I just wanted to make it clear, I am fully aware the Cherrios and everything else takes place at McKinley High school; that being said, I wanted to switch the schools for this story. Thanks :)

The girls were now glued to the small window of the plane as they were about 10 minutes from landing. It was always their favorite part, even as little babies. Santana was practically in Shelby's lap while wearing her seatbelt to stay safe, and the joy in her girls' eyes was always so special to Shelby. Watching life through your children's eyes is always pure magic, and she did not want to ruin their good mood.

Shelby had called the Lopez's before leaving for the airport letting them know it was time, however, she wasn't going to be telling the girls until Friday, the day of Juan's death. Seeing as the girls were now 14, they knew all the decisions Shelby had made to protect them over the years, always agreeing with her and did once again.

Maria and Carlos Lopez will forever love Shelby for giving the girls an incredible childhood, even after they lost their son, and she lost her husband and the girl's father. Maria honestly doesn't think she would have been able to move forward if she lost her husband and her children were still babies.

When Shelby had spoken with her earlier, she understood why telling them the reason for their visit was being kept from them—they deserved some fun, happy memories these next few days before heading to the cemetery to see their father for the first time since they were six months old.

The plan was for them to come see the grandparents today for dinner, and then head to the hotel. Tomorrow they can do anything they want, within reason—a typical 'special fun day' with mom, something they used to do all the time and still do when they can. Shelby would take one of them out of school once a month and they could choose anything they wanted to do that day, while having alone time with mom.

Granted, some of these days were done with both of them at the same time however, once they were in second grade (and started becoming more independent) Shelby started separating them for their special days. This trip though, Shelby wants them together because it will only strengthen the bond she knows they have.

The Lopez's tell Shelby every time they come to New York to stay with them, and Shelby has stayed with them many times over the years, specifically when the girls were younger. She's also stayed with April, and different hotels depending on why they are there. This trip though, Maria understood why Shelby wasn't going to stay with them and was excited for the big reveal.

Sometimes, like right now, the girls wonder how their mom does so much without them knowing about it. "Were our showers really that long?" Rachel whispered to her sister, standing behind their mom waiting for the conveyor belt to start.

"I dunno, we do take a long time…" Santana shrugged. "Maybe she planned it yesterday, or last weekend?"

"Santana, we literally left school early and got on a plane. It's not like today was planned…" she said, referring to the fight they had.

"Oh yeah. Then, probably. Mom's like super speed with everything."

Rachel nodded, that made sense to her. Suddenly she was knocked over and caught by the culprit all at the same time. "What the heck Tana!" Rachel yelled.

"ABUELITA!" she screamed, pointing at their grandmother who was walking towards them.

Santana released the hold she had on her sister, she didn't mean to bump into her, plus, she caught her, then ran over to Maria. Rachel turned around and saw her grandmother, then took off running as well.

Shelby smiled, Rachel has always been second to reach any and everyone since they were little monkeys. Her heart was so happy seeing them hugging Maria—after Juan passed away, she was so conflicted about moving back to Ohio because she felt like she was punishing the Lopez's by taking the girls away from them.

They loved Shelby for thinking of them, but because they knew her so well, Maria and Carlos were confident they could FaceTime and see the girls all the time. Rachel and Santana may not physically see Maria and Carlos as much as the Corcoran and Scheuster grandparents but felt as if they knew them just as well.

Maria remembers the first time Juan brought Shelby home and was beyond impressed by the fact she spoke Spanish half of the visit. She constantly apologized for not knowing certain words, and the Lopez's waived it off. Juan had never, ever brought a women home that even attempted to learn the word hello in Spanish, never mind have an entire conversation in Spanish. They knew Juan would marry her and could not be happier. Because Juan passed away before the girls could speak, they didn't know if the now fluent Shelby would teach them—boy were they wrong.

Shelby would speak to them in Spanish just as much as she did English starting from the age of two. At 14, they are fluent as well and now know it everything to do with their father rather than being 'well versed' like their mom always told them.

