This is what happens when I write without planning. It belongs to See You Soon verse but it works just fine without it too.

"Don't you have people to do that for you now?" Aubrey asked as Beca approached her in the airport.

Beca did not asked for that. She knew Aubrey was a busy person. She had two daughters, a job and a child-woman as wife. She also lived in New York, so she was sure Aubrey took a cab to the airport only to take another cab to take her home, no way she got there driving. But Aubrey offered and she could use a friendly company.

"I do, but we're family, so this is your job." She says, hugging her friend.

Oh, Aubrey was taller. It felt like she was hugging a guardian or something. It felt nice. She scolded herself for being so needy, but also blamed the actual circumstances of her life.

"Sure." Aubrey said. "Where are the paparazzi, anyway?" She looked around.

"Dude, don't say their name. They can feel the fear." Beca said, looking truly scared. "I'm having a terrible week, I don't need their shit today."

"Alright, alright." The taller woman said, opening the cab door for her friend. "You'll have a few days off, you'll be able to rest."

"Ugh, can't wait to lay down on your couch." Beca said, rubbing her temples.

In which moment, exactly, a couch in New York became the placed she longed the most to be? Probably somewhere between breaking up with her long-term boyfriend and becoming a popstar. Plane seats and talk shows' sofas were so uncomfortable and hotel bedrooms were never her favorite thing. Aubrey and Chloe's living room's couch, though? Heaven.

"You'll be fine." Aubrey told her.

Beca whined but hoped her friend hadn't heard.


"SURPRISE!" Chloe and the kids yelled as they entered the townhouse.

Beca blinked a few times, looking around the place. There was a cake, happy birthday letters hanging on wall, party hats and a few wrapped gifts in a corner. It was a birthday surprise. And she had forgotten. She forgot someone's birthday. That was awful. You don't forget your family's birthdays. She should really consider getting a personal assistant as, literally, everyone suggested her, but she brushed aside because she didn't need any help with looking like a dick. (Only dicks have Pas, right?)

But wait, Chloe was there, and so was the smaller redhead, Emma, that was thirteen-year-old and was carrying her cat, and also was there Coco, the youngest Beale in her mother's arms. Then, the surprise could only be…

"Oh, God." She mumbled and turned to Aubrey, that was right behind her. "Is it your birthday? I fucking forgot it. Oh God, Aubrey, I'm so so sorry! I'll make it up to you-"

Aubrey frowned. "Wait, what? It's not my birthday, your moron." She exchanged a look with Chloe and looked back at Beca. "It's your birthday."

Beca shot a confused glance to Chloe, that seemed almost amused, then to Emma, that for sure was laughing in her face, then back to Aubrey, that looked almost concerned.

"It's not my birthday." Beca said, snorting.

"Yes, it is." Emma said.

"No, it's not. There's no way it's my birthday." She said, taking her phone from her pocket and checking the date. She got silent for two seconds. "Okay, forget it, it is my birthday."

That explained why the fan messages (that she rarely checked) were especially intense that day. Or why her father's call (that she didn't answer). Or Jesse's text (that for sure didn't open).

How messed up your mind had to be to you forget your own birthday?

The brunette sighed loudly and Aubrey kind of felt her tiredness. The blonde laid her hand on her shoulder, a motherly gest. She exchanged a look with her wife, that looked like she was seeing a bird with a broke wing.

"Beca?" The redhead called.

Beca smiled tiredly. Well, life was complicated. "Hi." She said and made an effort to give them a better smile. "Shall we eat the cake?"


Coco, the adorable, blonde, small thing, Chloe and Aubrey had been calling by daughter for five months now, was absolutely fond of Beca, so she showed no interest in leaving her aunt's lap as they sat around the dinner table, going through the gifts and food they had prepared for her birthday.

"You are so big, please stop growing. My heart cannot handle." Beca told the baby in a ridiculous voice. Aubrey smirked and thought: how would America feel if they saw their badass popstar like that?

("She's still not talking?" Beca asked as she served the baby a spoon with cake.

"She mumbles a lot." Emma said. "We have deep conversations through mumbling."

