Title: Unhurried wait
Rating: T/M
Pairing: Aubrey/Chloe, Beca/Benji, Triple Treble friendship
Genre: AU-ish, Friendship, Romance
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me; I just like playing with them.
Notes: Written for me, myself & mine
Word Count: ~ 1,790
Summary: From Barden to San Fran. From adversaries to confidants. From friends to lovers. A house and a white picket fence? Yeah... something like that.
A/N 1: Fair warning - it is mostly relationship-oriented. Ergo lots of friendship, romance, and a smidgen of parents-child feels. At times R-E-A-L-L-Y sappy...
A/N 2: The fic events are jumping around a little and in general, I repeat, are more like chronicles of evolving emotions, friendships and love. I really tried to make it tasty))
A/N 3: Aubrey Posen & Beca Mitchell are a little (ok, quite a lot) OOC here. Well, frankly it can be said that everybody is OOC. I just felt that it would work easier for me to weave a story)) Don't kill!? Minor inconsistencies I urge you to ignore... my mind was waving the strings, totes not my fault!
.
Started: 04-05-2013 (May 4 2013)
solid time break - xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
scene break - (*)(*)(*)(*)
Part I. The Rocky Start
Chapter 1.
(*)(*)(*)(*)
The journey we're all on is a blessing that is given us by the Essence. But what is the most difficult, but at the same time the most important thing for a person to do in their life? I think it can be summed up in the word 'waiting'. Not to fret, not to try and force your way through the road of your existence. To fulfill your inner desires. To find yourself in this world. And to wait for that one thing we all have come here for. That amazing feeling called love. Nowadays the word became a little tarnished and is thrown around too easily. Everybody is too afraid that this feeling will pass them by, and so they chase it and try to squeeze it into a mold it does not fit.
But those patient enough, those who don't stay still and seek themselves, finding and reaching their goals, making their dreams come true – all the while knowing and believing that one day the happiness and love of their other half will without fail come to them – they understand.
There is one of the saddest and at the same time one of the best things in all of this. Sometimes the people we are destined to be with come to us almost right from the start. And we continue to walk the path. And sometimes we even recognize each other. But also we have to catch up with each other. To reach that mutual point of life where you can come together.
And very often we must wait. Tranquil and patient. Because it is worth everything.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Atlanta, Georgia – August 27, 2011
Chloe skipped to her dorm room, unmerciful to her luggage, hoping that she would arrive earlier than Aubrey. She was really worried about her blonde friend. The whole summer was filled with comforting calls and late night texts. Aubrey's family hadn't been too pleased with her 'performance' – but after the first week they came around and were truly supportive, even tried to encourage Bree not to give up and give the a-Capella her everything next year.
Chloe somewhat dreaded the upcoming Senior year. The second half of summer the redhead tried to alleviate some of Aubrey's stress and sidestep the avalanche of ideas that Bree was throwing at her. At the same time Aubrey was more and more talking herself into leaving the set and all the entailing events the same as the head bitch Margaret shoved down their throats during the previous years.
Aubrey was sure that she had Chloe worried. She was glad that they didn't have to break in a new dorm room this year and could attempt to relax the last two days before the start of the semester. And of course before the activities fair. Aubrey resigned herself to the fact that all of Barden student population – through sophomores to fellow seniors – would be unforgiving of the Bellas' ICCA 2011 fiasco. As a result she and Chloe were left to recruit only from the arriving freshmen for none of them would be 'fortunate' to have seen the 'puke-gate performance'.
Having arrived an hour ago the blonde senior just settled down after unpacking her things. Chloe fluttered in dragging her one humongous suitcase. Cursing after it caught onto the threshold Chloe raised her head at the sound of giggles.
"Bree! You're already here!" Leaving her baggage near the door the ecstatic ginger gathered her friend in a bone crushing embrace.
"I'm so glad that you're here today." Aubrey mumbled in Chloe's shoulder, squeezing her hands around Chloe's waist tighter.
"I couldn't let you wind up yourself even more, could I?" Aubrey could clearly hear the teasing lilt to Chloe's voice. Untangling from their hug the girls grinned at each other.
"I missed you!" They chorused and laughed at their synchrony. After disposing of the suitcase and sorting Chloe's things in the drawers and a closet and a little catching up, both decided that they needed to unwind. The cozy corner cafe "At Mary's" they had found during the second year became their favorite place to relax and spend some time away from school. Aubrey and Chloe loved their coffee, and the ham sandwiches were just otherworldly.
Upon finishing the light brunch two girls were returning to their dorm room and Aubrey lost any resolve she had and asked Chloe with some trepidation. "Did you get it?"
"Bree. We agreed that we're going to relax today!" Chloe sighed.