Maria was now walking towards Shelby with the girls, asking them about the first few weeks of school (even though they speak with them at least twice a week) before smiling at Shelby and wrapping her arms around her. "Hi honey, it's so nice to see you."

"You as well," Shelby smiled.

"Abuelita, que tipo de caramel hay en el frasco este weej?" Santana asked.

Shelby shook her head and laughed. "Don't you think you've had enough candy already today, babe?" she questioned, knowing the snack she packed for the girls had plenty of sweets along with everything else.

"Mom! This is abuelita's candy, not the stuff we have at home!"

"Tana's right mom, it so doesn't count!"

Maria laughed at her granddaughters. She's always had a candy jar at home, which she refills each week for her husband, and their guests. When the girls were little, she had to change the location of the jar because they'd eat the entire thing if it stayed out—now that they are older, it stays out and it's always filled with the candy her granddaughters love most when she knows they are coming.

"Oh, it doesn't?" Shelby laughed. "Okay, but if you spoil the dinner your abuela makes for us…"

"We won't!" Santana said, cutting her off.

"I wasn't talking about you babe, I know how much you can eat," she winked.

"I promise, mommy!" Rachel said, cuddling up to her mother.

The conveyor belt started moving and Maria chimed in, letting the girls know the faster they found all the bags, the faster they could have some candy. Shelby knew that would get them moving and was able to speak with Maria a bit while the girls waited next to the belt. They couldn't have much of a conversation because the girls know Spanish, which meant they whispered for a bit while keeping an eye on the girls.

"Got em'! Where's abuelo?" Santana asked, just realizing now he wasn't there too. Typically, when they were coming, both grandparents were there to greet them.

"He's still at work, honey." She looked down at her watch then continued, "He should be home about twenty, twenty-five minutes after we get there."

Santana realized that made sense. Today has been so crazy that she forgot it was still really early in the day. When they got into the car, Maria brought up the Glee club Shelby and Will ran, asking what songs they were singing so far. She knew Shelby would put together a fantastic set list and couldn't wait to fly in to see her grandbabies perform.

Maria was well-versed in all things Wicked due to seeing Shelby perform many times, and living in New York meant she and Carlos had been to many musicals throughout the year. None though, were as incredible as Shelby in Wicked. Granted, she was their daughter-in-law, but it was true. She knew when Shelby and Juan became parents, she would always sing to her grandchildren. Shelby even learned a few songs in Spanish which made them emotional because she was always carrying their son with her and keeping him alive for the girls.

Santana would never admit it to anyone besides her family, but she actually loved Glee; she wasn't completely in love with her parents running it because she thinks they push her and Rachel more than everyone else, deep down she knows they do it because they love her though. She loves her Abuelita so much that she beat Rachel to the punch to answer the question which surprised Shelby.

"We're doing mash-ups right now, boys against girls and we're totally gonna win because duh," flipping her high pony, "we're the best! Right Rachie?"

Rachel rarely called Santana by her full name, using her childhood nickname, Tana, for her sister as her full name was too difficult for Rachel when they were young. Santana took to calling her sister Rachie, and that stuck until the fighting between them started—today though, her mom got them back on track.

Shelby turned around to look at her girls in the backseat, smiling at her Santana for understanding the point she's tried to make for over a week now. Since their conversation at school, her girls have been inseparable again, which made her so happy. They were sitting next to each other in the backseat, Santana with her legs draped over Rachel, and Rachel's upper half was resting on top of Santana.

"Tana's right Abuelita, we're so good. We have a talented group, but they're not really the best dancers. I think if we got more of the cherrios on the team, we could win it all!"

This is what the girls were fighting about earlier, and Rachel knew once she and her sister were best friends again, anything was fair game to talk about. Shelby held her breath waiting to hear Santana's response because she has heard them fighting about this constantly for the past few weeks.

"And what do you think about that, Santana?" Maria asked, picking up on Shelby's apprehension.

"Rach is right, we need better dancers and a bigger team. Even if they just mouth the words because they can't sing, it's our only chance of winning. We're gonna win two national titles every year of high school, which is like, unheard of."

"Two?" Maria asked.

