Okay, this chapter turned out different than I expected, but hopefully you guys like it. :) Classes are crazy and it's only week three, so hopefully things will slow down so I can have more time to write.

After parking the Range Rover, Shelby, Rachel, and Beth made their way toward the passenger pick up at LaGuardia Airport. Shelby scanned the area searching for her mother and daughter, and she caught sight of them a few luggage returns away. "There they are," she smiled and pointed toward the young brunette girl standing with a tall woman who looked almost exactly like herself from this distance.

Beth tore away from her mother and ran to Melanie when she finally spotted the older girl. "Melie! You're here! I miss you!"

Melanie turned around just in time to catch the running toddler and spin her around. "I missed you too Bethie." Melanie smiled at the little girl.

Shelby could easily recall a time when that was her and her little Mel-Belle when she would fly into Ohio from wherever she was working at the time for a visit, but one difficult trip home stood out the most to her, and looking back, she kicked herself for allowing her career to make that much of a divide between her and her daughter.

*****Flashback*****

Shelby sighed as she made her way through her home state airport. Filming Rent had taken a toll on her, both physically and emotionally, and she was just ready to get home and cuddle with her baby. Her flight had been majorly delayed due to a huge thunderstorm, and her phone had died, so she had no way to contact her parents. She grabbed her luggage from the return, and started trudging her way towards the taxi pickup area when a voice stopped her. "Mommy!"

Shelby's heart clenched; she had been hearing her daughter's voice in her head for weeks. She knew there was no way her little girl was here when her parents had called the previous morning and told her about the scheduling conflicts that would not allow anyone to come to the airport to pick her up. Shelby just wanted to get to the hotel room she was staying in until morning, but the little voice in her head was persistent, "Mommy, wait up!" Shelby could feel the tears coming, and she quickly found the nearest empty seat and fell into it sobbing. She curled herself up in the seat and allowed the tears to flow freely. She wasn't expecting the voice in her head to continue though, and when she heard her daughter's clear voice singing "For Good," she covered her ears with her hands, and her tears came faster and harder. "I'm sorry Baby, I'm so sorry. I don't want to leave you, but I have to. Grama and Papa love you so much. I'll be back as soon as I can."

This wasn't anything like her previous meltdowns, her little girl's voice was always there, but in her mind, Melanie never sang. She was doing her best to push the voice out by going over her lines for when she got back to set when she felt a small hand touch her shoulder. "Mommy?" Shelby jumped, shocked at the touch, and jerked her head up to meet a pair of green eyes that matched her own.

Shelby's tears immediately stopped and she gasped. "Melanie?" It took a moment for her to realize that this wasn't going on in her head, and her baby girl was in front of her. "Oh Melanie, Baby, I've missed you so much!" She pulled the five year old into her lap and pulled her as close as possible.

The girl wrapped her arms and legs around her mother and snuggled into the embrace. "I missed you too Mommy. Please don't leave me again." Shelby tried and failed to hold back her tears, and her heart broke for her little girl. She knew that for the moment she needed to avoid that topic, or the entire week she was home would be miserable.

Shelby suddenly realized that their reunion hadn't yet been interrupted by her parents, which she found amazingly uncharacteristic, especially for her dad. She pulled away from her daughter's embrace enough to see that her parents were nowhere in sight. "Hey Mel-Belle, where's Grama and Papa?"

Melanie pulled away from Shelby and looked at the ground, immediately becoming shy and reserved. "I don't know Momma, we came to surprise you, and when Grama said your plane landed, I started looking for you. I followed you a long ways. Why didn't you stop for me?"

Shelby choked back tears for what she was sure was the hundredth time that day, how was she supposed to explain her internal demons to the innocent child in front of her. "I'm sorry Monkey, I didn't hear you. We need to go find Grama and Papa, they are probably worried sick." Shelby stood and tried to put Melanie on the ground, but the girl had a death grip around her mother.

"Let me hold you Mommy." Shelby immediately caved and readjusted the girl in her arms so she could also grab her purse and suitcase. She took off in the direction she knew the passenger pick up area was and silently prayed that her parents weren't too far away.

"Melanie, you can't just go running off from whoever is watching you. It's dangerous, what if you hadn't found me? What if someone else took you? You're not backstage at Wicked or onset at Rent where everyone knows you and wants to keep you safe. Do you understand?" Shelby scolded.

"I'm sorry Mommy. I just wanted to find you. Don't you like our surprise?" Melanie's eyes were swimming with tears, and Shelby couldn't tell if it was truly regret making the girl react this way or exhaustion considering it was way after her regular bed time.

