So here is a little one shot that popped into my head a long time ago. I actually first started writing this about 4 years ago and just recently picked it back up to fill in gaps and finish it so if it feels disjointed or inconsistent I apologize. Hope you enjoy.
Haunted Nights
"This was a mistake Bree…"
Beca slowly sat up as she heard Chloe's voice off in the distance, but when she opened her eyes it was pitch black. She stood up as she heard another voice.
"You're right Chloe, we never should have started a relationship with her."
"Aubrey?" Beca called out hesitantly as she walked forward, trying to find out where the two Bellas were but the voices seemed to be coming from all directions.
"Beca just doesn't fit with us like we thought she would. She's ruining our relationship. But what are we gonna do now?" the voice of Chloe said.
"Well we're going off to graduate school soon, we'll just break up with her when we leave."
When Beca heard this being said in Aubrey's voice her heart seemed to constrict and tears started forming in the corners of her eyes. The DJ quickly shook her head, she just imagined it was Aubrey's voice. She kept moving forward trying to get out of the darkness when finally she saw a blurry shape in the distance. She started running toward it hoping it was a way out, but as she got closer she heard Chloe's voice again.
"Yeah it's probably for the best, we were only going to stay in Barden for Beca and now we can go to better schools."
This time Beca couldn't convince herself that it wasn't Chloe's voice that she heard, because as she got closer to the blurry object she could make out that the shape was in fact two figures. And with every step she could make out more and more details of each of them, one with red hair and the other with blonde.
"She was holding us back."
"She just isn't good enough."
Tears were now steadily making there way down her face and her chest started aching more and more with every word she heard. As Chloe's and Aubrey's voices bounced around in her head she got close enough to see both of them up ahead. Once she was within a few feet of them she reached out to them trying to grab their hands but they both pulled away from her touch as they turned toward her with expressionless faces.
"Dating you was a mistake." Aubrey spat out, sounding nothing like the loving girlfriend that Beca knew her as.
"We just don't love you anymore Beca." Chloe said frowning down at the younger girl, her eyes laking their usual warmth and sparkle.
"We never loved you." They said in unison before both turned around and started walking away from the broken brunette.
"C-Chloe?! .. Aubrey! Wait, please come back!" The tiny DJ cried out as she tried to catch up to the two loves of her life. But no matter how hard she ran they got farther and farther away and soon faded into the darkness, stranding Beca in the empty void all by herself.
"I'll try harder, I'll be better! J-just please! Please don't leave me!"
Beca woke in a panic, shooting up into a sitting position, breathing heavily as her eyes darted around the room. As she tried to calm down and regulate her breathing she realized that she was home, in bed with her girlfriends, and that everything that just happened was just a dream. Thinking about her two girlfriends she looked down to her right to see both of them still sleeping peacefully. Aubrey was spooning Chloe, who was cuddled up into Beca's side, and the blonde's arm was stretched across the redhead to touch Beca's hip.
Beca was thankful that her sudden movements didn't wake either of them as she wasn't ready to talk about her dream yet. For the last month Beca had been having nightmares and at first they were very rare but now four weeks later she was having them practically every other night and she was never more thankful that her girlfriends were deep sleepers.
The nightmares started when Beca had overheard her two girlfriends talking about graduation and graduate school. In that moment it hit her like a ton of bricks, both her girlfriends were graduating in a couple weeks and would be going to graduate school come fall. The DJ had decided to stay in college and lead the Bellas in the next school year and hadn't thought about Chloe and Aubrey going elsewhere. Beca didn't feel right requesting that her girlfriends stay in Barden and go to graduate school there, she didn't want to deprive them of better opportunities so she kept her mouth shout and vowed to spend as much time as possible with both seniors until they left her.
So Beca kept her fears to herself and as a consequence she started having nightmares of Chloe and Aubrey breaking up with her, or just leaving her. Other times dreamChloe and dreamAubrey would just circle her while yelling at her, picking at all her weaknesses and insecurities, pointing out all her flaws, voicing all of her worse fears. It was starting to really tire out the brunette and mess with her head.
