A/N: This is a prompt fill for an Anon on tumblr. They asked for a Moulin Rouge fic and Chaubrey. I wasn't going to write a musical, but I DO think that this kind of works. Enjoy!
You call me a mountain
And I call you the sea
I'll stand tall and certain
And watch you swallow me
Mountain and The Sea - Ingrid Michaelson
Mountain and the Sea
Chloe is predictable. She'd like to think that she is an unique person, a precious snowflake, but really everything she does can be predicted. Aubrey Posen has this down to a science. After two years of being roommates, one and a half years of being best friends, and eight months of dating she knows Chloe Beale. For example, she knows that whenever Chloe announces that she has a big test in one of her classes, she's going to procrastinate until midnight and then cram all night under the dim light from her desk lamp, coming up with stupid memory mnemonics that she sings to herself while she thinks that Aubrey is fast asleep. Except Aubrey really isn't asleep and the next day when Chloe inevitably celebrates over crushing her exam, she can only roll her eyes and hum the song that Chloe came up with to herself, because they're just that catchy. So catchy that she knows more about anatomy and biology than she cares to and is pretty sure that if she didn't love being a pre-law major, she would do just fine in pre-med.
So, when Aubrey walked through the doorway of her dorm on a Tuesday afternoon and saw Chloe sprawled across her bed watching Grease, she knew that she was getting sick. Musicals were Chloe's security blanket and while normal people, like herself, would down some NyQuil and try to sleep a cold off, Chloe chose to watch musicals and pout. She thoroughly believed that a beautiful song and perfectly choreographed dance routine could fix anything and really, who was Aubrey to fight her? Chloe was so stubborn that is just wasn't worth her time to question her ways and instead Aubrey slid into the room and ignored the sounds coming through her television. As fate would have it, Aubrey hated musicals and found it pure torture to watch them with Chloe, who sang and danced along, but Aubrey had one thing to combat this small annoyance. Noise cancelling headphones.
She knew that it wasn't just a simple cold however when Chloe didn't sing along with the movie. She simply laid there as Olivia Newton John belted out Hopelessly Devoted To You and Aubrey arched an eyebrow because this was Chloe's favorite part of the movie. Ever since the university decided to stop being so cheap and got expanded cable for the students, the stupid movie channel had been a fixture in their dorm room. It specialized in old musicals and even though it was only October, Aubrey was pretty sure that this movie had been run ten times and that Chloe had watched it every time. It was super annoying and even though it was kind of cute to watch Chloe sing her heart out to this song every time it came on, mostly because Chloe usually serenaded her during it, Aubrey was about ready to throw the television through the window.
She didn't press her for more information though, knowing that Chloe was far too stubborn to admit that she was ill, and the gradual coughing and sniffling that came from the opposite side of the room as the night wore on was proof enough.
The cold, hard evidence didn't come until the next morning when she was unceremoniously awoken at 8 a.m. by the sound of La Vie Boheme blaring in the tiny dorm room. Chloe was tucked in under a fort of blankets with tissues surrounding her and the pillows that Aubrey shoved over her face to block out the sound of the singing barely made a dent. She hated Rent and she hated waking up this early when she didn't have class and she hated the incessant sniffling because Chloe was a child and couldn't just blow her nose.
Most of all though, she hated 'Sick Chloe'.
It only got worse on Thursday night when Aubrey was trying to cram for an upcoming final in her tax class and was met with a symphony of misery, in surround sound. On her left, Chloe was hacking every few minutes and moaning as she shivered under her comforter, feeling hot and cold and achy all at once and just wanting to get some sleep. On her right, the wall-mounted flat screen was playing The Sound of Music and Aubrey was about ready to climb through the screen and throw Maria off of her precious, fucking hill.
Her room was definitely alive with the sound of music, and bacteria, and she was on edge all evening until Chloe finally passed out while the Von Trapps were fleeing from the Nazis. She rose from her bed as the end credits started to play and turned the television off while silently mouthing "Thank God". Who in their right mind would want to watch a three hour long musical?
Evidently someone like Chloe, who woke up just as Aubrey turned the TV off and grabbed her giant tax manual, finally ready to study in peace. She had seen the movie a million times, but sounded so childlike as she sat up a little in bed and groggily asked "Bree? Is it over? What happens to them?"
