Thanks to everyone who is still reading this story. I'm sorry updates are to infrequent at the moment but I've been crazy busy this semester. I hope you like this chapter - please review and let me know what you think!

Trigger warning: some mention of suicidal thoughts/actions. Not majorly explicit but tell me if you think I should increase the rating.

It had been a week since Shelby had left for New York and Rachel was missing her more and more each day. With Shelby's schedule it was difficult to find any time when she was free to call Rachel so they'd only been able to speak twice since she left, which didn't make things any easier.

Things at school were yet to calm down for Rachel either. Everyone wanted to talk to her about Shelby and she was starting to wish that she were treated as invisible again. No one wanted to know Rachel Berry. They were more interested in her as Shelby Corcoran's daughter.

Thankfully, though, the cafeteria had stopped selling slushies under Figgins' instruction, although that didn't make things much better for Rachel. Word seemed to get out that she was the reason everyone's favourite drink was banned and it seemed that a few of the footballers and cheerleaders wanted to get revenge.

Rachel opened her locker to grab a book for her next class when she noticed a note fall out on to the floor. Curious, she picked it up.

'I know something about your mommy dearest that she doesn't want getting out. Come to the football field after school if you want to stop me.'

Panicked, Rachel took out her phone and dialled Shelby's number. When it went to voicemail she tried again but with no success. After two more attempts she knew she'd get nowhere so decided to find Mr Schuester. He'd known Shelby for a long time – maybe he knew what this was about and could help?

Rachel knocked on her teacher's office, glad that he was there and invited her in.

"Rachel, what can I do for you?" Will asked.

"There was a note in my locker. I don't know who it's from and can't get hold of my mom. I think you should see it." She said, passing him the slip of paper.

Will's eyes widened as he read the threat. Who was doing this?

"Do you know what it's about?" He asked her.

"No. I was hoping you would."

Rachel watched as Will's expression turned solemn. He knew, she realised. It was written as clear as day on his face.

"Look, Rachel. I think you need to talk to your mom about this."

"She's not picking up. Do you think I should meet them?"

"No I don't. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Mr Schue, please tell me what they know." Rachel pleaded with him.

"I don't think it's my place, Rachel."

"Fine." She replied, with her best diva pout. "I guess I'll have to meet whoever it is and find out from them." She turned on her heel and walked out, heading straight for her next class. She could hear Mr Schuester calling out for her but didn't turn back. If he wasn't going to tell her what Shelby's secret was then she was going to have to find out some other way.

Instead of running after Rachel, Will decided to give her some space. If she was anything like her mother, and he had a strong suspicion that she was, she needed some time to cool of before he could talk to her rationally. It was only the second period of the day so he still had time to convince her not to go before the end of school.

Sighing, Will tried to call Shelby. When her phone reached voicemail, as Rachel had said, he assumed that she was working so sent her a text asking her to call him before Rachel when she was free. He then dialled another number. She was the only other person who had known about Shelby's secret – her best friend April Rhodes.

"Oh my God, Will! How are you?" April's voice rang down the phone when she picked up.

"Not so great, if I'm honest. I need to talk to you about something important. Are you sober?"

"What do you take me for?" April asked with a laugh. "It's not happy hour down at the bar until four." She teased.

"April this is serious. Have you told anyone about Shelby's secret?"

"You mean Rachel?"

"No. The other secret."

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"April?" Will asked.

"There was this guy asking about her a couple of nights ago. A big bloke, strong. Not a very good kisser. You know, I think he might have had a letterman's jacket from your school on."

Will sighed. "What did you tell him?"

"I might have mentioned his name. I don't remember what else."

Will was stopped from replying when his phone beeped indicating that he had a call waiting.

"April I've got to go sort this mess out. When this is over you'd better call Shelby and apologise." He said and hung up the phone to answer the other incoming call.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Will, it's Shelby. What's so urgent? I have about a dozen missed calls between you and Rachel."

"Someone's found out, Shell."

"Found out what?" She asked, before the realisation dawned on her. That's why Will was so frantic. "Oh."

"April blabbed to some kid from McKinley and I think they are going to use it to blackmail Rachel."

"What?"

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Rachel can't ever know, Will. Please." Shelby begged.

"I'm trying but she gets her stubbornness from you."

"Do you think I should call her and explain. Isn't it better she hears it from me?"