"Chloe, you know me!" Aubrey exclaimed. "You should be grateful I didn't ambush you with this the first minute – okay, the second minute – I saw you!" The blonde batted her eyes half-mockingly, half-apologetically. Chloe really couldn't resist the adorableness that was her best friend and a huge crush. And so the redhead smiled gratefully and tried to answer as fully as possible to get this topic out of the way at least for today.
"Yes, Bree. I printed the last of the lastest versions of everything." She began to list off. "Everything is saved on three hard-drives and I even sent all the files on my and your e-mails." Her smile was demanding the appreciation Chloe felt she has rightfully deserved for her diligence and prudence.
Aubrey couldn't contain her squeals. "Oh, Chlo, you're my hero!" She jumped Chloe mid-step and hugged her for all she was worth.
"I really hope that it will help us!" Chloe could see that Aubrey's nerves were again ganging up on her. Bringing her closer by the waist, Chloe nestled her face in the crook of Aubrey's neck. They were standing on the sidewalk halfway to their place but both were paying zero attention to it.
Aubrey put her arms around Chloe's shoulders and breathed in. "Sorry." She murmured, moving her hands from side to side on the girl's back, almost as in a caress.
"Don't mention it." Chloe whispered. "We will rule, Bree. We will go up to that booth and we will get the best girls we could've ever imagined." She said louder, holding the blonde tightly. "And then we will return to the LC in New York and take our title as the Champions."
Breaking the hug but still grasping each others hands, they smiled at each other and went back to their room.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Cincinnati, Ohio – August 30, 2011
"Honey, are you ready yet?" Clara O'Donnel nee Boyden (Mitchell in between) inquired of her daughter. She was currently in the kitchen, making some sandwiches for their family just before heading to the airport. Beca's bounding step could be heard throughout the house as she flew down the stairs and ran up to the woman. She kissed her mother on the cheek and snatched a tomato sandwich.
"Yeah, mom, almost. Where is dad? He said that you both will see me off." Under Clara's reproachful look Beca bit down at her loot and grabbed a Coke from the fridge.
"Might as well have waited for Brian. He will be here any time now. He just called about ten minutes ago, said he was at the gas station." Clara finished making the snack and went to put a pot of coffee. She hesitated but then asked. "Have you called your father?" She saw Beca wince and in the millionth time thought how differently she could've handled her ex-husband's inconstant desire to be present in Beca's life.
Beca wasn't happy about leaving her mother and her stepfather of 11 years just because her biological father suddenly deemed it his right to dictate what she should do with her life.
"No, I haven't called Dave." Clara furrowed her brows. "Becky, you have to make some steps forward. He did promise to help you out with your dream to go to LA." Clara decided her daughter, who already held no warm feelings for her biological father, didn't need to know that it was Clara herself who laid down the condition on which she would try to sway Beca into going to Barden.
"Mom." Beca whispered. "Can we not do this right now?" She looked up at her mother. "I just want to spend the little time left with the real you and dad, not the Skype ones, in our usual way, okay?" Her little girl all grown up. Clara felt her eyes get misty as she went to hug her daughter tightly.
"I come bearing a whole carton of Rocky Road! Would you know someone who likes it? Or even loves it?" Brian's booming voice entered the room not long before him. Seeing his girls all teared up he chuckled "Right on time, am I?"
"That's great! A great mini-feast awaits us." Squeezing Beca once more, Clara breezed through the kitchen, grabbing the food. "I think we will eat at the terrace." She beamed at them and went out.
"Dad." Beca's solemn voice drew his attention immediately. "I'm gonna miss you." Brian gathered her in his arms and held her tight. Beca grasped his shoulders just as tightly.
"Guys! We have just an hour and a half till we need to leave!" Clara's voice came to them. "Come on!"
"Let's go before your mom will come and bundle us up." Brian's voice was a little gruff-y from emotions. "Yeah." After separating from the hug, Beca gripped Brian's hand and pulled him outdoors. Just before they stepped outside she turned to him.
"I love you, dad." Brian hoisted her into his arms and delighted in her unrestrained laughter.
"Love you, too, kiddo."
(*)(*)(*)(*)
The goodbyes went down quite smoothly if Beca had to say. Now in the plane, among the clouds she finally could let go a little and try to prepare herself for being in the presence of David Mitchell for at least a year. It wasn't as though she hated the man. He left Clara when Beca was only 7, and her mother met Brian O'Donnel a year after that. They got together when Beca was 10 and for all that time Brian was the perfect friend and unofficial father figure to little Rebeca Ray Mitchell.
David's visits and phone calls were often far and between. For Beca he always represented someone meriting attention but not having any crucial input. Dave never seemed interested in making any long shot decisions concerning his first child.
Frankly speaking the teenager was baffled at his wish for her to come to his university. But, Beca decided, even with the reality of not seeing her mom and dad on regular basis and constantly (and the brunette had an inkling that it would be the case) stumbling in on Dave, such perks as free education and a promise of a head start for her dream of becoming a music producer and a DJ were a great sway.