Aubrey couldn't resist that voice and her pouty lip and the flush that had worked its way to her cheeks and discarded her book, knowing that the studying could wait for another evening. Chloe needed her now and when Chloe needed something, there was no focusing on anything else. She was like a baby…or a puppy. Either way, she was also really cute and Aubrey just couldn't resist taking care of her. Even if she was super annoying.
"Chlo, you know how the movie ends", Aubrey soothed her as she pulled the blankets up and tucked her in. "God, you're burning up. I told you that we should have gone to the health center."
"I'm fine", Chloe slurred, feverish and teetering on the edge of falling asleep. She fought it off though and blinked her heavy lids as she stared up at Aubrey and meekly asked "Did the Nazis get them?"
Aubrey couldn't believe that she was still talking about the stupid movie, but knew that she wouldn't shut up until she got her explanation and sat on the edge of Chloe's bed, grabbing her hand and kissing the back of it as she fought to stay awake.
"They lived happily ever after. They fled to the hills and went to Switzerland, with Maria's stupid guitar and a million awful songs to entertain them and no Nazis to ever find them again."
"What about food?" Chloe wondered aloud, her eyes bleary from the fever and focused on Aubrey with an intensity that would scare her if she wasn't so worried about her health. "They didn't have a house or money, so how did they eat?"
"I'm sure there were tons of little goats in the mountain for them to eat. The Captain probably brought a bunch of guns and killed them so they didn't go hungry. Now, please, go to sleep."
"I can't believe that they would eat the innocent little goats, you monster", Chloe argued as Aubrey sighed and just shook her head. "What about clothes? Do you think they brought clothes with them?"
"Chloe, I don't know!" Aubrey snapped, unable to keep her tone even any longer. She just wanted to go to sleep and she hated that Chloe was fighting with her when she needed to sleep too. This is going to take all night.
"They probably walked around naked because Maria ran out of curtains to make their outfits from."
Chloe giggled and murmured "You're such a weirdo, Bree. And a perv…"
She trailed off, falling asleep mid-sentence, and Aubrey just smiled as she turned the light off and got into her own bed. Chloe didn't wake again and Aubrey listened to her breathing in the dim room, calming as the steady breaths soothed her nerves and cleared her mind of its racing thoughts as she dropped off a moment later.
Taking care of Chloe was exhausting.
Aubrey left her dorm room the next morning and instantly felt bad as she heaved a sigh of relief when she slid the door shut behind her. Chloe was really sick and she wanted to stay, but there was only so much that a girl could take and she was certain that one more sniffle or sneeze or whimper was all that it would take to send her over the edge.
She didn't plan on staying out all day, but stuff came up and she just couldn't help it. She had a class in tort law in the morning that was followed by a study group and then she had to get lunch because she was starving. Lunch led to Bellas practice and a hang-out session with the girls afterwards at the café before her history class started at three. By the time that was over and she grabbed some dinner, it was time for her night class and the four hour long case law snooze-fest dragged. By the time she got back to her room, it was 9:30 and she felt awful for leaving Chloe for this long.
"What girlfriend would do that to their partner?" Aubrey wondered as she slid her key into her door and stepped into the room. As the sound of Nicole Kidman warbling a love song hit her in the chest like a ton of bricks, she found the answer to her question.
A girlfriend who was on the edge of losing it completely.
Moulin Rouge. She hated musicals, but this, this was the worst.
It wasn't that the music sucked. It was actually kind of nice to hear them singing pop songs that she actually knew and if she suspended reality while she watched it, she might even tap a foot or bob her head to them. It was just so...outlandish and the storyline was ridiculous and she just couldn't get into it. She liked dramas and sci-fi movies and this was a whole other animal that she had no desire to ever touch.
She was getting worse though. Her breathing was labored and the coughing was constant and Aubrey knew that they need to go to the doctor, but convincing Chloe was an...obstacle. She had tried every morning to get her to rise from her cave of blankets and walk with her to the student health center on campus, but like clockwork she protested and insisted that she was okay and for Aubrey not to worry so much.
