A/N – Hey guys, I have an update for you. I know it's been forever since I updated. It's been a rough few months for me since my mom passed away. I think I just needed a bit of a break. On top of that my laptop at home broke and I haven't been able to buy a new one yet. I think I am finally getting back into the swing of things, or at least I hope so. I do have most of this story planned out and I promise I will not abandon it (or my other one). I hope you all understand and can give me a bit of slack and the benefit of the doubt. Thank you.

And thank you for all of the reviews and messages for the story. I see you and I appreciate you all so much. Your feedback means the world to me.

Disclaimer – I don't own Glee.

The meeting with Shelby and her team was going really well and they already had a statement written up. They were discussing when to release it to the public and what some of the possible reactions would be. They were also going over interview options with sources they were comfortable using. They all hoped that if they gave a bit of information and a couple of pictures the press would leave them alone. Now that she was between work projects, the paparazzi didn't bother Shelby too much and she was really hoping that would continue once the announcement was made.

One phone buzzed first and they all stopped to check and see if it was theirs. It was only a few seconds before all of their phones were going off. There was a moment of confusion where they all looked at each other before answering their respective phones.

The screen on Shelby's phone told her it was Martha. "Hello?"

"Shelby, they're missing," Martha said frantically. "They were surrounded and now they're missing."

"What?" Shelby asked. "Who's missing?"

"Jesse and Rachel," Martha cried.

"What?!" Shelby exclaimed. "Where are they?" She was on her feet in an instant and reaching for her jacket and purse. It was then that she started to clue in to what some of the other conversations were about.

"How many photographers were there?"

"No, we don't have a comment at this time."

"I don't know!" Martha yelled, drawing Shelby back to her own phone. "I have the police here with me. I gave them descriptions of the kids."

"Where are you now? What should I do? Where should I go?" Panic was starting to set in and Shelby was having trouble thinking clearly.

"Come to my house," Martha said. "I'm almost there now. The police said that was the best thing to do in case the kids go there. Desmond is out looking right now."

"What if they go to my house?" Shelby asked.

"Does Rachel even know how to get to your house?" Martha asked in return.

"I don't know," Shelby said as tears started to fall.

"The police have already contacted the building manager and they have an officer over there to wait in the lobby in case they go there," Martha said.

"Alright," Shelby replied.

"Come to my house," Martha said. "We'll find them." She was trying to sound sure, but the woman was scared to death.

Shelby hung up the phone and saw that she now had three missed calls.

"They're missing," Shelby cried to her friends in the room. "Rachel and Jesse are missing. What the hell happened?"

"From what I can tell the paparazzi surrounded them after school," Abby, her manager said. "They think Rachel is your daughter that you've been hiding all these years."

"What?" Shelby yelled. "I can't believe this! I have to go. I have to go and find her and Jesse. "

"Go," Abby said. "We will stay here and work through this. I will call you later."

"Okay," Shelby acknowledged before hurrying from the room. She was down and in a cab in record time. She gave the driver the address. "Hurry," she pleaded as tears spilled down her cheeks once more.

Martha entered her apartment with a police officer close on her heels. She dropped her purse and jacket on the floor near the door and quickly made her way down the hallway.

"Jesse!" Martha yelled. "Rachel! Are you here?"

There was no answer, but the mother checked all of the rooms to be sure. She found the officer still waiting in the foyer and sighed before heading into the kitchen.

"I'm going to make some coffee," Martha said to Kellie, the officer assigned to stay with her until they knew something more. "Would you like a cup?"

"Yes, please," Kellie replied.

Martha's phone chimed in her pocket and she quickly grabbed it and read the message. It was Desmond telling her that he hadn't found anything yet. She replied and told him she was at the house and that they kids weren't there. She also updated him to the fact that Shelby knew and was on her way there.

Martha couldn't help but notice the silence of the room as she prepared the coffee. She was trying to keep her hands from shaking as she got two cups from the cabinet to the left of the sink. Kellie was staying respectfully out of the way though her heart ached for the woman. Martha wasn't used to it being this quiet in the afternoons. Jesse was normally here by now and he could always be counted on for some chatter or singing or sounds of dancing flitting throughout the large apartment.