Trying to get her mind off her latest nightmare Beca glanced at the clock on the bedside table, letting out an aggravated sigh when she saw that the glowing numbers were telling her it was 5am. Knowing that she wouldn't be getting anymore sleep she decided to just get up. She carefully slipped out of bed watching carefully that neither of the sleeping girls woke up. She then tip toed out of the room to head to the kitchen for some much needed coffee.
-Triple-Treble-
When the two seniors got up that same morning they were only mildly surprised to find the third of their trio already awake and sitting at the kitchen table sipping at some coffee while poking away at her phone. Normally the brunette slept in as long as possible until she had to get up, and even then one of her girlfriends usually had to coax her out of bed. But these last couple weeks she had been getting up at more reasonable times, often times waking before either of her girlfriends which has highly unusual.
"Morning baby!" Chloe chirped out as she practically skipped over to the brunette to give her a greeting kiss. Both of the redhead's girlfriends smirked at Chloe's typical cheery mood.
"Morning love." Beca said after exchanging a kiss with Chloe, before turning slightly in her chair to accept a kiss from Aubrey who had moved over to her as well. "Morning angel." Beca murmured out just before connecting lips with the blonde.
"There is still some coffee in the pot for you two." Beca said as she took another sip from her own mug. The aspiring DJ couldn't suppress a smile, enjoying the simplicities of life with her girlfriends. These little moments really helped her forget about her recent string of nightmares, at least temporarily.
Both the older girls gave Beca a quick kiss on opposite cheeks in gratitude. None of them functioned properly in the morning without their coffee, well except maybe Chloe, who was pretty much a bundle of happy energy at all times.
As both Aubrey and Chloe huddled around the coffee pot getting there own cups of coffee, they exchanged meaningful glances at Beca, Aubrey going so far as to subtly gesture at her eyes to which Chloe sadly nodded. Both seniors had noticed the dark circles that were forming under their girlfriend's eyes and were slightly concerned. They knew finals were fast approaching and could only hope that studying for them was the only thing bothering their small girlfriend.
After enjoying there coffee and having a light breakfast the trio retired to the living room and curled up on the couch together. As it was a Sunday they had neither classes nor finals to worry about and had time to relax before getting back to studying later in the day. With how busy the girls had been recently they cherished every second that they could spend with each other, especially as a trio.
Chloe wrapped her arms tightly around the brunette as the DJ buried her face in the redheads neck seeking the comfort that she knew she would always find there. Chloe sent a concerned look over the girls head to Aubrey who returned it with a shrug. Both knew that Beca was secretly a cuddler, but for the past few weeks she seemed to be even more affectionate then usual. That's not to say that either of the older girls were complaining, because they both loved being close with the brunette, but it was just another noticeable change that signaled that something was going on with their tiny girlfriend that they didn't know about.
Aubrey got up from her seat in the armchair to join her girlfriends on the sofa. Taking a seat as close as possible to Chloe she reached over and started running circles on the DJ's back.
"Beca?" Aubrey asked, hoping the girl would look at her, but unfortunately Beca didn't move and just let out a hum in response waiting for the blonde to continue.
With a sigh Aubrey gave Chloe an exasperated look, but the redhead could tell it was full of love, like yeah the brunette was being difficult but she was being cute too.
Letting out a light giggle the redhead kissed the top of Beca's head before pulling the girl away from her neck so they could see her face. The tiny brunette let out a low whine as a pout took over her face.
"Stop pouting." Aubrey said as she rolled her eyes, yet she still leaned in to kiss the brunette's pouty lips real quick. Which Chloe copied with a happy smile on her face.
Between being kissed and seeing the dopey grin on Chloe's face and the loving smirk on Aubrey's, the brunette just couldn't be mad at them for disturbing her cuddle session.
Taking another moment to enjoy the light hearted moment Aubrey then put on her 'serious talk face' as Chloe and Beca had dubbed it.
