I do not own Glee or any of the characters created by Ryan Murphy. If I did we would see way more of Shelby. This story will contain spanking of a teenager. If that's not your thing stop reading now and go read something else.
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Shelby took her glasses off and rubbed the bridge of her nose. She was in the middle of VA practice and for the life of her couldn't concentrate. Then again the way her students were performing they were lucky she wasn't making them run laps to expand their lung capacity.
"Stop, stop! For all that is holy just stop!" Shelby stood and moved out from what she used as a desk in the auditorium and towards the stage. "You call that acceptable? I've heard cats in heat sound better than you did on that last bridge. Take five, drink a red bull and get it together people."
Her VA students bolted to do what she had demanded and Shelby shook her head as she moved back to her desk. Who knew trying to throw some WHO into the repertoire would be like trying to herd cats?
Cell phone ringing Shelby saw the number and cringed. What now? "This is Shelby Corcoran."
"Babs Sr., you need to get over to McKinley as soon as your VA practice is over. We need to have a talk."
"And why is that, Billie Jean?"
"I don't want to discuss it over the phone. Something my mother taught me –phones can be compromised. I know my office is clean though, I have it swept for bugs once a week and I'm not talking cockroaches."
"Give me an hour and I'll be there."
"Good, I'll make sure the Cheerios are gone by then." The phone line went dead and Shelby wondered what Sue Sylvester wanted to tell her this time.
"Ms. Corcoran?" a lone voice addressed her from the stage. "We're ready."
Turning Shelby put on her coach's mask and strode towards the stage again. "I sure hope you're right. Alright from the top, let's go."
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Shelby pulled her car into a spot next to what she assumed was Coach Sylvester's car. Realizing she couldn't get into the locked building she picked up her phone and hit the recall button.
"I'm in the parking lot, Billie Jean. You gonna let me in or meet me out here?" Shelby wasted no time on pleasantries.
"Hold your note there, Ethel. I'm on the way to let you in. Just wait by the door where my car is parked."
Shelby took the time to text Rachel that she would be pick her up as soon as she could. Shelby had allowed her daughter to go to Kurt's house after Glee practice, despite being grounded, and hoped that whatever the cheerleader coach had to share with her that it wouldn't add to Rachel's punishment.
As the door opened Shelby stepped inside and sighed, "As much as I love cryptic messages from you, Navratilova, I am wondering why I am here."
"Good question there, Mrs. Focker Sr.," Sue replied as she began to walk down the hallway. "The thing is I'd better tell you where I know we aren't being watched. There are cameras everyplace. I know, I had them installed."
Finally reaching the coach's office Shelby sat down in front of the desk while Sue took her customary seat behind it. "Okay, Mary Lou, what is so fired important that you called me over here?"
"Straight to the point, I like that in a person. Watch." Sue pressed a button on her computer and turned the monitor towards Shelby.
"I'm not sure what you're doing to Mrs. Focker Jr., but I like it, she's changed for the better."
"What are you talking about?" Shelby asked again.
"Just watch this, Fanny."
Leaning forward Shelby's eyes grew wide as an image of Rachel walking down one of the McKinley hallways was shown. Hearing a wolf whistle Shelby cringed as her daughter turned back to the offending boy in the letterman jacket kneeing him in the family jewels as soon as she reached him.
"Damn Berry, your mom's going to be all over you if you get into trouble again." Mercedes began to pull Rachel down the hallway.
Before Rachel could respond Will Schuester came into the frame and called for Rachel. What he said was too quiet for the recording system to pick up but Rachel shrugged and followed him in another direction. The footage changed to the door of the glee room.
"Rachel you need to get a handle on whatever is going on with you," Will's voice was now clear.
"Not that it's any of your business, Mr. Schue, but I have a handle on things just fine right now."
"I don't think that you do, Rachel. Maybe I need to call Shelby."
"Don't you dare call my mother!" Rachel's voice rose an octave. "You have no right to talk to her about me ever again. You screwed that up so badly the first time I almost lost her and I am not going to lose any more parents. Stay the hell out of my personal life, Mr. Schue. I don't need you there."
"Rachel…"
"No!" Rachel held up her hand. "I'd rather go to Coach Sylvester than talk to you about anything. At least she gets what it's like not have your folks around."
Rachel then spun on her heel and stormed down the hallway. "Nice storm out," Shelby acknowledged.
"Yeah, I figured she got that from you." Sue gave a rare mini-smile. "And not that I'm not flattered but why is Fanny Brice Jr. extoling my virtues to my sworn enemy?"
"I have an idea," Shelby leaned back in the chair and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Will put his nose into my relationship with Rachel when I came back the first time."
Sue nodded, "Made those voices in your head sound like a marching band didn't he?"
Shelby nodded, "How did you know?"
"He's gifted in making others feel even worse than possible without trying." Sue shrugged. "I just thought you might like to see what mini-you has been up to while walking down the halls of our school."
"Thanks for the heads up, Coach Summit." Shelby stood and headed to the door. "Let me know if you ever need one of your kids scared by someone other than you."
Sue nodded, "Will do."
