Quinn straightened her black dress and finished the last flick of water proof mascara on the top of her lashes and turned to her daughter, "Now mommy can be as pretty as you." Beth giggled from the plaid blanket laid out on Quinn's bedroom floor and pulled at the black bow on the left side of her head.

From across the room on her bed her blackberry beeped letting her know she had a message.

Quinn checked the time on her alarm clock as she made her way over. "Time to go right after mommy checks her message." She turned to smile at her daughter as she reached for the blinking device.

She had fallen into a pattern with Beth even after only being together a week and a bit. Her daughter was really a good baby; she was surprised because, as her mom liked to point out, she wasn't. And referring to herself in the third person was actually something she had adapted to quickly and didn't even feel like a crazy person when doing...anymore.

She sat on her bed and entered the password; it was from Finn.

You and Beth need a ride?
~Finn.

It was really sweet that he wanted to step up and be with both of them but that didn't mean Quinn had stopped being able to do things for herself.

No thanks, see you soon.
~Quinn

And just as she was about to set the phone down another message came in. She thought it was going to be Finn replying with something annoying like 'you sure' so she almost didn't check but being a teenage girl...she clicked on her inbox.

Where are you :(
~Rachel

At home getting ready, why?
~Quinn

Instantly she had a reply

Aren't you coming?
~Rachel

Yes at 9:30.
~Quinn

So are you leaving now?
~Rachel

Once I get Beth into the car
~Quinn

Hurry!
~Rachel

Quinn didn't even bother responding because follow up to that would be 'thought you were leaving' and she just didn't want to go there.

Quinn threw her phone in the largest pocket of the diaper bag, yes, an actual diaper bag with Winnie the Pooh and everything, praying to the gods of lost phones to let her find it again, slung it over her shoulder and picked up her daughter.

"Ready to go, precious?"

She smoothed the fine hair on top of Beth's head and kissed her cheek as they left her room.

When Quinn pulled up to Rachel's house she was waiting outside looking just stricken enough to be well...Rachel.

As she got in the car Quinn asked, "So tell me again why you couldn't go in with your dads or your boyfriend?"

In a theatrical whisper, "You know what people will be saying, we need to put a unified front."

"A unified what?"

"Quinn this is really for your benefit."

As usual no one but Rachel had any idea what she was going on about. "What are people going to say Rachel?"

Rachel turned to her with a patronizing look and patted her leg. "Don't worry Quinn, they won't say anything now."

Quinn just shook her head and drove to the funeral home; they were all in for a long day.

As soon as Quinn parked the car Finn was on his way over to see them taking those long, awkward strides. As much as she believed that she could love him she was very happy her child wasn't his. There are some things she just didn't want to pass on to her children.

"Hey Quinn, hey Beth." He said her daughter's name in a high, babying voice that made her cringe, he's trying, that's what's important, he's trying.

Quinn looked up as though addressing the sky with her chant and made eye contact briefly with Puck who was standing near the entrance with Lauren. As he has started recently, he gave her a sad look, took Lauren's hand and walked them into the omniscient building.

When the news had first spread to the whole of the school he had made it very clear that when he had signed to give Beth up he had meant it for life. Puck made sure to get it across as clearly as possible that nothing would be getting in the way of his and Lauren's relationship, especially not Beth. Quinn wasn't too surprised and that was actually the way she wanted it. Having signed yet another legal document gave her complete custody. So he can go...no, she is supposed to be watching her language.

During the whole exchange Jesse had walked over to open Rachel's door and took her hand helping her out. Quinn would really like to tell him to not encourage that type of behaviour in her friend but...wait. Her friend? Her and Rachel are...friends now. How strange, it took the death of Rachel's mother and Quinn to become a teen mom but yeah, friends.

As Rachel and Jesse were walking away from them he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. Quinn didn't miss her boyfriend twitch as he was reaching for Beth out of the car, long ago she had decided to not let it bug her because in the end, he always came back to her.

But it didn't stop an unnecessary snide remark. "Finn it's going to rain soon do you want me to do it?"

"No, I've got it...the clip...thing...in the..."

Huge drops started cascading from the sky and Quinn could only shake her head.

"Really Finn, just let me."

Obediently Finn stepped off to the side while Quinn clipped a couple of latches and pulled out her toddler.

"Quinn, how'd you do that so fast?"

"Never mind, grab the diaper bag? We need to get going or we will be late. This lady did a lot for both me and Beth so we should hurry."

Quinn was walking to the entrance trying to keep Beth from the rain while she finished her sentence and Finn struggled to keep up.

When they got in through the large oak double doors they handed their coats to a somber old man with thinning gray hair; Finn chuckled to himself, the man was only sad because he knew he was next. Beth reached for one of the many vases of fake flowers that were lining the little coves in the sides of the blank white walls. It really was a depressing place.

The music that was playing was the opposite of a wedding march while, as graceful as always, Quinn entered the room, somewhat intrigued to see it almost completely full. They had picked a bigger venue because they knew there would be quite a few people in attendance from all of the Vocal Adrenalin and other things Shelby had been involved in. It was actually pretty shocking to know that they had so many funeral homes to choose from in such a small town.

