Wow! I'm so glad that you all seem to love this little AU just as much as I do, I've had a couple of messages and reviews asking for specific things set in this AU, and so far, everything that's been requested has been something I already planned on having happen! With that in mind, if there's anything you want to see happen in this AU then feel free to let me know, either in a review or via PM, I'm always happy to take suggestions!

This is for the guest who reviewed asking if Shelby's family will be in the picture, I may revisit that question in the future but I hiow this will do for now!

It was three days after Rachel was discharged from the hospital when Shelby decided she should probably let her parents know they had a granddaughter. She'd been putting it off since Rachel had been born, knowing exactly how her mother would react and not wanting her to show up at the hospital and cause a scene, but at the same time, she knew she needed to let the woman know she wouldn't be going home for Christmas.

She kissed Rachel's head as she picked up her phone and dialed her Mom's number, the baby sleeping in the fabric against her chest, both of them naked under the wrap except for Shelby's nursing bra and Rachel's diaper, Shelby wearing an oversized hoodie to keep them both warm.

"Finally" Shelby could almost hear the roll in her Mom's eyes as she answered the call, "you've been ignoring my calls Shelby. Would it kill you to pick up once in a while?"

Shelby sighed, "I've been busy Mom, and I don't have much time now, I was just calling to let you know I won't be coming round for Christmas."

"Don't be stupid Shelby, of course you'll be coming round."

"No Mom. I won't." Shelby said firmly.

"And may I ask why you're abandoning your family at Christmastime?"

Shelby rolled her eyes at her Mom's dramatics. "I'm not abandoning anyone Mom. I erm, I've had a baby, we're going to spend Christmas here, she…"

"Absolutely not" Shelby was interrupted, "you've had a baby? Then you absolutely have to come. I can't believe you never mentioned it though, you're nineteen Shelby, you really should have been more careful, I hope the father's stepping up and…"

"There is no father Mom, it's a long story and I'm not going into it now."

"Shelby!" she'd once have been scared by the tone in her Mom's voice, but not anymore. "You are going to bring my grandchild to see me and…"

"No Mom, no I'm not. Rachel was premature. She's spent three months in NICU fighting for her life and I'm not going to do anything that risks her health. Not now. I've…" she ran her hand through her hair, begging herself not to cry, "I've watched her fight through illness and infection, she's been through enough, until her immune system's stronger she'll be staying here. With me."

"Shelby" her Mom wasn't used to not getting her own way but there was absolutely no way that Shelby was going to back down on this.

"Mom" Shelby's voice shook both with anger and upset as she thought about everything Rachel had been through, "you once told me that you and Dad had to make decisions I didn't like because you were my parents and you had to do what was best for me, and that wasn't always what I wanted. But now I'm a parent, and I need to do what's best for Rachel, and that might not be what you want, but she comes first, so no Mom, we won't be spending Christmas with you this year. And when Rachel is up for meeting you, I'll let you know" she said before ending the call and turning off her phone so her Mom couldn't call back. "Me and you kid" she whispered, kissing the swirl of dark hair on her daughter's crown, "we don't need anyone else."

As terrified as she'd been when she found out she was the one expected to raise the baby she'd given birth to, Shelby soon realised she loved being a Mom, loved getting to know the tiny human she'd created. Being a Mom at home was completely different to being a Mom in the hospital, and, despite having only been home a matter of days, Shelby found she'd quickly got into a routine with Rachel, and she loved just getting to be with her baby on her own terms, loved seeing Rachel's tiny little personality quirks that were beginning to emerge. She loved chatting to her baby, singing to the girl as she danced around the kitchen, Rachel tucked tightly against her chest, wanted to cry every time she glanced down and saw big dark eyes looking up at her, eyes full of love and wonder, eyes that Shelby could lose herself in for hours.

Shelby had barely worn a shirt around the house since she'd brought Rachel home, and the outfits she'd bought for her daughter went unused as Rachel was held against her Mother's chest by the stretchy wrap Shelby had bought, Shelby simply pulling on a hoodie if she felt cool, and she felt like being able to spend so long, skin to skin with her daughter, was one of the main reasons that they'd bonded so well.

After hanging up on her Mom, Shelby didn't bother to turn her phone back on again, and spent Christmas day watching festive movies with Rachel alternating between nursing and sleeping against Shelby's bare chest, the lack of visitors meaning that Shelby and Rachel were able to spend most of their time indulging in the skin contact that both Mom and baby loved so much.

