So I had an idea pop into my head and thought why not make a fic out of it. Well this story will have Rachel in a foster home. Her father's died in a car crash when she was 4. Not having any information regarding her mother. She is placed in foster care. Now I have no idea about foster care, but I will do my best at writing it.

Character breakdown.

Rachel 11

Kitty 13 Foster sister

Marley 10 Foster sister

Chapter 1

Rachel sighed in frustration as she struggled to lace up her much to small, worn out, dingy red converse. Hearing heavy footsteps on the stairs, the small girl panicked quickening her pace to complete the task at hand. Looking at the time on the alarm clock it read 7:15. She knew that she was due at the kitchen table at 7 o'clock but was late getting into the bathroom to get ready because of her foster sister Kitty. She was the quintessential bubbly blonde all parents wanted to adopt but, she could be really mean. Of course, if she said something then she was accused of being a tattle tell, or a lair.

She rushed to grab her backpack, then made a sprint to the door. Upon opening it, she came face to face (or in her case face to waist) with her foster father. Her stomach dropped in dread. He was built like a lumberjack. Very tall, scruffy faced and had a large belly.

He leaned down with a slight agitated stare, "I thought I made the rules clear. It's already after 7:15. So there better be a good reason why you weren't at the table at 7 o'clock." His tone was low but threatening.

She peered up at her foster father with large frightened brown eyes. "I… didn't get t – to the bathroom until ten till seven Sr." Rachel stammered quickly looking down at her shoes, to avoid the angry stare her foster father was currently giving her.

The next thing she knew she was being yanked forward by her arm and practically dragged out of her room. She winced at the tight grip, that was sure to leave a mark. Then she was stumbling down the stairs, as she struggled to keep up with the much larger steps of her foster father.

"Since you have such a hard time remembering to follow the rules I set and keeping the time, you can sit at the table without breakfast and wait until it's time to catch the bus while you watch everyone else finish eating." He says releasing her none to gently into the chair at the end of the table."

Looking down at her hands, scared and hungry, she knew better than to complain or show any type of defiance. Feeling her hand being pulled into another, the small girl looks to her left and finds that it's her younger foster sister Marley. She is the only one in this house to ever be any kind of nice to her. As Marley squeezes her hand in a show of support, Rachel offers a small smile in thanks.

After taking a bite of her toast, and washing it down with orange juice, Kitty looked to Rachel. "So stumpy, want a slice of toast?" She questions menacingly. "Oh that's right you can't have any." She taunts with a smirk.

Narrowing her eyes, she has a smart remark at the tip of her tongue, but her foster mother comes into the dining room ushering all the kids out of the room and out the door.

She rushed with the others and boarded the school bus taking her seat next to Marley and stared out the window as they headed to school.

Rachel stood at her looker struggling with the lock. It had been giving her trouble all week, so she was totally frustrated. It was her first week at this new school and her third school this year. With a sigh, she finally opened her locker and switched out her books for the next few classes.

Once she gets what she needs she turned around, and sees a tall blonde girl on the floor picking up her books. Frowning she witness some 8th grade boys laughing at her. She hated bullying. Even though she is bullied at home and at school, she hated to see it happen to anyone else. Deciding she was going to help, she walks up to the young girl and crouches down to help her pick up the books scattered on the floor.

Glancing up the tall blonde, smiles. "Thank you." She says as she continues to collect her books.

"No need to thank me. I'm sorry this happened." The small brunette reaches her hand out to touch the blondes in sympathy. "These boys can be immature jerks. Pay them no mind."

"What did you just say?" One of the boys says offended.

Standing up she turns to glare at them, "You heard me. All of you are immature and barbaric. Have you nothing else to do with your time than bullying people?" The tiny diva counters with her hands on her hips.

"Shut up freak. No one asked for your opinion." The taller of the two boys says, shoving her hard into the lockers behind her.

Wincing in pain, Rachel felt like all the air was pushed out of her. She leaned over slightly to catch her breath and feels a hand on her back rubbing her in a comforting manner.

"You okay?" The tall blonde asked in a concerned tone.

Tilting her head up she made and held eye contact with the girl. "I'll be fine, thank you for asking." She said between heavy breathing.

After a few moments Rachel was able to move, even though she was in pain it was bearable.

"Did you want help to the nurse's office?" She offered.

"No, I'm okay, thank you."

"Okay good. Thank you for helping me, I'm Brittany," The tall bubbly blonde introduces herself.

"I'm Rachel."

Acting on impulse Brittany throws herself at the small girl and hugs her. "I hope we can be really good friends."