"Beca, baby, is everything okay with you?" Aubrey asked the brunette as she gently took her hand and rubbed circles in the back of it with her thumb.
"Yeah everything's fine, Why?." Beca said with a slightly confused look. Internally she was freaking out thinking they knew about her nightmares. She mentally shook herself and refocused on her girlfriends.
"You've just seemed a little tired lately baby." Chloe said as she slowly stroked up and down the younger girls thighs. The redhead was someone that thrived on physical contact especially in emotional or tense situations.
"You have dark circles forming under your eyes Beca." Aubrey added as she reached up and cupped the brunette's face in her hands, letting her thumbs wander up to lightly stroke the mentioned dark circles.
Beca took in the worried and concerned looks on her girlfriends' faces and almost caved right there and then, seconds away from blurting out everything. But she was too scared about what they would say. Her biggest fear in telling them is that they would agree with everything that their dream doubles said in her nightmares. She wasn't ready to give them up (a voice in the back of her head said that she would never be ready to give them up). Beca was not ready to lose these two amazing women and she wasn't about to instigate the conversation that might make that a possibility. So when Beca opened her mouth to respond she choked back her initial response and made up something else.
"Oh you know just been tired with classes and stuff. Actually opening a book and studying for tests is really hard and exhausting." She joked with a tired smile and a slight shrug of her shoulders. Chloe giggled and Aubrey gave an exasperated huff at their girlfriend's comment.
"You know if you ever need help studying, whether its quizzing you or setting up some study methods for you, I am more than happy to help." Aubrey offered as the more studious member of their trio.
"I know Bree." Beca said with an appreciative smile, "But I got things handled right now but if I feel I need the help I'll come straight to you." The brunette grasped the blonde's hands which were still cupping her face and turned her head to kiss the palm of each hand before giving both her girlfriends a reassuring smile. She was relieved that she was able to convincingly deflect the concern, Beca couldn't believe she was thinking this but thank god for finals.
-Triple-Treble-
Beca's jolted awake, her body shaking and a thin layer of sweat was covering her body from yet another nightmare about her driving away the people she loved. It started with her father, then her mother and she woke up after Chloe and Aubrey left her. As per her new found routine, she carefully got out of bed without disturbing the other girls and slipped out of the bedroom.
Aubrey let out a sigh as she heard Beca's footsteps fade away. She rolled away from Chloe to lay on her back to think over what just happened. Chloe rolled over and rested her head on Aubrey's shoulder as the blonde was thinking. Chloe herself was lost in her head, worrying over their girlfriend.
"What are we going to do Bree? Something is obviously bothering Beca, this is the third nightmare this week." Chloe murmured quietly to the blonde.
"I know Chloe." Aubrey sighed as she stroked the redhead's hair soothingly. "But we both know that pushing her won't solve anything, she'll just cave into herself. I had hoped that by now she would have come to us." Aubrey said with a slight frown.
Chloe turned her head to place a kiss on the blonde's shoulder.
"Maybe it's time we confronted her. I know that Beca won't like it but I don't think I can go another night with her waking up from a nightmare." Chloe said, her heart aching as she remembered each night the tiny brunette woke up in a panic because of a nightmare. Normally after a nightmare Beca would want nothing more than to get as close as possible to her two girlfriends but with the recent streak of nightmares she would give them a reassuring smile if she noticed they were awake, a smile that even the brunette had to know wasn't convincing, and then would leave the bed.
"Yeah your probably right Chloe. As much as confrontation doesn't usually work with our stubborn girl, we just can't let this go on any longer. Not only is something obviously bothering her, seeing her so distraught is hurting us and I know you've noticed how lethargic Beca has been during the day." Aubrey said as she sat up and ran her hand through her hair in mild frustration.
"Now that you mention it, Beca has been acting lethargic, tired and clingy for more than the last week or so." Chloe said as she sat up with Aubrey and absentmindedly began rubbing the blonde's back out habit knowing it was a good way to keep Aubrey's stress levels down. "Do you think she's been having nightmares before this past week and we just haven't noticed?" Chloe asked concerned, her face scrunching up in thought as she tried to remember any previous incidents that might have been Beca having a nightmare.
