A/N- I usually hate these, but I just want to clarify some things. I know that the way Shelby presents this is not how it works, but for the purposes of this story, it will be legally binding.

A/N from later-Okay! Just another clarification (I've been asked for one). I keep getting asked what ship this is. Honestly, I don't know yet. When I wrote this chapter, it was supposed to be fairly Puckleberry, but it got pretty Quick closer to the end. I am not in control of where my writing goes most of the time; what I write comes strait out of my mind and onto the paper. I don't edit it. I don't change it once I've finished. I write it and immediately upload it. So to answer the questions I've been asked, I'll say this: This fic will not be Faberry. I'm sorry to any Faberry shippers that I may have 'led on', but it will not be Faberry. I'm thinking either Quick or Puckleberry, and backups for each of these include (but are not limited to) Sam/Quinn, Quinn/Finn, Quinn/OC, Rachel/Mike, Rachel/Jesse, or Rachel/OC. They might not even end up with somebody in this fic. I don't feel that romantic relationships are necessary for a good story. Let me know what you want in the comments, but just know that I get final say. I'm going to let the fic go where chemistry and my mood takes it.

"Rachel Berry, please come to the principles office." Principle Figgin's tinny voice rang out through the intercom.

Rachel flushed, gathering her things and heading for the door, ignoring the sudden hushed whispers and muted laughs of her classmates. Mr. Schuester stopped her at the door.

"Do you have any idea what this is about?"

She shook her head, and he nodded, as if he expected her to say that. It wasn't a common occurrence for a student to be called to the office, and when they did they were usually in some sort of trouble. Rachel, however, was not one for trouble. Some people may find her irritating and grating, but she never did any real harm to anybody.

Walking down the halls, she kept her head down, flinching when she passed a jock holding a slushee, and made it to the glass room safely.

There was a person sitting in a chair across from Figgins, with long, dark brown hair and stylish clothes. She looked like she was holding something, but Rachel couldn't tell what.

She knocked on the door, and let herself in.

"Thank you for coming, Ms. Berry." Figgins droned, gesturing towards a seat across next to the other guest.

Rachel wasn't paying attention. The woman had turned around, smiling sadly at the teenager, and holding a sweet-looking baby in her lap.

Her mom was back.

Shelby.

And she had brought Beth with her.

Rachel forgot how to breathe for a moment, leaning on the doorframe for support. Sure, they had left on good terms, but there was no way she wanted to see her mom with her replacement. Shelby's second chance baby.

"What are you doing here." Rachel didn't wait for an answer, walking to the chair and plopping down into it, ignoring her personal rules of etiquette.

Shelby smiled, and Rachel saw that her eyes were watery.

"I have amazing news!" She was ecstatic. "I got accepted for a role on Broadway!"

Rachel shrugged. Why should she care? Moreover, why exactly did Shelby need to come in and bother her to let her know?

"There's just one problem." Shelby said, obviously leading into the story. "The director has some pretty strict rules. No outside commitments."

Rachel was confused. There was a pretty big commitment currently sleeping in Shelby's arms at that moment.

"So, after a lot of thinking, I've decided to give up Beth for adoption. I've found that it's too much for me to handle; caring for a baby and working for my dreams."

Her eyes widened and she gritted her teeth.

"No!" Rachel was adamant. "You can't just abandon her because something better came along!"

Shelby had the nerve to look offended by Rachel's statement. "I'm not abandoning her." She insisted. "I'm going to find her a good home. That is, if you don't accept."

"If I don't accept what?"

"I have decided to give you custody of Beth. My lawyer thinks that it's a good idea, and-"

Rachel cut her off.

"I'm sixteen! I can't raise a baby! What are you even talking about? I can't adopt her! I'm a minor, I'm not even in charge of myself!"

"Actually, you can adopt her. If the parent of the child chooses to opt out of continued parenting, then the closest relative would take custody. My parents and grandparents are dead. I have no siblings. You're my closest relative."

Rachel ran out of words. Nothing was going through her head, except anger and concern for the baby.

"What will happen to Beth if I say no?" Rachel's voice was almost hollow, lacking it's usual spark.

"She'll go into foster care."

Rachel took a few deep breaths, and held out her arms. Shelby carefully passed over the infant, minding her head, and Rachel pulled her close, helping Beth nestle into her arms.

"Do you have the papers?" Rachel asked in a hushed, yet still angry tone. "I assume I'll have to sign a few things."

"I have them right here." Shelby took some folded papers out of her jacket pocket, and passed them to Rachel. "You need to sign in three places. One terminates my rights, another grants you custody, and the last promises that neither you, or Beth will try to contact me, nor I you."

Rachel nodded. She had expected something like that. Signing the documents, she passed them to the oddly silent man who sat on the other side of the desk.

"I need copies of these." She stood up strait, taking care not to jostle the baby, and glared at Shelby. "You need to leave."

"I'll get the documents from Principle Figgins after he gets you your copies, then I'll be out of your life forever." Shelby handed her a soft green diaper bag.

Rachel took it and walked out of the room, heading towards her safe haven. The choir room. On the way, she realized that she needed to talk to a couple of people. Puck and Quinn. They deserved to know what was going on.

She slid to a stop, and started in the opposite direction. Rachel had made it her duty to know the class schedules of all of the Glee kids, and, lucky for her, the two people that she needed to see where in the same class.

Rachel talked a very confused freshman into getting Puck and Quinn out of the classroom as she waited in the hall.

They walked out, obviously very confused, and stared at her and the bundle in her arms. She shifted uncomfortably under their gaze.

"Is that…" Quinn started, before getting choked up.

"Beth?" Puck finished for her.

"Yes." Rachel held the baby close, but tilted her so that the others could see her face. "Would you mind very much skipping class and going to the choir room to talk? There's a lot I need to tell you."