She stiffened at the hug, her back was aching, but she didn't say anything. She didn't want to hurt the blonde's feelings. "I would like that." She responds shyly. She's never had anyone willingly want to be her friend before.

"Hey Britt, who's your new friend? And why do you have all your books out?" A pretty Latina asks curiously.

"Oh, hey Sannie. This is Rachie my new friend." Brittany states excitedly reaching out a hand for Santana to hold.

"Hello, I'm Rachel Berry, nice to meet you." The small girl says in introduction.

"Santana," she said with a nod then turns back to look at Brittany again.

Brittany turns around to put her books away since she only needed a notebook and her history book to take notes.

Rachel hands her the rest of her books as Santana leaned against the lockers beside Brittany's. "So why are all your books out Britt?" She kind of had a feeling she wasn't going to like what was said. If the stiff posture and closed eyes she saw was anything to go by.

Closing her locker, she takes a deep breath then takes to glancing at Santana hoping she won't get mad. "Sannie" She says gently. "I- Um, the 8th grade boys pushed them out of my hand. And then they called me stupid." She rushed out nervously. She knew how Santana got when others picked on her.

"They what? Who? Give me names?" The fiery Latina states in anger.

"Sannie please don't do anything. I don't want you to get into any trouble." She attempts to calm the enraged brunette. "Please," she pleaded.

Calming down at the plea, she looked at the smaller girl beside her best friend. "So, you seen what happened?"

Eyes wide Rachel nodded. "Yes I- um, they were really mean to her, but I helped her with her books."

"Rachie that's not all. You stood up to them and got hurt." The tall blonde says with a pout she hates violence of any kind.

Shocked was putting it lightly, but Santana was completely grateful that Rachel would stand up to the A-holes in this school. It was admirable. "Thank you, Rachel. Anyone who would defend Britt here while I wasn't around to help her is okay in my books." Santana stays with sincerity.

"It was really no problem." She responds shyly.

The girls continued to talk and get to know each other more while they made their way to the library for study hall that they all shared. Rachel was pleasantly surprised that she was making friends and was hopeful that her time at this school would be better than any of her others.

Santana was over this day already. She was seated with Quinn, and this other blonde girl named Kitty, at the more popular side of the cafeteria. The girl rubbed her the wrong way, but Quinn insisted on giving her a chance.

"Oh my god, did you see Puck this morning? He looks so cute." Kitty gushes.

Rolling her eyes (Kitty was really full of herself she thought) Santana turns to ask Quinn where Britt was, when she saw her come into the cafeteria with Rachel.

Usually Rachel just stayed in the library or hung out in the tutoring classroom during lunch, but Brittany insisted she come with her to lunch and meet her other friends.

Smiling Santana was happy to see both girls. She was getting annoyed with Kitty and needed a distraction. "Hey Britt, Rach."

Both girls sat down across from the other girls. Rachel looked down not wanting to meet anyone in the eye. She knew Kitty was there and would probably ruin any chance she had of keeping her new friends.

Kitty scowled in annoyance "What are you doing here troll? Isn't it enough to have to share a room with you, I have to see you at school as well." She says in irritation.

Looking up to meet Kitty's eyes. "I didn't come here on purpose. I was invited by Brittany, but if I'm such a bother to you I'll just leave." The small brunette states sadly standing up from her seated position.

Not liking the way Kitty was addressing the smaller girl, Santana stood up as well. "Hey Rach, you don't have to go."

"Yeah Rachie I don't want you to go. If Kitty has a problem, she can leave." Brittany states looking at the smaller girl.

Glaring at Rachel, Kitty did not like how her friends were taking her side and just brushed her off. "Look if she wants to leave let her. She will probably just wine and blab about musicals like always." Kitty scoffs.

Rolling her eyes. "Okay well if she wants to leave then we'll go to." Santana says.

"You really don't have to do that." The small diva was shocked. She never expected Santana to stick up for her.

"Its fine. I already told you before, anyone who would stick up for Britt is a friend of mine. So, let's just move our lunch to the quad outside." Santana suggested, picking up her lunch.

Shrugging her shoulders Rachel agreed grabbing her own lunch. Britt jumped in excitement. She loved eating outside. They only ate inside because that was what Kitty preferred.

Shocked and angry Kitty couldn't believe they were siding with that thing. "You guys are ditching me? For that troll?" Kitty snaps.

"You know what? Call her a troll one more time and you will be eating a knuckle sandwich for lunch." Santana says getting into Kitty's face.

Not wanting Santana to get into trouble Quinn intervenes. "San, let it go please, she's not worth it." She tries to calm the angry Latina. Nodding the taller brunette walks over and grabs Rachel by her hand and leads her out to the quad.