She couldn't help it though and as she stepped into her room and saw that her girlfriend was sound asleep on her bed, she turned the movie off and slipped into something more comfortable. With her jeans and blouse tucked away in her closet, she felt much more at ease and slid behind Chloe as she eased herself onto the tiny twin bed, wrapping an arm around her back protectively and nuzzling her chin in the crook of her shoulder.
She was so hot and Aubrey could feel the sweat pooling on the back of her neck and wetting the strands of hair that didn't get swept away in her loose ponytail, but she could only tug the blanket tighter around Chloe's body and hold her. This was what she needed and as she heard Chloe whimper and felt her body shiver from underneath her own, she knew that she was not leaving.
She would never leave her.
Aubrey reached the end of her rope at two in the morning, when she could no longer stand Chloe's coughing and forced her to get up and go to the hospital. This was all after she had dug her humidifier out of her closet and ran it for two hours while holding Chloe up in front of it, after she had insisted that she was far too weak to stay upright. Or after she had ran to the bathroom every twenty minutes to run cool water over the washcloth that she held to Chloe's burning forehead.
Enough was enough and she didn't care if she had to carry Chloe down to her car, she was going to the hospital.
The idea was easier than the process and as Aubrey thrust some pajama bottoms at Chloe and started to gather some supplies to take with her to the hospital, she almost lost it when Chloe whimpered and buried her face back in her pillow. She is literally worse than an infant.
"What now, Chloe?" Aubrey asked sweetly, pasting on a faux smile and trying desperately to not snap at her ailing girlfriend. "We have to go to the hospital. You're really sick and I'm worried about you. You can't stay here anymore and you'll feel a lot better when we're done."
"I'm not putting on these pants", Chloe croaked while weakly flinging them at Aubrey, aiming for her head but hopelessly missing as they pooled on the floor. "I'm happy the way that I am."
Aubrey shook her head as she picked the pants off of the floor and looked up at Chloe, grimacing as she pictured walking Chloe into the hospital in a nightshirt and boy shorts. Her face burned as she imagined the looks that people would give them and she ignored Chloe's protests as she yanked the blankets off of her body and pulled the oversized bottoms onto her. Once she was pleased with her job, she pulled Chloe into a sitting position and dug under her bed for her shoes, practically cheering when she found them buried under a pile of junk.
She had teased Chloe constantly about how tacky the lace-less Converse sneakers were, but for once they were useful as she easily slid them onto Chloe's bare feet. Chloe wasn't any help at all and practically blanketed herself across Aubrey's body as she wrapped her arms around Chloe's back and stood her up.
"You're my favorite, Bree", Chloe mumbled while leaning against her and trying to catch her breath. "Thank you for taking care of me."
Aubrey just smiled grimly and slung her arm around Chloe's back, supporting her weight with her body as she slowly walked the girl out of their room and down to her car.
It was going to be a very long night.
"I'm fine!" Chloe protested as the doctor eased his stethoscope underneath her shirt and listened to her lungs. "It's just a little cough and I just need some cough syrup. This is really unnecessary."
"She's lying", Aubrey insisted as the nurse smirked and gave her a tiny nod of understanding. Finally, someone is on my side. "She's been sick for a week and I finally had to drag her in here, kicking and screaming. Literally."
"I hate you."
"Well, I hate you too because you're acting like such a child over something-"
"-Girls!" The doctor practically shouted as he removed the instrument from under Chloe's shirt and rolled his eyes. "No fighting in my examining room. Now, Ms. Beale, your lungs are swollen and it's a good thing that your…friend brought you in. We're going to take an x-ray of your chest and some blood and then we're going to keep you overnight for observation."
"What's wrong with her?" Aubrey asked while grabbing onto the guardrail on Chloe's bed and squeezing it so hard that her knuckles turned white. "Is it serious?"
"I can't give you a diagnosis until the blood work comes back, but it looks like she possibly has pneumonia."
"Pneumonia!" Aubrey rolled her eyes and shook her head at Chloe, who just looked away and cringed. "How do you get pneumonia in the middle of October, Chloe?"