Aubrey thought over what Chloe said and slowly nodded her head. "It's possible, you and I are fairly heavy sleepers, as long as Beca didn't make a lot of noise it's highly plausible that we could have slept right through her having a nightmare." Aubrey said sadly, feeling as though she had let her younger girlfriend down even though she knew she couldn't have done anything when not even knowing it was happening.
"When do you think we should bring it up to her?" Chloe enquired.
"We all have finals tomorrow morning, so as not to cause any extra undue stress or distraction it might be better to talk with her about it tomorrow afternoon." Aubrey reasoned out, not wanting to do anything prematurely that could negatively impact there grades.
"Okay then, tomorrow afternoon we sit Beca down and get to the bottom of everything." Chloe said definitively with a determined look in her eyes and a satisfied smile on her lips now that they had a game plan.
-Triple-Treble-
Beca burst into her girlfriends' apartment exhausted yet energized. She had just finished her last final and was tired but at the same time thrilled to be done. Her girlfriends watched in amusement as she staggered over to the couch and flopped face first down on it, giving an exaggerated contented sigh.
Chloe and Aubrey, who had had their finals before the brunette, made their way over to their melodramatic girlfriend, nudging her so she would move to give some space for the seniors on the couch as well. After they were all snuggled up on the couch together they all were able to finally fully relax and let there stress from finals go.
"So baby, how did your final go?" Aubrey inquired as she gently caressed the brunette's arm with one of her hands.
"I think it went okay." Beca responded with a noncommittal shrug. "I'm just glad it's over. How did both of your tests go?" Beca asked looking between the two seniors.
"Eh I think I did okay, there were some tricky questions but I definitely think I passed it." Chloe said first with a tired but content smile.
"Mine went acceptably." Aubrey added with a slightly miffed expression. "There were some concepts on the test that we didn't cover in very much detail during class so I don't think I did as well as I should have."
Beca rolled her eyes knowing that when they got their grades the blonde would most likely have an A+ in that course, or at the very worst an A, oh no!
"I'm sure you did great angel." Beca said reassuringly, "You studied everything you should have plus anything else that may have even had the slightest relation to your course. You covered your bases and I'm sure you blew the professor away with your brilliance."
Aubrey gave a light hearted slap to the brunette's arm as a blush slightly flushed across her cheeks causing her girlfriends to grin.
"Well I think in celebration of the semester officially being over we should get some pizza for lunch!" Chloe said so excitedly that her girlfriends couldn't help but smile and agree.
The girls split up jobs, one ordering the pizza, one getting drinks and snacks, the other getting the living room set up comfortably so they can just veg out and maybe watch a movie if the two older women could get there anti-movie girlfriend to agree.
-Triple-Treble-
The girls were all snuggled up on couch, the leftover pizza already put away in the fridge and their trash and snacks already cleared up. They had just finished watching a movie the seniors had convinced Beca to watch and they were now just enjoying each others company and exchanging casual loving caresses. Both Aubrey and Chloe knew they needed to start the conversation about Beca's nightmares but both were reluctant to disturb such a great moment, but with a few more regretful looks between them they decided they couldn't put it off any longer.
"Don't think I don't know that you two are having a conversation with your eyes." Beca murmured out from her place between them where her girlfriends were sure she had been dozing, as her eyes had been shut for awhile. After giving the young DJ a sheepish grin that she couldn't even see, Aubrey decided she should just get the conversation under way.
"Sorry Beca, it's just that Chloe and I wanted to talk with you about something but we didn't want to bring the mood down after having such a lovely afternoon together."
As soon as Beca heard the words 'Chloe and I wanted to talk to you' Beca immediately tensed up and her stomach twisted in knots as all the things she heard in her nightmares started echoing around in her head. Her stomach churned and she felt like she was gonna get sick at any moment, she quickly took a small shaky breath to steady herself before sitting up straight to confront the older women.
