Looking down at the sleepy brunette on her lap, she let herself be dragged to Wonderland. The events of the day fresh in her mind.
"Ma'am?" A little voice called her, taking her out of her mind. "Do you have something to eat?" Chloe looked confused at the little boy that seemed to spend his time wandering around the shelter always by his own, the same child that would smile at Chloe whenever he caught her attention; looked at her with expecting eyes.
"Wouldn't your parents mind?" Chloe asked fidgeting in her purse for the muffin she never got to eat at breakfast. Usually, she picked breakfast on-the-go when she had busy days.
"I don't have parents," the kid said and Chloe stopped her task looking at him. "I'm alone." H shrugged it off.
"How come a little angel like you is alone?" she squatted at his height, her hands grabbing his.
The little boy stared at their joined hands, then at her eyes as if trying to speak the words he couldn't find.
"Come on, I'll buy you lunch." Chloe smiled trying to hold back tears. Her heart and her mind suddenly wrapped around this little boy.
"For real?" The kid's eyes lightened up like Christmas morning.
"For real. Anything you want. But… you have to tell me your name." Chloe knew she couldn't help if she didn't know about him first.
"I'm Jake, ma'am." The brunette boy extended his hand for Chloe to shake it, which Chloe obeyed with a soft smile.
"Nice to meet you, Jake. You can call me Chloe," she said as she guided them to the diner near the shelter. She couldn't hold back the small laugh that escaped her lips as she remembered how similar her first encounter with Beca was.
Once they took a seat at one of the booths, Chloe decided to inspect the boy in front of her. That's when she realized his brown eyes were filled with confusion while checking the menu.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked him, tilting her head.
"I don't… I don't know how to read." His voice came small; his eyes never leaving the pictures on the menu.
"It's okay, I'll help you with that." Chloe reached for his little hand and squeezed it softly. "Tell me what you want to eat, anything you want."
"Can I have a burger and water?" he asked shyly.
"You sure you want water?" Chloe seemed surprised that a kid asked for a healthy choice when he could've picked a milkshake.
"Yes ma- Chloe," he corrected himself before continuing. "I like water."
Chloe just nodded as the waitress made her way to them.
The joy she saw in Jake's eyes during the time they spent together warmed her heart and she allowed herself to hold onto that. The boy was all smiles and he responded happily each question Chloe asked. He also seemed eager to learn about her too. His sweet laugh was a sound she wanted in her life forever. Something inside her told her that she couldn't leave him in the shelter. So when the time had come, she promised him that she'd come back every day.
"I can hear your brain working," a sleepy Beca looked up at her. "What's on your mind?" She sat facing her while rubbing the sleep off her eyes.
"Remember I've told you about Jake?" Chloe asked shyly. She knew better than to lie to Beca.
"I do remember, yes." Beca nodded instructing her to keep talking.
"I can't stop thinking about him," She admitted heartbrokenly, the look on Beca's face did little to soothe her soul. "I know we've already talked about this and while I always agree with you," she paused for a deep breath before speaking the words. "Somehow I can't leave him alone, Becs. He's way too good to be alone in this world." And Chloe cursed herself as tears started to run down her cheeks. Her soul way too weak to look at Beca's disapproving look.
After 3 unsuccessful IVF rounds, they were about to give up and just go through the hard –and harsh– path of adopting. They've even tried with Beca's eggs twice -since the brunette didn't want to carry, but somehow Chloe was unable to nurse them. And she hated herself for that; no matter how much Beca told her that it wasn't her fault, she couldn't help but curse herself. And what was worse? She knew the brunette was hurting inside her because she was way too scared about pregnancy to try it herself.
Chloe had imagined uncountable times what being a mom would be like. How happy she and Beca would be with Little Bean growing up healthy inside her. What their name would be -she hoped Olivia could make it to the list- and whose hair color would they have. And how wonderful their lives would be with an addition to the household.
Maybe a family of four or five would be the result if time allowed it. And looking at Jake she felt the need to take him under her wing. To give him love and support and to allow her and Beca's scars to heal a little.
"I want to know him," Beca said after a long moment of silence. "I don't want you to get your hopes too high, baby. But I'm willing to try." She brushed Chloe's tears away. The soft kiss on her nose made Chloe giggle.
"Are you serious?" She couldn't believe Beca's words. Not when every time she brought the topic up, all Beca said was that they weren't ready to go through that process.
"Yes, babe," Beca answered as she sat on her lap, legs at each side of her body. "But I think we'll need something first." Beca brushed her nose against hers in that way that Chloe loved.
"What do we need?" she wrapped her arms around Beca's waist as she leaned in for a kiss.
"We need to choose what our last name would be," Beca answered between the kiss.
