I love you guys, thank you so much for reviewing. Seriously you have no idea how much it makes me smile, even if I'm going through a rough time. Plus I doubt my stories as to whether they're worth reading or not so reviews keep me going. Okay, I'll shut up, here's the chapter!

Still tight in each other's embrace, no one wanted to be the one to break it. Instead, cheek resting upon Rachel's head, Shelby absentmindedly muttered, "my dream came true."

Rachel scrunched her face in confusion, and then pulled away from the hug but still had her hands wrapped around her mother's stomach with Shelby's around her neck. "What do you mean?" she asked, looking up at the taller woman.

"I told you," Shelby started. "My new dream was to see my incredibly beautiful daughter perform those songs…and it happened."

The tiny diva's face formed a teary-eyed smile as she yet again fell into her mother, where she fit so well. She squeezed so tight that if she weren't as in the moment as she was, she would be afraid of overstepping her boundaries with this woman that she barely knew anything about. She couldn't help that the connection was so strong. Being together, both felt a sense of comfort that could only be supplied by each other regardless of fifteen years of separation, and four more years of confusion.

Rachel finally stepped back when a thought came to mind. "Where's Beth?"

Shelby could hear the shyness in Rachel's voice, as if the three and a half year old was a sore topic. In reality, it was an unspoken agreement not to talk about that situation in fear of opening old wounds, though both knew the conversation was inevitable.

"She was with a sitter but my best friend, who actually went with me to see you tonight, agreed to stay with her until I got back so the sitter could go home," Shelby explained, not mentioning that Rachel's professor was actually her best friend. That was a conversation that could wait.

"Oh, perhaps we should do this at another time, I don't want to keep you –"

"She was glad to do it," Shelby interrupted. She didn't want Rachel to think she was being a burden when it was Shelby who reached out to her. Really it was the truth though, because in all honesty Cassie had been the one to offer and insist on going home to Beth in order to give Shelby all the time she needed.

"Oh," Rachel replied, not really knowing what to say next. "Sit," she motioned to the couch behind them. Shelby made herself comfortable on the couch (as comfortable as she could be with the given situation unfolding) as Rachel sat in front of her mother in the swivel chair that she used to get ready for her show.

Many moments of awkward silence occurred, as no one said a word. Rachel fiddled with her hands before finally speaking up. "Why?"

Shelby winced at the emotion in the girl's voice. "Why what, baby?"

"Why now? Why not before? Was it something I did?"

Shelby leaned forward and grabbed her daughter's hand in her own, using her free hand to lift Rachel's chin so that the girl could see the sincerity in her mother's eyes. "Baby, you never did anything. I was a coward, and I regret it every day…I was insecure, and afraid that you didn't need me. I adopted Beth to fill the void only to find out that it was still there. It never went away…that's why I reached out to Noah and Quinn and insisted that they know Beth. I didn't want them to end up like me, seeing your face everywhere I go. I see it everywhere: in my dreams, when I wake up in the morning, even in Beth as I fantasize what could have been. It hurts, because I'm so proud of you for all that you've done. You're such a beautiful, perfect woman and I missed out on so much. I didn't think you wanted me, Rachel. I thought you agreed about being grateful for one another from afar when you said you didn't feel it, but then you were so upset when I came to teach at McKinley…I wanted to reach out to you then, but you were so hurt…"

"Please don't cry," Rachel softly interrupted. It was barely a whisper and Shelby released her hand from Rachel's to wipe the tears running down her face that she didn't even know she had. She blinked and more released like a silent flood. Rachel reached for a tissue out of the box of them on her vanity. Shelby went to take it from her daughter, but before she could do so, Rachel was already wiping her mother's cheeks. It seemed so natural to Rachel, as if it were a natural instinct. She had done it to Quinn after her former enemy slapped her at prom, but Shelby tensed at Rachel's touch, which almost made Rachel regret doing so.

Shelby looked into Rachel's big, brown, sympathetic eyes. She didn't deserve the sympathy but her baby girl had such a big heart. This girl was her weakness. All this emotion was coming from a woman who never wears her heart on her sleeve, and here she was openly crying in front of the most important person to her.

"I don't want to hurt you anymore, Rachel. I love you so much…I just wanted you to know how I really felt. I needed you to know how much I love you. I didn't want to come back and reach out to you again because I was afraid that would only hurt you more, so I stayed distant; but then I saw your Ellen interview," Shelby continued.

Rachel cleared her throat in order to suppress the amount of emotion that welled up within her. "I meant what I said to Ellen. You are amazing, and I owe all of this to you for giving me your gift. You also helped me get into NYADA, and even audition for this show. Shelby, don't think you haven't done anything for me because you have and that meant something to me. I was really upset and angry and confused when I said there wasn't a place for us back in high school because I thought I wasn't good enough to be yours. You're this…talented, successful, respected woman that seemingly didn't want me, and I could tell why because who was I? I felt like a nobody. Maybe that was me being insecure too, I don't know. I could tell you were trying, though. The second you helped me with my West Side Story audition, I could tell that some part of you at least liked me or else you wouldn't want to help me. Our moments are so sacred to me where you have been there…and Shelby, you have been there because those were really important moments in my life."

Shelby took a deep breath. "You mean the everything to me. I want to be there for more important moments in your life, whether you need me or not. I want to actually know you. I think that's what I crave most, because I adore so much of what I have seen or do know about you and I'm dying to know more. I just hope it isn't too late."

"Shelby," Rachel sympathized, getting up to sit by her mother. She pulled her into a side hug, and Shelby rested her head on Rachel's shoulder. "It's not too late. I won't lie and say that a wall isn't up, but it can be broken down with time. I'm still a teenager, we have so many years left. I have my dads, but everyone needs a mother sometimes. I don't want to say goodbye again. I want to get to know you better. "

Shelby wiped her eyes for the last time, deciding that there would be no more tears. She raised her head from her daughter's shoulder and kissed the side of Rachel's head. "Thank you," she replied.

"You know, I thought you were tough but you're actually just a big softy," Rachel stated as-a-matter-of-factly, uplifting the mood.

Her mother laughed and gave the diva a playful shove. "Just don't tell anyone, I have an image to uphold!"

A knock on the door tore their attention from each other away. "Come in!" Rachel shouted loud enough for whoever was on the other side of the door to hear.

In came the show's stage manager. "We're closing up the theater in ten minutes."

"Okay," Rachel replied flashing him a smile. "Just give us a few more minutes and we'll be out."

Brett turned his head to the familiar woman sitting on the couch with Rachel. "I told you I'd deliver your letter!"

"I appreciate it," Shelby smiled as both she and Rachel stood up to get their things to leave.

"I'm Brett, by the way," Brett said, reaching out his hand to Shelby who shook it. "I stage manage the show and make sure this diva is always in line."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Shelby."

"Nice to meet you as well. I'll leave you two alone, I need to go lock up some doors. Be out in five, or you're locked in," Brett joked. With that, he was gone leaving Shelby and Rachel alone again.

Shelby noticed the sad frown on her daughter's face. "Do you…do you maybe want to go get ice cream or something? I know it's late, but my friend has Beth for as long as I need her to and we could talk more."

There was an instant change on Rachel's face. "I would love to."

Shelby gave Rachel and quick hug and grabbed her purse to leave.

"Also, mom, I think Brett likes you," Rachel stated walking out of the dressing room door expecting Shelby to follow. Except Shelby could not follow. Her legs froze and eyes widened at the simplicity of a three-letter-word.

Yay, I already have the next chapter mapped out! Please let me know what you think! Reviews inspire fast writing (hint, hint).