"Ti-ti, na-na!" Beth squealed, kicking her little feet in happiness.

It was summer once again and the baby was now one. Her birthday was incredible, planned by her sisters because they love doing that type of thing—they also taught Beth how to say their names, kind of. Rachel was t-ti because of the chie sound in Rachie, and Santana was na-na because of Tana. Mama and dada were much clearer, she also loved screaming the word no, even when she nodded her head yes.

"Go away, it's too early," Rachel said, pulling the covers over her head and rolling into her sister who per usual, snuck into her room earlier this morning.

"It's 10am, babe," Shelby said with a laugh. Summer meant sleeping in and constant fun for the family, especially the twins. She put Beth down on the bed and watched the baby crawl up and over her sisters, feeling a bit sorry when Santana took a knee to the stomach. Beth may just be a baby, but when you aren't expecting one of her limbs to get you, it doesn't feel great.

"Mom, no! Don't leave her in here," Santana whined. They love their sister so much, just not when they wanted to sleep—plus, they hadn't even eaten breakfast yet, didn't their mom know anything?

"I just thought you two would want to spend some time with your sister before we left her at home with dad for the next week."

"Wait, what?"

"Get up please, babies. We need to leave the house in the next hour."

Rachel and Santana were suddenly feeling much more awake as Beth continued to sit in the middle of them with a smile on her face, sucking on two of her fingers. Shelby will never understand how or why Beth started to do that in the first place, it was so unsanitary. The twins weren't fans of pacifiers when they were babies, content to just watch and take things in—they didn't turn to their fingers. What made Shelby more confused by the whole thing was the fact Beth really loved pacifiers, she also loved her own fingers.

"Gross Beth, you're drooling all over my bed!" The baby giggled and Rachel rolled her eyes. "Where do you think we're going?"

"I dunno, somewhere without dad and the drool monkey," Santana said with a yawn.

"You need to learn how to talk," Rachel told the baby. She was always with their parents when they planned things and could never give them the inside scoop because she's only a year old.

"Maybe dad will tell us, come on Beth turn your cute factor on," Santana said, getting out of her sisters' bed and picking the baby up.

The girls hadn't stopped guessing what they were going to do in New York since Shelby had handed them their plane tickets. To be honest, she could have brought Beth and Will as well, she just knew he didn't enjoy roaming the city without her. Will wasn't a city guy, at all. He didn't love New York the way Shelby and the girls did, especially not with a baby because things he could do with the twins wouldn't be as much fun if he was responsible for Beth too.

When Shelby told the taxi driver to take them to the Ritz, the girls nearly lost it. Most of the time when they came to New York they stayed in a hotel because Shelby never wanted to put Maria and Carlos out over the years. She knew firsthand how the twins could destroy a space in a matter of minutes as little ones considering her mom was the one who watched them when she started working part time way back when. And over the years, Shelby just thought it would be better to have their 'own space' while in the city.

Maria and Carlos always told her she was more than welcome at their home, not caring about the mess the twins would make in the process because that's what children do, make messes. They loved hearing the twins made up language, constant giggles, and the whispering back and forth they did with one another. So Shelby caved a lot of times, cancelling her hotel reservation to stay with them, just not every trip.

Like this week, they would be in the city for four nights, five days and because of the reason they were there, the hotel was paid for by someone else. About a week and a half after Rachel came home from the hospital, Shelby received a phone call from April with a super exciting offer she 'just had' to do with the tiny blonde. Of course Shelby immediately said no, calling April crazy yet again, knowing there was no way she could or would ever leave her baby who had just come home from brain surgery.

April worked tirelessly with the group who made her the initial offer and explained things in her own way, and they agreed to postpone the project until they could have them both. April thanked them and brought it up to Shelby during the last week of school because she knew summer vacation also meant Shelby being free from work. It took a lot of convincing, but April got her best friend to agree.

"Oh my freakin' gosh, mom! Does dad know?"

"Know what?" Shelby asked, not understanding why her daughters went from excited to almost angry in a matter of seconds.

Santana didn't answer, she just pointed, and Shelby followed her line of sight. "Hello sexy. And hello to you two tiny humans," the woman said to Shelby and the twins.

"No way. You're cheating on dad?"

"I would never," Shelby exclaimed. She couldn't believe her daughter had just asked her that. "I would never do that to anyone," Shelby continued, glaring at Cassie when she said it. "I love daddy, girls. I had no idea she'd be here."

The twins knew their mom was telling the truth, she had no reason to lie to them or their dad. It was evident she was just as surprised Cassie was here, not to mention the fact they know how much their parents love each other. So much so they caused themselves to shudder thinking about all the displays of affection they've been forced to witness over the years, most recent being their long-drawn-out kiss goodbye before they left for the airport today.

"Then what the heck are you doing here?" Santana questioned, glaring at the blonde.

