Chibi-Kari: Wow, I didn't expect so many people to love Brian! I'm glad you did, but wow. I did have a reader say that they thought that everyone was taking Beth's side. I didn't think I was writing it that way. I thought I had Jesse telling Beth that she was wrong enough times for it not to seem that way. Really, everyone is more sympathetic to Rachel. Even when Brian was trying to convince Rachel to talk to her it was about closure and not Beth, persay. *shrugs* Oh well, maybe I didn't make that clear enough. Yes, Jesse did comfort Beth, but really who isn't going to comfort a 10 year old who just got told they weren't wanted?

Anyway, I don't own and I hope you enjoy this little bit. It's a bit of a filler, but because of that I'm giving you a little glimpse in my note here. I will be bringing Brian in a little more before he flies out to Londontown and we'll be getting a big dose of...drumroll please...Puck! Just wait for it. Thanks for sticking with me and please leave me feedback be it burning effigies or gifts of love and support!

Echo

He had heard what she said, but it didn't seem to want to do anything but echo inside his head. It was one of those moments where the words repeat and you can't seem to grasp quite what significance that it held…or maybe it was just that it overwhelmed you. Jesse was more inclined to believe the later. He knew that Rachel meant to hurt him with that line…a line that was shockingly similar to the one he had given her after he broke the egg over her beautiful face. A line that was meant to hurt with the hope that it gave. That seed is implanted only for you to realize it was ripped out moments before. It's the worst aspects of not knowing what you lost until it was gone.

Jesse gripped Beth tighter into his side. He could feel the girl shaking. He felt bad for her, but he couldn't really blame Rachel. Sure she could have done it in a nicer way, but Beth did have no right trying to force her way in. But still, it was frightening how different this Rachel was. She was everything that the old Rachel wasn't. Confident. Self-assured. Angry. She had this bitterness which fit the part of Eponine perfectly. It was no wonder she was making the revival of Les Miserable an instant success.

She was so different from everything he remembered. Of everything he loved about her, but when she was standing before him telling him everything he never wanted to hear he realized two things. He deserved everything she was telling him. And he still loved her. He loved her when she was saying horrible things to her sister. He loved her when she was saying horrible things to him. He couldn't stop himself. It was like it hummed back to life when he saw her.

He reached over and placed his other hand on Beth's head. Jesse St. James was glad that she forced him to come because he had finally seen Rachel after all the crap he put her through. And in the few minutes that she stood in front of him she did something he never thought she would. She leveled the playing field.

Everything she said to him matched everything he did to her. She was fair game again. She knocked herself right off that pedestal that he had put her on and now all he had to do was pick up the pieces. And that was exactly what he was going to do. Jesse St. James always got what he wanted.

He knelt down in front of Beth lifting her chin up with his right hand and holding her steady with his left, "First things first we're getting some ice cream. After all that's happened I think that's the only option. Second, we plan."

Beth hiccupped slightly, "What? That was it. I thought she'd just give in. I don't have anything else."

Jesse eyed her slightly before standing and making his way to the street, "I thought Beth Corcoran never gave up. Didn't you tell me that last year when you were trying to join the local musical to play Annie? Maybe you left her back in Ohio. Or maybe this is too difficult for you. If that's the case then I guess I should just book your flight right back home. Your mom is worried."

Beth sucked in some air and puffed her cheeks out. Her mother always got upset when she did this, said it was too childish, but it helped portray her emotions. Her mother just didn't seem to understand true drama. "I don't give up."

Jesse just glanced over his shoulder smirking slightly, "Then don't give up now. If there is one thing I know it is better to be on someone's mind no matter what than not even be on their radar. Rachel was out for blood. That means we're halfway in. A few more pushes and we're clear."

Beth allowed herself to smile. Her mother did tell her once that all press could be good press. And Uncle Jesse didn't seem to want to give up now. Beth couldn't claim that she was paying perfect attention after her sister said that she didn't want her, but she did hear clear as day that Rachel had at one time loved her uncle. And feelings have a way of creeping back up on you.

Jesse started to walk forward again and Beth jogged lightly to walk next to him. She kept quiet as they walked in a rather large ice cream shop. She could give up being vegan for ice cream.

They both settled down by the window with their frozen treat and Beth watched her uncle seem to close off into himself. He was planning. She knew the face. Complete determination. Her mother had often showed her planning tapes of the heydays of Vocal Adrenaline. More often than not Jesse was making that same expression while looking through the song lists. It was the times when he was sure he was going to win.

