Chapter 18: Strong

Uncle Burt arrived at their house on Sunday. Rachel had opened the door and the blast of cold air had caused her to immediately shiver so violently that she'd nearly toppled over. Uncle Burt had hurried inside, shutting the door and grabbing her arms to steady her. Her mother wrapped a blanket around her and they guided her to the couch to warm up.

"Maybe leave answering the door to me during the winter." Her mom suggested, rubbing her arms.

Rachel nodded. Good plan.

"It's actually because of the winter weather that I'm here." Uncle Burt announced. "Have you seen a recent weather report?"

"No, why?"

"They're expecting a big snow storm to blow in."

"When?"

"In the next day or two."

Her mom frowns hard. Not good. If she has an emergency during the storm, it'd be bad. It's just her and her mom here.

"I'd like the two of you to come stay with us until it blows over."

Her mom looks up at him, clearly thinking hard. "I could have my parents come stay with us."

Uncle Burt smiles a little. "True. As long as you two aren't alone, I won't fuss. But I can't in good consciousness leave you two here alone during a storm."

Her mom nods. "We won't be alone."

"I still think it'd be best if you came to my house. Rachel has her own room, which you would obviously share with her. Carole and I would be there. If the storm is bad enough, I won't go in to work and she may not have to. And of course, its likely that schools will close. Meaning Kurt and Finn will be there, too. I figure between the six of us we could keep each other entertained."

Rachel perks up. She likes this idea. Spending several days with Kurt and Finn? And Uncle Burt and her mom? She grins up at her mom, knowing it is highly unlikely she'll be denied.

"Can we, Mom? Please? I love Nana and Grandpa, but…..I'd rather go with Uncle Burt."

Her mom smiles. "Of course."

"An added bonus is I have chains for my tires. It'll make driving on snow and ice safer. We can still get her to her treatments."

That little fact makes her mom very relieved.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

For the rest of Sunday mother and daughter pack what they think they'll need for a couple days. Rachel is a bit disheartened to realize that an entire suitcase, small though it is, has to be dedicated to her health needs. Her oxygen machine, extra mask and nasal cannulas, and all of her medications. Her mom was going to pack the alert system, but Rachel pointed out that there will be five other people around her and she is never left alone. Her mom acknowledges her point and hesitantly leaves it. On Monday, as the snow is starting to come down, they head to Uncle Burt's. He was going to pick them up, but her mom likes the idea of having her own car with her. She parks it out of the way of Uncle Burt's car. The boys are still at school. It only just started snowing, but they predict there won't be school at least the next day if not longer.

She wakes up on the couch to find Kurt holding her. Finn is apparently upstairs playing video games. They talk song ideas for Regionals, eventually calling Blaine and putting him on speaker to get his input. Rachel loves nights like these. She looks around the kitchen table. She, her mom, the Hudson's and the Hummel's are enjoying a family dinner. It's warm and loving and fun and everything she ever wanted in a family. Not that dinners with her dads weren't warm, loving, and fun. But with just the three of them, it wasn't the same. They joke and tease and argue and talk all through dinner. She only stops when she tastes blood. She keeps her mouth closed, not wanting to put anyone off their meal. Unfortunately, keeping her mouth closed and staying silent just worried them.

"Rachel? Are you nauseous?" Finn asks.

Kurt freezes, looking ready to bolt from the table if she confirms this in any way. She grins a little and shakes her head no. Kurt relaxes, but still looks wary. Rachel grabs a napkin and holds it to her mouth. She pulls it back, revealing a splotch of red. Her mom sighs and stands.

"Come on. Let's wash out your mouth."

"Well, it's not the first time a parent has dragged her from this table to wash her mouth out." Kurt says grinning.

Her mom's and Mrs. Hudson's eyes widen and they look to Rachel in surprise. Finn obviously remembers this story because he grins knowingly. Rachel shoots a look between Kurt and Uncle Burt, unable to defend herself with a mouth full of blood.

"Wait, really?" Her mom looks to Uncle Burt for an explanation.

With a serious expression, Uncle Burt nods. "She disrespected the Buckeyes."

Rachel rolls her eyes while everyone else laughs. When she stands, her legs shake. She quickly grabs the edge of the table at the same moment her mom and Finn each grab an arm.

"You okay?"