"Okay, what to do you want to talk about?" Beca said in a low voice, like if she spoke any louder her voice would give out. Her girlfriends also noticed that while she didn't move away from them Beca also wouldn't make eye contact.
Quickly exchanging worried glances with Aubrey, Chloe decided to bite the bullet and just get this conversation going.
"Beca, we know you've been having a lot of nightmares lately and that's why you've been so tired lately, and we also have a feeling that they've been going on longer than this past week." Chloe said softly, rubbing the other girls back as the brunette hunched her shoulders and sort of curled in on herself.
"We also know that it is more than just stress from finals. You've never hesitated to come to us with any past nightmares or weird dreams, so we know it must be something that is really bothering you. Normally we would wait for you to come to us but the lack of sleep you've been getting lately is very unhealthy. On top of that you've been acting clingier than normal and while we don't mind the extra affection it's just another sign that something is wrong." Aubrey said as she ran her fingers through Beca's wavy brown hair.
"Yeah we definitely like the extra attention, cuddly Beca is very cute Beca." Chloe said trying to reassure the younger girl that they in no way minded the extra attention from the freshman.
"Not really the point right now Chlo." Aubrey gently chided the redhead before refocusing on the silent brunette in their arms. "Beca are you going to talk to us about it now? Chances are that if you tell us we can help." Trying to convince the girl that it would be beneficial to cooperate, knowing from experience that the brunette sometimes needed a little nudge to open up about feelings or put herself in a vulnerable situation.
"It's nothing just some nightmares that wake me up." Beca mumbled with an indifferent shrug, but her girlfriends knew better, they could tell from her body language it was more than just a bothersome nightmare.
Aubrey reached out and gentle gripped the brunette's chin forcing the younger girl to finally make eye contact. "Don't lie to us Beca. Just tell us the truth, you know we won't think any less of you for whatever you are dreaming bout." She then let go of the girl's chin after giving her a quick reassuring kiss on the lips.
Beca couldn't hold it in anymore between their insistent tones and their reassuring and loving touches she couldn't hold back the tears.
Aubrey and Chloe were shocked when they saw tears start running down the girl's cheeks. Whatever Beca's nightmares were about were a lot worse than they originally thought for their little alt girl never allowed herself to cry in front of them, let alone outright sob as she was doing now. Both seniors quickly pulled the brunette into a tight embrace, murmuring sweet nothings in her ear, reassuring her they were there for her as the slowly calmed the girl down.
"Please Beca, please tell us what is going on!" Chloe choked out as tears ran down her own cheeks.
Beca sniffled as she finally got control of her breathing. She was so ashamed of herself for losing control of her emotions like that. But she knew that her girls weren't going to let it go, so she braced herself for what was to come. She took a deep breath and nodded a little before preceding to tell her girlfriends about everything. From overhearing them talking about graduation to her increasingly frequent nightmares that have been going on for over a month. How she had become unknowingly more affectionate while trying to savor every moment she had with the two of them, sure that come graduation she would lose them both.
The seniors were heartbroken to know that this whole time Beca's nightmares were about them. They had no idea that them graduating was causing their younger girlfriend such distress. They had already committed to coming back to Barden for graduate school they never imagined that Beca could be feeling guilty thinking that she was holding them back.
"Beca I tell this to you now and I'll say it to you every minute for the rest of our lives if you need me to. I love you! I love you and Chloe more than I ever imagined possible. Nothing is ever going to make me leave you, either of you." Aubrey said urgently trying to as quickly and concisely assuage Beca's fears.
"Aubrey is right Beca. You never have to worry about us leaving you, we will always be here for you, and we will always love you." Chloe added before peppering Beca's face with as many kisses as possible before continuing.
"And never, never ever think for a second that you are holding us back!" Chloe said with a furious shake of her head, her red hair bouncing around her face as a result. "Barden's graduate programs have always been in Bree's and mine top picks. And it was a no brainer to choose Barden after that knowing that we'd be able to see you much more frequently." Chloe said as she gently stroked Beca's cheek as a few more tears streaked down them.