"Yeah, Glee club and Cherrios!" Rachel beamed. "We will both have perfect GPA's, be on the cherrios, in glee club, be in the musicals, and get into NYU like mom did."

"Everything we always wanted," Santana said, hugging her sister tighter as Shelby teared up.

"I'm excited to see you girls perform. Maybe you can give Abuelo and I a sneak peak of your songs, and your cheer routine."

"Totally!" the girls said in unison. Their grandparents came to everything over the years—they lived in New York and made it to almost every dance recital, cheer competition and school plays: it was incredible.

"Mom, you need to make this for us at home," Santana said, mouth full of her dinner.

"Mouth closed when you're chewing, please, babe."

"It's so good. You always make the best food," Rachel continued, smiling at her grandmother, then looked at her mom. "Sorry, but it's true."

"Why don't you like ever make Spanish food, mom?" Santana questioned now that she was no longer chewing.

"I only know how to make a few Spanish dishes, girls, and we have them at least a few times a month."

"Cut your mother some slack, ninas. You get at least one if not two home cooked meals every day," Carlos chimed in. He grew up with a single mother, and while Shelby is no longer a single mother, she was for a while. His mother always worked two jobs to keep a roof over their head, and she rarely cooked for him, making him respect Shelby even more than he already did.

"Yeah but you get Abuelita's cooking every day and we don't," Santana whined.

He shook his head and winked at his granddaughters; Carlos knew they respected their mother, most of the time, and appreciated having an attentive mother. He loved teasing them too though. Carlos could see so much of his son in his granddaughters, especially as they've gotten older. Santana has Juan's wit, his beautiful dark skin, his sense of humor, his nose, darker hair, and the list goes on. Rachel had some of Juan in her as well, although, she was truly Shelby through and through with darker skin. Oh, the power of twins.

After a delicious and super fun dinner, the girls put on a show for their grandparents while Shelby did the dishes. Maria told her to leave them, Shelby couldn't do that though. She spung the visit on them during a super hard week for everyone, it was the least she could do. Maria and Lopez loved all the time with their granddaughters though. Especially seeing the show they put on, something they've done since they were little girls.

Maria asked once again if Shelby was absolutely certain she wanted to stay at the hotel tonight, and she did, telling Maria they could check out Saturday and spend the night here before going home. Maria understood and appreciated Shelby for all the time she made for them; it wasn't the easiest seeing as they live in another state, Shelby had it all figured out though. Juan will forever be a part of the girls' life, and they will be as well.

The Corcoran's said goodbye to the Lopez's for the night, taking a taxi over to the hotel for the night. "Wait, I still don't get why we're not staying with Abuelita and Abuelo tonight, mom," Rachel said, with Santana nodding along.

"We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow, we're staying with them Saturday. Don't worry babies, we'll see them in a few days," Shelby reassured, kissing each of her girls and holding them closely as she was once again in the middle of them—this time, in the taxi though.

The girls snuggled into her; their hands interlocked across Shelby's lap for the rest of the drive. Their eyes went wide when the taxi pulled up to the hotel; the girls had been to New York so many times in their young lives and Shelby has been asked countless times if they could stay at The Plaza. Shelby always said no, knowing this specific trip would be when they could stay here. She was going to do everything in her power to make this a trip the girls could look back on and feel more joy than pain. It may be unrealistic, but she's going to try everything in her power.

Shelby knows the letters Juan wrote them were going to be hard, they will also be something else the girls will always have of their father. The day they brought the girls home from the hospital, Juan and Shelby decided they were going to write a letter to them every year on their birthday to celebrate the love they had for them. Twins oftentimes get grouped together and share memories—Juan and Shelby wanted to celebrate their individuality as many ways as they could.

Juan was only able to write them one letter though; a letter he wrote when they celebrated the girl's half birthday because the first few months were a bit crazy. She thinks back to the celebration they had often and is so incredibly thankful he was able to write those first letters. Shelby has continued to write a letter each year, letters she's planned to give them before they leave for college like she and Juan planned to. That being said, she knew her babies needed these letters this year, hers can wait.

"OH MY GOSH!"

"NO FREAKIN' WAY!"