She nods, still not wanting to talk with a bloody mouth. She's dismayed that the laughter from moments ago has evaporated. She leans on her mom, letting her take most of her weight on the way to the powder room. She ends up needing her mother to hold her up while she leans on the counter and swishes water around her mouth. Once the water she spits is clear, her mom leads her to the living room. Rachel steals Uncle Burt's recliner, pulling a blanket over herself.

"You can go back to dinner, Mom." Her mom hesitates, looking uncertain. Rachel refrains from rolling her eyes, knowing her mother has good reason to be uncertain. "I'm just going to sleep. You can hear me from the kitchen and I can hear all of you."

Her mom looks to the opening that leads to the kitchen. You can see part of the table and hear people talking, just as Rachel had said. With a sigh, her mom kisses her cheek and leaves. Rachel knows she can be seen by at least two people, but still…it's nice to have a little space. She pulls out her phone and plays a game on it.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Schools closed due to inclement weather. All three teenagers in the house slept in until early afternoon. They had enough time to get dressed and eat something before heading to the clinic. Uncle Burt's chained wheels helped tremendously. They still went slowly, but it was a steady ride. Uncle Burt convinced her mom to stay home with Carole and relax. He said the boys could handle Rachel.

"She's not that tough." He'd joked, gently pushing her head.

"She does bite, though." Kurt said, holding up his arm and pointing to a tiny, fading scar.

"That was one time!" Rachel argued. "And it was an accident."

Kurt shrugged. "Still. There's precedent."

Finn leaned close and whispered "Why don't you bite me?"

Her mouth dropped open until she noticed his teasing grin. "Just wait." She whispered back.

During her treatment, her nose had started bleeding. It bled a lot. Nurse Ben handed her a new towel and glared at her.

"Stop losing all the blood we're trying to put in you!"

She laughed, holding the new towel to her nose. "Sorry."

"Just cut it out, would you?"

"I'll do my best."

"Good. Because if you don't, I'll have to give you a second transfusion."

Her eyes widened. He nodded knowingly before walking off. Unfortunately, her nose kept bleeding. They ended up giving her a second transfusion after all. This one was just a blood transfusion, not a "treatment" meaning no extra medicine. However, her side effects from the actual treatment plus blood loss from the nosebleed, and a second transfusion, meant she was shaking and weak. Getting a mild attack made it worse. Finn sat on the chair with her, trying to keep her warm and calm. Tears slipped down her cheeks. She was exhausted and just wanted to go home. Another transfusion meant another two hours of sitting there. Finn whispered soothingly into her hair. Eventually he started singing softly, at a whisper. Focusing on his voice and his arms around her, she finally started to relax. She gripped his shirt and buried her face in his neck. Uncle Burt held her hand and Kurt rubbed her back.

Finn carried her inside when they got home. She was only partially conscious, too weak to move or respond, but awake enough to listen and feel. She was still shaking lightly. They weren't sure if it was from cold or the drugs. They ended up running a warm bath for her. She'd tried to argue, but was too weak. Hearing her whimper, her mother had whispered soothingly to her.

"We'll leave your underwear on, honey. I promise. Carole will help me get you into the tub, but it'll just be you and I in there, okay?"

Uncle Burt carried her into the bathroom, then left. Her mom removed her clothing except for her underwear, as promised. She and Carole lifted her into the tub of warm water. Her mom kneeled next to the tub and held her around the shoulders, keeping her up. Carole left. They were mainly trying to warm her up, but her mom used the opportunity to help her bathe. She couldn't deny that she felt better in the warm water. Her shaking eased. Carole thoughtfully tossed her pajamas, fuzzy socks, and a robe in the dryer so that when she was out of the water she had warm clothing to immediately put on. She was a little more conscious by then and able to help. Once she was in bed, snuggled with her mom, she finally felt better. Exhausted, but better. She drifted off feeling safe, warm, and loved.

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The next day, another snow day, she spent on the couch. Any time she tried to get up she got dizzy, so she stayed down. She, Kurt, her mom, and Carole passed the morning by attempting origami. They laughed and complained about how hard it was, but by early afternoon they managed to make a few decorative animals. Carole put the paper menagerie on a shelf for display. In the afternoon, she struggled to get in air. It was the first time anyone other than her mom witnessed it. Their somber expressions as she used the oxygen mask made her feel bad. She felt better cuddling with Finn, though. She swore there was something special about both him and her mom. While she has many people she loves dearly and all of them make her feel better, those two are able to truly set her at ease and make her feel safe and loved on a deeper level, though in different ways. Her lips are starting to get chapped. Her gums bleed fairly often. And yet, Finn is still happy to kiss her. She wishes she had a way to really let him know what a wonderful boyfriend he is and how special he is to her.