In the front row of hard wooden pews Rachel was twisting in her seat trying to see to the back where people would be entering from and waved frantically when Quinn walked up the red lined carpet to sit next to her with Beth on her lap.

To the left of Rachel Jesse sat looking quite dapper in his black suit and dark hair slicked back from his face. And to Quinn's right sat Finn, not quite as smooth and not nearly as put together but still he sat there reliably.

"What took you so long to come in?" Rachel whispered harshly to Quinn.

"A one year old to get out of the car along with all of her stuff." Quinn retorted dryly.

Rachel just huffed.

"So do you have your speech?" Quinn shook her head yes in response. She didn't like being sentimental because she didn't like relying on others but now here she was.

"D'you have yours Rachel?"

"Absolutely, I wrote a song for it, I had meant to share it with Glee club first but there just wasn't time. We might be able to use it for Nationals even, experiences are a lot easier to write about and this is a good one."

"Can't be worse than the headband one, that's for sure." Santana leaned over the back of the pew between Rachel and Quinn's head and stated that matter of factly. It really was just a fact. The song was awful.

"Well Santana, I do admit that the Headband song wasn't my best work, but it was what I knew."

"Yes Rachel, it was what you knew but did you say you had a new song? Sorry for your loss."

Rachel turned to the person three down from Santana, "Thanks Mr Schuester and yes I do, I will be performing a couple after Quinn speaks."

Just then Kurt and Blaine walked towards them hand in hand. Kurt walked to the very front and took Rachel's hands. "I know how hard it is to lose your mother, even if she wasn't there. I'm here for you."

Rachel nodded, "Thank you Kurt," and reached for one of the Kleenexes lying next to the bible to dry her eyes when Kurt grabbed her hand again. "No Rachel, don't use those. I brought some that are much better. You don't need a red face from those vicious cloths to go along with a red face from crying." Again Rachel nodded her thanks and took one of his.

As soon as Kurt walked up Beth reached out for him and Blaine, inexplicably they were her favourite people apart from Quinn herself. "Hello pretty girl, how are you?" Kurt straightened the bow and said, "We'll be seeing you later, Lilli."

Tina and Mike slid in next to Mr Shuester. "I don't know why he calls her Lilli all the time; she's Beth...isn't she? Or have I been wrong this whole time?" Tina patted her adorable boyfriend's leg. "No don't worry; he just does not like the name Beth as a short form for Elizabeth so he made up his own."

"No, he didn't just make it up, he Wikipediaed it, found all of them and chose the one he liked best." Blaine smiled endearingly at his boyfriend. Kurt just shrugged his shoulders.

Just as the priest stepped out onto the raised platform Artie came in with Mercedes holding hands with Sam and Brittany and they sat in the third row back.

"I would like to welcome you all here today as we take this time to fully appreciate the life of Shelby Corcoran. To some of us she was a mother, to others a friend they could rely on and even a coach that took her team to the top. We are sad to see her leave us but as I understand there are quite a few people here today who would like to say their thanks. And I leave you with Miss Quinn Fabray."

Quinn leaned into her daughter's ear, "You're going to sit with Rachel, baby mommy will be right back," and she picked her up and put her on Rachel's lap. Quinn's mom always told her that Beth didn't grasp anything that she said but she always explained everything to her just in case.

"Personally I only met Shelby once, a year ago when I gave her my daughter. I knew I was too young to do it and that she was more than willing to step up and fill my shoes as a mother. She has made a difference for my daughter, Puck's and my life will always be the better for it. I will never be able to thank her for the sacrifices she willingly made on my behalf but she will always be remembered through Beth. Thank you."

Quinn walked back to her seat as the room broke into the quiet applause congratulating her bravery for going up there and sharing a piece of her life. Silence fell again as the Jesse went up.

"I am here, along with my fellow Vocal Adrenaliners and I am speaking on their behalf. We would all like to thank Ms. Corcoran for believing in us when no one else would. For pushing us to the limits of what we always knew we could be and for bringing us to the top to take the gold time and time again. You help us spend our time and better ourselves. Your memory lives on in our each success. Thank you. Speech written by Anaetra Lee, don't read the last bit Jesse that is...thank you."

He folded the lined paper and took his seat next to Rachel once again. The applause moved through the room until finally Rachel was called upon.

"Good morning everyone and thank you for coming today, Shelby was my mother but in name only as she gave me to my fathers when I was born. As you've all heard life experiences are what make good songs and so what better experience is there than the death of the mother you hardly knew." Rachel gestured to the pianist that just always happened to be there, ready to play the music no questions asked. She needed to remember to make him her special cookies one day.

So this managed to turn out as one of those akward filler chapters that would make you really confused if it wasn't there but it makes you a little annoyed that it is. I have new found respect for those chapters...that's why it took me a week to write. I'm not extremely pleased with this chapter but hold out, I'm confident it'll get better. The reviews make my life. Thanks to everyone who read, hope you stick this chapter out.

Hope you had a good day

~Skylarking