"Bree, if you say another-"
"-Guys, enough!" The nurse exclaimed as she placed a hand on Aubrey's shoulder and motioned for her to step away from the bed. "You can get pneumonia any time of year and with her symptoms, it most likely came from bacteria that she could have been in contact with practically anywhere. Now, I'm going to get Chloe undressed and into a dressing gown so you should wait behind the curtain for a bit. Besides, I think you two could use a few moments apart before you kill each other."
Aubrey wanted to protest, to maintain some shred of dignity as the pair stared at her with bemused expressions, but she simply nodded and walked out of the examining area. She was down to her last nerve and she knew that it was for the best to just take some time away from her girlfriend. She felt relieved a moment later however when the curtain slid open and the doctor stepped outside, sighing heavily as he shook his head and closed Chloe's file.
"She's a trip", the doctor blurted out while trying to smile at the anxious blonde in front of him. "She's going to be fine though. We're going to get her on some oxygen and she'll perk up…though, I'd hate to see what she's like when she's actually feeling okay."
"Multiply this by ten", Aubrey dead-panned and bit her lip as the doctor chuckled. "Can I stay the night with her? Her parents are in South Carolina and she doesn't like being alone. I'd hate to leave her like this."
"Well, are you related to her? It's after visiting hours and if you're aren't in fact related to her, you'd have to go home for a while. Or, you're welcome to camp out in our waiting rooms."
"She's my sister!" Aubrey announced, flushing as the lie seemed to just slip past her internal filter and over her lips. "My step…sister", Aubrey smoothly added while cordially smiling at the doctor. Nice recovery, Posen.
"Oh, well you're welcome to stay the night then. Do you have any questions for me while we're waiting for her to get undressed?"
"Um, yeah I actually do have a couple." Aubrey smiled while pulling out her Blackberry, which she had taken notes on while the doctor examined Chloe. "Is this something that you can treat with medicine or will she just have to wait it out?"
"It depends on the diagnosis, but if it's bacterial then we can put her on a round of antibiotics. If it's not, then she'll need to wait until the illness leaves her body. This whole process can take upwards of two weeks to-"
"-Bree! Did you call my mom?" Chloe's voice cut through the air as she practically hollered from behind the curtain, interrupting their Q&A session.
"No, I didn't get to call her yet", Aubrey responded before shaking her head and mouthing 'I'm sorry' to the doctor. "Now, what will you be looking for on the x-ray? Will you be able to clear up whatever is filling up her lungs?"
"We'll be looking for shadows on the scans that we get back once we do the x-rays. The shadows will indicate the inflammation from the infection-"
"-What do you mean you didn't call her?! She's going to be so mad if she hears from the insurance company before me. You have to call her, Bree!"
"She's not going to stop", Aubrey warned the doctor who simply nodded in agreement. "Can I get a rain check for this? I'm pretty sure that if I don't call her mom, she's going to get out of that bed and do it herself. I don't want to be responsible for what might happen when she falls flat on her face."
"Of course, go and make your phone call. I'll have a nurse grab you from the waiting room once we bring her back."
The doctor smiled warmly at her, but looked annoyed as he turned and headed back behind the curtain to tend to Chloe. Aubrey loved her with all of heart, but she could be…difficult to deal with sometimes and she was thankful to have someone there to take charge for a bit so she could actually think for a moment.
After an hour, three cups of coffee, and one conversation with a very frazzled Victoria Beale, a nurse finally approached Aubrey in the waiting room and smiled at her as she looked up from her cell phone.
"Your sister is back in the examining room. We're prepping a room upstairs for her and it'll be ready in a bit, so for now we're just keeping her comfortable and someone will be back in a few minutes to start an IV. Feel free to head back whenever you're ready."
Aubrey nodded her thanks at the man before he walked away and turned her phone off, sliding it into her purse and sighing heavily as she finished the last of her coffee. It had been a very long night and she was dying to just close her eyes and get some rest, but she hated the thought of leaving Chloe alone back there.
She also couldn't imagine what kind of trouble she would give the unlucky soul assigned the task of giving her an IV. Chloe hated needles and Aubrey grimaced as she tried to picture the kind of fit Chloe would throw back there. If she embarrasses me…I'll kill her.