On Thursday she insisted the boys go play in the snow. Some of their friends had been texting them, asking if Finn and Kurt wanted to go sledding or have a snowball fight. They were hesitant, but she pushed them out the door. When the boys returned home, the friends came with them. Wanting to participate in some way, Rachel bundled up, sat on the porch, and threw snowballs at them. They decided this meant war and "charged" her. Sam and Noah gently lifted her and "tossed" her into a pile of snow. She giggled the entire time. Finn got revenge for her by getting them both in the face with snowballs, making her laugh even more. She didn't even care that it left her a little breathless. She was having fun with her friends. Next, Quinn sat on a sled with her, holding her steady while Sam pulled them around the yard. The girls yelped and laughed when he pulled too hard and they fell off into the soft snow. After checking that she was okay, Quinn had chased after him, yelling at him for being a reckless driver. Rachel used the opportunity to make a snow angel. Blaine laid next to her in the snow and promised to block any further "attacks". But then someone grabbed his foot and dragged him away from her. He yelped and screamed, not having expected it. She laughed even harder, finding it hysterical. Struggling to get in air after that laugh attack was less funny. Uncle Burt carried her inside, saying "playtime is over, princess". Her friends stopped and watched worriedly, so despite her struggle to breathe normally, she grinned and waved at them over Uncle Burt's shoulder. They relaxed and went back to playing.

Thankfully, her treatment that evening was tame. No nosebleed and no passing out. Even the shaking was mild. It did leave her completely exhausted and with a horrible headache, though. She fell asleep quickly. By then the roads were clear, so her mom took her home.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Santana slid her hand up Brittany's shirt, grinning at the resulting moan. Britt leaned into her and Santana lost her balance, bumping into the wall behind her. They muffled their giggles as a couple mops and brooms fell over. Making out in a janitor's closet is a time honored classic for high school students. Acknowledging that the mood had been lost and that they didn't have much time left, the girls agreed to sneak out. To avoid detection, they decided to leave one at a time. Brittany gave her a quick kiss, checked that the coast was clear, and slipped out. Santana adjusted her clothing, waited another minute, then peeked out. She was glad she did when she saw two people in the hall not far from the janitor's closet she was hiding in. She frowned when she realized it was Finn with some other chick. Fury bubbled up in her. If Frankenteen thinks he's going to cheat on Rachel while she's home fighting for her life and get away with it, he's about to learn a very painful lesson.

With a snarl, Santana opens the door a little wider. She pauses when Finn spins away from the girl with an angry scowl on his face. The other girl snags Finn's arm to stop him. Santana closes the door a little more so that she's less obvious and can keep eavesdropping.

"Wait! C'mon, Finn. I didn't mean it like that." The fake sincerity and pout set Santana's teeth on edge.

Still angry, Finn turns back to her. "I don't care how you meant it. Leave me alone, Julia."

The red-headed girl's eyes flash and her pout vanishes. "It's Julie."

"Whatever. Leave me alone."

"Look, I didn't mean to upset you. I just hate seeing you brooding so much. A handsome guy like you should be smiling more. You should be with someone who makes you happy."

Santana can't see Finn's face, but she watches his back and shoulders tense up. "Listen to me very carefully, Julia." Santana grins. "My girlfriend makes me very happy. I love her. I am not going to leave her. You need to accept that and back off."

Julie is working hard to keep from scowling. "What do you see in that big-nosed hobbit, anyway? I'm much prettier and more popular. Trust me, I could make you very very happy if you catch my drift."

Santana's blood boils. This bitch. Is going. Down. The only thing stopping her from lunging out of the closet this very moment is the sound coming from Finn. The tall boy is practically growling.

"First of all, Rachel is the most gorgeous girl in the world to me. Don't you ever insult her in front of me again. She has more class in her little finger than you have in your entire body. Second, I don't want to catch anything from you. Back the fuck off. Be glad I don't hit girls."