The girls screamed at the same time. "The Plaza, Tana were at The Plaza!"

"I can't believe we're actually here!"

Rachel and Santana were shaking with excitement while Shelby paid the driver with the biggest smile on her face. "Rach, open your door babe, let's go," she urged then turned to Santana. "Come out this way please babe," she continued, squeezing Santana's leg, "I don't want you getting out on the street."

Santana nearly climbed over her mom to get out of the car, and the girls ran into the lobby leaving Shelby with their bags. It was worth lugging everything in herself to see the girls so happy. Taking one final deep breath, she followed them inside flashing back to the last time she was here.

"Juan, are you sure? It seems a bit senseless to pay all this money to stay here when we have twins on the way."

Juan spun Shelby around and pulled her close, kissing her until she understood how much she deserved this. "We have two beautiful babies coming in a months' time and I want to cherish every minute I have left as just the two of us. Plus, it's our babymoon."

Shelby smiled and kissing Juan again, "I love you."

"I love you too, hermosa."

They checked in, went to April's new musical because it was opening night, enjoyed the most delicious and romantic meal and found themselves laying in bed together.

Juan pulled Shelby's nightgown up and ran his hand over her protruding belly like he did every night, continuing the story he's been telling them since the day they found out she was pregnant: the story of them.

"Do you remember where I was?" he asked, looking up at his wife.

She laughed softly, knowing he was just teasing her. She gave him her signature look and he kissed her belly. "The day we got married was absolutely beautiful…" he said, starting the story. Shelby found herself crying every night listening to Juan. Hearing things from his point of view, the love he had for her and their unborn daughters, it was everything she ever wanted and more.

He was the perfect man in every way, and she felt so incredibly lucky that he chose her.

They were the perfect couple; the couple all their friends hated because they never fought, were both so attractive, they had the most beautiful brownstone, incredible careers, and years into marriage still looked at each other as if they had just met.

When he finished the story, Juan kissed his wife's belly two times to say goodnight to the girls then they made sweet love for hours. "I love you to the moon and beyond."

"And I love you to infinity."

As Juan fell asleep that night, Shelby stayed awake, running her fingers through his hair feeling so excited for the rest of their life because if it was anything like the past four years, it was going to be better than perfect. She fell asleep happier than she'd ever been.

"MOM!" Santana yelled again, waving her hand in front of Shelby's face.

The girls finally understood why their mom was spacing out all the time, and it's not because she was old like they always assumed. It's because she had so many memories with their dad, memories she's started to share with them now that they knew about him—she wasn't spacey year-round though, it was mainly in September.

Shelby blinked a few times, coming out of the memory she was reliving and saw her daughters looking at her expectantly. "Seriously mom?"

One day they will appreciate how much their mom has gone through and look at these moments realizing how much their dad loved their mom. Today wasn't that day though. Shelby pulled the girls into a hug, kissed their heads and told them to watch the bags as she walked away from them to check in.

"What's going on with her?" Rachel whispered to her sister.

"She probably misses dad too," Santana said, looking at Rachel sympathetically.

"Think she'll tell us more stories about him?"

As twins, Santana obviously wasn't older and wiser, but she did protect Rachel when she could even though she hurt too. Santana nodded, "Yeah, I think she will Rach," and then turned back to face their mom as tears welled in her eyes.

She wiped a quick tear and picked up two of the bags, "Come on, moms done." Rachel grabbed her bag and ran after her sister who, even walking as she ran, was faster than her.

That night as the girls snuggled in one of the queen beds together, Rachel nudged her sister and gave her a look only they understood. "Uh, uh, no secrets please."

Shelby wasn't that naïve, she knew her girls had secrets, they always have and always will—this week though, Shelby needs to know where each of them is emotionally to best help them through it. Rachel nudged her sister one more time and Santana spoke up, "Will you tell us more about daddy...please?"

Shelby nodded and tapped Santana so she would scootch over in the bed. She let her mom in then threw herself over Shelby so she and Rachel could snuggle up to her. Santana reached back over her mom and pulled Rachel's arm onto Shelby's stomach so they could hold hands. Shelby swears they were holding hands in her womb because since the day they were born, and even now, they've always held each other.