The nurse slid the IV into the back of Chloe's hand and empathized with her as she hissed in pain. This was the worst part of her job and she hated to do it, but the girl was dehydrated and would feel so much better in a few minutes. Aubrey felt bad for her too and took Chloe's free hand in hers, holding it tightly and squeezing it as her face tensed with the pain. Eventually it went away and Aubrey loosened her grip as the color returned to Chloe's face and she looked like she wasn't going to barf all over the place. Crisis adverted.
"I don't like you." Chloe snapped at the nurse after releasing the breath she had held in. "You said it wouldn't hurt and it did, so you're a liar."
"Yes, she does." Aubrey countered, smiling at the grimacing nurse as she tried to clean up the mess that Chloe's mouth had made. "She likes everyone. She's just…not well right now."
"No I don't, Bree. She's-"
"She's just in a lot of pain." Aubrey interjected, shooting Chloe a glare and daring her to continue blabbering with a raise of her eyebrow. That was enough for Chloe to close her mouth tightly and to shoot daggers at the nurse as she placed a gauze pad over the needle.
"Are you sure that you're sisters?" The nurse asked as she taped down the bandage. "Because from the way you banter back and forth, I'd swear that you were dating. Plus, you don't look alike at all."
"Sisters?" Chloe questioned while arching an eyebrow. "Bree's not-"
"A natural blonde!" Aubrey cut her off, glaring at her again and mouthing for her to shut up. "Neither is Chloe. We both dye our hair and we are sisters, so definitely no dating going on here. At least not with each other." Keep it together, Posen.
"Oh, I was just curious." The nurse commented, while smiling at Chloe who looked thoroughly confused. "I wasn't expecting that your hair wasn't naturally red, though. That's a beautiful shade and it really suits you."
"Thank you!" Chloe exclaimed, with a huge smile growing on her face. "I just love your manicure. Where did you get it at?"
Aubrey rolled her eyes as the pair started to chat like they were old friends and Chloe seemed to forget about the pain that had turned her into a quivering mess just moments ago. Chloe Beale: friend to all and a sucker for a compliment. At least she wasn't complaining anymore and for that, Aubrey was thankful.
"How can you not be tired?" Aubrey whispered as she leaned back in the uncomfortable armchair next to Chloe's hospital bed and propped her feet up on the edge of the bed. I'd kill for a blanket…or a pillow.
"I'm just not", Chloe shrugged as she turned on the television and started to flip through the channels. It was almost five in the morning and she was grateful to finally be in a real room, but for some reason her exhaustion had gone away once they got her tucked in and ready to sleep. "You can go to sleep, you know. I'll be fine without having you babysit me."
Aubrey was about to protest when Chloe broke down into another coughing fit that shook her whole body and brought a red tint to her cheeks as she struggled to catch her breath. Aubrey was at her side immediately, shrugging off her apprehension as she climbed onto the bed and held Chloe, rubbing her back and soothing her with soft words as she tried to calm herself down. No one was getting any sleep tonight.
Eventually Chloe's breathing evened out and Aubrey kissed the top of her head before lying next to her on the bed, turning off the TV and stealing one of her pillows, smirking as Chloe began to protest but wisely chose to keep quiet. Instead, she passed one of her blankets to Aubrey and smiled as she wrapped it around her clothed body and snuggled against the pillow. She looked exhausted and Chloe felt terrible for putting her through all of this, but she was also really happy to have her there.
She was the best.
While Aubrey's tiny snores were adorable to listen to, Chloe was bored and she slid the remote from Aubrey's hand and turned on the television. Once she made sure that the volume was low, she flipped through the channels until she found just what she was looking for. The hospital had the same cable package as the college and she couldn't help but smile when she found her favorite movie channel and found that Moulin Rouge was airing again. Nice!
Somehow though, the sound of Ewan McGregor serenading Nicole Kidman managed to slip through Aubrey's dreams and Chloe froze as she groaned and pulled open her eyes.
"Seriously, Chloe? It's six o'clock in the morning. This stupid movie can wait."
"Bree…" Chloe whined, flashing her puppy dog eyes and reaching out for her hand. "I'm sick."
"I know that", Aubrey sighed while reaching out and running her fingers over Chloe's warm cheeks. "You have this on DVD though and you can watch it over and over once we get back home. I know you don't care about annoying me, but you do have a roommate behind that curtain and I'm sure that he or she won't be too pleased to wake up this early."