Finn turns and Santana catches his glower as he storms angrily away. Santana feels a little bad for assuming he'd be cheating on Rachel. Julie is staring after him looking angry and hurt. When she turns to walk away, Santana slips out of her hiding spot and hurries up to her. Julie turns when Santana taps her on the shoulder. Her eyes widen. Santana glares at her.

"Hi, Julie, right?" Nervously, the girl nods. Good. It seems Santana's reputation is working to her benefit. "First off, bitch, stay way from Finn. In fact, stay away from all the guys in Glee club. Second, I'm going to repeat Finn's statement; do not insult Rachel Berry. Third, only I can call her a hobbit and that's because she knows I say it with love." The girl is glaring at the floor. Santana steps closer and the girl looks up. "Finally, Finn may not be able to hit a girl, but I sure as hell can and will. Break any of the rules I just listed and you'll find out firsthand how we handle bitches like you in Lima Heights. You got me?"

"Fine. Whatever." Julie tries to sound tough, but the slight shake in her voice gives away her fear. Good.

Santana watches victoriously as Julie stalks away. When she herself turns to leave, she's startled to see Sue Sylvester at the other end of the hall with her arms crossed. She pauses, uncertain how her coach will respond to what she just overheard. Sue meets her eyes, gives her a nod, and walks away without a word. Santana releases a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hearing a knock, Shelby opens the front door. She immediately steps outside.

"What are you doing here?" Her stomach clenches and she works hard to keep her face calm.

"I'm here to see my daughter."

"You should have called. You're supposed to call before coming over."

Leroy looks annoyed. "Coming over? Shelby, I came from Texas. It was a bit more than just driving over a town."

"You still should have called first."

"Well, I knocked like the door said." He points irritably to the sign.

Shelby needs to calm them both down before going inside. She takes a few breaths. He seemed to have realized the same thing because she notices him also taking a deep breath. Good. She looks at him hard.

"Are you ready for this?"

He looks uncertain. She waits. And shivers. She'd stepped out without any kind of protection against the cold. Finally, he stands tall and nods.

"That bad?"

"That bad. She had a moderate attack less than an hour ago. It completely drained her. Leroy….while I wish you had called first, I'm glad you came. She will be, too. But I need to know two things. First, I need to know that if I ask you to leave, you'll leave. Are you willing to do that?"

He nods slowly.

"Good. If I ask you to leave, you need to trust that I have a good reason. Second, what is your plan here? Are you just in town for the day? Are you staying a few days? Are you staying longer?"

He looks down. "I'm heading back on Sunday."

It's Friday. She can work with that. "Okay."

She leads him inside. Rachel is asleep in the recliner. She's wearing her oxygen mask and wrapped up in a blanket, one fuzzy sock clad foot sticking out. Shelby smiles and adjusts the foot, getting it fully under the blanket. Looking up, she watches Leroy's expressions move through shock, horror, and finally, heartbreak. She waits, giving him the time he needs to pull himself together. She reminds herself that Leroy hasn't seen Rachel in months. She's lost weight. Her cheeks are sunken. Under her eyes are dark bags that almost look like bruises. Those dark smudges are in stark contrast to her very pale face. And that's just what can be seen at the moment, with her under a blanket.

Leroy wipes his mouth with his hand, lips pressed tight together. He takes in a shuddering breath. Shelby nods to the couch. He sits. She runs her fingers through Rachel's hair.

"You ready for me to try to wake her?"

"Try?"

Her only response is a nod. He looks at Rachel and his eyes fill with tears. He seems to be listening to her still slightly strained breathing. It's better than it was, Shelby notes. She'll probably switch her to a nasal cannula soon. But he's not used to it.

"I can wait until…..until she wakes…..naturally." He offers quietly.

"That could be all day."

His face falls. He pulls himself together. "Okay."

Shelby shakes Rachel's shoulder. Her daughter is hard to rouse, but she's not surprised. It takes two minutes of gentle shaking, prodding, and calling her name, but finally her eyes flutter open. Shelby waits, knowing she needs a few more seconds to orient herself. Rachel blinks blearily, then presses a hand against her eyes.

"Rach? What do you need, hun?"

"Meds." Her voice is thick with sleep and scratchy.

Shelby strokes her hair. "Headache?" Rachel gives a slight nod. "Do you need the mild ones or the stronger ones?"

"Mild."

"Okay. I'll go grab them. Someone is going to sit with you while I do." Shelby smiles softly at her.