"I love that you came to pick me up, and I understand that you wanted to find me first Baby, but now, Grama and Papa are probably making a missing person's report." The little girl put her head down and rubbed her eyes. "Melie, rest your head. Mommy's here. We'll find Grama and Papa and then go home."

"Can I sleep in your bed?" Now Shelby was sure the girl was tired. Her voice always ended up with a breathy undertone when she was just about to fall asleep, and sure enough, within moments Shelby could feel her daughter relax more into her arms and hear the even breaths that were a sure sign the girl was asleep.

Shelby was getting worried about her parents. She'd been walking around for quite a while and hadn't seen any sign of the pair, and she hadn't heard any announcements over the airport intercom about a missing child either. "Oh Melanie, what a mess you've gotten us into now. Mom and Dad are gonna be so mad at me. It's no wonder I can't handle you on my own and work too. No wonder Mom and Dad say you're better off here with them. I cause the problems; you're great until I'm around. I'm not fit to be your Momma. Where haven't we looked for them Baby?" Shelby mumbled under her breath, not realizing that she was in fact, verbalizing all of her worries and doubts to the half-awake five year old in her arms.

Through her tiredness, Melanie caught bits and pieces of Shelby's monologue, and what she could understand hurt. 'Her Mommy didn't think she could take care of her? And Papa and Grama agreed?' She knew that she would have to be extra good, so that maybe when her Mommy had to leave next week, she could take her along too. The little girl looked up at her mother with sleep filled eyes. "Mommy, I think they were by lots of bags. Can we go home yet?" She stifled a yawn and saw relief etch across her mom's face.

"Okay, Baby, let's go look there. Go back to sleep. I won't leave you alone." Shelby sighed in relief when Melanie once again rested her head on her shoulder and relaxed. "I love you Melanie. Let's go find our ride home."

Shelby was knocked out of her thoughts by a well-placed elbow to the rib courtesy of Rachel, who then gave the older woman a questioning look. "Sorry, I'm fine. I'll tell you later, Rach." She then turned her attention to her younger two daughters who were still engrossed in their conversation.

"Mommy said you gonna live with us here?" Beth asked her older sister, making sure the information she had heard was correct.

"It looks like it Sissy." Melanie set Beth down and looked in the direction she saw the toddler run from. What she saw next surprised her. "Rachel," she gasped. She wasn't sure how her mother had convinced her older sister to come to the airport, but she couldn't deny she was excited.

Beth reached up to Helen, silently begging the woman to pick her up. "Grama, you stay too?"

Helen picked up the toddler and gave her a sad smile, "no Baby, I've got to go home and take care of Papa, but I'll come visit again as soon as I can." Melanie picked up her two suitcases, and the three made their way toward Shelby and Rachel.

Mel brushed past Shelby, dropped her bags, and walked straight up to Rachel pulling the older girl into a hug. "Rachel, it's so good to finally meet you when you actually know who I am. Wait, you do know who I am right? Mom didn't trick you into coming here as a peace offering for me did she?"

Rachel looked over Melanie's shoulder and could easily see the sad and hurt look on Shelby's face. "No Melanie, your mom didn't trick me into meeting you here. I came because I wanted to meet the little sister I've heard about. It's not fair, you're almost taller than me and you're only, what, fourteen?" Rachel hugged Melanie tighter and looked over her shoulder to wink at Shelby who gave a small, sad smile in return as thanks.

"I'm almost fifteen. Just a few more weeks. " Melanie smiled and pulled away from Rachel to get a better look at her. "I can't believe I finally have the big sister I've been dreaming about for so long! And even better, my sister is the Rachel Barbra Berry! You're gonna be Fanny Brice on Broadway! Oh I just love Funny Girl!" Melanie gushed.

Rachel was surprised, considering what she heard about Melanie, she wasn't expecting any excitement about Funny Girl from her sister, but she laughed trying to cover her shock, "It must be genetics. I think we can both thank our mother for our love of Funny Girl and all things Barbra, and let me tell you, I'm just as excited to have a little sister! I'll have to bring you with me to rehearsals, and I'm expecting to see you front row opening night next month! And of course we'll have to go out and see the sights together!" Rachel studied the younger girl. That was the moment she was sure that not only did the two girls share a mother, but they had the same biological father. Melanie and Rachel both looked very much like Shelby, but Rachel could see small traces of her dad in the girl as well.

"Opening night? That sounds like so much fun Rachel, you can count on me being there!" Melanie squealed.

Shelby was confused; last she knew Melanie hated musicals and any type of music that her mother suggested for her. Since when did her middle child enjoy anything with 'Broadway' tagged to it even if it was connected to Rachel? Even so, she was surprised Mel didn't object to loving Barbra. After Melanie's meltdown during a VA practice when she was ten, Shelby had done her best to keep the girl as far away from the performing arts as possible. Helen pulled her daughter into a hug, holding Beth between them. "Mom, she hates me." Shelby complained burying her head into her mother's shoulder.