Martha handed a cup of coffee to Kellie and then set her own full mug on the table without even taking a sip and then walked out of the kitchen. She wanted to check the bedrooms again. She wanted to open a closet door and find Jesse standing there smiling impishly, ready to tease her because of how long it took her to find him. But he wasn't there and the rooms were still empty. Still silent.

Martha was on her way back to the kitchen when she heard a noise at the front door. It was the sound of someone trying to get a key in the lock. Kellie heard it too because she was on her feet and right behind Martha as the woman hurried to open it.

Jesse was just about to try the key again when the door swung open and his mother appeared before him. Rachel took a step back when Martha appeared because she was nervous about being in trouble. Once she and Jesse started to walk towards his house, she had started to think about how much trouble they might be in. She knew neither of them were allowed to take off on their own like that.

"Jesse," Martha exclaimed in relief before she started to cry.

Jesse welcomed the hug Martha gave him as she scooped him up and held him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her neck and melted into her embrace. Martha took a couple of steps forward and pulled Rachel to her as well. She wrapped her free arm around Rachel's shoulders and hugged her close. Rachel reciprocated and put her arms around Martha's waist.

Kellie quickly grabbed her radio and sent word that the kids were safe and at the St. James residence. She moved out of the way as Martha somehow got herself and two clinging kids into the house and shut the door. The officer took out a small notebook and a pen so that she could start to take notes on what the kids had to say.

"Mom, you're squeezing me too tight," Jesse complained after a minute and Martha relented.

"Sorry, sweetheart," Martha told him as she let the kids go. She put Jesse down only to pick Rachel up and give her a proper hug. Rachel gladly accepted it. She wasn't exactly expecting this kind of welcome when they got to Jesse's house.

Martha took Jesse's hand before leading them into the kitchen. She held onto both of them like she couldn't bear the thought of either of them being out of her sight any time soon. She set Rachel down in a chair and Jesse sat down in it with her. Martha wanted to talk to them, but she had to get word to Desmond and Shelby first. She sent off two quick text messages and then sat down in a chair next to the kids. She turned it to face them as Kellie sat down across the table, notebook and pen in hand.

Jesse and Rachel eyed the police officer when she sat down at the table. They were both confused as to why an officer was there and they gave each other a look of dread. Maybe they were in more trouble than they thought.

Martha had to smile when she saw them both warily eyeing Kellie. It was such an innocent reaction that she couldn't help the tiny grin that formed on her lips.

"Are we being arrested?" Rachel asked, breaking the ice. "Shelby said she wouldn't give me back. Is she going to come get me?"

Just as quickly as the tiny grin had formed, it disappeared from Martha's face. Jesse gasped and looked at Rachel. He didn't really think they'd be arrested; he just thought the officer was there to talk to them.

"You can't let them arrest Rachel, Mom," Jesse cried out. "It was my fault she ran off."

"Whoa, whoa," Martha interjected before the kids could work themselves up even more. "No one is getting arrested. And yes, Rachel, your mom is coming to get you. She's on her way right now." She reached her hands out to both kids and they hurriedly accepted and found themselves each sitting on one of Martha's legs. She wrapped her arms around them in a show of comfort. "Officer Beardsly is here because everyone was so worried when we couldn't find you. The police wanted to make sure you two got home safe."

"Of course we did," Jesse replied in a duh tone. "I know the way home from school and if I ever get lost or separated I'm supposed to go straight home." Geez, didn't his mom remember telling him that? They didn't need the police.

"That's right, you are," Martha said as more tears formed in her eyes. She had a really good kid. "What happened at school? Where did you two go?"

"There were all these men with cameras and they were yelling at Rachel," Jesse said. "We couldn't get by and they kept pushing each other and us to try and get closer. It was really scary." He looked over to Rachel for confirmation and she nodded in agreement. Rachel was more than happy to let Jesse do the talking and she leaned back into Martha who instinctively tightened her hold on the child.