Rachel frowns. Now her eyes roam the room to find this 'someone'. They land on her father. For a moment, father and daughter just stare at one another.

"Dad?"

Shelby doesn't think Leroy notices the distinct lack of warmth in Rachel's voice. It saddens her. She knows Rachel still loves her father, just as Leroy loves Rachel. However, too much has happened between them. And too much didn't happen between them. It has left a gulf that Shelby isn't sure will ever truly be bridged. Rachel once explained to her that Leroy has gone from 'family' to 'relative' to 'distant relative'. The love is there, but the distance (physical and emotional) prevents any truly close relationship from being rebuilt.

"Hi, little star." Leroy's voice is gentle and warm. It softens Rachel and she smiles at him.

Shelby leaves, returning in moments with the medicine and a water bottle. While Rachel is taking the meds, Shelby swaps out the mask for the nasal cannula. She kisses Rachel's temple, gives Leroy a look, and leaves the room. She sits at the kitchen table and tries not to listen to the quiet conversation going on in the other room. She busies herself with making coffee. Then, with a fresh mug in hand, she texts Scott. And Kelly. Then realizes that if Leroy is in town for a few days, Burt deserves to know. All three ask if she wants them to come over. She accepts Scott's offer. He was supposed to come over later anyway, to join her and Rachel for dinner. Now he'll come early. She smiles slightly, thinking of the handful of times he has been over here. She was relieved that he and Rachel hit it off. Not that Shelby's dating him…..yet. He made it clear he wants to. But he completely understands and supports her decision to focus 100% of her attention on her daughter. Of course, that doesn't mean they can't spend time together. It just means he's not her priority. He's fine with that.

She catches snippets of their conversation from the other room; Leroy telling her about Texas, Rachel telling him about her friends and Sectionals, Rachel telling him about her illness, Leroy telling her he thinks of her and misses her every day. A knock on the door draws her attention. Scott got here fast. Now feeling a little awkward about him coming over with Leroy here, she hurries to open the door.

"Hi." His deep voice immediately sets her at ease.

"Hi." She smiles at him.

"Hi!" They both chuckle at Rachel calling out her own greeting.

Scott walks past her and into the living room. Shelby belatedly realizes he's carrying a cup and grins.

"Got you something." He says, handing it to Rachel.

"Strawberry?"

"Of course." He grins.

"Thanks, Scott."

Scott turns to Leroy and offers his hand. Shelby makes introductions.

"Scott, this is Leroy, Rachel's father. Leroy, this is Scott. He's a friend. And physical therapist."

Leroy looks a tad awkward, but shakes Scott's hand. "Hello."

"Mom's been getting strength training so she can lift me when I pass out." Rachel informs her father casually.

Leroy schools his face. "That's nice."

Rachel sips her shake, then lets out a giggle. The adults all look at her in confusion. She grins up at them. "Come on, it's a little funny."

"What is?"

"Dad is meeting Mom's new 'guy friend' for the first time." She giggles again.

Thinking over the situation, and all of their relationships, they all see the humor in it as well and chuckle. Grinning, Shelby leads Scott to the kitchen, leaving Leroy and Rachel to talk in private once more.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The strawberry shake is delicious. Sipping on it, she watches her father from the corner of her eye. It's odd seeing him again after so long. After all the changes.

"How are you, Rachel?" She looks at him, uncertain what he means. He smiles gently. "Emotionally."

"Oh. Um…..okay."

"Okay?" Eyebrow raised skeptically.

"I mean, I'm scared. And angry. And upset. But…..I'm dealing with it." She admits, taking another sip then grimacing. Bloody gums again. Does not mix well with strawberry shake. She tries to put it on the end table, but her hand shakes. Stupid moderate attack sapped all of her strength.

Her dad grabs it and places it for her. For a moment, they sit in awkward silence. When tears fill her father's eyes, she sighs internally.

"I love you, Rachel."

"I know." She says simply.

And she does know. He loves her. Just not enough to conquer his demons. At 16 she has learned that not everyone is strong and that strong means different things to different people. Even to the same people, sometimes strong means different things on different days. She and Uncle Burt had talked about how her father isn't strong enough to help her through this, but he was strong enough to walk away and let others help her. He's strong enough to recognize that he'd only be a hindrance, not a help.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Leroy steps into the kitchen. "She's asleep."

Shelby nods. "She lasted longer than I expected."