"This is my favorite part, though." Chloe pouted, reaching for the remote and starting to fumble for the power button. "I guess you're right though, so I'll just turn-"
"-Keep it on. Only for a few minutes though and then you're getting some rest."
"Why did you change your mind?" Chloe asked while biting back a yawn.
"I just like hearing you admit that I'm right. That's music to my ears!"
"Never knew I could feel like this, like I've never seen the sky before."
"Chloe, don't you dare", Aubrey whispered as Chloe grinned and continued to softly sing with her weak and raspy voice. "I'm begging you-"
"-I want to vanish inside your kiss, every day I love you more and more."
"Please don't serenade me!" Aubrey exclaimed, trying desperately to keep her voice at a whisper but failing miserably. "We're in public…"
"Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing?"
"Yes I can hear you and I guarantee that your roommate can-"
"Telling me to give you everything!"
Chloe's voice was becoming louder and louder and Aubrey's face was as red as her hair as she tried not to smile and encourage the girl to continue.
"Seasons may change…blah, blah, blah, blah…"
"I'm pretty sure that those aren't the lyrics to the song!"
"But I love you, until the end of time."
It was kind of cute and Aubrey allowed herself to smile as Chloe inched closer and kissed her cheek before she continued to sing along.
"Come what may."
"Quiet down a little", Aubrey pled while slipping a finger over Chloe's mouth and wincing as she stuck her tongue out and licked it. "You're so gross and you're going to get me kicked-"
"-Come what may."
Before Aubrey could protest any further, the curtain that separated the two parts of the room swung open and a teenage boy grinned at them as he joined in with Chloe for the chorus, ignoring the yelp of surprise that slipped from Aubrey's lips.
"I will love you, until my dying day!"
Aubrey quickly turned the TV off and flashed Chloe dagger eyes as she shrugged and settled back onto the bed with a smirk.
"I'm so sorry that she woke you up. It's early and you were probably trying to sleep and I apologize on behalf of myself and my girlfriend, the idiot who can't stop singing."
"It's okay", the boy assured them as he thrust out a hand and shook Aubrey's. "They woke me up when they moved her in and I'm a theatre major, so serenades are kind of my thing. I love this movie!"
"Me too!" Chloe exclaimed while sitting up and grinning at the guy. "Where do you go-"
Aubrey slid her hand over Chloe's mouth and muffled her while smiling cordially at the teen.
"She needs to rest and she can talk later. Good night!"
Before he could protest as well, Aubrey slid the curtain shut and growled at Chloe as she climbed back onto the bed with her. She wasn't sure at this point how she was even functioning from the lack of sleep and she just sighed as Chloe ran a hand lazily over her hair and down her arm, gripping her bicep and rubbing it soothingly.
"I'm sorry for embarrassing you", Chloe apologized while shooting Aubrey her puppy dog eyes again. "I just can't help it whenever I watch musicals. You're my girl and I like singing to you."
Aubrey blushed as Chloe leaned in for a kiss and softly murmured "God, I love you sometimes."
"What was that?"
"Nothing…I didn't say anything."
"I heard you!" Chloe announced while a smile broke across her face. "You love me! You finally said it!"
"Calm down, it's not a big deal", Aubrey mumbled while blushing. Of all places, Posen, you had to tell her that you loved her in a hospital room. Idiot.
"Yes it is", Chloe whispered while leaning in and kissing Aubrey on the cheek. "It's a big deal because I love you too and I'm really glad that you stayed with me. You know what this means, right?"
"What?" Aubrey asked as Chloe flung an arm across her chest and nuzzled her head against her neck.
"It means that I should serenade you more often."
Aubrey just sighed as she closed her eyes and tugged Chloe close to her, listening to her breathing as she slowly slipped away. It didn't matter that she had just been threatened with mortifying serenades or that the bed beneath them was uncomfortable. She was in love and holding her favorite person in the world and that was enough. It was actually kind of…nice.
What kind of idiot falls in love in a hospital room? Aubrey wondered as she dropped over the edge into her dreams.
The luckiest kind.
You can move me, if you want to
You can move a mountain