Just randomly thought of this after watching a Glee Marathon. I own nothing.

Daughter

She sat in front of Rachel, a perfect blend of her parents. Her large, doe brown eyes stared at her questioningly, hurt. Rachel averted her gaze, the shame and guilt weighing her down. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't even look at her. She was just as bad as Shelby. Was abandonment genetic? She stole a glance once more, noting that she had perfectly dark curls, much like her father. She blanched at the thought of him. Did he know she was here? Rachel's simple day had turned to crap when the tiny girl popped up on her doorstep.

"I'm not buying any girl scout cookies," the Broadway diva huffed as she opened the door to see a bright-eyed girl.

"Are you Rachel Berry?" she asked, almost as if in awe.

"Are you a papparazi or something? Man, they're starting you kids out young," Rachel began to ramble.

"I'm Jude St. James," the girl blurted out.

Rachel stared at her, eyes wide, mouth open.

"I'm your daughter," she added, just in case Rachel had forgotten the name of her own daughter.

Rachel had the simultaneous urge to hug her baby and run away screaming. Instead, she opened the door further, inviting her daughter into her apartment. She led her into the living room, motioning for her to sit down on the couch. Rachel took a seat on the recliner, directly across from her.

"So, Jude," Rachel started, unsure. Twenty years ago, she was in the same situation, only she was the daughter and Shelby her long-lost mother. She bitterly thought she had been replaced by Beth.

"Why didn't you want me?" Jude blurted out, covering her mouth with her hand.

Rachel gazed at her forlornly. Where was she supposed to start? Her burgeoning career couldn't be destroyed by motherhood, she was only eighteen after all.

"Dad told me you weren't ready and all that, but you never even visited," Jude began to ramble, "Do you know how hard it is not to have a mother? I mean, Aunt Shelby's great and all-"

"Aunt Shelby?" Rachel nearly screeched.

Jude nodded timidly, afraid she had said something wrong. Rachel gave a deep sigh, resisting the urge to shout.

"What has Jesse told you?" she choked out.

Jude smiled wistfully, a far-off look in her eyes, "That you were in love, and very young. That he was the happiest man on the planet and was glad he left UCLA to do Spring Awakening. That his life was finally going somewhere."

The teen's tale stopped short as she glared at her mother, her mood change unexpected.

"I didn't even know that I had a mom until I was seven," she added, "Dad tried to call you, to get you to come to LA!"

"It's hard enough seeing him on TV every freaking week!" Rachel countered.

Jesse had moved back to Los Angeles with little Jude, auditioning wherever he could to provide for his daughter. Eventually he gained recognition for a bit part as Natalie Portman's ex in a film. After that, the offers had been rolling in for movies, leading him to work with the biggest names. A few years ago, he made the transition to television, first as a guest star, and now as the lead on a TV show about a high school choir. It didn't help that he was perpetual magazine fodder-first for praising his devotion to his daughter (along with speculation about who her mother is) and more recently for his relationships with a few leading ladies.

Jude crossed her arms over her chest, watching her mother rage an internal battle.

"I want to know why the hell I don't have a mom! I want to know why you hate me!" Jude shouted, eyes flashing.

Oh yes, she had a flair for drama. It must have been genetic. Rachel closed her eyes and counted to ten, just as her therapist had advised. Part of her wanted to tell her she didn't need a mom. She had Jess and Aunt Shelby, she thought spitefully. So Rachel wasn't good enough for her, but Jude was?

"It's a long, complicated story," Rachel tried to get her to leave.

"I have time. Dad's filming on location. He should be tied up for a while," Jude countered.

Rachel sighed. Kid was clever, she had to give her that.

"Then get comfortable," Rachel advised, leaning back in her seat.