The redhead made a few unintelligible noises, and for Beca's surprise, the baby replied with equally eloquence.

"So yeah, not talking yet." Chloe said.)

They also listened to the playlist Emma made for Beca, that made her heart warm and her arms to hug her niece very tightly. Chloe shared a few stories of her day and Beca forgot that there was a real world outside that house with family pictures in the walls (she had never really paid attention before, but, the fuck, those nerds have a picture of her with her BBMA there) and scattered toys on the floor.

They spent at least twenty minutes trying to get a perfect photo of all of them, with someone setting the timer on the phone and running back to the sofa. Emma showed Beca how she was learning to play the ukulele and it ended up on Beca's rarely updated Instagram ("thank you all for all the birthday wishes. I'm having the absolute best day and here's the proof"). She was never a fan of the whole birthday thing, but this is nice.

Sleep won over Emma (school, ballet classes and homework could worn you out for real) who was tucked against Aubrey's side and their conversation was getting to a point Beca knew she couldn't avoid.

"How are things, Beca?" Chloe asked, sipping her tea.

Beca sighed, rearranging baby Coco in her arms. She knew she shouldn't shut her friends out. She should talk about her feelings, let Chloe be dramatic and hug and kiss her, let Aubrey say they were there for her always and, you know, let them make her feel better. They already knew everything that was happening, though. They just were making sure things didn't got even worse after the last time they talked.

"I'm okay."

"Really, Beca?" Aubrey raise an eyebrow.

Beca sighed. "I don't want to sound ungrateful, you know. I don't think I should go out complaining about my life. I have everything, right? A dream job, and…you know, everything."

"Beca, just because you are doing great professionally it doesn't mean you can't have hard feelings, or that you can't think you job isn't hard." Chloe reasoned.

Beca scrunched up her nose. First, they really have to say her name every time they talk to her? Second, but things were really going that bad?

Look, it's not like she lost a lot with Jesse. It was not like they were going to build a family together anytime soon. Or it's not like they ended up in a terrible way, they were very mature with each other. She for sure lost her base, her home, a safe place, but she felt like that wasn't really bothering her. Honestly, she felt like she was very very close to being completely over it. She was healing just fine.

And her job? Well, it could for sure be worse. She hated flying around all the time or being alone all the time, but it was good, it was okay. There's not a lot to complain when you met Beyoncé and has those numbers on your bank account.

"Honestly, I wasn't okay." Beca said, very sincere after a while. "But I am now. I am here." And it was true.

Chloe smiled fondly at her and Coco slurred some incomprehensible words.

"Really, guys, I had a great time. I have no words to thank you for being so great to me. You guys are my support." Beca said, because, apparently, she couldn't stop talking. "It's like being home."

"You're home, Beca." Aubrey said back.

She looked at her blonde friend. And then at Chloe, that had tears glistening in her eyes.

"You know you are always welcome, right? We're five in this house." Chloe said and Beca rolled her eyes, pretending she wasn't about to burst out with love and affection. How can someone be so lucky? I mean, dream job and a beautiful loving family they build together and-

"Becaw."

The three women shot their heads in direction of the baby.

"Oh God. She said my name?" Beca said, amazed.

"No, no way." Aubrey shook her head. "Shouldn't her first words be mommy? I mean, she has two!"

Chloe was giggling and approached the baby, trying to make her talk again but she was back at the mumbling.

"Wow, you baby's first word was my name, Posen." Beca smirked. "I'm so powerful."

"That's probably because we've been saying your name all night." Chloe said, kissing her baby, on the cheeks and making her giggle.

"Well, it's my birthday, so it's fair, you know." She smiled genuinely. "Happy birthday to me."

The couple smiled back at their friend and Beca could say for sure now: she was going to be okay.

Aubrey smiled while running her hands through Emma's sleeping head. "Happy birthday, Beca."

"Happy birthday, Beca." Chloe said. "We love you."

Beca's cheeks were hurting from smiling as she said: "I love you too." There was a pause. "I should really get a PA, though, right?"

This idea came up and I had to write. I love this friendship so much! Let me know your thoughts about this one, maybe? Thanks for reading.