"So your staying in Barden?" Beca whispered out. To which both seniors nodded.
"And you aren't staying in Barden just because of me?" Beca asked as she sat there between them trying to break everything down, process it and let everything sink in.
"No baby, like Chloe said Barden has always been on the table ever since we first thought about going to graduate school. You are just a very lovely perk." Aubrey responded, smiling in joy when she managed to get a small smile from the brunette.
Beca enjoyed the moment as the reprieve it was from all the seriousness, before letting her smile slip away as she mauled over what she was going to ask next. She swallowed a few times trying to clear her throat, her hands shaking all the while as she asked her next question.
"A-and you both love me? You both love me and are not breaking up with me." Beca managed to choke out as her voice cracked at the end, her hands shaking harder and her body shuddering from repressed sobs.
"Oh baby, yes. Yes we love you and there is no way in hell that you are getting rid of us." Chloe whispered out as she and Aubrey once again engulfed the smaller girl in a tight hug, each of them taking turns to say how much they loved Beca between placing kisses on any body part within easy reach.
"Okay Beca? You get that? We love you and we are not leaving you, ever. The three of us are forever and always." Aubrey reaffirmed, wanting to make sure that Beca was really hearing and accepting what they were saying.
"Okay." Beca squeaked out before clearing her throat. "But you may have to keep telling me for a while okay?" The brunette forced out in a rough voice as more tears started falling down her cheeks and to her embarrassment she started crying uncontrollably again.
"Oh Beca of course, we will tell you as often as you need." Aubrey said as she pulled the crying girl into her lap and slowly rocked her back and forth. Chloe slid over, wrapping one arm around Aubrey as the other rubbed circles in the brunette's back.
"That's it baby just let it all out. You've been holding this all in for too long." Chloe murmured in the younger girl's ear before nuzzling the back of her neck.
After awhile Beca's cries died down until it was just periodic sniffles and soon even those stopped and she started to evenly breath again only for her girlfriends to notice that she had fallen asleep.
"Poor thing, must have worn herself out, which probably isn't a bad thing she needs to catch up on her sleep." Chloe said quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping girl.
"Hopefully now that we talked things out she can get a decent sleep and not be disturbed by nightmares." Aubrey whispered back still slightly rocking with Beca. "Why don't we head to bed and lay with her while she sleeps?" She suggested while carefully standing up trying not to wake her.
Chloe nodded in agreement as she got up and went ahead of Aubrey to open their bedroom door and pull back the covers of the bed. As Aubrey went to set the brunette down, Beca's hands curled into Aubrey's shirt and clenched tight, not letting the older women move away.
With a grin of amusement Aubrey gave in to her sleeping girlfriends whims and laid down as well, shifting onto her side and pulling Beca snug against her chest.
"Cuddle party!" Chloe whisper yelled in delight to which Aubrey smiled in amusement. The redhead then carefully slipped into the bed behind Beca and spooned up to her. Beca shifted in her sleep between them before settling down and continuing in her much needed sleep.
-Triple-Treble-
When Beca woke up a few hours later she felt extremely embarrassed over how emotional she got early. Her cheeks flushed a bright red as she thought about how she sobbed all over Chloe and Aubrey. But despite her mortification Beca felt exceedingly better both physical, mentally and emotionally. She wasn't ignorant enough to think her insecurities just magically disappeared from one little talk but at least for the time being they were alleviated, and she was positive that the nightmares wouldn't be haunting her anymore. Along with that she knew that if her doubts ever reared their ugly heads again that she could talk it out with Aubrey and Chloe again, though hopefully without all the horrible crying.
Well I hope you liked it, and please review, it is the one thing that brought me back into the writing game. I'm still getting the occasional review and favorite years after posting some of my other works, so the more you feed my writing monster the more likely I'll write more.
And for those of you following my ShizNat story Street Affairs I have a couple chapters in the works and should be posted soon.
Thank You all my lovely readers!