under her arm.
"It's good" Rachel yawned, "thank you."
"Is there anything else you need?" Amy asked, deciding just to cover Rachel with the thin sheet.
"Will you…" Rachel shook her head, "no, I'm fine."
"Amy crouched by the bed and brushed Rachel's hair back from her clammy forehead, "what is it pretty girl?"
"Will you lay with me?" Rachel asked, "just for a while?"
"Of course" Amy laid down on Rachel's side of the bed, Rachel choosing to settle down on her Mom's side of the bed. "I'll stay as long as you want" she said, draping her arm around Rachel's stomach and beginning to hum quietly to her.
"Can… can…" Rachel shook her head and buried her face in Shelby's pillow.
"What is it?" Amy gently stroked Rachel's arm, "just ask me Rach, whatever it is."
"Momma sings" Rachel whispered.
"Okay" Amy said softly, "close your eyes then." It had been a long time since she'd sang anything, much preferring to hum to her babies as she'd rocked them to sleep, but she knew Shelby would do anything to make Lily and Max happy and Amy would do the same for Rachel, she thought for a minute before gently clearing her throat and beginning to sing softly to her niece. "When you're down and troubled and you need some loving care and nothing, nothing is going right, close your eyes and think of me and soon I will be there to brighten up even your darkest night." Amy heard Rachel let out another quiet whimper but knew the girl was beginning to fall asleep so she kept singing, hoping it would be enough to settle her, "you just call out my name and you know wherever I am, I'll come running, to see you again. Winter, spring, summer or fall, all you have to do is call and I'll be there, you've got a friend."
"Momma" Rachel mumbled, barely awake any more.
Amy gently brushed Rachel's bangs from her face, "she'll be home soon" she reassured her before going back to her song, "if the sky above you grows dark and full of clouds, and that old north wind begins to blow, keep your head together and call my name out loud, soon you'll hear me knocking at your door..." Amy smiled and chuckled quietly when she heard Rachel let out a quiet snore, humming the tune to the rest of the song, not leaving the bed until she was certain her niece had fallen into a deep sleep.
It was a little after 5pm when Shelby arrived home, "where is she?" Shelby asked as she saw Amy sat on her couch watching a movie with a mug of coffee in her hand, the fact her sister seemed to be relaxed helped to calm Shelby a little.
"She's asleep" Amy gestured to the seat beside her, "sit down."
Shelby sat beside her sister, "where are Lily and Max?"
"With Mom" Amy handed Shelby her coffee, assuming the woman would want it, smiling to herself as Shelby took a long sip from the mug. "I needed new brake pads on my car, Dad said if I took my car over then he'd do it for me, I was there when the school called so Mom drove me over to get Rach cos Dad was working on my car. We took her back to Mom's and she slept in your old bed for a while but when she woke her fever had risen a little and she wasn't settled, she was crying for you."
"She… Oh God Amy."
"She's okay" Amy reassured her sister, "I asked her if she thought she'd be more comfortable here and she said yes, so I asked Mom to get my two and brought Rachel back here. She changed into pyjamas and I laid with her for a while, but she fell almost straight to sleep in your bed. She's got Mom's quilt and her bear, and I think Jasper might have gone up there with her. She fell asleep about 1, I've been up to check on her a couple of times but she hasn't stirred since."
"Thanks Amy, I don't know what I'd have done."
"You'd have coped Shelbs, but you didn't need to, now, I'm going to leave you with your baby and go and get mine before Mom loses her mind". Amy glanced at her watch, "there are painkillers in the kitchen, and something to bring her temperature down, she can have another dose of both whenever she wakes."
Shelby hugged her sister, "thank you."
"No need to thank me, you go and see Rach, I'll let myself out."
The two sisters said goodbye to each other and Shelby made her way upstairs, seeing Rachel was still fast asleep she took the opportunity to shower and change into her own pyjamas before slipping into bed beside her daughter.
"Shh" Shelby brushed her lips to Rachel's clammy forehead when she heard her let out a groan of discomfort.
Rachel's eyes flew open, "Momma" she sobbed, "Momma."
"Momma's here baby" Shelby pulled Rachel into her arms, rubbing her back as Rachel cried into her. "I know you're feeling ill baby, I know, but Momma's here now, Momma's got you."
"Aunt Amy" Rachel mumbled.
"She's gone home baby" Shelby gently patted Rachel's back to soothe her, "she'll come and see you again soon.
"Sing"
Shelby frowned, "you want me to sing?"
"Aunt Amy sing" Rachel was beginning to fall back to sleep.
Shelby was surprised, "Aunt Amy sang to you?" Rachel nodded and yawned, "well, aren't you a lucky girl?"
Rachel sighed and nuzzled into Shelby, "now Momma sing?"
"Anything for you baby" Shelby whispered as she began to sing quietly to her daughter to soothe her back to sleep.
Amy sings 'You've got a friend' by Carole King to Rachel, although I sort of imagine it sounding more like Sara Bareilles' cover.