"I can't make that decision for you." Will said.

"When are they going to tell her?"

"Today after school I think."

"Let me think about this and I'll call you back." She said, hanging up the phone before finally letting her tears fall. She had been worried about this secret getting out since she got her first part on Broadway and her career took off. She was so worried about Rachel finding out. What would her daughter think of her?

As she was a minor at the time, the police had agreed to keep the records of what happened sealed but unfortunately she didn't account for April's loose lips. Will had told her than April was going through some tough times but she must've really hit rock bottom to tell this secret – something that affected the both of them.

Looking back on her life she realised that it could've taken a completely different turn if it hadn't been for Will. He had pulled her out of her self-destructive cycle before she could spiral out of control. Unfortunately, no one had been there to do the same for April.

In their junior year at high school, Shelby and some friends, April included, had broken into the school's swimming pool while drunk. That night two of the boys were fighting over her, while she had wanted nothing to do with either of them, and one pushed the other into the pool. He lost consciousness when his head hit the floor and he was in a coma for months. When he woke he was severely disabled and required constant care. Shelby had been the one to dive in and help drag him out of the water. She'd stayed with him until the ambulance arrived and the police had taken her statement. The description she gave them had been vivid and images of that night still appeared in her nightmares.

Over time Will had been able to convince Shelby that it wasn't her fault but it had still haunted her for a long time, sending her into a state of depression that took years to escape from. The loss of Rachel had done nothing to help matters but by then Shelby had become an expert at putting on a show face and no one knew anything was wrong.

Even though she had done everything possible to help that night, she was still haunted by the decisions that had led them to that moment. What if she hadn't said this or that? What if she didn't have that last drink? Would she have been able to save him faster?

While Will hadn't been at the party, he found out what had happened the next day with the rest of the school. No one knew exactly who had been there, or who had pushed him in, but there were always rumours.

One day it all became too much for Shelby. She had taken some sleeping pills from her house and headed to the auditorium after school, not sure quite what she intended to do. The place had always held significance to her and when she got there she waited for a while just to sit and think. What she didn't realise was that Will had stayed late to get in some practice for his glee club audition and was going to rehearse on the stage. He had found her crying and tried to comfort her. At first, Shelby had pushed him away, hoping that he would get the message and leave her alone, but slowly she began to open up. She told him about that night and how she had been feeling in the month since. Will had sat and listened until she told him about the pills. It was his concern and understanding that might have saved her life that night and she still wasn't sure if she could ever truly repay him.

Now that someone was about to tell her baby girl she was scared that Rachel would no longer think of her as someone she could look up to. Keeping such a big secret was bound to ruin her trust and knowing that she was involved in ruining that boy's life might make her see Shelby in a different light – one that she didn't like. How was Rachel going to trust her again? She'd kept too many big secrets from the girl.

Even if Rachel did forgive her – there was nothing stopping this kid from telling the media. Shelby knew that she had many young fans and wanted them to be able to look up to her and follow her example. Could they still do that knowing what had happened?

Shelby weighed her options in her mind and decided to call Will back.

"So what are you going to do?" Will asked when Shelby informed him that she'd made a decision.

"I think I'm going to tell Rachel. It's best she hears it from me." She said, although even now she doubted her decision. Her nerves were evident in her voice.

"I agree." Will said, knowing that there was probably no better option.

"Could you do something for me though?" She asked.

"Of course."

"Could you go and meet this kid tonight. Find out how much he knows and persuade him to change his mind? I don't want him talking to Rachel and giving her the wrong impression."

"I'll see what I can do, Shell. How much are you telling Rachel?"

"I'll tell her about the party, April wouldn't have told him anything more, right?" Will made a small noise of agreement. "But I don't know if I should bring up everything else. What will she think of me?"

"She loves you. She won't think any differently." Will assured her with confidence.

"I hope so. I think I'll wait until her lunch break to phone and I'll call you back later to see how it all went." She said and hung up the phone.

Shelby stared at the clock, her mind not quite processing what she was seeing. Her thoughts were too far away and it took her a while to realise that the time was now just after noon. Where had the last hour gone?

Hesitantly, she reached for her phone and hit 1 on her speed dial. Rachel had obviously been hoping to hear from her as she picked up seconds after Shelby had placed the phone to her ear.

"Mom?"