"Yeah, don't you live in New York? There's no reason for you to be at a hotel," Rachel continued.

"Coincidence. I had a business meeting," Cassie lied.

"Listen lady, our mom told you when you creepily showed up at our house, she's happily married. So, beat it!"

"Santana," Shelby scolded. It was one thing to talk to the woman, another to yell at her, no matter how deserving. "We've got to get going," Shelby said, placing a hand on the girls backs to get them moving towards the front desk. Cassie watched with a smile seeing two heads look back at her, although she was hoping for only one that never did.

"How the hell did she know, April?" Shelby asked, clearly upset.

The twins were having a silent conversation with each other while watching their mom pace back and forth on the phone with their aunt. Shelby knew it wasn't a coincidence, Cassie was here because the blonde somehow knew she was going to be here. Shelby lived in New York for years, and has come back countless times, never bumping into her once since their breakup.

Shelby would be lying if she said she hadn't thought about Cassie since they met for coffee. But like she told the blonde, she doesn't trust her which meant they'd never get anything back, even friendship. Shelby couldn't justify befriending someone she didn't trust and letting the blonde into her children's lives. If it were just she and Will, she'd consider a friendship, it's not though. Her babies have been through enough in their short lives for her to even think about bringing someone in that she didn't trust.

"Uhh, I've gotta go sugar plum. I'll be by later," April said, hanging up the phone. Truth be told, Cassie got to April and told the tiny blonde what she wanted to hear and because April is far too trusting, she thought this would be good for Shelby.

She would happily take the twins out so Shelby and Cassie could have some time together and work things out. April knew her best friend was still hung up on the blonde from their conversations after the two had coffee together, she was only trying to help. Shelby did feel as though she had closure from Cassie, for the most part. She knew there was no way Cassie could handle being with her because of her children, which she confused for closure.

April knew this and wanted Shelby to have closure regarding her own feelings, not her baby's feelings. And because Cassie had told Shelby she'd always been in love with her, it didn't do anything but further confuse the mother. She tried to put herself in Cassie's shoes, and she did. She knew back then Cassie was still all over the place, and no matter how much she wanted to settle down, she wasn't ready to the way Shelby was.

But it didn't explain the cheating, or the bull shit excuse she gave Shelby about their relationship. If her love was so strong, why kiss someone else and push Shelby away? Because Shelby had moved forward with her life, moving on from Cassie and starting her family, Shelby had a hard time putting her husband and girls aside when processing her own feelings—when you've been a mother and wife such a long time, your natural instincts get in the way.

Shelby pushed everything she was feeling aside and sat down next to the girls. This trip wasn't about dealing with her feelings for Cassie, it was for her sweet babies.

"Oh my gosh, really?"

"No freakin' way!"

The girls said at the same time after their mom told them why they were here. If their aunt was the reason this was happening, the twins knew it would be possible for them to be in it too, even if it wasn't a big part, it would be so amazing.

"Can we see it!" they said in unison, and Shelby didn't need any more information, she knew what the girls wanted. She walked over to her suitcase and got out the manilla envelope then handed it to them to look at. It's fair to say this would be one of the best things they've ever done so far in life.

"This is so cool," Santana gushed a few minutes later looking at the stack of papers in front of her and her sister.

"Why didn't you do anything like this when we were little, mom?"

"Because I was busy raising you crazy monkeys."

"That's valid," Rachel said with a nod. Shelby laughed at her daughter, as if she'd understand what it was like to raise twins.

"I can't believe we're gonna be in a movie, Rach…together."

Shelby smiled. This was something so special to her, her thoughts regarding the blonde long gone seeing her girls so happy.

They spent the next three days in and out of the studio where Shelby and April did most of the recording and the twins practiced the parts the mother negotiated for them. She trusted April to have their best interests at heart, but this would be out in the world forever and she needed to make sure legally, things were put in place to protect them.

During the time their mom and aunt were recording, the girls took hundreds of pictures to document how incredible this was, practiced with each other, and were mesmerized by just watching. How many other kids got to have experiences like this at such a young age?

They also spent time with their grandparents, went to Spyscape because duh, ate at all their favorite places, and visited their dad. Something that didn't happen while in New York was see Cassie again.

"Listen mom, I've gotta go," Will said, hanging up the phone before his mother could respond to chase the baby. "Beth, what is with you and putting clothes on?"

Shelby wasn't surprised when Beth started fighting her when the mother got her dressed in the mornings because the twins went through the same thing when they were her age. They preferred to run around in their diapers, something Shelby was fine with if they didn't have somewhere to be. The house was warm enough, it wasn't a big deal.

Will however, was absolutely shocked. He didn't know it was so common because he wasn't in the twin's lives when they went through this stage. Will knew if he told his mother how much harder taking care of Beth alone really was, she'd rush over and that wasn't necessary. He just wished the baby would stop screaming every time he tried to put clothes on her.