"We were trying to get through them so we could find you and go home," Jesse continued, "But there were too many of them. Once they started to push really hard, I grabbed Rachel's hand and we ran and hid around the corner. We thought maybe they might follow after us so we ran down the street. After we were far enough away and none of those men were around, we came here."

"I'm so proud of you," Martha said and Jesse beamed. "I love you. And I love you, Rachel." She had kissed them each in turn and held them even closer.

"Mom," Jesse complained as he started to wiggle so Martha would ease her grip.

"Sorry," Martha said and she let each kid go so they could stand up.

"Can we have a snack?" Jesse asked. "I'm starving."

"Of course," Martha replied. "What would you like?"

Down on the street the cab Shelby was riding in just pulled up to the building. Her eyes were still frantically searching the sidewalk and streets, but she was distracted by her conversation with Leroy.

"I understand," Shelby said for the third time. "I know, Leroy. It's not like I planned for this to happen. I want to find her more than anyone."

She had been on the phone with him for the last eight minutes and had yet to see Martha's text message. She was close to tears because she couldn't help but think that Leroy and everyone in his office thought that the kids' disappearance was her fault. All she wanted to do was find Rachel and make sure she was safe and protected. She didn't want to have to defend herself against the claims that she'd put the children at risk by not acting sooner. Why didn't he understand there would be time to talk about all of that later, after Rachel and Jesse were found?

"Yes, Leroy, I know," Shelby continued. "I'm at the St. James' place. I will call as soon as I know something." There was a pause and more tears filled Shelby's eyes. "I promise, Leroy. I'm doing my best here."

Leroy softened on the other end of the phone. He was scared and worried and upset, but he could hear the emotion in Shelby's voice too. He wasn't trying to sound so accusatory, but his interest was in doing what was best for Rachel and having her attacked by the paparazzi certainly wasn't on that list.

"Okay, Shelby," Leroy said in a lighter tone. "I will call you if I find out something too. But we are going to need to meet soon to talk about this."

"I know," Shelby conceded. "Bye."

Shelby hung up the phone and then hastily paid the taxi driver before getting out of the car. It was then that she saw Martha's text message and she almost knocked a kid off a skateboard in her rush to get inside the building.

"I'm sorry," Shelby said as she hurried past.

She raced past the doorman and jabbed at the elevator button when she reached it. Of course she had to wait for one to get to the ground floor, but she made herself stand there and not run up the stairs. The apartment was on the eleventh floor and she knew the elevators would be fast even though she had to wait right now.

"Come on, come on," Shelby muttered as she bounced on the balls of her feet.

The doors finally opened and she rushed in and pushed the button and was soon on the right floor.

"Rachel!" Shelby yelled as she burst in through the door. She hadn't bothered to stop and knock.

Rachel looked up excitedly as Martha told Shelby they were in the kitchen. Shelby was at Rachel's side in an instant and lifted the girl from her chair where she sat eating a chocolate cupcake. Shelby kissed her face and held her closely. Jesse was about to take another bite of his own cupcake when Shelby pulled him up and hugged him as well. She set Rachel back on her chair and kissed Jesse's head before he could sit back down.

"Are you two okay?" Shelby asked. "What happened?"

Martha told her the story while the kids finished their snack. Shelby could have screamed when she heard how the paparazzi surrounded them. She hated the intrusive cameras and crowds and hated that the kids had to go through that.

"I'm so proud of both you," Shelby said. "And Jesse, thank you for getting you and Rachel out of there and home safely."

"It was nothing," Jesse shrugged.

Martha couldn't help the sudden jolt of anger she felt towards Shelby at the very idea that her son should have ever been put in that situation in the first place.

"Can I have another cupcake?" Rachel asked. She had chocolate frosting on her mouth and cheek and Shelby couldn't remember when she had ever seen anything cuter.

