Something - Quinn Fabray

Chapter 7

Shelby watched as her students went through their routines. "Again, guys! That was sloppy, it was like watching beige paint dry! From the top!"

Her students groaned but complied. Shelby knew she was considered the most ruthless show choir director on the circuit. She knew the rumors that went around about her teaching methods, and they just made her smile. But in all honesty the rumors were just that, rumors. She was strict, yes, but she didn't work the kids to death, either.

Two more run-throughs later, she could tell her team needed a break. "Ok, that was better. Ten minute break, you all need to drink a Red Bull!"

She looked at some of the observations she'd written down. Her female lead was hitting the high notes just a little too flat for her taste, and one of the kids was putting on too much vibrato, slightly throwing off the blending. And she'd noticed one of the boys had almost dropped his partner during the synchronized lift section near the end. She put down her pen and yawned. Just a few more runs and she'd send them all home.

Her mind drifted to her talk with Ryan in the garage two nights ago. Her son wanted to get to know her too. But she couldn't do anything about it, and her emotions had been all over the place. It was embarrassing. In fact, yesterday Jesse had picked up on her mood and had pestered her for close to an hour before she had finally relented and told him about Ryan.

**Flashback**

"I know something's up with you." Jesse and Shelby were in her office, making some finer adjustments to the Bohemian Rhapsody choreography. Shelby had decided not to hire Dakota Stanley this time. While she wasn't a very effective choreographer, she really hated the obnoxious little man, and she'd put off working with him again until it was time for Nationals.

Shelby sighed. Jesse had been hinting at her for a while now to tell him what was going on, but she didn't really know how to tell him. Shelby had taken over as coach for Vocal Adrenaline one year before Jesse's freshman year. She had found Jesse at a middle school singing competition had quickly recruited him. This was now his fourth year on Vocal Adrenaline, having won three National titles during his tenure. Contrary to popular belief, Jesse hadn't been held back from graduating in order to keep him in Vocal Adrenaline. He was however one year delayed and was almost nineteen now, since his family had spent a year abroad when he was supposed to be in the fifth grade.

The two of them were close, even for a mentor and student. Jesse highly respected Shelby's talent for both performing and teaching, and she was one of the only people whose critiques he really took to heart. Shelby thought Jesse was a cocky, arrogant kid, but she recognized Jesse's talent, and knew that he would go far if he was taught properly. And the cockiness was endearing, in a way.

"Come on, you can tell me," Jesse coaxed. He knew he was getting somewhere, she hadn't flat out told him no this time like she had the last eight or nine times he'd asked. "Maybe I can even help."

"Fine," Shelby relented. She told him about the ad she'd answered back in 1994, about the baby she'd given up. She told him how she'd seen that baby fifteen years later at the Sectionals competition, all grown up and as talented, if not more so, than she was. And she told him about the contract she'd signed, keeping her away from her child.

At the end of it Jesse was silent, processing what he'd learned about his mentor, and couldn't help but feel an irrational pang of jealousy for this boy that Shelby so obviously loved. He shook it off in a moment though, and said, "Maybe you can't contact him, but I can, if you wanted me to. Maybe I could get him to try and find you."

Shelby pondered this for a moment. It could work. She could just tell Jesse to befriend Ryan, figure out some plan to get him to figure out who she was. But then she shook her head. It was a little too Machiavellian even for her, and if Ryan ever find out that she'd manipulated him it could ruin everything. "No. Thank you, but no. It's really sweet of you to offer though."