Kitty watched the retreating forms of Rachel, Britt and Santana with a scowl. "Can you believe this? Just wait till she gets home. She won't have Santana to protect her there." She says with a sneer.

"Wow, and to think I thought you were cool. But your nothing but a big bully, and a jealous one at that." Quinn states appalled. She picks up her lunch and follows her friends out to the quad. Leaving a steaming Kitty behind.

She was so dead, thought Kitty. If Rachel thought she could get away with taking her friends, she had another thing coming to her. She really needed Quinn to like her. The blonde's older sister was the key to making it on the Cheerios Freshman year.

For the first time Rachel actually enjoyed lunch at school. Brittany and her friends were really nice to her. Something she wasn't used to.

It was now the end of the day and she had English last period. Grabbing her book from her locker she made her way quickly to class.

"Hey short stack, what's the rush?"

Skidding to a halt she smiles. "Oh hey Santana. I just didn't want to be late." She says switching her English book from her left hand to her right. "That and I really don't want to sit next to that Jacob kid. He gives me the creeps." She admits with a shudder.

Nodding in understanding. "I totally get it. You can come sit with me." Santana states, pulling her down the hall and into the classroom by her free hand.

Shelby had been offered the new English position after the old teacher left for personal reasons. She had spent the past few years in Akron with her parents. She promised them she would take a break. She had been working as a Broadway actress for about 7 years straight. Then jumped into screenwriting, but soon found herself burned out. She loved working but her family could see it was taking a toll on her, so she moved back home, went back to school, got her degree in music and minored in English.

The only thing missing from her life was her baby. She tried to not think about it. It had been the reason she immersed herself in work continuously. Her daughter would be 11 years old and most likely in 6th or 7th grade. Memories of her pregnancy plagued her mind constantly since she returned home, but again she threw herself into school, and now work.

It had been a pretty good first day so far. The kids here were typical. And the teachers seemed pretty nice. She shuffled a stack of papers from the last class and placed them in her filing cabinet. Watching as all the students made their way into her classroom, she noticed this was her biggest class. All of her tables were full. Pulling out her roll call sheet, she began to call the names listed below.

Eyes wide in shock, she gazed upon the name she never thought she would see again. There directly in front of her was her daughter's name. She was sure it could be another kid. It didn't necessarily have to be her daughter.

"Rachel Berry?" She called out calmly, but on the inside, she was freaking out.

A small brunette in the back seated next to another brunette. Raised her hand and said here. She made eye contact with the small girl and held if for a few seconds longer than she should have. She continued to do roll call and introduce herself.

"Hello everyone, I am Ms. Corcoran, your new English teacher." Walking out and around to the front of her desk, she asked if everyone could please stand and introduce themselves.

"Okay class I'll go first. My name is Shelby Corcoran. I'm originally from Akron, I lived in New York for almost a decade. But now I'm here in Lima teaching English. Oh, and I love Barbra Streisand" Shelby states.

One by one all the students gave their names, ages, grade, where they are from and their favorite hobbies. The next kid was the taller of the two brunettes and Shelby was getting nervous, though you could never tell. She masked her emotions very well.

Standing up in her seat. "Hi, my name is Santana, I'm 12 years old and in the 7th grade. I am originally from Lima. My favorite pastime is hanging with my friends. I plan on being a cheerio once I graduate from middle school." Santana stated confidently.

It was finally Rachel's turn and she looked kind of nervous. Santana leaned over and whispered something in her ear. With a nod the small girl stood up and with her stood the other girl.

"Hello, my name is Rachel Berry. I am 11 years old and in the 7th grade. I'm not sure where I'm from actually. I kind of move around a lot. Anyways I live with two foster sisters and my foster parents. I love to sing, and my dream is to be on Broadway one day." Rachel states quickly. She sits down and pulls the Latina girl with her.

The bell rang effectively braking Shelby out of her thoughts. She sees Rachel walk out with the other brunette. As the door closes, she sits and slumps into her chair. Trying to catch her breath she can't believe what she just heard. Could that little girl actually be her kid? It sounded too good to be true. But what worried her the most was that she wasn't with her dads. What happened? And why was she in foster care and not placed with her, or why wasn't she notified?

No longer able to just sit she quickly got herself together and made her way to her car. She had some phone calls to make and if it was true that this little girl was hers, she was going to get custody. She'd spent the better part of 11 years alone. She will not allow her kid to live from home to home and be alone too.

I hope everyone enjoyed my new story. And a special thanks to my beta You Rock. Please R&R.