"Beth, come back here!" Will said, running in the other direction now. She had taken to running around the kitchen island because although he wasn't the brightest man, the baby gates were fool proof which meant she couldn't go up or down without an adult.

Beth was squealing, enjoying her favorite game of having family members chase her around while in nothing more than a diaper. Her mom didn't like the game very much, but that's because she was a no-nonsense woman with an overly full plate—she didn't have time to play who wants to get dressed today, it wasn't optional.

Will sat down on the floor and gave up, letting the baby know that she won and groaned when she rounded the corner and jumped onto him. He tipped her back against himself and ticked her, loving the breathless giggles that echoed throughout the kitchen. Will knew he never should have let Beth roam around downstairs in just her diaper, but nobody else was home and he was fine with it. It's not as if she got into anything she wasn't supposed to.

"Look princess, mommy's calling," Will said, pulling his phone out of his pocket when he heard it ringing. He answered the FaceTime completely forgetting by doing so, Shelby would be able to see that the baby wasn't dressed yet.

"Please tell me at least you have pants on," Shelby glared, seeing her naked baby and husband's bare chest.

"Umm, I have shorts on," Will answered, flashing down so his wife could see.

"Will, those are pajama shorts. It's 2pm."

He smiled innocently and Beth giggled causing Shelby to talk to the baby instead. She couldn't believe her husband was still in his pajamas this late in the day. "It's a lot harder than you thought it would be, isn't it?" she questioned.

"Much."

"Have you at least fed her some fruits and vegetables?" Shelby watched her husband pause in thought and screamed, "Seriously, Will!"

"Oh no, we've had bananas," he said, thinking back to the breakfasts he's made for the two of them since the rest of their family has been gone.

"That's it?"

"And other stuff, just not other fruits…"

"Come on, dad!" the twins said in unison.

They've been on vacation and have eaten fruits and vegetables twice a day. Neither recognized it was because their mother refused to let them get away eating unhealthy foods because vacation or not, fruits and vegetables were an important part of their nutrition. It was easier with the twins though because even when they complained, they still ate what was served to them. Beth screamed and fussed if she wasn't happy, unable to communicate what she would prefer instead.

When the twins were younger and Will was taking care of them without Shelby, they'd voice to him what they wanted when they didn't want what he had given them. But that wasn't often because Shelby didn't like to be away from them, and if she had to be, the twins ate pretty much everything put in front of them thanks to the work Shelby did by introducing her girls to all types of foods.

"Pajamas and no healthy food?"

"It's only been three days!"

"I know, girls." The twins wasted no time chastising their dad leaving Will to wonder where his wife went because he couldn't see her anymore. A few minutes later he heard Shelby's voice letting the twins know they needed to say goodbye as they were heading back out.

"I love you, Will. I'll call you later. Bye baby girl," Shelby said, blowing a kiss to them and hanging up the phone.

"I guess it's just you and me again, beanie."

Beth tipped her head back and looked at her dad with a smile, waving her hand backwards at him. Will gently turned her hand and helped her wave the right way, laughing when Beth turned it backwards again and waved the way she liked to.

"Let's get you dressed and see what fruit we can find in the fridge."

"Wait, so we just did all this work for nothing?" Santana asked.

"Don't be silly, babe." Seeing the looks her girls were giving her, Shelby continued. "We can talk about it more when the movie comes out."

The girls didn't accept that answer and turned to their aunt instead. "Oh sugars, I'm not the boss here," April answered, knowing Shelby was in charge. She wasn't going to stick her foot in her mouth this time, especially not when she knew what the mother wasn't telling them.

Although their roles were incredibly small, Shelby had decided to put ten percent of the movie proceeds into the trusts she and Juan had started for the twins before they were born. It wouldn't be the girls preferred method of payment for all their hard work, but Shelby didn't need to give them anything, she was being generous.

"Consider this an introduction into the movie scene," Shelby said with a smile.

"So just you and Auntie April are getting paid for your time then?"

"Santana, I don't know what you want me to tell you. We're the professionals, babe."

"But how do you expect us to become professionals if you don't give us a shot?" Rachel asked.

"You and your sister just had your shot. They could have used our voices and altered them to sound younger, babe, the way the contract was written to begin with," Shelby said, referring to the people who hired herself and April.

"O-kay, who wants ice cream? I know I do!" April chimed in to try and ease some of the tension in the room. The movie was recorded, and it was up to the animation team now to complete it, their work was done.

The talk of money was long forgotten when the girls heard ice cream, they'd never turn it down, besides when they do turn it down, but that rarely happened. Shelby watched her girls skip out the door with April and grabbed her bag, following them down the street to the ice cream shop.

They all failed to see the blonde woman watching them from across the street who had taken the last few days to devise a plan of her own, she was prepared to play the long game hoping it worked because if it didn't, she was out of options...