Leroy eyes Scott with an odd look. "You're a physical therapist?"

"I am."

"Rachel says you've been helping Shelby learn to lift and carry her?"

"I have."

Leroy nods. "As a physical trainer, someone who helps others reach their physical potential and become stronger, I imagine that means you yourself are quite strong."

Scott leans back in his seat. "Fairly strong, yes. Why?"

Leroy doesn't answer him directly. "Knowledgable enough enough to help others become strong. Strong enough to carry them when they stumble?"

Something gleams in Scott's eyes. He understands where this is going. Shelby doesn't. "Yes. I am."

"Good." He shakes Scott's hand once again. "They'll need that."

Scott grins. "Now I know where Rachel gets her penchant for metaphors."

Duh. Shelby shakes her head, grinning both at her own ignorance for not realizing what Leroy was getting at and at how astute Scott's observation is. Leroy laughs.

"I'd like to return tomorrow, if that's okay. Spend a little more time with her."

"Of course. I'll text you when she's up and ready for a visit."

He nods and takes his leave.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Leroy and Rachel spent a few hours together on Saturday. Shelby was concerned that she couldn't read his expression as he left. She stood in Rachel's bedroom door, watching her daughter sit at her bay window, shoulders slumped.

"Honey?"

Rachel turned to her, her face blank. "He said goodbye."

Shelby nods, knowing that despite everything it's still hard for Rachel to watch her father leave. There's a beat of silence. That's when the phrasing and her daughter's expression sink in. That fucking bastard. Without saying a word, she pulls her daughter into her arms, letting her cry it out.

"He gave up on me." Rachel sobs out.

Shelby's not sure what to do. Defend the man? Make him out like a villain? She rocks her little girl while humming softly. She decides to take a page from Burt; sometimes no words are the best words. When Rachel stops crying, she keeps her head on her shoulder, her hands playing with Shelby's shirt. Shelby kisses her head.

"I'm not upset he said goodbye." Rachel clarifies, her voice soft. "I'm just upset he did it now."

"Why?" She wants to be sure she understands where her daughter is, emotionally, right now.

"Well, because he's assuming it's a forgone conclusion. It's not."

"It's not." It's not. It's not.

"I mean, I might die. If I do, I know there'll probably be a point where…it'll be time to…say goodbye. I'm not saying I don't want people to say goodbye to me. But saying it now is like….he's saying he's sure I'm going to."

Shelby is using every ounce of her training and control and strength to keep herself together in this moment. She squeezes her eyes shut and presses her lips to the top of Rachel's head, then rests her cheek there. She can't speak. She will fall apart and that's not what Rachel needs right now.

"And….even if I do…he just made it clear that…..he won't be there." Her daughter's tone crushes her heart. "He's not coming back."

Shelby looks up at Rachel's open doorway. Burt Hummel stands there, his face stone. He knew Leroy would be over again today before leaving. He clearly wanted to come by to check on them and see how it went.

Rachel's voice breaks, her tears starting up again. "Do you think he'd even come to my funeral?"

Shelby squeezes her tight, desperately trying to keep her own tears at bay. "Yes, baby. He'd be there."

Burt's stone facade cracks. He looks murderous. When he silently walks off, she hopes he doesn't get himself thrown in jail. Leroy's not worth it and they need Burt around. Rachel cries herself to sleep in her arms. Carefully, Shelby arranges Rachel in a way that she's not likely to fall off the bay window ledge. It's large enough that Rachel can curl up and still have room, but she's still cautious. Once she's as sure as she can be that Rachel won't fall, she hurries out of the room and into her bathroom. With the door shut, she sits on the floor, her face pressed into a towel, and sobs.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They watched a lighthearted movie after dinner that night. They chose Freaky Friday.

"Mom?" Shelby looks down at Rachel. The girl pauses the movie, then turns to her contemplatively. "Would you want to be a teenager again?"

Shelby laughs. "No. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my teenage years. But they're still not something I'd want to experience again."

"What if we woke up one day and we'd swapped bodies? What would you do?"

She starts to give a lighthearted response, but pauses. Maybe something deeper is needed here. "If it happened now? I'd love to give you the opportunity to have a healthy body. Even an old one like mine. I'd be happy you weren't suffering, but I don't think I'd handle it as well as you."

Rachel frowns. "What do you mean?"