"What do you mean? We- Oh… Oh. " Chloe's eyes opened widely and Beca couldn't contain the laugh.
"If we want to adopt, we have to be married and to be married we need to pick one or both last names." She now kissed her cheek softly.
"Can we talk about it tomorrow?" Chloe didn't know exactly how or when, but her nails started to run Beca's back under her shirt and the moan that escaped the tiny brunette was enough to make her focus on other stuff.
"Lead the way, Princess." Beca laughed in the kiss.
"Don't you ever call me that if you want to be satisfied," Chloe menaced her with a frown.
"Pardon me, ma'am. It won't happen again." Beca gave Chloe the sweetest smile, but Chloe could see the mischievous spark in those navy blues.
"You'll be the death of me." She decided to stop the conversation and attacked her with a hard steamy kiss. Both women more than pleased with the activities that would follow as they made their way to the bedroom without breaking the kiss.
The next morning came way too soon for Beca's liking. She understood Chloe's position about this whole Jake thing, it was cute at some point. But after all the bad they went through with the pregnancies, she didn't want Chloe to suffer through another pain if they didn't get to adopt him or if he didn't mold to them – her.
All she wanted was Chloe to be happy. She deserved so much better than pain.
Entering to the same shelter that changed her life 10 years ago, Beca felt herself being thrown back in time. Even if the place was looking a lot more different than what she remembered –luckily it's a good different– the feeling that surrounded her was the same. The uncertainty of not having a fucking clue of what your life would turn into or how hard you'd have to fight to escape this place. Because no; even if the place could be rated as good, no one should have to live in a shelter.
"Chloe!" A sweet voice called for her girlfriend and she looked at a bubbly kid running towards them. Finally engulfing Chloe in a hug when he reached her. "You did come." His voice muffled. And she felt her heart pang with something she couldn't put her finger on.
"Hello Jake," Chloe greeted him with a matched smile. "Of course I came." She kissed his forehead before looking at Beca. "And I brought someone I want you to meet," Chloe then took her hand and prompted her to come closer. "Jake, this is my girlfriend Beca."
The boy inspected her for a few seconds before extending his hand.
"Hi Jake," Beca accepted his little hand with a smile that truly reached her eyes. And damn did she feel her heart make a jump at Chloe's look. "It's nice to meet you, kiddo." She then nodded before bringing her hands to the pocket of her hoodie. She reminded herself she couldn't get attached to him. No matter how much her heart ached, she couldn't do this to herself. She had to be strong for Chloe.
Taking advantage of it being a Saturday, Chloe had planned their day together and Jake seemed to be content with it. And even if she was having fun and the kid seemed truly happy, she couldn't help but feel anxious whenever Jake looked at Chloe with adoring eyes. She knew this was wrong. She knew that this would be really hard for –admittedly- the three of them if everything went down.
There were too many silent looks between her and Chloe that only fuelled the feeling of disagreement between them. But no matter how uncomfortable she felt, she'd promised Chloe that she'll get to know him. And so she did –or at least she tried.
Turns out that by the end of the day when the moment to part ways came, her heart broke at Jake's teary eyes and all she wanted to do was to take him with them and never let him go.
"Would you like to stay with us?" Beca spoke the words before she chickened out, earning a blank stare from Chloe and an open mouth from the kid.
"Beca?" Chloe asked surprised. She knew the redhead expected anything but this. "Are you sure?"
"Yes Chlo, we have enough space. I think we can settle him just right." She squeezed Chloe's arm in a reassuring gesture that Chloe responded to with a loud sigh.
"What do you say, Jake? Would you like to live with us for a while?" Chloe squatted and looked him in the eyes. Eyes that now shined with a new light.
"Can I have a bed?" the words came so softly that Beca was sure she could feel Chloe's heart shatter too. Oh boy, what did this boy go through?
"You can have a bed in your own room." Beca mirrored Chloe's position and she allowed herself to caress his short brown locks. "You can have whatever you want." She reassured him with a smile. It was decided, they'd fight for this kid with everything they had.
So that night after they put Jake to sleep in his cozy bed –as he called it– Beca held a teary Chloe; soothing her with soft words and sweet kisses here and there. The redhead was full of different emotions and she didn't hold them back when it was safe - in Beca's arms.
"Do you think we can keep him?" Chloe's shaky voice hurt her heart.
"I do think so, yes." She kissed Chloe's nose. "You're a hell of a social worker and Amy is a hell of a lawyer." Beca smiled at the memory of Chloe's friend. The blonde could be very dangerous for being a respected lawyer.
"I hope you're right," Chloe opted to play with one of Beca's long locks instead of looking at her. "Did you see the look on his face when we showed him the house? I want him to be so fucking happy." She hid her face in the crook of Beca's neck with a new wave of fresh tears.