Helen rubbed her daughter's back and pulled away. "No, she loves you. She's scared. You hurt her, and she's put walls up to keep you from hurting her again. You're gonna have to work to get her to let you in. And by the way, I think we need to have a serious talk about you allowing Beth to run off like that in public places." The older woman gave Shelby a stern look that could still make her blood run cold.

Shelby didn't need any reminding, the memory of that week was still so close to the forefront of her mind.

Shelby was doing her best to stay calm for the sake of the little girl in her arms while she searched the baggage claim area for any sign of her parents. When she realized that they were nowhere to be found, she sank into the nearest chair and readjusted her daughter's position in her arms. "Mel-Belle, I can't find Papa and Grama anywhere, where else could they be?" She asked the sleeping girl before stifling a yawn. "Mommy is getting tired, and all she wants to do is get home and cuddle with her little Flying Monkey in bed. Maybe we should get a cab and call your Papa from the house?" Shelby yawned again. She immediately stiffened and felt like a bucket of cold water was poured on her when she heard her father's voice from behind her.

"You most certainly will not, Shelby Grace Corcoran. Where on Earth have you been? Your mother is worried sick. She is at the security station trying to force the guards to stop their jobs to help search for your daughter, whom I can see is perfectly fine. Why didn't you call us?" Shelby stood up at the beginning of her father's rant and looked at her feet. When he was finished speaking, she had no idea how to respond.

Finally, she mustered up the courage to speak. "I… I'm sorry Daddy. My phone died, and when Melanie first ran up to me, I wasn't even thinking straight. When I asked, she had no idea where you were. I came back this way to find you, and when I couldn't, we sat here."

Shelby could tell that her father was furious with her. "How could you be so irresponsible? I'm going to get your mother before she calls in the National Guard. You stay right there young lady."

Shelby watched silently as her father quickly walked away. She felt Melanie stirring in her arms and slowly sat down again and rocked the child gently. Her eyes fluttered open anyway. "Mommy, why is Papa mad at you? I was the one who runed off to find you."

"Papa was just worried about you, and he didn't know for sure how to show it." Shelby could tell her daughter was once again fighting sleep. "Go to sleep Baby Girl, we'll be home soon."

Melanie still fought closing her eyes. "You'll stay with me?" Shelby nodded. "Can you sing, Mommy, pwease?"

Shelby kissed the girl on the forehead and thought for a moment. Shevbegan to sing 'For Good' to her daughter, soon though, she was interrupted by her mother sitting in the seat next to her. "This is your fault you know? You allowed her to run off in New York by herself, so now she thinks it's ok to run off all the time."

Shelby sighed. "Can't this wait, Mother? I haven't seen her for two months."

"No, Shelby. This cannot wait. She finally gets adjusted to you being gone, and then suddenly, you reappear only to leave again days later. It's no wonder she ran off. Shelby, your daughter is almost six years old, she needs structure in her life, and you most certainly are not giving her structure."

Helen could tell she struck a nerve. Her middle child had always been sensitive to reproach and being called out, and the older woman knew she had made a mistake. "Shelb, hey, Shelby." She touched her daughter's arm lightly, and Shelby flinched away from the contact with wide eyes. "Hey, Shelly, shh, it's ok."

Shelby finally made eye contact with her mother and tried her best to smile. "I'm ok Mom."

"No you're not, Baby. I'm sorry. I shouldn't've said what I did. You are doing a wonderful job with Beth, I just think it would be better for her to stay close to you; you know that this city makes me nervous. I didn't mean it the way you're thinking." Helen apologized and gently pulled Shelby into another hug.

"I know, Mom, it's behind us." Shelby sighed and retreated back into her thoughts.

Shelby couldn't believe how fast her time at home had ended. She loved all the adventures she was able to have with Melanie, but, her week was up, and it was time for her to head back to California to finish filming for Rent. Melanie sat on the bed and watched her mother put clothes into her suitcase. "Mommy, why can't I come with you? I'll be good."

"Baby, Grama and Papa would be lonely without you." Shelby was truly hoping to avoid the topic of her leaving again. After she finished filming, she swore to herself she would move back to Ohio to raise her little girl. She zipped her suitcase and quickly scanned the room to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything.

"But aren't you lonely without me?" Melanie stood up on the bed and reached out to her mother.

Shelby's heart melted at her daughter's concern, and lifted the girl high into the air and then settled Mel on her hip. "I'm always lonely without you, my little Flying Monkey, but it would be no fun for you to have to wait for me to finish work to be with you. When you're here with Grama and Papa, you can go to school and have fun with your friends and then come back here and always have someone to play with," Shelby recited from a portion of her conversation with her mother and father from the night before.