Shelby brushes her daughter's hair back and strokes her cheek. "Honey, I'm strong. In many ways. But I don't think I'm as strong as you. I doubt I could handle what you go through with such aplomb."

For a moment they're both silent. Rachel stares at her with an indecipherable look on her face. When a film of tears coat her eyes, Shelby regrets giving a deep response and suddenly wishes she'd given her originally planned lighthearted one. Before she can say anything, Rachel moves. Her little girl sits on her lap and wraps her arms around her shoulders.

"Mom…..you do realize that I'm only appearing strong because I'm copying you, right? I'm mimicking…maybe even borrowing some of your strength. I can only bear this because you're here enduring it with me." Now tears fill Shelby's eyes as well. "I mean, Kurt, Uncle Burt, and the others, too." Shelby laughs a little, a tear slipping down her cheek. "But mostly you, Mom."

Shelby pulls her in for a cuddle. "I'm so glad I'm here with you."

Rachel kisses her cheek, then presses her head into her neck. "I love you, Mommy."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sunday was a much needed fun day. The girls of Glee, and a few of their mothers, got together at the Corcoran house. Judy Fabray brought over canvases and paints. The ladies spent the afternoon painting and laughing at how bad (or good) some of them were at it. It was a fun afternoon for all. Fun, lighthearted, and easy. Just what mother and daughter needed. What all of them needed, apparently. Shelby had spoken to Diane, Carole, and a few others so she knows that the kids have had a rough time since returning to school. Watching the girls now, laughing and making a mess, she smiles warmly.

Rachel, having finished her picture, is painting her hand pink. Shelby sits back with a small smile, waiting to see who her daughter's victim will be. Brittany and Mercedes both see her and start giggling, so they're out. Quinn, ever observant, notices as well and grins. That leaves Tina and Santana. Rachel smirks.

"San?"

Santana turns towards Rachel expectantly. Rachel smiles sweetly, then places her hands on her friends cheeks. The others laugh, but Santana looks confused. Until she realizes one of Rachel's hands is wet. Her eyes widen.

"Did you just—"

Rachel pulls her hands away, laughing and eyes sparkling. Shelby laughs along with everyone else, her smile wide. Santana hurries to the powder room to look in the mirror.

"You did!"

She returns, trying to look annoyed. Santana folds her arms and glares, though it's not hard to see that it's not a real glare. Besides, the pink handprint on her cheek makes it hard to take her seriously.

"How am I going to get this off, Hobbit?"

Rachel kisses her unblemished cheek, still grinning her Cheshire Cat grin. "Mineral oil. It said so right on the label."

"You've been branded, S." Quinn tells her, smirking.

"Well, then." Santana reaches for the red paint. "I'm not about to be the only one."

Quinn's eyes widen and she backs away. She bumps into Brittany and quickly turns to apologize to her. In that moment, Brittany places her green hand on Quinn's cheek. And thus began the laugh filled handprint war. By the end, all the girls had a handprint on each cheek, each a different color. Of course the mothers all have to take pictures of the girls. Their favorite being the group photo of all the girls with their colorful cheeks, big smiles, arms around one another, and painted hands held up for the camera to see.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The instant blast of warmth as he enters the clinic is a welcome reprieve from the bitter winter air. Kurt, Mercedes, and Blaine trail behind him chatting. They're a little late. Blaine was a last minute addition, so he wasn't expecting to drive out to pick the boy up. Not that he minded, he just doesn't like being late. Burt nods to the nurses at the desk. They stop him.

"Burt?" Nurse Jessica looks worried. "Rachel and Shelby haven't arrived yet. And Shelby hasn't called and she's not answering our calls."

Behind him, the kids goes silent. They arrived late, yet Rachel isn't even here yet. Her treatment should have started almost 15 minutes ago. Shelby is a stickler about being on time, if not early. His stomach churns uncomfortably. Kurt pulls out his phone and calls Rachel.

"They're probably just stuck in traffic." Blaine suggests. Burt nods slowly. Mercedes bites her lip.

"Rachel, give me a call or text when you get this. We just want to see where you guys are since you're not at the clinic yet."

The uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach grows. He pulls out his own phone and calls Shelby. It rings. And rings. And rings. When it goes to voicemail, Burt hangs up.

A chill that has nothing to do with the winter air runs down his back.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: My first real cliffhanger! Please don't kill me. You won't find out what's going on if you do. ;)