"Sure," Shelby answered before Martha could. She picked up two more cupcakes and set one in front of each kid and they happily accepted. This wasn't their normal afternoon snack, but it wasn't a normal afternoon and Shelby didn't mind indulging them.

Martha narrowed her eyes at the plate of cupcakes she had made the night before and then back at the kids. She had only planned to give them one.

The kids dove in to the second cupcake and before Martha could say anything, the front door opened and Desmond hurried in. He too hugged each of the children and got the full story of what happened. More police officers arrived and an official statement was given. Shelby made quick phone calls to her team and to Leroy, whom she agreed to meet later at her own apartment. An official statement was emailed to Shelby and she read it over and consented to its release. She knew it was too naïve to hope this whole thing would die down quickly now that such a spectacle had been made.

Martha had stayed unusually quiet those next couple of hours until the three adults and two children found themselves finally alone. Shelby felt like it had been the longest day of her life and it was still only five in the afternoon. She wished it wasn't Monday and that she and Rachel would get to stay in the apartment all weekend, but that wasn't the case. Shelby knew they had to get up and carry on like normal tomorrow, even though more prying cameras would most certainly be watching.

"I can't believe this happened," Shelby said. They were sitting in the living room and Rachel was perched on her lap while Jesse rested on his dad's. "This whole day has been crazy."

"I know," Desmond agreed. "What kind of people think it's okay to surround a school and scare children?"

"They're vultures," Shelby commented.

"Jesse, why don't you and Rachel go and play in your room for a while," Martha suggested to her son who happily took her up on the offer. The last thing he wanted to do was sit around and watch the adults be boring.

Jesse took Rachel's hand and the two kids skipped away and down the hall.

The light tone Martha had used with Jesse was gone when she turned and spoke to Shelby.

"This entire thing is your fault," Martha accused. "You let this happen. My son was in danger because of you."

"What?" Shelby asked, taken aback. She was hurt and confused and didn't understand where the anger being directed at her was coming from. "I didn't know this was going to happen."

"You should have known," Martha said. "You should have been able to prevent it. You should have put security measures in place. You endangered all of those children today."

"Martha," Desmond tried to intervene, but he was ignored.

"I didn't endanger anyone today," Shelby said, her voice rising to meet Martha's tone. Shelby couldn't believe that Martha was yelling at her the same way Leroy did earlier. "You think I would do that to Rachel or Jesse? Or any other kid?"

Martha stood and Shelby did too.

"I think you're too busy worrying about yourself to worry about anyone else," Martha said. "Including children. You could have stopped this, but instead you've done nothing."

Back in Jesse bedroom, the kids had stopped their play and were listening to the women yell at each other.

"Why is your mom yelling at my mom?" Rachel asked, getting defensive on Shelby's behalf.

"I don't know," Jesse answered. "But Miss Shelby is yelling too. It's not just my mom."

The voices grew again and Rachel decided she'd had enough. She was used to the adults yelling when she was in other homes, but she had never once felt like intervening. Shelby was her mom and she wasn't going to let anyone yell at her, even Miss Martha.

"Stop it!" Rachel yelled as she ran into the room. Both adults stopped their arguing and turned to look at the little girl. "Stop yelling at my mom!"

It was Martha's turn to be taken aback. She had never seen Rachel be so forceful or direct.

Jesse was there just a few seconds later and pushed Rachel's shoulder. "Don't you yell at my mom!"

"That's enough!" Desmond's voice boomed above everyone else as he got up from his seat and steered Jesse toward him, only to have Jesse go and stand next to his mother. Desmond stood in the middle between them and said, "That is enough. From all of you."

Shelby looked at Martha again and found the woman to be unwavering. Martha wouldn't even look at her in return.

"Come on, Rachel, we're leaving," Shelby said.

Rachel took Shelby's offered hand and they walked in silence to the front door and left without another word.

A/N – That's all for this chapter. Please leave a review and let me know what you thought. I know this was a short chapter, but I wanted to get something out for you guys. I promise I will try and be quicker about getting another chapter out. Thank you all so much!