A soft knock on the bedroom door interrupted the mother-daughter moment, and Shelby knew it was time for her to leave. She hugged Melanie closer to her and breathed in the little girl scent, she always smelled like the fruity kids shampoo and a subtle mix of fresh air. The door slowly cracked a bit, and Shelby saw her father's face appear. "We need to get going, Shelby, or you're going to miss your flight."

Melanie's grip on Shelby tightened, and the girl buried her face into her mother's neck. "No Mamma, don't go. Don't leave me." Hot tears began to fall from the little girl's eyes, and Shelby could feel tears stinging at her eyes too.

Shelby's father grabbed the suitcase off the bed and left the room, leading the way down the stairs. Shelby knew she would not be able to keep her tears at bay much longer, and she desperately wanted to be strong for her daughter. "Shh, Melie Baby, I'll be home for good in a few weeks, and then we can be together forever." As Shelby reached the bottom of the stairs, she kissed Melanie's forehead and squeezed her a little tighter. "Grama and Papa will take good care of you, and before you know it, Mommy will be home. I love you Melanie."

Melanie knew that she couldn't stop her mother from leaving, but that didn't stop the hurt. "I love you too Mommy. To 'finity and beyond."

Helen pulled her daughter and granddaughter into a hug, and when she pulled away, she kept her arms around Melanie. "I love you beyond that. You gotta go with Grama now, Monkey. I'll be back soon." Shelby released her hold on the girl and quickly made her way to the car waiting outside.

Melanie thrashed in her grandmother's arms, and finally got free as the car her mother and grandfather was in pulled out of the driveway. She ran on the sidewalk trying to catch up, but quickly she reached the corner of the street. She knew that she couldn't cross the street on her own, and by the time she realized that, the car was too far away anyway. She fell to the ground crying.

Shelby had picked that moment to look at the rearview mirror. The sight of her daughter crying, broken hearted, on the sidewalk, broke the dam of her tears, and she cried the entire way to the airport, through check in, and was still crying when the plane landed in Los Angeles.

Shelby frowned at the memory, but tried to take her mind off the past by looking at her oldest two girls interact. Rachel must have noticed the look on Shelby's face, because a few moments into her daughters' conversation, she saw Rachel whisper into Melanie's ear. Melanie rolled her eyes, but nodded. She walked slowly toward Shelby with her head down. "I'm glad to finally be here, Mom. I think New York will be a good place to live." She said with formality.

Shelby reached out to pull Melanie into a tight hug. "Baby girl, as long as you're here with me, I think it's gonna be a great place to live. I'm so happy to have you with me again. I'm glad you chose this."

Melanie wanted to hug her mother back, she really did, but the walls on her heart were built so high, that all she could do was stand there with her arms by her sides. She whispered so her grandmother wouldn't hear her next comment "well, you are my mother. It's kinda your job to take care of me isn't it? I only chose this so I wouldn't be a burden to Grama while she takes care of Papa."

Shelby stepped back stung. Did her daughter really hate her so much that she'd say those things? While Shelby stood there thinking of what to say to her middle child, Rachel walked toward the grandmother she had never met. "Hi, I'm Rachel." She reached out her hand for a professional handshake, but her hand was pushed aside as she was enveloped into a tight hug by the woman.

"Rachel, in this family we don't do handshakes, we do hugs. I've been waiting so long to meet you. Your sisters call me Grama, but if it makes you feel more comfortable, you can call me Helen."

Beth ears perked up when she heard her Grama's comment to Rachel, and she quickly remembered her most exciting news. "Oh yea! Melie, Wachel is gonna live with us! Did you know she's our sissy too?"

Melanie quickly spun to look at her grandmother and sisters, and then turned back to Shelby. "Seriously?" She slightly smiled at her mother. "My big sister is gonna live with us too? Like a real family?"

Shelby grinned; it was the first spark of interest her middle child had shown in the aspect of being a family unit again. "Exactly like a real family, Monkey." Shelby could tell she had unintentionally struck a nerve when Melanie took another step away from her and turned her head back toward the other women. "It may be a little crazy with all four of us under one roof, but I wouldn't want it any other way. I can finally have all three ofmy girls home where you belong!" Shelby gushed, too excited at the promise of a family to notice that both Melanie and Rachel visibly bristled at their mother's last statement.

Good? Bad? Ugly? Let me know your thoughts. Also, I'm in search of a Beta for this story. I would like to have someone to bounce some ideas off of and help keep me on track. Once again, thanks for reading, and I hope you are all having a great September! Till next time- RockinJRodeoRebel