Watching the security footage as Shelby walked down the hallway back towards the parking lot Sue Sylvester smiled, "I am so glad I'm not a brillo-headed glee teacher right now."
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Shelby had picked Rachel up from Kurt's house right after her meeting with Sue. Deciding she wasn't going to cook she stopped at one of their favorite restaurants, glad that Rachel had decided to eat vegetarian rather than vegan. Making a mental note to once again send her mother a nice card for her teenage years, Shelby allowed Rachel to sit in silence as they headed home.
Unpacking the food Shelby sat down and waited for Rachel to join her. Dishing the food onto their plates Shelby finally spoke. "I had a call from Coach Sylvester today."
"Oh?" Rachel put her fork down and stared at her mother. "And why would she call you?"
"Were you aware that the surveillance system at McKinley has audio as well as visual capabilities?"
Rachel shrugged and picked her fork back up beginning to eat once more, "And what does this have to do with me?"
"That was quite the response to the wolf whistle in the hallway today." Shelby took a bite of her own dinner. "And that storm out after you verbally went after Will was something special if I do say so myself and I do after all I created the storm out."
Rachel put her fork down again and blushed slightly. "You saw and heard that?"
"I did," Shelby reached across the table and took one of Rachel's hand into her own. "And as much as I appreciate you looking out for me with Will, there isn't a need anymore. I am not leaving again, Rachel. I promise."
"Parents leave, Mama. You can't promise that." Rachel's voice was quiet.
"Rachel what is going on?" Shelby squeezed her daughter's hand. "I know it's hard with your dads gone. And I am sure that being grounded for the slushy incident hasn't been the best fun you've had, but it was only for three days."
Rachel shook her head and held up a finger, "Just a minute, let me show you." Rachel stood and ran from the room and up the stairs returning with her laptop quickly.
"Rachel," Shelby's eyebrow raised.
"I saw this before I was grounded, Mama. Please, just look." Typing quickly Rachel turned the computer around and showed her mother the page.
"Oh Rach," Shelby shook her head at the idiocy of Hiram Berry posting a photo of LeRoy going through treatment on social media to keep their friends posted. "I am sorry you had to see this."
"It's not the pictures that bother me so much it's this," Rachel moved around the table and typed in a web address.
"Rachel?"
"It's a blog location where people can keep their friends and family updated when dealing with a medical crisis." Rachel allowed her mother to pull her into her lap. "This site is for terminally ill patients, Mama."
Closing her eyes Shelby pulled Rachel closer, "I am sorry, baby."
"The entry for Dad's birthday was awful." Rachel brought it up on the computer and allowed Shelby to read it. "Why didn't they tell me?"
"They want to protect you, Rachel."
"Did you know?" Rachel suddenly demanded. "Did you know that Dad spent his entire birthday throwing up and having seizures?"
Shelby shook her head, "No I didn't. They haven't told me any of this."
"I'm scared, Mama."
Wrapping her arms around her daughter Shelby took a deep breath. "I understand that. I'm a bit scared myself."
"You are?"
"I am."
"How come?" Rachel's dark eyes looked into her mother's face.
"I am so afraid I'll screw this up with you this year. That I won't handle your dads being away right, that I'll say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing. That you won't want to see me anymore when your dads get home. I'm afraid of losing you again, Rachel."
Rachel hugged her mother tightly. "You aren't going to lose me, Mama." Placing her face in the crook of Shelby's neck Rachel grinned a bit before sitting back up.
"I'll make you a deal, Rachel," Shelby began. "You believe that I won't leave you again and I'll believe that I won't lose you."
"It's a deal." Rachel moved the computer to the counter and sat down again. Starting to eat again she looked at her mother's expression and stopped again. "What?"
"There is still the matter of how you handled the jock and Will."
"I think I handled them just fine, Mama." Rachel smiled and returned to her food.
"I guess you did," Shelby agreed moving back to her meal. "You've also just earned your only warning about taking matters into your own hands. If you're being harassed in the halls let me or even Sue know. As for Will your disrespect stops now. You don't have to like him, Rachel, or even trust him. But no more of the disrespect. I am going to talk to him and give him the clue he needs. If he bothers you after that, let me know and I'll make sure he knows to back off."
"Okay Mama. I can do that."
"Good because next time there will be a consequence."
Huffing Rachel rolled her eyes, "You and your consequences."
Shelby chuckled and patted Rachel's hand. "I know. Just remember, Rachel. Anything that you're even thinking of doing I've probably already done and been punished for unless I wasn't caught. I'm way ahead of you."
Huffing again Rachel shook her head and pointed her fork at her mother, "I have got to talk to Bubbe again. She said there was some good stuff about the year you turned fifteen. Something about driving…."
Shelby quickly stood and put her hand over Rachel's mouth. "You do not need to ask my mother about that. Understand?"
Rachel nodded. "Okay Mama."
Breathing a sigh of relief Shelby returned to her meal as Rachel smiled to herself. "I'll ask Saba instead." Rachel quipped as Shelby's fingers once more pinched the bridge of her nose.
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Hope this chapter was enjoyed.
Thanks again to everyone who has added the story to their alert lists.
More of Rachel and Shelby to come soon.