"I promise you that we'll do everything in our power to make him happy." She wrapped her arms tighter around her.
By the time Tuesday came, Chloe had everything gathered for Amy to start the paperwork for Jake's adoption. The blonde told them that due to the fact that no one asked for Jake, his situation was open to anyone who wanted to adopt him. And given the good position she and Beca had, the judge would be more than content to sign the papers, but not before they got married. Something that they both wanted to get over with as soon as possible since they didn't really care about marriage as long as they got to love each other. However, they did promise their friends and family that they'll do a little party to celebrate both news.
"What happens if I can't stay with you?" Jake asked one morning during breakfast. His legs swinging at each side of the stool and his gaze fixated on his cereal bowl.
"You'll stay with us, buddy." Beca urged to his side. Her hand caressing his hair. "We're gonna stay together forever." She kissed his forehead and Chloe felt her heat grow ten inches at the sight. It never stopped to amaze her how she felt every time Beca had a moment with Jake. She would be a great mom.
"But what if-"
"You'll stay with us, Jake." She joined them on the other side of the aisle, wrapping her arms around him protectively. They didn't want to tell him until it was official, no matter how optimistic Amy was about it.
"I really want you to be my moms," he admitted shyly, making both adults look at each other with unshed tears in their eyes. The matched smiles were something impossible to hide.
"I'm pretty sure we will." Chloe looked at his eyes, blue meeting brown in a silent promise that got the boy nodding.
It's been a month since Jake moved temporarily to the Mitchell household –as they decided for Chloe to take Beca's last name- and as the time to the resolution came closer and closer, the nervousness and the excitement seemed to be the only two moods around them. Beca and Chloe had to practically distract each other when one of them was about to drop the bomb. Not even the Bellas knew about it. So when Chloe got the call, the need to tell Beca the news took over her and so she practically ran to the brunette's office, not caring to understand what Sam –Beca' secretary- told her. Knocking on the door, she waited anxiously.
"Come on in," Beca called from the other side of the door.
"Hello, beautiful!" Chloe couldn't contain her happiness as she wrapped her arms around her –now- wife.
"Hey baby," Beca laughed at the moment. "To what do I owe this visit?" she asked confused. And Chloe could feel her own emotions bubbling inside of her.
"Can you guess?" She was sure her voice betrayed her because Beca's eyes were getting glassy as she matched her megawatt smile.
"Is he ours?" Beca asked with a broken voice.
"He's ours, baby." Chloe laughed through tears as Beca engulfed her in a hug and let herself cry of happiness. They finally got to call Jake their son officially. She couldn't wait to get home and cook his favorite meal for when Beca picked him from Aubrey and Stacie's. The fact that he and Bella were just a few years apart was a good thing since Bella was all giggles whenever she got to see her favorite cousin.
After what seemed like a lot of kisses and caresses later an d a promise to not tell anyone about it, she found herself leaving Beca's office and heading to the grocery store. Her little boy deserved some ice cream to celebrate and she won't deny him having as much as he wanted. Somehow, he and Beca shared the passion.
"Chloe?" A small voice came from the front door and Chloe felt her heart do a jump as all her emotions flowed through her at the same time.
"Hey, buddy!" She greeted him with a hug and the following kiss on his forehead. Something that both she and Beca decided to settle as their greeting way. "How was your day?" She tried to hide the tears that threatened to come out.
"Bella threw up at me," he scrunched his nose at Chloe's laugh. "She got sick and covered me in vomit. It's not funny!" He frowned at her. Looking up, she couldn't contain another laugh as Beca seemed to have troubles to contain hers.
"Moooooom, stop!" and as soon as his words escaped his lips, he gasped bringing his hand to her mouth. "I'm sorry." The apology came muffled.
Too much to keep the secret for after dinner, she thought. Looking at Beca, they both nodded in a silent agreement. This was the time. This was it.
"Hey bug, you don't need to be sorry." Beca smiled at him, Chloe could sense the emotions bubbling inside the brunette too. "You know why?" She let him wonder for a while, kissing his nose when he shook his head.
"You can call us mom as much as you want," Chloe decided to join the party. It wasn't fair Beca takes all the fun. "You're stuck with us forever, Jake."
And just like that, Jake managed to wrap his little arms around both their necks in a hug and they all sighed contently as the news settled in the kid's mind. Words weren't needed when all that mattered was for them to enjoy this moment as much as they could.
"It seems like we have our own family," Beca kissed her softly between tears. And oh, boy didn't she wait for this moment all her life.
After all their ups and downs, their scars would start to hea l little by little with the help of this beautiful angel that was sent to them. Chloe made a promise to herself right then and there to always do what was best for them and to never let Jake doubt all the love she held for him. No matter what happened, he'll always have a shelter in her home.