After the story, Shelby asked them about tomorrow to help cheer them up. The girls shot up in the bed, looking at each other instead of their mom, and started throwing ideas out.

"Museum of ice cream!" Santana started.

"Musical!"

"Spyscape Spy!"

"Breakfast at Tiffany's!" they said at the same time.

"Madame Tussauds!"

"Central Park!"

They looked back at their mom who was laughing knowing they'd never be able to do all those things in one day. Shelby already planned to take them to Tiffany's on Friday and told the girls to each pick one of the things they mentioned to do tomorrow, and she'd pick the third.

She saw the internal struggle they were each facing right now, it was almost comical. They leaned over her and whispered to each other, quickly looking on their phones to most likely do some research, then proudly shared their decisions.

"Spyscape," Santana smiled, it was one of the girls' favorite places to go in New York. Shelby pulled Santana down so she was now laying against her and started to tickle her.

"You two love it there, my little sneaks," she said, reaching up to tickle Rachel too. Once Santana could no longer breathe, she let her go while laughing and looked up at Rachel. "And what musical will we be seeing?"

"Wicked," Rachel said, moving as quickly as she possibly could to get away from her mother who was going to tickle attack her next. She squealed as four hands pulled her back, Santana helping her mom get her sister so she could feel the tickle wrath too.

Shelby loved how much her girls loved Wicked, it was one of the only musicals they could ever agree on, but she always felt a bit odd actually sitting in the audience for it. She had her reasons, the girls didn't get it, but they were understood by April. When they were in the audience for musicals they've been in, and get recognized, it's awkward—more so than that, they were always invited backstage. The girls loved it, Shelby and April tolerated it.

"Okay monkeys, it's time for bed. We need to get some rest for our big day tomorrow."

The girls groaned as their mom got out of the bed knowing she meant business. They crashed back down and snuggled up together, smiling as Shelby pulled the covers over them. "Goodnight babies, I love you."

"We love you too, mommy."

Thursday morning and afternoon were the absolute best. They started the day at Central Park with a yummy breakfast, headed to the Spyskape where Santana and Rachel perfected their laser beam escape. Shelby knew it was one of the main reasons they loved it there so much. She took the girls for the first time when they were 7, and since then, they've been every year. It's straight out of a spy movie—the entire place is interactive making it fun for all ages. Then they went for lunch and splurged at the museum of ice cream.

They were back at the hotel now and Shelby had just turned on the tv for the girls in hopes they could nap before dinner and the musical later. "Mom, we're 14 not 4, we don't need a nap!"

"At least lay down please, it's going to be a late night tonight and I want you girls to be rested."

"But you don't need to lay down, why do we?"

Shelby rubbed her temples because of the whining; she thought she was being extremely fair by compromising with the girls, but they didn't see it that way. One day, when they have children, she thought to herself. "Comfy clothes, bed, now please."

20 minutes later, Shelby laughed to herself seeing her girls sound asleep. After dinner, April met them at the theater doors and the girls lost it. Their screaming in excitement caused a scene meaning the two actresses were noticed immediately and the four of them were taken backstage. If the adults didn't know better, they'd assume the girls caused a scene intentionally.

"Do you ever think it will work?" Shelby heard Rachel whisper to Santana.

"Maybe, I mean come on! It would be a million times better."

"What's that sugar?" April asked, wrapping her arms around her goddaughters.

Rachel looked over at her sister and Santana rolled her eyes. Her sister was loud enough, Santana didn't get why she always needed to ask questions like these. She whispered into April's ear and the blonde burst out laughing. Seeing they were serious, April wore her signature thinking face.

"Oh god," Shelby groaned seeing April's smirk and her girls smiles. Whatever they wanted her best friend was going to try and figure it out and she already knew it wasn't going to be good.

"Stay here," the blonde said to the twins.

April took off, scampering down the hallway in her heels. She found the director and wrapped her arms around him. Paul was startled until he turned around and beamed, "April! How are you?"

"Paul, I have a HUGE favor to ask you."