She raised her eyebrow slightly and let a smirk envelope her face, "So she loved you."

"Yeah. I mean I loved-" Jesse stopped suddenly as soon as a large smile broke out on to his face.

Beth giggled before innocently stuffing some ice cream in her mouth, "So, you loved her too. Does that mean you'll get married one day?"

Jesse knew what she was doing. Beth loved to tease this way. It was something that Shelby had been rather good at also. God, it was such a mistake for Puck and Quinn's child to end up in the hands of Shelby Corcoran. But he would play her game. She wasn't as good as her mother and Jesse had been playing against her long before Beth was even born, "Yes. One day I'm going to marry Rachel Berry and we're going to have children. You'll be an aunt. It'll really screw with everyone's heads because you will be the aunt to your uncle's kids."

Beth's mouth snapped shut into a firm line as she tried to work out if the statement was really true. Jesse almost burst out laughing as a look of realization and then slight disgust crossed Beth's face.

Jesse waved his hand slightly bringing her attention back to him, "We'll let your mom explain that to people. I think she deserves that much."

Beth nodded slightly. She grimaced slightly, "What did my mom do to her?"

Jesse closed his eyes. He had really hoped what he said to her earlier would have been enough, "I told you, Beth. She just decided that she didn't want a relationship with her."

Beth shook her head, "Rachel said that she made it clear that she didn't want her. That neither of you did. I know what you did. My mom just telling Rachel that now wasn't the time to know each other wouldn't do that. My mom did something."

"Bethy. You don't really want to know do you?" Jesse hoped that if he made it clear that it wasn't what she really wanted to know that the little girl would let it go.

"Tell me, Uncle Jesse."

He sighed and glanced down at the ice cream in his cup. He mixed it slightly into what he used to call soup when he was little. "She let Rachel get invested in the relationship. She encouraged it. Rachel told her stories about her childhood and Shelby made a costume for her. They sang together. And then Shelby ended it quickly by giving her a cup with a star on it." He laughed a little ruefully. A cup was all that was left of their relationship. A cheap imitation of a gift.

Beth's eyes narrowed, "My mom made her a costume?"

Jesse nodded slightly. He wasn't quite sure why Beth seemed to focus on that, "Yeah. Her fathers can't sew for anything. And Rachel never really had a sense of style so Shelby helped her out."

"So my mom knew."

Beth seemed to be getting upset and Jesse couldn't seem to grasp what her problem with this was, "Knew what?"

Beth's eyes snapped to his and he was slightly taken aback by the anger in them, "She knew that my sister did need a mother. She knew she needed help with things. There was still a place in Rachel's life for her. Then she went ahead and filled it before deciding that she didn't want to be there."

Jesse was rendered mute for a moment as he let Beth's exclamation settle in. It was something he never would have thought of. Something that only a daughter could realize. Shelby had lied when she said that she couldn't see a place for her in Rachel's life. She couldn't have missed that. She couldn't have missed how hard it was for her daughter to grow up with two men. It was a pivotal time in Rachel's life to have a female influence and Shelby had backed out.

He went over the idea several times in his head and he couldn't figure out how Shelby could miss that. She had to have seen it. She was a daughter herself. She knew how girls needed a mother's influence at that age. There was peer pressure. Sex. Fashion sense. The teenage years are important to both genders, but it was important for girls to have a mother to talk to during that time. The only real answer was that it was Shelby. Shelby couldn't find a spot in her life for Rachel, but had no problem doing it for Beth. He wasn't sure what to say to that. He wasn't sure there was anything to say.

"I hate her." Beth mumbled across the table, "I hate what she's done. How could she do that to my sister? No wonder Rachel hates me! I'd hate me!"

Jesse grabbed her hand, "Rachel doesn't hate you. She just doesn't know you. Move slowly. She'll want to get to know you and she'll love you."

Beth nodded. She was crying again and Jesse was sure there was nothing he could do to stop it. "What if she doesn't love me? What if I'm not good enough after what my mom did? How could she do that to her?"

Jesse shook his head. He'd like to know the answer to that question, too. "Rachel will love you when she gets to know you. I promise. Now my little mastermind, how do you think we should try to approach Rachel again." Jesse could only hope planning would take Beth's mind off of everything.

She smiled a watery smile, "The red head. He's close with my sister and he's in the play. Him. He'll help us."

Jesse eyed her, "He told you not to come around anymore just last night."

Beth wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeves before smirking, "Oh, but he'll help us now. Trust me. Beth Corcoran always knows."