There was a knock on the front door just after 10am on boxing day and Shelby frowned as she stood to answer it, "who do you think that is?" she asked Rachel, grabbing her hoodie and zipping it up to keep herself covered as she opened the door, her mood changing completely when she came face to face with, not only her parents, but her brother, sister in law and three year old nephew.

"You wouldn't come to us, so we decided to come to you. It's a good job you told Daniel your new address or we'd never have found you." Shelby's mom grinned cheerfully as she pushed past Shelby into the house, obviously proud that she'd got one over on her daughter.

Shelby growled, "you need to leave. Now!"

"Don't be stupid Shelby, we've come to see our granddaughter, now hand her over for a cuddle."

"Absolutely not" Shelby was furious, knew of it wasn't for the baby sleeping against her chest she'd be screaming and crying at her Mother's selfishness, that Rachel was the only reason she hadn't already kicked the woman out of her house. "I, I can't believe you've done this, that you'd be so selfish." She shook her head, tears pooling in her eyes, "I can't do this" she whispered as she walked into the kitchen to put some space between herself and her mother.

"Me selfish?" Shelby's mother looked around the other people in the room, "she's the one keeping my grandbaby from me and refusing to spend Christmas with her family."

Daniel, Shelby's older brother rolled his eyes at his mother's dramatic nature and shook his head when he saw the woman move to go after Shelby, "I'll go." He walked into the kitchen, finding his sister pacing angrily and closed the door, wanting to try and stop their mother listening in.

"Did you know?" Shelby span to face him when she heard the door click, frustration evident on her face.

"She said you weren't coming over yesterday because you'd had a baby, but that we could visit you on boxing day."

"I told her" Shelby began pacing again, "I told her and she, she just ignored me, she says she loves us, she said… I told her and she just doesn't listen."

"You know what she's like Shel, she never listens. But what did you tell her?"

"Rachel's 3 months old Dan. She doesn't even weigh four and a half pounds. She was 10 weeks premature, she spent 3 months in hospital, she's been home a week and I, I told her that I, that we weren't coming round because Rachel... she's still so tiny, she's been through so much Dan, I, I've watched her fight through so much, I, so many times I thought I'd never get to do this, never get to have her home with me, and I told her. I told her I wasn't coming because Rachel's immune system isn't good and the last thing I want is for her to end up back in hospital again when she's only just come home. I told her I'd let her know when we were ready but she, she can't accept that I'm trying to do what's best for my baby. I couldn't… Before, I couldn't protect her from that, I couldn't keep her safe, I couldn't stop her hurting, I couldn't stop the infections or the fact she used to forget to breathe when she was asleep, but now, now I can protect her and I don't care if it's too much, she's my baby, I'm her Mommy and I need to keep her safe Dan, I can't, I can't see her back in that hospital, I don't know if she's strong enough to fight anything else, and I know I'm definitely not strong enough to watch her try." She slumped into one of the chairs at the small table in the corner of the room and wiped at her eyes before holding her head in her hands.

"Shelby" Dan gasped, "I had no idea, I… We'll go. I don't care if I have to carry her out of this house kicking and screaming we'll all leave. You should have told me, you should…" he shook his head, that wasn't important right now, "you are absolutely right, you're a Mommy, a great Mommy, you're fierce but you're kind and if that little lady is a fighter, and it sounds like she is, she gets every ounce of that fighting spirit from you. But you can call me later, give me all the details and let me tell you what a fantastic job you're doing, but for now, I'm going to get everybody out of your house so you two can be safe and comfortable in your home."

"Thank you" Shelby whispered, wiping at her damp eyes, "I erm, I don't want anyone to hold her just yet, but would you like to see her?"

Dan smiled, "I'd love to, if that's okay?" Shelby nodded, moving the stretchy fabric and turning so her brother could see Rachel's face. "She's beautiful Shelby, congratulations. She's your double."

"She's perfect" Shelby whispered, "but she's been through so much already Dan and maybe I'm being overprotective but I just want to keep her safe."

"I understand, Jake spent two nights in the special care unit and that was tough enough, I can't imagine what you went through. You wait here, I'll get everyone to leave."

"Thank you" Shelby whispered.

