Guys I am so sorry for the delay! I went on holiday & then I came back and I had a pile of schoolwork to catch up on + I had to address some personal issues. But anyway, here's the next chapter!

Disclaimer: sorry for the spelling mistakes, I'm writing this on my iPhone and I swear it has a mind of it's own...

"Beth has been missing you like crazy."

"No okay?! Don't you dare start playing the Beth card with me ok? You caused this mess Shelby!"

Rachel was right. And Shelby knew it.

FLASHBACK

"So you do understand what you're signing yourself up for right? You're not allowed any contact with the child until she reaches the age of 16."

When she'd seen the ad that a 30-year-old gay couple were looking for a surrogate mother with big payouts. 19-year-old Shelby Corcoran jumped at the chance. Being a student in New York City was expensive, and the payout that the Berry's were willing to payout was just the lump sum that Shelby Corcoran needed to jump start her broadway career. She knew she had to give up her child and potentially never see her ever again.

"Yeah I totally understand. Carry the baby for 9 months, pop it out, then you guys pay. I know how this works."

Hiram Berry just sighed. They were trusting the life of there child - in a child. But Shelby was everything they were looking for. Beautiful, no family medical problems and exceptionally talented, so she had to stay.

"Exactly, in 9 months time, we could have our baby and you could have a very big bank balance..."

END OF FLASHBACK

"If I could turn back the clock and change things I so would! But I was a child myself Rachel. I was 19 years old! But you must know, there was never a day went past that I never thought about you. And how much I loved you..."

Rachel stared into her Mother's eyes for a long time. She could see it was the truth.

"Okay, I do admit. I was being a tad unreasonable. But my best friend had just died. But I think we should totally start again."

Shelby held out her right hand:

"Hello, I'm Shelby Corcoran. It's great to meet you."

"Rachel Berry." Said Rachel taking the older woman's hand in her own then pulling we into a hug.

Shelby held on for a long as she could, taking in Rachel's smell, how tall she was. She never wanted to let go. And it was right then that Shelby made a promise to herself that she would never let Rachel down again. Ever.