"Anything for you sis, and if you need anything, you ring me yeah?" Shelby nodded again and Dan left the kitchen, feeling his own anger rising as his Mom stood up.

"Have you managed to talk some sense into her? If she's going to hide away I'm at least going to get my Grandbaby and… "

"No" Dan stood firm, stopping his Mom from making her way to the kitchen. "We're leaving" he spat, "all of us. Right now. We're leaving and we're going to respect Shelby's wishes."

"Don't be stupid Daniel, I am here to meet my Granddaughter, we are her family and she needs to bond with us."

"No Mom. She needs a safe environment to grow, she needs a family who respect her mother's wishes in regards to her upbringing."

"Daniel…"

He ignored her protests and turned to his father, "did you know?" did you know why Shelby didn't want us here? Did she tell you that that baby has only been home from hospital for a week? That at three months old she weighs half what Jake did when he was born? Did you know she's spent the past three months in the neonatal intensive care unit because she was premature? Did you know that Shelby asked us to stay away from Rachel until her immune system developed a little more because she doesn't want her daughter getting sick and ending back in the hospital because she can't fight germs like we can?"

"We won't make her sick Daniel."

Daniel looked to his wife as she stood up, the woman looking just as appalled as he felt, "We'll wait in the car for you" she said as she lifted their toddler to her hip, "tell Shelby I'm sorry, I'd never have come if I'd known, I definitely wouldn't have brought Jake!"

"She knows that" Dan nodded.

"Is this true?" Shelby's Dad looked at his wife, "did you know this?" Her silence answered for her, "we're leaving" he stood, pointing to the door, "now!"

Daniel watched as his mother stormed from the house, chances are she'd hold this against them all for a while but he didn't care, his sister and niece were more important. "They're gone. And I'm going too" Dan poked his head around the kitchen door to find Shelby still sat at the table but a little calmer now and humming gently to her daughter.

"Thanks Dan. She's not happy is she?"

"Not at all, but do you care?"

"No" Shelby laughed, "thank you though, I do appreciate it."

Dan shook his head, "you shouldn't have had to go through that. You just take care of yourself and that precious little one and let me know when you're ready for visitors, I'll leave Katie and Jake at home if you'd rather. And if you need anything…"

"I'll call you, thanks Dan."

"Any time." He blew a kiss towards his sister, "that's for her not you" he winked before turning to leave. He sighed when he saw his father in the living room, "Dad…"

"I'm not staying" he held up his hands in surrender, "I thought I'd be gone before you were done, your Mom's sulking in the car and I guessed Shelby would be staying out of the way until she heard us leave so I thought I'd leave the presents for her and the little one" he gestured to the pile of gifts he'd stacked by the door.

"Thanks Dad, and I'm sorry if I was abrupt earlier."

"Not at all, your Mom should never have put us in that position. I'm glad Shelby had you to fight her corner."

"She's my baby sister, only I'm allowed to make her feel like crap" he joked. before saying goodbye to his father and making his way over to his car, where his wife and son were waiting for him, safe in the knowledge that his sister and his niece were okay.

Shelby kissed Rachel's hair as she heard her door click shut behind her family, "am I being too overprotective?" she asked the sleeping baby, "I get that they're your family but you're still so tiny kid, and you've been so ill. Maybe it wouldn't have just been so bad if my Mom and Dad had shown up alone but to bring your Aunt, Uncle and Cousin too" she sighed, "I want you to get to know them, of course I do, and I don't want you to feel like I stop you doing things you want to do, but this is all so new, you're so new and I…" Shelby closed her eyes as she stroked Rachel's back, "you were so ill, you needed caffeine to help stimulate your brain so you didn't stop breathing and your lungs, they were so underdeveloped that they couldn't stay open properly. I know my Mom probably thinks nothing of having a sniffle or a cold but all I can think about is how ill that could make you" she dropped her head to rest against Rachel's. "I know she's my Mom and she's always been overbearing and likes to get her own way, but you're my baby, this isn't her call, I will do absolutely anything to keep you safe and healthy."

She stood, smiling slightly as she felt Rachel shuffle against her bare chest, the baby nuzzling against her as she began to wake, "me and you kid" she promised, kissing Rachel's knuckles as the baby reached up towards her, beginning to whine quietly, Shelby making her way over to the couch so she could feed her daughter, "we don't need anyone else."